| Installation | |
The Mainframe Access Product Suite provides access to IBM mainframe data. This enables you to test applications on a workstation without downloading host-based files. It also provides production applications with access to live, host-based data.
The Mainframe Access servers execute as either a started task or CICS application under MVS or OS/390 on an IBM mainframe computer. Record-by-record access is a server-only implementation of the Micro Focus Fileshare Version 2 client. COBOL programs running on connected workstations equipped with the client components of Fileshare Version 2 can access, manipulate, update and delete records residing in mainframe data sets.
The Mainframe Access Product Suite comprises three separately installable servers, one for the CICS environment, one for MVS, and one for Endevor. The three servers have different requirements and provide slightly different capabilities. For example, the CICS server provides concurrent, shared access to the same VSAM data sets from both the CICS Mainframe Access server and other CICS transactions. The MVS server supports sequential and partitioned datasets as well as VSAM files. You can install any or all of these servers provided the proper license fees have been paid.
COBOL client applications, running on a workstation, use the client components of Micro Focus Fileshare Version 2 to communicate with CICS and MVS servers. Batch COBOL programs employ standard COBOL I/O statements to access data.
Client programs can take advantage of Fileshare's transaction integrity support by issuing either implicit or explicit commit and rollback requests enabling them to be a part of a distributed data solution without fear of data corruption. Within CICS, VSAM files can be defined as 'protected' resource. This attribute causes the logging of either or both before and after images of every non-browse record access. The logged information is used to commit or rollback file changes. This level of data integrity is maintained at the file record level for each CICS transaction.
The CICS server utilizes the CICS SYNCPOINT and SYNCPOINT ROLLBACK commands in response to the Fileshare commit and rollback requests.
The MVS server does not support commit or rollback processing.
The Mainframe Access servers for DataConnect I/O do not provide data translation. If the data is in EBCDIC form, the client program must ensure that data is processed in EBCDIC form using mainframe representations for non-character data elements (integers). If the client program is compiled with the CHARSET"EBCDIC" Compiler directive, the Micro Focus COBOL run-time environment performs most of the data translation for you. If you are processing displayable EBCDIC data and compile the client program with the CHARSET"EBCDIC" Compiler directive, no further data translation is necessary. New files created and maintained from the workstation can be in ASCII format. In this case, the CHARSET"EBCDIC" Compiler directive would not be used. However, mainframe COBOL programs would not be able to use this data.
The Mainframe Access servers use APPC (LU6.2) or TCP/IP communications protocols to communicate with client programs. Consequently, the Common Communications Interface (CCI) modules CCIAP32 or CCITC32 are required on the workstation. These are provided during the MFA workstation installation.
If at any time you have any problems or feel you would like additional technical information or advice, there are several sources.
You may find you can solve your problem by reading the release notes. If not, and you obtained your Mainframe Access Product Suite support directly from MERANT, contact us as described below.
If you obtained it from another source, such as an authorized distributor, contact them for help first; if they are unable to help, contact us as described below.
To contact MERANT, you can:
However you contact us, please try to include the information listed below, if you have it. The better you are able to give this information, the better Product Support can help you. If you do not know all the answers, or you think some are irrelevant to your problem, please give whatever information you have.
You can write or telephone MERANT at the following offices. Some offices have special Product Support numbers. In North America, call 1-888-33-COBOL for product support.
| In the U.S.A.:
MERANT Incorporated 701 East Middlefield Road Mountain View, CA, 94043 U.S.A. 1 800-872-6265 |
In the U.K.:
MERANT Limited The Lawn 22-30 Old Bath Road, Newbury Berkshire, RG14 1QN United Kingdom (01635) 32646 |
| MERANT (Philadelphia)
500 East Swedesford Rd., 2nd Floor Wayne, PA 19087 U.S.A. (610) 263-3400 |
In Japan:
MERANT Japan (KK) Nishi Azabu Matsui Bldg., 4F 17-30 Nishi Azabu 4-Chome Minato-ku, Tokyo 106, Japan (03) 3486-7791 |
| MERANT (New York)
Two Wall Street, 7th Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 312-2200 |
In Germany:
MERANT GmbH Am Moosfeld 11 D-81829 München Germany (089) 42094-0 |
| In France:
MERANT SARL Tour Franklin Defense 8 92042 Paris-La-Defense Cedex, France (1) 47 75 75 75 |
In Spain:
MERANT, S.A. Córcega, 541, 4a Planta 08025 Barcelona Spain (3) 435 70 01 |
| In Canada:
MERANT Canada One City Centre Drive, Suite 301 Mississauga, Ontario Canada, L5B 1M2 (905) 306-7280 |
In India:
MERANT Pvt.Ltd. 47/6,M.G.Road Mittal Towers,B-1217-19 Bangalore 560 001, India 91 80 559 3448 |
The fax numbers of the MERANT offices are:
Additional information about MERANT products is available on the World-Wide Web. Use a WWW browser to connect to:
The Middleware group of MERANT, which MFA is part of, has a permanent FTP site on the World-Wide Web. This FTP site contains the latest PTF package and is automatically checked by the MFA SETUP apply PTF package feature. Use a WWW browser to connect to:
ftp://ftp.merant.com/middleware/mfa/
All users of MERANT products are entitled to receive our newsletters, invitations to seminars and conferences, and any other information of this type that we may distribute from time to time. To receive this information make sure you are registered, either by contacting the Newbury or Mountain View office or by talking to your sales representative.
How does MFA work with mainframe source code control systems (Endevor, Panvalet, Librarian, etc...) to ensure source code synchronization and correct versioning?
For Librarian, and Panvalet, MFA actually uses the mainframe source code control system’s own logic to get and put members. As far as synchronization is concerned, for the Drag and Drop product, it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the member being replaced is the correct one. On the other hand, with SourceConnect, part of the process is to ensure that full data integrity is maintained, and to do this, SourceConnect, in conjunction with an MFA hashing algorithm, informs the user if someone else has altered the member while it was being worked on. Endevor is only available with the Drag & Drop component and the Compare and Synchronize Monitor.
Does MERANT have quantifiable numbers of how much MFA could boost productivity and save mainframe costs, or are you just advocating going back to the mainframe?
Programmer Productivity is the leverage.
With MFA we are not stating a user may cut mainframe costs. We are promoting an additional approach that includes the mainframe as part of the solution. If this approach is used it is possible that mainframe usage could increase. As programmers become more productive they could be placing more demands on the mainframe.
With Mainframe Access programmers have the best of both worlds, download and work independently of the mainframe or include the mainframe as a strategic part of the solution by leaving source and data on the mainframe. In addition, a programmer may combine both of the above approaches, downloading some information and leaving other information on the mainframe.
How can a customer evaluate MFA risk-free, at no charge?
MERANT provides a 30 day money-back guarantee for the MFA product.
Does MERANT have plans to incorporate remote access to DB2 and IMS into MFA?
There are no plans to include this function in MFA. The current plan is to use XDB for DB2 access and Remote IMS for access to IMS databases on the mainframe. You may download unloaded DB2 tables created by the DSNTIAUL utility, and automatically load an XDB table using Drag and Drop, or download unloaded IMS databases created by an unload utility, and automatically load a PCIMS database.
Does MERANT have plans to remotely access IDMS and CA Datacomm from MFA?
No, there are no plans to provide this capability. AAI can be used to access information stored in IDMS or CA Datacomm. This approach would be for use in a distributed computing environment where a user is writing new code. This approach would not be practical for the off-loading of development.
What are the plans for MFA with respect to remote execution using MFA technology?
This function is currently supported in AAI.
Does MFA support Interlink in a TCP/IP environment.
Yes. Interlink TCP/IP is supported with the MVS server, not the CICS server.
If one machine has 'x' LPARs, the charge for the MFA server piece is still for the one box, not for 'x' LPARs. Correct?
Each MFA Server license allows a user to run a maximum of five MFA Servers per CPU.
Does MFA support MVS/WB?
MFA 1.3 was the last release that supports MVS/WB. MVS/WB users may still use this new version of MFA, however they will not have access to the MVS/WB catalog through the Drag and Drop component. Drag and Drop now supports the MFE product and its catalog. When a users drags a component from the mainframe window to the MFE catalog item in the PC window the member will be copied and catalogued into MFE.
Do the MFA Client components run on OS/2?
No. MFA 1.3 was the last release that supports OS/2.
Is there a specific format required for the source files? Our source files are just PDS members. Does the product expect source management products such as Panvalet, Librarian, etc.?
MFA supports access to source members stored in PDS’s. MFA expects the members to be stored in standard mainframe format. MFA will do the translation between EBCDIC on the mainframe and ASCII on the workstation.
Is MFA Year2000 compliant?
Yes, MFA is Year2000 compliant. However, users should be aware that MFA moves information between the mainframe and the personal computer. MFA does not analyze the text strings of this information. Therefore, if the information contains non-compliant dates, they will be passed to the user.
What does the MFA server portion take for mainframe resources?
MFA on the mainframe is an event driven server, and will use only the resources that are asked of it at that time. Memory is freed at the end of each request. When there are no requests, then little or no CPU usage is required. If several users are accessing the mainframe through MFA, then only the overhead required to perform their requests are used. The memory requirement will depend upon the current usage load, but generally, a region of about 6M virtual would support many users. In a TCP/IP environment the TCP/IP listener could take a large amount of CPU overhead. This could be reduced by off loading the TCP/IP listener to a 3172 controller.
How does MFA work to ensure security with RACF and other mainframe security systems?
The MFA server issues standard SAF calls to security modules. SAF compliant environments include RACF, Top Secret, and ACF/2. For each user request, the user id and password are validated, and then it is determined whether the requested access to the resource, for the type of access (read-only, write, etc) is allowed by that particular user. When the user chooses to install the MVS security routines for the VTAM server, the server load library will have to be APF authorized. These routines are written to the SAF (Security Access Facility) interface and work with RACF, Top Secret, and ACF2. The SAF interface requires that the programs and load library be APF authorized.
Does the MFA Server Licensing and software enabling controls look at the CPU Serial or is it dependent on an individual CPU? If we upgrade our system and it requires a CPU swap can we simply re-install the MFA Server using our current enabling codes?
Currently, the MFA Server does not look at individual CPU serial numbers. MERANT reserves the right to add such control in the future. You may install your licensed copy of the MFA Server on a replacement machine. You must remove the old copy from the replaced machine within 30 days. To aid any migration, MFA allows a maximum of five (5) concurrent servers to be brought up at any given time. Currently, the MFA Server only counts concurrent users. If the user count is exceeded the user is sent a message saying the server is not available. If the user tries again and the use count is not exceeded the user will be attached.
Are OS/390 versions, JES2 and JES3 supported for MFA?
Yes, we currently support all versions of OS/390. When it comes to JES2 and JES3, both are supported, however if your operating system level is higher than OS/390 1.3, then MFA will take advantage of the enhanced JES subsystem interface and provide access to all of your submitted jobstreams, regardless of the job name they were submitted under. If your version of the operating system is OS/390 1.3 or less, then this enhanced JES subsystem interface is not available and you will only be able to see the jobstreams that were submitted that had a job name of your user id and exactly one character.
Where does MFA Server run? Is it just a VTAM application running in an MVS address space?
Yes, that's exactly what it is. Usually, it is started up as a started task, where is waits on TCP or VTAM or both to pass it a request from the client workstation. MFA does not require VTAM to run. It can simply use TCP/IP exclusively.
Is there anything the mainframe server connects to or anything it requests resources from?
Other than the definition of the optional VTAM APPLID, optional TCP name, and the APF authorization of the LOADLIB we create, there is nothing else special to be done.
What is the approximate size of the mainframe server?
The LOADLIB is fairly small, a couple of cylinders, execution wise, we have customers running hundreds of users in about 7MEG virtual, if you need more and more users, multiple servers can be run.
Does the mainframe server run as a started task?
Yes, that is the normal production method, and be assured that each user connection is invoked as an MVS SUBTASK within this server, each with full security based upon their individual USERID, and password.
Does the mainframe server need to be installed in an authorized library?
Yes, otherwise the security calls do not work, and the JES spool access will not work f it is not installed in an authorized library.
Is the mainframe server delivered as an executable or object code or source, if so, what language?
The server is distributed as object code, with source only for the pieces that are customizable by the user. This is 100 per cent assembler.
What VTAM resources does it need - independent LU, LU6 Modes, etc. etc.?
APPLID, we provide the definition example, and you will find it to be very standard.
Does the mainframe server come on PC diskette/CD or mainframe tape/cartridge ?
It comes on CD-ROM only. The client installation is invoked by the setup command, and the mainframe server installation invoked by the MFA SETUP command.
Are there any additional requirements for the Endevor MVS access components?
The MFA/E Option, which provides Endevor access, runs as a second server. Therefore, a second APPLID, TCP name, and authorized library is required. The installation notes, provide additional insight into the workings of this feature, and in much more detail. Be assured, that this option still uses Endevor for access, security, and other Endevor features.
What protocols are supported?
The following protocols are supported: APPC and TCP/IP
Can MFA work if the only communication method available on the mainframe is LU6.2?
Yes, there is no requirement to have TCP/IP in the MFA server. During installation, you are asked for the desired communication methods.
Can I use APPC as the communication protocol to access the MFA mainframe server and what protocols are supported?
