MainView architecture

MainView is an integrated family of performance management and automation products that monitor and control traditional and parallel mainframes. MainView comprises performance monitors, automated operations, and automation applications.

MainView product integration allows host system monitoring and automation (even in remote locations) through a common terminal session, using the MainView Selection Menu. The integration of MainView products is provided through intercommunications technology known as BBI.

BBI integrates the MainView performance products within a common communications framework that operates across multiple machines in multiple locations. This integrated architecture allows a single terminal session, using one or more MainView products, to monitor and manage multiple local or remote targets, such as the IBM z/OS system (sysplex and nonsysplex) or subsystems such as:

IBM CICS
IBM DB2
IBM IMS
IP
Linus Torvalds Linux
The Open Group UNIX
UNIX System Services
IBM VTAM
IBM WebSphere
WebSphere MQ

For products that operate in MainView windows mode, this architecture provides a built-in separation of the data, application, and end-use dimensions of systems management for maximum flexibility and extensibility. BBI communications, data collection, and the end-user terminal session run in distinct address spaces:

Coordinating address space (CAS); click to expand

The CAS runs as a subsystem and is used by most of the MainView products.

It manages communication with other CASs on other local and remote systems. The CAS also allows direct communication between an individual terminal session and a product address space. Usually, you have one CAS per IBM MVS system image. However, a single CAS can communicate with an unlimited number of remote systems with CASs.

A product establishes an independent connection with its local CAS. Consequently, you can add new products or new upgrades to the architecture without affecting existing products or other configurations.

Each CAS contains a product called Plex Manager that provides administration and operations views that help you to:

Manage communication links with other CASs
Monitor the activity of accessible products
Create SSI contexts
Control security for products

Product address space (PAS); click to expand

The PAS runs as a started task.

It comprises special routines, including data collectors, to support one or more MainView products.

The z/OS PAS supports the following MainView products:
- CMF MONITOR
- MainView for z/OS
- MainView for UNIX System Services
- MainView SYSPROG Services
- MainView VistaPoint (for MVS workloads)
One z/OS PAS exists per system image. The z/OS PAS always connects to the CAS on that system image.
The BBI-SS PAS supports the following MainView products:
- MainView AutoOPERATOR
- MainView for CICS
- MainView for DB2
- MainView for DBCTL
- MainView for IMS Online
- MainView VistaPoint (for CICS, DB2, DBCTL, and IMS workloads)
- MainView for MQ
Multiple instances of the BBI-SS PAS can run on a single system image and can contain one or more products. Depending on the products installed, the BBI-SS PAS might connect to a CAS on that system image.
BBI-SS PASs on local and remote systems are linked together to provide cross-system communication for an individual terminal session through a local BBI-SS PAS to any other BBI-SS PAS.
Product-specific PASs support the following MainView products:
- MainView for IP
- MainView for Linux - Servers
- MainView for VTAM
- MainView for WebSphere Application Server
- MainView Storage Resource Manager (SRM)
- MainView Transaction Analyzer
For MainView for Linux - Servers and MainView for VTAM, multiple instances of the PAS can run on a single system image. In the case of MainView for Linux - Servers, each PAS can monitor up to 500 Linux images. You can run multiple PASs to support the number of Linux images that you plan to monitor.
For MainView for IP, MainView for WebSphere Application Server, MainView SRM, and MainView Transaction Analyzer, only one product-specific PAS can be active for each product on a system image.

User address space (UAS); click to expand

The UAS is the home for a terminal session, which provides the end-user session for all MainView products. The terminal session connects to a CAS if available, to a BBI-SS PAS, or to both.

The following types of UASs are available:

MainView Host Gateway using MainView Explorer
Using MainView Explorer, you can access MainView products from a web browser or an application that is running on your personal computer.
TSO address space
Using a TSO address space, you can access MainView products and perform other TSO/ISPF functions.
VTAM or EXCP address space using MainView Alternate Access
Using a separate address space that communicates with your terminal through either VTAM or EXCP, you can access MainView products and also perform other ISPF functions.

The following figure illustrates the communication flow between the MainView SRM address spaces.

Communication flow between MainView SRM address spaces

This multiple address space structure provides a consistent, flexible environment for managing hundreds of system images. Depending on the products that are installed, this environment allows you to:

Access different systems and products quickly and easily with simple target switching, direct hyperlinks between products, or multiple concurrent views on one terminal session
Summarize data on a single system, or across the coordinating address space (CAS) for multiple system images
View historical or real-time data from multiple systems, summarized into one view
Enter commands for multiple products on multiple systems
Apply simple or complex data filtering conditions

MainView architecture

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