Prerequisites

Software

IBM Dependency Based Build is a Java API and supports both Java 8 and Java 11 IBM 64-bit JVMs. Before you install DBB, at least one of the following products must be installed and operational on the z/OS environment where DBB is to run:

• Program Number 5655-W43 - IBM 64-bit SDK for z/OS Java Technology Edition V08.00.00
• Program Number 5655-DGJ - IBM Semeru Runtime Certified Edition for z/OS, Version 11.0
• Program Number 5655-UA1 - IBM Semeru Runtime Certified Edition for z/OS, Version 17.0

For more information, see IBM® SDK for z/OS®, Java™ Technology Edition downloads.

Databases

IBM Dependency Based Build creates, stores, and retrieves build metadata to an external database during the DBB build process when deployed to production. The following databases are supported when DBB is used in production:

• IBM Db2 for z/OS
• IBM Db2 for Linux, Unix, and Windows (LUW)

IBM Dependency Based Build provides users with an entitlement for IBM Db2 for LUW. For more information, see Obtaining an IBM Db2 for LUW.

NOTE: For non-production activities such as prototyping or proof of concepts (POC) involving DBB, build metadata can optionally be stored on the z/OS Unix file system instead of a database. However, as some z/OS applications tend to be very large, this can lead to performance and/or disk space issues when the DBB build metadata is stored on the z/OS Unix file system. It is strongly recommended to upgrade to a supported DBB database when moving to production.

Full list of the prerequisites

You can generate a report with all the prerequisites of DBB by searching for IBM Dependency Based Build in the Software Product Compatibility Reports.

Product enablement

IBM Dependency Based Build (DBB) is available as a stand-alone product or is often bundled with other IBM z/OS development products. All of the functionalities of DBB are provided no matter how it is purchased; however, you need to register DBB according to the product purchased. For more information see Product enablement in IFAPRDxx.

Failing to successfully register DBB as an IBM purchased product puts DBB into trial mode. In trial mode, all APIs work as normal for 90 days. After 90 days, these DBB APIs fail to register and the build process terminates. To use trial mode, the directory pointed to by the DBB_CONF environment variable must be readable and writable.

Toolkit disk space

IBM Dependency Based Build requires approximately 3000 tracks (200 cylinders) 3390 disk space for the product installation.

Other considerations

• Users who run build scripts (either directly or through a Jenkins agent) require a valid OMVS segment with a MAXASSIZE sufficient to allocate the JVM needed to run the particular build scripts.
• Long running builds might require adjustment of the OMVS MAXCPUTIME setting.
• TSO logon procedures that preallocate SYSPRINT or SYSIN and other files often used in build scripts will cause problems.

Other optional software

IBM Dependency Based build can be used in conjunction with Git and a continious integration / continuous delivery (CI/CD) server as part of an automation pipeline. If you intend to use DBB with Git and a CI/CD server, then the following additional products must be installed and operational: