When enabled, multiregion operation (MRO) is used by CICS transactions to distribute their work across multiple regions, typically within a CICSplex. Each CICS region spawns a new task to perform the required function on behalf of the originating transaction. The trace entries from these tasks are spread across the CICS regions that undertook the work.
Consider the following example which shows the sequence of events when a transaction from one region (CICSP1) links to a remote program on another region (CICSP2) within the same LPAR:
| # | Events in region CICSP1 | Events in region CICSP2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transaction T1 arrives. Task number is 123. |
|
| 2 | Program P1 is dispatched. | |
| 3 | P1: EXEC CICS LINK PROGRAM(R2) SYSID(CICSP2) |
⤵ |
| 4 | Transaction T2 arrives. Task number is 456 |
|
| 5 | Program R2 is dispatched | |
| 6 | R2: EXEC CICS WRITE FILE(F1) | |
| 7 | R2: EXEC CICS RETURN | |
| 8 | P1: EXEC CICS RETURN |
⤶ |
Multiregion operation (MRO)
C\Prof can be configured to interpret this sequence in one of two ways.
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As a single transaction
To configure C\Prof to interpret this as a single transaction, use the GROUP and GROUPEND control statements with the MRO=YES option in your C\Prof configuration file. Refer to MRO for the full syntax. For an additional example, see Additional example of importing auxiliary trace data sets from an MRO group. In the example above, C\Prof will report a single transaction (T1 with task number 123) that originated on the initial CICS region (CICSP1) and contains all the activity of the second region (CICSP2), including the FILE call.
Tip: To record the MRO group, use line action RG on the C\Prof Region List ISPF panel (see Recording the CICS internal trace for transaction profiling or use the C\Prof Web UI (see Starting a recording - groups and multiregion operation (MRO)).
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As independent transactions
By default, C\Prof treats each CICS region and its transactions as separate and independent. An MRO transaction across two CICS regions will be profiled as two separate transactions. In this example, C\Prof will report two independent transactions:
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Transaction T1 running as task number 123 in CICS region CICSP1
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Transaction T2 running as task number 456 in CICS region CICSP2
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In the following example, the C\Prof Web UI shows activity across multiple regions (TOR, AOR, and FOR) as a single transaction. The APPLID column reveals how the transaction flows across CICS regions.
Viewing cross-region activity as a single transaction in the C\Prof Web UI