The Software Management task,
previously named the Deployment task, contains
the software deployment functions along with additional software management
functions. The Software Management task
helps you streamline the software management process by providing
a centralized location that you can use to manage your z/OS software.
Getting started
To display
the Software Management task,
in the navigation area, expand the Software category
and select Software Management. Figure 1 depicts the main
page in the Software Management task.
To start using the capabilities provided in the Software Management task, at
least one software instance must be defined. To define a software
instance, select Software Instances. Then,
select Add from the Actions menu on the Software
Instances page.
Figure 1. Software Management page
Key features
With the Software Management task, you
can:
- Define your software to z/OSMF. To do so, you must create one or more software instances
to represent your installed software. A software instance can contain
any software that is SMP/E packaged and installed. For example, a
software instance can contain:
- IBM® software installed from
ServerPac, CBPDO, or fee-based installation offerings.
- ISV software.
- z/OS® operating system and
related products.
- Subsystems and related products.
It is recommended that a software instance contain a set of
products that should be installed, maintained, migrated, and deployed
as a group.
Note that installation
of software or service upgrades is outside the scope of the Software Management task. Use
SMP/E to assist with the installation process.
- View a list of the products, features, FMIDs, and data sets
that are included in your software instances. You can use this
information to do the following:
- Identify which software instances, data sets, or systems might
be impacted if you upgrade a product
- Determine if you have the prerequisites installed for a specific
function
- Determine which data sets will be deployed during a deployment
- Determine whether the data sets conform to your
installation's policies for naming conventions, placements, and so
on
- Provide evidence of what is installed to an
auditor, procurement team, or operations staff.
- View details about your installed products. For example,
you can do the following:
- Obtain a list of all the products contained
in any of your software instances.
- Determine which products are nearing or have reached end of service
support.
- Identify which software instances contain a product and will be
affected by any changes to the product.
- Identify which systems might potentially be affected by changes
to a product.
You can use this information to identify which products need
to be ordered for a future upgrade and to provide evidence of what
is installed to an auditor or procurement team.
- Generate reports about your software. For example, you
can generate the following reports:
- End of Service. Helps you determine if any of the products
contained in your software instances are approaching or have reached
end of service support.
- Missing Critical Service. Helps you determine
if any unresolved PE PTFs, HIPERs, or other exception SYSMODs identified
by ERROR HOLDDATA are contained in your software instances, and helps
you identify the SYSMODs that will resolve those exceptions.
- Missing FIXCAT SYSMODs. Helps you identify any unsatisfied
hardware or software requisites that are required for a specific category
of software fixes.
- Software Instance Comparison. Helps you determine the
functional and service differences between two software instances.
- Software Instance Validation. Helps you verify that the
software libraries that are associated with a software instance exist
and contain the appropriate parts.
- SYSMOD Search. Helps you determine if
your software instances contain the SYSMODs in which you are interested.
This could be useful in determining if you already installed a suggested
fix or security APAR and how many software instances are affected
by a specific PTF in Error.
- Deploy SMP/E packaged and installed software. You can use
this capability to copy an instance of SMP/E installed software and
save it on DASD volumes shared within the same sysplex (local deployment)
or on DASD volumes accessible to another sysplex (remote deployment).
You
might perform a deployment to prepare to upgrade one or more of the
contained products in a software instance to a new product release
level or a higher maintenance level. Or, to create a copy of a software
instance so that it can run in a different environment, such as test,
development, or production.
- Organize your software instances and deployments. The Software Management task provides
a category feature that you can use to organize your software instances
and deployments. You can, for example, categorize them by product,
subsystem, geography, or business unit.
For information about using this task, see
the online help.