5. FILES › 5.2 Batch Information Area Files › 5.2.10 Job Account Derivation Hold File (BATSFH) › 5.2.10.4 BATSFH File Usage Notes

5.2.10.4 BATSFH File Usage Notes

The BATSFH file only exists to enhance accountability for
certain types of SYSOUT.  When activated by adding an
SFHLIMIT statement to prefix.MICS.PARMS(SMFOPS), this file
collects observations from every batch job, started task, TSO
session, or APPC/MVS Transaction Program that CA MICS has
completed processing.

The SFHLIMIT option statement requires an operand telling
CA MICS the number of update cycles for which each BATSFH
file observation will reside in the file.  Section 7.3.1.4
explains how to code the SFHLIMIT statement.  For example, if
you code:

        SFHLIMIT 10

each observation written to the BATSFH file will remain in
the file for 10 CA MICS daily update cycles.

How do you know if ten cycles is a good value for your site?

The BATSFH file has a special data element, Cycle Age Last
Used for Accounting (SFHHAGE).  This data element retains the
age (number of update cycles since added to the BATSFH file)
of the observation when it last provided account information
for "late" or NJE SYSOUT.

You can perform an analysis of the SFHHAGE data element after
the file has been active for a number of daily update cycles.

     PROC FREQ DATA=&BATX..BATSFH01 ;
     TABLES SFHHAGE ;
     TITLE1 'FREQUENCY ANALYSIS OF BATSFH SUCCESS AGE' ;

This will produce a frequency analysis of each unique value
encountered for the SFHHAGE data element:

      FREQUENCY ANALYSIS OF BATSFH SUCCESS AGE

            Cycle Last Used For Accounting

                                 CUMULATIVE   CUMULATIVE
  SFHHAGE  FREQUENCY   PERCENT   FREQUENCY     PERCENT
  ------------------------------------------------------
    0       9924        99.2         9924       99.2
    1         48          .5         9972       99.7
    2         10          .1         9982       99.8
    3         12          .1         9994       99.9
    4          6          .1        10000      100.0

Nonzero values for SFHHAGE indicate that SYSOUT was
encountered that number of daily update cycles after the
observation was first added to the BATSFH file.  If SFHHAGE
never exceeds 4, for example, then you would want to change
your SFHLIMIT statement to:

     SFHLIMIT 5

This analysis enables you to minimize the DASD space
requirements of the BATSFH file based on when SYSOUT is
printed and the corresponding SMF type 6 records are
encountered by CA MICS, relative to job end.