5. DATABASE FILES › 5.3 NVS Information Area › 5.3.4 NLDM Link Activity File (NVSNLL) › 5.3.4.3 Usage Considerations

5.3.4.3 Usage Considerations

This section identifies special considerations or techniques
related to using the NVSNLL File.  In addition, several
retrieval examples are provided to facilitate the use of this
file.


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. The NLDM System Activity (NVSLSY) File and the NLDM Link
   Activity (NVSNLL) File combine data from two separate
   collection functions within the same monitor.  That is,
   these files either combine two collection functions within
   IBM Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor or two collection
   functions within CA NetMaster.
 
   From NetView, this file combines data from the RTM and A&A
   data collection functions.  If both functions are turned
   on in NetView, then RTM and A&A data is automatically
   forwarded to NetView and combined in a session termination
   record, even if the data is not actively solicited via
   COLLECT and RECORD commands.
 
   From CA NetMaster, this file combines data from the
   Network Tracking System component (NTS) RTM collection
   function and the accounting data collection function.
 
   You must ensure that these two data collection functions
   are synchronized or the data from the two functions in
   each file represent information from different time
   periods.
 
   To synchronize NetView Response Time Monitor (RTM) data
   and NetView accounting and availability (A&A) data
   collection, execute the NetView COLLECT and NetView RECORD
   commands simultaneously at regular intervals throughout
   the day via NetView/NCCF CLISTs.  (See Chapter 6 for a
   discussion of the sample CLISTs shipped with NetView for
   the COLLECT and RECORD commands.)
 
    o The NetView COLLECT command produces the SMF type 39
      interval record that contains RTM data.
 
    o The NetView RECORD command produces the the SMF type 39
      interval record that contains A&A data.
 
   On NetView hosts that control large network domains, you
   may not be able to synchronize the collection of RTM and
   A&A data on a domain-wide basis.  For example, if a
   NetView domain contains 2,000 or more remote 3274/3174
   cluster controllers with the RTM feature, several minutes
   may elapse from the time the NetView COLLECT command
   executes until the time NetView receives RTM data from all
   of the remote controllers.  A similar delay does not occur
   when A&A data is received because it is extracted
   internally from VTAM.
 
   A possible solution is to synchronize the collection of
   A&A and RTM data for a subset of network resources within
   a NetView domain.  For example, if you want to use the
   data as it is organized in the NLDM Link Activity (NVSNLL)
   File, synchronize execution of the NetView COLLECT and
   RECORD commands for all the resources attached to a given
   NCP or link.  If the arrangement of data in the NLDM
   System Activity (NVSLSY) File is more useful to your
   data center, synchronize collection of the A&A and RTM
   data by primary logical unit (PLU).
 
   For information on how to synchronize RTM data collection
   and accounting data collection from the Network Tracking
   System (NTS) and the Network Error Warning System (NEWS),
   two components of CA NetMaster Network Management for SNA,
   see the CA NetMaster NM for SNA Getting Started guide,
   Administration Guide, and other documentation.


2. 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.

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

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.

   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 at which 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.

4. The following data elements lose significance once
   summarization has been performed.  These data elements
   should only be referenced when the last observed value in
   a summarization interval is significant.

   NLDMVRRL - NLDM Version and Release ID
   NLDRVAL1 - NLDM Response Distribution Limits 1
   NLDRVAL2 - NLDM Response Distribution Limits 2
   NLDRVAL3 - NLDM Response Distribution Limits 3
   NLDRVAL4 - NLDM Response Distribution Limits 4
   PLDOMAIN - PLU Domain Name
   PLU      - Primary Logical Unit
   PLUSAPU  - PLU Subarea Physical Unit
   SLDOMAIN - SLU Domain Name
   SESTYPE  - Session Type
   SLU      - Secondary Logical Unit
   SLUPU    - SLU Physical Unit
   TMOFFSET - TIME OFFSET
   NLLCNTR  - Objective Counter Number
   NLLCOS   - Class of Service
   NLLEXRTE - Explicit Route Number
   NLLPCOBJ - Objective Percentage
   NLLRDEF  - Response Definition
   NLLROBTM - Objective Response Time
   NLLRVER  - Reverse Explicit Route Number
   NLLTRPTY - Transmission Priority
   NLLVRRTE - Virtual Route Number
   NLLXNET  - Cross-network Session


Retrieval Example

Report the total connect time for all sessions on each link
during prime shift yesterday.

     /* SET THE SUMMARY BY AND BREAK MACROS */
    %LET BY = NETWRKID SYSID SLUSAPU SLULINK;
    %LET BREAK = SLULINK;

    DATA SUMMED;
    SET &PNVSD..NVSNLL01;
    IF 9 GE HOUR LE 17;  /* SELECT PRIME SHIFT */

    PROC SORT DATA=SUMMED OUT=SORTED;BY &BY;

    DATA SUMMED (RENAME=(DURATION=ACTIVE SLUSAPU=NCP));
    SET SORTED;
    %NLLSUM;             /* SUM THE DATA */
    RUN;

    PROC PRINT; VAR SLULINK ACTIVE;
    BY NETWRKID SYSID NCP;
    TITLE
      'DAYS NVSNLL01, PRIME SHIFT LINK SESSION CONNECT TIME';
    RUN;