Creating your own z/OSMF plug-ins

z/OSMF provides a modular framework that you can use to bring together all of your z/OS® system management applications. z/OSMF supports different levels of integration ranging from adding a resource link or an application link to creating your own z/OSMF plug-ins.

To help you decide which integration method is best for you, consider the following recommendations:
  • If your installation uses web-based applications that can launch or be launched by z/OSMF tasks or other web-based applications and display a specific context, it is recommended that you use the Application Linking Manager to create context-sensitive launch points between the applications.
  • If your installation has commonly used web-based resources that do not have natural integration points with existing tasks or applications, it is recommended that you use the Links task to add the resource as a link in z/OSMF.
  • If your installation requires function that is not provided in z/OSMF or in another web-based application, it is recommended that you create your own plug-in and use the Import Manager task to import the property file into z/OSMF.

Using these integration methods reduces context shifts between disparate applications, helps simply the management of your z/OS mainframe systems, and moves your installation one step closer to providing a central location for z/OS system management tasks.

The remainder of this section explains how to create your own z/OSMF plug-in. For more information about the Application Linking Manager task or the Links task, see the z/OSMF online help.

Process of creating a plug-in

In z/OSMF, a plug-in is a collection of one or more web-based applications (referred to as tasks) that add function to z/OSMF. z/OSMF ships with several plug-ins, which are described in the topic about z/OSMF system management tasks in IBM z/OS Management Facility Configuration Guide.

In addition to the shipped plug-ins, z/OSMF allows you to create your own plug-ins to add installation-specific function to z/OSMF. The process of adding your own plug-ins to z/OSMF includes the following activities:
  1. Developing a web-based application and the supporting documentation for the functions you want to add to z/OSMF.
  2. Storing the application and its documentation in the UNIX file system, and setting 644 permissions for files and 755 permissions for folders.
  3. Creating a property file in the UNIX file system that defines the parameters required for z/OSMF to configure your plug-in.
  4. Using the z/OSMF Import Manager task to import the property file.
  5. Setting up security for your plug-in. After which, you must refresh the security management product on your system and restart the z/OSMF server to have your changes take affect.

For more details, see the sections that follow.