SMP/E and z/OSMF for Installation & Maintenance

An absolutely essential course for all z/OS Systems Programmers, this five-day course is a complete introduction to the use of SMP/E for installing new software and applying changes to existing software (PTFs, APARs, etc.) for the z/OS environment.
All the important aspects of using SMP/E are covered, including a detailed explanation of what happens 'under the covers'.
The course contains valuable and extensive hands-on exercises that demonstrate all the major aspects of using SMP/E to install products and apply maintenance.
Recently upgraded and updated to take into account the use of z/OS Management Facility (z/OSMF), which delivers solutions in a task-oriented, web browser-based user interface with integrated user assistance. This course is also available for exclusive, one-company presentations and for publicly scheduled live presentation over the Internet, via the Virtual Classroom Environment service.

Virtual Classroom Environment dates - click to book!

UK Start Times

24 February 2025 4 August 2025

What is a 'Virtual Classroom Environment'?

What do I need?

webcam
headphones with microphone
sufficient bandwidth, at least 1.5 Mb/s in each direction.

What you will learn

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

explain what SMP/E is and how it works and describe the SMP/E installation process
install products & service (PTFs & APARs) in a z/OS environment (including related products such as CICS, Db2, etc.)
identify and correct common SMP/E installation problems
understand the major configuration and control options available in SMP/E
discuss the various product and service delivery options available from IBM (including ServerPac, CBPDO, ESO and RSU)
interpret the output produced during SMP/E processing
resolve maintenance conflicts using appropriate SMP/E reports
correctly handle missing prerequisite, requisite, and conditional requisite conditions
resolve error holds using both automatic and manual procedures
correctly install products and service in a cross-zone environment
explain what z/OSMF is and what it does
logon to z/OSMF and use Software Management
describe the theory behind ServerPac
discuss the differences between Portable Software Instance and a Software Instance
use the steps taken in Software Management to install z/OS and a Software Product
run reports from Software Management
install Maintenance using Software Update.

Who Should Attend

Systems Programmers and technicians responsible for installing products and for providing service in the z/OS environment.

Prerequisites

Attendees must be able to use TSO/ISPF, write JCL and run batch jobs, as well as having a clear understanding of the z/OS environment.

Duration

5 days

Fee (per attendee)

£2500 (ex VAT)

This includes free online 24/7 access to course notes.

Hard copy course notes are available on request from rsmshop@rsm.co.uk

at £50.00 plus carriage per set.

Course Code

MSMPX

SMP/E Overview

What is 'System Modification Program Extended'?; What makes a product?; SMP/E elements; How products are packaged; System modifications; SMP/E database; Receiving a SYSMOD; Applying, accepting and restoring a SYSMOD; System Generation; Consolidated Software Inventory; CSI configuration option; Invoking SMP/E.

RECEIVE Processing

The RECEIVE process; Modification Control Statements; MCS: header statement functions, software environment statement; the Global Zone definition entry; GZONE entry example; Global Zone options entry; options entry example; Global Zone utility entry; Utility entry example; SMP/E allocation; Global Zone DDDEF entry; DDDEF entry example; review of Global Zone entries; creating Global Zone entries - UCLIN; relative file packaged tapes; receive processing; Global Zone sysmod entry example; Exception sysmods; held sysmod entry example; Holddata example; the RECEIVE command; Sysmod entry with SOURCEID example; REPORT SOURCEID output examples; SMP/E dialogs primary option menu & query selection menus.

APPLY Processing

Product function & installation methods; Target Zone definition entry; TZONE entry example; Target Zone DDDEF entry; Target Zone DDDEF entry example; Target Zone DDDEF PATH entry; Target Zone DDDEF PATH entry example; MAC, SRC, and MOD element MCS; Data Element MCS; Program Element MCS; identifying the target system structure; how JCLIN processing works; JCLIN processing example; JCLIN report example; JCLIN - MAC and ASSEM entries; JCLIN - MOD and LMOD entries; JCLIN - DLIB entries; Invoking JCLIN; the save control dataset; determining target libraries; apply processing; concatenating macro libraries for assemblies; SYSLIB DDDEF example; the APPLY command; Target Zone SYSMOD entry example; element service level; Target Zone MAC and SRC element entries; Target Zone MOD and DATA element entries; base and dependent functions revisited; replacing an existing product; Sysmod installation via the SMP/E dialogs; SMP/E dialogs - sysmod management options.

