Type-16 records

DFSORT produces SMF type-16 records. They contain data on a particular DFSORT step. If you want to produce DFSORT SMF records, DFSORT's supplied ICEMAC default of SMF=NO must be changed to SMF=FULL or SMF=SHORT, or SMF=FULL or SMF=SHORT must be specified on an OPTION statement in DFSPARM or in the extended parameter list at run-time. This must be done in addition to setting up the appropriate SMFPRMxx member. The DFSORT SVC must be available for DFSORT to be able to write the SMF records to an SMF data set. Refer to Making the DFSORT SVC available for additional information.

Some of the fields in the type-16 record containing performance-related data are:

Type of application (sort, merge, or copy)
DFSORT technique used
Elapsed, TCB, and SRB time used
Type and length of records being sorted
Total bytes and records sorted
Work data set allocation data
Access methods and block sizes used
Control field length
Amount of Hiperspace, data space, and memory object storage used
Number of input and output data set I/O calls
Number of work data set EXCPs
Number of intermediate merges performed

See z/OS DFSORT Installation and Customization for a complete list of the type-16 fields.

There are several reasons why it might be convenient to use the DFSORT type-16 records:

You already have procedures to analyze this information.
The scope of the information you are interested in is limited to the information available in the SMF records.
You do not wish to write and maintain an analysis routine.