MICS

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  • 1.  MICS 14.2 upgrade for z15 readiness

    Posted Jun 08, 2021 03:46 PM
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    What are the pre-requisites for the PTFs required to upgrade MICS 14.2 for z15 readiness (if any)?



  • 2.  RE: MICS 14.2 upgrade for z15 readiness

    Posted Jul 07, 2021 06:19 PM
    Edited by Scott Barry Jul 07, 2021 06:19 PM
    As of late June 2021, you have available for download the MICS r14.3 maintenance/upgrade ESD distribution package -- any/all pre-requisites will be spelled out with each MICS PTF / upgrade in the PC text.  Otherwise, there is no "external" pre-requisite, at least none other than your site is strongly recommended to be at a reasonably current SAS 9.4 level, such as at least M6 or later.  As well, activate SAS CONFIG options FILELBI and DLLBI; also, if you are DFSORT, then look for SORTBLKMODE and also SORTBLKREC for further SORT processing optimization.

    Also, consider that you can and likely will be running MICS in an environment where there are z15 and prior-generation CPCs, which again is very typical and mostly expected.  MICS operationally and input-data handling is architected to perform in these mixed-environment scenarios.

    A Best Practices methodology would be to first retrieve the MICS r14.3 ESD distribution package, then load / create an "as distributed" MICS complex-level set of libraries, mostly for your reference and comparison to what's installed with your MICS production complex today.  And then following the MICS PIOM documentation, "clone" your MICS production complex to a MICS TEST (parallel - recommend a unique HLQ/ALIAS, separating say MICS.** and TMICS.** environments) complex/unit environment for verification-testing, with at least one (maybe more if you have time) MICS unit database having all components installed. 

    At a minimum and for any reasonable verification-exercise, run at least one "BEFORE" DAILY cycle -- that is if you don't intend to include the "database content clone".  Then perform the MICS PSP REFRESH process to load your MICS r14.3 PTFs into your MICS TEST complex. Then apply your MICS r14.3 PTFs/upgrades maintenance in some orderly fashion, component by component -- you will need to decide if/when to interrupt the APPLY process and run another DAILY for some type of "AFTER" DAILY cycle and report/charting/data-feed verification, depending on the installed MICS components.  Of course, as you are applying the MICS PTFs, it's important to become familiar with any MICS component new-function support (such as end-user improvements, new reporting/MICF-inquiries, technology support, any situation that might need consideration say with SMF record-type input-selection -- decisions must be made about whether or not to implement now...or otherwise later).  And it's important to keep good notes for later reference, especially if any LOCALMODs must be retrofitted with the MICS r14.3 configuration/environment.  Other verification-test scenario activities might be to leverage SAS procedures, such as COMPARE (BEFORE-AFTER comparisons of MICS unit databases, at least DETAIL), FREQ / MEANS (reasonable-test), or other ancillary processes.

    Once the MICS TEST environment verification is complete, then develop a strategy / time-line to apply the MICS r14.3 maintenance to your MICS PROD complex/unit environment, again component-by-component, with consideration for time/effort, based on your MICS TEST environment experience (hint: there are MICS database retrofits with r14.3 and they will take time to execute, between DAILY and/or INCRUPDT executions).  And so then complete the MICS r14.3 APPLY process to the MICS PROD environment.

    When complete, be sure to share information with your end-user community about what's new with MICS r14.3 - often the PC-text members' DESCRIPTION- and APPENDIX-sections are very useful to make available to others for their awareness.

    As always, start out with a MICS software libraries BACKUP (DFDSS, FDR, otherwise), take backup-snapshots along the way, and then again when complete.

    With regard to the IBM z15 "readiness" (also, z/OS V2R4, CICS/TS V5R6, DB2 12, etc.), you will want to review the CA/Broadcom support site and also to possibly identify what is and is not available -- either by searching the SUPPORT SITE or open a SUPPORT INCIDENT to get specific questions addressed.  One example is that the MICS RMF component (at MICS r14.3) does not yet support RMF 74 subtype 10 for zEDC technology - you will want to keep watch with the MICS support site to determine when that aspect of "z15 exploitation" support is delivered and available as an interim post- MICS r14.3 PTF, hopefully in the near future !!

    Regards,

    Scott Barry
    Principal Consultant
    SBBTech LLC
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