4. Operation › 4.1 Overview › 4.1.1 CA MICS Database Organization

4.1.1 CA MICS Database Organization

The Database contains one PRIMARY unit database and
multiple unit databases (units) to meet an installation's
needs.  Optionally, the Database contains one or more TEST
and/or SPECIAL units.  We recommend installing a TEST unit
database in the complex for testing updates to products
prior to placing the updates into production.  A SPECIAL unit
database can be installed in a complex if the need arises to
perform special studies.  TEST and SPECIAL units are not
included in scheduled update processes.

The unit database is the smallest operational element in a
CA MICS complex.  Each unit database functions and is updated
independently, so:

o  updates can be run in parallel, ensuring database
   availability by shortening the elapsed update time.

o  updates can be scheduled around the availability of input
   data.

You can organize and protect unit databases by areas of
responsibility such as Network, IMS, or CICS.

Data volume is another consideration in configuring your unit
databases.  Since database update processing for multiple
unit databases can execute concurrently, you can process more
input data in less time by spreading this processing over
multiple unit databases.  For example, you might define
separate unit databases for different CICS regions (or
applications), thereby spreading your large volume CICS
processing over multiple unit databases that can be updated
concurrently.

You can also use the CA MICS incremental update facility to
spread your daily database update processing over multiple,
smaller incremental updates executed throughout the day.
However, incremental update introduces additional complexity
in operations and scheduling, and may result in processing
large batch jobs during your installation's "prime shift."
In general, you should address data volume issues by
spreading the workload over multiple unit databases before
using incremental update to address data volume issues.  You
may also be able to reduce the impact of large input data
volumes through careful review of your CA MICS parameters,
especially account code structures, to ensure that you are
collecting and keeping only the data you need and want.

Standard CA MICS reporting facilities are designed to
increase database availability by giving you the option to
automatically offload report processing from the database
update operational jobs to stand-alone reporting jobstreams
that access the database with DISP=SHR.  For example, the
DAILYRPT, WEEKRPT, and MONTHRPT operational jobs can execute
concurrently with end-user online database inquiry and any
other "read-only" processing.

Further database availability is provided by the option to
offload weekly and monthly archive tape processing from the
WEEKLY and MONTHLY operational jobs.  When requested, CA MICS
will automatically submit stand-alone AUDIT, HISTW, and/or
HISTM jobs to perform Archive Audit, Archive Weekly History,
and/or Archive Monthly History processing.  These jobs access
the database with DISP=SHR and can run concurrently with
CA MICS report processing jobs, end-user online database
inquiry, and any other "read-only" processing.