Re: z/OS 3.1 Enhancements & Support News
Hi Jim, Of course! You can always order a "Product ServerPac" (which really is just a z/OS SREL ServerPac, but withOUT the operating system). These products are available as a Product ServerPac, that you can then run and enjoy on your z/OS V2.5 system. (fyi: You won't see "Product ServerPac" on Shopz, it is really just a normal ServerPac in which you have haven't selected the base operating system. "Product ServerPac" is just our common term for a Z038 ServerPac without z/OS in it.) -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Continous Delivery
Hello, There is a Redbook on z/OS Continuous Delivery: https://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpapers/pdfs/redp5340.pdf (I found it quicky by doing a google search of "z/OS continuous delivery" and it was the first hit.) -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS ServerPac Ordering and Installing - Report from the Front Lines
Hi Tom, For your two comments: =-= My workflow stops at 4.19 -- There was no 4.22 -- BUT I was able to find 4.15 with the same description. MW: Interesting...is this using the "native" z/OSMF interface to look at the steps? If so, please open a Case as that sounds like a defect. All the steps should be found in the z/OSMF interface. Exported files outside of z/OSMF are "as is", although I can give you a full file if you aren't able to produce it yourself via z/OSMF. (As you can guess, I would recommend you produce your own exported z/OS Upgrade Workflow via the z/OSMF interface as that will be customized for you.) =-= Opening the steps under 4.15 was not possible in zOSMF, so I could not read the detailed actions required. Probably because I had marked that step 'Complete' --- No Backsies. MW: You should be able to to view and peruse a step that is is Completed. If you cannot read the General or Instructions to see the full upgrade step (and the output!), also open a Case. Anyone should be able to see the steps they've done (or not done, or even Skipped), in the z/OSMF Workflow interface. -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: zOSMF Workflows
Hi David, Frank Kyne, in one of his monthly newsletters, was noticing the same thing: it is hard to have a full "view" of where all the WF service definition files are "sourced", for both ones you've used and ones you are looking for. Happily, though, WF does remember individually where the source of *that* WF instance was created from (under the Workflow Details twisty). However - I think this might make a nice customer requirement, so an enterprise can "bookmark" their favorite location where the WF service definition came from, and make it available for all to see. Might not help with those you've not used, but at least we'd have something to perhaps work with should it get implemented I do like Kurt's suggestion of using zMSC! It was precisely created for common (even complicated) WFs that you want to run again and again, with perhaps only slightly changed inputs. AND, if I could even take it a step further (although I haven't personally tried it), the zMSC team tells me you can invoke a zMSC service with a supported REST API, making it even nicely leveraged by any program/automation you might want to use, if you didn't want to use the GUI. Meaning, you'd then have both GUI for interactive, and REST API for automation support. Something for everyone. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS ServerPac Ordering and Installing - Report from the Front Lines
Hello Tom, If you are an entitled to RMF, you are also entitled to use Advanced Data Gatherer at no additional cost. If you check "RMF" on Shopz, you do not have to check "Advanced Data Gatherer". Meaning, there is no requirement that you also "check" or "buy" Advanced Data Gatherer, if you are an RMF customer. Please read all about the restructure of RMF, which occurred in z/OS V2.5 in both the z/OS V2.5 Planning for Installation, and the z/OS V2.5 Upgrade Workflow. In the z/OS V2.5 Planning for Installation, it is here: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.5.0?topic=features-list-base-elements-optional In my version of the z/OS V2.5 Upgrade Workflow, it is step: Step 4.22.2.1 : RMF: Determine updates for RMF structural changes I hope this helps explain what has occurred. Also - you might want to notice several feature restructures which are happening in z/OS 3.1. Those are all described in the z/OS 3.1 Planning for Installation book: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/SSLTBW_2.5.0/pdf/e0zb100_v3r1.pdf -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 3.1 Announcement - Helpful links
Hi Bert, 9/19/2023 was the date, but there might have been the merest of lags between the CBPDO and ServerPac checklists on Shopz. I just checked, and I'm seeing: [5655-ZOS] z/OS V3 Base 3.01.00 available for both CBPDO and ServerPac (z/OSMF portable software instance). As expected, since this is a new program number, I am seeing the "Unlicensed" icon, meaning I'll have to take a stop into the world of humans to entitle me to it. Let me know if you don't see 5655-ZOS on the ServerPac ordering checklist. Also - if I could suggest - please do read my blog about the right levels of Java/Semeru to order and expect to run with z/OS 3.1. This is important to get right if you want your portable software instance to be packaged with the Java(s) you'll need. https://www.marnasmusings.com/2023/08/having-your-java-and-drinking-it-too.html . As of today, I don't see Semeru 17, 5655-UA1, on the ServerPac checklist just yet. It is only on the CBPDO checklist right now. I am expecting that Semeru 17 should be on the ServerPac checklist very soon. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF and the Old Timer
Hi Tom, Glad to see that you are getting back on track. For your catalog question, it sounds like you want to use your existing mcat for your new z/OS V2.5 system. That's fine. If you use your existing mcat, you've got to be using indirect cataloging. That is reasonable, as you'd want to use that mcat for both an old instance and new instance, which are on different volumes. You can create new ucat if you like, into your existing mcat, if you desired. For keeping your existing mcat (and it is using indirect entries) you are correct in saying that is on the Objectives section, and you should select Existing master catalog: ---cut and paste from the screen--- Catalogs: Are you deploying z/OS? YES Indicate which catalogs to use for the new target z/OS data sets. For additional help on making the proper selection Learn more... __New target system master catalog: Target system data sets will be cataloged in a new master catalog or new user catalogs connected to the new master catalog. X Existing master catalog: Target system data sets will be cataloged in the existing master catalog, existing user catalogs, or new user catalogs connected to the existing master catalog. If you click on "Help" on that screen, and then "Catalogs" within the help, there are some good pictures which show what will happen with your existing mcat. What is the "Existing master catalog" option there for? To know whether z/OSMF Software Management needs to create a new mcat for you, or to verify that the existing mcat you are using can correctly represent the system you are building with the matching entries (like SYS1.LINKLIB). You're getting there! Often the first time through the interface, if you haven't practiced with a smaller product, can be harder. z/OS is big, and can be a lot to get through. But I'm very happy to see that you are modelling after z/OS V2.4 which will definitely help. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF and the Old Timer
Tom, The job to remove the temporary catalog alias (aka SSA) and rename the data sets to prepare for an IPL is done during the z/OSMF Deployment (not in the Post Deploy Workflow), and is found in the Software Management provided job, IZUD05RN - that's the name that my generated job was, and it was job #5 out of 6 jobs that were provided for my configuration. It looks like this in Software Management. Sorry for the horrible formatting, but you can see it with the "5" below: - 4 IZUD04UZUnzip Data Sets: Extract the target software instance data sets from the portable software instance archive files, into the location defined by the deployment configuration, using temporary and unique data set names.AQFT Complete MWALLEZOJOB20193CC 0256 U 5 IZUD05RNRename Data Sets: Rename the target software instance data sets from their temporary and unique names to their true names defined by the deployment configuration, and update catalog entries for the data sets as needed. AQFT Complete MWALLEZOJOB26729CC 0008 U 6 IZUD06UCUpdate CSI Data Sets: Update the entries within the SMP/E CSI data sets to reflect the target software instance zone names, data set names and locations, and UNIX directory prefixes. AQFT Complete MWALLEZOJOB28159CC U In that 5th job, I can see that the rename is happening like this. Note "ZS25VBNM" is my temporary catalog alias (SSA): LISTCAT - ENTRY(ZS25VBMW.SYS1.LINKLIB) - CATALOG(MWALLE.VB25.MCAT) IF LASTCC = 0 THEN DO ALTER - ZS25VBMW.SYS1.LINKLIB - NEWNAME(SYS1.LINKLIB) - CATALOG(MWALLE.VB25.MCAT) END What might be happening, is that during the configuration of your deployment, you entered in the names of the final data sets WITH a temporary high level qualifier yourself. If that is so, then you have indicated that that "temporary" HLQ is the final name you wanted. This is something that we've seen experienced CustomPac people do, as they assume they need to handle the temporary HLQ themselves which is not the case in z/OSMF. You can see that z/OSMF will be adding(and removing) the temporary HLQ itself, if you look at the Configuration sample for the data set, so that you will know you don't have to handle the temporary HLQ yourself. Here's the spot in Configure Deployment of Software Management, in Modify where you can see that (see NEWMCAT below as the sample temporary HLQ), and that your name should not attempt to add a temporary HLQ: Enter the data set name or qualifiers to use for the selected data sets. Common data set qualifiers: Example data set name: From: SYS1.LINKLIBSYS1.LINKLIB To: SYS1.LINKLIB SYS1.LINKLIB NEWMCAT.SYS1.LINKLIB( Target data set name with temporary catalog alias ) z/OSMF automatically adds the temporary catalog alias to reference the target data set from the driving system catalog. "NEWMCAT" is the default temporary catalog alias and can be updated in the Catalogs step of the Deployment Configuration. - If indeed, you did add your "own temporary" final name to the data sets, you will need to go back and remove it. You can either go back into the same deployment and do that to backtrack, or if that Deployment is Complete you can start a new Deployment. For a Completed Deployment, you can copy that configuration to do another Deployment which is nice as the pre-defined configuration is reused. It is under Actions -> Copy. It will be grayed out if if the Deployment is not Complete. I duplicate my Deployments often to save time, and only change small things, like the target system, or volumes. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Survey on PSP buckets and APAR lists
We want to hear from you! As we start to modernize our legacy defect management systems, we would appreciate customer feedback which you can provide via the “Modernization of Defect Management” SURVEY until 5pm ET on August 23: https://lnkd.in/eCi42dAM This should only take a couple of minutes, and would provide us valuable information. Thank you! -Marna WALLE IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
z/OS 3.1 Announcement - Helpful links
The z/OS 3.1 GA Announcement is available for your reading pleasure! https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/announcements/zos-31-availability Some significant points to note: - Planned availability date is September 29, 2023. Since this is a new z/OS version, there is a new program number, 5655-ZOS. - PLEASE read carefully the IBM Semeru (Java) dependency in the announcement letter. - Many of the new functions in z/OS 3.1 have an associated IBM Education Assistant Module, which you can find here: https://github.com/IBM/IBM-Z-zOS/tree/main/zOS-Education/zOS-3.1-Education Each of these PDF files focus on a specific function and can quickly show you the technical information you would need. - The z/OS 3.1 Planning for Installation book is available right now to start your planning, https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/SSLTBW_2.5.0/pdf/e0zb100_v3r1.pdf. - The z/OS 3.1 Upgrade Workflow is also available in a PTF to start your upgrade evaluation. See https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.5.0?topic=level-zos-upgrade-workflow (It was provided on the z/OS V2.5 System Level web page, as we do not yet have the z/OS 3.1 books on IBM Documentation, except for the z/OS 3.1 Planning for Installation.) Another PTF is planned after GA when the z/OS 3.1 books are available, so that the links in the Workflow point to the latest books. The exported format of that post-GA z/OS 3.1 Upgrade Workflow will be put on the web at that time. I strongly recommend using the “native” z/OSMF Workflow now rather than the export to help assess which upgrade steps are applicable to your system easily. Also – you might want to also look at an associated standalone product, AI System Services for IBM z/OS 1.1, https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/announcements/ai-system-services-zos?region=US which was also announce today. Happy reading! -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: zOSMF
Hi Phil, If you are not interested in looking at videos to see the flow in action, the complete documentation (with Helps you see on the display) are on IBM Documentation. The "Model" function can be found here: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.5.0?topic=wizard-model-page -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Installing a new version of z/OS using z/OSMF
Gadi, You can learn about the z/OSMF Software Management installation process here: https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/serverpac-install-zosmf/ I would strongly recommend that you watch the short videos (under Multimedia at the bottom) to get a flavor of what it looks like in action. Then do a practice install with a sample package which you can acquire from the "Try it" tab on that website. z/OS V2.3 (with z/OSMF active) is a fine driving system level for installing z/OS V2.5, but as you mention, is longer supported. Just make sure you follow the driving system requirements documented in the z/OS V2.5 Planning for Installation book. You could also acquire the Customized Offerings Driver (free driving system, orderable on Shopz), if you wanted to use a supported driving system level that has z/OSMF already active on it. -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Digitally signed product software packages from IBM
Only fyi: I mentioned my prior blog post, the signing mechanism and the technology used, with some helpful RACF commands to set up for verification: https://www.marnasmusings.com/2023/04/can-i-have-your-autograph-please.html -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM LOOKAT not working?
