Somehow dataset is getting empty

rlnraju1979 · New User Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 7 Location: USA

Somehow dataset is getting empty in our system. We are trying to figure out who is emptying the file.

Here is the scenario.

We have two different applications. My application job creates output flat file that is used by the other group.

We are getting calls from the other group saying that their job is failing because file is empty. Their job can’t handle empty file.

Whenever We get calls from the other group. We look at the file. It is empty but our job sysout shows how many records it had written. We tell the other group that you guy’s emptying the file. They said know you guy’s giving us empty file.

Our job runs around 3:00AM and their jobs run around 5:00 AM. Some times Flat file is getting empty in between. These jobs run early morning and we only get called when their job is failed. We never had a chance to look this file after 3:00AM and also it happens occasionally.

We did not make any changes to job and program but it is happing since three months.
Our job creates the file and the other group processes that file and deletes that file. They said they only delete when it is successfully.
We two groups only use that file.

Do you know any tool or utility we can use to identify who is accessing that file between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM?

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:16 pm

Take a dump of the SMF dataset and process the open/Close records

expat · Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:03 pm

Insert a print step to print the contents of the file after creation to prove that it is getting populated for the other group.

Also, it seems to me that not being able to handle an empty file is poor system design.

rlnraju1979 · New User Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 7 Location: USA

Thanks for your reply.

do you have sample jcl for 'Take a dump of the SMF dataset and process the open/Close records'

I never done it before.

Regards,
raju

rlnraju1979 · New User Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Posts: 7 Location: USA

Thanks, I found following sample jcl and ran in our system.

//SMFSCAN EXEC PGM=IFASMFDP,REGION=4M
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//DUMPIN DD DSN=SYS1.MAN1.xxxx,DISP=SHR
//DUMPOUT DD DSN=xxx.xxxxx.TEST,
// DISP=(,CATLG,DELETE),
// UNIT=SYSDA,SPACE=(CYL,(1,10),RLSE),
// DCB=(LRECL=32760,RECFM=VBS,BLKSIZE=27998)
INDD(DUMPIN,OPTIONS(DUMP))
OUTDD(DUMPOUT,TYPE(14:15))
DATE(2007000,2007282)
START(0000)
END(2400)

it generated report for whole system...is there anyway i can get only for the dataset i am looking for...is there any unique name assiagend to that data set in SMF?

Appreciate your help.

Regards,
Raju

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 12:07 am