By default, Sort/Merge does not allocate contiguous disk blocks for the output file. You can request, however, that the output file be stored in contiguous disk blocks by specifying the /CONTIGUOUS qualifier, thereby decreasing access time. If you use the /CONTIGUOUS qualifier, you must also specify the /ALLOCATION qualifier because if the preallocated space is too small, OpenVMS RMS may be unable to extend the file contiguously.