STEP 3. (Optional) Configuring IBM AD Validation Service

About this task

IBM® AD Validation Service component is specific only for ChangeMan ZMF users, therefore it is not part of the must have components installation.

IBM AD Validation Service is automatically installed during the IBM AD Build installation.

IBM AD Validation Service acts like a listener and is linked directly with IBM AD Connect for Mainframe component (Mainframe Agents).

After IBM AD Validation Service is installed, go to <IBM AD Build Client installation folder>\Bin\Release\IBMApplicationDiscoveryValidationServer\SampleConf.

Select all configuration files and copy them to <IBM AD Build Client installation folder>\Bin\Release\IBMApplicationDiscoveryValidationServer.

Next, perform the following configurations.

Procedure

  1. Configure ProjectsMapping.txt to have a valid input. This is the configuration file for defining the mapping between the projects that are used to download mainframe members, applications, and subsystems.
    Note: Comparing with the ProjectsMappingParallelBuild.txt file, the projects that are specified in the ProjectsMapping.txt file do not need to contain the virtual folder that is specified in the FoldersMapping.txt file, as they are not used for builds. However, a z/OS® connection must be attached and configured to the projects.

    Each line of the configuration file must have the following comma-separated values format:

    <ProjectName>, <ApplicationName>, <Subsystem>
    Note:
    • <ProjectName> represents the project that is defined in IBM AD Build Client.
    • <ApplicationName> and <Subsystem> are defined in ChangeMan ZMF.
    Example of the configuration file:
    Project1, App1, Subsys1
  2. Configure IncludesOrder.txt to have a valid input. This is the configuration file for defining the ChangeMan Baseline Libraries Types and the order of COBOL Includes locations. This configuration file is used later on while you set up the path for the COBOL Include folders
    The configuration file must have the following comma-separated values format:

    <Type1>, <Type2>,…, <Typen>

    Example of the configuration file:
    CPY, INC, IND, CPA
    Note: It is EXTREMELY important to add the types in the order in which the include files must be looked after.
  3. Configure FoldersMapping.txt to have a valid input. This is the configuration file for defining a mapping between a type of a mainframe member, that is defined in ChangeMan ZMF, and a virtual folder name of an IBM AD project. This configuration file is used during the synchronize phase of the validation process.
    Each line of the configuration file must have the following comma-separated values format:
    <MemberType>, <VirtualFolderName>
    • <MemberType> is defined in ChangeMan ZMF.
    • <VirtualFolderName> is defined in IBM AD Build Client.
    Examples of the configuration file:
    COB, zOS Cobol
    ASM, Assembler
  4. Configure ServicePort.txt to have a valid input. This is the configuration file for defining the Service’s port.
    The configuration file must have the following format:

    <Port Number>

    Any available port can be used, for example:
    48000
  5. Enable or disable sending feedback to the mainframe by configuring the LoopbackResults.txt file with one the following values:
    Y
    Enables sending feedback to the mainframe according to the weight of rules.
    N
    Disables sending feedback to the mainframe.
  6. Set parallel validation parameters for the maximum-allowed values by configuring the ParallelValidationParameters.txt.

    The configuration file must have the following comma-separated values format:

    <Number_of_validations_in_parallel>,<Number_of_components_per_validation>

    Note:
    • Do not set the number of validations in parallel greater than the number of CPU cores. Otherwise, the validation process might be unstable.
    • Do not set the number of components per validation greater than 20. Otherwise, the performance might be negatively affected.

    Examples of the configuration file:

    4,10
    Allows a maximum of four validation instances in parallel, and a maximum of 10 stages or members that are allocated for each instance. You can set these values for a computer with 4 CPU cores. 
    8,15
    Allows a maximum of eight validation instances in parallel, and a maximum of 15 members that are allocated for each instance. You can set these values for a computer with 8 CPU cores.
  7. Configure the mapping between the projects that are used to compile the members to be validated in parallel, applications, and subsystems. Set the mapping values in the ProjectsMappingParallelBuild.txt file.

