MIMIX Monitoring with Robot Monitor

 

MIMIX Overview

MIMIX replicates a production environment to a backup server in real time with zero data loss. This hot standby server can then be used for disaster recovery or take over when there's a need to perform maintenance on the primary server.

MIMIX Characteristics

Data Groups

Data groups are logical groups consisting of data files, applications, libraries, data areas, objects or a combination of these items that represents a unit of work during the replication process.

Since the direction of replication is defined at a data group level, the roles of servers as primary or secondary servers within a cluster can be unique for specific applications.

For example, one application (data group) can replicate from system A to system B, while another application replicates from system B to system A.

Monitors

MIMIX Monitor includes pre-packaged monitor programs for checking the power levels in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and TCP/IP address impersonation for increased availability, as well as the flexibility to monitor most items on the IBM i on an interval basis, scheduled basis, or continuously.

MIMIX Monitoring Components

MONCHKMXS allows you to monitor the status of various metrics in the MIMIX High Availability product. Four areas can be monitored with this command as follows:

• Replication: one record per data group
• Manager: one record per system
• Monitor: one record per monitor
• Audit: one record per audit

The command uses the files populated by MIMIX as used on the WRKMMXSTS display. In addition to this command, the job status monitor can also be used to ensure that job MXIFCMGR is active in the MIMIX subsystem on both systems.

Note: The command must exist on the central system, in addition to any monitored remote systems.

User Defined Monitors (User Supplied Text/Integer)

When creating the definitions, they'll either be User Supplied Text or User Supplied Integer (use this document to determine which data type should be used for the corresponding monitor).

It's advisable to incorporate the type of monitor (GRPSTS, for example) together with the data group or system in the short description for each data type. This can be used in the thresholds later and can clarify exceeded thresholds to make problem resolution easier.

In order for the command to run, you need to create a job description that contains the Robot Monitor installed library (usually MSM) together with the MIMIX installed library (usually MIMIX). The command must be qualified, and the command type must be set as CL. When you're ready, click the prompt button to display the prompt window. You may be required to enter your IBM i Signon Information.

A default global threshold list will need to be created as well, with entries added showing all possible values that can be returned for the parameters supplied. These lists are supplied in the following sections (starting with "MIMIX Monitoring Command Definitions").

MIMIX Monitoring Thresholds

If you want to create definitions with thresholds for MIMIX monitoring, you have a couple options.

Create thresholds manually:

Use these steps if you only need to create a few definitions with thresholds.

1. In the Robot Monitor GUI, select Monitor something new from the Item Selection bar on the Monitor view.

2. Select either User Supplied Text or User Supplied Integer from the User Supplied filter. Use this document to determine which data type should be used for the corresponding monitor.

3. On the Global Threshold tab, click New Global to create a threshold.

4. Highlight the threshold and click Add Value to configure the threshold details.

5. When you're finished, click OK.

After these steps, add the command definitions and any other details to the data definition before clicking OK.

Import thresholds:

Use these steps if you need to create numerous definitions with thresholds.

1. Download the Robot Monitor Add-Ons zip file (RMON_ADDONS.zip) from the Robot Monitor download page on our website.

2. Extract the add-on files to your PC.

3. In the Robot Monitor GUI, select Monitor something new from the Item Selection bar on the Monitor view.

4. Select either User Supplied Text or User Supplied Integer from the User Supplied filter. Use this document to determine which data type should be used for the corresponding monitor.

5. On the Global Threshold tab, click New Global to create a threshold.

6. Highlight a threshold, then click Import Values From File and select a corresponding threshold file from your PC.

7. Click Open to import the threshold value.

After these steps, add the command definitions and any other details to the data definition before clicking OK.

MIMIX Monitoring Command Definitions

Replication: Data Group Status

*GRPSTS
Monitor the rollup data group status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*GRPSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: DB Source Status

*DBSSTS
Monitor the database source status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*DBSSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: DB Target Status

*DBTSTS
Monitor the database target status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*DBTSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Object Source Status

*OBSSTS
Monitor the object source status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*OBSSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Object Target Status

*OBTSTS
Monitor the object target status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*OBTSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: RJ Link Status

*RJLSTS
Monitor the RJ link status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*RJLSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Database Send Status

*DBSNSTS
Monitor the database send status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*DBSNSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Database Reader Status

*DBRDSTS
Monitor the database read status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*DBRDSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Database Apply Status

*DBAASTS
Monitor the database apply A status.
Type (Text)

*DBABSTS
Monitor the database apply B status.
Type (Text)

*DBACSTS
Monitor the database apply C status.
Type (Text)

*DBADSTS
Monitor the database apply D status.
Type (Text)

*DBAESTS
Monitor the database apply E status.
Type (Text)

*DBAFSTS
Monitor the database apply F status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*DBxxSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

This threshold list applies to all checks relating to Database Apply (including DB Apply A through DB Apply F checks):

Replication: Object Send Status

*OBSNSTS
Monitor the object send status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*OBSNSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Object Retrieve Status

*OBRTSTS
Monitor the object retrieve status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*OBRTSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Connector Send Status

*CNSNSTS
Monitor the connector send status.
Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*CNSNSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Object Apply Status

*OBAPSTS
Monitor the object apply status.
Type (Text)

*OBATSTS
Monitor the object apply A threshold status.
Type (Text)

*OBBTSTS
Monitor the object apply B threshold status.
Type (Text)

*OBCTSTS
Monitor the object apply C threshold status.
Type (Text)

*OBDTSTS
Monitor the object apply D threshold status.
Type (Text)

*OBETSTS
Monitor the object apply E threshold status.
Type (Text)

*OBFTSTS
Monitor the object apply F threshold status.
Type (Text)

*OBJAPY
Monitor the object apply threshold status.

Type (Text)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*OBxxSTS) DTAGRP(xxx)

This threshold list applies to all checks relating to Object Apply Threshold Status (including OBJ Apply A threshold through OBJ Apply F threshold checks):

Replication: Objects in Error

*OBJERR
Monitor the number of objects in error.
Type (Integer)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*OBJERR) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Files on Hold

*FILHLD
Monitor the number of files on hold.
Type (Integer)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*FILHLD) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Files on Hold Other

*FILHLDO
Monitor the number of files on hold for other reasons.
Type (Integer)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*FILHLDO) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Files not Journalled on System 1

*FNJS1
Monitor the number of files not journalled on system 1.
Type (Integer)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*FNJS1) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: Files not Journalled on System 2

*FNJS2
Monitor the number of files not journalled on system 2.
Type (Integer)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*FNJS2) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: AJ IFS errors

*IFSERR
Monitor the number of IFS objects in *HOLD error.
Type (Integer)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*IFSERR) DTAGRP(xxx)

Replication: AJ IFS on Hold Other

*IFSOERR
Monitor number of IFS files on hold for other reasons.
Type (Integer)

MSM/MONCHKMXS TYPE(*REP) REP(*IFSOERR) DTAGRP(xxx)