Mainframe Training and Courseware

This course provides detailed information required for the design of IMS Full Function databases. It covers the definition of IMS Control Blocks (DBD and PSB), and the characteristics of HISAM, HDAM and HIDAM organisations. The physical structure of these database types is examined in detail, and the reasons for choosing a particular organisation to match an application's needs. In addition, GSAM and Secondary Indexes are discussed, and the physical implementation of logical relationships, uni-directional and bi-directional (physical and virtual). Other topics are database housekeeping, the relevance of DBRC, database monitoring for performance and error recovery.

This course describes and explains the access method concepts in MVS and the structure and design of VSAM files. It teaches how to create VSAM files using the utility Access Method Services (AMS), both from a functional as well as a performance point of view. Additionally, it provides the Systems Programmer and Operational Analyst with information on the structure of ICF catalogs and the related VTOC and Index VTOC. Online exercises provide experience in creating, accessing and managing VSAM files. Attendees will create and use clusters, alternate indexes and paths.

This course is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of the management and recovery of databases, systems and logs under DBRC through IMS version 9. Topics include RECON datasets, DBRC tracking of log datasets, database datasets and IMS systems; database registration; subsystem interaction and authorization; IMS utility interaction including reorganizations, image copies, change accumulation, database recovery, and batch backout; DBRC system issues; and review and discussion of your RECON. On-line labs are used to reinforce lectures.

Attendees will gain a solid foundation in the fundamental structure of MVS, enabling further study in areas such as debugging, performance, installation and customisation of the MVS operating system. This part concentrates on laying the ground rules of MVS in terms of architecture, storage management, major MVS control blocks and how to interpret them. The course also introduces the major MVS components.

This course introduces and explains in detail IMS on-line operations. It provides the essential cross-training for systems support specialists from parallel disciplines such as z/OS, CICS, COBOL, or DB2. Attendees will learn effective IMS system administration, based on a comprehensive insight into the structure and function of the IMS processes and resources, together with the parameters and operator commands that control them. Typical problems are demonstrated, emphasizing the identification of the appropriate skills and the utility procedures required to resolve them. Practical exercises reinforce the formal tuition sessions. These include hands-on access to the IVP sample applications, together with recovery from various system failures. Following this course, attendees will be able to provide standby support to their IMS colleagues (following an overview of the standards, conventions, and procedures, used in their own IMS department). No Machine Labs.

This intensive, five-day, hands-on course has been designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the DB2 UDB for z/OS Structured Query Language and how it is embedded in application programs. Throughout the course reference will be made to best practices to ensure that the SQL and application programs will run efficiently and effectively. This course is suitable for programmers working in DB2 for z/OS environments up to and including DB2 9 for z/OS.

This course is a comprehensive introduction to IMS. It provides ideal cross-training for application support specialists from disciplines such as CICS, COBOL, JAVA, or DB2. The course introduces and explains all areas of IMS databases in both the Batch and Online environments, including data access using the DL/I Language Interface and the maintenance of data integrity using the DBRC feature. Practical exercises reinforce the formal tuition sessions. These include the analysis of sample applications and use of the procedures and utilities required to recover from various application and system failures.  

This course builds upon the skills taught in the RSM courses DB2 9 for z/OS: Database Administration. It provides attendees with an understanding of additional and advanced administration tasks. It also examines in-depth a number of the subjects covered by the earlier course. This course is suitable for DBAs working in DB2 for z/OS environments up to and including DB2 9 for z/OS

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the Workload Manager functions. All the key features are described during this course, and details of the migration process to Goal mode are also covered. The course also includes a number of realistic practical hands-on exercises.

This course provides a view of z/OS (with JES2 as the job entry subsystem) through the eyes of the operator and the operator console. It goes through the system's functions by following a sequence which begins with the start-up of the system (IML and IPL) and then follows how the system controls the application workload coming through and exiting the system. The operator's ability to control this process is also discussed in detail.

