Recognizing and Assessing Jobs Ends

The z/OS Agent can recognize that a job or job step has ended using either an IP-based messenger (the default) or an SMF-based messenger.

While the IP-based messenger is the default, configuring the Agent to use SMF records is highly recommended. The advantage of SMF-based processing is that it recognizes job start and end times much faster, and jobs can be accurately assessed based on the return codes supplied by individual job steps.

This page includes the following:

Job Messenger Types (UC_EX_JOB_MD)

The UC_EX_JOB_MD parameter in the Agent's INI file determines which type of job end processing is active.

IP-Based Messengers (Default)

The IP-based job end processing messenger signals the Agent via a TCP/IP connection when a job starts or ends. The specific load module you use depends on your Agent architecture:

  • Native Agent: Uses UCXJM25M

  • Java-based Agent: Uses JMSGR

Note: JMSGR and UCXJM25M are functionally identical programs. JMSGR serves as a load module alias (similar to a Unix symbolic link). The program uses its own name to determine the correct communication protocol for connecting to either a Native or Java-based Agent.

SMF-Based Messenger (Recommended)

The SMF-based job end processing uses UC4START for both Native and Java-based Agents.

Instead of relying on network signals, EventMonitors collect SMF data directly from the system. The Agent and EventMonitor use the UC4START name to quickly identify Automic Automation jobs.

Fallback Handling: If an error occurs during SMF record processing and the job status cannot be properly determined, a supplementary program named UC4END prints a job summary.

Configuring SMF-Based Assessment

To switch from the default IP-based messenger to the SMF-based messenger, you must update both the Event Monitor and the Agent INI files.

  1. Update the INI files.

    In the Event Monitor INI file, activate the general SMF record collecting module and SMF-based job end processing in the [CONSOLE] section by setting both SMFWrite=1 and SMFJob=1. Then, in the Agent INI file, replace the IP messenger (for example, UCXJM25M or JMSGR) with UC4START in the [VARIABLES] section.

    Event Monitor INI:

    [CONSOLE]

    SMFWrite=1

    SMFJob=1

    Agent INI:

    [VARIABLES]

    UC_EX_JOB_MD=UC4START

  2. Restart the z/OS Agent to apply the changes.

Considerations and Troubleshooting

  • Performance Warning for Java Agent Migrations: If you are migrating from a Native Agent (v21 or lower) to a Java-based Agent (v24 or higher), you may experience significant job execution delays if you continue using IP-based messengers. To ensure optimal performance, switch to the SMF-based messenger (UC4START) along with the EventMonitor.

  • Switching Messenger Types: You must end all active and generated jobs in your AE system before switching between IP-based and SMF-based messenger types. If you do not end them, they will finish correctly on the mainframe but will display an ENDED_VANISHED status in Automic Automation, as the end message can no longer be routed to the Agent.

  • Return Codes: You can specify within the z/OS Job object whether the highest return code or the last one that occurs should be considered for the job end.

  • SMF Prerequisites: Verify that your z/OS system's SMF module is configured to log type 30 records.

See also: