29
Fri, Nov
0 New Articles

TechTalk: QINTER Problem

Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

From: Richard Schoen To: All

For all who care, here is a gotcha regarding subsystem QINTER. I have encountered a situation where the users on the AS/400 will be working away and then, all of a sudden, the screens will lock up as if there is someone running a processor-intensive job that has taken over the CPU. When WRK-ACTJOB is run from the system console, the CPU utilization shows 99-100 percent, although none of the user jobs is actually using more than 1-2 percent of the CPU. Finally, 30 minutes and many user phone calls later, the system console comes back with a nice system message saying that subsystem QINTER has ended, and all of the user screens go blank. It also displays a message explaining why subsystem QINTER ended. It says job message queue for QINTER could not be extended. QINTER is then restarted and the system goes along its merry way.

The moral of the story is that you should end and restart your subsystems on a periodic basis during the week-in our case, at least once per day. If you have a lot of users and a lot of jobs running, and you don't reset your subsystems often enough, you may eventually run into this problem. Hopefully, this dose of preventive medicine will help someone out there.

From: Ernie Malaga To: Richard Schoen

The reason for this hangup with QINTER is not related to subsystems, but to the job's message queue size. When a job starts, the system allocates space for its job message queue; its initial size is indicated by system value QJOBMSGQSZ, and the maximum size it can have is in QJOBMSGQTL.

Neither system value accepts *NOMAX, and this is good because a job like QINTER can run continuously for months if the system operator doesn't end it or IPL the system. *NOMAX would make the system use up every byte of DASD long before that.

Unfortunately, you cannot change QINTER's job to prevent stuff from being logged into its job message queue because it's a (sub?)system job. On regular jobs, you could CHGJOB LOG(0 99 *NOLIST), but I just tried it on QINTER and it wouldn't let me.

It looks like the only solution is to end QINTER periodically and start it again.

From: Pete Hall To: Richard Schoen

I ran into a similar situation with a job message queue. Someone had changed the job description to LOGCLPGM(*YES), and the queue filled up rather quickly.

There was a horrendous amount of performance degradation, and then a message was issued to QSYSOPR, indicating that the job message queue had been reorganized, and advising that the program might need to take some action if the message was issued frequently. I believe this was repeated twice more, and then the job had to be terminated because the message queue could not be extended.

Obviously, it is not a good idea to set LOGCLPGM(*YES), but maybe there is something else happening specifically when a message queue becomes full. Maybe we could either get IBM to fix it, or figure out how to protect ourselves.

From: Richard Schoen To: All

I had a chance to check IBMLink today on the QINTER problem that I had described previously. It turns out that IBM's answer to this problem is as I thought. In order to clear the job message queue for a subsystem that is active, you have to end and restart the subsystem. Now that is quite a hole in such a sophisticated operating system as OS/400.

From: David Knittle To: Richard Schoen

In many cases, you can prolong the time between QINTER starts and stops, though you still must occasionally shut the subsystem down. What I have found is that many of the messages logged to the QINTER subsystem have to do with device errors, etc. We have used these messages to target problem areas, and after correction, found our QINTER subsystem job message queue to be relatively empty.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: