Time saving tips for configuring WebSphere Application Server OEM Edition for z/OS

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Working in WebSphere Application Server z/OS level 2, we sometimes see issues with the configuration of IBM WebSphere Application Server (WAS) OEM Edition for z/OS. Most are seen during the configuration stage to create a server instance of WAS OEM. To help save yourself some time during this process, here are a few things to check before you start this process.

SCLBDLL2 is a commonly missed library that needs to be in the system link list and APF authorized.
Here is the complete list of libraries that need to be the system link list and APF authorized:

• Language Environment libraries, SCEERUN, and SCEERUN2
• System SSL library, SIEALNKE
• 64-bit support library, SCLBDLL2

You can issue the following MVS operator console command to verify that the libraries are in the system link list and are APF authorized:
D PROG,LNKLIST

Ensure the host name for this system is defined correctly.
If not, this can cause problems during the configuration stage and later on when you try to start the server. The output of the hostname -c command (issued from the OMVS shell) should be the fully qualified host name of this system.

Then ensure this host name resolves to the correct IP address of this system and that IP address resolves back to the host name using the host command (also issued from the OMVS shell). Here is an example of this:

The JVM fails to be created because not enough memory is allocated for the user ID used to run the WASOEM.sh script.
The user ID needs to have at least 2 GB of memory allocated for its use. If needed, you can use the following RACF command to increase the memory usage for a user ID. In this case, the user ID is WWWSERV
ALTUSER WWWSERV TSO(SIZE(2096128)) OMVS(ASSIZEMAX(2147483647))

You can see the memory above bar limit for the user ID using this OMVS command (while logged on as that user ID)
ulimit -a
Here is an example of what the output should look like:

Ensure the CPU time is not too small for the user ID running the WASOEM.sh script.
If this limit is too small and is reached, this will cause the script to fail. The same command we used above, ulimit -a, can be used to see what the CPU time limit is set to. You can use this command to change the CPU time limit:
ulimit -t 86340

Ensure the file system created by WASOEM.sh script is mounted as read/write.
This script needs to be run twice, once using -config and then with -create. And between these two steps, the security jobs need to be run. Because of these multiple steps, you may find it's been some time until you get around to running WASOEM.SH with -create. When you do this, ensure the file system created in the first step is mounted as read/write.

Hopefully by reviewing the above checklist, you were able to successfully create a server instance of WAS OEM.

If you have problems starting the server, ensure the security jobs we touched on earlier were run.
The security jobs are:

• BBOSBRAK - creates the z/OS groups, and user IDs used by WAS OEM
• BBOSBRAM - creates the home directories used by WAS OEM
• BBOCBRAK - creates the RACF users and profiles required by WAS OEM

In WAS OEM 7.0.0.21, the administrative console was removed.
This was to lessen the footprint of WAS OEM. If there are any configuration changes that need to be made to WAS OEM, the stack product that ships WAS OEM can provide you with a script to make these changes.

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