Configuring the Dataset Attribute Database feature

With the Dataset Attribute Collection Control dialog box, you can configure data collection for the Dataset Attributes Database feature.

The Dataset Attributes Database feature is turned off by default.

You can configure data collection for the Dataset Attributes Database feature by using the Dataset Attribute Collection Control dialog box.

Tip: It is recommended that you first run collection on a subset of volumes to test how the feature affects performance. And then with the results of the first test collection, you can estimate the impact of collection on the address space of the Tivoli® Enterprise Monitoring Server and on the overall z/OS® system.

Thus, you can choose optimal configuration settings, such as the volumes and storage groups to exclude from collection, what time of the day to start data collection, and what deadline (if any) to impose for collection completion.

To access the Dataset Attribute Collection Control dialog box, right-click the row of the Dataset Attribute Summary workspace and select Dataset Attribute Collection Control. The dialog box will open.

The Dataset Attribute Collection Control dialog box table describes the settings that you can configure.

Table 1. Dataset Attribute Collection Control dialog box
Section in the dialog box Comments
Data Collection settings:
  • Start data collection at (hh:mm)

When you select this checkbox, most of the other fields in the dialog box become active for you to configure.

hh is an integer from 1 to 12 and mm is an integer from 0 to 60.
  • Stop data collection at (hh:mm)

Use this setting to prevent data collection from continuing into a time period when critical jobs run that require significant amounts of system resources.

hh is an integer from 1 to 12 and mm is an integer from 0 to 60.

If you specify a stop time and collection is halted because that time is reached, attributes and reports for every dataset processed up to the point when collection was halted are available for viewing from the Tivoli Enterprise Portal.
  • Collect catalog data
When you clear this checkbox, no catalog information is obtained for any dataset.
Note: By deselecting this option, you reduce resource consumption and elapsed time. However, several summary reports are empty when you do not collect this data, for example, CA/CI Split Summaries and Catalog/Uncataloged Summaries.
  • Number of data rows to collect for Top N reports

The default is 20 rows. The range is 1 to 100 rows. Many of the reports for the Dataset Attribute Database feature involve Top N data. You can lower or raise this setting to adjust the amount of impact that this feature has on system resources versus the number of rows returned in each Summary report.

For datasets that have the same key value as the smallest key in the table (for example, lowest number of allocated tracks in the Top N Space Allocated table), the first dataset encountered with that value is the one that is displayed in the report.

Defaults for Top N data collection are as follows:
  • An inefficient block size is defined as blksize < 128.
  • A mature dataset is defined as days since last reference > 366.
Exclusions:
  • Volumes
  • Storage Groups

You can specify VOLSER or storage group names to exclude volumes from data collection. A volume that matches either exclusion specifications is excluded. You can specify up to 32 exclusions of each type.

You can specify a partial name pattern and place the wildcard character (*) at the end. Volumes and Storage Groups whose names match the pattern are excluded.
Data Collection Status:
  • Status message
  • Force Start button or Force Stop button
  • Apply Updates Now button

Status messages include Collection not active, Collection in progress, Collection waiting, Collection failed, Collection halted due to deadline, and Collection halted by user or operator.

Click Force Start to manually force initial Full collection or Partial Sweep collection to start.

The Force Stop button is available while data collection is running to manually force data collection to stop. Results are displayed, including all datasets processed up to the point when the collection was stopped.

Click Apply Updates Now to manually force Incremental collection to start.
Collection Interval:
  • Apply Incremental updates every

You can specify the interval how often Incremental collection will be started to apply updates to the Dataset Attribute collection.

The collection must be in sync and OMEGAMON for Storage Agent must be started on all LPARs in the PLEX.

Available values: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours