5. DATABASE FILES › 5.2 SNT Information Area › 5.2.19 Stack Entry File (SNTTCS) › 5.2.19.3 Usage Considerations

5.2.19.3 Usage Considerations

This section identifies special considerations or techniques
related to using the SNTNTS file.  In addition, a retrieval
example is provided to facilitate the use of this file.

CA MICS network session accounting/network gateway accounting
supports the following versions of CA NetSpy, IBM Tivoli
NetView Performance Monitor (NPM), and Network Control
Program (NCP), or higher:
 
o CA NetSpy Release 6.0 and later
o NPM Version 2 and later
o ACF/NCP Version 5 Release 2.1 and later
 
To prevent potentially serious problems with missing or
duplicate data, do NOT use versions, releases, or revisions
previous to those specified above.


In the examples, a SAS macro variable is used to specify the
DDname part of the CA MICS file name. These macro variables
are a standard part of CA MICS and are available for all
files. The macro variable name has the form &diiit, where d
is the database identifier, iii is the information area
name, and t is the timespan.  For the examples, a database
identifier of P is used.  The identifier is installation
dependent, so you should find out what the identifiers are at
your installation.

Special Considerations/Techniques

1. Care must be exercised in using the special date and time
   data elements contained in each CA MICS file.  As file
   granularity increases in higher timespans, certain fields
   lose significance and should not be used in those cases.

   o HOUR should not be used in MONTHS.
   o DAY and DAYNAME should not be used in WEEKS or MONTHS.
   o WEEKS should not be used in MONTHS.


2. Avoid collecting redundant network session accounting and
   network gateway accounting data from either NPM or CA
   NetSpy.  This is especially important if you input this
   data into the CA MICS Accounting and Chargeback product.
   The following SNTNAC elements can assist you in detecting
   redundant data:

     NACCOLPT - NCP Collection Point
     FUNCTION - Product Function
     NACANPLU - Adjacent NETID PLU Side (NGA)
     NACANSLU - Adjacent NETID SLU Side (NGA)
     USESSIDC - Unique Session ID

   An example of redundant data collection occurs when
   multiple gateway NCPs are traversed by a terminal to
   application session and each of these NCPs collects
   gateway accounting data for that session.  In this case,
   the redundant data can be detected by the presence of
   multiple observations in the DETAIL timespan with
   identical Unique Session IDs, but different values for
   Adjacent NETID PLU Side or Adjacent NETID SLU Side.  Refer
   to Section 8.1.3.3 of this guide, Redundant Information
   Issues, for further information on how to detect and
   eliminate duplicate network accounting data.

3. The following data elements are user-defined.  The value
   in each depends on user-selected options or user-supplied
   SAS code:

   o NETWRKID--Network Identifier.  A one to eight-character
     descriptive name for each network represented in the
     data.  NETWRKID is set in the Network Identifier Exit
     Routine, SNTNIDRT, discussed in Chapter 7 of this guide.

   o TMOFFSET--TIME OFFSET applied to the data in the file.
     The user can associate a TIME OFFSET with each unique
     NETWRKID/SYSID combination.  This offset is used to
     adjust data times when data from multiple time zones is
     brought together in the CA MICS database.  To determine
     the original time the data was recorded, subtract
     TMOFFSET from the value.  TIME OFFSET is assigned in the
     SNTOPS member of prefix.MICS.PARMS, discussed in Chapter
     7 of this guide.

Retrieval Example

Chart prime shift TCP/IP Telnet Server activity for sysid
PROD.  Use yesterday's data.

  DATA SELECTED (KEEP=SYSID DAY ZONE HOUR NTSBYTEI NTSBYTEO);
   SET &PSNTD..SNTNTS01;
   IF SYSID = 'PROD';
   IF 9 GE HOUR LE 17; /* SELECT PRIME SHIFT */

   PROC CHART DATA=SELECTED;
        VBAR HOUR / SUMVAR=NTSBYTEI
        DISCRETE;
   TITLE 'DAYS SNTNTS01, PRIME SHIFT IN BYTE COUNT ';
   RUN;