IMS UG 2013 - IMS Configuration Manager

© 2013 IBM Corporation

IMS Configuration Manager Introduction

IMS Regional User Group Columbus, OH 10/8/2013

Rick Engel IMS Tools – Technical Sales and Support [email protected]

© 2013 IBM Corporation 1 1

Today - Typical Concerns and Challenges

Increased use of data assets Bigger database size Higher demands for continuous data availability (24x7 needs)

New business requirements Enabling host data for access outside of the zSeries (host) platform New governmental regulations

Cost containment Reduce CPU, I/O, and elapsed execution times Budgetary Concerns

Support staff concerns Head count reductions Retirements Experience and knowledge level

The “shrinking skill set” - A top concern for all

© 2013 IBM Corporation 2 2

The “Shrinking Skill Set” – Some observations

Issue: The “z” support community is getting older which creates an impending skills

problem that IT organizations are already beginning to deal with Facts:

80% of IMS DBAs are over the age of 55 Within the next 10 years, this entire group will be moving on to retirement

Most companies have IMS DBAs with 25+ years of experience

Estimates are it takes 5-7 years for someone to become a truly effective DBA

Industry statistics show that on average, new employees will remain on the same job for between 3-5 years

Response:

IT organizations have some “big shoes to fill”

Provide tools that can capture the wealth of experience

Put new tools into place to accelerate the learning curve for next generation IT support people


IMS Configuration Manager



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Components:

Distributed access

Eclipse GUI

Connection Server

Resource Manager

Repository (ICM)

Intelligent Installer

Utilities

• Take-up

• Gen

• Copy

Parameter Management

PROCLIB controls

History

Parameter editor

Product focus:

• Management of IMS parameters

• Management of IMS system resources (DRD and traditional SYSGEN)

• Operations management, understand and debug possible resource definition errors



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Modernize IMS parameter management

• How do you…

– reduce the risk of changing settings that

have not been altered in years?

– identify differences across systems and

LPARs?

– learn about and apply new settings and

parameters?

– ensure a high-level of operational integrity

with less experienced staff?

• IMS Configuration Manager helps

you control, audit, and validate the

parameter definition process

• History record of all changes

• Enterprise view of resources

• Logical search

• Smart editor

• Help

• Validation

Edit Learn

Manage View

Making parameter changes – Is it “Risky Business” for your organization?



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Streamline resource management with DRD

• DRD offers the promise of a modern

approach to application development

and management

– Reduces the need for performing an

IMSGEN

– More flexible and immediate than an

online change

• But can you retain processes, control,

and structure you have developed over

years?

• IMS Configuration Manager adds

structure to the DRD process.

– Maintain your processes but gain the

benefits of DRD

– Add a layer of audit and control that allows

you to open up the process to developers

– Automation and reversibility of change

process

IMS Configuration ManagerComplements DRD; retainsbenefits of both approaches

Dynamic resource definition(DRD)Alternative to IMSGEN

IMSGENBatch system definition process,with online change process

Structured

Controlled

Organized

Immediate

Simple

Flexible



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IMS Configuration Manager - GUI

• Control and manage IMS systems

• Learn and discover the Type 2 commands that are essential to managing your IMS resources

• List and view resources in the IMS Configuration Manager repository and active IMS systems definitions

• Use compare features to highlight differences between environments

• Integrates with IMS Explorer

– Provides an environment that makes it easier to develop IMS applications and understand PSB and DBD definitions

– Better visualization of definitions and changes, and help understanding and building IMS commands



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View resources in the

ICM repository

Manage live systems

Learn the commands required to

get this information



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Manage live systems

Information of interest is highlighted

Customer learns the commands

required to get this information

Live View allows you to view the status of plexes and

systems, issue IMS type 2 commands, and use of

logical navigation to identify issues of interest



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Manage live systems

Search for strings within results Save results

Create advanced filters

Like all of the GUI’s screens you can search within

results, create advanced filters, and then the save

result sets to a file or locally within Eclipse



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Powerful compare capabilities

• Compare command output on different days

• Compare between source and live systems

• Compare between various systems in the same or different plexes.

