Scope: All North American SMCs
Issue Date: 04/13/2018
Effective Date: 04/13/2018
Group Name: Software Services Mainframe IMS
Affected Locations: All North American SMCs
Summary:
Currently, most HP locations are running IMS V13.1. This user communication provides planning information for sites in preparation for the IMS V14.1 upgrade.
Actual upgrade dates will be determined with each account using normal change management processes. Upgrades will be performed in an accounts test IMS subsystem prior to production to allow for application testing. IMS V13 end of support date is November 6, 2018.
IMS subproducts will be upgraded prior to IMS V14 upgrade
Justification:
IMS V14.1 will allow DXC to maintain the current level of technology.
This upgrade offers features such as:
IMS Database Manager enhancements:
>The 64-bit buffer enhancement for Fast Path high-speed processing introduces the option to place the utility private buffers for the high-speed sequential processing (HSSP) and the High-Speed DEDB Direct Reorganization (DBFUHDR0) utilities in 64-bit common storage. Placing the buffers in 64-bit storage reduces IMS usage of 31-bit storage extended common storage (ECSA).
> IMS can be configured to automatically clean up Fast Path DEDB sequential dependent segments (SDEPs) in online buffers by writing them to the physical database at intervals that you specify.
> The IMS Database Image Copy 2 utility (DFSUDMT0) is enhanced to indicate a preference for zEnterprise® Data Compression (zEDC) services, so that if zEDC is available in z/OS® when the utility creates an image copy, zEDC is used for compression.
> DBRC enhancements include changes to the RECON data set format for IMS 14 and support that allows IMS Version 12 and IMS Version 13 systems to coexist until all of the systems are upgraded to IMS 14. The DBRC REPAIR.RECON command enhancement provides an easy way to fix errors and inconsistencies in the RECON data set, which simplifies upgrading the RECON data set between versions of IMS.
> The DEDB Alter function enhancements introduce several new capabilities for altering the physical attributes of a DEDB area while the DEDB area or the DEDB database remains accessible online.
> Enhancements that support dynamic database definition: the IMS management of ACBs, IMS support for the SQL data definition language (DDL), and the ability to record the DDL statements that are submitted to IMS.
> The External Subsystem Attach Facility (ESAF) supports the resolution of in-doubt work on an external subsystem by a Fast Database Recovery (FDBR) region.
> Optionally define a single virtual segment with multiple non-searchable fields in a GSAM DBD to add field metadata from COBOL copybooks to the GSAM DBD record in the IMS catalog.
> IMS HALDB databases (partitioned, full-function databases) that are not reorganized by the HALDB Online Reorganization function support 8-GB OSAM data sets.
> The IMS catalog API OPEN function enhancements allow both the staging and the directory data sets of the IMS catalog to be allocated and opened using a single OPEN request. Previously, each OPEN request could allocate and open only either the staging data set or the directory data set, but could not open both.
> The IMS 14 ODBM accounting enhancement provides an option to record information about the processing of database access requests by ODBM. It provides a log of all work handled by the ODBM address space so that accounting can issue charge back to its users.
> The concurrent active thread enhancement provides a new Open Database Manager (ODBM) configuration parameter MINTHRDS that specifies the minimum number of concurrent active threads for an individual IMS data store.
> OSAM database data sets use less 24-bit storage.
> Enhances the SQL support for COBOL functionality by supporting grouping (GROUP BY) and providing aggregate functions for SELECT statements.
IMS Transaction Manager enhancements:
> Optional APPC flood control enhancement helps avoid IMS abends caused by the exhaustion of private 31-bit storage by moving APPC requests that are waiting to be processed by IMS into 64-bit storage after the number of requests reaches a certain threshold.
> IMS Connect and IMS TM are enhanced to support two-phase commit processing for cascaded global z/OS Resource Recovery Services transactions that are received from the IMS TM resource adapter via a TCP/IP connection when IMS Connect and IMS TM are located on different z/OS images.
> IMS 14 ISC VTAM enhancement for ERP messages provides a new keyword option for specifying how IMS handles error recovery procedure messages when they are received from the other session half via an ISC session that is on a VTAM connection.
> Improve the security, flexibility, and control of your Java environment settings in IMS by moving the configuration parameters
> Java Virtual Machine (JVM) in either a Java message processing or a Java batch processing dependent region can use 64-bit storage.
> Ability to enable IMS to capture the usage statistics that are generated by a persistent Java virtual machine (JVM) running in an IMS dependent region.
> Enhanced to work with the z/OS Workload Manager to track and report on mobile transactions and the amount of processing that they use. Mobile workloads are defined as the transactions processed by a named mobile application, or transactions that can be identified as originating from a mobile device.
> Several enhancements to the Multiple Systems Coupling (MSC) function, including a reduction in the amount of 24-bit storage that IMS uses, simplified enablement of MSC in IMS systems, and the dynamic definition of MSC resources.
> The shared queues buffer pool enhancement increases the maximum number of message pool buffers that you can specify on the QBUFMAX execution parameter to 9,999,999.
> The IMS Common Queue Server (CQS) can provide usage feedback about the shared queues structure to the Queue Space Notification exit routine (DFSQSSP0) when a CQS client adds or removes a message from the shared queue.
>Enhances tracing and the ICAL call for synchronous callout processing.
IMS System enhancements:
> Dynamic refresh enhancement for PWFI and WFI regions enables you to refresh all instances of pseudo-wait-for-input (PWFI) or wait-for-input (WFI) application programs that are running in a dependent region by issuing a single UPDATE PGM command.
> External Subsystem Attach Facility (ESAF) is enhanced to support the specification of additional subsystem types and a new exit routine that external subsystems can use to improve thread processing.
> New internal 64-bit storage manager to help reduce below-the-bar storage constraints and facilitate the use of 64-bit storage by IMS components. The IMS 64-bit storage manager makes it easier for IMS components to move storage above the bar for storage constraint relief.
> Enhancements made to IMS Connect to improve reliability, availability, serviceability, and security. New type-2 IMS Connect commands are also added.
> IMS type-2 trace enhancement provides a new type-2 table trace that can be activated at IMS startup or while IMS is active. The trace tables can be updated with a different volume level while IMS is up, and they can be queried to gather diagnostic information.
Benefits to Users:
This information is being communicated to ensure planning occurs and all prerequisites are addressed for a smooth and timely transition.
IMS Capabilities will test this upgrade on a 'sandbox' system first to verify the installation and to make sure the IMS system starts and is operational. The upgrade will then be applied to the development regions where accounts should verify their applications are still functioning properly. After the application teams complete their testing, the software will be installed in production. The accounts should then verify their applications are still functioning properly in the production environment.
Details:
Review the Preventative Service Planning (PSP) information for the latest detail in the Information Management Software for z/OS Solutions Information Center at
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEPH2_14.1.0/com.ibm.ims14.doc/ims_product_landing_v14.html;
Where to Find Additional Information:
IMS V14 release planning section on the IBM Information Center:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSEPH2_14.1.0/com.ibm.ims14.doc/ims_product_landing_v14.html;
Primary Contact:
Sue Banville
Software Services Mainframe IMS
+1 404 774 4517
Secondary Contact:
Sonny Smith
Software Services Mainframe IMS
+1 856 451 1367
Randy Zettle
Software Services Mainframe IMS
+1 601 579 9387
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Usercomm - IMS V14 Upgrade Information