HCD and I/O Operations

The ESCON and FICON architectures are supported by a class of devices called Directors (switches) that manage the switching functions. These switches may be connected to a processor (via channel path), a control unit, or another switch. The switches connect channel paths and control units only for the duration of an I/O operation. The "internal" configuration of a switch is called switch configuration.

The I/O Operations component of Tivoli System Automation for z/OS (TSA for z/OS, formerly known as ESCON Manager) maintains and manages switch configurations.

I/O Operations functions, such as the activation of switch configurations and the retrieval of the active configuration data, can be invoked from HCD. This gives you a single point of control for all switch configuration activities, as well as the possibility to check whether a certain data path (from processor to device) is fully configured or not.

Moreover, you can use HCD to migrate switch configurations into HCD from three different sources: directly from the switches, from a saved switch file, or from ISPF tables saved by I/O Operations. You also can save switch configuration data in a switch file, as well as activate the switch configuration. Thus, the switch is activated using the switch configuration stored in the IODF.

I/O Operations permits retrieval of information from the active system. Parts of this information (serial numbers, VOLSERs, port names) can be provided by HCD via the functions Priming, Sensing, Activate Verification, and Prompting for VOLSER. I/O Operations must be installed for this purpose, even if there are no switches in the configuration.

Prerequisites

For information on general installation requirements, refer to the z/OS Program Directoryz/OS Program Directory. In addition, refer to the PSP Bucket for the latest information about the prerequisites. Also consider the following prerequisites and recommendations:

• For migrating existing switch configurations and activating switch configurations, Tivoli System Automation for z/OS (I/O Operations), must be installed and active.
• If TSA for z/OS (I/O Operations) is not installed for verifying the I/O configuration or generating the I/O Path Report for a system of the local sysplex, a subset of the function is available for FICON attached storage devices by means of the zDAC function. In order to use zDAC for this purpose, discovery data must be available from the LPARs that you wish to verify.

If you want to prime, then in order to obtain the data for a system in a sysplex, there must also be a VTAM session between the local system and the target system. The target system must have I/O Operations installed and running.