OPEN vsam file thru JCL

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

We use ATRM tool to manage vsam file status in CICS. Using that tool opening a file is taking longer (30 sec to 2minutes) and is affecting 24*7 availability. Is there another way (faster) to open vsam file in CICS env thru JCL?

Robert Sample · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 10:21 pm

Have you opened a problem report with the vendor? That should be your first step in resolving the issue.

Your second step should be to get your system programmers to look for issues at your site -- perhaps there's a GRS issue causing problems?

Depending upon what is causing the delay, there may be no faster way to open the file(s), period.

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 12:07 am

How many files is ATRM attempting to open?

Does ATRM use a home-grown SVC or EXCI LINK/CALL to get to the target region?

In the target region, is the server-program using the SET FILE OPEN API for individual files or the CEMT/DFHEMTA programmable interface for multiple files with an asterik qualifier (IE: PRD*)?

PeterHolland · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 4:16 pm

And what is a :

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

I do not have access to ATRM tool and how it is done. System programmer tried all what he can do and found out, of all the things, "open" step is taking lot of time and recomended for my team to come up with some ways to OPEN a vsam file thru JCL and compare the time taken.

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

ATRM is "Automated Teleprocessing Resource Manager", we use it mainly for open/close vsam files and start timed transactions.

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:43 pm

I've never heard of this Product. Is it a US-based vendor? As has been suggested, have you opened a problem ticket with the vendor? The fact that you don't have access to it, doesn't help us as it seems to be a "Black-Box". What did the SYSPROG have to say? Was the response-time always slow or did this just begin after a Software upgrade or Hardware downgrade? You must provides better detail of the issue in order for someone to lend assistance. Ask the SYSPROG (if known) as to what is the method used to pass the open/close command from Batch to the target region(s). There's only a couple of ways to do this.

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

I think it is US based product. I didn't find anything on it when I searched on the web. I do not have details about what and how the systems guys decided where the problem is. I am last in the chain and all I know so for is they have a jcl that invokes atrm and in each step doing an open or close. I was asked to research and come up with ways to open the file and see if it happens to take less time. It is not a new issue. Probably 10 yr old issue. Now it's getting lot of attention as 24*7 availability is more crucial than ever before. I will try to get more details on how they r doing it now.

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 1:34 am

If the FCT entry for a given file specifies "Open at First Reference", then ATRM only needs to ENABLE the given file, which will be a fraction of the time required to complete the Open. Why tie up the overhead associated with an Open but instead, allow the application program/task to wait until the file has opened?

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

I'm not getting much info from the systems team... My task at hand is to write a simple cics pgm that reads a file that has cics region name and vsam file dd name, open file for all the records in the input file. Any hlp on how I can do this? I have to change the cics region and issue cemt s f(ddname) open ena.
How do I chg the region in a cics pgm?

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 4:01 am

Robert Sample · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:19 am

Your most basic problem is that the task you have described cannot be accomplished (at least, not without third party software). From the CICS System Programming Reference manual:

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:45 am

Robert,

We have an in-house CEMT Assembler Client program, which reads 80-byte SYSIN data and DPL's (via an EXCI Link) to an in-house CEMT Assembler Server program, in a target region, which doesn't use SPI API's, but rather the old, crusty but still viable, DFHEMTA interface.

Still works as advertised in a TS/4.2 environment and I know someday, I'll have to change it, after IBM drops support on DFHEMTA, which they've been threatening to do for years....

Regards,

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

More info on how it's being done now....we are using 2 eds utilities called wampdlki and waapdlok. I think ATRM is only acting like a repository to tell wampdlki, given a data-set-name, where all (region/fct name) it is being used. That o/p from wampdlki is fed to waapdlok that opens/closes those files in those regions. these utilities are written some 20yrs ago and no documentation is available now, nor the source code to see how they are doing it.
Time that Waapdlok step is taking for open file is the issue and is affecting the new 24*7 availability attempt.

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:56 pm

I had asked before regarding the extended response-time; When did this begin?

I guess you're closing the ESDS files, so the catalog can update the high-RBA and Batch uses this RBA as a cutoff point?

But as I've said, if the file which had been previously closed as CLO/ENA, then upon first CICS access, it will open if defined in the FCT entry as "FIRSTREF". This will remove the Open-Time overhead from the utility and place it with the first-file access by a given task/program.

If the utility had issued a CLO (UNE implied) or CLO/DIS, then all it needs to do is issue an ENA after you're done with it and everyone can "Kumbaya".

Please advise....

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

I don't think the slow open response is a new thing.
It's the 24*7 availability attempt is a new thing that is required under new Federal regulation.
They have made lot of changes to this effort in past couple of years and this problem (slow open using eds waapdlok utility) is a small piece of the big puzzle.

I will pass the above info (how they r defined, just ena it instead of open) to systems guys and see what they say.

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

Thank you all. Issue is not resolved, but was sent back to systems team saying no App dev solution available.

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 6:55 pm

Have you tried (as suggested) only ENABLING the target file with the 3rd-party product instead of OPENING it as well?

If the FCT entry is defined to OPEN the file upon first access, then ENA should work and this first task which accesses the file will perform the OPEN.

bitbybit · New User Joined: 13 Jul 2012 Posts: 11 Location: usa

I tried & it works...after closing the file, I tried the transaction and it opens upon 1st access. I did give that info to systems team, as usual, no response from them yet. May be, the only solution is they should not run that step that is opening the files and instead each transactions 1st access will open the files needed. Thnx for the help.

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 10:37 pm

You should continue to run the step, only ENABLING the files and omitting the OPEN.

When you CLOSE a file, by default, it becomes UNENABLED, DISABLED or ENABLED (when specifically specified), if this is the method you had closed them.

Regardless of how they were CLOSED, it's necessary to ENABLE the files, unless of course, they were CLO/ENA, which is doubtful.