Things You Can Do Now to Be
Ready For
Websphere MQÔ for z/OS V6.0
By
Don Fowler
MCE, Inc.ÓJuly 2005
On June 24, 2005,
IBM announced the availability of MQ for z/OS Version 6. We will just call it MQ for z/OS
for the sake of brevity.
Major enhancements for
V6.0 included:
MQ for z/OS, Version 6.0 enables
Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) interactions to flow over its messaging backbone
between Web services requesters and providers. Web services-enabled legacy and batch
applications can also benefit from using MQ for z/OS in its asynchronous mode as a
buffering mechanism to regulate the flow of requests made to these applications. MQ for
z/OS also makes an ideal transport to add reliability to services to the enterprise
service bus connectivity (ESB) layer of a service-oriented architecture.
With support for Web services now
integrated into MQ for z/OS, Version 6.0; IBM WebSphere Application Server, Version 6.0;
and IBM CICS® Transaction Server, Version 3.1, you can use Web
services as a common approach to integrate investments on those platforms in a
virtualized, service-oriented manner. This capability represents the next step in IBM
enhancing its ability to enable you to deploy an end-to-end enterprise service bus that
can integrate almost every component of your environment— and to cost-effectively
bring these investments into a service-oriented architecture.
Sounds good,
right? Let’s order the thing and kick the tires.
There are several
actions that a current Websphere MQ for z/OS user should consider doing well in advance of
placing an order the new Version 6 product. Doing
these tasks will ensure a smoother and more accelerated installation of the new version of
MQ. If you are considering a fourth quarter order of Websphere MQ for z/OS V6, you should
be starting these suggested actions within the next thirty to sixty days.
If you are
ordering within the next thirty days for a more immediate installation, you should begin
these suggested tasks today.
Let’s discuss
the enabling underlying software required by MQ for z/OS V6. If you are not at the right
level you can start by getting to these minimum level.
WebSphere MQ for
z/OS, V6.0 requires z/OS Version 1.4 or later, together with the products included in
z/OS. These include:
q C/C++ v optionally
Cryptographic Services System SSL (if you want to use the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for
channel security)
q Optionally
Cryptographic Services Security Level 3 (if you want to use SSL for channel security with
US encryption strengths) v DFSMS™/dfp
q High Level
Assembler
q ICSS
q ISPF
q JES
q Language
Environment (previously known as LE/370)
q Security Server
(previously known as RACF®)
q SMP/E
q Optionally TCP/IP
(see “Communications protocol and distributed queuing” on page 156)
q TSO/E
q UNIX System
Services
q VTAM®
OK, good start,
you say you are at z/OS 1.4 (or later) and feel good about life. All right
messaging-breath, let’s look at the next layer of enabling software required.
The following list
gives the minimum levels required for the optional products that are not included in z/OS.
You can also use any more recent versions of COBOL and PL/I compilers that can generate
calls to WebSphere MQ conforming to the standard operating system linkage conventions. You
might not need all the following:
q CICS Transaction
Server Version 1.3
q COBOL:
–
IBM SAA AD/Cycle
–
COBOL 370 –
VS COBOL 2, Version 4
–
IBM COBOL for
OS/390 (z/OS) and VM, Version 2.1 –
–
IBM COBOL for MVS
and VM, Version 2.1
q IMS, Version 7.1
q IBM PL/I for MVS
and VM, Version 1.1 (5688-235)
Some of the
features of WebSphere MQ for z/OS, V6.0 have additional requirements.
Queue-sharing
groups:
Coupling Facility
level 9
DB2 Version 7.1
(WebSphere MQ supports large shared queue messages (of more than 63KB) through the use of
DB2 Binary Large Objects (BLOBs). This feature requires the fix for APAR PQ71179 on your
version 7 DB2 system.)
CICS bridge (3270
transactions):
CICS Transaction
Server Version 1.3 with APAR PQ23961.
Java Support
feature:
IBM Developer Kit
for OS/390, Java 2 Technology Edition, Version 1.3.1.
WebSphere MQ
Workflow
WebSphere MQ
Workflow, Version 3.4
You say you are in
good shape here? Well then I guess we should move on to coexistence PTFs.
This activity can
be performed at any available time in preparation for a migration to WebSphere MQ for z/OS
Version 6 or as part of normal maintenance. It is not dependant on Version 6 being
available. You probably would like to run for some period of time with the coexistence
PTFs on your systems to ensure a good burn in and shakedown period.
You cannot add a
Version 6 queue manager to a queue-sharing group, or start an existing queue manager in a
queue-sharing group at Version 6 level, until all the queue managers in a queue-sharing
group within the DB2 data-sharing group have had a migration & coexistence PTF
applied. This is because Version 6 requires new DB2 tables and additional changes to
existing DB2 tables. Similarly, once a Version 6 queue manager has been started in a
queue-sharing group you cannot start a Version 5.3 or 5.3.1 queue manager as a member of
the group unless it has a migration & coexistence PTF applied. For the latest on
the coexistence and migration PTFs for V6 use your standard IBM support structure.
You need to take
the following steps:
1. Apply the PTF.
2. The PTF changes
some of the DB2 operations performed by the Version 5.3 or 5.3.1 queue manager so that it
is compatible with WebSphere MQ for z/OS Version 6. This means that the PTF contains some
replacement DBRMs. You should bind these DBRMs into new plans with a 530 or 531version
number (as detailed in the job supplied in the HOLDDATA of the PTF). The new plan names
are as listed in the sample program CSQ45BPL, which is supplied with the PTF. This means
that you have two sets of plans, for queue managers without the PTF and for queue managers
with the PTF applied. Module CSQ5PLAN (and its aliases) also changes the DB2 plans to be
used by WebSphere MQ in the PTF names.
3. Bind the DBRMs
supplied in the PTF into new version plans using the job supplied with the PTF.
4. Grant execute
authority on new DB2 plans to the same userids as for existing Version 5.3 or 5.3.1 plans,
using the job supplied with the PTF.
5. By turn, stop each
queue manager and restart it so that it picks up the new code level.
6. Perform testing of
the new code level.
There are several
pieces of software that have been withdrawn at the MQ for z/OS V6.0 level.
CICS Mover no
longer is there and you should have already addressed the MCA – CHIN implementation
IBM has been telling you to for the last several releases of MQ.
If you are using
Application Messaging Interface (AMI), the product is no longer supported at MQ for z/OS
V6.0. The WebSphere
MQ Application Messaging Interface V1.1 (for C and COBOL) was originally provided as part
of the MQSeries for OS/390 - V5.2 product.
IBM has recommended that customers
do not use the AMI for any new projects and do not extend usage in existing projects. This
recommendation does not apply to functions shipped by other IBM products, such as DB2,
that have made use of the AMI. IBM is working to ensure that these products are able to
provide the same functionality as today without the AMI.
It is
now available as the ’MA0F MQSeries Application Messaging Interface’ SupportPac.
To obtain it simply click on this
link.
As with all major IBM products, other vendors have found lucrative niche markets for add-on products. You can get well ahead of the installation curve by ensuring your ISV products are up to the level required to support MQ for z/OS V6.0.
Our first
practical example is Unicenter TCPaccess
Communication Server (formerly called SOLVE:TCPaccess) from Computer Associates. Some
people us this instead of IBM’s TCP/IP. If you decide to use this product, the
required minimum level is Version 5.2.
So as you can see, there are several actions one should take well before the anticipated ordering and installation of the new Websphere MQ for z/OS V6.0. You might wish to consider obtaining a customized version of our Websphere MQ for z/OS Migration Support Kit. This Kit is based on the popular format of our existing DB2, z/OS, IMS, and CICS TS MSKs. The MQ MSK is currently a migration plan from V5.3.0 or V5.3.1 to V6.0. The MSK has task lists associated with each of the items mentioned in this paper. Simply click here to go to our MSK ordering facility.