Trace connection

You can trace encrypted data to locate the source of the problem by using trace connection. Trace connection is especially useful for connections, such as Loopback and OptiConnect, that do not support the general communications trace function.

The Trace Connection (TRCCNN) command is a service function that provides output similar to the general communications trace. The TRCCNN SET(*ON) TRCTYPE(*IP) SIZE(128000) command traces data at the Licensed Internal Code TCP/IP layer.

Trace connection is useful for situations in which the general communications trace is not available or not effective. For example:
  • You have TCP applications that use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or you use IP security. In either case, the data that flows over the communications line is encrypted. Therefore, the general communications trace might not be helpful if you need to see the data. Trace connection traces the data before encryption and after decryption and therefore, can be used when the general communications trace is not effective.
  • You are using TCP/IP over a connection that does not support the general communications trace function, such as Loopback, OptiConnect, or Twinaxial. In this situation, you can use the trace connection as an alternative method for generating a trace.

To use the CL commands to perform a trace connection, you must have *SERVICE special authority defined in your user profile, or be authorized to the Service Trace function of IBM® i through IBM Navigator for i.