7. PARAMETERS › 7.3 Unit Level Parameters › 7.3.1 SMF Processing Options (SMFOPS) › 7.3.1.17 SUSPEND Aging Limit (SUSPENDLIMIT)

7.3.1.17 SUSPEND Aging Limit (SUSPENDLIMIT)

The SUSPENDLIMIT statement is optional and has the following
format:

SUSPENDLIMIT nn (Range from 1 to 10)

The value of nn is specified in days with the SUSPENDLIMIT
parameter.  The maximum value is 10, but most sites specify a
value from 4 to 7.  If an invalid value is specified, a value
of 10 is used.

If the SUSPENDLIMIT option statement is omitted, a default
of SUSPENDLIMIT 5 will be used.

SUSPEND FILE PROCESSING

When SMF data is processed for jobs that have not completed
(for example, are waiting to print) or have been in the
system during a system failure, the job-related data is
incomplete.  Because all of the SMF records associated with
the job are not available, a complete observation cannot be
written to the BATJOB file.

To complete the observation, CA MICS processing retains the
data until the remainder of the job information is written to
SMF or until "nn" number of days (the suspend aging limit)
passes.  When CA MICS fails to find the SMF data it needs
within the suspend aging limit, the job is taken out of
suspension status and written as an incomplete record to the
BATJOB file.

In processing SMF address-related data on a daily basis,
incomplete data is received on address spaces that are still
in process (for example, waiting on print) or that were
executing during a system failure.  There are no processing
issues concerning spool, interval, or step-related data for
such address spaces. Records are written to the BATSPL and
BATPGM (or other step/interval file) if address space is not
batch (for example, BAT_TS for TSO, BAT_ST for started tasks,
BAT_TP for APPC Transaction Programs, BAT_OE for UNIX System
Services, or BAT_SA for System Address Spaces) as soon as the
raw SMF data records for them is encountered.

The job-level file, on the other hand, does present a
processing challenge when dealing with incomplete sets of SMF
records.  CA MICS writes a record to the BATJOB file
immediately upon encountering the SMF type 26 purge record
from the system where the address space executed.

Note: By default, only batch job address spaces are written
to the BATJOB file.  CA MICS provides options that force the
creation of BATJOB file observations for non-batch address
space types.  The option statements TSOJOB, STCJOB, APPCJOB,
OEJOB, and SAJOB are discussed in this chapter.

The SUSPENDLIMIT parameter addresses the problem presented by
the two categories of incomplete sets of SMF data records:

o Jobs with output waiting for print or purge on the JES
  spool.

o Jobs where the execution system purge (type 26) record is
  missing due to a system crash or lost SMF records.

It is normal for some address spaces to remain in the system
for a number of days.  Some address spaces, like TSO sessions
and batch jobs, begin and end (including the printing or
purging of job output) within minutes or hours.  Others may
execute quickly but leave output on the JES spool for days or
weeks after the job has ended.  CA MICS deals with the
long-lived nature of some address spaces with a suspend, or
"Job-To-Date" (BAT_JS) file that contains a job-level record
for each address space whose execution node purge record has
not yet been encountered.  All address space types, even
those that will not be written to the BATJOB file (for
example, started tasks when the STCJOB option statement is
not specified) are represented with a BAT_JS file record if
suspended.  The BAT_JS file is brought into each daily update
run during the DAY030 step.  The file provides CA MICS with
to-date information about each suspended address space.
BAT_JS records are updated if new SMF records for suspended
address spaces are encountered in the new SMF data file
processed by a daily update run.

When the "nn" number of daily update runs you specify in this
parameter passes without CA MICS finding the purge record for
a suspended address space, and if no step or interval records
for it are encountered in this processing cycle, then CA MICS
takes the address space out of suspend status and writes an
incomplete record for the address space to the BATJOB file.
Long running started tasks are protected from premature
writing to the BATJOB file because interval records are
encountered in the SMF input file during each daily update
run.

What happens if the missing SMF data for an address space
appears in the DAY030 SMF data input file after CA MICS has
already written a BATJOB observation for the same address
space (for example, due to the SUSPENDLIMIT parameter value
being exceeded)?  It depends on the record types encountered.

o  Step or interval (type 30 subtypes 2, 3, or 4) records
   cause CA MICS to treat the address space as a new job.
   The step or interval record is written to the step-level
   file appropriate for the address space type and a
   "Job-To-Date" BAT_JS record is created for the address
   space.

o  A Job Termination (type 30 subtype 5) record results in a
   "Job-To-Date" BAT_JS record that will eventually become a
   BATJOB observation (although with no execution resource
   utilization since CA MICS only accumulates execution
   resources from step and interval records).

o  Output Writer (type 6) records are written to the BATSPL
   file but will not result in a BATJOB observation unless
   accompanied by a purge (type 26) record and you have
   specified either the "LATEJOB" or "NJEJOB" option in
   prefix.MICS.PARMS(SMFOPS).  See Chapter 7 of the CA MICS
   Batch and Operations Analyzer guide for information on
   these options.

o  A Purge (type 26) record with no other records associated
   with it is checked to see if it represents a job which
   failed with a JCL error, or one that never entered
   execution because of a TYPRUN=SCAN or TYPRUN=COPY
   specification on the JOB card.  Records are created in the
   BATJOB file for such jobs because the Purge record is the
   only one encountered for them.

Stand-alone purge records associated with a job already taken
out of suspension would not be of the types listed above and
are discarded.

The following section provides additional details:

    1 - Change the Batch Job Suspend Limit