This is the definitive administration course for all those who have responsibility for CICS administration on CICS/TS systems. The course combines formal tuition with a series of practical exercises. Over the course of the week attendees build and operate a CICS/TS system from scratch.

This course is vital for all those technicians who need to be able to understand and work with the ICF catalog environment. The prime objective is to enable attendees to evaluate catalog problems and take the appropriate and necessary corrective actions. The course also introduces and explains the tools available for catalog recovery.

This course follows on from the course UNIX System Services Part 1 - Concepts & Facilities. It teaches the skills needed to install, configure and implement UNIX System Services in a z/OS environment. The course goes on to describe and explain how to manage the new environment efficiently and effectively.

This course describes and explains UNIX System Services from a technician's point of view. The principal UNIX concepts are introduced and explained, and followed by a thourough examination of USS (UNIX) at a conceptual level. The course goes on to describe the facilities available and explains how the MVS system environment has changed to support open system and UNIX concepts through z/OS USS.

This course provides a detailed understanding of the DB2 UDB for z/OS facilities and procedures required to provide database users with efficient administration and support. It explains the system architecture and operational facilities of DB2 including monitoring, security and recovery techniques. This course is suitable for all environments up to DB2 9.

This course describes and explains how to implement and exploit the features provided by the z/OS storage environment, and covers SMS in particular. It examines both hardware and software features and explains how to fully exploit them. The course will gives attendees a detailed knowledge of how best to design and test the SMS Constructs and ACS routines. It provides a basis for evaluating standards and for establishing an optimised System Managed Storage (SMS) environment. The course also explains key components such as catalogs, VTOCs and I/O definitions. There are a number of online practical sessions during the course which, among other things, teach how to write optimised ACS routines.

Introducing new programmers to COBOL, this course teaches how to write and maintain simple COBOL programs. It is taught using a combination of classroom tuition and practical exercises, and includes realistic case studies that can be based on the client's particular environment and work-load.

This course is designed to provide system programmers, administrators, operators, managers, support personnel and application programmers with a basic understanding of data communications concepts and terminology. Topics to be discussed include Network Components, LAN Components, Link Level Protocols, Systems Network Architecture (SNA), SNA Software and Network Management Systems.

This course combines lectures and workshops to teach student techniques of writing on-line application programs in the mainframe CICS/TS environment. The principal CICS facilities covered are Task Control, Program Control, Terminal control, File control, Temporary Storage and design structure. Students also learn the techniques of pseudo-conversational programming and prevention of task abends. This course is hands-on and workshop oriented.

This course is intended for system programmers, application programmers, administrators, analysts, operators and others who need to increase their programming power through advanced REXX facilities. Skills learned can be applied to z/OS, Unix as well as vendor products that use REXX. Students will learn to use and manipulate compound variables in order to process REXX arrays, to create advanced parsing templates, to use interactive tracing and error trapping methods as well as how to debug complex REXX code. A working knowledge of basic REXX programming is a prerequisite for this class. When conducted at your site, the class can cover other platform environments as well. Hands-on lab exercises are used to reinforce lectures.

A conceptual overview of z/OS and MVS is provided, as is an introduction to the use of TSO and ISPF/PDF, followed by a grounding in basic JCL skills. Topics covering concepts, terminology and acronyms associated with the mainframe and its operating system are included, as well as a TSO introduction, ISPF introduction, the ISPF Editor, ISPF Utilities, job flow, JCL syntax, JOB and EXEC statements, DD statement parameters for both existing and new datasets, and system utilities. Hands-on lab exercises will reinforce material covered in lecture. As an alternative to the Boot Camp, students may attend each of the three component classes which allows for some additional time on each subject.

This course introduces and explains CICS Transaction Server (CICS/TS) to those who have limited or no knowledge of CICS but who need a clear understanding of what CICS is, what it does and how it does it. The course describes and explains the main concepts and facilities of CICS, and introduces the growing family of CICS server and client products that are available. This course is the essential first step for anyone wishing to work effectively in a CICS environment, and forms a solid foundation on which future CICS education can be based.

