Hardware error logging in VM2000

Hardware error logging (HEL) is a permanent procedure for logging hardware errors, e.g.:

• Machine fault

• Error caused by channel interrupt

• Fault in operation in peripheral devices

These errors are logged in the so called “HEL records” of the HEL file.

The following information is also stored in the HEL file:

• Statistical information from peripheral devices

• Information on debugging and diagnostics programs.

HEL entries help to trace problems and are not required for the operation of VM2000. For more information on working with HEL, refer to the “ELSA” manual [6].

The errors and events resulting in entries in the HEL file are reported in native mode as well as in VM2000 mode by the individual guest systems to the local error logging system (ELS) of BS2000 and stored by ELS in a local HEL file of the guest system. In VM2000 mode, this is referred to as “VM-local hardware error logging (HEL)”.

The same physical event can affect several guest systems. Each guest system affected notes the event in its HEL file.

Example

When an error occurs in connection with a channel interrupt or I/O timeout, the error is noted and logged in each guest system affected.

 

Global hardware error logging (HEL)

All HEL records encountered in VM2000 operating on a Server Unit, but which are in different virtual machines, are stored in a central file in the monitor system (global VM HEL file) as well as in the local VM HEL file.

This “VM-global hardware error logging (VMHEL)” is carried out by VM2000 for all guest systems.

Figure 27: Concept of cross-VM hardware error logging under VM2000

Local hardware error logging (HEL) in every guest system, also that in the monitor system, processes only the local HEL file in the guest system and does not know the global HEL file.

VM-HEL processes the global VM HEL file and is performed exclusively in the monitor system. The records to be stored are supplied to the global VM-HEL by the local HELs of each VM.

All attributes and processing options of the local VM HEL file apply equally to the global VM HEL file, e.g. automatic exchange of the HEL file.

The layout of the global VM-HEL and local HEL records is identical (a detailed description of the analysis of these records can be found in the “ELSA” manual [6]).

 

The following control commands are available for the global VMHEL. The functions of these commands correspond to the specified control commands of the local HEL but apply to the global VMHEL or the global VMHEL file in the monitor system. These commands are only available in the VM2000 monitor system.

VMHEL command (corresponding HEL command)	Meaning
CHANGE-VMHEL-FILE (CHANGE-HEL-FILE)	Closes current global (local) HEL file and opens a new file
MODIFY-VMHEL-CHECK (MODIFY-HEL-CHECK)	Controls global (local) threshold monitoring
MODIFY-VMHEL-LOGGING (MODIFY-HEL-LOGGING)	Controls the saving of the global (local) HEL records
MODIFY-VMHEL-TELESERVICE-ALARM (MODIFY-HEL-TELESERVICE-ALARM)	Specifies if and in what period of time the “Call- Teleservice” message is to be output when a global (local) error threshold is reached
SHOW-VMHEL-CHECK (SHOW-HEL-CHECK)	Shows the current settings for the global (local) threshold monitoring
SHOW-VMHEL-LOGGING (SHOW-HEL-LOGGING)	Requests information on the global (local) logging records
SHOW-VMHEL-STATUS (SHOW-HEL-STATUS)	Requests general information about the status of the global (local) hardware error logging
SHOW-VMHEL-TELESERVICE-ALARM (SHOW-HEL-TELESERVICE-ALARM)	Requests information about the set global (local) teleservice parameters
START-VMHEL-LOGGING (START-HEL-LOGGING)	Activates global (local) hardware error logging and opens global (local) HEL file
STOP-VMHEL-LOGGING (STOP-HEL-LOGGING)	Ends global (local) hardware error logging and closes global (local) HEL file

The commands require the system privilege HWMAINT (HARDWARE-MAINTENANCE). As for the command CHANGE-(VM)HEL-FILE, also the system privilege TSOS is sufficient. The VMHEL commands have the same syntax as the HEL commands. The HEL commands are described in detail in the “Commands” manual [13].

The messages of the global VMHEL have the message code HLVnnnn. The meaning and response texts for a message can be inquired during ongoing operation using the BS2000 command /HELP-MSG-INFORMATION HLVnnnn.