Common deployment

The z/TPF system uses a mechanism called common deployment to make deployment descriptors available for use.

A deployment descriptor is a file that describes the capabilities and options for a specific function or component. This file must be deployed on the z/TPF system before it can be used. When a deployment descriptor is deployed, the file is parsed and the results are placed in memory. This process reduces processor usage for subsequent uses of this information.

Some aspects of deployment are unique to the type of deployment descriptor. For example, parsing the file and creating the in-memory structure that holds the results of the parsing. However, there are several tasks that must occur during deployment that are common to each type of deployment descriptor. In particular, common deployment handles the following tasks related to deploying a deployment descriptor on the z/TPF system:
  • Validates that the file exists
  • Maintains the status of which files are deployed
  • Deploys the file again after an IPL
  • Provides a mechanism to find the in-memory structure
  • Handles any changes to the file; that is, handles a file in a loadset that was activated or deactivated.

Deployment descriptors that use common deployment are available for use in all z/TPF states. During restart, common deployment initializes the memory structures and calls function-unique processing for each deployment descriptor. Additionally, if a file is deployed, the in-memory structure is marked as available for use.

Common deployment rules and conventions

Deployment descriptors that use common deployment must conform to the following rules:
  • Deployment descriptors must have a unique file extension that identifies the feature or function. Use the following format:
    .descriptor_type.file_type
    descriptor_type
    The unique name for the type of deployment descriptor that is associated with a particular feature or function.
    file_type
    The file type based on the file format of the deployment descriptor.

    For example, the unique file extension for a business event specification is .evspec.xml, where .evspec is the descriptor type and .xml is the file type.

  • Deployment descriptors are program base unique files that must be loaded to the /sys/tpf_pbfiles/tpf-fdes directory on the z/TPF system with the E-type loader or the image loader. For more information, see Loading deployment descriptors.
  • Deployment descriptors contain information that is used by common deployment to find the in-memory structures; that is, a key, a type, and optionally, a version. For more information, see In-memory structures.
IBM uses the following conventions for schemas that define deployment descriptors that use common deployment:
  • IBM-delivered schema file names begin with the tpf or TPF string.
  • IBM-delivered XML schema files are placed on Linux in relative directory base/tpf-fdes/schema. XML schema files must be loaded to the /sys/tpf_pbfiles/tpf-fdes/schema directory on the z/TPF system.
  • IBM-delivered DFDL schema files are placed on Linux in relative directory base/tpf-fdes. DFDL schema files must be loaded to the /sys/tpf_pbfiles/tpf-fdes directory on the z/TPF system.