Robot Simplifies Setup of IBM i Message Monitor

May 20, 2014 Alex Woodie

Getting up and running with Robot/CONSOLE, the message- and resource-monitoring software for IBM i, should be easier thanks to enhancements made by HelpSystems. The company says the new release will also allow IBM i shops to configure the software for more precise monitoring.

Robot/CONSOLE automates the task of looking through thousands of messages generated daily by IBM i servers. The software filters through messages generated by various queues and logs–including QSYSOPR, QSYSMSG, QAUDJRN, QHST, printer message queues, media issues, FTP requests, and others–and automatically responds to them, escalates them to a human, or just ignores them.

It goes without saying that organizations should not hand such a critical IT role to the Robot without first making sure the software is properly configured to handle the task. If an organization fails to detect an error in a timely manner, it could have a big impact on their IT operations.

The chances of that occurring are lower now with Robot/CONSOLE R05M29. Robot–the HelpSystems subsidiary that sells the Robot line of products–says it has simplified the setup process to make it easier to customize the job monitors.

Robot has also bolstered the product’s capability to display job-related information in a more intuitive manner. To that end, Robot/CONSOLE now allows administrators to focus their attention on specific job types (such as interactive or batch), by threshold, or by run priority. Admins can also monitor for jobs strictly according to MSGW (message waiting) status, the company says.

Finally, the software will now notify administrators when a resource monitor is not in its expected status at each iteration (each time the job status is refreshed). This will help administrators get the job-related information they need when it matters, says HelpSystems software development manager Jody Dahl.

“We found that customers sometimes overlooked the initial message,” Dahl says in a press release. “Customers can now set up an option either at the resource-monitor level or in the system defaults to ensure that important messages are not ignored.”

HelpSystems also bolstered the integration between Robot/CONSOLE and Robot/ALERT, the IBM i notification software that automatically sends messages to administrators via text, email, or SNMP (simple network management protocol). With this release, Robot/CONSOLE can send messages to Robot/ALERT via SNMP over SSL.