I'm sharing a response that I just received from Kathy Pfeiffer (IBM Z Content Ecosystem Manager): "The search API issue affecting Look@ has been resolved. You can resume using Look@ and may need to clear out your cache. " -Marna WALLE IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: How to remove an empty USS file shipped with z/OS
Hi Lizette, /etc/security has been set up as 755 by z/OS itself (in BPXMKDIR), for many releases now. When you say "I have been asked to update the permissions different that what is shipped or to remove this directory path (it is empty) " ...may I wonder who is asking this and why? Thanks. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: zOSMF
Hi - I don't see anything new or different here. When you acquire your portable software instance, you'll need enough space to hold the order. Just like the old RECEIVE job needed in CustomPac. Why couldn't you use the same zFS? I'm not sure I see the value of keeping a separate directory for each ISV. Here, we have a zFS data set that is a full 3390-27, and is mounted at a location we call the /nts Everything that we acquire electronically goes there: portable software instances and PTFs from RECEIVE ORDER. We tidy it up with a DELETEPKG for PTFs, since we do RECEIVE ORDER very frequently. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF PSWI
Michael, Have you verified that you have all the correct Driving System PTFs installed, as indicated with FIXCAT IBM.DrivingSystem-RequiredService ?. Check out slide 33 onwards in this presentation that KurtQ did for the Z Exchange, https://www.newera-info.com/KQ1.html. It explains how a new master catalog can be used, including how the SSA (now called Temporary Catalog Alias) is to be specified and used. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Is JES2 z22 mode required on z/OS 2.5?
Hello, A couple of questions I had in email, which I hope will help here: I was asked about if a COLD START was required in z/OS V2.5: There is NO COLD START required for z/OS V2.5. I haven’t seen a required COLD start, in like forever, and I can’t recall that we have needed it during my whole career, at least while working on z/OS migrations. I'm sure folks here go back further than I do, and probably will take up a thread on this :). What is really required on z/OS V2.5: Carefully read the z/OS V2.5 Upgrade Workflow (which was linked in a prior append), it says that z22 is required, but it should be done while still on your V2.3/V2.4 system. On those systems, you can fallback to z11 if you must while on z/OS V2.3/V2.4, but you have to be at z22 on those systems *before* you introduce V2.5. There was a defect in this area, but it didn't affect the z22 upgrade requirement. The APAR mentioned in a prior post was the one I was thinking of. I have not been aware of this z22 requirement being debated or possibly not happening in z/OS V2.5. I knew it was happening for quite a while, and it was in the z/OS V2.5 Upgrade Workflow even in the first version of it. And nicely, we've had a Health Check to do that encouragement for a long time now. I do know that z11 hasn’t been scrubbed from the z/OS V2.5 books – I’m not sure exactly why, so it may not be worth reading too much into it. Maybe it was an oversight or maybe it was intentional so that folks looking at V2.5 manuals while on V2.3/V2.4 still get the z11 updated information, since we don't update the V2.3/V2.4 books anymore. That’s something to do a Feedback on so it can get to the right manual writer for attention. They are pretty good about following up with Feedback from IBM Documentation, so it would be worth the comment, please. So let’s recap: with z/OS V2.5, z22 is absolutely required with no COLD start. Use the health check to get the a-ok before going to V2.5. Hope to see many of you at SHARE next week! -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Blank page print after upgrade Zos2.5
All, I'm not sure this is the cause, as I'm not sure where you are coming from, but we did have a "missed" upgrade action which occurred in z/OS V2.4 with PTFs. Might be worth a quick verification to see if this is the cause. We are working on putting this in the z/OS Upgrade Workflow refresh. I'll put the reduced information here, in case it helps: When change was introduced: V2.4 with APARs OA60605 and OA60528. Applies to upgrade from: V2.3, and V2.4 without APARs OA60605 and OA60528 Is this upgrade action required: Yes, you need to review your printing product to determine if it is performing blank truncation in accordance with what you require. Target system hardware requirements: None. Target system software requirements: Printing products maybe be affected. Review your print products or applications to determine if they require configuration changes to truncate blanks or not truncate blanks as you desire. IBM Print Services Facility (PSF) , Download for z/OS, and AFP Download Plus are affected IBM products. Steps to take: Review the your print products and applications to determine whether or not you have a dependency on truncation of blanks. Ensure that your print products or applications are configured properly to accommodate your requirements to truncate blank or not truncate blanks. In the PSF book it is titled “Defining PSF FSSs and FSAs for printers” • The 2.5 link is here https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.5.0?topic=mode-defining-psf-fsss-fsas-printers • The 2.4 link is here https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.4.0?topic=mode-defining-psf-fsss-fsas-printers JES2 blank truncation information can be found here: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.5.0?topic=set-specific-record-retrievalFSI ====== -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
z/OS Academy for learning about Test and more!
Hello all, I wanted to advertise an upcoming ***in-person*** event in Poughkeepsie, NY, the z/OS Academy focusing on "Test on IBM zSystems". As you probably know, this is a popular event (no charge for admission!) for those that are still early in their z/OS careers with usually about 2-10 years experience. It will be September 13 - 15, 2022. The final agenda will be posted later, but some sessions have been confirmed so far: - Combinatorial Test Design, - Test Automation, - Careers in Test on zSystems, - lab tours - hands-on activities - time for networking If you know anyone on your team that is interested in attending, please sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zos-academy-test-on-ibm-zsystems-tickets-385216070637 I hope to see you here! -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
For those installing at the end of the year...
[Cross-"blogged" at https://blog.share.org/Article/for-those-installing-at-the-end-of-the-year, since I know IBM-MAIN folks may not follow blogs...] I know several people usually order their z/OS ServerPac around the time their systems are frozen at the end of the year. Just as a gentle reminder while on Shopz, please do be aware that the installation method choice for ServerPac (CustomPac “ISPF” package or z/OSMF package) was removed at the beginning of July 2022. You won’t see that installation method choice anymore on Shopz, and *all* ServerPacs will be created as z/OSMF portable software instances. This is for z/OS V2.5, program products, and middleware. CBPDO still is an installation choice in Shopz, and is not changing. Remember that the data set merge function is now available in all ServerPacs produced! Meaning, for those that like to merge data sets (including zFS!) that capability is built right into z/OSMF Software Management and your delivered ServerPac. AND if you model after a software instance that already has merged data sets, we will recognize that and bring it forward to your new software instance. If you would like a refresher on how to install any ServerPac with z/OSMF, here’s the primary education site: https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/serverpac-install-zosmf/ There is a small representative package available for download there (“Try it”), which you can practice on with your own z/OSMF system. Also, at the bottom of this web page under “Multimedia” is the venerable KurtQ with short videos to explain what is happening during the installation, how to get started. As a hint: make sure you run an SMP/E REPORT MISSINGFIX for FIXCAT IBM.DrivingSystem-RequiredService before you install your z/OSMF ServerPac to ensure that you have all the right driving system PTFs installed. This would include the data set merge function mentioned above. As another hint: Make sure you have noticed a security item for the driving system in the z/OS V2.5 Planning for Installation that you can prepare for now. This is a common problem we have seen: The user ID that you use must have READ access to the SAF (System Authorization Facility) resource that protects the IBM data sets that are produced during the creation of the ServerPac portable software instance. That is, your user ID requires READ access to data set names that begin with CB.OS*.** and CB.ST*.**. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Learn more about z/OSMF zERT and Zowe on Wednesday!
A late advertisement, but maybe still some haven't yet seen this: Be sure to register for the z/OSMF Guild session tomorrow, Wednesday July 20th! The July session will focus on the IBM zERT Network Analyzer and Zowe V2 + z/OSMF. This is a public session and all are welcome. Feel free to share with any peers or clients who may benefit from the discussion! Register here: https://ibm.biz/zOSMFGuild9 Thanks - Marna WALLE -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
CustomPac (ISPF) ServerPac removal from Shopz is only 10 days away!
Please notice, there are only 10 days left in which to order a CustomPac (ISPF) ServerPac for z/OS *and* all subsystems/program products. After July 10, 2022, the CustomPac (ISPF) ServerPac installation method will be removed from Shopz, leaving only the z/OSMF ServerPac installation method. If you are in need of a CustomPac ServerPac, now is the time to place your order if you haven’t already. We’ve seen a lot of traffic to the education website where you can learn about how to install a z/OSMF ServerPac, with a sample z/OSMF package to help you learn how to do the install on a small throwaway package: https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/serverpac-install-zosmf/ Notice that we have full capability for merging data sets now in the z/OSMF ServerPac, including zFS data sets. I’ve been getting a lot of questions and some confusion about what is happening with CBPDO. The answer is nothing. CBPDO remains as it is, and will be orderable and available after July 10, 2022.If you’ve always loved CBPDO and wish to continue to use CBPDO, it is still there. However, I do wish folks would try out the z/OSMF ServerPac (aka portable software instance) as it really does have some benefits that the CustomPac method did not have. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: zOSMF
Hello BM, I think it might be best to see it in action, for the context, and understand what is happening. You can see New Era's full webcast here, which shows Kurt going through that option. Please do pay attention to the master catalog scenarios which can help you choose the right selection for you (minute 26:47). https://www.newera.com/INFO/061422_zOSMF_SM.mp4 For the Temporary Catalog Alias specifically (aka SSA), go to minute 55:39. Whereas CustomPac ServerPac had "Modify", z/OSMF Software Management has Configure Deployment, Catalogs. Thanks again to New Era Software for sponsoring this webcast! -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Upcoming z/OSMF Community Guild Meeting
Join our upcoming z/OSMF Community Guild meeting on June 15, 2022 from 10:00am to 11:00am EST featuring Ruchi Saxena & Dawn Damore of Broadcom and Kurt Quackenbush of IBM. Ruchi and Dawn will present on how Broadcom is creating a more seamless product implementation experience by tying z/OSMF into their customer-centric approach. Kurt will demonstrate how to use the z/OSMF Software Update plugin for installing corrective, recommended, and functional updates on your system. Please enroll here: http://ibm.biz/zOSMFGuildHome. Looking forward to seeing you there! -Marna WALLE -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Mark your calendars for July 10, 2022 - CustomPac intended removal date
Hi Gadi, I'm going to give you some information. I'm not sure any of it will necessarily help you, but at least you might be able to know what some options are. You might already know this, and I apologize if I'm repeating information you already know. There will not be any silver bullet, or necessarily happy news here for you - I'll warn you. 1. As you see, it will be increasingly difficult to run any relatively modern z/OS workloads at a reduced cost without a zIIP. I would include anything Java related in that category. So, z/OSMF is definitely included. We are becoming more and more dependent upon it for management of and certain functions on the system, and therefore more reliant upon usage of zIIPs. I would hope that your enterprise is aware of this, having taken a business decision not to currently have a zIIP, and what that means to z/OS. 2. There are some minor tweaks you can do the help with the performance on z/OSMF start up. They've been discussed here several times, but I'll point you to a performance paper where an IBM Performance Tester has done an evaluation. https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/system/files/inline-files/zosmf_v2r4_resource_requirement.pdf In addition, I know that Frank Kyne has done his own deep dive into this topic. He will be presenting at the z/OSMF Guild on just this topic, if you wish to join and see if he has any pointers you might not be aware of: https://community.ibm.com/community/user/ibmz-and-linuxone/blogs/rolando-perez/2021/11/03/zosmf-guild 3. As you upgrade your HW server level, you will hopefully get to the z15 eventually making your z13 situation not a long lasting situation. This is where System Recovery Boost will give you at no cost, the ability to have an IPL boost on your subcapacity machine to run full speed with a Speed Boost. This will allow you to initialize z/OS and z/OSMF faster for 60 minutes. Once you have z/OSMF initialized, the consumption of the z/OSMF server does flatten out considerably. 4. Do note that until July 10, 2022, you can get that CustomPac for z/OS V2.5 that you can still install without z/OSMF. If your upgrade plans do intend to upgrade to z/OS V2.5, I would order and download it now, so that at least you have a copy of it that doesn't need z/OSMF to install for the time being. 5. I'm seeing that there are few options left at this point. I can think of only two: you could install with a CBPDO yourself, which will be time consuming and cumbersome, and which itself will drive a lot of General Purpose cycles. Or perhaps you could hire an outsider to use their own systems to install and provide you with a dump/restore format. I wouldn't know, but I would hazard that the cost of either of these might be more than the price of a zIIP (but I know nothing of the costs). I do wish that you are able to find a solution that will work for you. -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Mark your calendars for July 10, 2022 - CustomPac intended removal date
Today, I have some important information that I’d like to share with you! Originally in July 2021 https://www.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=an=ca=gpateam=897=ENUS221-260 IBM announced that the Custompac (ISPF) installation method of ServerPac was planned for removal in January 2022. Then, due to the data set merge function not being ready in January 2022, we decided to delay that removal until later because we wanted continual capability for customers to merge data sets within their ServerPacs, via this announcement in November 2021 https://www.ibm.com/common/ssi/ShowDoc.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_ca/8/897/ENUS221-388/index.html_locale=en Recall that data set merge needed to be provided in two pieces: the z/OSMF Software Management capability (via APAR PH42028, PTFs available as of March 23, 2022 on z/OS V2.2 and higher) and the z/OSMF ServerPac production exploitation of that capability (provided in orders since May 6, 2022). Also remember that this removal impacted *all* ServerPacs, but had no impact on the availability of CBPDO. Now that both of those data set merge pieces have been provided, we are ready to remove the CustomPac (ISPF) ServerPac installation method from Shopz., leaving only the z/OSMF installation method for ServerPacs. The CustomPac Dialog installation method choice from Shopz is planned to be removed on July 10, 2022. After July 10, 2022, IBM intends that *any* ServerPac for z/OS, CICS, Db2, IMS, or program products ordered via Shopz will only be packaged and installable with z/OSMF. We have updated this information on our primary website for z/OSMF ServerPac installation information, https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/serverpac-install-zosmf/. Use that website to learn more about the z/OSMF ServerPac installation method. Also, please do use the Try It sample provided via that website as a representative package which you can use to verify your driving system is sufficient for installation of *any* z/OSMF portable software instance, from *any* software vendor. Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Our next z/OSMF Guild Meeting - May 18
Our next upcoming z/OSMF Guild session is May 18 @10AM EDT, featuring guest stars Stephan Munkelt, system programmer for Dataport and Frank Kyne, President of Watson and Walker. Stephan will be showing off how he uses z/OSMF daily as a system programmer, including some of the newest features and enhancements. Frank will be present on performance tuning and best practices for getting the most out of your systems using z/OSMF. Register here: ibm.biz/zOSMFGuild If you can't make that time, the session is recorded and the chat session is posted afterwards. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF Migration Workflow Question
Hi Carmen, Ed's got the Notification response. If you'd like more (like an email), please let's get it written down in an RFE so we can get it on the record. For the Help: actually, I've found that unlike other Help (in ISPF) this z/OSMF Help is pretty good. If you find you need field help and it's not there, please let us know that too. I don't think we'd need a requirement for that, but rather just a feedback item (either in the doc itself it takes you to, or via the built-in mechanism in the Upgrade Workflow itself). -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF Migration Workflow Question
[Written at risk of receiving a lot of "I've done it this way and I will not change" kind of responses... :) ] The Workflow interface is meant to allow you to assign and track steps to certain people. Even en masse where you can put all Security items to one person, Networking items to another, by using the handy filters and selection capabilities. It can even keep track of notes that a person wishes to make on the item before the item is Completed. And it can keep track of any associated Health Checks that should be run for that step with their results. All with current visibility to the entire team in one place. Also - if you wanted to add your own local Workflow steps, that is not hard to do. If you edit the z/OS Upgrade Workflow in Workflow Editor. And you have your local steps pre-populated in the Workflow Editor library ready for re-use. You can easily insert steps into the provided workflow any place you want from this library. And then edit them as you desire for the specific release, say, that you are working on. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Custompac override
Hello James, When you do a CustomPac software update, there are two critical jobs for you to run: VERIFY and RECATDS. These two jobs are described in your Installing Your Order book. See there for instructions. Since you are using an existing master catalog for your V2.4 data sets, you'll need to make sure you are using indirect cataloging so that the new volume can share that master catalog. In the VERIFY job, you'll need to specify the volumes you used on V2.4 in the P2IMAP, and the symbol you want to use for it. For instance, this is what my P2IMAP looks like: C90ES1 SD110 ** ZC112 ZD110 Then, the VERIFY job will understand how to "match" up the data sets and won't recatalog something you need, because it can be reused. If you have moved your SYS1.PARMLIB data set in your incoming V2.4 ServerPac, you'll need to resolve that somehow (moving the volume to the location that your master catalog is referencing, or renaming the data set so it doesn't clash.) Once you have everything to your satisfaction in VERIFY, then your run RECATDS. Thanks, Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Reminder: z/OSMF Guild Meeting next week
If you haven't signed up yet, there's a z/OSMF Guild meeting next week: Wednesday March 16, @10AM EDT Register here and feel free to share the link: http://ibm.biz/zOSMFGuild This session will feature the team from Z Management Services Catalog: saving time and reducing errors in z/OS management tasks. We will also be presenting "SHARE Sessions of Interest". If you have a z/OSMF-facing SHARE session we can highlight please reach out to travis.b...@ibm.com Recordings of this and all previous sessions are made available following the presentation. To catch up on previous sessions check out the Guild homepage: http://ibm.biz/zOSMFGuildHome fyi: This is a public guild, no NDA is required to participate. I hope to see you there. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
2022 Annual z/OSMF Survey
Every year the z/OS Management Facility team distributes an annual survey to better understand the end users' needs and prioritize our roadmap to modernization so that it brings value to the user community. We would like to ask you to please contribute your input to this survey no later than March 15 2022 so that we are able to synthesize the results and play back some of the findings to our z/OSMF guild audience. Rest assure the confidentiality of your data is of the utmost importance and nothing confidential will be required of you in this survey, and none of the playback information will expose any of you or your company's sensitive data. Please follow this link: http://ibm.biz/zOSMFSurvey2022, the survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Just six short questions. Thank you! -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Next z/OSMF Guild Session - Security Configuration Assistant
Join our upcoming z/OSMF Guild session featuring a deep dive on the new Security Configuration Assistant function and how to automate it using Red Hat Ansible. Regardless of your External Security Manager, Security Configuration Assistant ensures optimal performance across the security landscape of z/OS. Session is live Wednesday February 16th, follow this link to the homepage to register and find recordings from previous sessions. http://ibm.biz/zOSMFGuildHome Hope to see you there. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Free SMPE installation product
Hi Gil, The BUILDMCS will build you your own FMID from an FMID you already have installed. Think of it as a way to make a "portable FMID" that you can then APPLY anywhere you want.Because you have to do the APPLY yourself on this newly built FMID, you get to set up the DDDEFs anyway you want. You do the allocation and DDDEF work yourself, and you can name the data sets any way you want. I think the other suggestions for free products on the internet, z/OS web deliverables, and Shopz "easy" product orders are all great options for learning how to install an FMID. The world is your oyster here, for finding FMIDs to learn on! -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Free SMPE installation product
Gil, I'm not really following how "easy it can be tailored" ? It is only dummy ++HFS and ++PROGRAM parts today, but you could add anything you wanted to the sample, for purposes of instruction.You could use whatever data set names you want, including for the zFS. Remember, we provide it to you already pre-installed from that website, and the BUILDMCS you do will provide you the capability to "build you own FMID". -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Free SMPE installation product
Another suggestion, if you don't have Shopz access... We provide a dummy FMID that has been pre-installed and is in a z/OSMF portable software instance format here https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/serverpac-install-zosmf/ (under Try It). And, it has some dummy PTFs with it too, with dummy FIXCATs, included. If you already have that installed (or really, any small FMID, not just the sample above), you could BUILDMCS it easily. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM z/OS Management Facility 2022 Survey
Here's the z/OSMF Value information. It's broken out by plug-in/use case: https://github.com/IBM/IBM-Z-zOS/blob/main/zOSMF/docs/zOSMF%20Value%20Proposition.pdf -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF security log?
