Starting the Db2 traces

You must arrange for the appropriate Db2 traces to be started in order for BMC AMI Defender to receive the appropriate records. You might start the traces in one or a combination of three ways:

• You can configure Db2 using the DSNTIPN panel to start the relevant traces automatically when Db2 starts. Advantages- Easy, automatic, and guarantees that the traces start as soon as DB2 starts. Disadvantages: Not available for all trace types; in some cases starts additional traces beyond the desired IFCIDs (see How to Start Automatically under IFCID-descriptions).

• You can configure BMC AMI Defender to start the required traces when BMC AMI Defender starts and anytime a monitored subsystem is restarted by using the SMF DB2 STArt parameter (See SMF-Db2-statement). Advantages- Easy; perfect match between BMC AMI Defender and Db2. Disadvantages: Requires that you specify the SSIDs parameter; all monitored instances of DB2 must be configured for traces identically. 

  Note

  SMF DB2 STArt requires DB2 TRACE privileges; see "Granting Db2 TRACE privileges" in Customizing-the-z-OS-communications-server-TCP-IP-and-OMVS.

• You can enter the Db2 START TRACE command manually or with your console automation system. Advantages- Perfect control over which traces are started and when. Disadvantages- It requires some effort and coordination. The command is -prefix STA TRA(AU) C(cc) IFCID(n,n,n,…) where -prefix is the command prefix for the Db2 subsystem, cc is one of the trace classes 30, 31 or 32 and n,n,n,… is a list of the desired IFCIDs with no intervening spaces. 

  Example

  The commands to start traces for IFCIDs 25, 62, 63, 90, 91, 97, 140, 141, 145 and 361 for DB2 subsystems DB2A, DB2B, and DB2C (assuming class 30 and a command recognition character of hyphen) would be as follows:

  -DB2A STA TRA(AU) C(30) IFCID(25,62,63,90,91,97,140,141,145,361)
  -DB2B STA TRA(AU) C(30) IFCID(25,62,63,90,91,97,140,141,145,361)
  -DB2C STA TRA(AU) C(30) IFCID(25,62,63,90,91,97,140,141,145,361)

You might also include one or more constraints on the Db2 START TRACE command such as PLAN() or PKGLOC(). See the documentation for the Db2 START TRACE command in the IBM Manual DB2 10 for z/OS Command Reference for more information including the syntax of constraints. Specifying one or more constraints or filters might reduce the amount of trace data collected and hence the overhead of the trace.