Chapter 4: Post Installation Activities

This chapter covers configuration activities which must be carried out on the client workstation for Classic COBOL Workbench only. Mainframe Express does this automatically for you.

4.1 Workstation Configuration

This section provides an example of an FHREDIR.CFG file. It also describes the MFEXTMAP.DAT file which is used on the workstation to map filenames.

Full details on entries in the FHREDIR.CFG file can be found in your Programmer's Guide to File Handling. Full details on the Common Communication Interfaces (CCI) can be found in your Programmer's Guide to Communications. Below are a number of example FHREDIR.CFG files used to access files via various communications protocols. An asterisk (*) indicates that all files with filenames beginning with the leading characters are supported by the named server. A solitary asterisk indicates that all files are supported by the named server. The FHREDIR.CFG file is processed sequentially. Making the solitary asterisk entry the last in the file, therefore, specifies a default server.

APPC
An example FHREDIR.CFG entry using APPC:

/MA LOCAL-LU-NAME.MODE-NAME /S MVS-APPLID.MVS-TRANSID
/MA LOCAL-LU-NAME.MODE-NAME /S CICS-APPLID.CICS-TRANS
/CM CCIAPPC
/F IX1.F* /S MVS-APPLID.MVS-TRANSID
/F BETF* /S CICS-APPLID.CICS-TRANSID
/F FSH* /S CICS-APPLID.CICS-TRANSID
/F SYS1* /S MVS-APPLID.MVS-TRANSID
/F MFI01V* /S CICS-APPLID.CICS-TRANSID
/F SYSOUT* /S MVS-APPLID.MVS-TRANSID
/F AC* /S CICS-APPLID.CICS-TRANSID
/F @* /S MVS-APPLID.MVS-TRANSID
/F * /S MVS-APPLID.MVS-TRANSID

Item	Description	Example
LOCAL-LU-NAME	The LU name of the workstation	WEWLU010
MODE-NAME	A valid LU 6.2 Mode	#INTER
MVS-APPLID	The VTAM APPLID for the MVS Server	FILESHR2
MVS-TRANSID	The transaction code for the MVS Server	MVSF
CICS-APPLID	The VTAM APPLID of the CICS region where the MFA CICS Server is running	MFICICS2
CICS-TRANS	The transaction code for the CICS Server	BETF
CCIAPPC	The name of the communications protocol to be used with the named MFA Server	.

TCP/IP
An example FHREDIR.CFG entry using TCP/IP:

/CM CCITCP /S MVS-TCPIP-NAME
/CM CCITCP /S CICS-TCPIP-NAME
/F IX1.F* /S MVS-TCPIP-NAME
/F BETF* /S CICS-TCPIP-NAME
/F FSH* /S CICS-TCPIP-NAME
/F SYS1* /S MVS-TCPIP-NAME
/F MFI01V* /S CICS-TCPIP-NAME
/F SYSOUT* /S MVS-TCPIP-NAME
/F AC* /S CICS-TCPIP-NAME
/F @* /S MVS-TCPIP-NAME
/F * /S MVS-TCPIP-NAME

Item	Description	Example
MVS-TCPIP-NAME	The CCITCP2 registration name of MVS Server. The HOSTS file entry for the MFA MVS Server	MVSA.MFA4MVS
CICS-TCPIP-NAME	The CCITCP2 registration name of CICS Server. The HOSTS file entry for the MFA CICS Server	MVSA.MFA4CICS
CCITCP	The name of the communications protocol to be used with the named MFA Server	.

4.1.2 The MFEXTMAP.DAT File

The MFEXTMAP.DAT file enables filename mapping. It is documented in full in your Programmer's Guide to File Handling. An example MFEXTMAP.DAT entry is shown below:

PAYMAST CSI01.PAYROLL.MASTER

4.1.3 High Speed Record Blocking

For Mainframe Express users only, the DataConnect client can be configured to improve application performance if a large number of sequential reads are issued by retrieving records from the mainframe in blocks, rather than requesting each record individually. Many records can then be returned to the PC in a single step reducing the number of network requests.

4.1.3.1 Restrictions

For an application to make use of block reads, the dataset must be opened for read-only using sequential access mode processing.

Performance advantages will only be gained when an application sequentially reads a number of records. Frequent repositioning within a file will break the sequential pattern of accesses that benefits from the use of a locally buffered block of records.

4.1.3.2 Installation

This is already incorporated into the Mainframe Express V2.0 product. No special installation is required.

4.1.3.3 Configuration

Block reading is activated via a setting in the FHREDIR.CFG file on the PC. This file must be located in the project's working directory, or can be located in an alternate location when the absolute filename is specified by the global FHREDIR environment variable setting. For example: set FHREDIR=d:\clientdir\fhredir.cfg.

Blocking of sequential reads is activated by specifying the /BL option in the FHREDIR.CFG file along with the number of records which should be read ahead and blocked. For example, the FHREDIR.CFG file would contain a list of /F lines, and any or all of these lines could include a parameter at the end of the line: /BL 200. This would mean that 200 records get blocked when a sequential read is issued to a data set. So the next 199 sequential reads will get read from a local buffer before another network request needs to be sent to retrieve data from the mainframe. Note that the maximum amount of data that can be sent from the mainframe in one request is 64767 bytes. Some of this data space is used internally as follows: The first 108 bytes per each network request. 20 bytes for every blocked record. You need to consider these factors in association with the file's maximum record length when configuring the value for the /BL option.

For example, if the data set in question had a fixed record length of 80 bytes then the amount of data sent on the network for a block of 200 records would be: 108 + (200 * (80 + 20)) = 20108 bytes. The theoretical maximum /BL value configurable for such a file would be 646 which would use a buffer of 64708 bytes to return that many blocked records. If you specify a /BL value too large, then as much of the buffer as possible will be used in order to return the maximum number of records. Note that you should be cautious using a global blocking setting since you may activate blocking for data sets which are accessed in an unsuitable manner which might therefore degrade performance.

4.2 MFE Configuration When Using Alternate Indecies

How do I access VSAM Alternate Indexes on a Data Connect File? The following steps are necessary to set up a program so that it can use VSAM alternate indexes in MFE via the System Catalog.

On the mainframe locate the PDS that is pointed to by the VSAMCTL DD in the job that started your MFA Server.
Create a PDS Member in that dataset that starts with a dollar sign. (eg. $EMPFILE)
Edit this member and add lines for the primary entry and all the alternate indexes. For example: VSAM=MFI01.EMPLEE.KSDS on the first line and AIX1=MFI01.EMPLEE.KSDS.AIX1 on the next line.
In the MFE Catalog you need to create an entry that points to the PDS "member" on the host in the VSAMCTL PDS. To do this you "Add Existing" dataset, specifying MFI01.EMPLEE.KSDS as the MVS Dataset Name, and for the "PC" name you specify $$FILESHR2\$EMPFILE (instead of FILESHR2 specify the server name you are using) with an LRECL of 80, and a dsorg of PS.
Compile/link your cobol program.
Execute your JCL/CLIST.

Server Configuration

Server Functionality