SW745: Using IBM Fault Analyzer V5.1 to Isolate z/OS Application Failures

Fault Analyzer (FA) is a utility tool used to immediately determine why an application abends. This Web-based training course explores how Fault Analyzer works, how to compile programs for FA, how to navigate the user interface, how to analyze program abends, how to customize FA, and finally, how to use some of the most useful FA functions.

Fault Analyzer supports applications running z/OS and OS/390 in the following application environments:

• COBOL
• PL/I
• Assembler
• C/C++
• Language Environment
• UNIX System Services
• CICS
• IMS
• DB2
• MQSeries
• WebSphere
• Java

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The course consists of eight core modules, a course introduction and a course summary module:

Course introduction

How Fault Analyzer works

• About this course section
• Fault Analyzer feature summary
• The analysis engine
• The analysis process: Real-time abend analysis; Real-time SNAP analysis; Fault reanalysis
• Fault history files
• Getting started with Fault Analyzer: Preparing your programs for Fault Analyzer; Compiler options for this Web-based course; Starting Fault Analyzer; Introduction to the Fault Analyzer main panel; Content of Fault Entry list panel; Primary commands: List all nineteen of them, Provide examples for two; Customizing of Fault Entry List panel

Using Fault Analyzer to analyze a COBOL/VSAM program abend

• About this course section
• COBOL program - WTTECB1: WTTECB1 source code; WTTECER1 source code; JCL for WTTECB1; COBOL compiler options
• Interactive reanalysis: Synopsis section; Event Summary section; System-wide information section; Abend job information section; Options in effect section
• Batch reanalysis
• Real-time analysis: Real-time report
• Fast path for solving this dump
• Test your knowledge

Using Fault Analyzer to analyze an abend of a PLI/VSAM program

• About this course section
• PLI program - PLIVE3: PLIVE3 source code and JCL; PL/I compiler options
• Scenario for the following Web-based demonstration
• Web-based demonstration: Conduct an interactive reanalysis (fast-path): Drill down through the Point of Failure section to find the error causing bad data (S0C9 - find the zero divide denominator); Correct the bad data and rerun job with CC=4

Using Fault Analyzer to analyze a COBOL/DB2 program abend

• About this course section
• COBOL program - WTTECB2: WTTECB2 source code; COBOL/VSAM/CICS/DB2 compiler options
• Scenario for the following Web-based demonstration
• Web-based demonstration: Conduct an interactive reanalysis (fast-path): Drill down through the Point of Failure section to find the reason for the abend (S0C7 - PIC 9 fields redefined as PIC X); Review system-wide information - focusing on DB2 data section, look for SQL errors; Jump to softcopy books to find the SQL error explanation

Using Fault Analyzer to analyze an IMS region abend

• About this course section
• Interactive reanalysis: Review system-wide information focusing on IMS information; Jump to softcopy books to find the explanation for the IMS region U0002 abend

Using Fault Analyzer to analyze an online CICS/DB2/COBOL program abend

• About this course section
• Scenario and setup information: Provide details for the CICS setup and the online code; Take DB2 down - causes CICS transaction AEY9 abend
• Interactive reanalysis of a CICS AEY9 abend: Drill down through the Point of Failure section to find the reason for the abend; Review system-wide information focusing on CICS information; Jump to softcopy books to find the explanation for the CICS region AEY9 abend

Useful functions

• About this course section
• Scenario and setup information: Assembler program; Reading data from a sequential file - last record causes an S0C7 abend because of FILEIN data - trying to convert non-decimal data to binary (CVB assembler instruction) o Adding a user title to a fault entry
• Creating user notes in a dump
• DSECT mapping of bad data in working storage area
• Navigate directly from Fault Analyzer to File Manager to fix the bad data

Customizing Fault Analyzer

• Using different history files - create and use a different history file
• User options file (IDIOPTS DD statement)
• User exits: List all of the user exit types; User exit - placing abends in different history files; Use the IDIOPTS DD statement; Use the system-wide parmlib IDICNF00 configuration member

Course Summary

• The purpose of this page is to remind you that the greatest benefits of using Fault Analyzer is that it provides a single fault analysis product for all environments (IMS, DB2, CICS, WebSphere, batch, online) using a consistent user interface and analysis information across COBOL, C, C++, PL/I, C++, PL/I, Assembler and LE languages. It does all of this with no performance overhead

Audience

This course is designed for:

• Application developers
• Anyone interested in obtaining basic knowledge of Fault Analyzer
• Persons responsible for testing and debugging mainframe applications
• Persons working with mainframe applications and data on a daily basis
• System support persons who need to analyze and fix production application problems

Objectives

After completing this course, students should be able to:

• Navigate Fault Analyzer panels.
• User Interface customization.
• Prepare PLI, COBOL, and Assembler programs for Fault Analyzer.
• Analyze VSAM, CICS, DB2, and IMS program abends.
• Analyze COBOL program abends.
• Analyze PLI program abends.
• Analyze Assembler program abends.
• Analyze both batch and online program abends.
• Conduct a fast path method to obtain abend resolution.
• Start a batch reanalysis.
• Analyze an abend with no source.
• Analyze an IMS region dump.
• Find system-wide CICS/DB2/IMS data.
• Use some of the most useful functions.
• Perform DSECT mapping.
• Use Fault Analyzer to directly invoke File Manager to fix bad in a file.
• Customize Fault Analyzer.
• Set up and run a user control exit.
• Code REXX procedures for the user exit.

Prerequisites

This Fault Analyzer course is intended for persons who have the ability to use z/OS TSO/ISPF functions without assistance. This course does not require you to have a previous programming background. However, a programming background significantly enhances the course experience.

System requirements

• This course requires Microsoft® Internet Explorer version 5 or greater.

Duration

This self-paced Web-based course is divided into modules, each of which contains a lecture in the form of an independent reading. Most modules also contain a quiz for self-assessment. Two contain demonstrations (seven demonstrations in all). The time required to complete it depends upon your reading speed and how many modules you complete. Each lecture usually takes between thirty and forty-five minutes to read. Demonstrations typically last between five and ten minutes. Completing the quiz for each module may take another two or three minutes. Therefore, you can allow an average of forty-five minutes for each module.

How long it takes to complete the course depends upon your reading speed, and how many modules you select. Each module typically takes 30-45 minutes to read, with an additional 3-5 minutes for a demonstration and quiz (if the module contains them). Therefore, you can allow an average of 45 minutes for each module.

One benefit of a self-paced course is that you can take it a portion at a time. Allocating some time each day for a week may be more a effective approach to completing this course than setting aside an entire day.

Languages

English