Logging problem categories

Categories of problem, in order of ascending impact on the user, that can be encountered by CICS® VR.

Those problems within the MVS™ system logger that the MVS™ system logger resolves for itself. CICS® VR has no involvement in this category and can experience the problem only as an increase in response times.
The MVS™ system logger is unable to satisfy the CICS® VR request immediately. This problem state can be encountered on a 'STRUCTURE FULL' condition where the coupling facility has reached its capacity before offloading data to storage. CICS® VR is able to recognize this situation, issues message DWW838I, and tries the request again every 3 seconds until the request is satisfied. Typically, this action can take up to a minute.

If the MVS™ system logger fails, CICS® VR attempts to trap the error and issues a 3999 condition code. The 3999 condition code indicates that no batch logging occurred for the sphere. Operator messages DWW251I - DWW262I or DWW266I indicate the reason for the termination. Since no batch logging has occurred, and if this problem occurred during forward recovery logging, you must take a backup of your VSAM spheres to ensure recoverability

IBM® recommends that you set up your batch logging jobs to take a backup of your VSAM sphere if you receive a 3999 condition code from CICS® VR VSAM batch logging.

This example shows a sample job step that takes a DFSMShsm™ backup of PAYROLL.FILE72 when a 3999 condition code is detected for STEP03.

Figure 1. Example of a DFSMShsm™ backup if 3999 condition code occurs

//MYJOB   JOB  .....
     ....
     //STEP03  EXEC PGM=....
     //*  PAYROLL IS THE VSAM SPHERE DEFINED AS FRLOG(REDO)
     //PAYROLL  DD   DISP=SHR,DSN=PAYROLL.FILE72
     ....
     //*  BLBAD RUNS IF LOGGING TERMINATED AT STEP03 IS DETECTED
     //BLBAD    EXEC PGM=ARCINBAK,COND=(3999,NE,STEP03)
     //ARCPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
     //ARCSNAP  DD SYSOUT=*
     //BACK01   DD DSN=PAYROLL.FILE72,DISP=SHR

This example shows a sample job step that takes a DFSMSdss™ backup (logical dump) of PAYROLL.FILE72 when a 3999 condition code is detected for STEP03.

Figure 2. Example of a DFSMSdss™ backup if 3999 condition code occurs

//MYJOB   JOB  .....
     ....
     //STEP03  EXEC PGM=....
     //*  PAYROLL IS THE VSAM SPHERE DEFINED AS FRLOG(REDO)
     //PAYROLL  DD   DISP=SHR,DSN=PAYROLL.FILE72
     ....
     //*  BLBAD RUNS IF BATCH LOGGING TERMINATED IS DETECTED AT STEP03
     //BLBAD    EXEC PGM=ADRDSSU,COND=(3999,NE,STEP03)
     //SYSPRINT DD   SYSOUT=*
     //DDUMPOUT DD   DISP=(,CATLG),DSN=PAYROLL.FILE72.BACKUP,
     //         UNIT=3390,VOL=SER=USRPAK,
     //         SPACE=(CYL,(5,1),RLSE)
     //SYSIN    DD   *
        DUMP -
           DS(INCL(PAYROLL.FILE72))     -
           OPT(4)                        -
           COMPRESS                      -
           CICSVRBACKUP                  -
           SPHERE                        -
           OUTDDNAME (DDUMPOUT)
     /*

If the MVS™ system logger fails and CICS® VR cannot trap the error, the CICS® VR server address space might terminate.