1. System Problem Resolution Practices
Resolving z/OS System Problems
45 minutes
Terminating Tasks
55 minutes
Using the FORCE Command
45 minutes
Restarting the System
1 hour
Additional Problem Handling Techniques
1 hour
Handling Command Flooding
PowerPoint
System Problem Resolution Practices
2 hours
z/OS MVS Console Simulations
Graphic: Insert your organization’s name in the above slide.
Audio: will need to cover the following:
Welcome to the “System problem resolution practices” presentation. My name is _____, I work in the ___ department and have worked in our organization’s data center for ___ years (This should be expanded so the learner is confident that you have the right credentials to create this presentation).
This presentation follows on from several Datatrain modules relating to tasks associated with resolving system problems and expands on this content to explain how this relates to our data center processes. Any questions about the content of this presentation or the Datatrain modules mentioned above should be forwarded to _______ so they can be included in the Webinar, which appears at the end of this learning pathway.
z/OS Problem Diagnosis and Resolution
90 minutes
System Problem Resolution Practices
Company Name
Webinar
Understanding System Problem Resolution
= Datatrain Course Modules
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence
= Datatrain Assessments

2. Presentation Topics General problem handling procedures
Cancelling and forcing jobs
Modifying job attributes and status
Audio: will need to cover the following:
This presentation will initially focus on the types of problem-related procedures we have, and where they are stored. It will also look at the people whose responsibility it is to maintain these procedures, and the processes required if procedures need to be changed.
Many of the Datatrain modules you have completed in this pathway, described commands used to remove jobs, started tasks and TSO users from the system. We will look at the types of scenarios in our organization that warrant job removal and the people with the authority to perform this task. We will also look at relevant procedures used when canceling/forcing general and specific activity. For perspective you will see some of the problems that canceling and forcing has caused in our environment.
Finally, we will look at the use of the MODIFY and VARY commands and how we use them to change job, started task and other system activity attributes and statuses. We will also discuss who has the authority to invoke these commands. You will also be presented with a range of problems that we have encountered when using these commands.
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

3. What problem-related procedures exist?
General and specific procedures.
Where are they located?
What if there are no procedures for the scenario you have encountered?
Audio: will need to cover the following:
You need to describe what types of problem-related procedures exist. For example: - General procedures (i.e. logging of problems, defining priorities) - Specific procedures (i.e. individual application/job/started task procedures) - Does each functional group have their own specific procedures? - Are procedures divided into different sections such as escalation, notification and logging?
Describe where problem-related procedures can be viewed (i.e. network drive, mainframe). Maybe explain what happens if those procedures cannot be obtained (i.e. there is a network problem) or the consequences if they are not followed.
Explain the process should there be no procedures for the problem you have encountered (i.e. need to go through the lines of authority to obtain approval for any action that is taken, propose that a procedure be created).
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

4. What if changes need to be made to procedures?
Who “owns” the procedures?
How do I initiate a request to modify a procedure?
Audio: will need to cover the following:
You will need to explain whose responsibility it is to maintain procedures (i.e. each group may have their own delegate, updating or adding of procedures is decided at meetings).
Describe the process if a procedure needs to be added, removed or modified (there may be several methods for general and area specific procedures).
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

5. Scenarios that warrant job removal
Problem jobs, started tasks and TSO users we have encountered.
Who has the authority to remove a job from the system?
Audio: will need to cover the following:
Describe the types of instances where a cancel/force has been required in our environment (i.e. during shutdown, application is hung or not responding).
Explain who has the authority to cancel and force jobs (i.e. operators may have authority to cancel but system programmers may be the only people who can force a job/started task).
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

6. Are there procedures or processes I need to follow?
What are the consequences of canceling or forcing a job?
What procedures should be used when a job needs to be removed?
Audio: will need to cover the following:
The Datatrain modules discuss a general process when a job, started task or TSO user needs to be canceled or forced. Describe whether this same process is followed by your organization.
You will need to describe any process/procedure should a job, started task or TSO user needs to be canceled (i.e. notify the owner, log the details) or forced (i.e. need to check the integrity of the system following a force). Describe whether individual applications/jobs have their own cancel/force procedures and where this information can be located.
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

7. Problems we have encountered when cancelling or forcing jobs
Real-life scenarios.
Audio: will need to cover the following:
You will need to look back through your logs to gather real-life scenarios. The type of problems you may have encountered include: - A cancel request that the system could not action. Mention any particular jobs that continually require a cancel or force command. - If cancel/force was part of an automated process then this may have caused problems. - Experiences using the ARM parameter. - An IPL was required when we attempted to force job ___.
You will need to describe whether the correct action was taken and what action should have been taken.
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

8. What jobs can be modified?
Situations where we have had to modify the characteristics of a job or started task.
Who has the authority to perform these tasks?
Audio: will need to cover the following:
You will need to describe how your organization uses the MODIFY (i.e. for the CATALOG, TSO USERMAX, job, z/OS Unix System Services) and VARY (i.e. DASD or tape devices, consoles, I/O paths, SMS components, XCF) commands.
You should explain who has the authority to invoke these commands, and how they can be initiated.
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

9. Problems Scenarios where a MODIFY or VARY command has caused problems.
Audio: will need to cover the following:
You will need to describe where a modify or vary command has failed or caused problems. For example: - You may have received a IEE342I MODIFY REJECTED-TASK BUSY response. - You have entered a vary command but the device’s status has not changed. - A MODIFY or VARY command was entered incorrectly, which caused problems.
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence

10. Resolving z/OS System Problems
45 minutes
Terminating Tasks
Summary
55 minutes
Using the FORCE Command
General problem handling procedures
Cancelling and forcing jobs
Modifying job attributes and status
45 minutes
Restarting the System
1 hour
Additional Problem Handling Techniques
1 hour
Handling Command Flooding
PowerPoint
System Problem Resolution Practices
2 hours
z/OS MVS Console Simulations
Audio: will need to cover the following:
This presentation discussed the procedures we use to handle z/OS-related problems and when cancel and force commands should be invoked. It also looked at how we use the modify and vary commands to control jobs and system devices.
Your next training step is to complete the Datatrain console simulations and “z/OS Problem Diagnosis and Resolution” assessment. This is followed by the “Understanding system problem resolution” Webinar, which will wrap up the z/OS learning pathways.
Thank you for attending.
z/OS Problem Diagnosis and Resolution
90 minutes
Webinar
Understanding System Problem Resolution
= Datatrain Course Modules
Copyright © Interskill Learning Pty Ltd 2011 – Commercial in Confidence
= Datatrain Assessments