CICS Performance Analyzer

CICS Performance Analyzer (CICS PA) is a tool designed to generate CICS system performance reports from SMF records. It processes data from CICS, IBM MQ, Db2, and z/OS, providing comprehensive insights into transaction response times, CICS resource usage, cross-system performance, Business Transaction Services (BTS), and CICS Web Support (CWS). The architecture of CICS PA includes several key components: the data extraction module, which retrieves data from SMF records; the report generation engine, which processes the data and generates reports based on configurable templates; and the administrative interface, which provides tools for user management, system configuration, and monitoring.

These components communicate using internal APIs and protocols, potentially including TCP/IP for network communication. CICS PA uses VSAM datasets or other z/OS-compatible storage mechanisms to store configuration data, intermediate processing results, and generated reports. CICS PA supports authentication methods such as LDAP and RACF, and employs role-based access control (RBAC) to manage user permissions.

Configuration involves defining data sources, report templates, and scheduling options. CICS PA provides monitoring and logging capabilities to track system performance and identify potential issues. The tool helps identify performance bottlenecks, optimize resource allocation, and improve overall system efficiency.

Competing products include other SMF record analysis tools, but CICS PA is tailored specifically for CICS environments, offering specialized reports and metrics.