The following protocols are supported: Microsoft SNA Server v2.11, Rumba Office 95/NT v5.0, Attachmate Personal Client 6.1, 6.2, IBM Communication Server for Windows/NT Version 5.01, and IBM Personal Communications for Windows/NT and Windows/95 Version 4.2.
What TCP/IP, mainframe software is supported.
IBM 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, Open Edition 4.0, and Interlink 4.1, 4.2.
Does MFA work if you have to connect to the mainframe via dial up?
Yes, but the real question is how. We do it all the time using our network. We have demonstrated MFA at User Group Meetings by dialing into our network. We use the standard support that is available through Windows/95 and TCP/IP.
When I have multiple IP addresses on the mainframe (multiple interface cards) do I need to be the first address in the home list?
This was an issue prior to MFA, v1.2.50. The TCP/IP address needed to be the first in the home list or it had to be specified as the PRIMARYINTERFACE. This is no longer necessary with MFA. The TCP/IP profile on the mainframe is the controlling information for TCP/IP on the mainframe. It is equivalent to JCL for a job. It tells TCP/IP how to set itself up and what routes are available to it from transporting data. In older versions of MFA we had a problem if the HOME area in the TCP/IP profile had more than one address. The mainframe you see can have multiple IP addresses bound to different physical paths out of the mainframe. In the old MFA we would always bind to the first address in the HOME list, unless there was a PRIMARY ADAPTER statement in the profile below the HOME area. The current versions of MFA allows you to bind directly to any address in the HOME list alleviating the problem. However, if the customer wishes to use an IP address other that the first in the HOME list or the IP address specified as the PRIMARYINTERFACE, they must do the following: on the MFA install dialog box which requests the TCP/IP information for MFA, the customer must specify the desired IP address in the MVS TCP/IP bind address for CCITCP2, and the MFAREG00 macro BIND= parameter in the $MFATCP job can be changed to contain the desired IP address. This address is in comma-decimal form. For example, BIND=(124,48,219,31).
Could you let us have a brief specification depending on whether we are going to VTAM, MVS, IMS, CICS etc?
You will need the following from the systems programming department: the VTAM administrator, to define a simple VTAM application ID based on a sample APPC VTAM generation, that we provide, the systems administrator, to authorize the LOADLIB that we will be creating, this allows the SAF (RACF, or Top Secret, or ACF/2) security calls to function, to give you full security through our server, the systems administrator, to move the example JCL that the installation process creates, into your system PROCLIB dataset, once you are happy with the process. This does not need to be done, until you have the installation and execution of the MFA product successful. It can run as a batch job for testing purposes and the Endevor administrator, to review the Endevor installation notes, and to provide the LOADLIB and CONLIB and optionally, the ESSI library names, as well as to define a new processor group, within Endevor, to allow it to call our server.
Are there any diagnostic programs available for TCP/IP if I cannot connect to the mainframe, MFA Server after doing the MFA Installation.
Yes, there is a network test function included with the MFA Drag and Drop client. Prior to running the network test the client machine should be able to ping the host machine. This program will send various size blocks of data from the client to the server. The server will mirror the data back to the client. The client compares the mirrored data to the sent data. The size of the buffers and the number of buffers to be sent and received are specified by the users when starting the network test function. This function is very useful in identifying routers that may not be configured to pass larger buffers. The Data Access Services chapter of this guide also explains how to make the buffer size smaller for MFA. This has performance implications and should only be used as an interim work around. The router should be configured to pass larger buffers.
How efficient is DataConnect when accessing records within a VSAM data set residing on the mainframe.
MFA uses compression when transferring information between the workstation and the mainframe. With record-level access you must remember MFA is transferring one record at a time on uploads, but blocks multiple records together on downloads, and performs very well for random access, it is possible to obtain sub-second response time. The performance is very dependent on the speed of the mainframe connection and the priority of the job.
Does DataConnect support MF/370 accessing VSAM files residing on the mainframe.
Yes, The use of standard VSAM Access (i.e. OPEN, CLOSE, GET, PUT, SHOWCB, MODCB, etc…) from MF/370 is supported. However; when porting any 370 Assembler application to the workstation further analysis and testing should be done to insure proper application results.
What is required to get DataConnect to work with Workbench using MFENV?
The DataConnect component of MFA with WB 4.0.32 requires the following which is recommended for the IVP. The included component FHRDRPWD.CBL must be compiled and loaded into UTILS.LBR, see the workstation installation section of the manual. Programs are compiled with Micro Focus default and CALLFH"FHREDIR" and CHARSET"EBCDIC". A program with ASSIGN"EXTERNAL" for use with MFEXTMAP will also fail with all run commands, inclusive of the one which is successful without this option. The file assign works only with the SET statement in the environment.
What are the plans for using Drag and Drop on IMS and DB2 data, similar to what MFA now does with VSAM and sequential?
With this release, unloaded IMS databases and DB2 tables can be dragged directly to the workstation and automatically loaded into an IMS database, or XDB table. The mainframe file is to be a variable sequential file created by any IMS unload utility, MERANT's, IBM's or another parties, or DSNTIAUL for DB2.
Does Drag and Drop synchronize with our source code control system?
Drag and Drop uses the source code control on the mainframe by issuing calls to its interface. It does not perform check-out’s and therefore, when a replace is done on the mainframe, it would override any previous version with the new one. If the source code control system member already has a lock on it by another user, then typically, the source code control system would reject the Drag and Drop’s request to replace the member, and this would be reflected in the return code.
Does Drag and Drop perform ASCII/EBCDIC Translation of VSAM and QSAM files?
Drag and Drop will do the following for variable length sequential files being downloaded from the mainframe: if ASCII/EBCDIC translation is OFF, then it will convert the file, using DFCONV, to the EBCDIC, variable-length, sequential Micro Focus format. If ASCII/EBCDIC translation is ON, then it will write the file as a standard Workstation file, with CRLF at the end of each logical line (also known as Line Sequential format).
Normally, nothing special is done about the imbedded fields. If you do not use the ASCII/EBCDIC translation, then you get the same data as on the mainframe, if you do use the ASCII/EBCDIC translation, then the whole record is translated. If you wish to use a workstation component to do some logical translation, then drag it down without translation, and then use the component on the resulting EBCDIC, variable-length, sequential Micro Focus format file to create the required file in the required format. By setting an environment variable, you may force MFA to download source files containing imbedded hex fields to be written out in the Micro Focus MDECONV format, which is recognised by the various Micro Focus compilers and utilities. The Data Access Services chapter of this manual describes these environment variables.
When you drag source code from Panvalet to the PC, are you able to drag the changed source directly back to Panvalet?
Yes, a user may drag source code from Panvalet to the PC. A user may then make changes on the PC and drag the changed source code back to Panvalet. The same is true for Librarian and Endevor. If you have you own in-house source control system, you can access these members as well. Refer to the Library Access Services section of the manual.
It is very time consuming to browse a PDS that has a large number of members. Is there a way to define in the CATALOG entry a pattern with wildcards for the members of the PDS and have only the members that match this pattern be listed when browsing the PDS?
A new feature of Drag and Drop is the ability to subset the member list for a PDS, by right mouse clicking on the PDS name, then select "Change member name criteria", this will pull up an input panel, where you can enter a prefix or a set of filter characters that mean something specific. The online help button will describe these filter character values. From that point on, only those members that begin with the entered prefix will be displayed in a Drag and Drop member list. This prefix is remembered from session to session as well.
I have a situation that may occur and would like to know if MFA would be able to download and correctly convert a variable length sequential file, created from a standard IBM IMS unload utility?
Yes, set the type of the sequential file to unloaded IMS database, and then drag it to the workstation. It will be loaded as a workstation IMS database.
Is the Monitor generally available or is it still in Beta?
The Monitor became GA on August 15, 1997 after completing an extensive beta program that ran for 9 months.
How does MFA’s Compare and Synchronize Monitor work? What can we control or not control about it?
The monitor synchronizes mainframe and workstation source, by creating and storing date/time/TTR and hash information in an checkpoint file located on the workstation. When the monitor detects a sign of an alteration, then it performs a hashing check against the member in question. If the member has changed, then the hashing algorithm will detect this, and the monitor will determine which side has changed: the mainframe, or the workstation. You can control the frequency of this checking, as well as the direction that the transports are allowed to take: both directions, download from mainframe only, or upload from workstation only.
If a LAN directory already exist with source and you match it up with a PDS will the Sync Monitor know not to download the files that have not changed? They were originally brought down with Drag and Drop?
Yes, as it does a hash against both files to determine likeness, and then compares the hash code. This would be the same for those files, and therefore it would not download again.
How does SourceConnect work with mainframe security and source control systems?
Since SourceConnect uses the MFA server, then all of the MFA server’s security logic is in effect. The same goes for the source code control systems.
Does Source Connect also access/expand copybooks from the mainframe?
Yes, if copybooks are in a different PDS SourceConnect may be configured to find them.
Copyright © 1999 MERANT International Limited. All rights reserved.
This document and the proprietary marks and names
used herein are protected by international law.
| Installation | |