AS400 Printer Status Test

This test enables administrators to monitor the status of various printer devices that are externally connected to the target AS400 server, and for each status it reveals the number of printer devices. Using these revelations, administrators can promptly identify the count of printer devices that are currently active, failed, damaged, locked or abruptly shut down due to sudden power outages. This way, administrators are alerted to the abnormalities occurring on the printer devices and troubleshoot the printer device that experiences critical failures (if any quickly.

Target of the test : An AS400 Server

Agent deploying the test : An external/remote agent

Outputs of the test : One set of results for the target AS400 server that is being monitored.

Configurable parameters for the test
Parameter	Description
Test Period	How often should the test be executed.
Host	The IP address of the host for which this test is to be configured.
Port	The port at which the specified host listens. By default, this is NULL.
ServerName	This test connects to the AS400 server being monitored to extract the required metrics. Therefore, specify the name of the AS400 server to connect to in the ServerName text box.
UserID	To enable the test to login to the specified AS400 server, you need to provide the test with the credentials of a valid user to the AS400 server. Hence, specify a valid userID.
Password	Provide the Password that corresponds to the specified UserID.
Confirm Password	Confirm the password by retyping it in the Confirm Password text box.
Printer Limit	By default, 100 is set as the Printer Limit. If required, you can change the value of this parameter.
DD Frequency	Refers to the frequency with which detailed diagnosis measures are to be generated for this test. The default is 1:1. This indicates that, by default, detailed measures will be generated every time this test runs, and also every time the test detects a problem. You can modify this frequency, if you so desire. Also, if you intend to disable the detailed diagnosis capability for this test, you can do so by specifying none against DD Frequency.
Detailed Diagnosis	To make diagnosis more efficient and accurate, the eG Enterprise embeds an optional detailed diagnostic capability. With this capability, the eG agents can be configured to run detailed, more elaborate tests as and when specific problems are detected. To enable the detailed diagnosis capability of this test for a particular server, choose the On option. To disable the capability, click on the Off option. The option to selectively enable/disable the detailed diagnosis capability will be available only if the following conditions are fulfilled: The eG manager license should allow the detailed diagnosis capability. Both the normal and abnormal frequencies configured for the detailed diagnosis measures should not be 0.

Measurements made by the test
Measurement	Description	Measurement Unit	Interpretation
Varied off	Indicates the number of printer devices that are in the Varied off state.	Number	Typically, the printer device is moved to any of these states when the device is abnormally shut down. For instance, if a power outage occurs, it's common to find devices stuck in these states. Consequently, the printing process will be interrupted and stopped permanently. To resume the printing process again, administrator should restart the printer device. This will delay the delivery of print jobs and impact user experience. Therefore, the values of these measures are desired to be low. The detailed diagnosis of these measures reveal the name, class and type of the printer devices, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Varied on	Indicates the number of printer devices that are in the Varied on state.	Number
Vary off pending	Indicates the number of printer devices that are ready to print the jobs but waiting for a connection to be established.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Vary on pending	Indicates the number of printer devices that are in the Vary on pending state.	Number	This state indicates that the printer devices are ready and waiting for a connection to be established to the server.
Connect pending	Indicates the number of printer devices that are waiting for the connection to be established from the server.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Active	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently in the Active state.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Active writer	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently in the Active writer state.	Number	In this state, the jobs that are ready to be printed will be moved out from the print queue for printing process. Use the detailed diagnosis of this measure to know the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Held	Indicates the number of printer devices that currently held the print jobs.	Number	In this state, the printer devices prevent the print jobs from moving to the printing process. If the printer devices held the print jobs for prolonged time duration, administrators will not be able to process the current and upcoming printing requests. The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Powered off	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently powered off.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Recovery pending	Indicates the number of printer devices for which the error recovery is pending.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Recovery canceled	Indicates the number of printer devices for which the error recovery has been canceled.	Number
Failed	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently failed to print the jobs.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be zero. A gradual/sudden increase in the value of this measure indicates that more number of jobs have not been printed due to the failure events occurred on the printer devices. This will cause a processing bottleneck on the printer devices.
Failed writer	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently in the Failed writer state.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Being serviced	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently being serviced.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Damaged	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently damaged.	Number	Ideally, the value of this measure should be zero. The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Locked	Indicates the number of printer devices that locked the print jobs until administrators manually pick the jobs for printing.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.
Unknown	Indicates the number of printer devices that are currently in the Unknown state.	Number	The detailed diagnosis of this measure reveals the name, class and type of the printer device, the name, job number and status of the print jobs handled by each printer device, the name of the spooled file, the spooled file number and the name and current status of the output queue.