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PH38125: CICS SOS for 64 bit memory when substantial guarded storage is used.

A fix is available

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APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • A customer saw message:
    
    DFHSM0606 The amount of MVS above the bar storage available to
    CICS is critically low
    
    Dump analysis showed this is due to large amounts of 64 bit
    memory which is guarded.
    
    Hidden or guarded memory is a memory range that is set aside by
    RSM for use by a memory allocator, when the allocating caller
    indicates this using the GUARDSIZE() parameter on an
    IARV64 REQUEST(GETSTOR) ...
    macro call. These areas are not currently allocated and do not
    represent a resource that is in use, but rather a potential use
    at some unknown point in the future.
    
    In the customer case the usage was driven by a high number of
    pthreads in a region with multiple JVM servers. Each pthread
    has 16MB of guarded storage, since LE specifies this
    GUARDSIZE in response to the LE STACK64 runtime option max
    value, which is set to 16MB via the CICS supplied module
    DFHAXRO by default for CICS JVM server resources.
    
    CICS issues message DFHSM0606 and fails or waits callers that
    need 64 bit memory because its calculation compares a value
    for allocated memory including both committed and guarded
    storage against the current MEMLIMIT value.
    
    This forces the customer to circumvent the SOS via a config
    change, for example:
    - estimating an increased MEMLIMIT that takes into account
    likely guarded memory usage
    - reducing the LE STACK64 max value
    - reducing the number of pthreads in use.
    
    
    
    Additional keywords / symptoms:
    DFHSM0143
    

Local fix

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED: All CICS Users.                              *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: Message DFHSM0606 can be issued when    *
    *                      additional storage is available within  *
    *                      the current MEMLIMIT.                   *
    ****************************************************************
    When determining if a further extent of 64 bit private storage
    would be obtainable, CICS takes into account storage that is
    marked as guarded to the MVS RSM component.
    
    In some environments where there is a substantial use of guarded
    storage, CICS can issue message DFHSM0606 when an RSM call to
    obtain memory for the further extent would succeed. This is
    because RSM does not factor in guarded memory against the
    current MEMLIMIT value.
    

Problem conclusion

  • CICS no longer factors in guarded storage when determining
    if an additional extent of 64 bit memory can be obtained.
    
    Following this change, message DFHSM0606 will be
    issued when no further extent can be allocated within the
    current MEMLIMIT.
    

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    PH38125

  • Reported component name

    CICS TS Z/OS V5

  • Reported component ID

    5655Y0400

  • Reported release

    200

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    NoHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt / Xsystem

  • Submitted date

    2021-06-15

  • Closed date

    2021-10-22

  • Last modified date

    2021-11-01

  • APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

  • APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

    UI77772 UI77773

Modules/Macros

  • DFHS2PP  DFHS2SQ  DFHSMSY
    

Fix information

  • Fixed component name

    CICS TS Z/OS V5

  • Fixed component ID

    5655Y0400

Applicable component levels

  • R200 PSY UI77773

       UP21/10/23 P F110

  • R300 PSY UI77772

       UP21/10/23 P F110

Fix is available

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Document Information

Modified date:
02 November 2021