z/OS network administrator tasks

Network administrator tasks can be varied and are, one way or another, derived from the needs of the organization within which the network administrator functions. In an environment other than z/OS, a network administrator might have a role that encompasses many platforms and hardware areas.

However, z/OS network administrators tend to have a more narrow focus. One reason for this is complexity: network administration on z/OS requires a good working knowledge of z/OS itself. It also requires a good knowledge of networking hardware. When you combine this with the actual VTAM, TCP/IP, LAN, and WAN knowledge required, the z/OS network administrator is unlikely to have the opportunity to include other platforms.

So what are some of the tasks a z/OS a network administrator might undertake? A sampling is described in Table 1.

Table 1. Network administrator tasks
Task	Description
Problem source identification	When something does not function as expected, the network administrator is one of the first persons to work towards resolution.
Network control	VTAM, TCP/IP, and their associated applications must be started, stopped, monitored, and maintained as required.
Planning	Planning includes network architecture decisions, such as what role z/OS plays in the network and how z/OS should be situated in the network.
Change control	In a z/OS network environment, all changes are part of a planned and controlled process. The z/OS network administrator would work with other network administrators.
Hardware evaluation	If a new feature is to be added to the z/OS host or to the network used by the z/OS host, then an evaluation of the impact of the feature must be assessed.
Software evaluation	In the TCP/IP world, new networking applications and updated existing ones are literally a daily phenomenon.
Installation of hardware and software	Once the decision is made, the actual software or hardware must be implemented.
Capacity planning	Network capacity requirements are always changing.
Paperwork	Documentation of the environment, changes, and procedures are all part of the network administrator's role.