ACCEPT Processing

Function installation methods; Distribution Zone definition entry; DZONE entry example; Distribution Zone DDDEF entries; Distribution Zone DDDEF entry example; ACCEPT processing; concatenating macro libraries for assemblies; the ACCEPT command; Distribution Zone SYSMOD entry example; Distribution Zone MAC and SRC element entries; Distribution Zone MOD and DATA element entries; Sysmod installation via the SMP/E dialogs; SMP/E dialogs - sysmod management options.

Product Maintenance

Product maintenance (service); product maintenance sysmods; product maintenance sysmod naming convention; product maintenance ++VER statement; updating MAC and SRC elements; updating MOD (and LMOD) elements; Sysmod relationships; the prerequisite relationship; the requisite relationship; the supersede relationship; the negative prerequisite relationship; TZONE sysmod entries - examples; related APPLY command parameters; element service level; tracking the service level of an element; element entries - service level; exception sysmods; resolving error holds; resolving system holds; the RELEASE MCS statement; maintenance exposure; the REPORT ERROR SYSMODS command; Sysmod regression; Sysmod construction rules; managing regression; restore processing; concatenating macro libraries for assemblies; the RESTORE command; Sysmod relationships and restore; Reject processing; the REJECT command.

Additional SMP/E Features

The conditional requisite relationship; the REPORT CROSSZONE command; cross product 'borrowing' - the problem, the solution; cross zone 'borrowing' - the problem, the solution; callable services support; processing SYSLIB in JCLIN; CALLIBS in LMOD element entries; installing LMODs that use CALLIBS; the zone management commands; installing SYSGEN and SMP/E products; the GENERATE command; the CLEANUP command; descriptive MCS statements; product and feature entries.

Installing Products and Service

Reporting problems to the vendor; Preparing for installation; Installing maintenanc; Product delivery mechanisms used by IBM; CustomPac service; The Recommended Service Upgrade; ShopzSeries; PSP buckets; HOLD FIXCAT; Fix Categories; Receiving FIXCAT HOLDs; APPLY / ACCEPT FIXCAT operand; REPORT MISSINGFIX command.

Understanding z/OS Management Facility

Objectives; The reason for z/OSMF; z/OSMF user interface; z/OSMF as a Client/Server application; z/OSMF - other interfaces; The use of ZIIPs; z/OSMF available tasks; z/OSMF tasks in detail; Logging on to z/OSMF; Desktop vs Classic Style; Cloud provisioning and management.

ServerPac Theory

Goals of ServerPac; Using ServerPac Dialogs; ServerPac options; Global variables; Zones; Volumes; Datasets; Catalogs; Aliases; Installation; Submitting the jobs.

z/OSMF Software Management - Installation

z/OSMF software management - installation; Installion strategy; What is z/OSMF Software Management?; What is a 'Software Instance'; Installing a Software Instance; System and Global Zone6; Target Zones; Categories; Non-SMPE Managed Datasets; Products and Features; Software Instances; What is a 'Portable Software Instance'?; Acquiring a Portable Software Instance: download direct to z/OS; Acquiring a Portable Software Instance: Store and Forward to z/OS; nstall a Portable Software Instance overview; Select the source; Select the Deployment objective from the Checklist; z/OSMF Software Management Topology; Select the Deployment objective; Check for missing SYSMODs from the checklist; Select the reports to be generated; Configure this Deployment from the checklist; Configure; DLIBS and using a model; SMPE zones and datasets; Datasets; Catalogs; Volumes; UNIX mount points; Validate, Generate Jobs and Summarise; Submit the Generated Jobs; Perform Workflows; Running the workflows; Complete the Deployment; Review the Deployment; Additional items when installing z/OS; Existing z/OS 2.4 master catalog; Install z/OS 2.5 using existing master catalog; Install z/OS 2.5 using existing master catalog + indirect cataloging; Install z/OS 2.5 creating a new master catalog; Install z/OS 2.5 creating a new master catalog + indirect cataloging; Modify datasets; Modify catalogs; Submitted jobs; Post deployment.

z/OSMF Software Update

Actions for Software Update; Additional actions for Software Update; Methods for applying PTFs; Software Instances and zones; Install updates - Corrective; Preparing updates; Identifying holds; Resolving holds; Verifying updates; Pre-install summary; Installing updates; Review post-installation HOLDS; Post-installation summary; Install updates - recommended; Install updates - functional; FIXCAT categories.