Question & Answer
Question
I'd like someone from IBM Level2 Support to help me with a CICS performance problem. When I have a performance problem in CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (CICS TS), should I open a service request (SR) against CICS TS or CICS Performance Analyzer for z/OS (CICS PA)? What information should I be prepared to provide to Level2 Support?
Note: service requests were previously known as problem management records (PMRs)
Answer
Great question...if your are experiencing a performance problem with your CICS TS region, for example, an intermittent response time problem that you cannot explain, a momentary CPU spike, or a gradual increase in CPU that you think might be a CICS TS defect, you can open an IBM service request. When opening the service request, it seems to make sense to choose "CICS Performance Analyzer for z/OS" from the product selection list because you are experiencing a CICS TS performance problem and are looking for analysis. However, this can delay you from getting to the correct support group. You should only choose "CICS Performance Analyzer for z/OS" if you are experiencing a problem with the CICS PA tool itself or the report output. CICS PA support does not assist in analyzing a CICS TS performance problem.
If you are experiencing a CICS TS performance problem that looks more like an application or tuning problem, you need to know that analyzing and diagnosing the cause of this type of problem is not within the scope of CICS TS Level2 defect support. You should begin by reviewing the IBM documentation topic "Dealing with performance problems". If you are unable to determine the possible cause of the performance problem or do not know what steps to take next, and think is a defect in CICS TS, you can open the service request. But, make sure you select "CICS Transaction Server for z/OS" from the product selection list in SR. This way you will get to the right support group who can assess what the next steps in problem resolution should be and determine what documentation you will need to collect for your specific performance issue.
You may also find some helpful information in one or more of the following IBM redpapers:
IBM CICS Performance Series: CICS TS V4.2 and Java Performance
IBM CICS Performance Series: CICS, DB2, and Thread Safety
IBM CICS Performance Series: CICS and VSAM RLS
IBM CICS Performance Series: A Processor Usage Study of Ways into CICS
Product Synonym
CICSPA CICS PA;CICS/TS CICSTS CICS TS CICS Transaction Server
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Document Information
Modified date:
29 October 2014
UID
dwa1162241