Setting up and running a coupling facility data table server

CICS coupling facility data tables provide rapid sharing of working data within a sysplex, with update integrity. The data tables are held in coupling facility structures, with access through a named server. You must set up one server for each pool in an MVS image.

Before you begin

Before you can start a server for named coupling facility data table pool, define the coupling facility structure to be used for the pool. See Defining a coupling facility data table pool for information about defining a coupling facility list structure.

About this task

You can put related groups of coupling facility data tables in separate pools; for example, you might want to have one pool for production and another for test. A pool is defined as a list structure in the coupling facility resource management (CRFM) policy. The pool name is used to form the server name with the prefix DFHCF and is specified in the startup JCL for the server.

Procedure

  1. Define and start a coupling facility data table server job, to run in an mvs batch region.
  2. When the server is running you can perform various operating tasks:
    • You can control the server region using MVS commands.
    • You can delete or empty the pool for the coupling facility data tables.
    • You can unload and reload the contents of a pool to and from a sequential data set.