Changes made in z/OSMF Version 2 Release 1, SA32-1066-05

This document contains information that was previously presented in IBM z/OS Management Facility Programming, SA32-1066-04, which supported IBM® z/OS® Management Facility Version 2 Release 1. This document contains new or revised information.

New function is available for z/OSMF V2R1 when you install the PTFs for APAR PI54286 and the corequisite APARs. APAR PI54286 and the corequisite APARs provide function that was originally provided with z/OSMF V2R2. For instructions on installing this service on a z/OSMF V2R1 system, check the++HOLD actions for the associated PTFs.

Additional function is available with the March 2016 updates.

New information

The multisystem routing services are enhanced to allow a calling application to:

Retrieve data from all the systems in a sysplex or CPC.
Update data for all the systems in a sysplex or CPC.
Delete data from all the systems in a sysplex or CPC.

For more information, see Multisystem routing services.

New services are added to the software management API to allow a calling application to:

List the data sets included in a software instance.
Modify the properties of a software instance.
Load the products, features, and FMIDs for a software instance.
Delete a software instance from z/OSMF.

For more information, see Software management services.

The topology services adds support for central processor complexes (CPCs) so that you can retrieve a list of the systems included in a CPC. For more information, see List the systems included in a CPC.

New REST services are added to allow a calling application to:

Create a sequential and partitioned data set.
Create a UNIX file or directory.
Delete a sequential or partitioned data set.
Delete a partitioned data set member.
Delete a UNIX file or directory.
Mount a UNIX file system.
Unmount a UNIX file system.

For more information, see z/OS data set and file REST interface.

New elements in the Workflows XML schema provide additional capabilities, as follows:

You can enable a workflow for future upgrades by adding the <preserveOptions> element and associated elements to the workflow definition. If so, the workflow owner can use the Create New Based on Existing action that is provided in the Workflows task to upgrade a workflow definition to a new level without losing data or having to start over again by creating a new instance. For information, see Enabling a workflow definition file for future upgrades.
Workflows users can add their own steps to a workflow by using the Update Workflow Steps action that is provided in the Workflows task. Users can also modify or delete the user-supplied steps, as needed. For more information, see the Workflows task online help.
You can use substitution variables in the file path of an external file, such as a step template. For information, see Using variable substitution in the workflow definition file path.
You can use shorter names for instance variables; see Simplified instance variable format in substitution and conditions.
You can specify a workflow scope of none to cause a new instance of a called workflow to always be created. See Coordinating workflow-to-workflow actions.

Changed information

For workflow authors, a requirement is removed. It is no longer necessary to specify the variable value element (<variableValue>) for instance variables that are referenced in a step, if the variables are used read-only. The <variableValue> element is still required for any variables that might be modified in the step. When <variableValue> is specified for a variable, the Workflows task displays a wizard to guide the user through entering values for the variables when performing the step.

Previously, it was a requirement that you specify <variableValue> and its attributes for all instance variables that are referenced in a step, even variables that would not be modified. This requirement is removed to save programming time and simplify the display of variables in the Workflows task.

z/OSMF REST APIs for Files and Data sets have been modified. See z/OS data set and file REST interface. API updates include:

List the data sets on a system.
List the members of a data set.
List the files and directories of a UNIX file path.
Retrieve the contents of a data set or member.
Retrieve the contents of a UNIX file.
Write to a data set or member.
Write to a UNIX file.
JSON document specifications for z/OS data set and file REST interface requests.
Error reporting categories.