Decision 1: Why to install into a shared CSI

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To manage a suite of monitoring agent products with a monitoring server on z/OS® systems, install the products into a shared consolidated software inventory (CSI) whenever possible.

A shared CSI has two main advantages:
  • A shared CSI eliminates duplication and can reduce space requirements by as much as 75%. The monitoring agents share components that must be duplicated if different target and distribution zones are used.
  • In a shared CSI, SMP/E can automatically manage IFREQ situations across product components. Otherwise, the IFREQ situations must be managed by running SMP/E cross-zone reports. For information about cross-zone reports, see the IBM® SMP/E for z/OS documentation.
Note: While most of the monitoring agents on a z/OS system can coexist in a shared CSI, IBM cannot guarantee that these products can coexist with products from other vendors.

If you install a product or component into an existing CSI that contains a previous version of the same product or component, SMP/E deletes the previous version during the installation process. To maintain more than one version of products or components, you must install them into a separate CSI from the CSI that contains the previous version.

If you decide to install into a shared CSI, follow these guidelines:
  • Specify the same high-level qualifier for the target and distribution libraries.
  • Make sure you have enough DASD. If you are installing into an existing shared CSI, pay particular attention to the DKAN* and TKAN* common libraries. The DKAN* and TKAN* libraries were originally allocated with secondary space allocation, to allow them to expand when you install additional products or apply maintenance. However, if these libraries have already gone into multiple extents, you might not have sufficient extents available for any necessary expansion. In that case, you might receive error messages during installation.
  • During normal SMP/E processing, VSAM control interval and control area splits can occur. The resulting fragmentation can degrade SMP/E performance and space utilization. To reorganize the CSI, use your site's approved utility and method for managing VSAM files.

If you are not installing into a shared CSI, you must use a different high-level qualifier for the target and distribution libraries.