CICS adapter monitoring is essential for maintaining reliable connections between CICS and external systems. Learn how to monitor, manage, and troubleshoot CICS adapters including CICS-MQ adapter, Oracle Access Manager, and other enterprise system adapters.
CICS adapters are components that enable CICS applications to communicate with external systems such as IBM MQ message queues, Oracle databases, web services, and other enterprise systems. Monitoring these adapters is crucial for ensuring reliable communication, identifying performance issues, and maintaining system availability.
Adapter monitoring involves tracking connection status, message flow, error rates, performance metrics, and resource utilization. Effective monitoring helps prevent system failures, optimize performance, and ensure smooth integration between CICS and external systems.
Imagine CICS is like a mailroom in a big office building. The adapters are like special mail carriers that take letters (messages) from the mailroom to different places - some go to the post office (MQ), some go to other buildings (databases), and some go to the internet (web services).
Monitoring adapters is like having a supervisor watch the mail carriers to make sure they're doing their job correctly. The supervisor checks: Are the carriers showing up for work? (connection status) Are they delivering mail on time? (response time) Are there too many letters piling up? (queue depth) Are they making mistakes? (error rate)
If the supervisor notices problems - like a carrier is late, or too many letters are piling up, or letters are getting lost - they can fix the problem before customers get upset. That's what adapter monitoring does for CICS - it watches the adapters and helps fix problems before they affect the whole system.
CICS supports various adapters for different types of external system integration. Each adapter type has specific monitoring requirements and tools.
| Adapter Type | Purpose | Monitoring Tools | Key Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| CICS-MQ Adapter | Enables communication between CICS and IBM MQ message queues | CKQC transaction, CEMT commands, CICS Explorer | MQCONN, MQMONITOR |
| Oracle Access Manager | Connects CICS to Oracle databases | EDF, Oracle Net tracing, CICTRCCL utility | ORA2 transaction, Oracle Net configuration |
| DB2 Adapter | Integrates CICS with DB2 databases | CEMT commands, DB2 monitoring tools, CICS Explorer | DB2CONN, DB2ENTRY |
| Web Services Adapter | Enables CICS to consume and provide web services | CICS Transaction Gateway, CICS Explorer, performance monitoring | PIPELINE, WEBSERVICE |
The CICS-MQ adapter enables CICS applications to send and receive messages through IBM MQ queues. Monitoring this adapter is critical for ensuring reliable message processing and identifying bottlenecks.
An MQCONN resource definition specifies the connection between CICS and IBM MQ. It defines connection parameters including the queue manager name, initiation queue name, and other MQ-related settings.
123456789101112131415IDENTIFICATION DIVISION. PROGRAM-ID. MQCONN-EXAMPLE. DATA DIVISION. WORKING-STORAGE SECTION. 01 MQCONN-NAME PIC X(8) VALUE 'MQCONN01'. 01 QUEUE-MGR-NAME PIC X(48) VALUE 'QMGR01'. 01 INIT-QUEUE-NAME PIC X(48) VALUE 'SYSTEM.CICS.INITQ'. PROCEDURE DIVISION. * MQCONN resource definition specifies: * - Connection name (MQCONN-NAME) * - Queue manager name (QUEUE-MGR-NAME) * - Initiation queue name (INIT-QUEUE-NAME) * When installed with INITQNAME, creates DFHMQINI monitor END PROGRAM.
The CKQC transaction provides control and monitoring functions for the CICS-MQ adapter. You can use CKQC to view adapter status, check queue depths, monitor message flow, and perform diagnostic operations.
CKQC can be accessed through:
When you install an MQCONN resource with an INITQNAME attribute, CICS automatically creates and installs an MQMONITOR resource named DFHMQINI. This monitor represents the default initiation queue and starts automatically when the MQ connection is established.
Additional MQMONITOR resources can be installed to define attributes for other IBM MQ message consumers, such as the trigger monitor transaction CKTI.
Oracle Access Manager for CICS connects CICS applications to Oracle databases. Monitoring this adapter helps ensure reliable database connectivity and optimal performance.
To begin an EDF session for Oracle Access Manager, start the adapter with the EDF keyword:
1ORA2 START MOD(ORA0) EDF
EDF provides detailed diagnostic information about adapter operations, including SQL statement execution, connection handling, and error conditions. Ensure you're running Oracle Access Manager for CICS Version 4.1 or higher to use EDF.
To enable Oracle Net tracing, start the adapter with the TRACE keyword:
1ORA2 START MOD(ORA0N) TRACE
Trace records are written to a Generalized Trace Facility (GTF) data set if GTF is running, or to a CICS transient storage queue if GTF is not active. Captured trace records can be formatted using the CICTRCCL utility.
The CICTRCCL utility formats trace records captured from Oracle Access Manager. It can be run as:
This utility helps analyze trace data to identify connection issues, SQL problems, and performance bottlenecks.
CEMT (CICS Execution Monitor Transaction) provides commands for querying and managing CICS resources, including adapters. These commands are essential for adapter monitoring and management.
| Command | Description | Usage Example | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| CKQC | CICS-MQ adapter control transaction | Issue CKQC from CICS command line or within programs | Manage and monitor MQ connections, view queue status |
| CEMT INQUIRE ADAPTER | Query adapter status and configuration | CEMT INQUIRE ADAPTER(name) | View adapter connection status, resource information |
| CEMT SET ADAPTER | Modify adapter settings | CEMT SET ADAPTER(name) ENABLE/DISABLE | Enable or disable adapters, modify configuration |
| CEMT PERFORM ADAPTER | Perform adapter operations | CEMT PERFORM ADAPTER(name) RESET | Reset adapters, perform diagnostic operations |
To query the status of an adapter using CEMT:
12345678CEMT INQUIRE ADAPTER(MQADPT01) * This command displays: * - Adapter name and status * - Connection information * - Resource configuration * - Current state (enabled/disabled) * - Error information if applicable
To enable or disable an adapter:
123456CEMT SET ADAPTER(MQADPT01) ENABLE CEMT SET ADAPTER(MQADPT01) DISABLE * ENABLE: Makes the adapter available for use * DISABLE: Prevents the adapter from processing requests * Useful for maintenance or troubleshooting
Effective adapter monitoring requires tracking specific metrics that indicate adapter health, performance, and reliability. Understanding these metrics helps identify issues before they impact system operations.
| Metric | Description | Importance | How to Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connection Status | Whether the adapter is connected to the external system | Critical - indicates adapter availability | CEMT INQUIRE ADAPTER or CKQC for MQ adapter |
| Queue Depth | Number of messages waiting in queues | High - indicates message backlog and potential delays | CKQC transaction for MQ, adapter-specific monitoring tools |
| Message Throughput | Rate of messages processed per second | High - indicates adapter performance | Performance monitoring tools, CMF records |
| Error Rate | Frequency of errors or failed operations | Critical - indicates adapter health issues | Error logs, CICS dumps, monitoring tools |
| Response Time | Time taken for adapter operations to complete | High - indicates performance bottlenecks | Performance Analyzer, CMF records, timing measurements |
Various tools and solutions are available for comprehensive CICS adapter monitoring, ranging from built-in CICS facilities to third-party enterprise monitoring solutions.
CICS Explorer provides graphical interfaces for monitoring adapters. It includes views for:
CICS Explorer offers functionalities similar to EXEC CICS SPI commands but with a user-friendly graphical interface.
Rocket TMON for CICS provides real-time monitoring and performance management for CICS Transaction Server. It offers:
BMC AMI Ops for CICS (formerly MainView for CICS Management) provides:
CICS Transaction Gateway enables real-time monitoring of CICS transactions and adapters. It provides:
Following best practices ensures effective adapter monitoring and helps maintain reliable CICS operations.
Establish a regular monitoring schedule to check adapter status, queue depths, and error rates. Automated monitoring tools can provide continuous monitoring and alerting.
Define thresholds for key metrics such as queue depth, error rate, and response time. Configure alerts to notify operators when thresholds are exceeded.
Regularly verify adapter connections to external systems. Use CEMT commands or monitoring tools to check connection status and identify connection failures promptly.
Monitor performance trends over time to identify gradual degradation. Use historical data to plan capacity increases and optimize adapter configuration.
Keep diagnostic facilities like EDF and tracing available for troubleshooting. Enable tracing when investigating issues, but disable it during normal operations to avoid performance impact.
Document monitoring procedures, alert thresholds, and escalation procedures. Ensure operations staff understand how to respond to adapter issues.
Understanding common adapter issues helps with quick problem resolution and system recovery.
Connection failures can occur due to network issues, external system unavailability, or configuration problems. Check:
High queue depths indicate message backlog and potential processing delays. Investigate:
Performance degradation can result from various factors:
Practice these exercises to reinforce your understanding of CICS adapter monitoring:
Use the CKQC transaction to check the status of your CICS-MQ adapter. Identify:
Use CEMT commands to query adapter status:
If you have Oracle Access Manager configured:
Configure monitoring alerts for:
CICS adapter monitoring is essential for maintaining reliable communication between CICS and external systems. Key points to remember:
1. What is the primary purpose of CICS adapter monitoring?
2. Which transaction provides control functions for the CICS-MQ adapter?
3. What is created automatically when an MQCONN resource is installed with an INITQNAME attribute?
4. How do you enable Oracle Net tracing for Oracle Access Manager for CICS?
5. What command allows you to query adapter status in CICS?
6. What is the purpose of MQMONITOR resources?
7. Where are Oracle Access Manager trace records written?
8. What utility can format Oracle Access Manager trace records?
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