IMS/DB and IMS/TM for technical support

This RSM course introduces and explains in detail IMS on-line operations. It provides the essential cross-training for systems support specialists from parallel disciplines such as z/OS, CICS, COBOL, or Db2. Attendees will learn effective IMS system administration, based on a comprehensive insight into the structure and function of the IMS processes and resources, together with the parameters and operator commands that control them. Typical problems are demonstrated, emphasizing the identification of the appropriate skills and the utility procedures required to resolve them. Practical exercises reinforce the formal tuition sessions. These include hands-on access to the IVP sample applications, together with recovery from various system failures. Following this course, attendees will be able to provide stand-by support to their IMS colleagues (following an overview of the standards, conventions, and procedures, used in their own IMS department).On successful completion of this course, attendees will be able to:

  • describe the role of the Systems Administrator, and the terms, activities, and functions specific to the role
  • describe the process of a Control Blocks generation, and implementation via Online Change
  • follow the path of a Transaction through an Online IMS system identifying supporting buffer pools, datasets, and parameter definitions
  • explain the internal functions for effective selection of system definition and tuning options
  • identify problem areas and assist in resolution efforts with appropriate functional specialists
  • maximize IMS performance to meet critical application requirements within the scope of available resources.

Schedule

datedur.lang.locationprice 
08 Apr5Eweb based 2825 EUR (excl. VAT)
03 Jun5Eweb based 2825 EUR (excl. VAT)
SESSION INFO AND ENROLMENT

Intended for

Systems personnel who will participate in the support of system maintenance, problem determination and tuning in the IMS environment.

Background

A general understanding of MVS, ISPF, VSAM and at least one year of experience in providing technical support to MVS, CICS, COBOL, WebSphereMQ, or a similar area.

Main topics

  • IMS and the System Administrator

The System Administrator; Useful skills; Tasks; keep it running; Configuration updates; Resources; Machine readable; Other players; IMS System Programmer; MVS Systems Programmer; VTAM System Programmer; DBAs; Security System Programmers; Security Administrators; Storage Management Administrator; Applications Programmer.

  • Overview and Definitions

IMS configurations - batch and online; The Control Region (CTL); The DLI Separate Address Space (DLISAS); The Database Recovery Control Region (DBRC); The IMS Resource Lock Manager (IRLM); The Message Processing Region; The Batch Message Processing Region (BMP); The IMS Fast Path region (IFP); IMS configurations - DB/TM, DBCTL or DCCTL; Extended Recovery Facility (XRF); Remote Site Recovery; IMS and the MVS environment; IMS and the network; Extended Terminal Option.

  • The Life Cycle of a Message

Message arrival and queuing summary; Operational datasets, Program Scheduling; Database access; Output queuing.

  • Message Scheduling

IMS message scheduling & processing; Driving factor for MPR environment; Transaction-related scheduling attributes; Transaction-related advanced scheduling attributes; Transaction-related scheduling attribute limits (continued); Region scheduling attributes; Quick reschedule; Pseudo wait-for-input; Ruling factors; Other MPR scheduling factors; BMP scheduling and processing; Fast path regions; Scheduling & processing summary.

  • Control Blocks

Database macro function; Application definition macro function; PSB handling; Dynamic PSB option; DBD handling; VTAM control blocks.

  • PROCLIB Definition

How IMS uses PROCLIB; DBRC and DLISAS; MSDB specification; Use of Disabled Reference; Page fixing areas of storage; Activating XRF; Pre-initialization routines; Module pre-load list; Control region execution parameters; Buffer definitions; Virtual fetch; OSAM specifications; VSAM specifications; Sequential buffering; Logging datasets; Trace and serviceability options; LU 6.2 device descriptors.

  • Commands

IMS command entry methods; IMS command format; Altering IMS parameters;

  • Setup and Execution

Control region START command; DLISAS and DBRC startup; True batch; On-call functions; Starting IMS; The workers; Shutting down IMS components; Shutting down IMS.

  • IMS Logging

Concepts; Logging entities; OLDS - Online Log Data Set; OLDS recording characteristics; WADS - Write Ahead Data Set; SLDS & RLDS; Restart Data Set; Record layout; Logical/physical logging; Functions; Reading the log records.

  • DBRC Considerations

DBRC overview; RECON initialization and structure; RECON records; Maintaining the RECONs; Migrating RECONs to new release; Skeletal JCL; Log maintenance JCL; Entering commands online; Batch command support; Database registration; RECON maintenance.

  • Storage Manager

Storage pools; Fixed storage pools; Storage manager pools; Pool structure; Buffer pool definitions; DFSSPMxx PROCLIB member; Execute parameter changes; Pool allocation; Storage usage; Storage manager trace facility; /DISPLAY POOL command; System checkpoint statistics; Log record contents; Tuning.

