Enabling the z/OS User Authentication feature for IBM AD Build Configuration

Starting with IBM AD V6.0.1 you can use your z/OS user ID and password credentials and based on your access privileges you can pull the source files from the z/OS source systems.

Before you perform any action, you must take into account the following observations:
  • Make sure that the AT-TLS setup for IBM AD Connect for Mainframe is completed and the TLS connection between IBM AD Build Client and IBM AD Connect for Mainframe is enabled. For more information, see Enabling TLS Connection to IBM AD Build and Enabling TLS Connection between IBM AD Build Client and IBM AD Connect for Mainframe.
  • Make sure that you are using the latest version of IBM AD Connect for Mainframe. There is no compatibility with an earlier version of IBM AD Connect for Mainframe.
  • The z/OS User Authentication feature is available only for the z/OS mainframe instances that are configured with TLS and enabled in the zOS-Data.ini configuration file. For more information, see Configurations.
  • All operations are performed only in the graphical user interface (GUI) of IBM AD Build Configuration.
  • The Please enter the zOS User/Password in order to acces the zOS Access Point message is prompted when performing mainframe-related operations in IBM AD Build Configuration.

z/OS Username and Password Guidelines

  • For the IBM AD V6.0.1 release, only a standard of 8 character mixed case password is supported. Password phrases are not supported.
  • The username and password are volatile and they are kept in the memory for the running instances of IBM AD Build Configuration.
  • If you close IBM AD Build Configuration and later you want to perform any mainframe-related operation it will be necessary to reenter the username and password. Closing the application is considered a reset process for the z/OS credentials. It shall be used in case of wrong or modification of the z/OS credentials.
  • In case that a project has multiple z/OS mainframe instances available, the username and password is requested for each of the z/OS mainframe instance that is used in the related-mainframe operation and only once per IBM AD Build Configuration instance.
    Note: If other projects have the same z/OS mainframe instance attached and the z/OS mainframe instance was already prompted in a project, it will not be subsequently prompted for other projects that are on the same z/OS mainframe instance.
  • If a mainframe-related operation is started on a selection of multiple z/OS mainframe instances and if you cancel entering the username and password for one of the z/OS mainframe instances, the whole operation will be aborted.

Configurations

To enable z/OS User Authentication feature, perform the following configurations:
  1. Go to <IBM ADDI Installation Folder>\IBM Application Discovery Build Client\Bin\Release\Samples and copy the zOS-Data.ini configuration file in the <IBM ADDI Installation Folder>\IBM Application Discovery Build Client\Bin\Release folder.
  2. Open the zOS-Data.ini configuration file by using a text editor and enter the desired values for the parameters that are detailed below. By default, the zOS-Data.ini configuration file has the following format:
    [MVS1]
    use_cred=Y/N
    
    [MVS2]
    use_cred=Y/N
    Where:
    • [MVS1] and [MVS2] are the names of the z/OS mainframe instances that are present in IBM Application Discovery Build Configuration > zOS Tab.
      Important: The square brackets need to be preserved and between them, the actual name of the z/OS mainframe instance needs to be added with no spaces nor tabs between the brackets.
    • use_cred is an attribute that expects the Y or N values. This attribute decides whether the mentioned z/OS mainframe instance is prompted for the username and password or not.
      Note: The attribute value is not case-sensitive.
    Important: In case that a z/OS mainframe instance is not present in the configuration file, or it is present but the attribute value is set to N, for the related z/OS mainframe instance, the Please enter the zOS User/Password in order to acces the zOS Access Point message will not be prompted when performing mainframe-related operations in IBM AD Build Configuration.
  3. Save and close the zOS-Data.ini configuration file.

Example of a zOS-Data.ini configuration file

[zOS_A]
use_cred=Y

[zOS_C]
use_cred=y

[zOS_D]
use_cred=N
Where:
  • zOS_A, zOS_B, zOS_C and zOS_D are the names of the z/OS mainframe instances.
  • The feature is available only for zOS_A and zOS_C.

Using the z/OS User Authentication feature

Once the z/OS mainframe instance is configured with TLS and declared in the zOS-Data.ini configuration file, in IBM AD Build Configuration you can perform the following operations:
  1. Retrieve source code information

    1. In IBM® Application Discovery Build Configuration, select Projects tab, select the project, select the z/OS node, right-click to display the menu, and select the Retrieve source code information option.
      Note: You can run this operation on several projects simultaneously through several z/OS connections. Select all the z/OS connections that you want to use (several connections that are defined for the same project or for different projects) then right-click to display the menu and select Retrieve source code information.
    2. The Please enter the zOS User/Password in order to acces the zOS Access Point message is prompted when performing the Retrieve source code information operation.
    3. Enter the username and password for the related z/OS mainframe instance. For more information, see z/OS Username and Password Guidelines.
      Note: In case that you run this operation on several projects simultaneously through several z/OS connections, the username and password are requested for each mainframe instance.
    4. Perform all the necessary actions related to the Retrieve source code information operation. For more information, see the Retrieving Source Code Information section.
  2. Retrieve operational information

    1. In IBM® Application Discovery Build Configuration, select the Projects tab, select the project, select the z/OS node, right-click to display the menu, and select the Retrieve operational information option.
      Note: You can run this operation on several projects simultaneously through several z/OS connections. Select all the z/OS connections that you want to use (several connections that are defined for the same project or for different projects) then right-click to display the menu and select Retrieve operational information.
    2. The Please enter the zOS User/Password in order to acces the zOS Access Point message is prompted when performing the Retrieve operational information operation.
    3. Enter the username and password for the related z/OS mainframe instance. For more information, see z/OS Username and Password Guidelines.
      Note: In case that you run this operation on several projects simultaneously through several z/OS connections, the username and password are requested for each mainframe instance.
    4. Perform all the necessary actions related to the Retrieve operational information operation. For more information, see the Retrieve Operational Information section.