This section describes the requirements for using the IMFXEC HMC commands and their command syntax.
Important
(BMC.AMIOPS.SPE2210)
We are announcing that with SPE2210, we are functionally stabilizing support for the IMFEXEC HMC command and will not provide additional functions for this command. We recommend that you use the z/OS BCPii REXX commands in your REXX EXECs instead of using the IMFEXEC HMC statement.
Tip
If you are writing new REXX EXECs and considering using the IMFEXEC HMC statement, or when you need new functions that the IMFEXEC HMC statement does not support, we recommend using the z/OS BCPii HWIREST REXX command in your REXX instead of using the IMFEXEC HMC statement.
The new IBM BCPii HWIREST REXX command provides more capabilities and supports more functions than the IMFXEC HMC statement.
For more information, review BBSAMP member QAOBCPQ1 which explains the minor changes that are needed for the IBM supplied HWIREST sample to run with BMC AMI Ops Automation.
You can find documentation for the IBM z/OS BCPii REXX command in the IBM manual MVS Programming: Callable Services for High-Level Languages.
Overview for using the IMFEXEC HMC command
IMFEXEC HMC is a command for advanced users that allows you to issue commands to IBM System z Support Elements from BMC AMI OpsA EXECs.
By default, this feature is disabled when BMC AMI OpsA is installed.
Warning
The IMFEXEC HMC command can alter your IBM machine, which might result in outages or incur unexpected financial costs. For example, issuing the IMFEXEC HMC command can result in increasing the machine capacity.
BMC recommends that only users who have proficiency in operating the System z Support Elements and Hardware Management Console (HMC) should use the IMFEXEC HMC command. You should also already be familiar with HMC and System z terminology and properties.
In addition, the user control and confirmation features available on the actual HMC do not apply when using the IMFEXEC HMC command in an EXEC issued from BMC AMI OpsA. For example you can configure the HMC to require a user to enter a password prior to performing an IPL (issuing a Load command) of the system. With the IMFEXEC HMC command, the Load command executes without requiring any confirmation.
You can use the IMFEXEC HMC command the way you would use the HMC to perform operations against multiple Support Elements or multiple Central Processor Complexes (CPCs) or System z machines.
For example, you can use the IMFEXEC HMC command to perform the following tasks:
- Obtain the System z topology of the current interconnected Central Processor Complexes (CPCs) as well as the images, capacity records and activation profiles on a particular CPC
- Query various CPC, image (LPAR), capacity record, and activation profile information
- Set various configuration values related to CPC, image, and activation profiles
- Issue commands against both the CPC and image (LPAR) to perform minor or even significant hardware- and software-related functions
This section contains the following topics: