Maintaining the BMC AMI Utilities checkpoint data set

The NGTCKPT (also known as checkpoint) is the name of the BMC AMI Utilities checkpoint repository that stores information for BMC AMI Utilities. The repository has a directory and internal files. The directory maps internal files in the repository and it is implemented as a Db2 TYPE2 index. The index also maps free space in the repository.

Reorganizing the BMC AMI Utilities checkpoint repository

You can maintain the BMC AMI Utilities checkpoint repository with one simple job which you should run every six months, or monthly on very busy systems. You can run this job concurrently with BMC AMI Utilities products because it is not disruptive.

The job contains the following statements:

Statement	Description
DBMG REPORT	Run the DBMG REPORT statement before and after the reorganization statements. This is required for diagnosis in the case of errors.
DBMG CHECKIX	We recommend that you run DBMG CHECKIX , before you run DBMG REORG or DBMG COMPACT, to ensure the validity of the directory index. Warning Important If the CHECKIX fails, the statements that follow the CHECKIX will not be executed. Send the job output to BMC Customer Support for diagnosis.
DBMG OPTIMIZE	Run DBMG OPTIMIZE to reorganize the other indexes in the checkpoint repository.
DBMG COMPACT	The directory also contains free space records. After intensive use, run DBMG COMPACT to compact those records to improve performance and reduce the size of the index.
DBMG REORG	Run DBMG REORG to reorganize the directory index to speed up the process and reduce its size owing to page splits.

Example

//DBMG     EXEC PGM=NGT1DBMG
//STEPLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=your.ngt.loadlib
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//CDBPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSIN DD *
    DBMG REPORT   LOGDS(your.ngtckpt)
    DBMG CHECKIX LOGDS(your.ngtckpt)
    DBMG OPTIMIZE LOGDS(your.ngtckpt)
    DBMG COMPACT LOGDS(your.ngtckpt)
    DBMG REORG    LOGDS(your.ngtckpt)
    DBMG REPORT   LOGDS(your.ngtckpt)

Backing up BMC AMI Utilities system data sets

Backing up BMC AMI Utilities system data sets involves the following tasks:

Backing up the LOGPDS data set

The LOGPDS is an optional partitioned data set (PDS) used to write a mini-dump when a BMC AMI Utilities job abends.

You should periodically delete the older members from LOGPDS. The data set members are needed only to document current issues. You can also periodically redefine LOGPDS.

Tip

To facilitate disaster recovery, place the LOGPDS data set on a volume that is backed up periodically.

Backing up the NGTCKPT data set

The NGTCKPT data set contains checkpoint and restart information for BMC AMI Utilities products. You must back up the NGTCKPT data set. The NGTCKPT data set keeps track of active and restartable BMC AMI Utilities, Access Method Services (AMS) override, and optional registration of the Utility Manager tables if alias are not used. You should back up the NGTCKPT data set because it is critical to a BMC AMI Utilitiesproduction environment; the NGTCKPT data set requires little additional maintenance.

The NGTCKPT data set is a linear VSAM data set with a custom format, so you cannot use REPRO on it. You should place this data set on volumes that are backed up periodically for disaster recovery using IBM DFDSS-, FDR-, or DASD-specific full volume backup utilities.

If you use mirrored DASD for business continuation, you should place the NGTCKPT data set on mirrored DASD so that the product environment can continue at the alternative site.

Restoring BMC AMI Utilitiessystem data sets

In a disaster recovery situation, you must perform the following tasks:

Restoring the LOGPDS data set

Restore the LOGPDS data set from a backup volume or redefine it. The mini-dumps kept in the LOGPDS are not critical to executing BMC AMI Utilities products; they are required only for diagnostic purposes.

Restoring the NGTCKPT data set

In a disaster recovery situation, the NGTCKPT data set is critical to the continued execution of BMC AMI Utilities products. BMC recommends that you restore NGTCKPT to ensure that the BMC AMI Utilities_RTS information is not lost. (Because everything is restored to some prior point-in-time, you cannot restart the BMC AMI Utilities.)

There are two options for restoring the NGTCKPT data set, depending on whether you have a backup of the NGTCKPT data set:

If you have a backup of the NGTCKPT data set:
1. Restore the NGTCKPT data set from backup in the same way that you restore LOGPDS (see Restoring the LOGPDS data set).
2. Use the NGTDISP command to check for BMC AMI utility IDs that were in progress at the time of the backup and resubmit any applicable BMC AMI Utilities product jobs with the restart parameter set to FORCEID.
Error
Warning
Before restarting a BMC AMI Utilities product with FORCEID, always consult BMC Customer Support to avoid data loss if the product is in a must-complete state.
If you do not have a backup of the NGTCKPT data set, you can redefine the NGTCKPT data set as a new installation.
If you redefine the NGTCKPT data set, any BMC AMI Utilities application definitions, BMC AMI Utilities RTS definitions, and AMS overrides are lost.
To restore these definitions, take the following actions:
- Recover the BMC AMI Utilities RTS Db2 tables and redefine them to BMC AMI Utilities.For more information, see Keywords for running evaluations.
- Redefine the AMS override with the NGTAMS command. For more information, see Managing the model AMS define.

Use an NGTCKPT test for the NGTAMS update and if successful then:
1. Update NGTCKPT test.
2. Run BMC AMI Utilities Utility using NGTCKPT test.
3. If steps 1 and 2 are successful, update real NGTCKPT.

Putting BMC AMI Utilities into maintenance mode

Before running a maintenance job, you should activate maintenance mode by running the following JCL.

// JOB card
//*
//NGTDISP EXEC PGM=NGTUTIL,REGION=0M,
//         PARM='SSID,,NORESTART'
//*
//STEPLIB DD DISP=SHR,DSN=hlq.BMCLINK
//*
//NGTCKPT   DD DISP=OLD,DSN=ngt.ckpt.data.set
//*
//DIAGNOSE DD *
  DIAGNOSE MSGID(NGTG001) ACTION(WAIT)
//*
//UTLPARMS DD *
+SVRMODE(I)
+SVRDISK(1)
+DELETEOUTPUT(YES)
//*
//SYSIN DD *
  NGTDISP
//*

Running this JCL:

Allows active BMC AMI Utilities to complete.
Forces other BMC AMI Utilities to wait for the maintenance job to complete before continuing.

The JCL specifies DISP=OLD for the BMC AMI Utilities checkpoint data set. This prevents any inactive BMC AMI Utilitiesfrom starting by preventing access to the BMC AMI Utilities checkpoint data set.

The DIAGNOSE command causes the BMC AMI Utilities utility job to issue WTOR message NGTU792. The BMC AMI Utilities job waits until a response is made to the message with any value. For example, R xx, U.