System Options under z/OS

SORTUNIT= System Option: z/OS

Specifies the unit of allocation for sort work files.

Default:	CYLS
Valid in:	configuration file, SAS invocation, OPTIONS statement, OPTIONS window
Category:	Sort: SORT
PROC OPTIONS GROUP=	SORT
z/OS specifics:	all

Syntax

SORTUNIT=CYL<S> | TRK<S> | BLK<S> | n

CYL<S>: specifies that the units be cylinders. The space calculation for cylinder allocations requires that the characteristics of the device on which the allocations are made need to be known. The device type is specified with the SORTDEV= option. The device type should be specified as generic, such as 3390, rather than esoteric, such as DISK. When an esoteric name is specified, it is impossible to predict what device type will be used and thus the device characteristics will also be unknown.
TRK<S>: specifies that the units be tracks. The space calculation for track allocations requires that the characteristics of the device on which the allocations are made need to be known. The device type is specified with the SORTDEV= option. The device type should be specified as generic, such as 3390, rather than esoteric, such as DISK. When an esoteric name is specified, it is impossible to predict what device type will be used and thus the device characteristics will also be unknown.
BLK<S>: specifies that the files are allocated with an average block size equal to the record length rounded up to approximately 6K (6144). Therefore, if the input record length was 136, the average block size used for the allocation would be 6120.
n: is an integer that specifies the average block size.

The SORTUNIT= option specifies the unit of allocation to be used if SAS dynamically allocates the sort work files (see the DYNALLOC option).