Using z/OS trace for problem determination

In addition to CICS® trace, you might also need z/OS® trace for problem determination.

Using z/OS system trace to track hardware and software events
Use z/OS system trace to view an ongoing record of hardware and software events occurring during system initialization and operation. z/OS activates the system trace at initialization, and it runs continuously unless your installation has changed the IBM-supplied system trace.
Using z/OS MTRACE for system messages
Use z/OS MTRACE to view all recent system messages, including CICS messages that are written to the z/OS console. z/OS MTRACE is activated automatically at z/OS system initialization.
Using z/OS Communications Server SNA exit trace
z/OS Communications Server (VTAM®) SNA exit trace gives you a way of tracing SNA requests made from CICS. You can control it online, using the CETR transaction. You can use this type of trace in any of the cases where you might want to use z/OS Communications Server SNA buffer trace, but it has the advantage of being part of CICS and, therefore, controllable from CICS. This means that you do not need a good understanding of SNA system programming to be able to use it. CICS SNA exit trace also has the advantage of tracing some important CICS data areas relating to SNA requests, which might be useful for diagnosing problems.
Using z/OS Communications Server SNA buffer trace
Use z/OS Communications Server (VTAM) buffer trace to investigate terminal incorrect output errors in a VTAM environment. For example, z/OS Communications Server SNA buffer tracing enables you to look at all the data that is passed between logical units on an SNA communication link. The trace entries, which include the netname of the terminal to which they relate, are made to the GTF trace data set. If you want to send CICS standard trace entries there, you can rationalize the activities of CICS with the asynchronous activities of SNA.
Capturing z/OS System SSL trace
To diagnose secure sockets layer (SSL) problems in a CICS TS region, in addition to CICS trace, IBM Support might ask you to capture and format SSL CTRACE (component trace). Follow this topic to get the System SSL trace you need.
Merging CICS GTF trace and z/OS System SSL trace
When you debug a CICS SSL problem, it can be useful to combine a GTF trace of CICS and the z/OS System SSL trace into one report so that you can examine them together.

Parent topic: Troubleshooting and support

Related information

Using CICS trace for problem determination