Retention period (RETPD)

Use the retention period value to specify the retention period for newly created data sets to help reduce the chance of later accidental deletion. After the retention period, the data set can be deleted or overwritten by another data set. The system adds the retention period value, specified in days, to the current date to calculate the expiration date.

The retention period value can be obtained from an SMS data class, an SMS management class, inherited from a model data set, or you can enter a value.

If you did not specify an SMS data class, an SMS management class or a model data set on the first wizard panel, you are required to enter a value for the retention period. If you do not want to set a retention period, select "None - data sets will have no expiration date", otherwise select "Retain for:" and enter a value. The default selection is "None - data sets will have no expiration date".

If you did specify an SMS data class or a model data set on the first wizard panel, then the retention period will be obtained from the SMS data class, or model data set. You can choose to override the obtained value, by selecting "Use this value:" and indicating the value.

If you specified both an SMS data class and a model data set on the first wizard panel, then the retention period will be obtained from the model data set. You can choose to override the obtained value, by selecting "Use this value:" and indicating the value.

If you specified a management class, then the retention period is obtained from the management class. The value of the management class's retention period can be overridden.

However, regardless of where the retention period value is obtained, when attempting to override the value set in the management class, the actual resulting retention period setting depends on the retention period limit defined in the management class. A management class is defined with a retention limit value as well as a retention period. If you attempt to override the management class's retention period, the override value must be within the retention period limit defined in the management class. Otherwise, the retention period used is the management class's retention limit value.