Using the NCP option on MODIFY DUMP

To dump the NCP, use the MODIFY DUMP command with TYPE=NCP specified. For more information on this command, see z/OS Communications Server: SNA Operation. You must execute a separate job to print the dump.

Note: A data host cannot load or dump an NCP.

You can use the DUMPDS operand of the MODIFY DUMP command to specify the file into which you want the dump transferred. If you omit this operand, VTAM® uses the file specified on the PCCU definition statement for the NCP.

Note: If you use the same file on the MODIFY DUMP command as was named on the PCCU definition statement for the NCP, an earlier NCP dump may be overwritten.

If you omit the DUMPSTA operand, VTAM uses the link station specified on the VARY ACT command or the PCCU definition statement for the NCP, in that order.

If you are using SNA network interconnection, and you want a gateway NCP to perform a dump, you can set its link station name on the DUMPSTA operand only if that NCP is in the same network as the host processor requesting the dump.

If you set AUTODUMP=YES on the PCCU definition statement, a dump is taken automatically if the NCP abnormally terminates. This dump is written to the dump file named on the DUMPDS option of the PCCU definition statement. If AUTOIPL=YES is specified on the PCCU definition, the NCP is automatically reloaded after the dump is taken. With the 3720 or 3745 Communication Controller with hard disk, you can specify DUMPLOAD=YES on the VARY ACT command, which automatically stores the dump on the disk and loads the NCP load module from the disk.

Note: For the 3705 only, the NCP is partially overwritten in the communication controller storage when the dump is taken. If the NCP is running with partitioned emulation programming (PEP), the emulation routines are included in the dump and are also partially overwritten. The 3705 must be reactivated after the dump is taken.

Table 1. Dumping the NCP
Method of starting NCP dump	Channel or link attached	Requirements	NCP status	Printing dump
MODIFY DUMP command, OPTION=DYNA	Both	PCCU definition requirements: DUMPDS must be specified.	Active throughout dump, no reactivation required.	Execute SSP dump formatting program IFLDUMP
MODIFY DUMP command, OPTION=STATIC	Both	PCCU definition requirements: DUMPDS must be specified.	Deactivated when dump is completed; operator must reactivate the NCP.	Execute SSP dump formatting program IFLDUMP
VTAM Error Recovery Procedures (automatic)	Both	PCCU definition requirements: DUMPDS must be specified. AUTODMP=YES must be specified. AUTOIPL may be specified.	Activated after dump is completed if AUTOIPL=YES and restart is successful, or if AUTOIPL=NO and operator requests communication controller IPL.	Execute SSP dump formatting program IFLDUMP
VTAM Error Recovery Procedures (with operator intervention)	Both	PCCU definition requirements: DUMPDS must be specified. AUTODMP=NO must be specified. AUTOIPL may be specified.	Activated after dump is completed if AUTOIPL=YES and restart is successful, or if AUTOIPL=NO and operator requests communication controller IPL.	Execute SSP dump formatting program IFLDUMP
NCP dump utility: IFLREAD	Channel-attached only	See z/OS Information Roadmap to determine what document describes the NCP dump utility.	Deallocate communication controller from VTAM and allocate to the independent dump utility.	IFLREAD uses IFLDUMP to print the dump automatically.
Controller-detected error (3720 or 3745 with disk only)	Both	VARY ACT requirements: DUMPLOAD=YES must be specified. The dump slot for this central control unit (CCU) on the controller's hard disk must be empty.	Activated after dump is completed if AUTOIPL=YES and restart is successful, or if AUTOIPL=NO and operator requests communication controller IPL.	Execute SSP dump formatting program IFLDUMP Transfer to host using MODIFY DUMP with ACTION=TRANSFER.