Configuring IBM Tivoli NetView Alerts with XCOM for z/OS

Products

• XCOM Data Transport
• XCOM Data Transport - z/OS

Issue/Introduction

XCOM for z/OS will write NetView Alerts when the ALERTS parameter is set in the config member for conditions that meet a specified event category and severity level. This parameter may also be set in a destination member.

Environment

XCOM™ Data Transport® for z/OS

Resolution

Multiple categories of ALERTS may be specified with the ALERTS parameter. You must have a NetView receiver available on the system where the XCOM server is running.

Event categories are CONVersation, SESSion, FILE, SECurity, GEN

Severity levels are: Information, Warning, Error, Action, NONE

Refer to the Config Member Alert Parameters for details on setting ALERTS in config members..  Refer to Destination Member Alert Parameters for setting ALERTS in the destination members.

Background Information:

Individual XCOM error messages are marked internally for:

1. Whether they are eligible for ALERTS
2. The type (file error, security error, etc)

Everytime XCOM writes a message to the XCOMLOG or MVS console, it checks the message to determine if it is eligible for ALERTS and if it matches an ALERTS category set in the DEFAULT table or destination member.

Here are some examples:

• ALERTS=FILE(E)- an alert will be sent to Netview if a file error is encountered and the XCOM message for the file error has the alert flag set and the file category set.
• ALERTS=SESSION(E) - will notify Netview whenever there's a session error or action needed related to establishing a session.
• ALERTS=SECURITY(W) will notify Netview when there's a security violation even on a warning mode as indicated by the severity(W) and will include actual security errors since W (warning) includes (E) error and (A) action. A severity of (I) information will include all flagged messages (W), (E), and (A) since the severity is cumulative.
• ALERTS=CONVERSATION relates to flagged messages that deal with the transmission protocol such as XCOMM0153E INVALID DATA RECEIVED, TRAILER RECORD NOT NUMERIC.

NOTE: Specify multiple ALERTS separating the values with commas. Example: ALERTS=CONVERSATION(E),SESSION(A)