Hi Mark, May I recommend you take a look at the z/OSMF Security Configuration Assistant? In short, the z/OSMF UI can help you understand what security profiles are missing or users/groups have insufficient authority. https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.5.0?topic=configuration-security-assistant-task I've come to rely upon it heavily to understand what is and is not set up correctly for security. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
z/OSMF Guild - December Meeting
I would like to invite you and your colleagues to our second z/OSMF Community Guild meeting on December 09, 2021 from 10:00am to 11:00am EST. The session will include a deep dive on z/OSMF workflows. z/OSMF Guild sessions are held monthly with subject matter experts across z/OS and topics prioritized by our audience and designed to support platform modernization. This is an open, public forum. We will not require any non-disclosure agreements and we ask that all topics and conversations omit any confidential or privileged information. Please enroll here: http://ibm.biz/zOSMFGuildHome. Hope to see you there! -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.5 install with z/OSMF
Robert, The PTFs for OA62404 are making their way through test, and should be available next week. If you'd like a ++APAR for this APAR, please contact IBM Service, and we can give you one. We've tested the ++APARs and they should be available for distribution should you request them. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.5 and RMF - plus the migration manual from z/OS 2.4.
Hello Claude, A1: it is likely that you did not put SGRBLPA in the LPALST. Please see *all* the RMF parmlib, proclib, and security considerations associated with the RMF restructure in z/OS V2.5 in the z/OSMF V2.5 Upgrade Workflow, step called "RMF: Determine updates for RMF structural changes". A2. The z/OS Migration manual hasn't been provided since z/OS V2.4. In its place, is the z/OS Upgrade Workflow. I do recommend you use the z/OS Upgrade Workflow from z/OSMF itself, for the best experience. However, if you don't wish to do that, the contents of the Workflow have been exported and can be found here: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/zos/2.4.0?topic=SSLTBW_2.4.0/com.ibm.zos.v2r4.e0zm100/Export_zOS_V2R3_to_V2R5_Upgrade_Workflow.html After your upgrade to z/OS V2.5, I hope that you plan on getting z/OSMF up and running :). Thanks, Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.5 install with z/OSMF
Mark, Please open a Case against ServerPac. It is possible that your order, if it had gone through the manual entitlement process, could have been switched. This would have been an error that the Service folks can verify and fix. Thanks. Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Join the z/OSMF Community Guild
Hello all, I would like to invite you and your colleagues to our z/OSMF Community Guild, which will be held on the third Wednesday of the month, starting this November 17, 2021 from 10:00am to 11:00am est. The z/OSMF team will hold regularly scheduled meetings with z/OSMF users to discuss deep dives on technical topics, demos, best practices, and gather input on future features. This is an open, public forum. We will not require any non-disclosure agreements and we ask that all topics and conversations omit any confidential or privileged information. Please enroll here: http://ibm.biz/zOSMFGuild I also encourage you to join the z/OSMF Community Page ( https://www.ibm.com/community/z/ibmz/os/zos/zosmf) to stay updated on the latest z/OSMF Guild and product information. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Issues
Hi Keith, Thanks for sharing! I did notice your comment: "I re-ordered the Serverpac because the first order had two target zones (I had assumed that this was because I had accidentally ordered 2 releases of the same product - node.js IIRC - but it turned out to be because I received ISPF-case and upper case panels)." For z/OS V2.5, you really should have received only one target zone unless you ordered JES3. JES3 will be put in its own target zone if you order it, and JES2 will be in the "base" target zone so that there is no merging of zones necessary like there was in the CustomPac Dialog. We did it that way in preparation for the next release in which there will be no IBM JES3. I suspect that if you had two target zones, you had JES3 by itself in one of them. You mention upper case...interesting. We put upper case support into the Japanese language feature, so unless you ordered Japanese, I would not have expected you to have those FMIDs. But, even more interesting, all the Japanese and upper case English support would have been in the base target zone. I can't speak about any of the additional program products you ordered (like node), but I strongly suspect that they would not have been in their own zone as we like to put those all together. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Issues
HI Barbara, ==> I did a 'save as' in the browser and saved the html pages to my laptop. I expected the content to be on my laptop, but it wasn't. When I opened the html pages using notepad, there was some small crap in it that was way too small to be the information I had seen online. I actually had to go back and search for the link again, save that to my bookmarks and read online. When I skipped a few chapters, it took forever to load the intended content. It felt like that content had a lot of external links in it that would explain why it was so slow. Ugh...this is because of IBM Documentation. It was supposed to give you an excellent HTML file of the content you were looking. Alias, that doesn't happen. I've reported the problem, but do feel free to also provide feedback to urge the solution along faster. I know you don't have z/OSMF up yet, but for those that do want that nice HTML file, you only need the core functions of z/OSMF to get you far enough to create the Upgrade Workflow there, and then export it. Before you export it, you can tailor it nicely for your system to make it much smaller than otherwise it would be. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Issues
Hi all, Thanks for all the great feedback! This has been a good conversation to follow the past couple of days. We do appreciate it! From the conversation, I see those here are on the "minimum installation path" that want to: 1. Use an existing prior configuration to save time when installing a new z/OS release. With *absolute minimum* manual renaming or data sets or volume name changes. 2. Use an existing master catalog 3. Mostly indirectly catalog 4. Use "non-IPLable" data set names, so that existing deployment tools can be used. 5. Run the minimum amount of jobs. So that they can immediately lay down installed target, dlibs, and SMP/E data sets (and reluctantly, have to take some CPAC data sets) *only*, and move on by themselves. 6. Want to be able to see all the JCL before it is run. (7. Want to be able to use multi-level aliasing.) I think I've captured all the *major* points necessary to get a z/OS system laid down in a couple of hours, with multi-level aliasing perhaps not being something used by all the contributers. I do understand there are some other niceties, but I generally think I've got the list above what was discussed to pull down an order and get it on DASD quickly. For doing the installation path above, z/OSMF *does* have that functionality today - except for the multi-level aliases. I'm not certain that multi-level aliases is critical, but I understand that doing it would be helpful to those that have used them for a long time, and want to continue with them. Yes, the functions may not have been "found" immediately while trying out the new interface. Especially when extremely familiar with the CustomPac interface. What I'd like to understand: for those that are on that "minimum installation path" above and have done their first z/OS portable software instance install, after you've gotten the information here (from Kurt, thanks!!), do you think you can lay down that z/OS release again using z/OSMF in a couple of hours? Keep in mind, you'd be using z/OSMF's Model After capability, selecting "existing master catalog", data set configuration filtering and mass changes on data set and volume names, and system symbols with volume association. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Issues
HI Barbara, Interesting you just happened upon finding the z/OS upgrade material on the z/OS website :). I think we need to make it easier to find, as perhaps the System Level portion of the z/OS release bookshelf isn't the best place? You mentioned, "I wasn't too happy with it because it doesn't work offline, you have to read it online and don't really have a chance to edit or mark anything as complete or irrelevant for your installation." On the Abstract page for it, we've tried to describe that there are two formats for the material. The preferred one, would be the native z/OSMF Workflow format which allows you to skip unnecessary steps, run any associated health checks, mark as complete, mark any notes you want in it, assign it to others (if you can't do it yourself). Even if you don't choose to perform the workflow from z/OSMF, after you initially create it there, you can still export it into your own personal HTML and then PDF, if you wish. You can even run only the first step on the Workflow so that irrelevant steps can be quickly skipped - and therefore not exported. I'm not sure how you might have edited the old z/OS Migration book, but it looks a lot like that old book when exported. You could use that HTML (or your PDF of it) offline. So, I think you can get what you want back, if that is all you needed. And you can get it more tailored than you had before. The other format is an export that IBM did ourselves, and put on the IBM Documentation site. I think this is the one that you encountered. It is all the material that is found in the z/OSMF Upgrade Workflow, just available with the rest of the z/OS books so you could reference it outside of z/OSMF. Since it hasn't been tailored to your system, and all the steps are listed, whether or not they are irrelevant to you, you'll find it rather long and probably not as helpful as if you would have created your own customized file, or even done it from with z/OSMF itself. I agree, it's not the best, which is why it isn't the preferred option. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Issues Updated
Hi Bob, Yes, the z/OS V2.5 Upgrade Workflow is available in PTF(s) on z/OS V2.3 and V2.4, and in V2.5, and can be found in /usr/lpp/bcp/upgrade/. It is no longer in github. The latest level of the Workflow is found in APAR OA61406 - which is the level that contains all the links to the GA z/OS V2.5 books. It also contains some comments that our early customers had, which we wanted to include in that refresh. PTFs will close any day now! All the PTFs associated with the z/OS V2.5 Upgrade Workflow will be identified with the FIXCAT IBM.Coexistence.z/OS.V2R5, so you can easily install them along with any applicable release coexistence necessary. If you've already installed coexistence PTFs, chances are you have the initial release of the Workflow (APAR OA60711) which was available right at the z/OS V2.5 Preview announce. The initial release only could use the z/OS V2.4 book links, since the V2.5 books were not yet available. This z/OS Upgrade Workflow is intended to be used before you do the z/OS V2.5 installation. With that in mind, it is not included in the z/OS V2.5 ServerPac-supplied workflows (unless you count included in the V2.5 root zFS, which is a little too late to start looking at upgrade actions). Remember, as we refresh the Upgrade Workflow with new or changed information in PTFs, you do not need to restart the Workflow from scratch and lose your progress. Use the "Create new based on existing" option z/OSMF Workflows. That will take your partially (or fully) completed Workflow from before, and create a new "merged" Workflow for you. Your steps you have completed and which were not changed, will remain completed. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Licensing a back-level z/OS
Charles, If one wishes to obtain a z/OS release which is no longer marketed, it is possible. The request is for an "archive", and requires some paperwork. It usually comes through an IBM customer rep, but if you are having problems finding that person (or the Business Partner that knows how to do this), please email me and I can get you started. One thing to note: if you get an archive, it is just that. A snapshot of the z/OS release image before it went end of marketing. It will not be a customized order with other products, and will not be serviced to the current level. It won't be as easy as if you had ordered it while it was still orderable on Shopz, but it will contain the release level that you need. So you'll need to plan on taking extra time bring forward other program products, and install more PTFs. Thanks, Marna WALLE IBM Poughkeepsie mwa...@us.ibm.com -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Customized Offering Driver
