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IBM Z Common Data Provider 2.1.0 4Q2020 PTF UJ04480 is available! Check out the new features!

  

On December 4th, 2020, the IBM Z Common Data Provider 2.1.0 released a new PTF UJ04480 (APAR OA60220) which included a bunch of new features and enhancements. In this blog, we’ll together take a look at these new features.

New Currency support

Starting from this PTF, the following data can be collected with IBM Z Common Data Provider.

  • MQ Currency: MQS 115 subtype 201 data streams
  • ICSF SMF records: SMF 82 data streams
  • zWIC data: SMF 98 subtype 1024 and 1025 data streams
  • CICS statistics records: SMF 110 subtype 2, 3, 4, and 5 data streams
  • CICS 5.6 Currency
  • SMF 50 (VTAM) Currency
  • RMF III Reports: STORC, STORF, and STORR

 

Parameter OFFTIME for the System Data Engine to avoid CPU spike

If you want to reduce CPU MIPS when you run multiple System Data Engine instances in a single LPAR or reduce physical CPU MIPS on shared CPUs across multiple System Data Engine instances in a sysplex at the beginning of every minute, update the different offset time values (in minutes or seconds) for OFFTIME of each System Data Engine. OFFTIME specifies how long to defer the System Data Engine data collection, and makes each System Data Engine start data collection at different times.

You can set the collect processing offset time on the OFFTIME clause of the COLLECT statement. For example:
//HBOIN    DD *
SET IBM_SDE_OFFTIME = '4 SECONDS';                            
SET IBM_SDE_INTERVAL = '60 SECONDS';                          
//          DD *                                                   
COLLECT SMF FROM &IBM_RESOURCE                           
  EVERY &IBM_SDE_INTERVAL                                    
  OFFTIME &IBM_SDE_OFFTIME;


Data source type configuration for Splunk data streams

When you select the data streams that can be sent to Splunk via HTTP Event Collector (HEC), you can configure the data source type by using the following parameters in the Configuration Tool UI.
Customized Data Source Type: A specification of whether to customize the data source type for Splunk HEC. The default value is No, which represents that the subscriber uses the default data source type to identify the type and format of the streamed data. If the value is set to Yes, you need to specify the data source type for Splunk HEC in the following Data Source Type for Splunk HEC field.
Data Source Type for Splunk HEC: A value that the subscriber can use to uniquely identify the type and format of the streamed data. This field is available only when you choose to customize the data source type and the subscriber is CDP Splunk via HEC via HTTP or CDP Splunk via HEC via HTTPS. The default value is Data Source Type_KV. You can specify the value according to your needs.



Improvements on how you deploy and operate the Data Receiver

The ways of installing and running the Data Receiver were enhanced. For more information, see the following topics in the IBM Z Common Data Provider Knowledge Center.


Support more data being streamed to Splunk via HEC

The following data can be sent to Splunk via HEC:

  • CICS EYULOG
  • CICS MSGUSR
  • WebSphere SYSOUT
  • WebSphere SYSPRINT
  • WebSphere SYSPRINT in Distributed Format
  • WebSphere USS SYSOUT
  • WebSphere USS SYSPRINT
  • WebSphere USS SYSPRINT in Distributed Format
  • USS Syslogd
  • NetView Netlog
  • zSecure
  • Generic data streams

Support specifying security ciphers for the Configuration Tool server connections

If you need to specify security ciphers for the Configuration Tool server connections, indicate the ciphers in an editable file called the server_override.xml file. The override file is read at the initialization of the Configuration Tool server, and the values override default values for the Configuration Tool configuration properties.
For more information about detailed steps, see Specifying security ciphers for the Configuration Tool server connections.


These are the major new features in the IBM Z Common Data Provider 2.1.0 4Q2020 PTF UJ04480. I hope this information can help you know the product better.

For more information about the product, please visit the following sites: