Working with check output

Once you've set up IBM Health Checker for z/OS, started it, and obtained some checks, you'll want to look at your check output. Output from checks is in the form of messages issued by check routines, as either:

Exception messages issued when a check detects a potential problem or a deviation from a suggested setting. See Understanding exception messages.
Information messages issued to the message buffer to indicate either a clean check run (no exceptions found) or that a check is inappropriate in the current environment and will not run.
Reports issued to the message buffer, often as supplementary information for an exception message.

You can view complete check output messages in the message buffer using the following:

The HZSPRINT utility to write the current message buffer for the target checks to the specified SYSOUT data set. See Optionally set up the HZSPRINT utility and Using the HZSPRINT utility.
SDSF - see Using SDSF to manage checks
A log stream - see Optionally define log streams to keep a record of the check output

A check can issue a number of different messages, usually issuing at least one:

When a check runs without finding an exception, it should issue an informational message with that information to the message buffer. The following example shows a clean check run case, viewed in the message buffer:

CHECK(IBMRSM,RSM_MAXCADS)                                                     
START TIME: 06/07/2005 10:55:38.139127                                        
CHECK DATE: 20041006  CHECK SEVERITY: MEDIUM                                  
CHECK PARM: THRESHOLD(80%)                                                    
                                                                              
                                                                              
IARH108I The current number of in use CADS entries is 17, which               
represents 34% of the total allowed CADS entries of 50. The highest           
usage of CADS entries during this IPL is 34%, or 17 total entries. This       
is below the current IBMRSM supplied threshold of 80%.                        
                                                                              
END TIME: 06/07/2005 10:55:38.139653  STATUS: SUCCESSFUL

Note that the status of the check - STATUS: SUCCESSFUL.

When a check is not appropriate for the current environment, it should issue an informational message with that information to the message buffer:

CHECK(IBMCNZ,CNZ_SYSCONS_MSCOPE)                                 
START TIME: 02/07/2008 11:27:08.812840                           
CHECK DATE: 20040816  CHECK SEVERITY: MEDIUM                     
                                                                 
HZS1003E CHECK(IBMCNZ,CNZ_SYSCONS_MSCOPE):                       
THE CHECK IS NOT APPLICABLE IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT.   
                                                                 
CNZHF1004I The system console is not present. The check is not   
applicable in this environment.                                  
                                                                 
END TIME: 02/07/2008 11:27:08.813496  STATUS: ENV N/A

When a check finds an exception to a suggested value, or another potential problem, the check issues an exception message. The exception message might be accompanied by supporting information in report format. For an exception message, the system issues a WTO with just the message text by default. The system issues both the message text and details buffer. The example below shows an exception message in the message buffer:

CHECK(IBMCNZ,CNZ_CONSOLE_MSCOPE_AND_ROUTCODE)                          
START TIME: 01/31/2008 08:57:01.163404                                 
CHECK DATE: 20040816  CHECK SEVERITY: LOW                              
                                                                       
* Low Severity Exception *                                             
                                                                       
CNZHF0003I One or more consoles are configured with a combination of   
message scope and routing code values that are not reasonable.         
                                                                       
  Explanation:  One or more consoles have been configured to have a    
    multi-system message scope and either all routing codes or all              
    routing codes except routing code 11. Note: For MCS and SMCS                
    consoles, only the consoles which are defined on this system are            
    checked. All EMCS consoles are checked.                                     
                                                                                
  System Action:  The system continues processing.                              
                                                                                
  Operator Response:  Report this problem to the system programmer.             
                                                                                
  System Programmer Response:  To view the attributes of all consoles,          
    issue the following commands:                                               
            DISPLAY CONSOLES,L,FULL                                             
            DISPLAY EMCS,FULL,STATUS=L                                          
    Update the MSCOPE or ROUTCODE parameters of MCS and SMCS consoles on        
    the CONSOLE statement in the CONSOLxx parmlib member before the next        
    IPL. For EMCS consoles (or to have the updates to MCS/SMCS consoles         
    in effect immediately), you may update the message scope and routing        
    code parameters by issuing the VARY CN system command with either           
    the MSCOPE, DMSCOPE, ROUT or DROUT parameters. Note: The VARY CN            
    system command can only be used to set the attributes of an active          
    console. If an EMCS console is not active, find out which product           
    activated it and contact the product owner.  Effective with z/OS            
    V1R7, you can use the EMCS console removal service (IEARELEC in             
    SYS1.SAMPLIB) to remove any EMCS console definition that is no              
    longer needed.                                                              
                                                                                
  Problem Determination:  n/a                                                   
                                                                                
  Source:  Consoles (SC1CK)                                                     
                                                                                
  Reference Documentation:                                                      
            z/OS MVS Initialization and Tuning Reference                        
            z/OS MVS System Commands                                            
            z/OS MVS Planning: Operations                                       
                                                                                
  Automation:  n/a         

  Check Reason:  Reduces the number of messages sent to a console in the   
    sysplex                                                                
                                                                           
END TIME: 01/31/2008 08:57:01.197807  STATUS: EXCEPTION-LOW

In this section, we'll cover the following: