Defining an ARM Element Name

Automatic Restart Manager uses element names to identify the applications with which it works. Each Automatic Restart Manager enabled application must have a unique element name for itself that it uses in all communication with Automatic Restart Manager.

Automatic Restart Manager tracks the element name and has its policy defined in terms of element names. If an application moves between systems it MUST continue to use the same element name as it did on the original system. For more information on defining Automatic Restart Manager names to SA z/OS, see "Application Entry Type" in IBM Z® System Automation Defining Automation Policy.

All Automatic Restart Manager elements are unregistered initially. Transitions between statuses are caused by:

• IXCARM macro invocations
• Application failures
• System failures
• Timeouts

A minor resource definition subsystem.0ARM can be used to tailor automation behaviour during ARM restart processing. As an example, a subsystem.0ARM minor resource could be specified with a RESTART EXIT enabled to drive a user supplied exit during ARM restart. The user exit would control additional actions to be taken during ARM restart of the subsystem. If the RESTART flag for this minor resource is resolved to 'N', SA z/OS will not allow ARM to attempt a restart of the application.

Rather than use the subsystem.0ARM minor resource definition, a RESTART EXIT could also be specified against the major resource definition for the application. In this case the exit would be driven for all application restarts, not just ARM.

Other reasons for SA z/OS not to allow ARM to attempt a restart of the application are:

• The application's monitor indicates that the address space is already active.
• The application is involved in a shutdown.
• The application is in status BREAKING, BROKEN, or CTLDOWN.