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VM66839: Z/VM 7.4 CP: HOT FIX - FEATURE 01 FIX 01

A fix is available

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APAR status

  • Closed as program error.

Error description

  • This APAR contains service for z/VM version 7 release 4 Feature
    Pack 1 Fix Pack 1
    
    
    INCORRECT OUTPUT FROM DIAG26C SUBCODE 20
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    ------
    Diagnose 26c subcode 20 for response formats 0000 0001 thru
    0000 0005 can return VSWITCH information structures with an
    incorrect structure counter.
    
    The diagnose is provided by the invoker with a response
    buffer. If the response can only partially fit in the response
    buffer then return code 16 is returned along with the size
    of the required buffer. In the identified issue, the last
    VSWITCH structure is the same size as the response buffer.
    A good return code is provided but the response data
    contains an incorrect value.
    
    ACTIVE SERVER ON VSWITCH WITH HIGH RX DISCARD RATE
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    ------
    CP QUERY VSWITCH DETAILS indicated a steady increase in RX
    Packet Discard count for one user with no clear explanation.
    
    After implementing RedHat OCP on zVM the customer noticed
    significant increases in the number of RX Packets Discarded for
    the server responsible for managing several other dependent
    servers. A review of the dropped packets collected via TRSOURCE
    type LAN trace revealed that these were overflow packets. Most
    packets were being discarded in sets of (approximately) 1000
    packets. The timing of these events lined up with startup times
    for one or more dependent servers. This normally suggests the
    presence of a resource constraint affecting the receiver, but
    monitor data revealed no significant problem in that area.
    
    UNEXPECTED FORCE ARCH REQUIRED FOR LGR
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    ------
    Customers applying VM66819 APAR across an SSI would eventually
    need to issue FORCE ARCH relocations to move virtual machines
    from systems without the APAR applied back to systems that do
    have VM66819 applied. The problem was caused by the changing
    of an internal system value (SYSMAXD) between processors.
    
    VARIOUS ABENDS SYSTEM ITERATOR SERIALIZATION ISSUE
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    ------
    Abends: SIT002 HRM002 PRG005 MPC009 ASR091 MCW002 HTT001
    In the iterator, there was an underlying assumption about how
    to check the table level using STEs that was not correct.
    This error can cause various abends. We now obtain the table
    level info from elsewhere. This affects all configurations.
    
    PRG004 ABENDS
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    ------
    In rare situations, when a guest does not respond to IUCV
    *MONITOR sample notifications, a PRG004 failure may occur.
    

Local fix

Problem summary

  • ****************************************************************
    * USERS AFFECTED: All users of z/VM                            *
    ****************************************************************
    * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
    ****************************************************************
    * RECOMMENDATION: APPLY PTF                                    *
    ****************************************************************
    This is the APAR for z/VM 7.4 Fix Pack 0101. It contains
    fixes for the following five problems:
    
    Problem 1:
    UNEXPECTED FORCE ARCH REQUIRED FOR LGR
    
    Customers applying APAR VM66819 across an SSI would
    eventually need to issue FORCE ARCH relocations to
    move virtual machines from systems without the APAR
    applied back to systems that do have VM66819 applied.
    The problem was caused by the changing of an internal
    system value (SYSMAXD) between processors.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 2:
    PRG004 ABENDS
    
    In rare situations, when a guest does not respond to
    IUCV *MONITOR sample notifications, a PRG004 failure
    may occur.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 3:
    VARIOUS ABENDS SYSTEM ITERATOR SERIALIZATION ISSUE
    
    ABENDS: SIT002 HRM002 PRG005 MPC009 ASR091 MCW002 HTT001
    
    In the iterator, there was an underlying assumption about
    how to check the table level using STEs that was not
    correct. This error can cause various abends. We now
    obtain the table level info from elsewhere. This affects
    all configurations.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 4:
    ACTIVE SERVER ON VSWITCH WITH HIGH RX DISCARD RATE
    
    CP QUERY VSWITCH DETAILS indicated a steady increase in
    RX Packet Discard count for one user with no clear
    explanation.
    
    After implementing RedHat OCP on zVM the customer noticed
    significant increases in the number of RX Packets
    Discarded for the server responsible for managing several
    other dependent servers. A review of the dropped packets
    collected via TRSOURCE type LAN trace revealed that these
    were overflow packets. Most packets were being discarded
    in sets of (approximately) 1000 packets. The timing of
    these events lined up with startup times for one or more
    dependent servers. This normally suggests the presence of
    a resource constraint affecting the receiver, but monitor
    data revealed no significant problem in that area.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 5:
    INCORRECT OUTPUT FROM DIAG26C SUBCODE 20
    
    Diagnose 26c subcode 20 for response formats 0000 0001
    thru 0000 0005 can return VSWITCH information structures
    with an incorrect structure counter.
    
    The diagnose is provided by the invoker with a response
    buffer. If the response can only partially fit in the
    response buffer then return code 16 is returned along
    with the size of the required buffer. In the identified
    issue, the last VSWITCH structure is the same size as the
    response buffer. A good return code is provided but the
    response data contains an incorrect value.
    

Problem conclusion

  • Problem 1:
    UNEXPECTED FORCE ARCH REQUIRED FOR LGR
    
    The setting of a default architectural value in system
    initialization was reset to a previous value. This
    prevents virtual machine relocation from failing due to
    architecture incompatibility checks.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 2:
    PRG004 ABENDS
    
    A missing parameter was added to a subroutine call.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 3:
    VARIOUS ABENDS SYSTEM ITERATOR SERIALIZATION ISSUE
    
    The iterator was updated to check the HDPBK for table
    level information instead of checking the first STE in
    the ST for the table level information. This avoids
    making the wrong decision if serialization is held on the
    first STE.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 4:
    ACTIVE SERVER ON VSWITCH WITH HIGH RX DISCARD RATE
    
    Additional conditions are established to determine
    whether VSWITCH should discard packets waiting to be
    delivered to a guest:
    (1) Was at least one packet accepted into the guest input
        buffers recently (within the last 2 seconds)? If not,
        the queue can be discarded because this server is not
        able to process the incoming stream of data.
    (2) Is the queue size still within a more relaxed
        threshold (four times the normal threshold)?
        If not, the queue can be discarded because this
        server is not able to keep up with the inbound flow.
    If both answers are "yes" then VSWITCH logic will keep
    the pending queue and attempt to deliver it when the
    guest is open for more input data.
    
    -----
    
    Problem 5:
    INCORRECT OUTPUT FROM DIAG26C SUBCODE 20
    
    To resolve the problem, the improper return code and
    possible hanging pointer were addressed. In the event
    that the lengths are equivalent, as described in the
    Summary, then the routine will ensure that a portion in
    the data structure for the output buffer is cleared. This
    will prevent infinite looping in the event that the
    caller does attempt to process the data returned.
    Furthermore, upon equivalence, the return code will
    indicate to the caller that a larger buffer size is
    necessary, instead of indicating that the call was
    successful with no issues (as the routine normally does
    under non-equivalent conditions).
    

Temporary fix

  • *********
    * HIPER *
    *********
    FOR RELEASE VM/ESA CP/ESA R740 :
    PREREQ: VM66829
    CO-REQ: NONE
    IF-REQ: NONE
    

Comments

  • ×**** PE25/05/27 PTF IN ERROR. SEE APAR VM66844  FOR DESCRIPTION
    ×**** PE25/04/30 FIX IN ERROR. SEE APAR VM66844  FOR DESCRIPTION
    ×**** PE25/04/30 FIX IN ERROR. SEE APAR VM66844  FOR DESCRIPTION
    

APAR Information

  • APAR number

    VM66839

  • Reported component name

    VM CP CP

  • Reported component ID

    568411202

  • Reported release

    740

  • Status

    CLOSED PER

  • PE

    NoPE

  • HIPER

    YesHIPER

  • Special Attention

    NoSpecatt / Xsystem

  • Submitted date

    2025-04-04

  • Closed date

    2025-05-01

  • Last modified date

    2025-09-30

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

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

    UM90524

Modules/Macros

  • HCPCPE   HCPHDI   HCPHDPBK HCPHDT   HCPHDU   HCPIQR   HCPMNS
    HCPNIDBK HCPSEGTE HCPSWD   HCPZCP   7VMCPR40
    

Fix information

  • Fixed component name

    VM CP CP

  • Fixed component ID

    568411202

Applicable component levels

  • R740 PSY UM90524

       UP25/05/02 P 2502 ¢

Fix is available

  • Select the PTF appropriate for your component level. You will be required to sign in. Distribution on physical media is not available in all countries.

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Document Information

Modified date:
30 September 2025