IBM IMS Library Integrity Utilities for z/OS

Validate, compare, map, recover, report and regenerate IMS database and program definitions

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Overview

Ensure IMS database integrity and consistency

IMS™ Library Integrity Utilities for z/OS® validates, compares, maps, recovers, reports, and regenerates IMS libraries, ensuring ACB, DBD, PSB, and MFS integrity. It maps and compares control blocks, recreates sources, and provides a GUI to visualize relationships.

Features

Protect database and application consistency

When an IMS database is loaded with one set of database definitions and then later accessed with another set of database definitions, problems can occur that can result in data integrity issues. The IMS™ Library Integrity Utilities for z/OS® tool can detect these problems before they create serious data integrity problems in IMS production databases. The tool can prevent both IMS batch and online applications problems by verifying the IMS control blocks during database authorization.

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IMS Library Integrity Utilities ensures IMS DBD (database) and PSB (application) resources are consistent among key libraries.

The tool helps to guarantee that database relationships and definitions exist when the DBD and PSB are created. It has special functions to ensure that the IMS ACB library is consistent and free of problems. It verifies that all ACB members were created at the same IMS version and release level. It can also create an IMS ACB from the IMS DBD and PSB control blocks.

 

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IMS Library Integrity Utilities verifies the consistency of IMS database and application resources across multiple libraries. The tool can check up to ten libraries at once to ensure consistency between IMS DBD, PSB and ACB definitions and between IMS DBRC DB and DSG records in the RECON datasets. The tool can also compare IMS DBD and PSB control blocks that have the same or different names and reside in the same or different libraries.

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IMS Library Integrity Utilities can convert IMS DBD, PSB, MFS and ACB control blocks back into their original source control statements. This capability is useful when the original source libraries can no longer be found and the definitions need to change. The tool can compare IMS Message Format Service (MFS) terminal screen definitions that reside in the same or different IMS MFS libraries.

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IMS Library Integrity Utilities can create many reports to help IMS database administrators manage the IMS DBD, PSB, ACB and MFS libraries, the IMS DBRC RECON data set and the IMS Catalog. Reports include detailed mappings of the IMS DBD, PSB and ACB definitions—as well as matrix reports showing the comparisons between multiple database and application libraries. There are also reports that summarize the contents of the IMS DBD, PSB and ACB library datasets.

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When the IMS Library Integrity Utilities DBD/PSB Viewer extension is installed with IMS Administration Foundation for z/OS, the user can gain a graphical view of the IMS database and application structures. The IMS DBD and PSB source can be seen as well as the relationships between the IMS DBDs and the logical DBDs and the DBDs and the PSBs.

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Use cases

Key capabilities for maintaining IMS integrity

IMS Library Integrity Utilities for z/OS is part of IMS Tools solution packs, helping administrators efficiently manage operations while ensuring library consistency. It maintains accuracy and recoverability by validating definitions, preventing mismatches, identifying differences, and regenerating control information—reducing risk and supporting reliable operations at scale.
Prevent database corruption proactively

Detect mismatches such as incorrect DBD usage before execution begins. This helps teams avoid structural inconsistencies that can lead to corruption and supports more reliable IMS database operations.
Ensure required definitions are in place

Verify that required IMS subsystem definitions are established and accessible before workloads run. This helps teams prevent runtime issues caused by missing or incomplete configuration elements.
Compare libraries and detect differences

Identify discrepancies by comparing members across relevant libraries. This helps teams keep environments aligned, reduce configuration drift, and support consistent database management practices.
Recover and regenerate critical information

Restore essential source control statements and rebuild lost or damaged library members. This helps teams accelerate recovery efforts and preserve the information needed to maintain database integrity.

Resources

Discover expert resources

Stay up to date with the latest IMS Library Integrity Utilities for z/OS information. Access the datasheet and documentation to understand new capabilities, review configuration documentation for deeper insights that support deployment, configuration, and ongoing operations on IMS Library Integrity Utilities for z/OS.
IMS Library Integrity Utilities IMS Library Integrity Utilities for z/OS What's new in IMS Library Integrity Utilities Configuring IMS Library Integrity Utilities
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