Introduction

z/OS® Explorer clients can pull client configuration files and product update information from the host when they connect, ensuring that all clients have common settings and that they are up-to-date.

The client administrator can create multiple client configuration sets and multiple client update scenarios to fit the needs of different developer groups. This allows users to receive a customized setup, based on criteria like membership of an LDAP group or permit to a security profile.

z/OS Projects can be defined individually through the z/OS Projects perspective on the client, or z/OS Projects can be defined centrally on the host and propagated to the client on an individual user basis. These "host-based projects" look and function exactly like projects defined on the client except that their structure, members, and properties cannot be modified by the client, and they are accessible only when connected to the host.

pushtoclient.properties tells the client if these functions are enabled, and where the related data is stored. See “(Optional) pushtoclient.properties, Host-based client control” in the Host Configuration Guide (SC27-8437) for more information.

Typically, z/OS systems, developer workstations are managed by different groups of people. Push-to-client design follows this principle and assigns specific duties to each group:
  • The z/OS system programmer controls the location of the push-to-client metadata, the basic security aspects, and whether push-to-client is active.
  • The client administrator maintains the content of the push-to-client metadata by using the z/OS Explorer client to create one or more client configurations, and by using IBM® Installation Manager to create the response files used to update the z/OS Explorer client.

See the z/OS Explorer Knowledge Center for details about how the client administrator can perform the tasks assigned to them.

When enabling configuration or version control support for multiple developer groups, one additional team will be involved in managing push-to-client. Which team this is depends on the option chosen to identify the groups a developer belongs to:
  • An LDAP administrator maintains group definitions that place each developer in none, one, or more FEK.PTC.* LDAP groups.
  • A security administrator maintains access lists to FEK.PTC.* security profiles. A developer can be authorized to none, one, or more profiles.