This option specifies the maximum amount of disk SORTWK space that MAXSORT can use. When this parameter is used, MAXSORT will release excess space in order to meet the figure you have specified.
When the RELEASE=ON parameter is active (either via specification or by default) at the conclusion of the sort portion of a MAXSORT, most of the allocated SORTWK space is freed (however, in the case of invoked sorts or SORTWKs defined as OLD, the data set is returned to the size allocated at MAXSORT initiation rather than the minimum size possible).
If MAX, the default value, is specified, all primary and secondary space which has been allocated will be acquired. The MAXWKSP value may also be specified as a decimal number of cylinders (n) or as a decimal number of megabytes (nM) of work space.
If MAXWKSP is specified as n cylinders, MAXSORT will convert the specification to an actual byte value. MAXSORT will multiply by n the capacity of a cylinder on the disk allocated to the lowest-numbered SORTWKnn DD statement.