Q:
ABSTRACT: PSF/AIX accounting data
SEARCH ARG: psf/aix accounting
TOPIC THREAD: PRINT
AFP
PSF6000
..
Customer currently has a 3900 DWx printer attached to MVS for host print
and to PSF/AIX for lan print. They are also testing MVS download to
replace the channel connection between the MVS host and the printer.
When printing from the MVS host the customer uses the SMF records for
charge back accounting to user departments. In particular they use the
physical page count the logical page count, the formdef names, and the
copygroup names to charge departments based on whether they print
simplex, duplex, quadraplex or a combination of the above.
The customer is interested in using MVS download to replace the channel
connection. The main reason for this is to provide a single operator
interface to the printer. In our investigation of the MVS download
solution we find that the accounting in PSF/AIX is not as robust as the
SMF accounting. The PSF/AIX print administration manual shows that the
only accounting data I currently use in MVS (as listed above) that is
available through PSF/AIX is the logical page count.
1) Why is the accounting data on the RS/6000 missing a lot of the data
that MVS provides -- is there a programming limitation in being able
capture the data this customer would like?
2) It seems possible that PSF/AIX could produce the accounting info
this customer is interested in. Does IBM plan to expand the PSF/AIX
accounting data in the future? If so, is there a planned
implementation timeframe? If not, the customer might pursue a
services contract with IBM to make this information available.
Is it possible that this information could be added to the accounting
data?
Thanks.
A:
I can certainly check with the PSF/AIX developers regarding the
exits in PSF/AIX. However, are you aware that MVS Download writes an
SMF Type 6 record after the successful transmission of a data set to
AIX? This record will have the fields currently available in SMF6
records, plus additional fields for file-transfer as documented in the
MVS Download book on page 52 (G544-5294-00).
In light of this information, let me know if you'd like me to follow
up with Development re your original questions. If so, please reopen
this item.
Q:
Thanks for the reply. I am aware that the MVS download writes an SMF6
record but I am wondering what data actually resides in that record.
It seems to me that in order to capture logical page count, physical
page count and copygroups used within a job, PSF/MVS would have to
'process' the job - in other words create the IPDS data stream. My
understanding of the PSF/MVS download feature is that the print data
gets spooled to the AIX system and then processed with PSF/AIX. Based
on that understanding I am assuming that PSF/MVS does not write logical
or physical page count or copygroups to the SMF6 record since it only
transfers the file to the RS/6000. Can you confirm?
I would also like to understand why there is a difference in the
accounting data available from PSF/AIX. Since this customer also prints
large volumes of lan data they will want to use a similar accounting
chargeback system for the lan jobs. With the currently available
accounting information this will be impossible -- is it possible to
obtain equivalent accounting information with PSF/AIX?
Thanks.
A:
I talked with the developers, and the accounting information your
customer is interested in is not available today in PSF for AIX.
Additional programming would be required. The capture of the formdef
name would require the least effort, but would require some additional
coding. In order to capture the other items, significantly more coding
would be required, including a rewrite of one of the key interfaces.
If you wish to pursue this as a fee service, please contact the PSC
Services group in Boulder directly for further discussions.
As far as the information in the Download SMF6 records, please refer
to the document I referenced earlier.
If you have additional questions, please reopen.
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:
AIX PSF FOR AIX PSF/AIX PSF/6000 SMF MVS DOWNLOAD ACCOUNTING
smf6 transfer
WWQA: ITEM: RTA000092695 ITEM: RTA000092695
Dated: 02/1999 Category: XPSF6000
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