System Automation for z/OS has just released APAR OA45008 for releases V3.5 and V3.4 and hence delivered RFE 31913.  This APAR introduces export and import capabilities for your LPARS AND SYSTEMS policy which is part of a processor entry in the System Automation for z/OS policy database.  With this support, customers can now completely define new processors, the LPARs and the systems that run on these LPARs using a text file instead of using the Customization Dialog panels.  Customers can also extract all this data into a text file for modification and later re-import.

For those readers, not yet familiar with this Data Management function, here is a quick introduction.   Policy data can be exported into and imported from a text file from the Customization Dialog or from batch.  Using, the Customization Dialog, select Data Management on the primary panel and then select Update via File from the menu.  The Policy Database Update Selection panel then offers several choices.  In this blog, however, we'd like to highlight only a subset.

Option 1: Write selected data from Policy Database to file allows you to select one particular entry type, for instance PRO (Processors), to be exported into a text file.  You can tailor your selection to select all or only a subset of the entries of such type.  For those entries that have been selected, you can finally choose which policies (one, multiples or all) you want to export.   Once you confirm by pressing ENTER, the selected entries and policies are written to the text file.

Option 6: Append NEW/DEL templates to output file allows you to add templates to the text file which help you to see what syntax is required to create new entries or to delete obsolete entries.  This might come in very handy when you intend to use the text file to export an already existing sample entry and then want to create several new entries using similar data.

Option 2: Update Policy Database with data from file allows you to import entries into your policy database that you have either updated or created anew in a text file.  An update of the policy database will occur only if the complete text file can be imported without errors.

Alternatively, you can use batch jobs to export and import via File.   SA z/OS offers the following sample jobs in the SINGSAMP-library that you need to adopt to your ISPF-environment:

INGEBFXT sample JCL can be used to export single or all entry types into a text file.  No selection of particular entries or policies is possible.

INGEBIMP sample JCL can be used to import the content of a text file into the policy database.   An update of the policy database will occur only if the complete text file can be imported without errors.

If you want to learn more about System Automation for z/OS's capability to Update via File, refer to Data Management in System Automation for z/OS:  Defining Automation Policy that you can access from the product manuals page in SA z/OS's Knowledge Center.