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Overview of the INFO Option

The INFO Option was made available in ChangeMan ZMF Version 3.3.2. There are no substantive changes to the INFO Option since ChangeMan ZMF Version 3.3.2.

The information in Part II: INFO Option will assist you with these tasks:

  • Installing the INFO Option and customizing it for your data center.

  • Setting up and maintaining the interface with the ChangeMan ZMF Server Started Task.

  • Setting up and maintaining global and local application administration.

  • Mapping package data.

  • Understanding and resolving diagnostic messages.

  • Assigning and manipulating variables.

This chapter discusses the interface between Serena ChangeMan ZMF and Tivoli Information Management for z/OS.

This chapter assumes that you have some knowledge of Tivoli Information Management for z/OS and have licensed ChangeMan ZMF with the INFO Option.

In addition, you should have access to an IBM manual entitled Tivoli Information Management for z/OS Application Program Interface Guide.

A Note about Product Name Changes

The name INFO Option is intended to associate the option with the IBM® or Tivoli® product to which it connects. That product has had several name changes:

  • IBM Information/Management (InfoMan)

  • Tivoli TME 10 Information/Management

  • Tivoli Service Desk for OS/390 (TSO390)

  • Tivoli Information Management for z/OS

Previously, the INFO Option was named INFO Option and, before that, Service Desk/390 Interface (Info/Man) to help you recognize its relationship to the IBM/Tivoli product. That name has been replaced by INFO Option in this manual and all references to the IBM/ Tivoli product have been changed to Tivoli Information Management for z/OS.

However, you may still see references to "Info/Man" in the ChangeMan ZMF product panels associated with INFO Option.

Architecture

Users in ISPF session use Cross Memory Services (XMS) to request services of the ChangeMan ZMF started task. In turn, the INFO subtask satisfies these requests via the Tivoli Information Management for z/OS Application Program Interface (API).

There are several advantages to this centralized architecture over having each TSO/ISPF user (each in a unique address space) establish a session with INFO Option:

Response time The price to pay for establishing and terminating a session is only paid once, not for each request.
Authority checks Only the ChangeMan ZMF started task needs to be authorized to the INFO Option for a given session, not every single TSO ID.
Storage Only one copy (approximately 600K) of INFO system modules (starting with BLGYSRVR) need be loaded into the started task region and none in the user address space.

Functional Overview

ChangeMan ZMF and Tivoli Information Management for z/OS have important and complementary roles to play in the automation, control, information gathering, and reporting of the change implementation life cycle.

While each provides different functionality, the philosophy and objective is remarkably similar. Both see change and change management from a release or package standpoint as opposed to being element driven. The INFO Option change record is comparable to the ChangeMan ZMF change package. Each expresses the notion of change at the business requirement level. They are both designed to provide a repository of information about that change including electronic documentation, online approvals, and history of events.

The strength of Tivoli Information Management for z/OS lies in the management of information while ChangeMan ZMF addresses the requirement to control system libraries and the activities that affect them. Working together, ChangeMan ZMF and Tivoli Information Management for z/OS constitute a powerful yet flexible change implementation life cycle management system.

Environment

The INFO Option provides a real-time interface to Tivoli Information Management for z/OS for instant information creation, retrieval, and update. The ChangeMan ZMF started task will attach a subtask that maintains a continuous link to Tivoli Information Management for z/OS (through the Tivoli Information Management for z/OS). For maintenance reasons, the subtask can be detached and reattached by modification commands at the console. Users in their own TSO/ISPF address space perform their duties under ChangeMan ZMF as before.

Information Sharing

Information is shared in both directions. Information in a Tivoli Information Management for z/OS change record can be used to populate corresponding fields in a ChangeMan ZMF change package and vice-versa.

