Monitoring and managing UNIX System Services with CA SYSVIEW

Products

• SYSVIEW Performance Management
• NXBRIDGE - SYSVIEW/ENDEVOR

Issue/Introduction

UNIX System Services (USS) is a critical subsystem to the many sites that have migrated to TCP/IP networks and deployed the WebSphere Application Server on the mainframe. USS is the backbone of these mainframe subsystems. The CA SYSVIEW base product includes a component for monitoring USS. For those mainframe-oriented employees thrust into monitoring USS,  CA SYSVIEW provides a comprehensive solution for monitoring and maintaining this environment.

Environment

z/OS and CA SYSVIEW

Cause

Basic terms for your understanding:

• Process - A program running in an address space that requires kernel services.
• Thread - A task in an address space that requires kernel services.
• User access - Views and manages only their own USS workloads.
• Superuser - Views and manages all workloads on USS, which is the equivalent of a systems programmer for USS. They can make dynamic updates to maintain continuous processing.

 

Resolution

 

 -Monitoring and managing USS processes

  The UPROCESS command displays resource information indicating acceptable performance levels for processes by monitoring CPU time, total time to process, and  

  thread counts. Available in the same display are details about the MVS address space ID and the job associated with the process ID. MVS oriented users might use

  the USSLIST command to display information by address spaces interoperating with USS processes. Secured users can issue powerful management functions through line commands, and may choose to kill or signal processes. Those users with access to the activity command can use the find command to locate the job or address space associated with the USS process, and view detailed MVS performance information for problem determination. Management functions are accessible by issuing line commands.

 

-Monitoring and managing files and file systems
 CA SYSVIEW issues alerts against approaching out of space conditions for USS File Systems by displaying the USS directories, their file listings, and open files.

 

-IPC information
 IPC displays such as USEMAPH and USHRMEM within CA SYSVIEW provide resource information and indicate the max count numbers allowed for message queues, max semaphores counts in the set and numbers of adjustments, and the number of processes attached to a shared memory segment.

 

-Users and Superusers
 The UUSERS display provides staff with a database of USS user names, IDs, and their affiliated group identifiers. With the USUPER command, someone that is secured to use this command can change the ID status of a user to become a super user. By becoming a super user, they can display all USS performance information and take actions to maintain file systems.

 

-Dynamically updating parameters
 The USYSCONF command enables superusers to make updates to maximum limits for many resources. Making updates to these parameters can help maintain  continuous operations. A few examples of resource values that can be updated include message queue counts, address space region size, files per process, file size,  threads per process, and number of users.

 

-Monitoring the status of USS resources
 CA SYSVIEW displays the status and conditions of processes, threads, and mounted file systems. The URESOURC command displays a summary of USS resource activity, providing staff with a valuable overview of the health of the environment.

 CA SYSVIEW provides its users with a comprehensive solution for monitoring and managing the critical components of the mainframe environment. The product's  extension to USS is available to meet the current challenges with maintaining optimal performance for z/OS.