CSR - Console Status Report
The Console Status Report (CSR) refers to the real-time information displayed on the z/OS system console in response to various operator `DISPLAY` commands. It provides a snapshot of the current operational status of the system, including hardware components, software resources, active tasks, and overall system health. Its primary purpose is to give system operators immediate insight into the mainframe's state for monitoring and problem determination.
Key Characteristics
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- Real-time Data: Provides current, up-to-the-minute information about the system's status, not historical data.
- Command-Driven: Generated by specific operator commands, typically starting with
D(for Display), such asD U(Display Units),D M(Display Messages),D R(Display Reply),D T(Display Tasks),D A(Display Active Address Spaces). - Operator-Centric: Designed for system operators to monitor, diagnose, and manage the z/OS environment directly from the system console.
- Comprehensive Scope: Can report on a wide range of system elements, including CPU utilization, memory usage, device status, active jobs, network connections, and system messages.
- Dynamic Output: The content of a CSR changes constantly as the system's state evolves, reflecting ongoing operations and events.
- Text-Based: Output is typically text-based, displayed directly on the console screen or routed to a console log.
Use Cases
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- Problem Determination: Quickly identify the root cause of issues, such as hung jobs, high resource consumption by an address space, device errors, or network connectivity problems.
- System Monitoring: Regularly check the health and performance of the z/OS system, ensuring all critical components are operating as expected.
- Resource Management: Monitor the availability and utilization of system resources like CPU, memory, and I/O devices to prevent bottlenecks.
- Operational Verification: Confirm the successful completion of operational tasks, such as bringing a device online, starting a subsystem, or verifying the status of a batch job.
- Security Auditing (Immediate): Check the status of security-related address spaces or active users logged into the system at a given moment.
Related Concepts
The Console Status Report is intrinsically linked to the System Console itself, which is the primary interface for issuing the DISPLAY commands and receiving their output. It works in conjunction with Operator Commands, forming the core of interactive system management. While CSR provides real-time operational data, SMF (System Management Facilities) collects historical performance and accounting data, offering a complementary view for long-term analysis and capacity planning. CSRs often provide information about Address Spaces and JES (Job Entry Subsystem) managed jobs, showing their current state and resource usage.
- Targeted Commands: Use specific
DISPLAYcommands (e.g.,D A,Lfor active address spaces with detailed CPU/storage) rather than broad ones to get relevant information quickly and avoid overwhelming the console. - Regular Review: Operators should routinely review key CSR outputs during their shift to proactively identify potential issues before they escalate.
- Automated Parsing: For critical metrics, consider using automation tools like NetView or REXX scripts to parse CSR output and trigger alerts or automated responses.
- Contextual Interpretation: Always interpret CSR output in the context of recent system events, workload changes, or scheduled maintenance to understand its significance.
- Training and Documentation: Ensure system operators are well-trained in interpreting various CSR outputs and have access to documentation explaining common messages and recommended actions.