    Each line of the configuration file must have the following comma-separated values format:

    <ProjectName>, <ApplicationName>, <Subsystem>

    Note:
    • <ProjectName> represents the project that is defined in IBM AD Build Client.
    • <ApplicationName> and <Subsystem> are defined in ChangeMan ZMF.
    • The number of the projects that are mapped to one pair of an application and a subsystem must be greater than or equal to the maximum number of validations in parallel, which is specified in the ParallelValidationParameters.txt file. Otherwise, the service cannot start.
    • Comparing with the ProjectsMapping.txt file, the projects that are specified in the ProjectsMappingParallelBuild.txt file do not need to have a z/OS connection that is attached and configured, as they are used only for builds. However, the projects must contain the virtual folder that is specified in the FoldersMapping.txt file.
    The following example shows the mapping configurations for eight validations in parallel:
    Project1, App1, Subsys1
Project2, App1, Subsys1
Project3, App1, Subsys1
Project4, App1, Subsys1
Project5, App1, Subsys1
Project6, App1, Subsys1
Project7, App1, Subsys1
Project8, App1, Subsys1
Project9, App2, Subsys1
Project10, App2, Subsys1
Project11, App2, Subsys1
Project12, App2, Subsys1
Project13, App2, Subsys1
Project14, App2, Subsys1
Project15, App2, Subsys1
Project16, App2, Subsys1
  8. Configure the completion code for messages by configuring the CompletionCodeVsMessage.txt file.

    Each line of the configuration file must have the following pipe-delimited format:

    <CompletionCode>|<DescriptiveMessage>
    Note: The descriptive message must have a maximum length of 23 characters.
    Example of the configuration file:
    0|Validation Success
4|Validation Warning
8|Validation Failed
    Each of the numbers in the example reflects the weight of the rule that is specified in the ruleBased.properties file.
  9. Configure the approval request parameters in the ApprovalRequestParameters.txt file.

    Each line of the configuration file must have the following comma-separated values format:

    <ProjectName>,<ProcLibrary>
    Note:
    • <ProjectName> represents the project that is defined in IBM AD Build Client.
    • <ProcLibrary> is a PDS/E library that is defined in ChangeMan ZMF.
    • <ProcLibrary> must have a maximum length of 23 characters.
    Example of the configuration file:
    Project1,PJ.PROCLIB.S814
  10. Configure the encryption policy by specifying a flag value in the TLSEncryption.text file.
    This configuration file contains a single flag byte. The flag can take the value Y or N. It is not case-sensitive. Y indicates that the Application Transparent Transport Layer Security (AT-TLS) encryption is enabled. If N is specified or the flag value is missing, the communication will not be encrypted.

What to do next

  1. Go to <IBM AD Build Client installation folder\Bin\Release\IBMApplicationDiscoveryValidationServer\ReportsGenerator\sample-conf folder. This sample-conf folder contains the templates for all the configuration files needed to customize the functioning of ReportsGenerator. To configure ReportsGenerator, copy the templates from the sample-conf folder, and place them in the conf folder.

    Once this step is completed and before you start IBM AD Validation Service, some preliminary configurations are required. You need to specify on which projects you want ReportsGenerator to run the reports, which reports to generate, where to store the generated reports etc. The configuration parameters are stored in server.properties, project.properties, ruleBased.properties and ruleBasedConfig.properties files.

    For more information, see the following sections that contain a detailed description of the parameters available in these four files:
    Note: ReportsGenerator is invoked by Validation Server after the Build process.

  2. Start IBM AD Validation Service: Click Start and then select All Programs > IBM Application Discovery Build Client > Start IBM Application Discovery Validation Service.

    The service can also be started from Windows Services (services.msc) by locating IBMApplicationDiscoveryValidationServer and pressing Start.
    Important: For monitoring the Validation Service tasks, see Finding Log Files.