Question & Answer
Question
What is the best way to ensure the highest level of the KIPPLEX agent owns the IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node?
Cause
Mixed level KIPPLEX agents reporting to same hub TEMS.
The OMEGAMON XE for IMS on z/OS product contains an IMSplex level agent called KIPPLEX. This agent creates and owns a node called IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview, which is used to route IMSplex queries to all of the other OMEGAMON XE for IMS agents known to that hubTEMS. Although each OMEGAMON XE for IMS agent starts the KIPPLEX agent, only one instance of the KIPPLEX agent may own the node at any given time. All other KIPPLEX agents will poll the status of the node and, if the node status becomes inactive, will take over ownership of the node.
With a staged migration, some agents will be upgraded to the current level and others will remain back-level for some period of time. This creates a timing issue as to which level of the agent will acquire ownership of the node. Since queries sent to a back-level agent may not be fully compatible with higher level agents, these queries may not return complete data resulting in IMSplex level data not appearing properly in the Enhanced 3270 UI workspaces. In order to prevent this from happening, the node must be owned by the highest running level of the OMEGAMON XE for IMS agent.
This means that the highest level of the agent must be started first before any back-level agents. Additionally, if the highest level of the agent needs to be recycled, you must stop all back-level agents prior to restarting the highest level of the agent. This will ensure proper operation of the Enhanced 3270 UI workspaces for all monitored IMS systems.
Consider the scenario whereby the highest level of the KIPPLEX agent is shutdown or recycled. Under the current implementation, one of the other running OMEGAMON XE for IMS agents will take over ownership of the node. This new owner of the node may be a back-level KIPPLEX agent. As long as the owner of the node is the highest level of all the known OMEGAMON XE for IMS agents, no incompatibilities will occur. However, if a higher level of the KIPPLEX agent is started, it will poll for the status of the node in an attempt to take over ownership. This take over will not occur until the back-level KIPPLEX agent is taken down, thence releasing the node.
Answer
There are a pair of PTFs available to make the KIPPLEX agent more intelligent when it attempts to take ownership of the IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node.
UA72699 for v420
UA72700 for v510
After applying these PTFs, the behavior of the KIPPLEX agent has been altered to perform an intelligent take-over. Back-level KIPPLEX agents will now recognize that a higher level agent exists and will give up control of the node in favor of the higher level agent. This approach is designed to always allow the highest level KIPPLEX agent to obtain ownership of the IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node.
The KIPPLEX agent issues the following message once it owns the IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node.
KIPPIR78I This started task has been made the IMSplex level agent
There are new messages issued to communicate the status of the ownership of the IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node. These new messages also appear on the z/OS console where they may be seen by any system automation product which may be monitoring the console. These automation products may be used to restart the KIPPLEX agent.
The new messages are:
KIPPIR81I Backlevel IMSplex agent detected, waiting to access
IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node.
Explanation: The KIPPLEX agent has detected that a backlevel version of the agent owns the IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node.
System Action: The KIPPLEX agent will wait until this node becomes available.
User Response: This is a informational message written to the RKLVLOG and the console. The backlevel agent should detect the newer agent is available and release the node.
KIPPIR82I IMSplex level agent superceded by version nn.nn.nn.
Explanation: The KIPPLEX agent has detected that a newer level of the KIPPLEX is available.
System Action: The KIPPLEX agent will release the node,
IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview to make it available to the newer level KIPPLEX agent.
User Response: This is a informational message written to the RKLVLOG and the console.
KIPPIR83I Releasing IMSPlex agent connection.
Explanation: The KIPPLEX agent has released the connection to node, IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview.
System Action: None. The IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview node is now available.
User Response: This is a informational message written to the RKLVLOG and the console.
KIPPIR84I KIPPLEX agent is now dormant.
Explanation: The KIPPLEX agent has been shutdown. The KIPAGENT collector will continue to function normally.
System Action: None. The KIPPLEX agent cannot be restarted.
User Response: This is a informational message written to the RKLVLOG and the console.
KIPPIR78I This started task has been made the IMSplex level agent
Checking the level of the agent owning the node
You can use the Enhanced 3270 User Interface and navigate to Managed Systems to determine the level of the agent monitoring the IMS system or IMSplex. Type hub in the upper left corner to navigate to the hub display and choose Next. Then type ‘N’ in the row which identifies your hub.
The display below shows the Managed Systems. The managed system name, IMSplex:IMSplex:Plexview is for the IMSplex agent and shows the version of 05.10.00.
You can also use the Tivoli Enterprise Portal to view the level of the agent owning the node.
Navigate to Enterprise Workspace and right click on the node in the tree. Select Workspace->Managed System Status. You will see a display similar to the one below which shows the node owned by version 05.10.00.
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Document Information
Modified date:
06 November 2018
UID
swg21670028