• Compare allows you to ignore or hide fields that you expect to change

• Define your own keys for comparison purposes



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The “Comparator” feature - Output Example

Highlight status differences relative to a baseline

Identify resources that exist on

one system but do not exist on the

other

Find inconsistencies

With ICM you have capability to tailor the fields of a compare



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System Access Control

• Enables better “devolvement of responsibilities”

– Distribute control of some resource changes to an application

development team

– Protects developers from making inadvertent modifications to

resources not under their control

– Enables application group to control their development systems

• Protects production systems from accidental change

• Implemented using SAF interface with new security class for

profiles



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Transition to ICM is simple

Stage 1

• Structured

• Validated

• Annotated

Batch takeup

• Simple or advanced processing options

• Processes both resources and annotations

• Automated and repeatable (using an extensible macro syntax)

ICM repository

• Retains logical grouping of resources

• Save original annotations

• Record and maintain IMS system association

• Gain additional visualization and validation

First step: Populate the ICM repository from your

Stage 1 source or RDDS



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ICM Processes: Updating resources using DRD

•Forms-based editor

•Search and filters

•Context sensitive help

Edit

•Bundle changes

•Schedule installation

•Protect changes

Package •Automates install

•Maintains audit

•Conditions resources

Install

•Backout installation

•Report on install activity

•Main a log of activity

Audit/Backout

ICM: Command Change Packages - bundle related changes to resources into

a single logical unit. You can use change packages for making dynamic

changes and for IMS cold-start processing



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Structure your process – ISPF Panel examples

When ready, bundle changes in a package

Pick individual resources

Bundle all resources for a

given system

Install or gen the resources

Continue working on the

next update cycle



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IMS Configuration Manager - Resource installer

• The installer provides enhanced services on top of the IMS

type-2 command interface

• “Smart install” - Automatically determines whether an install or

update is required

• Rollback option

• Full-logging of install

activity

• Builds and records system

image



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The installer conditions resources for online installation

• Automated resource installation using documented best

practices

• Identifies resources that are in use

• Can stop new activity to the resource and wait for a specified

duration

• Then retries updating the resources (number of retries

configurable)

• After resource is updated, reactivates the resources



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ICM resource installer - BACKOUT

• Each change that is made is tracked in the repository

• A BACKOUT command can be used to reverse the changes

• Backout allows you to ensure changes you make are

reversible



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IMS parameter management

• Enhanced parameter listing and search

– Semantic search: finds parameters and members based on

keywords; identifies missing parameters and members

– Listing of PROCLIB members that are active on a given system

– Edit history for all members

• Enhanced ISPF edit session that provides:

– Checking of parameter syntax

– Ability to insert parameters from a model

– Context sensitive help for all parameters

– Retains many ISPF edit functions

– Does not alter or modify the member in anyway (unless you

explicitly add or modify parameters)

– Allows you to back up members before saving them

– ** In the future may be extended to perform checking of entire

PROCLIBs



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File Help ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— EDIT DVP.IBDF.VB10.PROCLIB Row 11 of 32 Command ===> Scroll ===> CSR Search . . . DRD Member / * Prompt Lib Created ----- Changed ----- ID DFSDFDVP 1 2009/02/11 2009/02/11 13:26:45 NMC2 COMMON_SERVICE_L=... MODBLKS=... How MODBLKS resources are changed DYNAMIC_RESOURCE=... AUTOEXPORT=... Definitions exported at checkpoint time AUTOIMPORT=... Definitions automatically imported in COLD DCLWA=... Default log write ahead option for created IMPORTERR=... Action on error during automatic import RDDSERR=... Action on error when accessing RDDS RDDSDSN=... List of DSNs for RDDS processing --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DFSDF000 1 COMMON_SERVICE_L=... MODBLKS=DYN /* DRD ENABLED;MODBLKS OLC DYNAMIC_RESOURCE=...

Parameter semantic search – Example for DRD

Finds members and parameters even if they do not exist Context-sensitive help for each parameter



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File Edit Edit_Settings Help ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— EDIT REA.CLIST(DFSDFBLN) - 01.01 Columns 00001 00072 Command ===> Scroll ===> CSR CHECK Validate the member syntax MODEL Insert a new parameter with syntax assistance HELP Press F1 to request parameter sensitive help ****** ***************************** Top of Data ****************************** 000001 /******************************************************************/ 000002 /* Dynamic Resource Definition Section */ 000003 /******************************************************************/ 000004 <SECTION=DYNAMIC_RESOURCES> 000005 RDDSDSN=IMSTESTL.IMS1.RDDS1, ====== +....................................................................... ==MSG> Unmatched parenthesis. RDDSDSN=IMSTESTL 000006 IMSTESTL.IMS1.RDDS2, 000007 IMSTESTL.IMS1.RDDS3,) 000008 AUTOIMPORT=AUTO 000009 AUTOEXPORT=AUTO 000010 IMPORTER=ABORT ====== +....................................................................... ==MSG> Unknown parameter: 'IMPORTER=ABORT' 000011 RDDSERR=ABORT 000012 /******************************************************************/

Parameter “smart editor” feature

- Syntax validation

- Parameter value validation

- Context sensitive help

- Works with existing members

Ensure IMS startup without errors



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Summary conclusions

• IMS Configuration Manager simplifies the management of IMS

resources and parameters

– Using DRD or traditional SYSGEN processes

• Provides the same level of controls you had in a SYSGEN

environment

• The resource installation process is streamlined making it easy to

synchronize offline source with online systems

• The availability of rollback helps customers introduce changes as a

unified set

• Back out provides auditors with peace of mind

• IMS Configuration Manager provides a foundation from which an

end-to-end IMS administration and management system can evolve

“Can you use some planning help for in DRD?”



