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CICS Explorer Travelers Guide

The CICS Explorer is an Eclipse-based graphical interface for managing CICS environments, designed to enhance user experience and streamline administration tasks. It offers features such as dynamic screen manipulation, plugin support, and regular updates from IBM, with no plans for it to become a chargeable product. The document outlines installation, configuration, workspace logistics, and new functionalities in version 5.1, including improved connectivity and user interface enhancements.

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24 views27 pages

CICS Explorer Travelers Guide

The CICS Explorer is an Eclipse-based graphical interface for managing CICS environments, designed to enhance user experience and streamline administration tasks. It offers features such as dynamic screen manipulation, plugin support, and regular updates from IBM, with no plans for it to become a chargeable product. The document outlines installation, configuration, workspace logistics, and new functionalities in version 5.1, including improved connectivity and user interface enhancements.

Uploaded by

indreamwaiting
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CICS Explorer Traveler’s Guide

CICS EXPLORER THE “NEW FACE OF CICS”

SHARE 2013 – Boston


Session 13344
Lisa M. Fellows
VP CICS & WMQ Technology Strategy
[email protected]

www.ibm.com/software/htp/cics/explorer/
Session Objectives

NO. DEPARTURES

1 What is it and Why do I care?


2 Installation and Configuration
3 Workspace Logistics
4 Deployment Considerations
5 CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
6 What’s New in CICS Explorer v5.1?
7 Summary

2
What is it and Why do I Care?
• IBM’s “New Face of CICS”
• Eclipse Based graphical tooling interface for CICS
• Connects to CICS via the CICSPlex Web User Interface (WUI) System Task
• Utilizes the existing CICSPlex (CPSMOBJ) Security rules
• Capabilities
• User friendly
• Easy to find what you are looking for
• Ability to dynamically/easily/quickly manipulate your screen, so that you are only a few clicks away
from the information, you REALLY need
• Expandable, via Plug-ins
• For Shops that have CICS Tools, Explorer provides an integrated view
• Even for Shops without CICS Tools, Explorer provides an integrated view of their CICS Environment
• Currently CICS Explorer can be used to perform many, but not ALL Administration
Functions
• IBM Direction
• IBM has made a significant commitment to Explorer
• New releases GA approximately every 90 days
• IBM has set up a CICS Explorer Forum, for users to comment , ask questions, etc.
• From a Changing workforce perspective, IBM feels that Explorer will help shorten the learning curve
for new IT Professionals
• Features like CICS Event Processing, CICS Application Bundling, etc. REQUIRE CICS Explorer

3 IBM has “No plans to make CICS Explorer a chargeable product”


Workspace Logistics
• What is the CICS Explorer Workspace?
• As with a traditional Eclipse workbench, CICS Explorer stores all user specific
information in the users CICS Explorer Workspace.
- User Credentials - Connections (Depends on Deployment)
- Last User display - CICS Event Processing Projects
- Installation Perspectives - CICS Application Bundle Projects
- Java OSGI Bundles (SDK) - Etc.

• Default Location: "C:\Documents And Settings\username\.cicsexplorer”


• Do I Care What’s in the Individual User’s CICS Explorer Workspace?
• When considering Deployment Options, you MUST consider if it’s necessary to
preserve the contents of Individual User Workspaces, and plan accordingly

4
Installation and Configuration
• Download the Appropriate CICS Explorer Base and Plug-in(s)
• www.ibm.com/software/htp/cics/explorer/
• Starting CICS Explorer for the First Time
• The workbench starts and the Welcome View is displayed
You can re-open the
Welcome View at any
time by Selecting
Workbench Help > Welcome
Go to the workbench
Overview
Get an overview of the features From the workbench
menu bar.
First Steps
Take you first Note: A CICS
steps Explorer Workspace
Tutorials is Created the first
Go through tutorials time you launch
Explorer

5 Note: Since Explorer is Eclipse based anyone could build a Plug-in for it
Installation and Configuration
• Connections and Credential Administration (CICS Explorer v1.1.1 + )
• The README file details the steps
• Credentials contain user information that will be used by Connections

CMCI Connection Example


- Name: Change to
anything you want
- Host name: TCP/IP host
name of your CICSPlex SM
WUI server or your stand-
alone CICS region

- Port number: CMCI port


Number you configured If your Passwords change
periodically, you may want to
leave the “Save password” box
6 unchecked.
Installation and Configuration
• Connection Sharing (CICS Explorer v1.1.1 + )

• You can choose to Export your Connections to a .pref


file and Share the file among your Users
• Users Could Access the .pref file via:
- E-mail
- Shared Network Drive
- Shared Network Server
- Mainframe Unix (zFS), using CICS to
Access (TCPIPSERVICE and URIMAP)
- Etc.

7
Installation and Configuration
• Connection Sharing (Using zFS Example)
• Use CICS Explorer to Export your current Connections to a .pref file
• Upload the .pref file to zFS (XMIT ASCII)
• Permissions for the zFS (.pref) file must allow the CICS Region Userid READ Access
Example zFS Location: /explorerconn/
Example File Name: CICS_Explorer_Connections.pref
• Create a CICS TCPIPSERVICE definition, using an Open Port and your defaults
Example TCPIPSERVICE Name: LMFCONN
Example TCPIPPORT: 8888
• Create a CICS URIMAP with the following Attributes Specified
Example URIMAP Values:
 HOST :*
 PAth : /ciceconn/* (Any Name you choose. Used in the URL)
 Tcpipservice : LMFCONN (See Example TCPIPSERVICE Name Above)
 Mediatype : text/xml
 HFsfile : /explorerconn/CICS_Explorer_Connections.pref (See Above)
• Install the TCPIPSERVICE and URIMAP in Your CICS Region

8
Installation and Configuration
• Connection Sharing (Using zFS Example - Continued)
• Based on the Example Attributes, you can now open a web browser and type the
following URL address to Test the Setup:
http://myhostA.share.com:8888/ciceconn/CICS_Explorer_Connections.pref

Host Address TCPIPSERVICE URIMAP Path zFS .pref File Name


Port

• The following is an example of what should be Returned in the Web Browser

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>


- <connections providerID="1234567892894-1">
- <type type="com.ibm.cics.sm.comm.sm.connection">
<configID CONFIG_NAME="SHARE Connection A" CREDENTIAL_ID="1234567896008-0“
PORT_NAME="7777" SERVER_NAME="myhostA.share.com" configID=" SHARE Connection A "
host="myhostA.share.com" name=" SHARE Connection A " port="7777" />
<configID CONFIG_NAME="SHARE Connection B" CREDENTIAL_ID="1234567896008-0“
PORT_NAME="7777" SERVER_NAME="myhostB.share.com" configID=" SHARE Connection B "
host="myhostB.share.com" name=" SHARE Connection B " port="7777" />
<configID CONFIG_NAME="SHARE Connection C" CREDENTIAL_ID="1234567896008-0“
PORT_NAME="7777" SERVER_NAME="myhostC.share.com" configID=" SHARE Connection C "
host="myhostC.share.com" name=" SHARE Connection C " port="7777" />
</type>
</connections>

9
Installation and Configuration
• Connection Sharing (Using zFS Example – Continued)

Any user can Load or Import


Connections from the zFS file
using the same URL you entered
into the Web Browser.

Upon first Connection the User


will be asked what Credential they
want to Associate with that
Specific Connection Definition.

10
Deployment Considerations
• Intended Users • Installation Specific Audit
• Number of users Requirements
• Current WUI Users • Change Control
• User Type (Admin, Read, Mixed) • Processes and Procedures
• Will certain groups use Plug-ins? • Service Level Agreements
• User Support • Workspace Administration
• Upgrade Administration • Is it important to preserve today?
• Frequency (GA Every 90 Days) • Will it be important to preserve?
• Upgrade method • CICS Event Processing, Application
Bundling, etc. Project Administration
• Full Replacement
• Automatic Update • Backup
• Archive Site File • Recovery
• Plug-in Upgrades • Connection Administration

11
Deployment Considerations
• Option One - Local on Each User Workstation
• Each user has an individual copy installed on their workstation
• Very little Administrative Control
• Option Two - Shared Network Drive
• Installed/Accessed from a Shared Network Drive
• Depending on Network Configuration may have response time issues
• Option Three - Citrix Server
• Installed on a Network (Citrix) Server
• Full Administrative Control
• Allows you to leverage Citrix Scripting

Other Resources
For any Deployment option where the .exe file is shared you should review the Eclipse
guidelines for multi-user installations

http://help.eclipse.org/indigo/index.jsp?topic=/org.eclipse.platform.doc.isv/reference/misc/multi
%255Fuser%255Finstalls.html

12
Deployment Considerations
• Option Four – JWS (Java Web Start)
• An IBM developerworks article, “Deploy CICS Explorer using Java Web Start” was
published, on April 19, 2012
• IBM officially announced JWS at the IBM IMPACT 2012 conference, in
conjunction with an IBM United States Software Announcement (ALET 212-119),
dated April 24, 2012
• JWS is an industry standard solution for deployment of Java applications from the
web, not a component of CICS Explorer.
• A CICS Explorer Installation Administrator would:
 Download a version of CICS Explorer
 Customize it to the Installation standards.
 Package the customized version as a JWS JNLP (Java Network Launching Protocol) file.
 The JNLP file is then stored in an accessible installation location.
 The first time a user points their browser to the JNLP file, a copy of CICS Explorer is loaded into
the user’s browser cache.
 If a new JNLP file is deployed, the Installation user’s copy is updated at the next execution.

