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Installation and Configuration Best Practices › Performance and Maintenance › Adjust Timeout Parameters in SMRT Option 4

Adjust Timeout Parameters in SMRT Option 4

Timeout Parameters in SMRT option 4 need to be carefully adjusted to take advantage of the functionality provided by this parameter.

Business Value:

It is good practice to setup session timeouts properly. It helps avoiding situations where users tend to ignore closing application sessions at the end of usage or work day. The values, if applied properly can enforce a clean shut down of user sessions and eliminates any need for VTAM / TPX inconsistencies. They should be applied prudently keeping in view, environmental requirements and what organizational policy dictates. This is very useful in facilitating proper TPX administration and reducing overheads.

Additional Considerations:

All timeouts should be tested and applied prudently so as not to adversely impact user productivity but at the same time enforce security, standards and organizational needs and requirements.

Add Virtual Terminals and Printers in a 24x7 Environment

Add virtual terminals or virtual printers while CA TPX is running.

Business Value:

The TPXOPER VTADD command can add virtual terminals or virtual printers to CA TPX dynamically without recycling CA TPX for the changes to take effect.

Additional Considerations:

VTADD is a method to dynamically add virtual terminals. Use the VTADD command when all of the currently defined virtual terminals are in use and more than those virtual terminals defined in the TPX startup VTAM node are required. This TPXOPER command eliminates the need to recycle tpx.

To add virtual terminals and printers

  1. Build a new VTAM member to define the new additional GROUP and/or UNIQUE virtual terminals as shown in the following screen: 
    TPXNEW VBUILD TYPE=APPL
*TPX,UNIQUE DO NOT REMOVE - THIS COMMENT IDENTIFIES UNIQUE VIRT TERM\
*
Z44IJSU0 APPL MODETAB=ISTINCLM,DLOGMOD=T3278M2,SRBEXIT=NO,EAS=1
Z44IJSU1 APPL MODETAB=ISTINCLM,DLOGMOD=T3278M2E,SRBEXIT=NO,EAS=1
Z44IJSU2 APPL MODETAB=ISTINCLM,DLOGMOD=T3278M3,SRBEXIT=NO,EAS=1
*     END OF UNIQUE VIRTUAL TERMINALS
*
*TPX,GROUP DO NOT REMOVE - THIS COMMENT INDENTIFIES GROUP VIRT TERM
*
Z44IGRU0 APPL MODETAB=ISTINCLM,DLOGMOD=T3278M2,SRBEXIT=NO,EAS=1
Z44IGRU0 APPL MODETAB=ISTINCLM,DLOGMOD=T3278M2E,SRBEXIT=NO,EAS=1
Z44IGRU0 APPL MODETAB=ISTINCLM,DLOGMOD=T3278M3,SRBEXIT=NO,EAS=1
*     END OF GROUP VIRTUAL TERMINALS*
  2. Vary the new member ACTIVE in VTAM.
  3. Use TPXOPER to issue the VTADD command (VTADD TPXNEW) to add the newly created VTAM member TPXNEW.

Prevent User Administrators from Controlling Profile and User Security

Setting the Only Master and System Admin. can update profile/user security: parameter in the SMRT table disallows User Administrators from controlling Profile and User Security.

Business Value:

Setting this parameter to Y prevents the lower level administrators from updating the security changes. It helps the security administrators to enforce strict policies.

Additional Considerations:

To implement the Only Master and System Admin. can update profile/user security: parameter

  1. Logon to TPXADMIN.
  2. Select Option 2 (TPX System Options).
  3. Select Option 1 (System Options).
  4. Select the active (STARTUP) SMRT table.
  5. Select Option 9 (Security Parameters).
  6. Enter Y in the Parameter field .
  7. Reload the SMRT table in TPXOPER (cmd: RELOAD SMRT=tablename).

Review the List of TPX Knowledge Documents

Review the list of TPX knowledge documents on a regular basis.

Business Value:

The TPX knowledge base contains a broad variety of knowledge documents, for categories such as installation, customization, optimization, problem determination and resolutions.

Additional Considerations:

To find CA TPX knowledge base documents

  1. Log on to CA Support Online.
  2. Select Knowledge Base Search.
  3. Enter TPX as a keyword.
  4. Click Search.

Adjust Slot Pool Percentages in SMRT

The partition of storage into several Slots in SMRT Option 2 (below 16MB) and 3 (above 16MB) need to be reviewed and adjusted to your installation’s needs to have a well maintained usage of storage.

Business Value:

It is good practice to have a well maintained partition of the Storage into the available Slots. The default storage settings, provided in each release, allow CA TPX to start when initially installed. As every installation differs, you need to check the settings of the SMRT by using display Commands D STOR and D STORXA respectively. Depending on their result, you need to change the Slot parameters in the SMRT.

Additional Considerations:

We recommend that you change the percentage used by the slot pools and do not change any slot sizes. The percentages must add up to 100%.

Slot pool overflow messages (TPB300 or TPX300) should be monitored. One slot overflowing is not generally a problem because TPX will start to use space from another pool. When two or three slot pools overflow, you can get into performance degradation and you should consider adjusting the slot pool percentages. Take 1-2% from a pool with lowest of the maximum value and give it to the pools that overflowed. 

Note: If you have one pool that consistently overflows, then it should receive attention.

You might use the concept of an Opengate User to get regular reports on storage usage.

More Information:

For more information, see our technical document TEC424715.