Handling signalling path problems

Use the DISPLAY XCF command and Resource Measurement Facility (RMF™) reports to obtain information about paths. In response to the DISPLAY XCF,PATHIN or PATHOUT command, XCF issues message IXC356I, which indicates information about the paths, including the status of signalling paths as:

STARTING: The path is being verified.
RESTARTING: The path is being restarted; for example, after a failure.
LINKING: The path is waiting for a connection to another system.
WORKING: The path is available for message transfer.
QUIESCING: The path is being quiesced.
STOPPING: The path is being removed from service.
STOPFAILED: The path requires intervention.
INOPERATIVE: The path is unusable but remains defined to XCF.
REBUILDING: Rebuild has been initiated for this signalling path list structure.
STALL-IOPND: The path has pending I/O that is not completing in a timely manner.
STALL-INOP : The path is not capable of transferring signals. The inbound side does not have any buffers available for receiving signals.
STALL-SS?: The path is not capable of transferring signals and is being monitored for potential sympathy sickness impact. The inbound side is experiencing no buffer conditions that is caused by one or more stalled XCF group members. The outbound side avoids using the path until the problem is resolved.
STALL-SS : The path is not capable of transferring signals. The sending side is suffering from sympathy sickness since signals cannot be transferred.

When a coupling facility structure is being used for signalling, the operator can issue other DISPLAY commands for additional information about the status of the signalling structures:

DISPLAY CF provides information about space utilization within a coupling facility.
DISPLAY XCF,CF identifies structures allocated within a coupling facility and identifies each system with connectivity to the coupling facility.
DISPLAY XCF,STRUCTURE provides information about the attributes of a structure, such as its size, maximum number of supported connections, or disposition. DISPLAY XCF,STRUCTURE also indicates the status of a structure, including whether it is in the rebuilding process.

Also, the operator can enter the DISPLAY U,CTC command to obtain information about the CTC devices.

The following topics describe signalling path problems.

Operations Note: When signalling paths are down, XCF cannot communicate between systems. MVS™ component exploiters, such as global resource serialization, and other multisystem applications might be forced to stop work in the sysplex. Therefore, plan to respond to signalling path problems in a timely manner.