Re: Flight recorder?

David,

To me a flight recorder is similiar to a mini-trace.  A flight recorder is 
a serviceability mechanism that is always ON and can be used in problem 
determination.  The data written is usually compact, unformatted, and only 
meaningful within a very specific development effort. An analogy to an 
aircraft flight recorder is good in that the data shows internal history 
or state information, is overwritten over time (wraps within some 
predetermined size), and has a limited (temporary) lifetime. Historically 
different parts of the system have implemented their own flight recorders. 
 One example would be that Work Management has a flight recorder that is 
accessed by the Dump Flight Recorder API QWTDMPFR.  Flight recorders are 
often very useful in that First Failure Data Capture (FFDC) captures 
information relative to where you are, and flight recorders capture how 
you got there.  When used together the goal is to avoid the need to 
recreate a problem.

Detailed logging, that needs to be activated, sounds more like a trace or 
logging function to me than a flight recorder.  It also suggests that 
recreation of the problem is necessary.

New in V5R4 there is an internal flight recorder for i5/OS developers that 
provides a common set of interfaces for working with a flight recorder. 
Just as i5/OS in the past has externalized APIs for FFDC and Performance 
Explorer (PEX), I would not be too surprised to see  future APIs in the 
area of flight recorders.  I've even been known to hint as much in my 
Integrating Serviceability into Your ILE Applications presentation :)

Bruce Vining




David Gibbs <david@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 
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06/09/2006 09:59 AM
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Subject
Flight recorder?






Folks:

I know that there are some functions on OS400 that have the ability to
activate a 'flight recorder' to do detail logging (smtp mail sending is
one that I have experience with).

Is the flight record an official API that can be accessed by end-user
programs, or is it something that is implemented by the individual
applications?

Thanks!

david