This course designed and written by mainframe storage management specialists, describes and explains how best to implement, customise and utilise HSM. Start-up commands and options are examined in detail, giving practical guidance on performance and availability issues. Customisation of the environment is also covered in some detail. Managing and monitoring HSM are also important areas that require some attention, in order to provide a good service to end-users. Another area that is often neglected is disaster backup using HSM. These are both covered, and the course includes the Aggregate Backup facility as well as other alternatives.

This hands-on course introduces new TSO/ISPF users to the concepts and facilities of TSO and IBM's Interactive System Productivity Facility (ISPF). It focuses particularly on its functions for data editing and dataset management. The course combines formal classroom tuition with a progressive series of hands-on practical sessions.

This 5 day course will introduce students to the skills necessary to code PL/I programs in z/OS and OS/390 environments.

This class provides a variety of subject matter pertaining to the day to day operation of an IBM mainframe computer system. It covers both hardware and software related issues, from I/O configuration details including FICON connectivity, to the processor’s use of storage, to IPL considerations. Many aspects of a typical mainframe processing configuration are considered. Work flow through the system is covered, as are various problem determination issues such as when an I/O error related fault occurs.

This course provides the attendee with a firm technical introduction to IBM's mainframe environments with the emphasis on z/Architecture and z/OS, IBM's strategic mainframe operating system. The course also provides an overview of all the associated software and system components that comprise the complete system.

This course builds on the skills taught in the definitive introductory JCL course - z/OS JCL Workshop Part 1 - Foundation Skills. It teaches the exploitation of the important advanced features and facilities available in z/OS JCL. It also shows how JCL maintenance can be simplified in order to aid productivity. The course is taught through a combination of classroom tuition and practical hands-on exercises.

This definitive JCL course is regularly upgraded to reflect recent developments in z/OS. The practical sessions of this course now comprise almost 40% of the course timetable. The course teaches the coding of job control statements to execute programs and access datasets in a z/OS environment. It also shows how to write and test catalogued procedures. The course combines classroom tuition with practical exercises using various IBM utilities.

This course combines the to teach the skills in the definitive introductory JCL course - z/OS JCL Workshop Part 1 - Foundation Skills and z/OS JCL Workshop Part 2 which includes the exploitation of the important advanced features and facilities available in z/OS JCL. It also shows how JCL maintenance can be simplified in order to aid productivity. The course is taught through a combination of classroom tuition and practical hands-on exercises.

This intensive course has been designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the DB2 UDB for z/OS Structured Query Language. It is intended for all personnel who are going to use SQL to report from, and modify DB2 data, in any environment other than embedded in application programs.

This course introduces, describes and explains the fundamental principles of DB2 UDB for z/OS. The course also explains the relational theory and concepts, and shows how DB2 adheres to them. The concepts of DB2 data storage, the DB2 system and its operation, Structured Query Language, the use of DB2 Interactive (DB2I), and the management of DB2 data using standard utility tasks are also introduced and explained. The course includes demonstrations and practical, hands-on exercises.

The skills taught in this course prepare the student to work on CICS/TS application projects. The student is introduced to basic CICS functionality and features, coding CICS Cobol programs and basic debugging strategies.

This four-day course is a complete introduction to the use of SMP/E for installing new software and applying changes to existing software (PTFs, APARs etc) for the z/OS environment. All the important aspects of using SMP/E are covered, including a detailed explanation of what happens 'under the covers'. The course contains valuable and extensive hands-on exercises that demonstrate all the major aspects of using SMP/E to install products and apply maintenance.

