The best way to do a batch update and delete of records

The best way to do a batch update and delete of records

We need to do a batch update and delete of records on an online CICS file. I'm wondering what the best way to do this is. Use a batch program and do updates and deletes (via EXCI) or make flat file copy and reload the file with only those records that should remain? Which is the better approach if the file has only about 10,000 records and it is a very busy authentication file for operator IDs?


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I think the key requirement for this question is the busyness of the file that is being used for Userid authentication/verification. In general, I'm a lot more wary about doing KSDS deletes in more than one place than updates. This is almost certainly an ancient prejudice but that's me.

I worry about buffers held in CICS getting invalidated or worse becoming corrupt in this circumstance.

Closing, rebuilding, reopening the KSDS would be safe but you require access most of the time. Thus, I'd recommend going down the EXCI route (and not thinking about RLS) to ensure the accuracy and accessibility of what you require. This also has the bonus of not trying to delete a record that is currently in use.

Robert Harris
Inventor
CICS Technical Strategist -- CICS expert at Search390.com

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This was first published in August 2003

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