|
|
|
This section explains the various concepts relating to the processing of all records received by NEWS.
The processing requirements for records received by NEWS are determined by a control database called the Network Services Control File (NSCNTL). This database contains control codes that describe the processing to perform for each type of record received by NEWS. It also acts as a data dictionary and is used to interpret the control codes present in the record.
This approach of determining processing requirements through data held on a control database provides extensive flexibility. The NEWS Control Function menu provides functions that allow you to add support for non-standard devices and requirements, or modify a control record held on the database. Any alterations or additions made to the control database are effective immediately.
NSCNTL is used by CNMPROC, a specialized NCL procedure, to process all records received by NEWS.
Any record received by NEWS is classified as an event, or as having the capacity to generate an event. The concept of the event enables different types of data to be grouped into one broad category, to provide a chronological record for a network node.
Generally, unsolicited records notifying NEWS of network errors are immediately classified as events. Records carrying statistical data have the potential to generate an event, if they include values that exceed thresholds set by your installation.
Although it is convenient to group various sources of network data under the events umbrella, additional information is required to assist processing. Each event record is classified as one of the following types:
Each record contains a field that identifies the type of data in the record, and determines the event type.
The characteristics that identify an event are generally represented by one or more codes in the record. These codes may describe the following:
The codes may also provide additional information that assists in determining the cause of the associated problem, and are used by NEWS in conjunction with the control file, to determine record processing.
Different installations have different network configurations and employ a variety of device types, some of which have their own special requirements. Also, installations assign differing levels of importance to particular network events and problems in their environments.
NEWS provides for this situation by passing all event records through a process termed event filtering, using parameters set in the Control File. This process enables you to discard those event records not required by your installation, while bringing to the attention of the network operator those considered important.
For each of the event types described on the previous page, you can filter by using resource masks. You can also set options that control how the event is recorded in the NEWS database and whether an alert is generated for display on the Alert Monitor.
Event filtering is performed by the NEWS and user CNM processing procedures. CNMPROC uses control values that you set through the CNMFILTERS parameter group to perform filtering.
Because all records are sent by, or on behalf of, a network resource, it is possible to restrict the processing of certain types of data to particular resources.
Resource masks are defined generically and are used to include or exclude records based on the originating resource name. Records that do not satisfy resource masking criteria are discarded.
You can generate alerts to increase operator awareness of important events in the network using NEWS. Any record received by NEWS can be classified, through event filtering, as an alert. The alert monitor contains the most recent alerts produced by NEWS. The display is updated as new alerts arrive, or the status of alerts on the display change.
CNMPROC is a special NCL procedure that acts as a focal point application for SNA management data. CNMPROC executes in a background environment under user ID xxxxCNMP, where xxxx is the four-letter domain ID. A working version of CNMPROC is distributed as $NWCNMPR.
The function of CNMPROC is to do the following:
CNMPROC is written as a continuous procedure (like PPOPROC and LOGPROC) and uses the &CNMREAD verb to receive each record as it becomes available for focal point processing. CNMPROC does some pre-processing to identify the record and then calls other procedures to perform further processing.
CNMPROC can be activated to process the following:
Messages generated by CNMPROC are sent to OCS users who have monitor capability, and have a prefix of C to identify their origin.
The following illustration shows how CNMPROC processes data arriving from the SNA network.
Keep the following in mind when reviewing this illustration:
| Copyright © 2012 CA. All rights reserved. |
|