MFS sign-on format support for RACF password phrases

In IMS 15.5, default Message Format Service (MFS) formats can be generated that support RACF password phrases entered from 3270 and SLU 2 devices through message DFS3649A or DFS3656A.

This enhancement is delivered ins IMS 15.1 with APAR PH09313 (PTFs UI64360/UI64359).

Previously, the default MFS formats (DFSIGNP, DFSIGNPB, DFSVERO) that were generated for sign-on from 3270 and SLU2 devices supported only passwords that were 8-characters or less. With this enhancement, you can use MFS for RACF password phrases that are up to 100 characters long and that are submitted from 3270 and SLU 2 devices through DFS3649A or DFS3656A.

The following default MFS formats can be generated with this enhancement to support password phrases:
DFSIGNPC
DFS3649A for dynamic terminals
DFSIGNPD
DFS3649A for static terminals
DFSVEROA
DFS3646A
The formats result in the /SIGN PASSPHRASE command to be submitted to the IMS system as input. Also, the formats support both passwords that are 8-characters or less and RACF password phrases that are up to 100 characters long. Therefore, you do not need to switch between MFS formats to support both passwords and RACF password phrases entered from 3270 and SLU 2 devices through message DFS3649A or DFS3656A.
You might need to modify the default DFSIGNPC, DFSIGNPD, and DFSVEROA MFS formats to enable them to support password phrases up to 100 characters long. Due to screen size limitations, the default formats limit the length of PASSWORD and NEW PASSWORD fields so that they fit on a single line. These limits are:
  • Maximum 50 characters for screen sizes greater than 66 columns (which include 3270 model 2)
  • Maximum 24 characters for screen sizes fewer than 66 columns (which include 3270 model 1)
The length limitations for the PASSWORD and NEW PASSWORD fields apply only with the default formats that are delivered with this enhancement. RACF password phrases that are up to 100 characters long are supported for customer-modified formats.
You can enable the MFS formats that support password phrases to be generated by using one of the following options:
  • Code the Greetings Message (DFSGMSG0) user exit to override the default MOD name that is specified by IMS.
  • Specify MFSPPDEF=Y in the DFSDCxxx member of the IMS PROCLIB data set. The MFSPPDEF parameter is added with this enhancement.

Changes to defining IMS

The MFSPPDEF= parameter is added to the DFSDCxxx member of the IMS PROCLIB data set with this enhancement. You can use this parameter to specify whether the default IMS sign-on formats that support password phrases up to 100 characters are used.

If the Greeting Messages exit routine (DFSGMSG0) is coded to change the MFS Message Output Description (MOD) name for messages that are issued during the signon process, the MOD name that is specified in the exit routine is used regardless of the value that is specified for the MFSPPDEF= parameter.

Changes to troubleshooting for IMS

For a list of the messages and codes that are new or changed for this enhancement, see the IMS messages and codes row in the table in Documentation changes.

For a complete list of all of the new, changed, and deleted messages, and abend codes in IMS 15.5, see Message and code changes in IMS 15.5.

Changes to exit routines

The following changes are made with this enhancement to the sample Signon exit routine (DFSSGNX0):
  • The DFSIGNPC, DFSIGNPD, and DFSVEROA MFS formats result in the /SIGN PASSPHRASE command to be submitted to IMS as input and include the GROUP and NEWPW keywords of the command. When no data is entered for the GROUP or NEWPW keyword, the updated sample DFSSGNX0 exit routine deletes the GROUP and NEWPW keywords and their values.
  • The updated sample DFSSGNX0 exit routine uses the new MFSPVAR DSECT to determine the position of the GROUP and NEWPW keywords. The MFSPVAR DSECT assumes a password length of 100.

If you use a customized DFSSGNX0 exit routine, update your customized exit routine to delete empty GROUP and NEWPW keywords and their parameters from the /SIGN PASSPHRASE command string.

Documentation changes

The following table lists the publications that contain new or changed topics for the MFS sign-on format support for RACF password phrases enhancement. Publications that are not impacted by this enhancement are not included in the table.

Table 1. Links to topics that have new or changed content for this enhancement
Publication Links to topics
Release planning
System definition
Application programming APIs
IMS messages and codes DFS messages