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Status Future consideration
Created by Guest
Created on Feb 18, 2020

Improve CSMCLI framework to simplify scripting

Currently the CSMCLI framework has some weird and inconsistent behavior how error messages and return codes are being returned to the caller. This makes customized scripting difficult because for each scripting platform a comprehensive CSMCLI wrapper need to be coded to catch all possible odd messages or return codes. The limitations are documented in White Paper 'IBM Copy Services Manager session automation', chapter 2.3 CSMCLI framework characteristics and chapter 2.2.1:
https://www-03.ibm.com/support/techdocs/atsmastr.nsf/WebIndex/WP102748
In summary, here are the odd behaviors:
- CSMCLI Return Code handling:
-> Does not reflect type of returned CSM Server Message
-> Documented Return codes are different as seen by the framework
-> CLI return code not passed back to caller on each platform (e.g. Windows csmcli.bat always returns 0)
- CSM Error message routing:
-> All Error messages supposed to be printed on Error output stream, however some are printed to Standard output stream
- CSM message prefix:
-> Not all error messages start with CSM prefix IW N, but with undocumented prefix CMM
- Windows CSMCLI executable not reliable for scripting:
-> Does a pause forever if a CSMCLI call fails with an error (script will hang in background)
-> Does not return CLI return code to caller

Following suggestions would simplify CSMCLI usage in external scripts:
- Introduce consistent return codes for various type or error conditions
- Introduce consistent return codes for various type of CSM error and warning messages. Warning could also return 0, but an Error message should not return 0.
- Introduce single message prefix for all type of message codes or document all prefixes and their purpose
- Make sure the CLI return code is passed back to the CSMCLI executable on each platform to allow return code evaluation by any script
- Do not introduce pauses or key inputs in the CSMCLI executable to ensure it does not wait forever when used by scripts.

Idea priority Medium