VSE Tools & Techniques

VSE Tools & Techniques BY LEO J. LANGEVIN VSE/ESA: A Look at the Present and Future A Recap of the the z/VM, VSE and Linux on IBM Enterprise Servers n May, I attended the “z/VM, VSE and Technical Conference I Linux on IBM Enterprise Servers Technical Conference” in Jacksonville, Fla. Computer Associates has changed its logo maintain the interface so that VSE can one This was IBM’s last independent VSE confer- to include the “at” symbol that is so often day disappear will eventually spell the ence. This means that beginning in fall 2002, associated with the Internet. death of VSE. If VSE can demonstrate its IBM will host the VSE, z/VM and Linux There were a couple of sessions on Java performance and power in e-Business, then show at the same time and location as the and other object-coding processes. I happen it will be around for a while. z/OS and OS/390 Expo. In this way, other to like Java, but it was obvious that I was in Many of the different vendors at the areas of IBM technology will strengthen the the minority. After speaking to several peo- conference presented solutions that can falling attendance, which, according to an ple about this, I came to the conclusion that help keep VSE alive. My company had a IBM representative, went from around 500 COBOL, Assembler and possibly REXX (if booth that was next to a company that was people in 2000 to about 400 people in 2001. it can get enough fans in the VSE world) are promoting “Convert from VSE to OS/390 While this is not a drastic change, it certainly going to be the mainstay of VSE. Honestly, in a weekend.” In another area, however, is a significant one from the point of view of if you think REXX/VSE is difficult, you do companies promoted everything from calling the VSE systems programmer, as the not even want to start thinking about writing MS-Word from CICS to do spell-checking, emphasis on VSE will be diminished. any Java code! to having VSE programs provide lovely Beginning in 2002, The Worldwide And, what about that great phenomenon of web-based interfaces for the end user. Alliance of VSE and VM users (WAVV) Linux/390 that came out to us with great fan- will take over IBM’s spring spot. This fare and intensity a couple of years ago? ENHANCEMENTS TO VSE 2.5 year’s WAVV conference will be held Although IBM is still promoting Linux/390, September 21 - 25 in Green Bay, Wis. you can still count the number of Linux/390 Now, this column would not be complete The 2002 IBM conference will be held in sites that are using it in a production status on without a list of some of the enhancements Miami Beach, Fla. VSE/VM attendees will one hand and still have fingers left over. In to various VSE commands, utilities and have the option of paying a registration fee short, while there is an interest in Linux on programming that are part of the 2.5 sys- to attend only the VSE and z/VM conference, S/390, the typical VSE site just can not seem tem. This list is based on conversations that or paying to attend the z/OS and OS/390 to justify or enable this “new” entry in the I had at the IBM conference with IBM and conference, which will provide access to all 390-arena within the typical environment. It bleeding-edge users. Several enhancements the sessions for both conferences. will be interesting to see if this changes in the to 2.6 facilities and plans for 2.7 were also near future. However, if the number of sites discussed, so at least I know that VSE will WHAT’S NEW? using S/390 retains its single-digit status, I be around for a few more years. personally don’t know if IBM will keep Well, while many VSE people are still backing it. At least with VSE, there is an ade- Commands trying to figure out everything they can do quate customer base to keep IBM interested. MSG jobname — Instead of issuing a with VSE/ESA 2.5, IBM presented some This is one of the reasons why it is partition number, you can issue the VSE 2.6 facilities that will provide even more important that the typical VSE shop use a job name (not the Power job name). functionality and relieve some of the internal VSE-based customer solution when it This is especially useful for jobs that are restraints within the areas of task manage- comes to e-Business. In an assortment of loaded into the dynamic partition. ment and e-Business. It should be obvious presentation, a three-tiered solution was QUERY STDOPT — If you are not to everyone who attended this conference promoted. The philosophy behind this solu- sure of the current STDOPT settings, that e-Business is the leading buzzword tion is to go from a “real” platform, such as use this command to have them dis- within IBM, and if VSE does not provide OS/390 or Linux, to VSE, and back again in played on SYSLOG. solutions within those areas, VSE will be order to get the data out to the Internet. In PSEGMENT partition,address,PAGE| left in the dust. It is also interesting that short, to allow another operating system to CARD|IMM — Use this command if a

TECHNICAL SUPPORT • JULY 2001 ©2001 Technical Enterprises, Inc. Reproduction of this document without permission is prohibited. job is producing a lot of output and you “SKIPRMSG” as the first line in It is part of the ACCOUNT option of want VSE to issue the IPW$SEGM SYSIPT and no requests will take place. your POWER macro. macro to release the data into the // SET RCZERO — Reset the last If you want to see where in storage a Power queue. return code issued by a batch program specific AR command is processed, try QUERY OPTION,partition — Use this from non-zero to zero. using the “SIR COMMAND,command”. command if a job is running and you // SET MCZERO — Reset the maxi- It will return the entry address that you want to see that “// OPTION” statements mum return code set by any batch pro- can use to find that command function are set for that partition. gram within a job stream from non- in storage. This makes patching the STACK — This command now has the zero to zero. operating system and setting up traces CLEAR, CLEAR=name, SHOW, and that much easier. SHOW=name options added to it to Programming allow you to view or clear individual or EXTRACT — Let’s say that you are SUMMARY complete settings. running VSE under VM and you want SL nnn — This is a parameter within to get the real CPUID, not the virtual There are many new features being added the STACK command that allows one one. You can do this with the new to VSE, vendors are developing new VSE- part of the process to sleep “nnn” sec- “MODE=REAL” parameter. related products, and there is at least one onds before proceeding with the next Although you cannot invoke LSERV more release of VSE coming. With all of part of the STACK process. from REXX, DITTO does have a the new features and functions, VSE can be SIR COMMAND — By issuing “SIR LABEL LIST function, and since you a vital player in IBM’s focus on e-Business COMMAND (actually using the word can invoke DITTO from REXX, this as a total business solution. “COMMAND”) VSE will list all of the means that you can use REXX to operator commands upon SYSLOG, determine whether or not a particular including both the documented and label exists. NaSPA member Leo J. Langevin is a systems undocumented commands. Every PDISPLAY request that a program programmer and developer with CSI issues will cause an “X” record to be International, the creators of TCP/IP for VSE Utilities generated in your Power Job Accounting and associated products. He can be contacted If you run DTSUTIL and want to file. To avoid this, use the RXSPOOL via email at [email protected]. restore a file without being prompted option instead of the XSPOOL option with a request to SYSLOG, add a when you generate your Power module.