13
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
• Accessing Help and What’s New
The frequency of
New CICS Explorer
Releases makes
the Internal Help
function a great
(UTD) information
source.

Each New Release


includes a “What’s
New” section,
detailing new
functionality

14
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
• Screen Layout
Explorer View - Only View that can’t be moved Individual Resource Tabs Perspective Selection

Explorer
Control the
Scope of
Resources
Being Viewed

Repo View
CICSGRP(s)
and
CICSSYS(s)
Def’s. Can
also be used
to Control
Scope

Event Tab
View System
Events
15
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
• Zoom In/Out of a View
• Double Click the View Tab to Zoom in or Back out of a view

16
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
• Resizing a View
• Float the Cursor over the inside edge of the view until it changes to a
Double-Ended (vertical or horizontal) arrow.

• Drag the edge to the desired size


Cursor Where the View will be moved
• Moving a View Position above the Current View (the View that
• Position the Cursor on the is underneath the cursor)
Tab of the View you want to Position Below the Current View
move Position to the Right of the Current View
• Drag it to the area of the Position to the Left of the Current View
screen you want to position Stack: The View is stacked as a Tab in the
it in. Current View
• Your cursor will change to Restricted: Can’t be positioned in Current Area
one of the following, Open a New Window. Drag outside the
indicating where the screen workbench to position in a new window. Note:
will be positioned. Click on the New Window and Drag Back to
position it back

17
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
• Move Column - Click on Column and Drag to the Desired Location
• From the View Menu you can:

• Refresh the View


• Reset Columns
• Equalize Column
Widths

• Customize
Columns

• Choose filter
attributes

18
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
• Sort Column

Column Sort
Indicator

As you click on
the Column the
sort order
rotates as
follows:
• Sort ascending
• Sort descending
• Default sort order

Note: This function ONLY works if you are


connected to a CICS TS v4.2 + WUI (via
CMCI) and running CICS Explorer v1.1.0 +

19
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
Right click on an individual entry to take Action on it. Refresh View Filter of EYU* Used

Actions Available

Perform actions on Multiple Entries, that are grouped together by


doing Click, Shift, Click (to Select), and then Right Click
Perform actions on Entries not grouped together by doing Click,
CTRL, Click, CTRL (to Select ), and then Right Click

20
CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
• z/OS Perspective - FTP Connection (View z/OS Data)
Unix Files View:

Data Sets View:

View and/or Manipulate File Contents

Jobs View: File Statistics

21
Note: The FTP.DATA Server configuration file must specify JESINTERFACELEVEL 2
What’s New in CICS Explorer v5.1?
• Workspace Preferences and History
• Select Preferences from the Window Menu
• Expand Eclipse Platform and Select Workspaces

• You can choose to be prompted for a


workspace location at startup
• You can choose the number of recent
workspaces in the history, however you
can not set it to less than 5

22
What’s New in CICS Explorer v5.1?
• Switch Workspace Option
• Select Switch Workspace from the File Menu, and Click Other

• From the Workspace Launcher


you can:
• Change to/Create a New
workspace
• Switch to a previous
workspace in your history
• Choose to copy settings
• Note: once you Click OK, CICS
Explorer will Close and Reopen

23
What’s New in CICS Explorer v5.1?
• Support for z/OSMF
• In v5.1 you have the ability to connect to the z/OSMF product.
• Using z/OSMF you can view the output of active jobs, and cancel or delete jobs.
• See “Using the IBM z/OS Management facility” for more information.
• Column Customization (Behavior Change)
• If you are connected to an LPAR and Customize the Columns in a view:
• During the same CICS Explorer session, if you Connect to another LPAR the Column
Customization will remain the same.
• At the start of a New CICS Explorer Session, the View will show the Default (without your
Column Customization). As soon as you Connect to an LPAR your Column
Customization will be there

24
What’s New in CICS Explorer v5.1?
• New Functions
• Ability to copy and paste resource data to a spreadsheet
• Ability to Perform a System Dump
• Ability to create a new resource from an existing definition
• Ability to create a z/OS UNIX file
• Ability to export a file or folder to a z/OS UNIX file system
• Ability to create a new data set
• Ability to rebuild the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for a CICS region
• Connections use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
• Perspective Changes
• The new Cloud Perspective contains a core set of views to help you get started
with cloud administration.
• Accessible from the Window > Open perspective > Other Menu on the toolbar

