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Overview of ChangeMan ZMF for Eclipse

Serena® ChangeMan® ZMF for Eclipse™ is a Java plug-in for the Eclipse™ Workbench and IBM Rational® Developer for z Systems® (RDz) integrated development environments (IDEs). The plug-in integrates the mainframe software change management capabilities of ChangeMan ZMF directly into these workbench environments.

Features and Functions

Some benefits of Eclipse integration with ChangeMan ZMF are the following:

  • Tool availability — including the latest GUI editors, debuggers, generators, and application programmer interface (API) toolkits for Java, COBOL, and Assembler when working with mainframe software assets.

  • A unified point of access through the workbench to multiple ChangeMan ZMF repositories. The Dimensions for Eclipse plug-in adds unified access through the Serena Explorer view to Dimensions CM resources as well.

  • Full integration with the robust version control, build management, system test, and multisystem deployment capabilities of a software change control system — ChangeMan ZMF — that is optimized for enterprise-scale projects.

  • Mainframe levels of security and disaster protection for the software repository.

Supported ZMF Functions

Nearly all the developer functions of ChangeMan ZMF are supported by ZMF for Eclipse. In addition, many ZMF tasks are performed automatically "under the covers" as you work with development resources in the workbench. For example, you can:

  • Perform development lifecycle tasks from the desktop — including checkouts from baseline, checkin to a change package, component builds, package freeze, package audit, package create, promote/demote, and more.

  • Perform Release Management tasks from the desktop — including Unblock Release, Block Release, Approve Release, Backout Release, Revert Release, Audit Release, Test Release, Area Reset Notify, Area Checkin Notify, and more.

  • Work with controlled software assets and personal development libraries in native z/OS or the z/OS File System (zFS).

  • Perform mass downloads with automated mapping of library types to directories, automated checkout and lock when the resource is changed, library synchronization against multiple repository resources, and mass checkins with automatic package creation when working with desktop development libraries in the workspace.

  • Submit jobs or ZMF XML Services data streams to the mainframe for execution.

  • Access the JES subsystem to review mainframe started task and job output.

Components

Workbench Plug-in

ZMF for Eclipse consists of a Java plug-in that is compatible with both the open-source Eclipse Workbench and IBM’s mainframe-oriented Rational Developer for z Systems, which is built on Eclipse technology. The plug-in is installed in the workbench environment.

Web Application Server

The ZMF for Eclipse plug-in invokes the ChangeMan ZMF Web Services to manage function-specific connectivity to ChangeMan ZMF. The ZMF Web Services reside on a Web application server that executes either on the development system where the workbench resides or at some network location accessible to the client. ZMF for Eclipse works with Web application servers that support the Apache Axis SOAP library.

Software Repository

The Web application server and ZMF Web Services use TCP/IP to connect to the ChangeMan ZMF software repository on the mainframe. ChangeMan ZMF manages software assets to meet the demanding change control requirements of enterprises and organizations running large-scale, mission-critical applications.

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