Winter 2025 Edition
We had the first measurable snowfall in North Carolina in about 3 years in January, and there have
been quite a few days of sub-freezing temperatures. I’m hoping that the groundhog can fix all this.
The 10.2 release of z Workload Scheduler became available right on time, and the announcement
letter is here:
I will copy the main points here:
- IBM Z Workload Scheduler 10.2 delivers the Federated Mirroring component which allows users to replicate a subset of the plan data that is currently only available in VSAM files to a supported database. Plan objects that are replicated to the supported database are job streams, jobs, and workstations. The database is updated continuously during plan execution to reflect the actual status of all objects. This enables the Dynamic Workload Console and REST API clients to perform queries against the database instead of the controller to monitor scheduling objects. The queries will be faster, reducing the resource utilization of the z/OS system.
- The Version 2 REST APIs enable the support of the dynamic workload console orchestration monitoring.
- A completely re-designed Orchestration Monitor in the Dynamic Workload Console enables modern, quick, and easy-to-use monitoring of system workloads. The re-designed Orchestration Monitor provides:
- An intuitive tree view navigation system
- The ability to easily save, edit, and share queries
- Advanced query capabilities
- The ability to visualize dependencies at a glance
- IBM Z Workload Scheduler 10.2 enhances the usability of cross-engine dependencies to enable high scalability scenarios allowing the management of millions of daily jobs by splitting the workload across multiple interconnected IBM Z Workload Scheduler controllers.
Before you get too excited and try installing the DWC mirroring function, note that at 10.2.3 of Workload Automation, DB2 z/OS is not a supported database. It should be with 10.2.4 which will be available in the spring. See section “DB2 Preparation for DWC mirroring” below for more details.
Speaking of support, back in Cy’s Corner 111 I reported that AIX was no longer going to be a supported platform for the MDM and DWC at 10.2.3 level, but now it is going to be added back as a supported operating system in 10.2.5.
The release notes for 10.2.3 are available here:
Release Notes for IBM Workload Scheduler Version 10.2.3
For the 10.2.3 DWC the release notes are here:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7172680
One last thing about the zWS 10.2 release before moving on: If you check the program directory
https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/SSGSPN_10.2.3/pdireng.pdf
you will see that it does NOT list a PSP bucket name on the cover, like previous program directories.
There is an explanation about this on page 5:
Before you install IBM Z Workload Scheduler, make sure that you review the PSP bucket information for IBM Z products document https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7127792. It contains the latest information concerning the installation of IBM products, including the latest service recommendations and cross-product dependencies. This information was previously available in traditional PSP buckets, which are no longer published for IBM Z products.
DB2 Preparation for DWC mirroring
I’ve done some testing of the DB2 queries related to the new DWC mirroring, and there are some DB2
“prereqs” that will need to be addressed. There will be more information on this in the 10.2.4 Release
Notes, and via technotes, but here are some things you can check on meanwhile:
(1) For mirroring, since the OFFSET parameter is used with queries, packages need to be at an APPLCOMPAT level of at least V12R1M500 (or V13), so you may need to rebind packages that are at a lower APPLCOMPAT level.
I still had some packages that were bound with DB2 V11.
(2) The JDBC drivers supplied with DWC need to be updated. The drivers that come with DB2 V12 and DB2 V13 are OK (db2jcc.jar, db2jcc4.jar, db2jcc_license_cisuz.jar). The currently provided drivers provided with DWC are at DB2 10.1 level. We are working on getting the newer versions included with the DWC code, meanwhile you can copy the drivers from your DB2 V12 or V13 to replace those provided with the DWC code. The drivers are in the directory where you un-pax the USS.pax file, at “PAX”/jdbcdrivers/db2z
(3) DWC mirroring uses JSON. JSON support does not come natively with Db2 Software. It has a separate FMID and must be ordered.
See: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/db2-for-zos/13?topic=dps-using-sql-interface-handle-json-data-in-db2-zos
You need to have the Db2 Accessories Suite installed, which includes these FMIDS:
H2AF410 (ICU)
H2AG410 (Spatial Support)
H2AS410 (JSON Capabilities for Db2 for z/OS)
FMID H2AS410 works for both DB2 V12 and V13.
Flashes
If you don’t receive notification for flashes, check your settings at www.ibm.com/support/mynotifications
No new FLASHes since April 2024.
Hipers
These are the new HIPERs since October 2024:
PH44958 CONTROLLER THROWN EQQFL05E. DATASTORE TASK KEEP FAILING
9.5 UI80685
10.1 (no PTF needed)
PH48268 S0C7 IN DAILY PLAN (EQQDNTOP)
9.5 UI90874
10.1 UI90873
PH60038 LONG TERM PLAN EXTEND JOB ABENDS WITH S0C7 (NAME=EQQLASEL)
9.5 UI97670
10.1 UI97671
PH60141 ABEND S0C4 IN SERVER STC USING THE TMEADMIN CLASS IF THE APPLDATA IN NOT SPECIFIED
9.5 UI97639
10.1 UI97640
PH60700 ABEND S0C9 AT EQQGSURG+1AA SEEN AFTER MESSAGE EQQG004E ISSUED BY CONTROLLER TASK
9.5 UI98494
10.1 UI98495
PH63196 RETURN CODE WRONGLY SET RUNNING SOME WAPL JOBS.
