CA File Master Plus Portable Software Instance and Configuration Workflow
CA File Master Plus has released its Portable Software Instance (PSI) & Configuration workflows. Now CA File Master Plus can be installed using this PSI via the IBM z/OS Management Facility (z/OSMF), adhering to the new z/OS installation strategy to deploy, configure and maintain mainframe products.
Why the new z/OS installation strategy?
Currently, mainframe software management requires expertise in different methodologies and knowledge for each vendor, which can be complex and time-consuming, also there is no standardization.
IBM, Broadcom and other mainframe vendors are converging on a single consistent way to acquire, install, maintain and configure mainframe software using z/OSMF. It offers new opportunities to modernize, simplifying software management and helping the next generation of Mainframe Systems Programmers. It also reduces time and knowledge to manage software.
CA File Master Plus from Broadcom follows this strategy as well.
What is Portable Software Instance?
Portable Software Instance(PSI) is a package representing a native software instance, which includes the installed software data sets and its meta-data. It is installed using z/OSMF.
FMP Portable Software Instance can be acquired from our Broadcom Customer support site and is in addition to FMP SMP/E installation packages.
FMP Configuration workflow is also embedded in the PSI. Once FMP is installed, FMP products can be configured using this so as to allow the products to get up and running.
What is the need for Configuration workflows?
The z/OSMF configuration workflow is a modern and simplified approach for software configuration on mainframe providing a guided, web-based approach for software configuration. Workflows also automate the manual repetitive steps, which reduce the chances of human errors.
FMP Configuration workflow
FMP configuration workflow is self-documented and guides you throughout. You can configure multiple FMP products or select one which you want to configure and later you can configure other products.
Based on your choice respective product configuration step will be ready, as shown below:
You can also save the workflow settings in a variable file and later execute the configuration workflow using the same setting, it will speed up the configuration process next time. Also, eliminate problems caused by accidentally entering the wrong parameters. You can prepare different variable input files according to your organization's needs and configure FMP in different LPARs.
Even if you have installed FMP products using SMP/E JCLs or CA Chorus Software Manager(CSM), you can still use FMP z/OSMF configuration workflow to configure the products.