  • Installation

Planning for IMS; System Modification Program Extended (SMP/E); IMS distribution libraries; IMS target libraries; Installation SYSGEN; The system generation process; INSTALL/IVP dialog.

  • MVS Considerations

System integration; IMS libraries; Updating MVS for IMS; MVS modules & tables.

  • VTAM Considerations

VTAM considerations; Multiple System Coupling (MSC); Intersystem Communication (ISC).

  • System Definition

Base system definition; Macro coding requirements; The system definition file; System Configuration; Application and Database; Data Communications; The IMS parameter pyramids; Application parameters; SYSTEM parameters.

  • Extended Terminal Option

Overview; Benefits; Static terminal definition; Dynamic (ETO) definition; Implementation; Exits in support of ETO; Dead letter queue; Session establishment; Sign-on processing; Sign-on information sources; AUTOLOGON; AUTOLOGON processing; ETO compatibility options.

  • Exits

Why use exits?; Basic coding requirements; How exits are invoked; Commonly used exits.

  • External Subsystem

External Subsystem Attach Facility (ESAF); External Subsystem Attachment Package (ESAP); ESAP resources; External Subsystem Module Table (ESMT); Resource Translation Table (RTT); Basic ESAP processing; Subsystem connections; External subsystem considerations; The IMS attachment; Installing the IMS attachment; Make the Db2 libraries available to IMS; IMS subsystem member; Resource Translation Table (RTT); IMS/Db2 batch; IMS dependent region; associated subsystems & functions: WebSphere MQ, CICS, ODBA, IMS Connect.

  • Security

Overview of IMS security; Security-related SYSGEN macros; Security Maintenance Utility (SMU); SMU job stream; SMU statements; Security examples; Requiring sign-on; Application control; Security for ETO terminals; Security for APPC.

  • Problem Determination

Overview; DB/TC; ESTAE; Corollary address spaces; MVS failures; Control region failures; System DS failures; Log errors; Dependent region failures; Application program failures; Region controller failure; Data base failures; Write errors; Read errors; IRLM failures; IRLM restart; Database problems; Scheduling failures; Operational dataset problems; Db2; DBCTL/CCTL.

  • Establishing a Performance Baseline

Define service levels; Establish performance objectives; Establish transaction profiles; Develop a monitoring strategy; Establish monitoring techniques; Continuous monitoring; Monitoring for performance tuning; Establish base profiles; Guideline numbers.

  • IMS Monitor Reports

Using the IMS monitor; Starting the IMS monitor; Run profile report; Reports report; Region summary report; Region occupancy report; Region IWAIT report; Program elapsed time; Program I/O report; Program summary report; Message format buffer pool report; Message queue pool report; Data base buffer pool report; VSAM buffer pool report.

  • IMS General Tuning Considerations

Address space dispatching priorities; Library and DASD allocations; Fixing buffer pools; MFS general tuning considerations; MPR loading programs; Overview of VLF/LLA; External trace facility; Trace data sets; External trace activation.

  • IMS Time Controlled Operations

TCO overview; TCO capability; TCO command source; TCO exit routine; TCO verification utility; TCO operator control.

  • Parallel Sysplex Overview

Parallel sysplex; Sysplex timer; Coupling facility; Cross-System Extended Services (XES); Hardware components; Cross-System Coupling Facility (XCF); CF structures; Parallel sysplex services.

  • Shared Databases

Data sharing: then and now; Block Level Data Sharing (BLDS); Required for data sharing; BLDS setup (IMS); BLDS setup (IRLM); BLDS setup (CFRM policy); Benefits of BLDS.

  • Shared Message Queues

Shared databases; Shared queues; Common Queue Server (CQS); Shared queue setup (IMS); Shared queue setup (CQS); Shared queues setup (sample CQS job); Shared queues setup (CQS CHKPT DS); Shared queues setup (SRDS); Shared queues setup (CFRM policy); Shared queues setup (logger policy).

  • Common Service Layer

IStructured Call Interface; Operations Manager; Single Poiint of Control (SPOC); Resource Manager.

  • Some Base Enhancements

IMS and APPC; APPC VTAM definitions; APPC parm member APPCPMxx; LU descriptor definition (DFS62DTx); APPC uses; APPC commands; IMS and OTMA; OTMA definitions; OTMA commands.

Training method

Typical problems are demonstrated, emphasizing the identification of the appropriate skills and the utility procedures required to resolve them. Practical exercises reinforce the formal tuition sessions. These include hands-on access to the IVP sample applications, together with recovery from various system failures.

Duration

5 days.

Course leader

RSM Technology.

Reviews

A good introduction to the work of an IMS SYSPROG

 
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Very good

 
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Good overall

 
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SESSION INFO AND ENROLMENT