The System Watchdog consolidator log file contains information messages stating that it cannot write into SNS$FEED_PCM_MBX mailbox
Article ID: 6324
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
The CA System Watchdog consolidator log file is growing at a steady pace and contains many messages indicating that it cannot write into the SNS$FEED_PCM_MBX mailbox. Here are examples of the message with two different status codes:
Record type : Error message
Header : Unable to write into SNS$FEED_PCM_MBX mailbox
Status : 00000144
14:37:16.94 %SYSTEM-F-IVDEVNAM, invalid device name
%SYSTEM-F-IVDEVNAM, invalid device name
******************************************************
Record type : Error message
Header : Unable to write into SNS$FEED_PCM_MBX mailbox
Status : 00000908
17:22:59.04 %SYSTEM-W-NOSUCHDEV, no such device available
%SYSTEM-W-NOSUCHDEV, no such device available
Environment
Cause
The status code of 144 (hex) and accompanying message text of "%SYSTEM-F-IVDEVNAM, invalid device name" indicates that the logical name SNS$FEED_PCM_MBX is undefined.
The status code of 908 (hex) and accompanying message text of "%SYSTEM-W-NOSUCHDEV, no such device available" indicates that the logical name of SNS$FEED_PCM_MBX is defined but translates to a mailbox device name that no longer exists.
The logical name is defined by the application named SNS$FEED_PCM.EXE, which is located in the directory pointed at by the logical name of SNS$EXAMPLES:. The application is used to integrate CA System Watchdog for OpenVMS with CA Console Management for OpenVMS. Typically, the SNS$FEED_PCM.EXE application runs under a process that is started as a detached process or batch job from a user-written command procedure, or run by CA Console Management for OpenVMS under control of a pseudo-terminal.
Depending upon the status code, SNS$FEED_PCM.EXE application was never started, has terminated unexpectedly, was deliberately terminated, or was terminated by shutting down Console Management for OpenVMS.
Resolution
There are two resolutions for the problem.
Resolution #1:
Restart the SNS$FEED_PCM.EXE application per your site-specific policies and procedures, which may involve executing a command procedure, restarting CA Console Management for OpenVMS, or by some other means such as a batch job.
Resolution #2:
If it is determined that the SNS$FEED_PCM.EXE is to no longer be used, then it will be necessary to either globally disable mailbox writing in the System Watchdog consolidator, or edit the System Watchdog consolidator profile and delete all references to the SNS_FEED_PCM mailbox set within each internal and external event class.
Perform the following steps in order to globally disable mailbox writing in the System Watchdog consolidator. Note that if further analysis of your situation is needed, you can globally disable all mailbox writing and then re-enable it later.
Execute the following DCL command:
$ SENSE WATCHDOG SHOW CONSOLIDATOR/ALL
Note the id number of the consolidator as shown in the output from the command above since it will be used in the next DCL command which identifies the consolidator for which all subsequent commands will apply:
$ SENSE WATCHDOG SET CONSOLIDATOR <id-number-recorded-from-previous-step>
Enter the System Watchdog profile editor:
$ SENSE WATCHDOG EDIT PROFILE
The following prompt will be displayed by the editor:
SNS$EDIT>
Next, perform the following commands while in the profile editor:
SNS$EDIT> SET CONSOLIDATOR/DISABLE=MAILBOX
SNS$EDIT> EXIT
The updated consolidator profile will be saved and the editor will terminate. Execute the following DCL command to force the System Watchdog consolidator to use the changes made to the profile:
$ SENSE WATCH RECONFIGURE
Once the System Watchdog consolidator has completed the reconfiguration operation it will cease to write messages to any mailbox referenced in the profile.
If you need to re-enable mailbox writing in the future, identify the consolidator by executing the first two commands in this section, enter the profile editor, and execute the following profile editor commands:
SNS$EDIT> SET CONSOLIDATOR/ENABLE=MAILBOX
SNS$EDIT> EXIT
Once again you must execute the "reconfigure" command shown above in order to force the consolidator to read the updated profile.
Additional Information
If you globally disabled all mailbox writing by following the instructions in the "Resolution" section, and your site still needs to utilize mailbox sets other than SNS_FEED_PCM, then you will need to use the System Watchdog profile editor to remove all references to the SNS_FEED_PCM mailbox from all internal and external message classes. The easiest way to audit your consolidator profile is to use the System Watchdog profile editor to dump the profile to a text file as described below.
First, repeat the steps shown in the "Resolution" section to enter the System Watchdog profile editor. Also, keep in mind that the remainder of this section is written from the assumption that you have already associated your terminal session with the System Watchdog consolidator by executing the DCL command SENSE WATCH SET CONSOLIDATOR <id-number>.
Next, enter the following System Watchdog profile editor commands to dump the contents of the profile to a text file and terminate the editor:
SNS$EDIT> SHOW ALL/OUTPUT=SNS_PROFILE.TXT
SNS$EDIT> EXIT
Now, use either the DCL SEARCH command or your favorite text editor to review the contents of the text file that you just saved. Search for the string "Mailbox" in order to locate the mailbox set definition and the events that reference the mailbox set. You will need to record the names of all internal and external event classes that reference the SNS_FEED_PCM mailbox so that each class can be modified. What follows are examples that show references to the SNS_FEED_PCM mailbox set in both the internal message class named DEFAULT and the external message class named ALPHA_CLASS:
Class : DEFAULT
Event Priority Options
CPU CPU errors High
Mailbox : SNS_FEED_PCM
Severity level : INFORMATION
MEM Memory errors High
Mailbox : SNS_FEED_PCM
Severity level : INFORMATION
External messages class : ALPHA_CLASS
Match String Priority Options
1 DBMS DAEMON HAS UNEXPECT High
Mailbox : SNS_FEED_PCM
Severity level : ERROR
Continuing with the example using the DEFAULT and ALPHA_CLASS classes shown above, the following commands can be used in the System Watchdog profile editor to remove all references to the SNS_FEED_PCM mailbox in both classes:
SNS$EDIT> MODIFY CLASS DEFAULT/EVENT=ALL/NOMAILBOX
SNS$EDIT> MODIFY EXTERNAL ALPHA_CLASS/NOMAILBOX
Finally, save your changes and reconfigure the consolidator by executing the commands below:
SNS$EDIT> EXIT
$ SENSE WATCH RECONFIGURE
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