Hi Rich, Please open a Case so we can see what is going on. If you like, please email me the Case number so I can see what it is. This is the statement that we had in the Announcement, which indicates that z/OSMF - at z/OS V2.5 GA on Sept 30, 2021 - should have z/OSMF starting on it. "With the availability of z/OS V2.5, the Customized Offerings Driver has z/OSMF enabled so it can be used to install a z/OS ServerPac portable software instance." If you ordered your COD before Sept 30, 2021 it might be at a level which did not automatically start z/OSMF. If you ordered it after, z/OSMF should start without the problems you are seeing. -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Brian, Concerning small environments, does having z/OS (and z/OS V2.5) available to all participating ISVs count as part of our early programs? Whereby they could use z/OS V2.5 and z/OSMF in their own environment, or use it as a z/VM guest? Does it count that these same ISVs, who can run in their own very small environments on their own purchased HW, have had z/OSMF for quite a while and we've delivered PTFs to help with the performance in those environments because of their z/OSMF feedback? Does it count that any early customer in the z/OS V2.5 release program can and do have small sandbox systems, on which they perform their installation and service work? Does having the function testing for z/OS V2.5 across all the z/OS Development labs as z/VM guests count, with these environments sometimes being smaller than a zPDT? I do understand that you are unhappy with the choice of using z/OSMF for z/OS V2.5 after Jan 2022. I'm not sure there's anymore I can offer. We have been moving in this direction for a very long time. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Brian, >> Some of the problem here is that you are telling me what "will" be there, >> but I don't have anything that actually shows that or even implies it for >> z/OSMF for z/OS. I don't even have the workflows to verify anything. For the z/OS Workflows that you haven't seen yet, they are Workflow steps that are submitting the same JCL jobs that you used to submit through the ISPF interface and should be familiar with today. Meaning, instead of using an ISPF panel to submit the job, you will now submit those same jobs from the z/OSMF Workflow interface. That is the difference. The jobs remain the same, in probably 99.99% of the cases. They are being converted from ISPF JCL skeletons (SCPPSENU) to z/OSMF Workflow JCL templates (XML). So yes, you haven't seen them in their XML format, but you certainly have seen them when they were JCL skeletons. And remember, every single Workflow step JCL that is submitted is able to be edited from z/OSMF, just like it was with the CustomPac dialog. Might there be a conversion error to XML? Yes, of course that is possible. But that is why we have my second comment below... >> People won't have much time between Late September and January to discover >> and correct all of the bugs. For each z/OS new release, and V2.5 more than ever, there are early customer programs. The release level early program for z/OS V2.5 has its main focus on the installation of and upgrade to z/OS V2.5. We understood that the installation process would be different and wanted as much exposure, testing, and validation in customer environments before it GAs. We have early customers that represent many different industries and geographies. Each of these customers has installed with a z/OS V2.5 z/OSMF ServerPac. Not a single one of them used the old ISPF ServerPac. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Bruce, Thank you! This is very helpful for us to have! -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Brian, Let's make a clear distinction. Inside the z/OS z/OSMF ServerPac package that is shipped to you, and I'm talking about the archived datasets for you to restore, these are the data sets you'll receive (which is somewhat based on what the product mix you ordered from Shopz): --SMP/E target (including zFS), DLIB, CSIs, --"non-SMP/E data sets" : CPAC data sets, sample RACF data bases, a sample VTAMLST, a sample SYS1.PARMLIB and sample SYS1.PROCLIB (empty), a sample IPLPARM data set, three sample zFS for z/OS UNIX (var, etc..), a sample TCPIP IVP data set, and three Workflows. Several of these non-SMP/E data sets (RACF db, IPLPARM, VTAMLST, SYS1.PARMLIB, SYS1.PROCLIB...), I doubt are ever really used. I also doubt that resizing the data sets you don't use is an issue here. All these above data sets are those which you can rename, move and catalog anyway you want easily. However, note I didn't say "size" on that last sentence. I well understand that topic, as well as know that the most important on that list is the target and DLIBs. But I also understand that SMP/E maintenance activity isn't the only use case for running out of room in data sets and volumes. It is probably the one that system programmers most don't like to deal with. I also don't want to leave the impression that we don't know we need to do *something* to help here. Please let's not debate how important it is to not run out of space in data sets during an APPLY or ACCEPT, and we need a solution. We are in agreement there. Now, there are additional operational data sets (JES, Sysplex couple ds, BCP page/SMF/dump..., Health Checker, DFSMS SMS, PFA, WLM, just to name a few) that ServerPac "provides" (both for the ISPF and the z/OSMF methods). For these additional operational data sets in a z/OS z/OSMF ServerPac, you will have complete control over placement, name, *and size*. These operational data sets are created with the z/OS z/OSMF ServerPac via Workflow steps. You don't need to run those Workflow steps if you want to reuse what you already have (aka Software Update vs. Full System Replace). Also - to go even a step farther - z/OSMF ServerPac can even give you a semi-Software Update that the ISPF ServerPac never could. Only want help setting up PFA, with keeping your existing page, spool, and couple data sets? Fine - just run only the PFA Workflow step. In that way, it is truly selectable on what operationals you want help with. I see this as a definite improvement over the ISPF ServerPac. Using Workflow variables or the using *the ability to edit the JCL* you can do any changes you want. Please let's not debate that the size of page or SMF are not controllable by the user, or how important that is. You can put them wherever you want, size them however you want, and call them whatever you want. If anything, z/OSMF Workflows make these operational data sets more under your control than ever, if you want to even have them created in the first place. I'm hoping that the above description with these three categories of data sets to expect with a z/OS z/OSMF ServerPac, has helped to understand what is, and is (currently) not under your control. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Hello KB, As a little reference table, here's what's available today (and in the future) from Shopz as a ServerPac, along with the installation method. You can see that z/OSMF ServerPac has been available for many products, for quite a while now. CICS (and program products): z/OSMF ServerPac: Dec 2019 onwards Legacy ServerPac way back, until Jan 2022 Db2 and IMS (and program products): z/OSMF ServerPac: August 2020 onwards Legacy ServerPac way back, until Jan 2022 z/OS V2.4 (and program products): Legacy ServerPac Sept 2019, until Jan 2022 z/OS V2.5 (and program products): z/OSMF ServerPac: Sept 2021 onwards Legacy ServerPac Sept 2021, until Jan 2022 CBPDO is still available, and remains available beyond Jan 2022. -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Hi Barbara (and others), Nice to see so many users of PDSEs! We do not today have the capability to switch from PDS to PDSE in z/OSMF, but we've got it in our backlog from requests to have it. If PDSEs users would like to help us prioritize that, with their business impacts without this capability, please feel free to email me (mwa...@us.ibm.com). As for the sizes, for z/OSMF ServerPac we have increased the shipped free space to 40% per data set, and with linklst data sets have zero secondary. This is an increase over the prior free space size we used to provide, in hopes that will help for the time being. This was done because we don't have the ability to re-size today in z/OSMF. Now...I would like to look at the data set size problem in a larger context - in order to understand where to solve this problem. More than ever, we have been shipping Continuous Delivery PTFs. Many of these PTFs are quite large, and occur over the life of a release. This can put quite a lot of pressure on the size of the target and DLIB data sets being able to accommodate these updates for every service install episode. I am wondering, if it might be of better use to have the capability of accommodating the need for more space in a more ongoing manner? Meaning, installing a release for a first time - even with enlarging the data sets with some predictive percentage (50%, 100%, 200%?) - still doesn't completely help with running out of space in some data sets or even volumes continually, and could result in some data sets being overly and unnecessarily large. Would it be better if z/OS itself was able to assist better when the problem occurred in a targeted and timely fashion? Do you feel that if z/OSMF Software Management provided this ability to one-time increase the size of allocated target and DLIBs, that would conclusively solve your space problems for these data sets? -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Hi Carmen, Sorry to hear that z/OS V2.4 will be your least release! Good luck in retirement! Once you have laid down a z/OSMF ServerPac, it will have the same considerations as if you had done it with the ISPF ServerPac dialogs, so I'm guessing the comments weren't about z/OSMF specifically? Q: ...still have yet to find how to update / get RSU maint and define or change anything once the instance is defined but I've not really spent too much time either... A: You'd acquire PTFs just as you did when you installed z/OS V2.4. If it were me, I'd set up an automated job to pull PTFs and HOLDDATA nightly/weekly with SMP/E RECEIVE ORDER, specifying my new z/OS V2.5 global zone. The SMP/E CSI is there, just as always, for you to install PTFs and run reports...just like before. Of course, now that it is also known to z/OSMF, you could do an APPLY with z/OSMF Software Update should you wish. Once the Software Instance is known to z/OSMF, it knows the global and target zones, and can guide you through an APPLY of corrective, recommended, or functional PTFs. Or, you can use the same SMP/E JCL batch jobs you've used for decades. Your choice, and it doesn't matter. PTFs are APPLY into the CSI and both ways uses the CSI. Q: I wonder since my company does not allow access from my mainframe systems to the internet, what protocol will be used to query my CSI's, maint level? get service A: Same methods as before. Nothing has changed. You can acquire a ServerPac via internet or DVD. If you can't use RECEIVE ORDEER to acquire PTFs, you can use Shopz and upload your CSI (or other ways). -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Hi Terri, When adding an Software Instance that you already have (say, z/OS V2.4), you are telling z/OSMF the CSI and zones to use. Those DDDEFs, presumably, will be correct with the data set names, volumes, and paths. Those DDDEFs will be used as a model on the incoming z/OS CSI DDDEFs. That will save you hundreds of customizations to do for z/OS V2.5 and beyond. I've seen many ServerPac saved configurations that are stale, and the CSI DDDEFs are the correct and current values. Meaning, that the ServerPac saved configuration can "drift" out of accuracy over time, but the CSI DDDEFs had better not. That is what I mean by saving time. Especially when you are basing on a known, accurate, SMP/E configuration. For the shipped configuration data sets (like CPAC.*): if you add those data sets to that Software Instance, then those data sets can be modelled too. If you choose not to, the worst thing is that the 16 CPAC data sets shipped with z/OS V2.5, can be modified *en masse* within the z/OSMF interface. Since they are all shipped with a HLQ of CPAC, it is very easy to filter, select, move, rename them as a group. With the z/OS V2.5 Software Instance, they then become known and can be modelled with future z/OS Portable Software Instances. For the catalog: depending on what catalog options you want - new master cat, existing master cat and the data set names you select - the existing structure you have on your driving system can be used and detected, should you wish to use it. If you want a new master cat, you will need to supply the name and the temporary catalog alias of your choice (aka SSA), just like in the old ServerPac. If you want all your data sets to begin with "ZOSV25", and you have that existing HLQ alias going to an existing usercat today, no problem, that will be used. If you want to create a new master catalog, and use "MYSSA" as the temporary catalog alias, you'll need to supply that, just like in the old ServerPac. The catalog structure, I see, is similar to how the old ServerPac did it. Although, there is a lot more flexibility, because you can rename any data set, and put it in any catalog you want, with only VSAM (including zFS) forced to be cataloged. The old ServerPac had lots of restrictions on what could be renamed, and where it had to be cataloged. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Robert, It's been done, and is the proceedings: https://www.share.org/Events/Past-Events/Proceedings/Proceeding-Details/installing-ibms-serverpac-using-zosmf-software-management Look for Kurt Quackenbush's "Installing IBM's ServerPac Using z/OSMF Software Management", from Ft Worth 2020. Kurt will do another session for the upcoming SHARE too. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond - Requests
