Sampling Techdocs : December 2009 - January 2010

Here we are again with some new and interesting reading material from TechDocs.

• Presentation : IMS 11 - Easier than Ever
  White paper : IMS Version 11 Installation and Migration Tips
  Here's two interesting documents on IMS V11. The 75 page presentation introduces you to the new functions of IMS V11 (including speaker notes). The white paper "contains planning information for installations migrating to IMS Version 11. It includes a list of prerequisite software and APARs. It describes considerations for compatibility with previous versions of IMS and for use with DB2 and CICS. Migration tasks are explained. Tips for migrating to IMS 11 from IMS 10, IMS 9 and earlier versions of IMS are provided. The document includes extensive references to other information on IMS Version 11". Definitely worth a read.
  
  
• White paper : OSA-Express3 Multi-ports per CHPID Definitions
  I've mentioned this before but it has now been updated as the port restrictions on CHPID type OSC have been removed since the end of last year.
  
  
• Technical document : Manual Configuration of Linux for XIV Attachment
  I already mentioned that I also obtained my technical certification for XIV. So as my job description changes a bit, the focus of this blog will also be on XIV from time to time. Here's a first : this document describes how to "setup a Linux server manually for Fibre Channel attachment to an XIV" when you don't want or can't use the Host Attachment Packages IBM is providing with XIV.
  

• Presentation: STP Role Assignment Considerations
  This presentation is intended to help customers make decisions about where to assign STP server roles. It gives some best practices, a couple of recovery scenarios and it explains what messages are generated.
  

• Presentation : TS7700 Release 1.6 Technical Overview
  I already mentioned that there was no actual announcement for Release 1.6 of the TS7700 Virtualization Engine. Well, here's a nice and comprehensive presentation covering all the new functions. It also includes the audio of the presentation. The audio usually gives you a lot more information than what's on the slides and there's practically always some interesting Q&A session at the end . . . like with this one.
  

Well that's it for now. As I always say : just check them out !

New Red Alert about Potential DB2 Data Inconsistencies Following a CF Failure

Here's yet another Red Alert :

It concerns sites running DB2 having Coupling Facilities with structure duplexing :

"When a CF terminates the structures on the CF are physically deleted and duplex structures will fail over to the other instance of the structure and simplex structures will rebuild into a new instance of the structure. If the CF comes back up quickly after a CF failure, it is possible, and even likely, that the rebuilding structures will rebuild into the CF that just terminated and came back. While the new instances of the structures are being allocated, XCF may still be cleaning up for the prior instances of structures that were allocated in the CF before the CF failure. As part of the clean up XCF may incorrectly delete record data from the new instance of a lock structure thinking it was cleaning up unneeded data in the prior instance of the structure. When the missing lock structure record data is detected XES will ABEND026 0C090020 IN IXLR1ALR OR ABEND026 0C2A0101 IN IXLR1GRT".

You can read the entire Red Alert and the recommended actions over here.

If you want to have en overview of all past Red Alerts, then take a look over here. You can also subscribe on the same page so you'll be notified by mail of any future Red Alert.

Upcoming events

You may have noticed I've taken a slow start this year. Not that there's nothing to say but it's just been unusually busy for the beginning of the year. I've just put together some upcoming events. Many of those will also be available on replay afterwards. Keep taking a look from time to time at the agenda on the right hand side. More events will definitely be included.

26/01/2010 :
Teleconference - Hints and tips to get the most out of IBM DB2 9 for z/OS
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

27/01/2010 :
Teleconference - Rational Developer for System z and Rational Team Concert for System z
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

28/01/2010 :
Teleconference - Exploring your z10 and z/OS systems with OMEGAMON XE for z/OS
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

09/02/2010 :
Teleconference - IBM looks to System z and Cognos 8 BI for its own largescale business intelligence deployment
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

10/02/2010 :
Teleconference - Opening the door to your enterprise infrastructure – WebSphere Business Events on System z
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

11/02/2010 :
Teleconference - Reduce IT costs and improve your IT service
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

16/02/2010 :
Teleconference - IMS Tools Solution Packs — End-to-end solution saves time, resources
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

25/02/2010 :
Teleconference - Mainframe Virtualization Management on System z with IBM Tivoli
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

11/03/2010 :
Teleconference - Minimizing Risk Through Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
at 5.00 p.m. Brussels Time
Register

I can also already give some dates for upcoming GSE events in Belgium. Keep watching the agenda for more information and more dates to follow.

11/03/2010 : Enterprise Systems Security Group
Focus on z/OS

17/03/2010 : z/OS Systems User Group

25/03/2010 : Large User Group
Operational roles / functions in the current / future datacenter

Red Alert for DB2 9 for z/OS when using the CATMAINT UPDATE SCHEMA SWITCH utility

Here's a new Red Alert :

Abstract:
Both DB2 9 for z/OS potential data corruption and DB2 crash after using the CATMAINT UPDATE SCHEMA SWITCH utility, which is new in DB2 9.

Description:
After running the CATMAINT UPDATE SCHEMA SWITCH utility, object's DBDs were corrupted causing various overlay type ABENDs when accessing the row. This problem only affects databases that contain tables that have columns with user defined default values. Some of the potential ABENDs are:

ABENDS0C4 00000010 PIC10 AT DSNSLD1 DSNSVBK
ABENDS0C4 00000038 PIC38 AT DSNIDM DSNIBABR
ABENDS0C4 00000004 PIC04 AT DSNIDM DSNIMOFT
ABENDS0C4 00000038 PIC38 AT DSNBBM DSNV1RTR
ABENDS0C4 00000011 PIC11 AT DSNIDM DSNIBNRF
ABENDS0C4 00000010 PIC10 AT DSNSLD1 DSNSFBK
ABEND04E RC00E20005 AT DSNICMT2 DSNSVBK
ABENDS0C4 00000004 PIC04 DSNSLD1 DSNSVBK
ABEND04E RC00C90101 DSNISMRS ERQUAL5001
ABEND04E RC00C90101 DSNICLOS ERQUAL5007
ABEND04E RC00E40600 DSNUT910 DSNUEXDB

During CATMAINT UPDATE SWITCH SCHEMA execution, some OBDU fields (the OBD user defined default section) in the DBD were corrupted.

Recommended Actions:
As a preventative action, install the PTF for PK90557.

The REPAIR DBD utility with the TEST or DIAGNOSE options can be used to determine whether this inconsistency exists, and then REPAIR DBD REBUILD can be used to correct the DBD issue.

As per APAR PK90557/UK49713, the following SQL can be issued to find all the databases which may have corrupted OBDU fields:

If you have run the following CATMAINT UPDATE utility statement previously:

CATMAINT UPDATE SCHEMA SWITCH (AAAAAA,BBBBBB)

then the below query can be used to locate the database name of the DBDs that are possibly affected:

SELECT DISTINCT DBNAME FROM SYSIBM.SYSTABLES WHERE
CREATOR='BBBBBB'

A REPAIR DBD REBUILD for each DBD identified with the corruption is then required to correct the problem.

If you want to have en overview of all past Red Alerts, then take a look over here. You can also subscribe on the same page so you'll be notified by mail of any future Red Alert.

How about some new pair of glasses

Just a fun post. There's still enough time for serious posts during the year. I remember a post on the Mainframe Blog (couldn't immediately find it back) summing up where the term 'mainframe' was used in other contexts.

Well, here's another 'mainframe'. How about some new pair of sunglasses for the new year ?

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