In addition, ChangeMan ZMF will automatically recognize approvals gathered under Tivoli Information Management for z/OS. ChangeMan ZMF also communicates major events in the life cycle of the change such as staging, package freeze (or unfreeze), and installation to Tivoli Information Management for z/OS. This information exchange provides a wealth of reliable, automatically generated information.

Common identifiers establish the relationship between a Tivoli Information Management for z/OS change record and a ChangeMan ZMF change package. The change package identifier is stored in Tivoli Information Management for z/OS change record, and the change record number is stored in the ChangeMan ZMF change package. This cross storage of identifiers is called chaining.

Repository

The INFO/Management Change rule in the ChangeMan ZMF repository tells ChangeMan ZMF what level of interfacing is wanted. The rule is set (and maintained) online. It can be defined both at the global level and at the application level. Thus, you can have a minimum global standard that applies across all applications; yet some applications can have an enhanced level of interfacing.

Change Package and Change Record

When you create a ChangeMan ZMF change package, you may or may not specify a Tivoli Information Management for z/OS change record number. The INFO/Management Change rule may be set so that this is mandatory. If the change record is not specified, and the rule permits this, then:

  • ChangeMan ZMF immediately communicates a request to INFO Option to create a change record.

  • INFO Option passes the new change record number to ChangeMan ZMF.

  • ChangeMan ZMF updates the change record information in the change package.

  • At the end of change package creation, and at any other time that this information is changed, ChangeMan ZMF updates the Tivoli Information Management for z/OS change record.

  • If a change record is specified, ChangeMan ZMF immediately queries INFO Option to see if the change record exists. If not

    • The creation is suspended until a change record is created.

    • The user must blank the field so that the procedure above will be followed. (INFO/ Management Change rule permitting.)

    Conversely, if the change record exists

    • ChangeMan ZMF checks to see if the change record already references (chaining) a change package, in which case the request is rejected.

    • ChangeMan ZMF checks to see if the specified number references a real change record, as opposed to problem or configuration record, in which case the request is rejected.

  • Information from the change record is used to populate the change package fields; the change package number is updated in the change record.

Approvals

For any application, the Repository can include Tivoli Information for z/OS on the list of approvals. Tivoli Information Management for z/OS could be the only approval; however, this is not recommended because the opportunities for checking Tivoli approval are at Freeze and overt Approval times. If INFOMGMT (the security entity associated with Tivoli Information Management for z/OS) is the only approval entity assigned and it has not already been approved from the point of view of Tivoli, the Freeze mechanics will miss the connection and there is no reason for the package to be updated on existing Approval panels. If one of the approval entities on the approval list is designated as Tivoli-related

(INFOMGMT), then the approval of it can only come directly (normal exception is the Global Administrator) from Tivoli. While in the approval function for a package so designated, ChangeMan ZMF will automatically query Tivoli for approval confirmation. The indication, if any, of approval or rejection is captured. A package Unfreeze (or Revert back to Development status) will reset any previously garnered approvals from the package without notifying the Tivoli change record.

Tivoli Application Administration

The person in charge of administering security rules for Tivoli Information Management for z/OS should be aware of which ChangeMan ZMF subsystems will be accessing the Tivoli database through the specified session name (CMNINFAP Variable Rules). An eight-character application identification must be used when establishing a session with Tivoli Information Management for z/OS.

These eight-character names must be pre-authorized by the Tivoli Administrator. Failure to provide for these names can result in the INFO subtask abending with an SA03.

The internal convention used by ChangeMan ZMF is that each subsystem (CMN, CMNA, CMNB, etc.) passes a unique eight-character name according to this schedule:

Subsystem ID Application ID presented to Tivoli
blank CMNSTART
A CMNASTAR
B CMNBSTAR
I CMNISTAR
and so on ...

There are some responsibilities to produce the program interface data tables (PIDTs) by using the table utility BLGUT8.

Note

This document assumes that the data tables TS0B06x will be used. If you wish to customize these tables or use tables other than these standardized tables, you will need to modify CMNINFAP.