25
What’s New in CICS Explorer v5.1?
• Seven New Operations Views
• Applications View Operations Menu
• Cloud Explorer View Operations Menu
• Data Tables View (CMDT) Operations > Files Menu
• EP Adapter Sets View Operations > Event Processing Menu
• Physical Datasets View (DSNAME) Operations > Files Menu
• Platforms View Operations Menu
• z/OS Workload Management View Window > Show View > Other >
SM Administration Definitions
• Two New Definition Views
• Applications Definitions View Definitions Menu
• Platforms Definitions View Definitions Menu
• Changes to Existing Views
• Tasks View – New Field "MRO/LU6.2 session allocate wait time”
• Completed Tasks View – New Field "IS Allocate Wait Time“ (IPIC Session Wait)

26
Summary
NO. ARRIVALS QR Code

1 What is it and Why do I care?


2 Installation and Configuration
3 Workspace Logistics
4 Deployment Considerations
5 CICS Explorer Navigation (Live Demo)
6 What’s New in CICS Explorer v5.1?
7 Summary

27

Common questions

Powered by AI

When choosing a deployment option for CICS Explorer, consider factors such as the intended number of users, user types (Admin, Read, Mixed), and whether specific groups will use plug-ins . Also, evaluate network configuration for response times, administrative control needs, upgrade administration, change control processes, user support provisions, and workspace administration requirements . Each deployment option, such as local installations, shared network drives, Citrix servers, or JWS, offers varying levels of control, efficiency, and resource utilization, which must align with organizational needs and IT infrastructure capabilities .

The CICS Explorer Workspace stores user-specific information such as user credentials, connections, and display settings, enhancing deployment by preserving essential configurations . This setup supports streamlined administration by facilitating easy access to event processing projects, application bundle projects, and Java OSGI bundles . The Workspace allows users to manipulate settings dynamically, ensuring that necessary information is a few clicks away, thereby enhancing user capability and ensuring efficient deployment processes.

The benefits of using Java Web Start (JWS) for deploying CICS Explorer include simplified deployment across multiple machines without manual installation on each workstation. It updates automatically from a shared location when a new JNLP file is deployed, ensuring all users have the latest version . However, limitations may include initial setup complexity, as it requires proper configuration of a JWS environment. Another potential limitation is the dependency on network connectivity to load and execute the application from the web, which could lead to performance issues if the network is slow or unstable .

CICS Explorer v5.1 expands its functionality by adding several new features, such as support for z/OSMF, which allows users to connect and interact with the z/OS Management Facility. It also introduces new operations and definition views, column customization that persists across LPAR connections within a session, and new functions like the ability to copy resource data into a spreadsheet and perform a system dump . These enhancements demonstrate a significant step forward in usability and management efficiency compared to previous versions.

For organizations without CICS Tools, CICS Explorer still provides an integrated view of their CICS environment. This feature allows users to effectively manage and navigate their systems without the necessity of additional tools, streamlining operations by providing essential management functions through a straightforward Eclipse-based interface . This helps organizations maintain oversight and control over their CICS regions, even in the absence of specialized CICS Tools.

IBM's decision not to charge for CICS Explorer has several strategic implications. It encourages wide adoption by removing cost barriers, facilitating the integration of CICS Explorer into various IT environments without financial constraints . This strategy likely aims to secure a strong user base that can provide feedback to guide future development, thereby reinforcing the product's relevance and usability. Furthermore, offering CICS Explorer as a no-cost tool aligns with IBM's broader commitment to promote efficient IT management solutions and advance the deployment of CICS systems .

To share connections using zFS in CICS Explorer, you must export your current connections to a .pref file and upload this file to a zFS accessible location . The permissions for the .pref file must allow the CICS Region UserID read access. You then need to create a CICS TCPIPSERVICE definition, using an open port and default settings, and create a CICS URIMAP with specified attributes, such as host, path, TCPIPSERVICE, mediatype, and HFsfile details . Once these are installed in the CICS region, users can load or import connections from the zFS by entering the specific URL into a web browser .

IBM has made a significant commitment to CICS Explorer due to its potential to simplify IT management through its user-friendly, graphical interface. It provides an integrated view of CICS environments and facilitates management for both users with and without CICS Tools . Additionally, the commitment is reflected in the regular release cycle, approximately every 90 days, allowing continuous improvements and support. This strategy also aligns with IBM’s goal to aid new IT professionals, shortening their learning curve through the Explorer’s intuitive design .

CICS Explorer allows users to customize the screen layout by moving, resizing, and sorting views according to their preferences . Users can zoom in and out of views or change their position on the screen to prioritize the information they frequently access. This flexibility ensures that users can tailor their interface to meet specific workflow needs, improving usability and productivity by minimizing the time spent navigating through the interface to access essential tools and data .

In CICS Explorer, connection sharing via a .pref file involves exporting user-defined connections to a preference file format, which can then be shared through various means like email or network drives . When users access this shared .pref file through a compatible medium, such as a web browser using zFS, they can import these connections into their local CICS Explorer setup. This method allows multiple users to quickly adopt standardized configurations and reduces the need for repetitive manual configuration, thereby enhancing administrative efficiency .

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