Defining CICSplex topology

When you have identified your CICSplexes and MASs, you need to create the definition objects that will identify them to CICSPlex® SM. You should be aware that you will not have all the information required at this point; more information will emerge as the design of your CICSPlex SM system proceeds.

More information about designing CICSplexes is given in Designing your CICSplexes

Preparing CICSplex definitions

Each CICSplex must be defined to CICSPlex SM by a name that is unique within the enterprise. Naming conventions are given in Naming your CICSPlex SM entities. You also should be aware that you will need other information for the CICSplex definition, which will become available as you proceed with the design of your CICSPlex SM system. This information includes:

Managing the CICSplex definitions

A CICSplex is identified to CICSPlex SM via the CPLEXDEF view, which is described in CICSPlex System Manager Administration.

To enter this information, you can use the appropriate CMAS Configuration Administration (ADMCONFG) views, or the batched repository-update facility.

When you have created a CICSplex definition, you can associate CICS systems (MASs) and CICS system groups with the CICSplex. See Preparing CICS system definitions.

Preparing CICS system definitions

In order to be managed by CICSPlex SM, a CICS system must be associated with a CICSplex that is defined to CICSPlex SM. The definition establishing this association also contains information about how the CICS system is to use the BAS, WLM, RTA, and monitoring components of CICSPlex SM.

To create CICS system definitions, and to display information about CICS systems defined to a CICSplex, you use the CICSSYS view.

For every CICS system that is to be managed by CICSPlex SM, you must gather the following information:

This is sufficient data for adding the MAS definition to the CICSPlex SM data repository. If you know that you have special BAS, WLM, RTA, or monitoring requirements for any CICS system, you can enter those at the same time. Alternatively, you can update the CICS system definition later as new requirements become apparent. For example, you might want to collect some of the following information, which is optional and can be supplied after the CICS system is defined to CICSPlex SM:

To enter this information, you can use the Topology Administration (ADMTOPOL) views, or the batched repository-update facility. Note that the ADMTOPOL views are also used to create time-period definitions.

Preparing CICS system group definitions

For each CICS system group to be defined to CICSPlex SM, you need provide only a name for the group, which may be unique within the CICSplex. The CICS system group must be defined before you can add CICS systems to it. To define a CICS system group, you use the ADMTOPOL views.

Defining CICS system groups, perhaps more than any other part of the design stage, is an iterative process and a cumulative one. It might be obvious to you already that there are natural groupings of CICS systems within your CICSplexes, and that you will want to manipulate each of those groups as a single entity. If this is the case, start to document the groups now. Because groups do not have to be mutually exclusive, and because a CICS system can belong to any number of groups, you can add CICS system group definitions as new requirements emerge.

To create CICS system groups, you use the CICSGRP view.

You can display information about the CICS system groups, and the CICS systems associated with them, that are known to the CICSplex identified as the current context, by using the SYSGRPC view.

CICS system link definitions

For a CICS system to communicate with another CICS system, the connection between the two systems may be specified by a link definition. A link definition is used to automatically create the matching CICS resource definitions (connection and session definitions) required in the two connected CICS systems. These link definitions are used by CICS (not CICSPlex SM); for example, for transaction routing between CICS systems.

To create CICS system link definitions, and to display information about those definitions, you use the SYSLINK view.

Figure 11. CICS system link definitions
The diagram shows the views which are used to define links between CICS systems. CICSSYS is used to create system definitions and system links. SYSLINK is used to create and install system links. CONNDEF is used to describe connection attributes. SESSDEF is used to describe session attributes.

Managing CICS system definitions

CICS system definitions are managed through the following objects:

CICSGRP
To create and administer CICS® system groups within a CICSplex, including adding CICS systems to CICS system groups. This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Administration.
CONNDEF
To create and administer connection definitions that identify remote systems that a CICS system communicates with using intersystem communication (ISC) or multiple region operation (MRO). This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Managing Business Applications.
CICSSYS
To create and administer the definition that associates a CICS system with a CICSplex. The definition also contains information about how the CICS system is to use the WLM, real-time analysis, resource monitoring, and business application services components of CICSPlex SM. This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Administration.
PERIODEF
To create and administer time period definitions, which identify specific ranges of hours and minutes to be used with resource monitoring and real-time analysis. This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Administration.
SESSDEF
To create and administer session definitions that describe the nature of logical links between systems that communicate using intersystem communication (ISC) or multiple region operation (MRO). This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Managing Business Applications.
SYSGRPC
To monitor information about the CICS system groups, and the CICS systems associated with a CICSplex. This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Administration.
SYSLINK
To create and administer the links between CICS systems in the CICSplex. This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Managing Business Applications.

CICSPlex SM provides the MAS view that you can use to manage configuration definitions when the associated CICS systems are active.

MAS
To manage information about active CICS systems known to a CICSplex or connected to the designated CMAS involved in managing the CICSplex.

This view is described in CICSPlex System Manager Administration.

Note:
Using the CICSSYS and PERIODEF views to update definitions affects both a currently running system and the definitions in the data repository. Updates made using the MAS view, however, are not included in the data repository.
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