CICS TG z/OS Error code -3 (NO CICS) with CTG6822E and EXCI reason 203

Resolving The Problem

Diagnostic information provided includes message CTG6822E:

  CTG6822E: Native OS/390 CcicsECI: EXCI function error.
  Function Call = 3, Response = 8 (or 0x08), Reason = 203 (or 0xcb),
  Subreason field-1 = 92 (or 0x5c), subreason field-2 = 0,
  Cics_Rc = 3

Function Call = 3 means Open_Pipe
Response = 0x08 means RETRYABLE
Reason = 0xcb means NO_CICS

Explanation: An attempt has been made to open a pipe but the target
CICS system is either:
 - not available
 - hasn't yet opened IRC
 - the target connection is out of service
 - the relevant EXCI connection definition is not installed in the
   target CICS

System Action: The open pipe request fails, and the external CICS
interface invokes the user-replaceable module, DFHXCURM.

The CICS Data Areas manual documents the X'005C' return code as
meaning IRERRNLG - 'System not logged on'. This can occur if IRC is
not open on the CICS server.  You can check this using CEMT INQ IRC.

One possible reason for IRC not opening correctly can be a DFHIR3780
message written to the JESMSGLG output of the CICS region upon
startup:

DFHIR3780 CTS22PG1 Unable to start interregion communication

This could indicate that the CICS region userid did not have READ
access to the RACF FACILITY class profile DFHAPPL.APPLID, where
APPLID is the applid of the CICS server.

Another possible cause would be if the request comes in and no
CICS SERVER name was specified, or if the server name is sent in
lower case when it should be upper.