Enable the SE API, Set the Community Name and the SNMP Information


To control a CPC with the SA z/OS hardware interfaces BCPii or SNMP ProcOps directly, the CPC Support Element API function must be enabled. To complete this task:

  1. For this task, you need to log on in Access Administrator mode on your Support Element.
    Note: You can log on to the SE from an HMC where your CPC is defined by using the Systems Management task, then select your CPC and choose the Recovery task to perform the Single Object Operations action.
  2. Select SE Management task overview.
  3. From the Configuration task sub-list, select Customize API Settings. Make sure the Enable SNMP APIs and the Allow Capacity Change API Request check boxes are both set in the Customize API Settings window.

    Important: The window field SNMP agent parameters must be empty. Any data in this field will prevent the console application from establishing an API session successfully.


  4. Set the Community Name for SNMP and ProcOps Connections. For SNMP connections to the SE, the community names must be defined. After that you can use native SNMP commands to query and set SE object attributes, or you can use SA z/OS ProcOps to manage the CPC and to execute CPC HW commands using the SA z/OS ProcOps SNMP interface over TCP/IP or BCP Internal Interface redirection. A CPC is controlled over the SNMP interface when it is configured with connection protocol SNMP in the Processor (CPC) entry of the SA z/OS Customization Dialog. See Step 12: Configure ISPF Dialog Panels and Step 17: Defining Automation Policy for further details on maintaining the SA z/OS Policy Database.

    1. Note: The Customize API Settings window must be open.
      For a new ProcOps SNMP interface community name, select the Community names table Add push button. In the Community Name data entry window enter the following information:
      Parameter Description
      Name Specify the name in uppercase with a maximum length of 8 characters. Record this name and use it when you are going to specify the processor entry for the CPC in your SA z/OS policy database with connection type SNMP.
      Note: For a SNMP over BCP Internal Interface connection, this name requires 127.0.0.1 to be defined in the Address field. In case you want to switch between SNMP over TCP/IP and SNMP over BCP Internal Interface, two separate entries with this community name are required. The TCP/IP SNMP entry should provide the IP address of the ProcOps focal point system. The BCP Internal Interface entry must provide the Support Element loopback address 127.0.0.1.
      Address Use the IP address of your SA z/OS ProcOps focal point system.
      Note: For a SNMP over BCP Internal Interface connection, this address must be 127.0.0.1, the loopback address of the Support Element.
      Network Mask Use 255.255.255.255 to make sure that only the addressed focal point can control the CPC. You may change the netmask to allow multiple focal point systems to control your CPC with the same community name. Specify 0.0.0. as the address and network mask if you want to allow access from any location in your network to the SE, using the community name defined.
      Note: For a SNMP over BCP Internal Interface connection, the mask must be 255.255.255.255.
      Access Type Select the Read/Write radio button.
    2. Note: The Customize API Settings window must be open.
      For a new BCP internal interface community name, select the Community Names table Add push button. In the Community Name data entry window enter the following information:
      Parameter Description
      Name Specify the name in uppercase with maximum length of 8 characters. Record this name and use it when you go to define the processor entry for the CPC in your SA z/OS policy database with connection type INTERNAL.
      Address The required address is 127.0.0.1
      Network Mask The required address is 255.255.255.255
      Access Type Select the Read/Write radio button.
  6. Select the OK push button to save the changed settings and close the data entry window.
  7. In order to support SNMPv3 protocol, providing more security and traffic encryption, the SNMPv3 User Information must be defined. Then, you can use SA z/OS ProcOps to manage CPCs defined on the HMC and to execute CPC HW commands over SA z/OS ProcOps SNMP interface.
    A CPC is controlled over the SNMP interface using SNMPv3 protocol when it is configured for connection protocol SNMP and SNMPv3 is enabled at the Processor (CPC) entry in the SA z/OS Customization Dialog. See Step 12: Configure ISPF Dialog Panels and Step 17: Defining Automation Policy for further details on maintaining the SA z/OS Policy Database.
    Note: The Customize API Settings window must be open.
  8. For a new ProcOps SNMPv3 User, select the SNMPv3 Users table Add push button. In the SNMPv3 User Information data entry window, enter the following information:
    Parameter Description
    User Name Specify an SNMPv3 user name. The user name must be at least 8 characters in length and cannot exceed 31.
    Note: SE allows specification of user names of length 32, but the SA is limited to a support maximum of 31 characters for SNMPv3 Users.
    Password Specify a password for the SNMPv3 user. The password must be at least 8 characters in length and cannot exceed 31.
    Note: SE allows specification of passwords length 32, but the SA is limited to support maximum of 31 characters for the SNMPv3 passwords.
    Access Type Select the Read/Write radio button.
  9. Select the OK push button to save the changed settings and close the data entry window.
  10. If you have finished the API settings, select the Apply push button of the Customize API Settings window to save the changes.
  11. The SNMP Configuration Info window is displayed to inform you that the SE console must be restarted to activate your configuration changes.