Configuring for CICS Explorer

CICS Explorer® is an Eclipse-based system management tool that provides a way to manage one or more CICS® systems, a view of some of the CICSPlex® SM functions in CICS TS, and a platform for the integration of CICS tools. To configure and manage CICS regions from CICS Explorer, you must set up the CICS management client interface (CMCI). Note that CICS Explorer support for connections with multi-factor authentication (MFA) credentials and the aggregation function require the CMCI JVM server to be set up and running.

Use the following guide to determine what you should do to set up your environment for CICS Explorer.

For CICS Explorer to connect to CICSPlex SM:
System requirements:
To support sign-on with MFA credentials:
  • You must have IBM® Multi-Factor Authentication for z/OS® or an equivalent product configured with RACF® to support multi-factor authentication. If you use an alternative external security manager (ESM), refer to your vendor for details.
  • MFA is supported by IBM CICS Explorer for Aqua V3.11 (Fix Pack 5.4.0.4) or later. Ensure that users install the supported CICS Explorer version before they use MFA to log in.
  • MFA is supported by CICS TS V5.4 or later. Ensure that your region where the CMCI JVM server will be running, and the CMAS are running at the same CICS level that is CICS TS V5.4 or later. For information about CICS level considerations for setting up your CICSPlex SM topology, see Designing your CICSPlex SM environment.
  • Your WUI region must have been configured to enable the use of the CMCI with CICSPlex SM. For more information, see Optional parameters for the WUI.
To support the aggregation function:
  • The region where the CMCI JVM server will be running is at CICS TS 5.5 or later.

    The CMCI JVM server provides the underlying GraphQL API that supports the aggregation function.

  • Your CICS Explorer must be at IBM CICS Explorer for Aqua V3.2 or later.

Tasks

  1. Set up the CMCI with CICSPlex SM.
  2. (Optional) If you want to limit which levels of CICS Explorer that can connect to the CMCI JVM server, you can define a CICS Explorer allowlist to the CMCI JVM server. Follow the procedure in Defining a client allowlist to CMCI JVM server.
For CICS Explorer to connect to a single CICS region (SMSS):
Restriction: SMSS regions do not support the CMCI JVM server, and therefore do not support MFA and the aggregation function.

Tasks

  1. Set up the CMCI in a single CICS region.

What to do next

Test the CMCI connection in CICS Explorer

To test the CMCI connection you have configured, add the connection in the Host Connections view in CICS Explorer and connect to it. You can open the Host Connections by clicking Window > Manage Connections.

For more instructions, see Connecting CICS Explorer to CICS systems in the CICS Explorer product documentation.

Test sign-on with MFA credentials
You can test whether CICS Explorer users can log on successfully with an MFA token:
  1. Start the WUI region that has the CMCI set up with an INITIAL start.
  2. From CICS Explorer, create a CMCI connection to the WUI region with a userid and MFA token.
Test the aggregation function in CICS Explorer
You can test whether the aggregation function is working properly in CICS Explorer:
  1. Connect CICS Explorer to the CICSPlex SM.
  2. Open a resource view. The Aggregate Records button (Aggregate records icon) on the view toolbar indicates aggregation is supported.
1 Aqua refers to IBM Explorer for z/OS Aqua.