Hi Terri, You are correct that within the z/OSMF interface, there is no way to edit a produced job for Deployment. It is intended that no editing is necessary, in that if you need to "tweak" the job, we should be providing that capability within the interface itself. The JCL produced should reflect what you want and also can be saved such that it can be reused for similar deployments, to avoid the same future tweaking. Did you have any specifics on what you wanted to change in z/OSMF, but couldn't? Realize that the data set configuration, volumes, and cataloging capabilities are extremely flexible and should be able to do whatever you want. Even more so than the old ServerPac ISPF dialog. For instance, you can rename any data set you want, put it anywhere you want, and the old dialog had some restrictions on certain data sets. Might there be something in the data set, volume, and catalog capabilities we are missing? I'd like to solve the editing-JCL problem, with a solution for you that allows you to incorporate your intentions right within the GUI much earlier, save that intention, and make it so that you never have to "remember" it again should you do a similar deploy of the product. (I can see how tweaks to the old ServerPac JCL would not be saved in the configuration, and then you would have a need to keep doing those tweaks in the future for every install. That is not the intention here with z/OSMF.) I believe the "work data set prefix" you are referring to is the temporary file system for use as SMPWKDIR on "Define Job Settings". Would you like more information provided for that description to help understand what you are providing? Maybe something like a "Learn more..." to quickly show with more details that we are asking for the beginning qualifier(s) of data set name, that is a temporary zFS (completely handled within the jobs and accurately sized) that will be used as the SMPWKDIR? This should be an easy thing to do, if it would help. On that same checklist location for "Define Job Settings", the jobcard can be supplied, and also the place where you want all the generated jobs saved (like we had in SCPPBENU). Of course, you could run the jobs from that saved data set from ISPF, but again, the intention is that they are run through z/OSMF so the interface can keep track of what you've done and how far you've gone. You could re-submit the same job again, from z/OSMF, should you wish. Or even indicate that the job is complete as your ran it from ISPF and you want to continue on. If I may suggest to all that will install z/OS V2.5 with z/OSMF, it really behooves you to define your prior z/OS release right now as a Software Instance. This will allow you to model z/OS V2.5 from that prior z/OS release and not have to re-specify hundreds of data sets and volume placement. This is very very similar to the old ISPF ServerPac dialog "save and merge configuration". You will still have some unique data sets to deal with, but it will be a lot fewer than the entire z/OS ServerPac. Of course, I'd do that with CICS, Db2, and IMS also. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: CICS TS 5.6 ServerPac missing an IYO document
Hi Bob, Might you have ordered the z/OSMF ServerPac? If so, then that book is now a document called "ServerPac: Product Information For Your Order: Order Number ", and contains only the appropriate information that used to be in IYO for your order. That is mostly the old "Appendix A" - which was the specific product information for each product in your order. The other information for installing with z/OSMF, which used to be in the IYO, is found in the official z/OSMF documentation (and help panels, which really are helpful, I find). If you ordered the CustomPac Dialog (ISPF) format for your CICS ServerPac, then you still should be receiving an IYO. If you didn't, then please open a Case. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: RED Alert Today Regarding z/OS Service Orders
Mark, Yes. This Red Alert is applicable to SMP/E RECEIVE ORDER acquisition of the PTFs. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond
Brian, I see that Timothy jumped in to mention that you do not need to have an IMS, Db2, or CICS license to try out a z/OSMF Portable Software Instance today. Any IBM customer can have a sample Portable Software Instance. And that other major software vendors are already delivering z/OSMF Portable Software Instances of their own code to customers, so that is another way to learn about this packaging format. I agree that there is little any software vendor can do to make a customer do an upgrade. It is entirely up to him to make that decision, fully knowing that the longer the wait the harder it will be. If the business decision is made to do a "long jump", so be it, but we can clearly identify the challenges they will face, and they just mount up the longer the jump is. I do not expect anyone to order interim z/OS releases that will not be used. My example was for z/OS V2.1 customers going to V2.3, but will be doing that after z/OS V2.3 was no longer orderable - it was not a "long jump" scenario. I still stand by that - if you are doing a coexistence supported upgrade, and your target release is about ready to go end of marketing - please do order while it is marketed. But if anyone wanted to upgrade to a release after it was no longer orderable and they did not have a copy of it, that is what the archive process is for. That archive will be severely downlevel in service which makes it really no better (and much worse as the product content is not customized) than ordering a ServerPac and not using it. I'd hope that a customer would take this all into consideration as they make their business decision in upgrading. Getting an archive is the last resort method for obtaining a z/OS release...absolutely the last resort and should avoided. I do know exactly how long z/OS (or really, OS/390) on a CBIPO and ServerPac coexisted - zero months, zero days. OS/390 R1 was not available in a CBIPDO, and was only available (and still is only available) in a CBPDO and ServerPac. Now, I'm certainly not saying that ServerPac was smooth sailing for OS/390 R1, and even R2, which is why we have dual packaging options today *across 3/4 of the SRELs* and even *across the industry* to get it used, before moving it to z/OS V2.5. So given that this z/OSMF packaging format has been provided in other areas for years, and a sample Portable Software Instance can be used for learning, I think the resistance is with using z/OSMF itself. For that point, remember, the driving system requirement for z/OS V2.5 is z/OS V2.3. z/OS V2.3 is the release where we autostarted the z/OSMF server and indicated that that release was where we expected z/OSMF to be up and running at least in one location of the enterprise. That was in 2017. I understand that some folks are not yet on z/OS V2.3, although I've seen the numbers and I know that many more are at and above V2.3. We could reasonably expect that z/OSMF is running on those systems because we have made that so by default. Overriding that default must be done with the knowledge and acceptance that it is only delayed, and not avoided. Anyone at my "Upgrading to z/OS" sessions or that uses the Upgrade Workflow knows that one my "Big Migs" is to get z/OSMF automatically started with z/OS V2.3 (either with the default base function, or with automation). We've been setting the stage for this since z/OS V2.3 first IPL. Anyone upgrading to z/OS V2.5 should plan to use the z/OSMF ServerPac, since that is the recommended way to go as it will be the only way as of January 2022. I would tend to have a conversation with a client - and I do at every chance I can - on how is z/OSMF going on their driving system, since that is what will help them most, rather than trying to time a z/OS V2.5 product order in the short overlap when z/OSMF isn't a driving system requirement. z/OSMF is necessary for other important exploitation functions, and I certainly hope that customers are eyeing those new functions and getting to z/OSMF for those reasons too. That is why I talk about z/OSMF and its importance to z/OS. Not just because of installation. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond
Brian, I would like to assure you that this decision was not taken lightly, and was taken with all those considerations (and others) to extend both ordering types for as long as was feasible. Some points I would like to make: - the z/OS ServerPac for z/OSMF is extremely similar to the CICS, Db2,and IMS ServerPac for z/OSMF. What is different? The Workflows which contain the configuration and verification, since they are product-specific. Where can you see those Workflow steps today? By looking at your z/OS CustomPac dialog JCL jobs you ran for your last z/OS installation. Those are the Workflow steps you'll see. So the "differences" are simply the way you submit the JCL jobs. Do you want to see how you lay down the data sets and assign them to volumes and catalogs, and how that is different with z/OSMF vs. ISPF? Look today at the CICS, IMS, and Db2 z/OSMF ServerPac. That is how it will be done - with the z/OS addition that you'll be able to use (or not use) a new master catalog, as you desire. - providing a "dual" method of installing the z/OS release (and other IBM products) requires two software manufacturing processes, for existing and every new product that GA's during that time. I'm sure I don't need to mention that the costs of have two production processes for every product in the IBM catalog is not insignificant. Now, that is what we are doing right now for CICS, IMS, and Db2, so that customers can have that choice right now for the non-z038 SREL products. It is expected that you set up and learn this process now, so that when the z/OS SREL arrives, it is not a unknown method of installing. Keep in mind, these "dual" paths and costs have been ongoing since September 2019. This overlap has been going on for a while, at varying levels for the product set. - As you mention, if you still want to see z/OS itself in z/OSMF ServerPac, then order z/OS V2.5 between Sept 2021 and January 2022. Install it. Throw it away. That would then be your "test order". That is how it will install should you re-order z/OS V2.5 (or a later release) when you are ready to install it. - You mention that the service on the ServerPac, if you keep it un-installled, will need more PTFs. Yes, if you insist that you must install a CustomPac ServerPac after that path is gone, it will age as any old ServerPac order will age. This is no different than ordering a z/OS release in ServerPac before it is end-of-marketing, putting it on the shelf, and having to install many PTFs today. I've seen lots of customers do that for z/OS V2.3, when they were on V2.1 and weren't ready to move yet. Always, I recommend that if your z/OS release is still orderable and yours has aged, order another one with current service. - You mention anyone running below z/OS V2.3, will have a harder path to z/OS V2.5. I would say that anyone on V2.2 or lower, wishing to go to z/OS V2.5, will have a harder path if they don't stay within the coexistence policy, and are not service supported. And this has little to do with how the ServerPac is packaged. I know you are involved in quite a few of those "long jumps" and all of the added complications they bring since there is no coexistence support, but I don't think that using z/OSMF to install V2.5 will be one of those largest concerns. Many of the installation and configuration enhancements were rolled back pre-V2.3 when they were released. I would install all the z/OSMF PTFs on those older systems to help as much as possible to get z/OSMF Software Management and Workflows up and running on the sandbox driving system. That should be done right now, unless the Customized Offering Driver (COD) is the better (and longer) path for the situation. Customers on V2.2 should be going to V2.4, which is orderable right now - do not delay. So, for z/OS V2.2 customers, I see no z/OSMF requirement impediment. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie - -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Serverpac installs January 2022 and beyond
Thanks, Dana, for mentioning the test Portable Software Instance you can use now. I wanted to add, for those "advanced" z/OSMF users (who are really those that want a simplified GUI for an SMP/E APPLY of PTFs), this test Portable Software Instance *also* includes some sample test PTFs in the GLOBAL zone. Why would we do that? So that you can try out z/OSMF Software Update to install them! Check out the overview of this associated function to z/OSMF Software Management: https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/software-update-zosmf/ I might suggest that those users who have successfully installed the test Portable Software Instance, they continue on in trying to install PTFs onto that test Portable Software Instance with z/OSMF Software Update. As Kurt mentioned at his SHARE session on z/OSMF Software Update yesterday, please recognize that this is our first iteration of this new function, and we have plenty of great requirements in our backlog for this function. We do welcome more requirements or votes on existing ones, in either z/OSMF Software Management or z/OSMF Software Update. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: How to validate mount points for IPLs
Hi Radoslaw, > 4. One can create the following REXX script: read every filesystem name and > list it i.e. using listdsi. Also read every mount point and check its > existence in z/OS Unix. Sounds like an excellent idea for a personally-written health check, and then maybe shared to the CBTTAPE (or elsewhere) :)? Especially nice if you compare what is mounted to a list that contains what you intended to use. (I do like the naming convention with heavy use of system symbols too.) -Marna WALLE IBM Poughkeepsie z/OS System Installation and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: clarification please - is z/OSMF required for migrating z/OS from v2.3 to v2.4 ?
