z/OS Foundation Skills Programme - Part 2

This five-day course is Part 2 of RSM's newly designed and built z/OS Foundation Skills Programme. Following on from Part 1 of the programme, which introduced the Z Systems environment and taught the use of TSO/ISPF, this stage of the programme firstly introduces and teaches the use of z/OS Job Control Language. An understanding of JCL and the ability to use it is essential knowledge for all those working in technical roles within a z/OS environment. Students will learn the coding of job control statements to execute programs and access datasets, as well as how to write and test catalogued procedures.
The course then goes on to provide a view of z/OS and its job entry subsystem JES2, from an operational (production environment) perspective. The system's functions are demonstrated by following a sequence that begins with the start-up of the system (IML and IPL) and then follows how the system controls the application workload coming through and exiting the system. Importantly, the operator's ability to control this process is examined and explained in detail.

This course is also available for one-company, on-site presentations and for live presentation over the Internet, via the Virtual Classroom Environment service.

What you will learn

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

state the purpose of each z/OS job control statement
code JCL statements to access disk and cartridge files
describe and use the commonly used parameters
correct syntax errors in JCL statements
code in-stream procedures and override, nullify and add parameters
appreciate the implications of SMS when using z/OS JCL
describe how z/OS & JES2 relate to each other
use the console to issue commands
interpret z/OS & JES2 messages
use console control (K) commands
describe the uses of the master console
list the uses of the HMC
invoke the IPL process
explain the difference between 'cold' and 'warm' starts in z/OS
start and stop JES2, and explain the process
bring down (stop) the z/OS system
list the different device types
manage z/OS and JES2 devices
describe the differences between batch, started tasks and TSO
start and stop batch started tasks
display & control job queues in JES2
display and control active jobs in z/OS
control Initiators
control Started Tasks
display and manage JES2 output queues
describe the concept of system dumps
manage system problem situations.

Who Should Attend

RSM's z/OS Foundation Skills programme is suitable for all new and trainee operators and technicians who will be working in a z/OS-based production environment.

Prerequisites

Prior attendance on z/OS Foundation Skills - Part 1 or equivalent knowledge and experience.

Duration

5 days

Fee (per attendee)

£2550 (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

ZFS2

z/OS: Structure & Components

z/OS background and history; MVS main memory and virtual storage; MVS versions; Address space layout; Common area; Private area; Main components of z/OS; z/OS processing environments: On-line, TSO, ISPF, Batch; MVS spooling; Other program products and their functions.

Introduction to z/OS Job Control Language

Basic job structure; Job stream processing; JCL output; JCL statement types; JCL statement format and coding rules; JES2 control statements; JES3 control statements; JCL error points.

The JOB Statement

The JOB statement overview; Accounting information - positional; Programmer's name - positional; Keyword parameters; Other keyword parameters; Example JOB statements

The EXEC Statement

The EXEC statement; EXEC format - program; EXEC format - procedure; EXEC keyword parameters; Other EXEC keyword parameters; COND parameter; EVEN or ONLY; Example EXEC statements; EXEC statement summary. Covers the differences between executing a program and a procedure. Parameters used when a program is executed are explained.

Printing & In-stream Data

Print files & In-stream data; Printing: Examples, DEST, COPIES, DCB; Output statement; OUTPUT statement: Implicit, Explicit, Multiple output; Output statement parameters; Examples; OUTDISP parameter; In-stream data.

The DD Statement

The DD statement; DD parameters: DSN, DISP, UNIT and VOL; SMS considerations; DD statement summary: Existing catalogued dataset, Existing non-catalogued dataset.

The DD Statement - Working with Datasets

Dataset types; Sequential datasets; Partitioned Data Sets; VSAM datasets; BUFNO; Accessing existing datasets; Creating new non-VSAM datasets; Data Control Block parameters; SPACE parameter; Space allocation DSCBs; System Managed Storage: Disk datasets with SMS, Space allocation with SMS. DCB parameters with SMS; Creating VSAM datasets in JCL; Generation datasets; SMS GDG considerations; Stages in creating a generation dataset; Tape datasets; . LABEL parameter; DD statement summary; Creating a new dataset on disk - non-SMS; Creating a new tape dataset.

Further DD Considerations

Special ddnames; JOBLIB; STEPLIB; Dump datasets; Concatenated datasets; Temporary dataset names; Dummy datasets

Procedures

JCL procedures; In-stream procedures; What a catalogued procedure cannot contain; Cataloguing a procedure; INCLUDE statement; Calling a procedure; Symbolic parameters; Examples of symbolic translation; Default parameters; Resolving symbolic parameters; SET statement; Modifying EXEC statement parameters; Modifying DD parameters; Concatenated data sets; Adding DD statements; Substitution prefixes; Using a standard COBOL compile/link/go procedure.

