Microsoft KB Archive/258004

= How to configure the Nvalert.ini file to be used with the NVAlert Service =

Article ID: 258004

Article Last Modified on 4/28/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft SNA Server 4.0
 * Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 Service Pack 3
 * Microsoft SNA Server 3.0 Service Pack 4
 * Microsoft SNA Server 4.0
 * Microsoft SNA Server 4.0 Service Pack 1
 * Microsoft SNA Server 4.0 Service Pack 2
 * Microsoft SNA Server 4.0 Service Pack 3

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This article was previously published under Q258004



SUMMARY
This article provides information about how to configure the NetView Alerter (NVAlert) initialization file (Nvalert.ini) for use with the NVAlert service that is provided by Microsoft SNA Server. This information includes syntax description, examples, and references to online and printed materials. This is a basic guide to develop NVAlert messages for your specific environment.



MORE INFORMATION
The Microsoft SNA Server installation includes an example of an Nvalert.ini file. This example file is used as a reference throughout this article. You must have a working 3270 connection to the mainframe computer. The following are basic setup procedures to be performed on the SNA Server computer in order for the NVAlert service to perform properly.

Configuring the NVAlert Service
 In the SNA Manager, select the subdomain, and then click Properties. Click the NV Alert tab. Select a previously configured connection that the NVAlerts messages will be sent to. The NetView management messages can fail under the following settings on the SNA Server computer:  If you configure the data encryption for the group Everyone. If the corresponding link service is not configured to run under a user account. To add the user account information, click Control Panel, and then click Services to correct this issue. Select the appropriate link service, for example SNADLC1.

NOTE: Verify the link service name of the connection you are using for NVAlert messages. Select Startup, and then type the proper SNA System account username and password.

 Start the NVAlert service. (You can reconfigure this service to start automatically.)

Understanding the Structure and Syntax of the Nvalert.ini File
The following example is a Nvalert.ini file, which is a flat file that the NVAlert service uses to generate the alert:  

<pre class="fixed_text">[Srv.3.2016] AlertType=03 AlertDescription=5008 ProbableCauses=1057 FailureCauses=1100,F8c0 FailureDetData=00,5A,%C;00,13,%M %I EVENT_SRV_NO_VIRTUAL_MEMORY
 * wannabe AlertType=02
 * 5008 N OUT OF MEMORY; ; 1057 N RESOURCE LIMIT REACHED;

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 * The brackets ([]) represent the Microsoft Windows NT Event Log header message that is monitored by the NVAlert service. This is the Windows NT Event Log header and you must format it this way.
 * "Srv" represents the service short name that logs this message. In this example, it is the Windows NT Server Service. The short name is under the source heading in a Windows NT Event Log message or as the key value listed in the registry of this particular service.
 * The number "3" represents the level of the error log. In this example, it is an error log message. Please see the various levels of numeric representation for event log messages later in this section.
 * The number "2016" represents the message ID number logged in the Event Viewer log for a particular Windows NT event.
 * Following the Windows NT event header message is the NetView command structure that posts the NetView alert. Please see the "References" section of this article for an online guide to all the command options for this section.
 * The "FailureCauses=" codes are specific to SNA formats.


 * The "FailureDetData=" codes are defined as follows:

The following commands are required for every NetView alert:

AlertType=

AlertDescription=

ProbableCauses=

These commands provide the type of message that is posted. For specifics on the various codes that are acceptable, please see the "Reference" section in this article to access an online guide for the possible IBM System Network Architecture/Management System (SNA/MS) formats.

NOTE: NetView Alert (on the mainframe computer) can be set to filter on certain events. In most cases, alert types "01" and "03" are not filtered. Please contact your mainframe NetView Administrator for specific alert types that are filtered.

The commands following the previous settings are user defined. The user-defined codes are as follows:


 * 00 - Means that the NetView code point data is in hexadecimal form.
 * 5A - SNA formats the code.
 * %C - A wildcard character for the computer name.
 * %I - The Event ID.
 * %M - The Module name.
 * ; - Used for comments.

NOTE: Do not use carriage returns in the NVAlert message. This causes an unwanted or undeliverable message.

The Event Log numeric message values are as follows:

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