This course teaches the concepts and programming for REXX (Reconstructed EXtended eXecutor) language for the TSO environment.  The course covers the concepts and development of REXX Execs (executable code modules). The course is a combination of lecture, discussion and hands-on workshop sessions

The course begins with a review of CICS Command Level Programming. The structure and flow of several working CICS Programs is discussed in detail.
Basic Mapping Support (BMS) screens also reviewed in detail. A working CICS Applications is modified to add several NEW features.  These new features include the use of PF Keys, changing screen field attributes, help facility for a screen and individual fields on the screen, application paging and error handling.
Build a “large” application where several CICS programs and user screens interface together.
The course consists of a series of lectures, discussions, class exercises, and with hands-on programming workshop problems.
Build applications using the following additional CICS features such as - Storage Control, Paging Transactions, Online Printing, CICS System Information, EIB, system storage, DFHCOMMAREA, Changing field attributes, debugging tool such as InterTest or Xpediter

This course is a combination of lecture, discussion and hands-on lab sessions. This course covers the various zSeries Hardware components and the various z/OS Software components. The major capabilities of Database Management systems and Transaction Processing systems are presented as 2 major application components of z/OS for providing end-use services. Several Application Programming languages are reviewed to reveal their capabilities such as COBOL. Hands on demonstrations are provides for TSO/ISPF, JCL, SDSF, DB2 and COBOL as needed.

The Analysis portion presents the major Structured System Analysis tools used to improve the requirements definition / analysis activities of a project - Data Flow Diagrams, Data Dictionary, Processing Specifications, Data Structure Diagrams.  The Structured Analysis workshop sessions provide opportunities to practice the use of these major tools.  The design portion of the class discusses the use of (the major Structured System Design tool) the Structure Chart.  Two strategies are discussed for developing Structure Charts based on Data Flow Diagrams (Transaction- and Transform-Centered). Several quality standards are discussed for determining the "correctness" of a Structure Chart. A Structured Design workshop is used to practice developing Structure Charts; and determine of their "correctness".

This course is intended for senior analysts, project team leaders, and project managers who need to build and/or sharpen their Project Management skills and to run successful projects.

This series of course, gives the Entry-Level programmer a solid basis in each of the technical areas.

First, the concepts of DB2 are presented and discussed. The major features of the Structured Query Language (SQL) are presented as the means to access DB2 data (and to create and secure DB2 components).  Several of the “special features” of SQL are presented. Optionally, guided, hands-on, practice sessions give each attendee an opportunity to use SQL to access data.  QMF and/or SPUFI are used to execute SQL statements. DB2 database design and Referential Integrity (RI) are discussed.

Review overall DB2 SQL Performance Considerations. Discuss the issues in Performance “problems”. Discuss the "behavior" or “mis-behavior” of the DB2 Optimizer. Explore DB2 SQL performance issues as revealed via the EXPLAIN Plan / VISUAL EXPLAIN feature. The major columns PLAN_TABLE and DSN_STATEMNT_TABLE are analyzed in detail.  The results of the DB2 EXPLAIN Plan / VISUAL EXPLAIN process are reviewed to obtain insights into the Way(s) that the Optimizer chooses the access path to access DB2 data. Extensive workshops allow the students to test the performance “goodness” of several SQL statements. The Performance Guidelines are applied to COBOL Application programs. Discuss how & when the Optimizer uses Filter Factors based on Valid Statistics & Defaults

The concepts of DB2 are briefly presented and discussed. The Structured Query Language (SQL) is presented as the means to access DB2 data. Several guided, hands-on, practice sessions give each attendee an opportunity to use QMF to build “custom:” reports from DB2 data using the extensive powers of the QMF FORMs panels. Use several other QMF facilities such as Help, Retrieve/”?”, Save/Display, Export/Import, Prompted and SQL Query modes, PROCs.

First, the concepts of DB2 are presented and discussed. The Structured Query Language (SQL) is presented as the means to access DB2 data (and to create and secure DB2 components). Several guided, hands-on, practice sessions give each attendee an opportunity to use SQL to access data.  QMF and/or SPUFI are used to execute SQL statements.  Referential Integrity concepts and implementation are covered.

First, the concepts of DB2 are presented and discussed. The Structured Query Language (SQL) is presented as the means to access DB2 data (and to create and secure DB2 components).  Several guided, hands-on, practice sessions give each attendee an opportunity to use SQL to access data.  QMF and/or SPUFI are used to execute SQL statements.  Referential Integrity concepts and implementation are covered.

