Understanding the operations task

The task of planning for operations has two major parts: selecting functions and tools and developing operating and end-user procedures.

First, you must decide how to use the tools IMS provides for operating your system. This includes choosing, for example, whether to use dual logging when setting up your log, how often to make backup copies of your database, and whether to use DBRC to control recovery of databases.

Second, you must develop procedures for operating and using IMS. Operating procedures must tell operators how to:

• Start and restart IMS
• Control IMS
• Make online changes to modify IMS
• Shut down IMS
• Run various IMS utilities
• Recover from IMS and other failures

These procedures are primarily for the master terminal operator (MTO), who operates IMS from the master terminal. They are secondarily for the people who assist in keeping IMS running smoothly, such as the recovery specialist who works with many of the more complex IMS recovery problems.

End-user procedures tell end users how to:

• Operate their terminal
• Establish a connection to IMS
• Communicate with IMS (using their specific applications)
• Terminate a connection to IMS
• Respond to any error conditions they encounter

This information is not an exhaustive treatment of operations. More detailed information on various aspects of operating your system is provided in other IMS topics.

Related reading: 

• IMS Version 15.2 Operations and Automation gives guidance level information and details about the commands that are used to operate IMS.
• IMS Version 15.2 Database Utilities and IMS Version 15.2 System Utilities give guidance level information and detail about the various utilities that are available with IMS.