Hi Dave, Yes...I do tend to let topics move along until I feel I need to stumble in :). There is absolutely no doubt that the security for z/OSMF is the toughest part to get working. I would like to suggest trying out the Security Configuration Assistant, which was meant to help with that. It does, of course, need a little security itself to get up and running, but that is minimal so that you can leverage it for the rest of your plug-ins. I do encourage anyone needing security guidance, to try it out once you've got enough of z/OSMF started to have it available to you. https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSLTBW_2.4.0/com.ibm.zosmfsecurityassistant.help.doc/izuSA0hpSecurityAssistantTask.html -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: clarification please - is z/OSMF required for migrating z/OS from v2.3 to v2.4 ?
Hi Dave, We certainly want to have the z/OSMF installation (with a portable software instance) easier than a CustomPac Serverpac! I do understand, though, that anything different will take a time to get used to. With that in mind, I'd like to mention a sample portable software instance which you can use to become familiar with the z/OSMF installation process today. Take a look at the requirements on this page (for the PTFs you'll need), you can get a very quick overview of what the deployment process looks like (which has many of the same steps as the CustomPac dialog), and then download a sample package to give it a run on your own system: https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/serverpac-install-zosmf/ This sample is what a ServerPac that is a portable software instance looks like today. We've got CICS, Db2, and IMS (and their program products) portable software instances available for ordering on Shopz today, so you could try it out now on any of those products if that would be helpful too. If I may suggest some hints: define your software instances for the existing software you have today installed in a ServerPac. Those software instances can be a "model" for the incoming portable software instance, and takes just a couple of minutes to do. Installing new software, when based on your existing software, could realistically allow you to continue with future installs in a half-day, as you do today. fwiw: We had a new person in our area that had very little z/OS experience and had never installed a ServerPac (or really used SMP/E). This person was able to install a portable software instance in a couple of hours (once he knew the volumes and data set names to use). -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: clarification please - is z/OSMF required for migrating z/OS from v2.3 to v2.4 ?
Hi Dana, This is a good comment about the organization of the z/OS Upgrade Workflow! I'm glad you brought it up. When we were organizing the z/OS Migration book, oh so many years ago, we had debated just your point. Should we do it by element-first, or timing-first? As you know when using the z/OS Migration book, we ultimately decided on doing element-first as that made it easier for folks to skip entire elements they were not concerned with vs. having to go into multiple sections of the book and ignore those elements specifically. When we converted the book to the Workflow, we had kept with that same decision. I'm very open to changing the order of the steps in the Workflow, if that would help folks. Of course, we can't be all things to all people, and I really don't want to encourage someone to look at the very basic exported Workflow, so I'll take this back to see if we can do some arranging which might address this specific comment. If you have any other comments on the z/OS Upgrade Workflow, I'm very happy to hear them! As you probably know, we are continually trying to improve the upgrade process. Two big pieces of that are eliminating the number of tasks that are needed for a release upgrade, and having fewer steps to do in the z/OS Upgrade Workflow by using "system discovery" techniques. Thanks, Dana. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: clarification please - is z/OSMF required for migrating z/OS from v2.3 to v2.4 ?
Hi Dave, Please take a look at many of the recent performance enhancements that we've done in z/OSMF, specifically for smaller LPARs. We had heard very positive things about these enhancements, and we are still looking at doing more. z/OSMF specific new functions can be found here: https://ibm.github.io/zOSMF/ . In that location, I'll paste below what it has, so that we have it inline here too: z/OSMF startup time and resource consumption during startup is improved with the PTFs for APARs PH28921, PH28920, PH28971, PH28990, PH28451, PH29230, PH29243, PH28832, and PH28872. Actual results can vary, depending on the client's configuration. z/OSMF startup improvement is now available: With the new PTFs we delivered for startup improvement, in lab measurements of a small z15 lpar, the startup time improved about 50%. Please refer to our blog (https://community.ibm.com/community/user/ibmz-and-linuxone/blogs/jing-hua-jiang1/2020/10/30/make-your-zosmf-server-starts-significantly-faster) for details. I hope you find with these PTFs installed, you see a significant drop in z/OSMF server initialization time. Once it is initialized, it is expected that the server uses very few cycles when not performing requested work by the user. Thanks, Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Shopz Question
Robert, I might be a little confused as to what you were looking for... I just logged onto Shopz, and I can order CICS TS V5.6 [5655-Y04] on a ServerPac - AND I could even get that ServerPac packaged for a z/OSMF installation method should I wish. Is this only an entitlement question, or it is a CBPDO vs ServerPac question? I'd like to encourage all folks, who are ordering any CICS or CICS program product, to order it via a z/OSMF-packaged ServerPac. Thanks, Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Positive feedback, z/OSMF - Workflows
Thank you, Carmen!! For those that haven't tried it yet, please do, so you can have the upgrade information you need and do not have to rely upon the "exported" format entirely. An 8-min YouTube video can give you a great overall lesson on how to maneuver around (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQRSYaxz9M). It's a little old in that we have the Workflows on github now, and not on our website (https://github.com/IBM/IBM-Z-zOS/tree/master/zOS-Workflow/zOS%20V2.4%20Upgrade%20Workflow). I did have a great conversation with Allan, and we've been working on trying to get the spacing and layout better. If you haven't noticed yet, you can collapse much of the heading information (with the twisty of "Workflow Details") to give you more space on the first panel. More usability enhancements have been identified. Please feel free to send me more suggestions for improvements, or do the feedback from inside the workflow itself. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Anyone Using MVS Bulk Data Transfer (File-to-File)?
Thanks, Timothy. Maybe it's time for a reminder as I've been asked a couple of times recently about what is in z/OS. A scan through the "List of z/OS base elements and optional features" in Planning for Installation, where you can see also when it was last changed, might show some interest to folks. btw - you'll see that that the three BDT elements (one base, two optional priced), haven't been changed since OS/390 V1R2. https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSLTBW_2.4.0/com.ibm.zos.v2r4.e0zb100/baseel.htm Of course BDT is supported, it is part of z/OS. -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
An older device query - still using??
Hello All, We had an internal small discussion wondering if there were any customers that still used these devices (the youngest of which went end-of-service in 2014, from what I can find). I wanted to extend this conversation outside of IBM, to those that might have firsthand current knowledge. Here's the devices I'm wondering about: 1287/1288 - IBM Optical reader and page reader respectively 3540 - IBM Disk device 3886 - IBM Optical Character reader 3890 - IBM Magnetic Ink Reader 3895 - IBM Printer device If you or someone you know *currently* has one of the above devices in use, would you mind contacting me? I'm not interested in the past, when I know these were once-popular devices. For instance, all LinkedIn hits I read were all "prior experience" type of references. I'm interested in current 2020 usage of them. I appreciate learning about this. -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation, IBM Poughkeepsie mwa...@us.ibm.com -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.4 Migration manual and z/OSMF usage
HI Terri, I'm happy you finally got the server up, but sorry to see that you aren't happy with the new format of the upgrade materials for z/OS! If you'd like, please email me your entire list, and we can work through them. Some pieces might be fixed by changing the content of the Upgrade Workflow, some we might want to pass to our z/OSMF development group, but we can work through that once we have your list. When you mentioned "exploded", might you have meant "exported"? If, in your case, exporting just selected items you want could give you format that is good for you in a bigger screen, let's see if that will work too. Thank you. -Marna WALLE mwa...@us.ibm.com z/OS System Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.4 Migration manual and z/OSMF usage
Hi Terri, You re-ran IZUSETUP, not recently right? That was made obsolete way back on z/OS V2.1 with APAR PI54286 (2016), to move to the "modern" parmlib (IZUPRMxx) method. I hope you still aren't using that, and don't have the server running on your z/OS V2.1 system but rather on a higher system in your sysplex. You are running your server on your V2.3 system, correct? Thanks, Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Updating CustomPac Dialog libraries
Sadly, if you must upgrade your CustomPac Dialogs for your ServerPac order, it isn't possible to do it ahead of time. The reason is because the dialogs are shipped with your order, and delivered on Shopz. Until your order is completed, you won't have the dialogs available to download on Shopz. However, there might be some good news here?? The minimum dialog level required is 27.12.00 or 27.20.20 (depending on how you want to do your RECEIVE job). This level is quite old at this point, and therefore, no upgrade may be required. Check out your dialog level by looking at your upper right corner when on the first panel. For instance, mine is 29.10.56, and I don't remember updating it in a while. Thanks. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF and z/OSMF "Lite"
Mark, It sounds like you might have a somewhat ongoing requirement to have z/OSMF Lite to test your products with, until such time as you feel your customers have moved up to a more full z/OSMF system. This could be a case where you'd want to have another z/OSMF server configured separately from your existing z/OSMF server, so that you don't lose the enhanced functions you are already using. You could test on the "Lite" server, and run normally for your management functions on the "full" server. As an aside, if you decide that you want to have only a single z/OSMF server (a "Lite" one, and not use the functions you are using today): There really are two kinds of applications in z/OSMF, the ones that you put in IZUPRMxx as plug-ins, and the ones that are external that you add through the z/OSMF GUI itself. For the former's removal, you just use IZUPRMxx to remove them as a plug-in and then stop/restart the server today. For the latter, you use the GUI itself to remove them. The perfect example of an external application is SDSF. It takes me just one minute to add and delete SDSF from z/OSMF, and doesn't need a server stop/restart. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OSMF and z/OSMF "Lite"
Mark, You already have *more* than what they are asking. If they want Lite, I'd say that it is there with more. If you don't like a specific plug-in and don't want to use it anymore, by all means do not include its activation anymore. But if they wanted Lite, and you have a decent selection of plug-ins you are happy with, you are done satisfying their "Lite" request. Move on. If you have the Security Configuration Assistant set up, make sure they have access to the resources they need specifically if they find they have problems. -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z15 System Recover Boost [EXTERNAL]
Paul, Might this help? From: https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/1NWEJKOX How to I control the startup boost? If you haven’t disabled System Recovery Boost in parmlib, Startup Boost will automatically be enabled during IPL, and lasts for 1 hour on z/OS. If for some reason you want to stop the startup boost prior to the 1-hour time limit, you can run proc IEABE (IEA Boost End) to do so. IEABE will run very quickly and will stop as soon as it’s finished. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
z/OS Release Software Prerequisites (was SMPE UPGRADE Command)
Hello Barbara, Thought I'd reply publicly as others might have this same wonder: >> The biggest problem is that there is no good documentation coming with the >> CBPDO. I seem to remember that the program directory contained the software >> prerequisites, i.e. the z/OS level fitting the product. Was unable to find >> that, though. << z/OS V2.4 prerequisites for specific software (and hardware) are found in the z/OS V2.4 Planning for Installation Book, Appendix B and Appendix C and a couple of other sections. Notice that for specific software PTFs, we heavily rely upon SMP/E FIXCATs to do all the identification as to what is appropriate for your system. (It is not just a heavy reliance at this point, it is the *only* way to do it.) -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z15 System Recover Boost