9.5 UI98497
10.1 UI98499
10.2 only:
PH64309 FIRST CUMULATIVE APAR FOR FIXES THAT WERE CLOSED WHILE ZWS V10R2M0
GA CODE WAS FROZEN AND NEED TO BE SYSROUTED
UI99304
UI99305
UI99335
UI99306 Korean
UI99307 English
UI99308 German
UI99309 Kanji
UI99310 Spanish
Still open will be HIPER when closed:
PH64664 SECOND CUMULATIVE APAR FOR FIXES THAT WERE CLOSED WHILE ZWS V10R2M0
GA CODE WAS FROZEN AND NEED TO BE SYSROUTED
PH64676 SEQQSAMP MEMBER EQQICVFY CONTAINS OBJECT CODE RATHER THAN SAMPLE
JCL AFTER APPLYING UI99304
(still open, APARFIX is available)
Technotes
ZWSTECHNOTE : A TOOL TO OPTIMIZE DATA SET TRIGGERING available from zWS 9.5 (APAR PH61114) https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7180062
ZWSTECHNOTE : Additional ACTION HOLD items for PH64309 (First Cumulative APAR) for z Workload Scheduler 10.2 V10R2M0
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7177819
Note for installs of zWS 10.2:
PH64676 — if EQQJOBS is run after applying PH64309 you will see errror :
ISPF108 Variable name error Invalid variable name, EQQICVFY record-8
This is because the SEQQSAMP member EQQICVFY contains a module rather than the JCL sample.
This can be corrected by installing the fix for PH64676 prior to running EQQJOBS (this technote will be updated when a PTF is ready however there is an APARFIX available from the support team) or to bypass the issue you may copy member EQQICVFY from the 10.1 SEQQSAMP to the 10.2 SEQQSAMP before running EQQJOBS, or you may copy member EQQICVFY from the 10.2 RELFILE HWSZA20.F3 and then run EQQJOBS.
The only difference in EQQICVFY is the copyright statement (2022 changed to 2025).
ZWSTECHNOTE : CWPKI0824E: SSL HANDSHAKE FAILURE: Host name verification error while connecting to host [localhost] using the workload design from the DWC
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7177400
Ideas (formerly RFE)
Note: To see the details for any idea, go to https://ideas.ibm.com/ideas/ideanumber, for example https://ideas.ibm.com/ideas/ZWS-I-282
Z Workload Scheduler:
ROUTOPTS PROXY support for Remote Workstations on IWA/d [ZWS-I-282]
Availability to set an application or operation deadline using either +x Calendar day or +x Working day [ZWS-I-281]
Automated Download for Job Log Details of SAP Jobs [ZWS-I-280]
Additional validation of input arrival date in 5.1 panel [ZWS-I-279]
Enable SSL connections to Db2 z/OS for DWC [ZWS-I-278]
Dynamically request the usage value of Network OCC IDs [ZWS-I-277]
The max value (65535) of Network OCC IDs is too small in huge environments [ZWS-I-276]
Support for Extended Password Length and External Password Management [ZWS-I-275]
Prevent CURRPLAN(CURRENT) restart if previous execution of controller did not have a good shutdown (like if z/OS crashed) [ZWS-I-274]
Extend limit on WAPL request [ZWS-I-272]
Multiple dependencies in DWC Plan View [ZWS-I-270]
Workload Automation:
I selected a few that may be of interest to zWS customers:
Add to DWC “TEXT EDIT” option to IWS Workload Designer , similar to the layout of composer [WAO-I-566]
Add a Dependency to Run Cycle Calendar [WAO-I-565]
To be able to reset a JOB “estimated duration time” in the Database . [WAO-I-562]
Enhancement Request: Ability to Set ‘SHOW ALL’ as Default for Rerun Instances [WAO-I-558]
BLOGs
You can see all the BLOGS related to workload automation (distributed workload scheduler, DWC and zWS) at http://www.workloadautomation-community.com/blogs
New BLOGs:
HCL Z Asset Optimizer (ZAO) as a Usage Monitor
https://www.workloadautomation-community.com/blogs/hcl-z-asset-optimizer-zao-as-a-usage-monitor
SELF SERVICE CATALOGUE
https://www.workloadautomation-community.com/blogs/self-service-catalogue
Moving from IBM Liberty Base To Open Liberty
https://www.workloadautomation-community.com/blogs/moving-from-ibm-liberty-base-to-open-liberty
Wrap Up
Before you know it, it will be time for ASAP University (May 18 – 21, see details at twsuser.org. I hope to see many of you there. Also be sure to attend the Workload Wednesdays – ASAP! Sessions.
Note for anyone still running zWS 9.5,you can migrate directly from 9.5 to 10.2 and skip the 10.1 release, as long as you are running z/OS 2.5 or 3.1. If you are still on z/OS 2.4 then zWS 10.1 is an option.
Steve
