- An EPS Seminar -

Dates and Location:

None scheduled at this time. Available for in-house instruction.

Hardcopy of Abstract and Outline:

EPSSeminarRileyzOSDiagnosticTechniques.pdf

Additional Information:

Click here to visit our seminar schedule page for currently scheduled class dates and locatio ns.
Click here for registration and pricing information.
Click here for travel information.

Seminar Abstract and Outline

Audience:

This three-and-a-half-day intensive seminar is intended for system programmers who require knowledge of z/OS SVCDUMP diagnostic techniques.

Seminar Instructor:

Phil Riley

Seminar Abstract:

The seminar presents an in-depth discussion of the approach required to identify, within an SVCDUMP, the failing component, module, and instruction. Historical data taken from a variety of traces and system control blocks is used to gain perspective in the flow of control leading to the point of error.

Note: Standalone dump analysis is not covered in this seminar.

Lecture material is reinforced with the use of lab exercises. IBM's Interactive Problem Control System (IPCS) dialogs are used to analyze a variety of dumps.

Prerequisites:

A basic understanding of z/OS internals and control block structures is assumed.

Seminar Objectives:

In this seminar, students will learn how to:

• Use IPCS to navigate an SVCDUMP in detail and to generate analysis reports
• Follow module flow of control using information taken from Request Blocks and Linkage Stack Entries
• Use the formatted System Diagnostic Work Area (SDWA) control block to gain knowledge of the point of failure
• Find and interpret low level historical information in the System Trace
• Create a Generalized Trace Facility (GTF) trace data set and interpret the various record types
• Start a Virtual Storage trace to analyze problems with virtual storage acquisition and release
• Use IBM documentation to check a system-created SVCDUMP title for pertinent information
• Create SLIP traps to capture information pertinent to anticipated error situations

Seminar Outline:

The following is a high level outline for this seminar:

• IPCS
  • Dump directory
  • Symbol table and Map entries
  • Inventory list
  • Primary command vs. Subcommand usage
  • Addressing techniques and data descriptors
  • Formatting and listing control block structures
  • SUMMARY and STATUS reports
  • Miscellaneous analysis subcommands
  • Hardcopy print functions
  • Control block chain analysis
  • Browse mode and navigation methods
  • Entry, Pointer stack and Storage panels
  
  
• Recovery and Termination
  • Recovery Termination Manager (RTM) functions
  • RTM and interrupt handling
  • RTM flow of control and recovery routines
  • ESTAE, FRR and ARR recovery environments
  • System Diagnostic Work Area (SDWA) control block
  • Recovery Termination Manager 2 (RTM2) control block
  
  
• Request Block and Linkage Stack Analysis
  • Request Block (RB) usage during interrupt handling
  • RB contents and analysis
  • Linkage stack structures
  • Linkage stack entry contents
  • Owning module identification
  • SVC module naming convention
  
  
• System Trace
  • Starting the System Trace
  • Formatting the System Trace
  • Interpreting System Trace entries
  
  
• Other Traces
  • Starting the Master Trace
  • Formatting the Master Trace
  • Interpreting the Master Trace entries
  • Starting the Generalized Trace Facility (GTF)
  • Entering GTF trace parameters
  • Formatting the GTF Trace
  • Interpreting the GTF Trace entries
  • Starting the Virtual Storage (GFS) Trace
  • Formatting the GFS Trace
  • Interpreting the GFS Trace entries
  • Starting the GFS Tracking facility
  • Using RMF and IPCS to format tracking data
  • Starting the Component Trace
  • Component Trace External Writer
  • Formatting the Component Trace
  
  
• SVCDUMP Environment and Analysis
  • Generating SVCDUMPs
  • Dynamic SVCDUMP allocation
  • Scheduled vs. Synchronous SVCDUMPs
  • Dump Analysis and Elimination (DAE)
  • Multi-system SVCDUMPs
  • SVCDUMP analysis review
  
  
• SLIP Processing
  • Program Event Recording (PER) traps
  • Use of Control Registers
  • Dynamic PER activation
  • RTM controlled traps
  • SLIP command syntax
  • Use of RBLEVEL, DATA, REFBEFOR, REFAFTER
  • Multi-system SLIP processing
  • Dump and trace option processing controls