Setting Up the Alert Monitor › Implement the Alert History Function

Implement the Alert History Function

The Alert Monitor retains data in an alert history file. You can define the time period that alerts are retained.

To specify the time period that alerts are retained

1. Enter /PARMS at the prompt.

   The Customizer : Parameter Groups list appears.

2. Enter U in front of the $NM ALERTHIST parameter group in the Files category.

   The ALERTHIST - Alert History File Specification panel appears.

3. Complete the following fields:
   • Days to Retain Alerts

     Specifies the number of days that you want to retain alerts in the history file.

     Limits: 999 days

     Default: 7 days

   • Time of Day for Alert Purge

     Specifies the time of day (in the format hh.mm) at which alerts older than the value in the Days to Retain Alerts field are deleted from the history file.

     Press F6 (Action).

     The changes are applied.

4. Press F3 (File).

   The settings are saved.

Reorganize Files and Monitor Space Usage

Over time, the alert history file can become fragmented. You can reorganize the file to improve its efficiency.

To reorganize the Alert History database for optimum space usage

1. Copy (REPRO) the alert history file to a backup file.
2. Delete and redefine the original file.

Use the same attributes that were used when the file was defined at region setup. See the generated S01LCALC member in your INSTALL.JCL data set; this has the original VSAM definition JCL for the file.

You should also monitor the amount of disk space used by the data set, to estimate the optimal file size and optimal frequency of reorganization.

Example

//BKALERTH EXEC  PGM=IDCAMS
//SYSPRINT DD  SYSOUT=*                               
//IN   DD  DSN=?prefix.ALERTH,DISP=SHR   
//OUT  DD  DSN=?prefix.ALERTH.BACKUP.SEQ,DISP=OLD                               
//SYSIN    DD  *                                      
 REPRO  INFILE(IN)   OUTFILE(OUT)              
/*                                                    

An example format for sequential backup files is:

DSORG=PS,RECFM=VB,LRECL=32756,BLKSIZE=32760