How can I increase the length of variable-length record beyond 32760?

The maximum record-length for variable-length QSAM records is 32,760 bytes.

The current record-length of our file is OK for us, but in order to tackle some more info we have to expand this file which will have it's length beyond 32K (LRECL > 32760).

Splitting the record is not good option for us as it will impact our existing system.

I'm not sure whether using SPANNED records with VSAM here will solve this problem.

//DEFINE EXEC PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSPRINT  DD SYSOUT=A
//SYSIN     DD *

  DEFINE CLUSTER (NAME(dsname.K1719) INDEXED VOLUMES(xxxxxx) -
         TRACKS(1) KEYS(17 19) RECORDSIZE(40 110) SPANNED) -
         DATA (NAME(dsname.K1719.DATA)) INDEX (NAME(dsname.K1719.INDEX))
/*
//

Will this will solve our problem?

Solution

If you use Unix System Services files, you are not subject to the 32K limitation on LRECL. There are downstream effects.

If you are using COBOL to process the file you can use LINE SEQUENTIAL in the ORGANIZATION clause, but then you are limited to 1M LRECL.
If you are using COBOL to process the file you can eschew COBOL I/O
and use C fopen() and so forth to get around the 1M LRECL limitation mentioned above, but then you are adding something a bit foreign to an admittedly hypothetical COBOL application. C would have no trouble with such files, I cannot speak to PL/I.
Not all DFSMS and third-party utilities are completely conscious of Unix System Services files.
JCL constructs for Unix System Services files have a relatively short learning curve, but there is a bit of learning required.
Security for Unix System Services files may be off-putting to your Security Administrator(s). You may find yourselves having to set up Access Control Lists via setfacl and other new concepts.