Objectives

• describe the mainframe hardware components
• explain how I/O components are configured and used
• describe the main features of z/OS and its associated system software
• explain the relationship between the hardware and software
• explain the relationship between MVS and its associated components
• understand how to use an MVS system via TSO and batch jobs
• describe how data is managed by SMS.

Who Should Attend

All programmers, senior operations staff and other IS personnel requiring an understanding of z/OS.

Prerequisites

Attendance of RSM’s course The IBM Mainframe Computing Environment or equivalent knowledge is recommended, as is an understanding of TSO and JCL.

Duration

2 days

Fee

£795 (ex. VAT)

Course Code

1011

Contents

The z/OS Platform
The components of a mainframe computer; Real Storage; Central Processing Unit (CPU); Channel Subsystems (CSS); What is a computer program?; A computer program needs memory; A Control Program; Multiple programs in memory; Multiprogramming; The concept of Interrupts; The purpose of an Operating System - summary; Middleware; The System 370/390/z architectures; MVS - z/OS operating systems; The history of MVS; New release cycle for z/OS; IBM zSeries processors; PR/SM; Logical Partitioning (LPAR); CF partition; Logical Partitions; Resource distribution in LPAR mode; The parallel sysplex; The Coupling Facility (CF).

I/O Devices in for z/OS
Input/Output devices; Storage devices: Non-storage devices; The I/O configuration; I/O processing in principle; The channel concept; ESCON; FICON – FIbre CONnection: Control units, Device numbers, One control unit – many channels; Shared DASD; Tape devices; Tape robots; IBM’s Virtual Tape Server; I/O devices – disk; Mainframe disks (DASD); RAID devices; The Coupling Facility (CF); I/O devices – networks and terminals; Network controllers; I/O devices – printers; Character/image printers; Line printers; Page printers; Printer attachments; The I/O configuration in an IBM-type mainframe; The hardware definition – IOCP; The Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD); The software that supports I/O in MVS.

MVS Overview
What hardware can do; Software responsibilities; MVS – an operating system; MVS components; MVS – always in storage; Getting real work out of it; Initiators; The application program; Program Execution Environments; Running ‘real’ programs; Job Management; Resource Control; Allocation; Task Management; Program Management; Supervisor Services; Storage Management; I/O processing; Access Methods; IOS drivers; I/O Supervisor (IOS); I/O processing; Workload Manager (WLM); Recovery Termination Manager (RTM); Abnormal termination – application; Sysplex; Using sysplex; MVS components that can use sysplex; Other components that use sysplex; Parallel sysplex; Exploiting the parallel sysplex.

z/OS Data Handling
Data access methods; Data structure: VSAM, OAM, BSAM, QSAM, BPAM, BDAM; Batch systems access; Utilities: Text editor, Assembler, Compilers, Binder, Interpreters; Networks; Teleprocessing definition; Development of teleprocessing systems; Types of teleprocessing systems; Elements of a teleprocessing system; Application program; Teleprocessing access method; Communications controller; Devices to connect mainframe to communications line; Communications line; Cluster controller and terminals; Mainframe networking protocols; SNA; TCP/IP; How is z/OS communications software packaged?; Importance of a teleprocessing system.

The Total Mainframe Software Package
Mainframe software control; A typical MVS system; IBM system software; System Software in the MVS environment; MVS Operating Systems; Required add-on products; DFSMS/MVS; Important operating system software; Communications system software; Network support in MVS: SNA, TCP/IP; Transaction Managers and Data Base Systems; IBM has two main TM systems; There are two DB systems available from IBM; Application development tools in MVS; High level languages; Support for C in MVS; Visual programming; MVS related products.

Working with MVS
Starting a TSO session; VTAM application selection; TSO logon panel; TSO logon procedure; TSO logon in progress; ISPF primary options; UNIX support in z/OS; The Kernel address spaces; Using UNIX services; Additional address spaces; File systems; The UNIX Shell; ISHELL ISPF panels; Batch processing; JCL statements; One or more jobs in a JCL stream; Getting a batch job into the system; Batch job queues.

Data Management
ICF catalogs; ICF components; ICF catalog layout; HSM functional overview; HSM as part of SMS; SMS managed data.