IMS catalog definition and tailoring

The IMS catalog is a system database that, when enabled, stores the definitions of your databases and program specification blocks (PSBs), as well as other metadata about your databases and application programs.

The IMS catalog is optional; however, certain IMS functionality, such as database versioning or the management of runtime application control blocks by IMS, requires the IMS catalog.

Because the IMS catalog is a system database, IMS performs many of the tasks required to define the catalog for you. If you need greater control, you can perform some of these tasks yourself.

The following topics provide the information you need to define and enable the IMS catalog.