Migration to IMS DRD Planning Workshop:

• DRD means “Dynamic Resource Definition”

‒ Available since IMS V10: Designed to allow for non-disruption of IMS systems in

order to implement system resource changes (Ex: programs, transactions,

databases, terminal devices)

‒ Fact: Most IMS customers have not taken steps to implement DRD. Why is that ?

Skills challenged and resource shortage, not ‘enough’ time

Can be a ‘complex task’, careful planning and implementation needed

“Fear factor” – a major change in their approach to managing IMS systems

• Messages delivered:

‒ The DRD advantage: Provide confidence and motivation to the customer for moving

to use DRD

‒ Education on the migration process, provide guidance to the customer on steps to

undertake

‒ The IMS Configuration Manager tool is designed to provide an ‘ease of use’ path to

DRD and the functionalities for the administration and tracking of ‘dynamic change’.

• Multitude of session topics are available:

‒ Agenda is customized to a customer’s specific interests and needs

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IMS and DB2 Backup and Recovery Workshop:

• Some basic “pain points” addressed:

‒ Needs for coordinated IMS and DB2 application backup and positioning data

recovery to a common ‘synched’ point-in-time

‒ Reduce total spend (including CPU cost) on backup-type processing

Fact: Majority of customer spend on data management processes on z is in

‘backup processing’. Typically at 60-70%, what is their ROI on this spend ?


‒ Value in ‘centralized control’ of data backups

‒ Importance of tested disaster (DR) and local recovery methodologies

‒ Local application recovery and DR solutions are tied together

‒ Coordinated IMS and DB2 recovery to a consistent point in time

‒ Value emphasis on IBM Tools participating in ‘Storage Mirroring’ environments



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Migration to IMS HALDB Planning Workshop:

• HALDB means “High Availability Large Database”

‒ Available since IMS V7: Designed to allow for a partitioned database structure to

address needs of larger database sizes. Works to promote higher database

availability by segregating data in key ranges by partition.

‒ Fact: Most IMS customers have taken steps to leverage use of HALDB.

Have you? No ? … Why not?

Skills challenges, not ‘enough’ time

Can be a ‘complex task’, thoughtful planning and implementation needed

“Fear factor” – a major change in their approach to managing IMS systems and applications


‒ The HALDB advantage: Provide confidence and motivation to the customer for

moving to the use of HALDB databases

‒ Education on the migration process, provide guidance to the customer on steps to

undertake

‒ The HALDB Toolkit tool is designed to provide an ‘ease of use’ migration path to

HALDB DRD and functionalities for the subsequent administration of HALDBs

• Agenda is customized to a customer’s specific interests and needs

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Mining for MIPS:

• Some basic pain points addressed

‒ IMS is the ‘work horse’ database engine in our environment, how do I ensure that performance is

at its optimum level ?

What means are there for performance measurement, trend analysis, ‘bottleneck’ identification ?

Dynamic IMS buffer pools in V13, how can I take advantage of this ?

‒ Long running IMS batch processes have impacted our SLAs, online data availability

Do I have a ‘tuning’ opportunity ? How do I identify areas of potential improvement ?

‒ Growing overall CPU usage is creating financial pressures to our budget and organization

Where am I spending “CPU” ? How can I address this critical business concern ?

‒ Messages delivered:

‒ Working to ensure the optimization of business applications using the IMS DBMS is a continuous

process; performance degradation is a by-product if this task is taken lightly or ignored

‒ IBM’s IMS Tools provide many capabilities that are designed to address the common concerns

and needs in IMS for ‘performance and tuning’



‒ Can be combined with DB2 topics as well

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• IBM IMS Configuration Manager website:

http://www.ibm.com/software/data/db2imstools/imstools/i

ms-configuration-manager/

• IBM - North America IMS Tools Technical Sales team

• Rick Engel: [email protected]

• Raquel Carvallo: [email protected]

• Richard Phipps: [email protected]

For more information

http://www.ibm.com/software/data/db2imstools/imstools/ims-configuration-manager/






mailto:[email protected]



Technology

IMS UG 2013 - IMS Configuration Manager