Chapter 3: Installation Verification for ISC

This chapter tells you how to verify that CICS intersystem communications are working correctly after you have installed MTO and run the standard installation verification procedure described in the chapter Installation Verification.

Introduction

An installation verification procedure (IVP) is provided for communications. The IVP checks that transaction routing, distributed transaction processing, distributed program linking, and function shipping are working correctly after product installation. There is no separate check for asynchronous processing, since this is just a specific use of either function shipping or distributed program linking. It uses two enterprise servers, COMIVP1 and COMIVP2, which are suppplied preconfigured, and can be run on a single machine.

You can run only one communications IVP at any one time.

The steps involved in running the ISC installation verification procedure are:

  1. Start Enterprise Server Administration.
  2. Restore the IVP Directory Server repository. This contains the two preconfigured enterprise servers.
  3. Start the enterprise servers.
  4. Connect to the first enterprise server.
  5. Run the communications installation verification procedure.

These steps are covered in the following sections.

Unless stated otherwise, the information in the following sections applies whether you are running the installation verification procedure under Enterprise Server for UNIX or Enterprise Server for Windows.

Starting Enterprise Server Administration

To start Enterprise Server Administration, enter the following commands:

su root
cd $COBDIR/bin
mfds &
exit

then open a Web browser and specify http://host:86, where host is the machine on which Enterprise Server for UNIX is installed.

Note: Once you have entered the su root command, you need to ensure that your Server Express environment variables are still set up, as some UNIX systems lose these environment variables when the su root command is run.

Restoring the IVP Repository

To restore the IVP repository, follow these steps:

  1. Click Restore in the menu on the left-hand side of the Home page.
  2. In Repository to Restore enter $COBDIR/demo/comivp/mfds.
  3. Click OK.

Starting the Enterprise Servers

To start the enterprise servers, follow these steps:

  1. In the table of servers on the Home page, click Start in the Current Status column for server COMIVP1.

    The status changes to "Starting" and you see messages appearing in a console window indicating the progress of the startup process. Check that the message CASCS1110I for COMIVP1 is displayed. After a few seconds the status changes to "Started".

  2. In the table of servers on the Home page, click Start in the Current Status column for server COMIVP2.

    The status changes to "Starting" and you see messages appearing in a console window indicating the progress of the startup process. Check that the message CASCS1109I for COMIVP2 is displayed. After a few seconds the status changes to "Started".

  3. Check that the following messages have appeared on the servers' console windows:
    COMIVP1 CASCS1122I Attempting to establish ISC connection REG2 to system COMIVP2 current-time
    COMIVPn CASCS1110I Connection COMIVPn (sysid REGn) is activated contention loser current-time
    COMIVPn CASCS1109I Connection COMIVPn (sysid REGn) is activated contention winner current-time

    where:

    n is either 1 or 2, indicating either enterprise server COMIVP1 or enterprise server COMIVP2

    current-time is the current time

If the two servers fail to connect (you do not receive the CASCS1109I message on one or the other server's console) you could get the following symptoms if you proceed with the IVP:

Connecting to Enterprise Server COMIVP1

Once you have configured and started the enterprise servers, you need to start a 3270 emulator and connect to enterprise server COMIVP1.

To connect to enterprise server COMIVP1:

  1. Start a TN3270 emulator.
  2. Specify the following connection information (if appropriate):
    Field Value
    Host name The name of the computer the enterprise server is running on. This is localhost if it is the current machine.
    Port 9091 (The supplied enterprise server COMIVP1 has a TN3270 listener configured to use this port.)
  3. Connect.

Running the Installation Verification Procedure

This section describes how to run the installation verification procedure once you have configured and started the enterprise server and connected to it with a 3270 emulator. When you first connect, a 3270 terminal is displayed with a screen prompting you for a USERID and PASSWORD. . Either enter valid credentials or press 3270 Clear to clear the screen.

Run the transaction routing test:

  1. In the TN3270 terminal emulator enter transaction name REG2 and press 3270 Enter.
  2. Check that the second line of the screen displays TXREGN COMIVP2.
  3. Press 3270 Clear to clear the screen.

Run the distributed transaction processing test:

  1. In the TN3270 terminal emulator enter transaction name DTPF and press 3270 Enter.
  2. Check that the message sent contains 'A's and the message received contains 'B's.
  3. Press 3270 Clear to clear the screen.

Run the distributed program link test:

  1. In the TN3270 terminal emulator enter transaction name DPLF and press 3270 Enter.
  2. Check that the data sent contains 'A's and the data received contains 'B's.
  3. Press 3270 Clear to clear the screen.

Run the function shipping test:

  1. In the TN3270 terminal emulator enter transaction name ACCT and press 3270 Enter.
  2. Display surname REC, by entering REC in the Surname field and pressing 3270 Enter.
  3. Check that the two account records 11111 and 22222 are displayed.
  4. Exit the ACCT transaction by pressing 3270 Clear.

You have now completed the IVP tests.

Close down the TN3270 terminal emulator and enterprise server COMIVP1. To do this:

  1. In the TN3270 emulator window enter transaction name CQIT and press 3270 Enter.

    On the Home page of Enterprise Server Administration the value in Current Status changes to "Stopping".

    After a few seconds the value in Current Status changes to "Stopped".

  2. Make sure that COMIVP1 has terminated normally. Examine the console log and wait for the message CASCD0130I to be displayed for COMIVP1.
  3. Close the TN3270 emulator.

Close down enterprise server COMIVP2. To do this:

  1. On the Home page of Enterprise Server Administration find the row for COMIVP2, and click Stop in the Current Status column.

    The value in Current Status changes to "Stopping". After a few seconds the value in Current Status changes to "Stopped".

  2. Make sure that COMIVP2 has terminated normally. Examine the console log and wait for the message CASCD0130I to be displayed for COMIVP2.

You have now completed the ISC IVP.

Descriptions of Tests

The communications IVP comprises several different tests that are described here.

Transaction Routing Test

Transaction REG2 runs transaction CENV in enterprise server COMIVP2. When the transaction has run in COMIVP2, the second line of the screen displays TXREGN COMIVP2.

Distributed Transaction Programming Test

Transaction DTPF allocates a connection to COMIVP2, connects to process DTPB, defined in COMIVP2, and then issues a CONVERSE with the session. DTPF sends a buffer filled with character 'A's and receives a buffer from DTPB which should be filled with character 'B's. The sent and received buffers are displayed on the screen to ensure the data is correct.

Distributed Program Link Test

Transaction DPLF tests links to program DPLREG2, defined to run in COMIVP2, passing a commarea containing character 'A's. DPLREG2 receives the commarea, replaces the 'A's with 'B's and returns control back to COMIVP1. The sent and received buffers are displayed on the screen to ensure that the data is correct.

Function Shipping Test

Transaction ACCT is used to test function shipping. The definitions supplied ensure that the transactions run in COMIVP1 using files defined in COMIVP2. Displaying the surnames tests the shipping of STARTBR and READNEXT to COMIVP2.

Description of Resource Definitions

The resource definitions used for the communications IVP are described here.

System Initialization Table

Both enterprise servers use the SIT DFHCTCP.

An autoinstall exit program is specified in the SIT. This exit program, comivpai, controls and defines the terminal IDs of the connected clients and ensures that these terminal IDs are unique so that as more get started no conflicts occur in the system.

Startup List

The startup list consists of the standard supplied groups (based on DFHLIST + DFH$IVP + communications groups) plus two others:

If the SYSID for a definition is either not specified or matches the system it is running on, the definition is treated as a local definition. Otherwise it is treated as a remote definition and requests for that resource are routed to that SYSID. This technique allows for the maintenance of only one set of resource definitions for both enterprise servers.

Resource Definition Group DFHCIVP

This group is used in both the COMIVP1 and COMIVP2 enterprise servers.

These definitions contain all details for the programs, transactions, and files that are used for the IVP. They are supplemented by the definitions in the DFH$ACCT standard IVP group. This means that there are duplicate entries for the ACCTFIL and ACCTIX files, the difference being that the definitions in the DFHCIVP group define the target as a remote system. As the definition loaded last is the one that is used, the precedence of the groups in the startup list is significant.

