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Space announcement We are no longer updating this version of the documentation for the infrastructure components (DBC, LGC, and NGL).  You can no longer leave comments on it. For the latest version of the documentation, see Common Mainframe Infrastructure 2022 release.

Reusing infrastructure components

The DBC is meant to be a long-running address space that starts shortly after an IPL and stops immediately before the next IPL. The DBC allows BMC products to be dynamically defined. You can recycle product agents within the DBC without interfering with other products that use the DBC and without requiring you to stop the DBC started task.

The infrastructure components are designed to have one release that is updated solely through applying PTFs. If a component does require a new release, the upgrade to the new release will be seamless.

Note

Although certain components might have new releases (FMID changes), their definition to the DBC retains the same version number from release to release so you can upgrade the components in place.

Installing infrastructure components automatically downloads the component files and the maintenance as of the delivery date. The Installation System offers a path to reuse these components if they already exist. In this manner, the components will be updated in place and the agents will be recycled in order to refresh the code.

If you already have any of the infrastructure components, you should choose the option in the Installation System to reuse these components. The Installation System guides you through recycling the DBC started task if DBC maintenance has been applied; otherwise, only the agents running in the DBC will be recycled. The installation jobs will be generated to reference the new load libraries, update any product definitions, and then stop and restart the agents with the new code. Any new product agents will be defined to the DBC and started. Some products do not have agents but use existing component agents (that is, LGC and NGL). Products that use option sets are registered to the LGC product-specific registry with their new template definitions.

Note

(only NGL) You must stop any NGL client products that require NGL before stopping their NGL agents. For example, DOM and MVL are NGL client products that run as DBC agents. Following is an example of stopping the DOM agent in the DBC, refreshing its NGL piid DOM1, and then starting the DOM DBC agent again.

/ssid DOM,STOP
/ssid NGL,REFRESH,DOM1
/ssid DOM,START

Other NGL client products such as MainView Transaction Analyzer and MainView for MQ do not have agents that run in the DBC, but rather have address spaces that need to be stopped. Review the product-specific configuration guides for the specific commands to stop these kind of NGL clients.

Warning

Not stopping the NGL client products that require NGL before recycling their NGL agents, can result in the clients and agents running at different levels which causes problems.

Reusing RTCS

In some environments, RTCS is managed by a different group in a different SMP/E zone. In this scenario, you should choose the option in the Installation System to deselect RTCS. Doing so prevents it from being downloaded in your new zone and from having more than one copy of the code, which could cause confusion over maintenance levels.

Note

When deselecting RTCS, a panel in the Installation System will indicate the PTF level required by the products that will be interacting with RTCS. Ensure that you apply this level of maintenance before using those products.

If you decide to download RTCS into your SMP/E zone, you will have the opportunity to reuse your existing RTCS. An LPAR can have only one active RTCS started task. If you already have RTCS installed and you plan to apply all the maintenance from the new zone, indicate that you want to reuse RTCS in the Installation System. Doing so prevents you from having to answer configuration questions in the Installation System for RTCS. To have RTCS use the new code, perform the following steps:

  1. Replace or update the existing RTCS load libraries using the existing library names.
  2. If you are in a continuous operation mode, review each PTF, and proceed accordingly:
    • If none require an RTCS Cold Start, refresh the packages using the RTCS REFRESH command.
    • If an RTCS Subsystem Restart is desired:
      1. Bring down the current RTCS started task.
      2. Bring up the new RTCS started task referencing the updated libraries.
  3. Restart the RTCS started task.

Note

The products that interact with RTCS require a minimum maintenance level. If the minimum level is already present, you can delay recycling RTCS until a more convenient time. If the products do not detect the required minimum PTF level, they display an error message.

If you are installing RTCS for the first time, do not deselect it from being downloaded, and do not indicate that you want to reuse it. The Installation System will help you configure RTCS and provide instructions about how to start RTCS.

Reusing DBC

If you already have a DBC started task, you also have a DBC repository that contains product and agent definitions and commands. You should reuse this repository from release to release to prevent any disruption from upgrading products or adding new products. If you have an existing DBC, you should indicate that you want to reuse the DBC in the Installation System. Doing so prevents you from having to answer configuration questions in the Installation System for DBC.

The Installation System downloads the DBC component files along with all current maintenance. After you apply DBC maintenance, you must recycle the DBC started task to load the new code. You should compare your current DBC started task and parameters with the newly generated task to determine whether the products that you are installing require any changes.

Reusing NGL

If you already have an NGL agent running in the DBC, you have an NGL registry data set that contains information about each of its PIIDs and LOGSETS. To avoid losing that information and having to reconfigure the component, indicate that you want to reuse the NGL in the Installation System. Even if the NGL has a new release number and FMID, you can upgrade the NGL in place.

The Installation System downloads the NGL component files along with all current maintenance. The generated installation jobs will reference the new libraries and stop and restart the NGL agents.

Reusing LGC

If you already have an LGC agent running in the DBC, you have an LGC datastore that contains option sets for other BMC products. To avoid losing that information, you should indicate that you want to reuse the LGC in the Installation System. The Installation System downloads the LGC component files along with all current maintenance. The generated installation jobs will reference the new libraries, register the new LGC templates, and then stop and restart the LGC agent.

Adding new products to the DBC

All product definitions will be added or updated in the DBC repository in either of the following cases:

  • You have an existing DBC with BMC products defined to it.
  • You are installing the DBC for the first time.

 

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