Operations responsibilities for online control services

It is important to understand why an application program places restrictions on what commands you can issue. For example, online image copy is required at end-of-shift, but, because of the requirements of an IMS restart, no conflict in database level is permitted. This kind of restriction might require you to prevent certain programs from executing.

A third checklist identifies the use of support services and expected MTO control actions. The following table presents this information; your emphasis should be on the operational requirements.

Table 1. Checklist for online control services
Check requirement for: Follow-up activity
Dynamic allocation of databases Requires coding of DFSMDA macro and prior cataloging of databases.
Online database image copy List databases and schedule timing. Is image copy restart allowed?
Database surveyor When to be scheduled. Who is the contact for range specification?
Database recovery control Arrange for DASD dump entries. How are RECON data sets to be controlled? How are JCL generation facilities to be used?
Simple checkpoint

/CHECKPOINT
PURGE

/CHECKPOINT DUMPQ
/CHECKPOINT FREEZE
/NRESTART

What conditions require the checkpoint? Is SNAPQ required?

Must all queues be emptied?
Can queues be held?
What conditions warrant use of this command?
Is queue rebuilding required?

Online system log management Determine archive procedures and whether WADS and OLDS are to be dynamically allocated.
Online change management Determine the scope and timing of online changes and how to control processing.
Offline dump formatting management Establish transfer, archive, and formatting procedures.
IBM® 3850 Mass Storage System (MSS) Obtain scenario of IBM 3850 usage.
Monitoring How will IMSMON data set be handled? What requirements exist for traces or statistics?

Security
Signon
Transaction

Any override conditions?
Any override conditions?
What is update frequency and control procedure?