Troubleshooting the Asynchronous API

This section discusses problem determination for the CICS Asynchronous API.

Wait types for Asynchronous services

The CICS Asynchronous services function issues multiple types of wait calls, which are distinguished by their resource type values. Resource type values are visible in the dispatcher section of a CICS system dump, and also appear on the CEMT INQUIRE TASK panel as Hty values.

Messages

Messages issued by the CICS Asynchronous services function use the DFHAS prefix.

Trace

All Asynchronous services trace entries use the AS component. For more details about the trace table and how to obtain it, see Using CICS trace.

Transaction dumps

When a transaction dump is taken for a transaction which is running as an asynchronous parent or an asynchronous child, the dump will contain asynchronous services state data.
  • For an asynchronous parent there is a list of child statuses under the heading ASYNCHRONOUS CHILD SUMMARY.
  • For an asynchronous child the parent status is under the heading This transaction is running as an ASYNCHRONOUS child task.

System dumps

A system dump is produced when a CEMT PERFORM SNAP or PERFORM DUMP command is issued, or when CICS encounters a serious error. If the Asynchronous services function encounters a serious error it will produce a system dump with a dumpcode prefix of AS.

To format the Asynchronous services component of a CICS dump, use the AS keyword. A list of AS keyword levels can be found in Summary of system dump formatting keywords and levels.

Automatic regulation of Asynchronous services by CICS system management

CICS will automatically regulate workflow to prevent too many child tasks being created by the EXEC CICS RUN TRANSID command. When automatic regulation takes effect, parent tasks will enter ASPARENT waits.

Detecting excessive use of EXEC CICS RUN TRANSID

CICS provides a policy task rule type of Async requests, which can be used to set a threshold for the number of EXEC CICS RUN TRANSID commands performed by a task. If the threshold is exceeded, the policy action associated with the policy rule will be triggered.

See CICS Policies for more information about CICS policies.