Dynamic XCF

For most point-to-point links, a unique pair of IP addresses is needed for each stack within a sysplex. This requirement tends to use more IP addresses, and IP addresses can be saved by using dynamic XCF. Dynamic XCF creates a single IP address by which all other stacks in a sysplex can reach a stack. Dynamic XCF creates trusted, internal links to other stacks within a sysplex, generating dynamic definitions for TCP/IP stacks that are on another z/OS® host in a sysplex or for TCP/IP stacks that are on the same z/OS host.

Dynamic XCF automatically generates the appropriate DEVICE, LINK, HOME, INTERFACE, BSDROUTINGPARMS, and BEGINROUTES definitions, and activates the devices to enable a stack to communicate with other stacks in the sysplex. Dynamic XCF devices and links, when activated, appear to the stack as though they had been defined in the TCP/IP profile, and can be displayed using standard commands.

Dynamic XCF support is available for both IPv4 and IPv6, and is enabled with the DYNAMICXCF parameter on the IPCONFIG or IPCONFIG6 statement, respectively. Though not specifically mentioned throughout this topic, unless otherwise noted, this information applies to IPv6 as well as IPv4.

Notes:
  1. Dynamic XCF (non-IUTSAMEH and non-IQDIO) interface definitions to a particular LPAR are stopped and deleted when the last stack on a given LPAR is removed from the sysplex.
  2. If you are using policy-based routing, by default dynamic XCF does not generate the corresponding policy-based routing RouteTable definitions. Determine whether it is appropriate for these routes to be added to each of your policy-based route tables. Use the DynamicXCFRoutes parameter on the RouteTable statement that defines a policy-based route table to indicate whether the routes should be added to that table. For information about the RouteTable statement and its parameters, see z/OS Communications Server: IP Configuration Reference.