Policy-1
Standardize Db2 Return Code Handling
Enforce standardized handling of return-codes for DB2 SQL calls without having to change programs
Policy-1
Enforce standardized handling of return-codes for DB2 SQL calls without having to change programs
Writing application code to handle return codes is a time-consuming and productivity killing tasks for the programmer. Up to 80 % of application program code is written to handle exceptions and special cases to ensure that transactions and jobs end gracefully with an appropriate message “Just in case something goes wrong”.
There are frequently encountered Db2 return codes (e.g. end of a table, specific entry not found), and there are those that are infrequently encountered (e.g. Deadlock or timeout occurred without automatic rollback). Programmers, like the rest of us, live by the 90/10 rule. With hundreds of SQLCODES that might be returned by Db2, they normally write code to check for the 10% of frequently encountered return codes like end-of-table, but likely not for the 90% of infrequently occurring return codes. In the normal course of application processing, this is not a problem. After all, a deadlock doesn’t happen every night. Unfortunately, when it does happen, the impact on production can be great.
Legacy applications are riddled with these error code handling omissions. When the business has been burned by them a couple of times, the application development teams may feel the pressure to do something. But what? Amending all applications to check for all possible return codes just isn’t possible. Even if the team has ready access to all the source code, coding and testing for all possible return codes will not be approved as a project.
Define and Enforce STANDARD Return-Code Handling for Batch and CICS Programs
Eliminate Development and Testing of Return Code Error Handling within Applications
Abend Tasks/Programs According to Defined Installation Standards
Support New Return Codes without Application Changes
Improve Programmer Productivity and Application Quality
Policy-1 is a powerful return-code checking utility for both Online and Batch Db2 programs. Policy-1 was developed to help the DBA and the application manager protect both Db2 and Db2 applications from the impact of improper handling of SQLCODEs by the application. Policy-1 is easily implemented with zero need to change your programs!
Policy-1 checks the return codes of each database call and acts according to your organization’s defined ‘Policy’ through a granular, table-driven mechanism. Per policy, some of the return-codes may be left alone, some may need to be reported on, a few may require a call to an exit routine which will record further details, and a couple may cause the job to fail so as to safeguard data integrity. Policy-1 accomplished all of this without having to change or recompile application code. If desired, the tool can be deactivated with a keystroke, and with no impact to your applications!
With Policy-1, your application programmers no longer have to add or test the code otherwise required to handle Db2 return codes. The organization is no longer exposed to the potential adverse consequences of less frequently encountered return codes not handled by application code. Policy-1 will handle and enforce all according to your installation standards and will intelligently integrate with any preexisting return code handling coded into your applications. Your applications will be unburdened of excess code, your QA will be unburdened of having to test that code, and you will be ensured of uniform handling of each specific Db2 return-code. Should in the future a new return code be added to a new Db2 version, Policy-1 one will support it immediately. It requires only another entry in the action table of Policy-1.
Benefits and Savings
- Allows the organization to define and enforce STANDARD return-code handling for Batch, CICS and IMS/TM programs for SQL calls
- Eliminates the need to write and test application code to handle error situations
- Ensures that all possible error codes are accounted for and are ready to be ‘handled’
- With Policy-1, all applications are forward-compatible with respect to new return codes in new versions of Db2
Features and Capabilities
- Support DB2 SQL calls under: TSO, CAF, RRSAF, CICS and ISM/TM– WITHOUT changing your application programs
- Based on the user defined policy for a given return code, Policy-1 may:
- Issue a Write To Operator call if the return code from an SQL call is not zero
- Replace a specific DB2 return-code with another user-defined return-code
- ABEND a Task/Program according to defined installation standards
- Call a subroutine for further processing of an error situation
- Documents non-zero SQLCODES into the Policy-1 log table. These can then can be analyzed by the DBA and/or by the application manager both to understand what errors occurred, and to teach programmers how to avoid such mistakes in the future.
- Simple SMP/E install.
- Support new return codes introduced by new DB2 releases without having to change the application program
- Intelligent integration with and support for return code handling already coded into your applications.
TESTIMONIALS
What Policy-1 Users Are Saying
All SQLCODES of the complete system are now controllable from a central point. Especially it is NOT necessary to provide all programs with current error routines and also the old programs are now checked without any need to change them!
North America
15 Constitution Dr, Suite 100 Bedford, NH 03110
Hours
Mo-Fr: 8:30am - 5pm (ET)
Call Us
(603) 458-5300
Israel
Hahilazon 3
Ramat Gan 5252267
Israel
Hours
Su-Th: 8:30am - 5pm (GMT+3)
Call Us
+972-3-5763100
North America
15 Constitution Dr, Suite 100 Bedford, NH 03110
Hours
Mo-Fr: 8:30am - 5pm (ET)
Call Us
(603) 458-5508
Israel
Hahilazon 3
Ramat Gan 5252267
Israel
Hours
Su-Th: 8:30am - 5pm (GMT+3)
Call Us
+972-3-5763100