Testing and simulating rulesets on z/OS

You can configure a Scenario Service Provider (SSP) to execute tests and simulations either with zRule Execution Server for z/OS® or Rule Execution Server on WebSphere® Application Server for z/OS.

Decision Center users can choose to run tests and simulations by using Rule Execution Server on WebSphere Application Server for z/OS or zRule Execution Server for z/OS. The format for the test data can be the default Excel DVS format, or a custom format.

For example, if you intend to use a COBOL client to execute your final application, it is better to use COBOL data in your tests rather than some other format. Using a custom scenario provider on zRule Execution Server for z/OS gives you closer test results compared to running your tests on WebSphere Application Server.

A sample custom scenario provider that reads COBOL data from VSAM is provided for you to use as a starting point to develop your own scenario provider. For more information, see Sample on DVS: Custom scenario provider and KPI for VSAM data sets.

To test and validate your rules on z/OS with the default Excel format or a custom format, you need a combination of the following configuration:

Decision Center for z/OS with your DVS format enabled.
The SSP configured on one of the following servers:
- Rule Execution Server on WebSphere Application Server for z/OS
- zRule Execution Server for z/OS

After you have tested and validated your rules, you can then deploy or redeploy them to your chosen execution option on z/OS. For more information, see Rule execution architecture.

The following table outlines the main tasks that you perform to test your rules on z/OS.

Tip: Some of the following links point to distributed topics.

Table 1. Main tasks to perform testing and simulation
Task	Description	References
Create testing and simulation scenarios, and if necessary customize the DVS format.	When you use zRule Execution Server for z/OS as your testing and simulation execution environment, you can generate scenarios from COBOL data directly by using a custom scenario provider. When you use WebSphere Application Server for z/OS as your testing and simulation execution environment, you create scenarios from either the default Excel format or a custom scenario provider.	Testing and simulating rulesets Customizing testing and simulation
Package and deploy the SSP and Decision Center archives, including the accessibility of the XOM.	Depending on the execution environment that you choose, you must repackage and deploy the SSP archive for your tests to either WebSphere Application Server for z/OS or zRule Execution Server for z/OS. If you have customized the DVS format, then you must also repackage and deploy the Decision Center archive to WebSphere Application Server for z/OS.	Configuring Rule Execution Server on WebSphere Application Server for z/OS Manual configuration of Decision Center on WebSphere Application Server for z/OS Repackaging the SSP and Decision Center archives Deploying Java™ execution object models (XOM)
Test and simulate your rules.	You can test your rules by using test suites and simulations, and manage the resulting reports.	Working with test suites and simulations