DB2 (SQL) programming / embedding SQL in a COBOL application program is presented and discussed in detail.  A "shell" program is modified to SELECT a single row, FETCH multiple rows, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE row(s), use Referential Integrity, and use column functions and grouping.

DB2 performance guidelines are discussed.  The SQL statement EXPLAIN PLAN is used to help to evaluate the efficiency of SQL statements.

The following “Release Dependent” features can be covered as needed –

• Version 8 – Table-Controlled Partitioning, Common Table Expression, Dynamic Scrollable Cursors, multi-row FETCH and INSERT, GET DIAGNOSTICS, Recursive SQL, Sequence Objects, Scalar Full Select, Select Statement In An Insert statement, Delimited LOAD / UNLOAD, MQT’s
• Version 9 – PureXML, New Data Types - bigger BINARY, VARBINARY, BIGINT, DECFLOAT, INSTEAD OF triggers, INTERSECT and EXCEPT, TRUNCATE Statement, MERGE Statement, Native SQL Stored Procedures, Optimistic Concurrency Control, Automatic Object Creation, Skip Locked Data, REOPT (AUTO)
• Version 10 - Preview

The course covers, in detail, all aspects of using VSAM and IDCAMS that are important to the senior application COBOL programmer in new system development or maintenance.  The class lab is designed to provide an in-depth work experience. 

The structure of VSAM will be discussed.  Each of the three VSAM file types (KSDS, ESDS, RRDS) will be reviewed in detail showing the design and efficiency features of each.  The concepts of Control Area (CA), Control Interval (CI), and other space management features will be covered, as will the features of Alternate Indexing (AIX) and alternate index access PATH (PATH). 

All file structures will be related to the MVS/ VSAM space allocation and catalogs necessary to support the files. 

IDCAMS will be fully discussed and used.  Creating VSAM files using DEFINE CLUSTER will be described for all file types, as well as other IDCAMS functions of DELETE, PRINT, REPRO, LISTCAT, VERIFY and ALTER. 

The workshop application will create fixed and variable length record VSAM files, load the files, create an alternate index and path, and read/insert/delete records using a COBOL program. 

The LISTCAT command will be used to review the VSAM catalog information at critical points in the course.

The course is a series of lectures, discussions, written exercises, and programming exercises dealing with the concepts, capabilities, and coding for IMS Transaction Monitor programs. Students will design terminal screens and code Message Format Services (MFS) macros to implement those screen designs. The students will modify a skeleton COBOL program to receive an input message (from an on-line terminal), process that message, and send a message (to an on-line terminal), change screen attributes, send a message to another program, and use PFF keys. The Batch Terminal Simulator (BTS) is used for Program testing.

This is a lecture, discussion, and hands-on programming course covering IMS/VS database programming concepts, design, coding, testing and debugging. Segment Search Arguments (SSAs) are covered in detail along with emphasis on checking the PCB mask to understand the results of IMS database calls. Each workshop is preceded by lecture, discussion, and written exercise sessions.

This course covers the use of File-AID and manipulating MVS file with capabilities above and beyond those of ISPF. The class attendees are guided through the File-Aid menu structures and extensive capabilities. Record selection, browsing, allocating files (including VSAM) and editing files are discussed.

The course starts with an overview COBOL for z/OS and many of the differences from previous version of COBOL including the callable functions. An overview of the Language Environment / 370 (LE/370) is presented along with how some of its features can benefit the COBOL for z/OS programmer. Extensive workshop sessions utilize many of the COBOL for z/OS features that are different from previous COBOL environments.  The LE/370 features are also used in workshop sessions.

Student skills are refined for the areas of sequential file processing, program looping, conditional program statements, and table processing.  Both external design documentation and internal program documentation are stressed as the key to building more maintainable, more understandable, and more reliable programs. The causes of program dumps are discussed along with solutions to the most common causes of program dumps.  A program dump is reviewed in detail.