Details of the TCLASS in CICS

sibi Yohannan · New User Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 47 Location: Bangalore

Hi,
Someone please explain me the details of the TCLASS in cics

We have a requirement to eliminate all the Transactions which is runinng for a quite long time (may be in a loop) or consuming more CPU time. The target is to reduce the load on the CPU and there by free the CPU if any transactions are running in loop.

Please advice

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:19 pm

Here is SET TCLASS and this is INQUIRE TCLASS

Included are explanations of TCLASS .

and don't bother to ask, it was easy in GOOGLE to find.

Robert Sample · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:18 pm

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:54 pm

remember to set the max tasks for the class to 0, before killing any running tasks.

long running tasks may not be looping, just poorly written.

sounds as if you are a cics sysprgmer having to deal with a sloppy development group.
instead of TCLASS and holding down the number of tasks,
find the time parm and set it lower for specific transactions,
Otherwise you will be playing fireman with a squirtgun.
make the transaction time out
and the development group will have to make the transaction more efficient.

sibi Yohannan · New User Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 47 Location: Bangalore

As an example we have TIME Parameter in JCLs. The job will be automatically brought down if it exceeds the mentioned TIME Limit.

How can we achieve the same in an Online transaction, is there a way to specify the maximum run time of a CICS program, so that we can make sure that even though the transaction is running for a long time, once the time limit reaches it will be killed. That will save the further CPU time, there are cases where the long running transactions braught down the entire CICS region. We need to avoid any such type of incidents, thats the ultimate aim.

Please advice

Robert Sample · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:02 pm

As far as I know, the only way is ICVR in the SIT or RUNAWAY on the transaction. They depend upon the transaction allowing CICS to process actions, so as I said before if the transaction is in a loop with no CICS calls, neither method will work.

Be aware that with CICS there are circumstances in which you must bring down the entire region to resolve an issue. Period. If you cannot live with this, then do not use CICS -- that's your only choice.

dick scherrer · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:12 am

Hello,

Suggest you implement a better testing methodology. . .

If i understand what you are trying to deal with, the effort is a complete waste (imho).

The programs should not be promoted until they are ready - not just because someone says they "have to go live by mm/gg/yy" or because there are incompetent or lazy developers. . . . Also, fwiw, the programmer should not be the only one to test the program before promotion.

I guess far too many have come to accept the Windows "oh well, time to reboot" methodology, so now it gains ground in this environment too. . .