Running Debug Manager as a started task with a configuration file

You can start Debug Manager with a configuration file, especially when the length of the command line with all necessary options exceeds the 100 characters limit, for example, in the sysplex environment.

The configuration file is a z/OS UNIX file that is passed to Debug Manager as a command-line parameter.

Figure 1. DBGMGR: Debug Manager started task with a configuration file

//*
//* z/OS Debugger Debug Manager
//*
//DBGMGR   PROC PRM=,                  * PRM=DEBUG TO START TRACING
//            LEPRM='RPTOPTS(ON)', 
//            HLQ=EQAW
//*
//DBGMGR   EXEC PGM=EQAZPCM,REGION=0M,TIME=NOLIMIT,
//            PARM=('&LEPRM /CONFIG=/u/ibmuser/dbm.cfg')
//STEPLIB  DD DISP=SHR,DSN=&HLQ..SEQAAUTH 
//SYSPRINT DD SYSOUT=*
//SYSOUT   DD SYSOUT=*
//         PEND
//*

Figure 2 shows the example configuration file dbm.cfg called in Figure 1.

Figure 2. Debug Manager configuration file

#required parameters
INTERNALPORT = 5336
EXTERNALPORT = 5335
#optional parameters
TRACELEVEL = DEBUG
SAFCLASS = FACILITY
HUBIP = 1.2.3.4
HUBPORT = 5337
HUBKEY = passphrase 
VIPA = OFF
#environment vars
TZ=EST5EDT

The configuration file is not case-sensitive and consists of lines in the key=value format. A line can also start with # and is considered a comment in this case.

The following parameter keys can be specified in the configuration file:

INTERNALPORT

Port for local communication

EXTERNALPORT

Port for client-host communication

TRACELEVEL

Trace level for DBM output. The following values are valid:

ERROR
INFO
DEBUG
VERBOSE

TRUSTEDTCP

ON: Trusted TCP authentication is enabled. This is the default value. You also need to give access to trusted TCP to the user that the Debug Manager task is started under. For more information, see Trusted TCP authentication for sysplex connections.
OFF: Trusted TCP authentication is disabled.

SAFCLASS

RACF SAF class for the case where DBM is started as a user job. The default value is FACILITY.

HUBIP

IPv4 or IPv6 IP address for the primary node in the sysplex. All DBM instances must use the same IP address.

HUBPORT

Port for inter-sysplex communication

HUBKEY

Key used to authenticate secondary nodes. The maximum length is 32 characters.

VIPA

OFF: LPARs are accessible externally by their IP addresses. This is the default value.
ON: The client uses a single IP address to connect to sysplex. LPARs must use unique EXTERNALPORT values so that the client can connect to the LPAR with a debug session.

Any other key is set as an environment variable, for example, TZ as in Figure 2.