Resource definition validation

CICSPlex® SM performs many of the same resource definition checks as RDO does. But CICSPlex SM goes further, attempting to validate whole sets of resources associated with the CICS® systems in your CICSplex.

Validation of individual resource definitions

As individual resources are defined or installed, CICSPlex SM checks:

Individual attributes of a resource
Each attribute of each resource definition is validated independently according to the CICS RDO guidelines for valid values. CICSPlex SM reports individual attribute errors as a resource is defined. A resource definition is not created and stored in the data repository until all of its attributes are valid.
Notes:
  1. If you specify blank spaces for an attribute, CICSPlex SM allows CICS to assign a default value, if there is one.
  2. If you specify N/A for an attribute, CICSPlex SM processes the resource definition as if that attribute was not specified. Depending on what other attributes were specified, CICSPlex SM either ignores the attribute or selects an appropriate value according to the CICS RDO guidlines.
Interdependent resource attributes
Certain attributes of a resource definition may be dependent upon each other. For example, CICS may require that you specify a value for Attribute B if you specify one for Attribute A. Or if you specify a certain value for Attribute A, CICS may limit the values that are valid for Attribute B.

Such attribute combinations are validated using the CICS RDO guidelines. CICSPlex SM reports attribute combination errors as a resource is defined. A resource definition is not created and stored in the data repository until all of its interdependent attributes are resolved.

Release-specific resource attributes
Because a resource may be used by a number of CICS systems, you can specify the whole range of possible attributes when you define the resource to CICSPlex SM. However, when that resource is installed in a given CICS system, CICSPlex SM checks for and uses only those attributes that are appropriate to the release of CICS. CICSPlex SM keeps track of obsolete resource attributes from earlier releases of CICS just as RDO does.

For example, you could define a transaction to be used in both CICS/ESA 4.1 and later releases. When you install the transaction in a CICS/ESA 4.1 system, CICSPlex SM discards any attributes that are obsolete for that release. When that same transaction is installed in a CICS TS for OS/390® Release 1.3 system, the attributes appropriate to that release are retained.

Note:
CICSPlex SM attempts to validate attribute values in such a way that the resource definition can be used with as many levels and platforms of CICS as possible. However, because of the wide variety and interdependency of resource attributes across releases of CICS, CICSPlex SM may not be able to catch all potential attribute conflicts. So even if CICSPlex SM does not detect a problem, a particular release of CICS may fail a given resource installation request. For information on resource installation problems, see Handling dynamic installation errors in the EUI.

Validation of a set of resources

Maintaining a consistent set of resources for each system is an integral part of managing CICS resource definitions. When you ask CICSPlex SM to:

the requested changes are checked against the existing resource set for each affected CICS system. CICSPlex SM flags a resource set as inconsistent if a resource being added or updated (referred to as the candidate resource) is in conflict with a resource that already exists in the CICS system.

For example, you would receive inconsistent resource set errors if you tried to:

Notes:
  1. A DB2EDEF that has a transaction id specified can create both a DB2NTRY and a DB2TRN operational object when the DB2EDEF is installed (see DB2 entry resource definitions). Therefore, you may get inconsistent set errors because two or more DB2EDEFs have the same transaction id specified, or clash with an explicitly defined DB2TDEF that has the same name as that generated from a DB2EDEF, which would cause a conflict.
  2. You can change the value of selected BAS objects using the Override field a RASGNDEF object, as described in topic RASGNDEF (resource assignments) view. If you use this method to change the Transid field of a DB2EDEF and there is a resulting clash of names of DB2TRAN objects, CICSPlex SM does not detect this fact as part of inconsistent set processing.

If any of the resource definition changes you request would result in an inconsistent set of resources for a CICS system, a panel like the one shown in Figure 13 is displayed.

Figure 13. A list of CICS systems with inconsistent set errors
COMMAND ===>                                                    Scroll ==> PAGE
These systems had errors.  Select them to see details of the errors.
 
 
C System
- --------
_ EYUMAS1A
 
****************************** BOTTOM OF DATA *********************************
 

The Systems with Errors panel indicates one or more errors occurred while CICSPlex SM was attempting to update the resource sets for the specified CICS systems. To display a list of the errors encountered by a CICS system, type an S (for Select) to the left of the system name. You can select more than one CICS system at a time.

When you press Enter, the list of inconsistent resource set errors for the first CICS system you selected is displayed. Figure 14 shows a sample list of inconsistent resource set errors.

Figure 14. A list of inconsistent resource set errors
COMMAND ===>                                                    Scroll ==> PAGE
Errors found for  EYUMAS1A
 
         ResName  Ver Resgroup Assignmt Descript Usage  SysGroup SysType Ovr
-------- -------- --- -------- -------- -------- ------ -------- ------- ---
TRANDEF  ET01      1  EYUBAG02 EYUBAA01 New def  LOCAL           TARGET  NO
EXISTING ET01      1  EYUBAG02 EYUBAA01 Old def  ASIS            TARGET  NO
 
****************************** BOTTOM OF DATA *********************************
 

The title of this panel indicates what you were trying to do when resource inconsistencies were detected. For example, the title in Figure 14 is "Update RASGNDEF Errors". That means changes you made when updating a resource assignment resulted in the inconsistent resource set errors.

The remainder of Figure 14 shows a list of the resource pairs (candidate and existing) that are in conflict. The following information is provided for each pair:

ResType
The type of resource.
ResName
The name of each resource.

In most cases, the names of the candidate and existing resources are the same. However, in the case of remote resources (where the SysType field shows RELATED), it is possible that the conflict is between resource aliases or a real name and an alias in the same CICS system. In that case, the ResName may actually be different for the candidate and existing resources.

Ver
The version of each resource.
Resgroup
The name of the resource group to which the candidate or existing resource belongs.
Assignmt
The name of the resource assignment with which the candidate or existing resource is associated, if any.
Descript
The name of the resource description with which the candidate or existing resource is associated.
Usage
How the candidate or existing resource is defined in the resource assignment:
LOCAL
A resource that resides in the target CICS system.
REMOTE
A resource that is defined to the target system, but resides in a different system.
ASIS
A resource that is part of a resource group directly associated with a resource description (via a RESINDSC definition); it is not associated with an assignment.
SysGroup
The name of the CICS system group to which the CICS system belongs.
SysType
The type of CICS system to which the candidate or existing resource is being assigned:
TARGET
The CICS system in which a local resource actually resides.
RELATED
The CICS system in which a resource defined as remote to one system actually resides.
Ovr
Whether the candidate or existing resource assignment includes any override values.

When you press Enter or issue the END or CANCEL command, the list of errors for the next CICS system you selected is displayed. When the errors for all the CICS systems you selected have been displayed, you are returned to the view where you entered the add or update command.

Attention:
When you issue END or CANCEL to exit the list of CICS systems that experienced inconsistent set errors, that list is deleted and cannot be recreated.

Validation CICS system assignments

CICSPlex SM manages where resources are assigned by validating the target and related scope values that you specify. When you ask CICSPlex SM to:

the requested changes are checked to ensure that the target and related scope values are not in conflict with each other. CICSPlex SM flags the target and related scopes as inconsistent if:

If any of the changes you request would result in inconsistent scopes, a panel like the one shown in Figure 15 is displayed.

Figure 15. A list of inconsistent scope errors
COMMAND ===>                                                    Scroll ==> PAGE
 
 
Target   Target   Target   Related  Related  Related  Cicsname Error Code
Scope    Assignmt Descript Scope    Assignmt Descript
-------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ----------------
EYUCSG01 EYUBAA02          EYUMAS1A EYUBAA02          EYUMAS1A CicsName in Both
EYUCSG01 EYUBAA02          EYUMAS1B EYUBAA02          EYUMAS1B CicsName in Both
EYUCSG01 EYUBAA02          EYUMAS2A EYUBAA02          EYUMAS2A CicsName in Both
 
****************************** BOTTOM OF DATA *********************************
 

The title of this panel indicates what you were trying to do when CICSPlex SM detected scope inconsistencies. For example, the title in Figure 15 is "Update RASGNDEF Errors". That means changes you made when updating a resource assignment resulted in the inconsistent scope errors.

The remainder of Figure 15 shows a list of the target and related scopes that are in conflict. The following information is provided for each CICS system or system group that would result in inconsistent scopes:

Target Scope
The name of the CICS system or CICS system group that you specified as the target scope.
Target Assignmt
The name of the resource assignment associated with the target scope.
Target Descript
The name of the resource description associated with the target scope.
Related Scope
The name of the CICS system or CICS system group that you specified as the related scope.
Related Assignmt
The name of the resource assignment associated with the related scope.
Related Descript
The name of the resource description associated with the related scope.
Cicsname
The name of a CICS system that is common to both the target and related scopes.
Error Code
A CICSPlex SM error code that describes the condition that would result in inconsistent scopes. The error code will be one of the following:
CicsName in Both
The same CICS system is contained in both the target and related scopes.
Multi in Related
The related scope consists of more than one CICS system.
No SYSID for Rel
The related scope is a CICS system for which no system ID was defined to CICSPlex SM.
Related in Target
The related scope is a CICS system or CICS system group that is contained within the target scope.
Same Scopes
The target and related scope values are the same.
Target in Related
The target scope is a CICS system or CICS system group that is contained within the related scope.

When you issue the END or CANCEL command, you are returned to the view where you entered the add or update command.

Attention:
Once you exit a list of inconsistent scope errors, that list is deleted and cannot be recreated.

Related concepts
Using the end user interface to define CICS resources
Common EUI resource definition actions
Common EUI definition fields
Multiple versions of a resource definition
Availability for CICS releases
Creation of resource definitions
Maintenance of resource definitions
Links between CICS systems
Management of CICS resources using CICSPlex SM
Installation of CICS resources
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