TCP/IP Diagnostic and Problem Determination Techniques for the z/OS Environment

Course:  ZOSNET
Duration:  3 Days
Level:  II
Course Summary

This course is for seasoned System Programmers and Analysts and unashamedly designed to challenge them. They leave the class competent and confident to analyze, diagnose and resolve TCP/IP problems in z/OS networks.

Others taking the course, with appropriate levels of aptitude and open minds, may also benefit, but should not be expected to reach the same standard.

The class is divided into three broad segments. The first reviews the material in lower-level classes about the concepts, principles and terminology behind TCP/ IP and its implementation under z/OS. To this is appended a detailed discussion of TCP/IP message formats.

The second segment presents the operator commands and procedures used for monitoring and controlling network conditions and for gathering diagnostic information. For in-house classes, this part can be customized to include the specific management applications the client uses.

The last segment of the course covers the tools and procedures for problem resolution. Wherever possible the instructor will make reference to the client's current and anticipated hardware and software configurations.

The key to the success of this class is the assisted practice with diagnostic captures of actual cases.

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Topics Covered In This Course

Review of TCP/IP Concepts and Principles

  • Provenance of the TCP/IP architecture
  • Evolution of IBM mainframe networking ??? convergence onto IP
  • Basic elements of TCP/IP ??? networks, hosts & routers
  • The 4 core protocols ??? TCP, UDP, IP, ICMP
  • Routing & routing tables
  • IP addressing ??? IPv4 and IPv6
  • Mapping addresses onto the physical network ??? ARP, RARP, BootP, DHCP
  • Virtual LANs
  • TCP/IP layers & message units
  • Name resolution in TCP/IP ??? DNS & local hosts files

TCP/IP Formats in detail

  • IP packet layout
  • TCP segment layout
  • UDP datagram layout
  • ICMP formats

Review of TCP/IP implementation under z/OS

  • z/OS TCP/IP structure
  • Reliance on VTAM and OSA cards
  • Virtual IP Addresses (VIPAs)
  • Shared and exclusive DLC (I/O driver) types
    • XCF
    • QDIO
    • iQDIO (Hipersockets)
    • Samehost
  • Customization
    • Outline of system requirements
    • The TCP/IP profile
    • The TCPIP.DATA dataset
    • VTAM TRL definitions
    • /etc/services file
    • The TCPIP catalogued procedure
  • SNA continuity ??? Enterprise Extender & TN3270E

Operating & ControllingTCP/IP under z/OS

  • General descriptions and particulars of diagnostic uses:
    • START Command
    • STOP Command
    • DISPLAY Command
    • MODIFY Command
    • VARY Command
    • TSO Command options
    • UNIX Command options
  • Trace capture and formatting procedures
    • IPCS
    • Wireshark
    • OEM products

Tools and Procedures for Problem Resolution

  • Classifications of problem and action checklists
  • General TCP/IP network diagnostic tools ??? ping & traceroute
  • Interpreting logs
    • z/OS syslog
    • TCPIP joblog
    • syslogd
    • application logs
  • An approach to problem analysis
  • Ad hoc demonstrations of clients??? actual tooling
  • Practice, practice, practice

Diagnostic Exercises

  • Sockets programming and socket states
  • FTP
  • Enterprise Extender (with IPCS & Wireshark)
  • SSL/TLS failures
  • TCP/IP log walkthrough
  • Protocol errors, retransmissions, duplicate acknowledgements
  • Others, ad hoc
What You Can Expect

At the end of this course, delegates will be able to:

  • List the questions to be asked to determine the bounds of a problem
  • Outline an appropriate course of action for tackling a problem, including specifications of the diagnostic data to be collected
  • Be able to capture logs and traces
  • Analyze logs and traces of TCP/IP network problems to:
    • Determine the failing component
    • Present evidence of the nature of the failure
  • Demonstrate familiarity with sources of further information and reference material
Who Should Take This Course

This course is for z/OS Communications Systems Programmers and Analysts who will diagnose problems in a z/OS Communication Server TCP/IP network.

Recommended Prerequisites

Ideally, attendees will have experience in traditional System Programming skills, but more important still are enjoyment of problem-solving and a determination to succeed.

To do the standard class as designed, each attendee will need access to a workstation with a current version of Wireshark installed

Training Style

The class is led by an instructor in person or by webcast from a coursebook that delegates receive in advance. The coursebook incorporates paper exercises and examples. Additionally, machine-readable files are distributed for the practical exercises*.

Significantly better value is achievable, however, if delegates can be coached through custom tasks hands-on in their own estates, using the real-life tooling.

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Every student attending a Verhoef Training class will receive a certificate good for $100 toward their next public class taken within a year.

You can also buy "Verhoef Vouchers" to get a discounted rate for a single student in any of our public or web-based classes. Contact your account manager or our sales office for details.

Schedule For This Course
There are currently no public sessions scheduled for this course. We can schedule a private class for your organization just a couple of weeks from now. Or we can let you know the next time we do schedule a public session.
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