PCT REG2 This transaction is started on REG1 but is transaction-routed to REG2 and executes in that enterprise server routing its output back to REG1. The program that executes on REG2 is DFHZCENV. This displays the environment for REG2. Fields to note on the CICS PCT page of ESMAC are:
  • Remote SYSID: REG2
  • Remote PCT: CENV

These two fields show the destination of the transaction, REG2, and the transaction that this invokes, CENV.

PCT DPLF This points to the COMIVP1 local program DPLREG1 that executes and forms the front end of the Distributed Program Link test.
PCT DTPF This points to the COMIVP1 local program DTPREG1 that executes and forms the front end of the Distributed Transaction Programming test.
PCT DTPB This points to the COMIVP2 program DTPREG2 that executes and forms the back end of the Distributed Transaction Programming test. Fields to note on the CICS PCT page of ESMAC are:
  • Remote SYSID: REG2
  • Remote PCT: DTPB
PPT DPLREG2 This points to the COMIVP2 program DPLREG2 that executes and forms the back end of the Distributed Program Link test. The fields to note on the CICS PPT page of ESMAC are:
  • Remote SYSID: REG2
  • Remote prog: DPLREG2.

These definitions act to determine local or remote execution destination and to show the program that should be executed at that destination - in this case the program name is DPLREG2. This need not match the PPT entry name.

FCT ACCTFIL/ACCTIX These are copies of the definitions for this file and its alternate indexes that are exactly the same as the standard ones in the DFH$ACCT standard IVP except for the following fields on the CICS FCT page of ESMAC:
  • Remote SYSID: REG2
  • File: ACCTFIL or ACCTIX

These fields control the local or remote destination of the file and the file names they map to.

Resource Definitions Group DFHCTCP

This group contains two definitions:

These definitions define the characteristics of the connections between the two regions.

Fields to note are:

Name This is the name of the definition but in the configuration as we have it defined it becomes the SYSID name for the remote enterprise server.
Net Name This must be the peer enterprise server name. It specifies the enterprise server name of the peer system this definition applies to. If the netname is the same as the enterprise server name, the connection ID overrides the local SYSID. If the netname is not the same as the enterprise server name, this enterprise server tries to communicate to the enterprise server specified by the netname using the protocol defined in the default mode parameter. If this definition is installed at system initialization and the netname is not the same as the enterprise server name, a CCI gateway is started automatically without any CCI gateway flag having to be set in the SIT.
Protocol This defines the protocol to use on this connection and is CCITCP.
Session Max This must be greater than zero

If you have a valid connection ID defined in a group that is in the startup list, the gateway is automatically started.

Resource Definition Map

This shows the relationship between the resource defintions used in the ISC IVP.

SIT----->Startup List----->Groups------->Definitions

DFHCTCP->DFHCTCP---------->DFHCIVP------>PCT - REG2
                                         PCT - DPLF
                                         PCT - DTPF
                                         PCT - DTPB
                                         PPT - DPLREG2
                                         FCT - ACCTFIL
                                         FCT - ACCTIX
                           DFHCTCP------>SysC - REG1
                                         SysC - REG2

Connection Map

This shows the way the various names and parameters go together to define the connections. These values are all set in the connection definition.

 Server Name---->Netname--->SYSID

 COMIVP1-------->COMIVP1--->REG1

 COMIVP2-------->COMIVP2--->REG2

Setting the enterprise server name to be the same as the netname starts the system with the appropriate connection definition.

Autoinstall Exit Program

The autoinstall exit program, comivpai, is used by either enterprise server to determine the terminal ID to allocate for any terminals that are started to a system. This ensures that the terminal ids within a network configuration remain unique.

The most recently allocated terminal ID is maintained in the CWA.

Terminals connected to COMIVP1 have a terminal ID beginning with 'B'. Terminals connected to COMIVP2 have a terminal ID beginning with 'C'.

The comivpai program is the autoinstall exit for both regions and uses the ASSIGN APPLID command to determine which enterprise server it is executing in.


Copyright © 2006 Micro Focus (IP) Ltd. All rights reserved.