All, Just to be a little clearer about those HW feature codes... For SRB, what are no extra charge z15 HW functions (there is no priced SRB feature in z/OS V2.3 or V2.4!): Sub-capacity to full-capacity boost for CPs, zIIP boost that use a client’s entitled zIIPs, and GDPS scripting and firmware enhancements (if you are a GDPS customer). For SRB *if* you decide you want it, as priced z15 HW features (9930 and 6802, fairly newly renamed): a priced activation of extra zIIP capacity for boost usage. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.1 to 2.4
Sorry I wasn't able to jump in several days ago. Back to back customer briefings, conferences, and long travel has made it hard for me to catch up on IBM-MAIN until this weekend. I certainly don't want to beat a dead horse on this - I know that this has been well hashed at this point and this topic has probably closed itself out. Some points did come to my mind which I heard faintly brushed on, which I think were not fully surfaced. Because I'd like this archive to contain some additional information for those searching on it in the future, I'll offer two points: 1) Long Jumps: although I know several customers that make long jumps with the help of experienced z/OS staff, and they do go successfully, it still is not a "done deal" and should not be done as a matter of course. The risk for problems is non-zero, and you would be on a path that is not well-grooved. If any problems indeed did surface, the client should be fully prepared to take a "fix forward" posture, especially if a fallback is attempted (which is not something that we are prepared to try to re-create in IBM Service and then fix). What kind of problems could you see? Well, if you look at all the V2.2 coexistence PTFs for V2.4 that's a pretty good list of what you might see doing a V2.1 to V2.4 upgrade. I'd take that list and do individual research on each and every one of those APARs if you want to plan a Long Jump. It doesn't matter if that was a New Function APAR or a release FMID that introduced the function causing the incompatibility. In a V2.4 ServerPac, it doesn't matter how that function got there; it is there in the target libraries. If it needed coexistence (or "preconditioning"), it might affect your Long Jump and you need to understand what it does and try to avoid those behaviors before a fallback, if it is possible to do so. btw: I'm sure it's obvious, but I'd take the V2.1 -> V2.3 Workflow and add the steps for the V2.3 -> V2.4 Workflow to give me the full list of changes to expect. 2) Sysplex: I think it is clear in the z/OS Planning for Installation book, that coexistence, fallback, and migration are for both concurrently shared (sysplex) and not concurrently shared (single single time-sliced) environments: "Coexistence occurs when two or more systems at different software levels share resources. The resources could be shared at the same time by different systems in a multisystem configuration, or they could be shared over a period of time by the same system in a single-system configuration." To me, the appender's question about a sysplex told us about his environment, but it didn't make a difference. It still fell into the "coexistence, fallback, migration" support category and needed coexistence APARs (or minimally, research into coexistence APARs) to know what to plan for. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: How to find Life cycle dates for ibm products
Hi Lizette, Might I suggest something much more customized for your system and modern? The z/OSMF Software Management "End of service" report (Maintenance reports -> End of service) is one of the best hidden gems in z/OSMF! https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSLTBW_2.4.0/com.ibm.zosmfdeployment.help.doc/izuDhpActCreateReportEOS.html Also - the input file format that IBM uses has been shared with the ISV community, so this could be exploited by others to give you truly a system-stack view. My only criticism is that I have to shrink my screen down considerably to get the whole "spectrum" view that I want. But this might not be a consideration for you. It is so intuitive to use, you should be able to get immediate reports, if you have z/OSMF set up and have access to Software Management. (And have your software instances set up -- but these take only minutes to do if you haven't done that yet.) Let us know what you think, once you try it out. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
z/OS Upgrade Information
Hello All, You might be wondering, I'm seeing all the z/OS V2.4 books, but where is the z/OS Migration book? As we've announced many moons ago, the Migration book has been removed, and been replaced with the z/OS Upgrade Workflow, found here: https://github.com/IBM/IBM-Z-zOS/tree/master/zOS-Workflow/zOS%20V2.4%20Upgrade%20Workflow (Please read the readme here. Every problem I've heard about from clients is addressed in readme.) If you don't (yet) have z/OSMF Workflow up and running, we've provided an exported view of the workflows that you can find here at the very bottom. We are aware of some "hot link behaviors" that this exported workflow is currently experiencing and are working on fixing that - please be patient. https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSLTBW_2.4.0/com.ibm.zos.v2r4.e0zm100/abstract.htm The exported view is suitable for viewing, searching, and even printing (if you like to kill trees). You can also export the workflow yourself, after you have created it in z/OSMF, to do better filtering for your enterprise. We do welcome comments you have on the z/OS V2.4 Upgrade Workflows! I encourage people to use the workflow instead of the exported file. The workflow really does have some significant advantages. -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.4 Announcement Letter
All, For many of the newly announced z/OS V2.4 functions, you might want to get an "education module" from here: https://github.com/IBM/IBM-Z-zOS/tree/master/zOS-Education/zOS-V2.4-Education There are 60+ small PDFs that give good overall description, value, and implementation information specifically for an enhancement. Although the official documentation is the best place to look, the purpose of these small PDFs are to give you a look at the function wouldn't have to bounce between books to gather all the information yourself. Hope this might help those that are looking for more information on a newly announced function. -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.4 documentation observation.
Hi All, I just received this handy URL for finding all the z/OS V2.4 PDFs zipped up, and with an index! I've downloaded the file, unzipped it, and done some searches. For what I was looking for, I found what I needed nicely. https://t.co/eKOUGUydO8 -Marna WALLE z/OS Install and Upgrade, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: zos program to supply web based client
I saw a presentation on IBM z/OS Connect EE. Might this be an option?? (I've never used it, so only suggesting something to quickly review.) https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SS4SVW_2.0.0/com.ibm.zosconnect.doc/overview/what_is.html -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Thanks For All the Fish
Elardus, Yes...that SMP/E REPORT MISSINGMENTOR I can't get resolved... -Marna WALLE -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Knowledge Centre - (was Re: Rant)
Carmen (and others): As you know, I've been "vocal" about getting KC (at least on the internet) to a point where I can better do my job. We do have some RFEs out there which you might want to vote on and which I agree with: Currently at 19 votes as an Uncommitted Candidate, "IBM KnowledgeCenter is Difficult to Use Especially for Searching within a Manual" (deals with a "one book" search and knowing what book you are going to): https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rfe/execute?use_case=viewRfe_ID=93288 Currently at 20 votes as a "Submitted" , "IBM KnowledgeCenter is Difficult to Use Especially for Searching within a Manual": https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rfe/execute?use_case=viewRfe_ID=90793 We have had some improvements here, and I do still want a couple more - particularly the same-book-search capability. The RFEs above are the ones that I'm watching. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Upgrade IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: SSH
Scott, You might want to check out new APAR OA55437.Note, however, this is just one use of ICSF that has been removed, there are still plenty of other functions in z/OS that do require that ICSF is active. (And as Timothy says, ICSF doesn't absolutely require the Crypto card to be active, but it does help.) If you saw in the z/OS V2.3 documentation (specifically the migration information) that an ICSF card was required, please let me know. I do see lots of references that we require ICSF to be active for lots of functions (and I'd anticipate there'll be more on that list in the future). -Marna WALLE z/OS System Install and Migration, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: RACF protection of a volume
I was thinking of possibly another method that you could look at...how about making that volume have a READ-ONLY attribute in HCD? Read up on this, as there are some restrictions. Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Migration IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: zOSMF - remove plug-in
Hi Dave, This is an "understood" current situation today, which we know would be nice to fix. Remember, if you are using an external application (technically not a plug-in), like SDSF, you can remove it dynamically. SDSF has the doc to do that, as it's quite easy. -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Migration IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: z/OS 2.3 PFA and JAVA
Hi Mark, As you might have seen, JAVA is not included in z/OS and so you have to order what you need. So, it really is something that you need to keep track of and make sure you have based on which functions you use. Yes, I know that is easier said than done. That is one of the reasons why we have support to run so many concurrently. And allow so many of them to be ordered with z/OS. All of z/OS's functional dependencies are documented in z/OS Planning for Installation book, in the very important chapter "Software requirements for running z/OS V2R3". This section is critical to read if you need to know what you need for z/OS V2.3. In there, it has "Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) requires IBM 31-Bit SDK for z/OS, Java 2 Technology Edition V8 (5655-DGG) or later. PFA does not support the 64-bit version of this SDK." You can find them all here: https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSLTBW_2.3.0/com.ibm.zos.v2r3.e0zb100/pgmreqs.htm Hope this helps! -Marna WALLE, z/OS Installation and Migration, IBM Poughkeepsie. -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: IBM Education Assistance on Redbooks
Thanks, Parwez, for pointing folks to the right place! In fact, I just added another six IEA modules to that link for JES2, RACF, and z/OSMF just now. Just to be aware, as you can see we moved our IEA modules to github which is our new central repository for z/OS IEA modules. We also have there some z/OSMF Workflows, and some other "tools and toys" goodies. We are looking at expanding this repository for some other z/OS items in the future, so it is worth it to bookmark and occasionally visit: https://github.com/IBM/IBM-Z-zOS Thanks, Marna WALLE z/OS Installation and Migration IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: zOSMF and CMF?
I think this matter has been settled already, but just to add. You must have enabled RMF (in IFAPRDxx) to use Resource Monitoring in z/OSMF. This is from the z/OSMF Config book for Resource Monitoring: "Enable the optional priced feature, Resource Measurement Facility (RMF), on one of the systems in your enterprise." Just as something to think about in general: the z/OSMF plugins for optional priced features do look at if you've got it enabled (in IFAPRDxx), so that you can't go 'around' enablement verification. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation and Migration IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Looking for New Function APARs across the entire z/OS platform?
Hello Gil, What's eligible? Well, anything *could* be eligible :). What will actually make it through as a continuous delivery function? I can't really say as it depends on a lot of things. What is certain, if anyone really needs or wants a function, the best way is always to get an RFE in, or comment on an existing RFE. SHARE "top" lists (which are a list of hot RFEs) are also an excellent way to contribute. On a personal note: I've found several things I've personally needed and wanted in z/OSMF Workflows. Those items *have* been selected as continuous delivery functions. -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Looking for New Function APARs across the entire z/OS platform?
Hi Ronald, I, too, had a problem several months ago. I believe what I ended up doing was deleting my current subscription and creating a new one. Everything since I did that seems to be fine. I did try to find out what was wrong, and there was a glitch somewhere in the process, and it was corrected. Nevertheless, I still deleted and re-created my subscription. If you still are seeing a problem today, let me know and I'll find the same people I used before. -Marna WALLE z/OS Installation, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
Re: Looking for New Function APARs across the entire z/OS platform?
Hi Bob, Two people here have tried with these browsers, and we were able to get to all 3 files: IE 11, FF ESR 45.4.0, Chrome 53.0.2785.143 m, and Safari. If you want to send me more details, I can forward to one of the web groups to see if they can identify the problem. This new page and files were modeled after the Enhanced HOLDDATA page and files. -Marna WALLE z/OS System Installation, IBM Poughkeepsie -- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
