Administration

Standard Answers.- FAQ

Mar 15, 2024

Re: Standard Answers to CPU Changes/Adding MIPS/Model Group Changes/etc.

1. The MXG Software License is a license to use our Copyright and must
   be active (i.e., paid) to use the software.  MXG Software is site
   licensed (a site is a physical address; a license is required for
   each site whose data is processed by MXG, whether MXG executes there
   or whether the data is sent to or read at another licensed site).
   MXG is NOT licensed by the size, make, model, number, color, nor by
   the manufacturer of the processor(s).  MXG is licensed for all
   operating system(s) at a site, and is automatically renewable.  The
   License terms can be read at http://www.mxg.com, under
   administration.

2. If outsourcing/facilities management is involved at your site, both
   the outsourcer and the client must have separate MXG licenses, and
   the outsourcer must have executed an outsourcing Addendum.

3. There is no CPU Serial Checking, no Passwords no "Keys" nor any date
   checking for expiration date in MXG Software.

4. Our MXG License authorizes MXG execution at Disaster Recovery sites
   for test or for actual DR work, with no keys nor any notification.

5. An MXG Version never "expires" nor "goes out of Support".  When you
   put in a new product/subsystem/Release/APAR that incompatibly changed
   its records then you must install the current MXG Version or at least
   be using the minimum level of MXG that is currently documented for
   each product MXG supports at  http://www.mxg.com/CHANGES/  find IV.

6. The Current Version, MXG 42.01, is dated Mar 15, 2024.  ALWAYS check
   http://www.mxg.com/changes  for the newest version, as the current
   version is ALWAYS better and safer, and will save you time, and it is
   VERY easy to "drop-in" a new version of MXG Software.

CRITICAL CHANGE (in 41.06 and later):

Change 41.081  Support for CICS/TS 6.2 BETA 16 INCOMPATIBLE.  Inserted
VMAC110        new variable TCLSTSKS='ACTIVE +*QUEUED TASKS IN TRANCLASS
UTILEXCL
Sep 15, 2023

7. Only the current MXG Version can be downloaded; new versions always
   correct/protect for errors, so back-levels are never available.
   Use the form at https://www.mxg.com/software_download_request.

8. MXG Version Required for Hardware, Operating System Release, etc.

   MXG is usually NOT sensitive to z/OS Hardware changes, but:

   -Support for z/16 processor data.

    For z/16 MXG 38.07 OR LATER IS NEEDED:

    SMF: Only SMF 113 records were incompatibly changed, but there is no
         execution error as only counter labels and values were changed,
         causing coefficients for the calculated variables (RMI,etc) to
         also be changed and default coefficients are changed to z/16,
         You should use separate SAS steps for each processor type; MXG
         will OUTPUT only the processor type you requested in //SYSIN,
         and will skip other processor type records, so you do NOT need
         to pre-process SMF records to select processor type. You will
         want to rename one pair of datasets if you want to put them in
         the same PDB Data Library.
          For z/15 you would use
                 //SYSIN DD *
                   %LET MACKEEP= MACRO _XLA113  _XLA11F %
                   %INCLUDE SOURCLIB(TYPS113,ASUM113);
          and for z/16 you would use
                 //SYSIN DD *
                   %LET MACKEEP= MACRO _XLA113  _XLA11G %
                   %INCLUDE SOURCLIB(TYPS113,ASUM113);
         to get correct values in TYPE1131 and ASUM1131 datasets.

         MXG Support for z/16 for SMF 113 requires 40.05 for z/OS and
         40.03 for zVM.

         MXG 40.01 will ABEND due to a TYPE30 error exposed by the z/16.
         with z/OS 2.5 or APAR61511.  You can correct by changing the
         line 1812 in VMAC30 from 192 to 220, or ask support for the
         current VMAC30 member with Change 40.050.

         Many other SMF and Data Gatherer records were updated in 40.04.

    RMF  ASMRMFV processes RMF III data with no errors, Change 40.068
         added some new fields. New DNG3 table support was in 40.05.
    SMF: Only SMF 113 records were incompatibly changed, but there is no
         execution error as only counter labels and values were changed,
         causing coefficients for the calculated variables (RMI,etc) to
         also be changed and default coefficients are changed to z/16,
         You must use separate SAS steps for each processor type and
         read only SMF 113 from that processor type.
          For z/15 you would use
                 //SYSIN DD *
                   %LET MACKEEP= MACRO _XLA113  _XLA11F %
                   %INCLUDE SOURCLIB(TYPS113,ASUM113);
          and for z/16 you would use
                 //SYSIN DD *
                   %LET MACKEEP= MACRO _XLA113  _XLA11G %
                   %INCLUDE SOURCLIB(TYPS113,ASUM113);
         to get correct values in ASUM1131 dataset.

         MXG Support for z/16 for SMF 113 requires 40.05 for z/OS and
         40.03 for zVM.

         MXG 40.01 will ABEND due to a TYPE30 error exposed by the z/16.
         Change line 1812 in VMAC30 from 192 to 220 or ask support for
         the current VMAC30 member with Change 40.050.

         Many other SMF and Data Gatherer records were updated in 40.04.

    RMF  ASMRMFV processes RMF III data with no errors, Change 40.068
         added some new fields. New DNG3 table support was in 40.05.


   -Support for z15 processor data.
     The z15 and z15 T02 processors INCOMPATIBLY changed the SMF 113
     records by inserting 32 new EXTEND and 4 CRYPTO counters, causing
     ARRAY SIZE EXCEEDED with BUILDPDB which processes the SMF 113s.
     Support for counter changes for both z15s was in MXG 37.08.
        If you use MIPS in reports, the format $MGRMIPS provides the
        MIPS/MSU value for each processor; the z15 values were updated
        in MXG 37.08, and the z15 TO2 values were updated in MXG 38.10.
        These MXG programs use $MGRMIPS: ASUMMIPS GRAFCEC GRAFWLM
        GRAFWRKX and TYPERMFV (RMF III).

     The z/14 also inserted SMF 113 fields, supported in MXG 36.07.
     The z/13 with 61+ LPARs requires MXG 32.05 IF NON-SMT MODE.
     The z/EC12 with 85+ engines required MXG 30.07.
     Support for 255 engines was added in MXG 31.04.

     And z/VM on the z15 requires MXG 38.02, PRCMFC/MFM COUNTERS caused
     HARDWARE COUNTER messages, PRCMFC/PRCMFM no obs.  Change 38.068.

   The z13 processor INCOMPATIBLY CHANGED, the new SMT-MODE RMF 70, and
   MXG 34.03 was REQUIRED (PCTCPUBY WRONG!), to read'the SMT-format RMF
   (which are written if you have zIIP engines AND have enabled the new
   PROCVIEW CORE option for Multi-Threading, even if only one thread is
   enabled).

  -The new zEDC/EADM compression hardware requires 38.10 to support
   new metrics.

   -The MXG Tape Mount Monitor program/started task MXGTMNT must be at
    ML=55 which was created in MXG 33.09 in 2015 and is unchanged. That
    Maintenance Level is in the Startup Messages in the JOBLOG of the
    MXGTMNT Started Task.  If there is no ML= message or it is not 55
    then you must assemble the MXGTMNT Program with member ASMTAPEE.
     TO CONFIRM YOU ARE USING ML-55, LOOK AT THE SYSLOG MESSAGES
     FOR THE MXGTMNT STARTED TASK AND CONFIRM YOU SEE THIS MESSAGE:
     6.27.07 STC03134  TMNT016I MXG TAPE MONITOR MAINTENANCE LEVEL 55
                       INITIALIZATION COMPLETE (2022/05/04777.25)

9. MXG IS VERY sensitive to changes/additions in the data records that
   MXG reads, and they are often changed incompatibly when you install
   new Version/Release of your Operating Systems/Subsystems/etc.  The
   list online at  http://www.mxg.com/changes  in Section IV shows the
   minimum MXG Version that is required to tolerate incompatible changes
   in each release of z/OS, z/VM, CICS, DB2, SAS, etc. Highlights are:

   z/OS 3.1 Support is in MXG 41.05+ :

Change 41.092  Support for z/OS 3.1 SMF Manual changes (COMPATIBLE).
VMAC26J2       We and several customers have tested z/OS 3.1 records
VMAC30         with back levels of MXG that support z/OS 2.5 (39.08)
VMAC7072       with no errors reported, and we expect no issues.
VMAC79         Change 41.096 added the new AI data in TYPE99 and
Oct 26, 2023   there were other APARs in 3.1, but we expect no issues.
               New variables were added, see Change 41.092 text.
               This change was in MXG 41.05.



   MXG 42.01  Supports z/16, z/OS 3.1, z/VM 6.4.1.17, CICS/TS 6.2 + DB2
              and MXG is fully backwards compatible for all products.

   z/OS Versions:
     MXG 40.04  Change 40.078 Protects z/OS 2.5 possible new fields.
     MXG 39.08  Change 39.192 New z/OS 2.5 RMF III Tables (COMPATIBLE).
     MXG 39.06  Change 39.163 New SMF 1153 JES2 Monitor z/OS 2.5.
     MXG 39.06  Change 39.168 RMF III Compatible z/OS 2.5
     MXG 39.04  Change 39.163 SMF Manual Updates (COMPATIBLE) z/OS 2.5.
     MXG 38.07  Change 38.109 supports EADM z/OS 2.4 fields
     MXG 38.02  Change 37.166 supports Sep SMF manual 2.4 COMPATIBLY.
     MXG 37.09  z/OS 2.4 Sep SMF Manual update (COMPATIBLE)
     MXG 35.11  Change 35.199 z/OS 2.3 SMF type 90 subtype 38 STOPOVER
     MXG 35.11  Change 35.191 z/OS 2.3 RMF III Support revisions.
     MXG 35.11  Change 35.190 z/OS 2.3 SMF type 2 st 2 SIGNED STOPOVER
     MXG 35.11  Change 35.166 z/OS 2.3 Many new variables
     MXG 34.07  Change 34.187 z/OS 2.2 New SMF 124 IOS Supervisor
     MXG 34.07  Change 34.162 z/OS 2.2 JES2 8-Char JOBCLASS
     MXG 34.02  Change 34.068 z/OS 2.2 SPLIT 73 ABEND
     MXG 34.02  Change 34.067 z/OS 2.2 OAM SMF 85 ABEND.
     MXG 33.13  Change 33.305 z/OS 2.2 new RMF 74 Subtype 10 SCM metrics
     MXG 33.11  Change 33.207 z/OS 2.2 MXGTMNT ABEND S0E0-28, ASMTAPEE
                MUST BE REASSEMBLED to create new MXGTMNT for z/OS 2.2.
     MXG 33.10  SMF 74 St 9 z/OS 2.1 z/13 INPUT STATEMENT EXCEEDED.
     MXG 33.08  Change 33.186 z13 RMF 70 INCOMPATIBLE IF MULTI-THREADING
     MXG 33.07  Change 33.147 zEDC SMF 30,74 support corrected.
     MXG 33.02  Change 33.076 z/OS 2.1 (COMPATIBLE, FEB 2015 SMF UPDATE)
     MXG 32.03  Change 32.088 ID=85 z/OS 2.1 (INCOMPATIBLE).
     MXG 32.03  Change 32.064 ID=70 z/OS 2.1 SMF70CPA scaling.
     MXG 31.07  Change 31.193 ID=0 z/OS 2.1 Changed Record Length error
     MXG 30.05  Initial supports z/OS 2.1 (MOST RECORDS, NOT ALL):

     MXG 30.01  Required for z/OS 1.13 TYPE 119 and HSM Records.
     MXG 29.08  Required to Assemble ASMTAPEE with z/OS 1.13 (CH 29.280)
     MXG 29.03  Supports z/OS 1.13 (MXG 29.03 or later is REQUIRED).
     MXG 28.05  Is required for z/OS 1.12, and is required if APARs
                OA30563/OA33976 are installed (which might be installed
                "automatically" if you have installed a z196 CPU).
     MXG 28.04  DO NOT USE MXG 28.04 WITH z/OS 1.12.
     MXG 28.02  Supports the Compatible Changes in z/OS 1.11.
     MXG 27.05  is REQUIRED for z/OS 1.10 RMF III and SMF 119 changes.
   CICS Versions:
     MXG 41.04  REQUIRED for CICS/TS 6.2 INCOMPAT INSERTED FIELDS.
     MXG 41.04  REQUIRED for CICS/TS 6.1 VMAC110 USED WITH NO IMACEXCL
     MXG 40.04  REQUIRED for CICS/TS 6.1 INSERT FIELD, OK WITH IMACEXCL
     MXG 38.10  CICS/TS 5.6 NEW DATA, COMPATIBLE.
     MXG 38.07  REQUIRED FOR CICS-TS/5.6 INCOMPATIBLE INSERTS.
     MXG 36.11+ REQUIRED FOR CICS-TS/5.5 INCOMPATIBLE INSERTS.
     MXG 35.03+ required for CICS-TS/5.4 CICSTRAN GA
     MXG 34.09+ required for CICS-TS/5.4 CICSTRAN OPEN BETA - INSERTS
     MXG 34.06  required for CICS-TS/5.4 CICSTRAN OPEN BETA - INSERTS
     MXG 34.02+ required for CICS-TS/5.3 CICSTRAN INCOMPATIBLE Ch 34.065
     MXG 33.11+ required for CICS-TS/5.3 CICSTRAN INCOMPATIBLE Ch 33.257
     MXG 32.03  required for CICS-TS/5.2 STATS INCOMPATIBLE.
     MXG 31.03  required for CICS-TS/5.1 MNSEGCL=5 INCOMPATIBLE.
     MXG 30.30  required for CICS/TS 5.1 for valid TASZIPTM/TASELGTM.
     MXG 30.08  required for CICS/TS 5.1 (INCOMPAT).
     MXG 29.05  required for CICS/TS 4.2 (INCOMPAT).
     MXG 27.08  required for CICS/TS 4.1 (INCOMPAT).
   DB2 Versions:
     MXG 42.01  TYPE102 ABEND 41.06/41.41
     MXG 41.01  DB2 13.1 ONLY with IDAA/NETEZZ, ABEND
     MXG 40.40  DB2 13.1 NEW DATA NO ERRORS
     MXG 34.08  Support for DB2 12.1 (COMPATIBLE) + NETEZZA
     MXG 32.10  Support for new IRLM SEGMENT, DB2 11.1.
     MXG 32.03  Support for new NETEZZA variables
     MXG 31.04  required for V10 - UNKNOWN SUBTYPE 5 DB2 ID=100 support.
     MXG 31.04  QLSXxxxx variables in DB2STATS corrected.
     MXG 30.30  tolerate DB2 V11, DB2STATS QLST wrong
     MXG 30.30  required for DBID/OBID decoding in Audit Reports.
     MXG 30.07  required for V10 QWHCATYP=8 (REMOTE UOW) QWHCCV error.
     MXG 30.05  required for ASG TMON/DB2 INVALID HEADER w/o TE03737.
     MXG 30.05  required for DB2 10.1, DB2STATS QIST correction.
     MXG 30.03  Supported DB2 V10 APAR PM24723, new IFCID=225 fields.
     MXG 30.02  Supported DB2 V10 long-header-text fields.
     MXG 29.08  required for DB2 10.1 IFCID=225 (subtype 4 - INCOMPAT)
     MXG 29.02  protects for invalid DB2 10.1 header pre-APAR
     MXG 28.07  was required for initial DB2 10.1.
     MXG 26.08  was required for DB2 8.1 or DB2 9.1.
   IMS Versions:
     MXG 33.13  Supports IMS Version 15 NO CHANGES.
     MXG 33.13  Supports IMS Version 14 COMPATIBLE, minor changes.
     MXG 31.03  Supports IMS Version 13 INCOMPATIBLE changes.
     MXG 29.29  Supports IMS Version 12 Compatible Changes and new stats
     MXG 28.04  Supports IMS Version 11 Compatible Changes and new stats
   z/VM MONWRITE:
     MXG 35.11  Supports z/VM 6.4.1.17 (INCOMPATABLE)
     MXG 33.10  Supports z/VM 6.3 on SMT Mode z13 processor (INCOMPAT)
     MXG 33.01  Supports z/VM 6.3 on z13 processor (INCOMPAT)
     MXG 31.05  Supports z/VM 6.3 (INCOMPAT)
     MXG 29.04  Supports z/VM 6.2

10.a SAS Versions
    The current version nomenclature is SAS 9.4 TS1M8 (9.4M8), or
     with OPTIONS VERSIONLONG:
      ("TS04.01M8P01182023)"

     SAS V9.4 M8 Is RECOMMENDED, but MXG executes without error using
     SAS Version 9.4 M0-M4,M7-M8 or SAS Version 9.3 M0-M2.

     SAS V9.4.M7 and M8 for ASCII execution require SAS HOT FIX 69871.
     See Change 41.012.


     Only on z/OS, SAS 9.4 "M5" requires MXG 35.36+ because it adds the
     NOERRORSTOP option to protect all MXG PROC SQLs from the M5 defect
     that will be corrected in SAS Note 61672 defect.  See Change 35.309
     for more details on using NOERRORSTOP for your own PROC SQLs.

     SAS V9.4 (ALL) and SAS V9.3 (ALL) are at LEVEL A SAS Support.
     SAS V9.3   SAS 9.3 TS1M2 was RECOMMENDED. SAS 9.3 TS1M1 works ok.
                But SAS 9.3 at TS1M0, the HOT FIX for SAS Note SN-43828,
                see CHANGE 29.169, IS REQUIRED:
                  The %MACRO compiler error is in processing %LET
                  statements. While only two MXG members failed
                  repeatedly in MXG QA tests on z/OS, there were random
                  %LET errors in ASCII QA tests, so ANY use of %LET
                  statement on ANY platform are vulnerable to this
                  error, as the %MACRO compiler is SAS portable code,
                  used on all platforms.  So this is NOT just an MXG
                  error, but impacts ALL SAS programs.
                SAS9.3 is LEVEL A support from SAS.
     SAS V9.2   Was recommended, prior to 9.3, and was error-free with
                MXG 26.03 SAS Hot Fix for SAS Note 37166 is required to
                use a VIEW with the MXG EXITCICS/CICSFIUE CICS/DB2
                Decompression Infile Exit.  but SAS V9.2 does execute on
                that platform.
                9.2 is LEVEL B Support from SAS, as of Sep 30, 2013.
     SAS V9.1.3 causes JCLTEST9/TESSOTHR to ABEND, TOO MANY ARGUMENTS
                FOR COUNTW() requires SAS Version 9.2 so 9.1.3 can NOT
                safely be used for MXG. See CHANGE 41.046, Jun 21, 2023.
     SAS V9.1.3 on z/OS 1.10 requires SAS Hot Fix for SN-35332 and is at
                Support level C by SAS Institute, Sep 30, 2013.
                SAS V9.1.3 is NOT supported by SAS on Windows SEVEN.
     SAS V8.2   SUPPORT LEVEL C BY SAS INSTITUTE; NOT ALL OF MXG WORKS!
                with SAS 8.2.
                SAS 8.2 is Level C Support from SAS as of Dec 31, 2011.

      JCL in MXGSAS94 or MXGSAS93 can be used, or MXGNAMES can be used

      ***************************************************************
      As documented in Change 27.356, for SAS V9.2 or later):
      The standard SAS JCL Procedure can be used for MXG with SAS V9.2+
           // EXEC SAS,CONFIG='MXG.SOURCLIB(CONFIMXG)'
           //MXGNAMES DD DSN=MXG.USERID.SOURCLIB(MXGNAMES),DISP=SHR
      or you can continue to use the MXGSAS93 JCL Procedure example.
      ***************************************************************


10.b  WPS (Now Altair SLC) Version requirement information:

      Altair SLC 2023.6, Dec 2023, (05.23.07.00.000520) has been tested.
      WPS Version 4.04 (04.04.01.00.005305 has been tested.
      DO NOT USE 4.03.01 nor 4.04.00, INVALID CPU BUSY in TYPE70.
      Error was introduced in 4.03.01  and 4.04.00. See Change 39.171.
      Must be at 4.03.02.00.8569+ or 4.04.00.03.3277+.

      WPS Version 4.2 (4.02.04.00.011339) has been tested.
      WPS Version 4.1 USER 4037 ABEND, See Change 37.116.
      WPS Version 4.0 reportedly fixed version 3 problems.
      WPS Version 3.02 (03.02.03.00.016221) is required Change 34.266.
         and other errors with 3.00 or 3.01 have been corrected in the
         current WPS version.
      WPS Version 3.01.1 maintenance level 731 required for PDB to tape
      WPS Version 3.01 (also shows 3.1.1) is required for AUTOEZOS.
      WPS Version 3.01  is required for MOBILWRK, PICTURE fails in 2.5.
      WPS Version 3.01  executed MXG 32.03 BUILDPDB with no errors.
      WPS Version 3.0   requires MXG 31.09 (see Change 31.251).
      WPS Version 2.4   required MXG 27.09 (see Change 27.239).
      WPS Version 2.3.5 required MXG 27.05.

      See NEWSLETTERS for WPS Support Statement.

      WPS prints this message ERROR: COULD NOT CREATE DATA SET "PDB.ID"
      when the LIBNAME PDB does not exist; there would also have been a
      prior log message  NOTE: Library PDB does not exist   as the clue.


11. MXG Software is delivered ONLY ELECTRONICALLY via ftp download.
    Your technician can request ftp download instructions via return
    email by using the form at
      http://www.mxg.com/Software_Download_Request
   "Dropping in" a new MXG Version typically takes only a few hours.

12. Converting from MICS to MXG.

  MXG is not a "drop in" replacement for MICS, but many customers report
  they have replaced MICS with MXG.

  MXG is a single product with support for all data records from all IBM
  Mainframe Logs (SMF,RMF,IMS,MONWRITE,DCOLLECT,AIX,HSM,etc). There is
  no separate "network"/DB2/CICS/etc component. But there is no direct
  replacement for the MICS Chargeback Accounting summarization, although
  all of the chargeable resource metrics are captured, with their
  account fields where available, and there are simple billing examples.
  But to match MICS, sites may need to compose SAS scripts to generate
  Chargeback data-feeds from the appropriate MXG Input files.

  In many cases, the conversion was done by the existing MICS/MXG
  technician, especially when they are fairly competent in the SAS
  language, with system programmer skills and with IT resource
  management experience for IBM mainframes. The MICSMXG member in MXG
  has only ten technical notes from users about their conversions.

  But in other cases, sites have relied on a consultant or service for
  the conversion, depending on local skills and complexity of the site's
  use of MICS. MXG does NOT claim to replicate MICS reports; it provides
  many example reports but the user must have sufficient SAS skills to
  execute and tailor them. But you can also create EXCEL or SQL or CSV
  or PDF or other ODS output formats, if those are your preferred
  reporting tools.

  See the link at https://www.mxg.com/Product_Info for details on
  how to license MXG Software.

  Independent Consultants and Companies who have provided MICS to MXG
  conversion services:

    Scott Barry    sbarry@SBBTECHLLC.COM
    Chuck Hopf     chopf@chopf.com


13. Merrill Consultants is the developer of MXG Software is the owner of
    the Copyright for MXG Software, and MXG is a Registered Trademark of
    Merrill Consultants.  Merrill Consultants is the sole source of the
    MXG Software License Agreement, and Merrill Consultants is the sole
    provider of all maintenance, updates and enhancements to the MXG
    Software product.

 Merrilly yours,

 Herbert W. Barry Merrill, PhD
 President-Programmer
 Merrill Consultants
 MXG Software
 10717 Cromwell Drive              technical questions: support@mxg.com
 Dallas, TX 75229
 http://www.mxg.com                admin questions:     admin@mxg.com
 tel: 214 351 1966
 fax: 214 350 3694