What does it mean Validate Database before Image copy?

To run error free Mainframe IMS database Image copies, the IMS databases should be in stopped status. To validate the status of IMS databases currently, there is no process in place. Introduced a new procedure to check IMS database status before Image copy jobs were triggered. From this new validation process, if any IMS database found in active status, then the list of databases will be sent as an email to DBA for investigation.

Why do we need to Validate DBs status?

There have been cases where the IMS Database Image copy jobs were failing due to contention with application jobs. To stop this contention issue, we need to validate the IMS databases status, before running image copy jobs. Currently, there is no process in place to verify database status to avoid Image copy job failures.

Proposed new validation process as Solution:

As a proactive measure, IMS Database validation process has been introduced to prevent image copy job failures. Additional steps were incorporated in database stop job to implement this procedure. The database stop job uses IMS BMP program and transaction to issue DBR (stop) commands. The database listing screen print captured through CA-SYSVIEW utility program in a file. The output of CA-SYSVIEW utility passed as input to the REXX program to validate the status of DBD’s. If any DBD found in active status, the list of DBD’s would be sent as an email notification to the Production control (Operations) team and DBA to intervene. This process is simple to implement in all IMS environment. This process is executed through JCL and could be scheduled for production and test environments.

Database Validation process flow:

Figure – 1

1. To start the job issue IMS STOP DB command through BMP program
2. Issue STOP TRANSACTION command through BMP program
3. Capture the DATABASE list screen from CA-SYSVIEW into file1
4. Pass the file1 as input to REXX program to validate DB status
5. If any DB found in active status, the list of active DB’s written into file2.
6. Sent file2 as email for Production control and DBA team for their analysis
7. After sending email end the job with a return code of 4 marking it a failure
8. If all the DB’s are in stopped status post validation, mark the job as successful  completion

• Follow this process any time when an Image copy needs to
• To complete this validation, it takes about 5 minutes per run.
• To prevent image copy jobs failing due to contention issues, automated this validation process in our project.

Requirements for automation:

Following are the requirement gatherings:

1. Identify the tool to issue commands through the Batch process in IMS environment. 

     We have two tools available to issue IMS commands through batch mode.

• SPOC Utility: Use the Batch SPOC (Single Point of Control) utility to submit IMS™ operator commands to members of the In the Batch SPOC utility, the program parameters define the IMSplex environment and the input are IMS operator commands. The output from the utility is command responses written to the SYSPRINT file. 
• BMP Program: Use the Batch BMP program through which IMS commands For this, the program must be RACF authorized with console authority. Based on the environment set ups in other projects, either of the tools can be made use for validation. In our project, we used BMP program to accomplish the task.

1. Identify the tool to issue commands through Batch process against CA-SYSVIEW.

We have GSVXBAT Batch Interface utility used to issue IMS commands against CA- SYSVIEW. The output from the utility is command responses written to the SYSPRINT file.

1. Identify the programming language which will help to attain the

In the mainframe environment, for administrators the easy and useful language is REXX. This program will validate the status of DBs, whether they are in STOPPED or ACTIVE status. 

1. Provide these inputs to the program for DB status
2. First input will be the CA-SYSVIEW screen print output
3. If you ask, for which IMS region the commands to be performed, here comes the second input which is four character IMS region  
4. Types of  reports:  Based on the validation, if any DBs found active, then the list of DBs will be written in the file. 
5. Identify the type of Mail protocol to be  used. The SMTP is used to send the status report through a batch job. 
6. Create separate jobs for each IMS region. This helps to investigate the IMS environments and produce health check reports faster.

Requirements Resources Table:

Perform IMS commands:

Validation status report:

The output of CA-SYSVIEW Databases screen will be available in the file. The output file passed as input to REXX program. These are the list of status validations performed.

Database validation:

Benefits:

The list of databases found as ACTIVE, will be written into the output file to send an email. All the listed status were considered as anomalies and needs immediate DBA intervention to fix the outage.

• Helps to keep the environment stable. Helps error free image copy runs.
• Helps by minimizing manual effort for Production control and DBA team.

Summary:

Implement this process in any project to run error free image copies and to keep the databases stable. Helps DBA to resolve the issue and prevent an outage in minimal time. Automation ensures timely communication of DB Availability reports to DBA team.