Standard communications trace
The communications trace function lets you start or stop a trace of data on communications configuration objects. After you have run a trace of data, you can format the data for printing or viewing. You can view the printer file only in the output queue.
Communication trace options run under system service tools (SST). SST lets you use the configuration objects while communications trace is active. You can trace and format data for any of the communications types that you can use in a distributed database network.
You can run the communications trace from any display that is connected to the system. Anyone with the special authority (SPCAUT) of *SERVICE can run the trace on the i5/OS® operating system. Communications trace supports all line speeds.
You should use communications trace in the following situations:
- The problem analysis procedures do not supply sufficient information about the problem.
- You suspect that a protocol violation is the problem.
- You suspect a line noise to be the problem.
- The error messages indicate that there is a Systems Network Architecture (SNA) bind problem.
You must have detailed knowledge of the line protocols that you use to correctly interpret the data that is generated by a communications trace. For information about interpreting DRDA® data streams, see Example: Analyzing the RW trace data.
Whenever possible, start the communications trace before varying on the lines. This gives you the most accurate sample of your line as it varies on.
To run an APPC trace and to work with its output, you have to know on what line, controller, and device you are running.
To format and avoid unwanted data in the output of a TCP/IP trace, you can specify the IP addresses of the source and application servers (ASs). Sometimes it is sufficient to just specify the port number instead, which is easier.
The following commands start, stop, print, and delete communications traces:
- Start Communications Trace (STRCMNTRC) command
- Starts a communications trace for a specified line or network interface description. Specify *MAX for value of Beginning bytes in Number of bytes to trace parameter. A communications trace continues until you run the End Communications Trace (ENDCMNTRC) command.
- End Communications Trace (ENDCMNTRC) command
- Ends the communications trace running on the specified line or network interface description.
- Print Communications Trace (PRTCMNTRC) command
- Moves the communications trace data for the specified line or network interface description to a spooled file or an output file. Specify *YES for the format SNA data only parameter.
- Delete Communications Trace (DLTCMNTRC) command
- Deletes the communications trace for a specified line or network interface description.
- Finding your line, controller, and device descriptions
Use the Work with Configuration Status (WRKCFGSTS) command to find the controller and device under which your application server job starts.
Parent topic:
Communications trace
Related concepts
Related reference
Delete Communications Trace (DLTCMNTRC) command
End Communications Trace (ENDCMNTRC) command
Print Communications Trace (PRTCMNTRC) command
Start Communications Trace (STRCMNTRC) command