The PutTime reported by WebSphere MQ on z/OS, and other times or timestamps are inconsistent

Follow this guidance to resolve the problem of inconsistently reported times and timestamps.

• Scenario: The PutTime reported by WebSphere® MQ on z/OS®, and other times or timestamps are inconsistent. A difference of approximately 20 seconds is detected in:
  • Traces (including those obtained from the Trace node)
  • The MQPUTTIME timestamp in the message MQMD header
  • Timestamps obtained from ESQL (for example, in a Compute node)
• Explanation: IBM® Integration Bus reports the time using standard methods from the operating system, which do not account for leap seconds. However, on z/OS, the message putTime that is reported by WebSphere MQ in the MQMD header of a message can account for leap seconds, using the value specified for the number of leap seconds in the CVT field.
  This inconsistency can cause:

  • Problems when debugging
  • Problems with message flows if you use timestamps to control the flow of messages
  • Misinformation
• Solution: Configure your system to synchronize with an NTP server, such that the CVT field is no longer relevant.
  Alternatively, add an offset to adjust a z/OS timestamp reading. For example, add 20 seconds when getting the CURRENT_TIME in ESQL.