Conditional JCL Statements

The general construct; Name field; Relational-expression field; Relational-expression keywords; Comparison operators; Logical operators; NOT operator; Order of priority of operators; Parentheses; THEN and ELSE clauses; Contents of THEN and ELSE clauses; IF/THEN/ELSE/ENDIF and COND.

Common MVS Abend Codes

Problem handling; Program abends; Common MVS completion codes.

z/OS, JES2 & Other Products - How They Relate

What is an operating system; z/OS overview; JES2 overview; z/OS & JES2 Job Management; Operator roles; Operator communications; z/OS products; DFSMS/MVS; Network software; Application development tools.

Operator Communication - the Console

Console types; Master Console authority; Operating modes; Operator command types; Route codes; Message Levels; z/OS command syntax; Commonly used z/OS commands; JES2 command syntax; Console message format; Console screen layout; Control (K) command; DISPLAY command; VARY CN command; Syslog & Hardcopy; SEND command.

Starting & Stopping z/OS & JES2

IPLing z/OS; IPL messages; IPL flow; TOD clock; Starting JES2; Controlling JES2; JES2 cold & warm starts; Stopping JES2; JES2 errors; JES2 Error codes; Stopping z/OS.

Input/Output Devices

I/O overview; Device types; Channel subsystems; Channels; FICON; Control units; Device numbers; Shared DASD; Offline/online; DISPLAY U command; VARY device command; VARY PATH command; JES2 devices; $D U JES2 command.

z/OS Workload and the Active System

Program execution environments; Batch processing; Started Tasks; Time Sharing Option (TSO); Executing program requirements; Program identification with JCL; All the JCL statements; The most used JCL statements; JES2 information in the job stream; Relationships between JCL statements; One or more jobs in a JCL stream; Getting work into the system; Getting a Started Task into the system; Getting a TSO user into the system; Getting a batch job into the system; Batch job queues; Job initiation; Step initiation; The job schedule' Reports and listings; Standard reports; Job log example; The active system; A job's phases; What is a System Task?; What is a TSO logon?

Reading and Queue Management

Reading job streams; Stopping and starting a reader; Cancel ($C) and halt ($Z) of readers; Examples of reader commands; Reading to the job queue; Readers and job attributes; Job name and Job number; $T for a READER; Job queues; Display of queues - $DQ and $DN; Examples of $DQ and $DN; Information on specific jobs - $DQ; Examples of $D for individual jobs; To change queue attributes; Examples of changing job status; HOLD and RELEASE jobs on the job queue; Examples of $H and $A; Job Control: CANCEL, RESTART, PURGE; Example of job control.

Active Job Requirements

Executing in MVS - the address space; Batch Initiators; JES2 and Initiators; Controlling initiators; Example of initiator control; Jobs in z/OS; Active jobs; DISPLAY active jobs; Examples of $DA; Examples of DISPLAY activity in MVS; Cancelling job; Examples of CANCEL; The $C command; Examples of $C; Volume mounts; Examples of MOUNT messages; The REPLY command; Examples of REPLY; DISPLAY requests; Example of DISPLAY R.

Started Tasks

Started Tasks; The START command; Examples of the START command; The STOP command; Examples of the STOP command; The MODIFY command.

Output Queue Management

Output listings; List attributes; Commands for list queue administration; Display forms - $DF; Examples of $DF commands; List job - $L; Examples of the $L command; Display details of job output - $DO; Example of the $DO command; To remove list output - $PO and $CO; Examples of using $L, $DF, $PO, $O and $CO commands; Held output; Release output - $O; Examples of the $O command; Actual printing of output.

Problem & Dump Management

Non-system problems - ABEND; Job ABEND examples; System failure with recovery; SVC dumps; SVC dump management; Copying SVC dumps; Clearing a dump dataset; Full SYS1.DUMP datasets; 'Unusual' messages; 'WTO BUFFER SHORTAGE'; 'CHANNEL DETECTED ERROR'; 'AUXILIARY STORAGE SHORTAGE'; 'SMF DATA LOST'; Outstanding requests - D R; Examples of D R; The entire system hangs; Types of hung system; The Program Status Word; Displaying the PSW; The status in the PSW; Disabled WAIT; Disabled LOOP; Loop trace; Excessive spin loops; Message IEE331A; Default actions on excessive spin loops; Enabled LOOP; Enabled WAIT; Stand-Alone Dump; Taking an SA-Dump.