How resources are defined

For most resources, you can define resources to CICS® by several different methods.

Resource definition online (RDO)
This method uses the CICS-supplied online transactions CEDA, CEDB, and CEDC. Definitions are stored in the CICS system definition (CSD) file, and are installed into an active CICS system from the CSD file.
DFHCSDUP offline utility
This method allows you to make changes to definitions in the CSD file by means of a batch job submitted offline. The definitions are stored in the CSD file
Automatic installation (autoinstall)
Autoinstall minimizes the need for a large number of definitions, by dynamically creating new definitions based on a “model” definition provided by you.
System programming, using the EXEC CICS CREATE commands
You can use the EXEC CICS CREATE commands to create resources independently of the CSD file. For further information, see CICS System Programming Reference.
Macro definition
You can use assembler macro source to define resources that cannot be stored on the CSD. Definitions are stored in assembled tables in a program library, from which they are installed during CICS initialization.
CICSPlex® SM Business Application Services
You can use CICSPlex SM Business Application Services (BAS) to define and manage resources. Definitions are stored in the CICSPlex SM data repository and can be installed either automatically, during CICS initialization, or dynamically, into a running CICS system. For information on CICSPlex SM BAS, see CICSPlex System Manager Managing Business Applications.
Which methods you use depends on the resources you want to define. Table 1 shows you the methods you can use for each resource. Table 2 suggests some of the things you should consider when deciding which definition method to use.
Table 1. Resources and how you can define them to the running CICS system
Resource RDO/EXEC CICS CREATE commands DFHCSDUP Autoinstall Macro CICSPlex SM BAS
Connections Yes (CONNECTION) Yes Yes No Yes (CONNDEF)
CorbaServers Yes (CORBASERVER) Yes No No Yes (EJCODEF)
DB2® Connections Yes (BD2CONN) Yes No No Yes (DB2CDEF)
DB2 entries Yes (BD2ENTRY) Yes No No Yes (DB2EDEF)
DB2 transactions Yes (DB2TRAN) Yes No No Yes (DB2TDEF)
Deployed jar files Yes (DJAR) Yes No No Yes (EJDJDEF)
Document template Yes (DOCTEMPLATE) Yes No No Yes (DOCDEF)
Enqueue models Yes (ENQMODEL) Yes No No Yes (ENQMDEF)
FEPI node lists No No No No Yes (FENODDEF)
FEPI pool definitions No No No No Yes (FEPOODEF
FEPI property sets No No No No Yes (FEPRODEF
FEPI target lists No No No No Yes (FETRGDEF)
Files (BDAM) No No No Yes (DFHFCT) No
Files (VSAM) Yes (FILE) Yes No No Yes (FILEDEF)
File segments (CICS for OS/2 only) No No No No Yes (FSEGDEF)
Journals No No Yes No Yes (JRNLDEF)
Journal models Yes (JOURNALMODEL) Yes No No Yes (JRNMDEF)
Local shared resource (LSR) pools Yes (LSRPOOL) Yes No No Yes (LSRDEF)
Map sets Yes (MAPSET) Yes Yes No Yes (MAPDEF)
Partition sets Yes (PARTITIONSET) Yes Yes No Yes (PRTNDEF)
Partners Yes (PARTNER) Yes No No Yes (PARTDEF)
Process types Yes (PROCESSTYPE) Yes No No Yes (PROCDEF)
Profiles Yes (PROFILE) Yes No No Yes (PROFDEF)
Programs Yes (PROGRAM) Yes Yes No Yes (PROGDEF)
Recoverable service elements No No No Yes (DFHRST) No
Request models Yes (REQUESTMODEL) Yes No No Yes (RQMDEF)
Sessions Yes (SESSIONS) Yes No. No Yes (SESSDEF)
TCP/IP services Yes (TCPIPSERVICE) Yes No No Yes (TCPDEF)
Temporary storage (defined by macro) No No No Yes (DFHTST) No
Temporary storage models (resource definition) Yes (TSMODEL) Yes No No Yes (TSMDEF)
Terminals (non-VTAM®) No No No Yes (DFHTCT) No
Terminals (VTAM) Yes (TERMINAL) Yes Yes No Yes (TERMDEF)
Transactions Yes (TRANSACTION) Yes No No Yes (TRANDEF)
Transaction classes Yes (TRANCLASS) Yes No No Yes (TRNCLDEF)
Transient data queues (destinations) Yes (TDQUEUE) Yes No No Yes (TDQDEF)
Typeterms Yes (TYPETERM) Yes No No Yes (TYPTMDEF)
Table 2. Methods of resource definition
Method Description Advantages Disadvantages
RDO This method uses the CEDA transaction, which allows you to define, alter, and install resources in a running CICS system. RDO is used while CICS is running, so allows fast access to resource definitions. Because CEDA operates on an active CICS system, care should be taken if it is used in a production system. Use some form of auditing as a control mechanism.
EXEC CICS CREATE system commands This method allows you to add CICS resources to a CICS region without reference to the CSD file. It enables configuration and installation of CICS resources for large numbers of CICS regions from a single management focal point. It also allows you to write applications for administering the running CICS system. CREATE commands neither refer to nor record in the CSD file. The resulting definitions are lost on a cold start, and you cannot refer to them in a CEDA transaction.
DFHCSDUP DFHCSDUP is an offline utility that allows you to define, list, and modify resources using a batch job. DFHCSDUP can be invoked as a batch program or from a user-written program running either in batch mode or under TSO. Using the second method, you can specify up to five user exit routines within DFHCSDUP.
  • You can modify or define a large number of resources in one job.
  • You can run DFHCSDUP against a non-recoverable CSD file while it is being shared between CICS regions using RLS access mode.
  • You cannot install resources into an active CICS system.
  • You cannot make updates via DFHCSDUP against a recoverable CSD file that is being accessed in RLS mode.
Autoinstall This applies to VTAM terminals, LU6.2 sessions, journals, programs, mapsets, and partitionsets. You set up “model” definitions using either RDO or DFHCSDUP. CICS can then create and install new definitions for these resources dynamically, based on the models. If you have large numbers of resources, much time is needed to define them, and if they are not all subsequently used, storage is also wasted for their definitions. Using autoinstall reduces this wasted time and storage. You must spend some time initially setting up autoinstall in order to benefit from it.
Macro Using this method, you code and assemble macro instructions to define resources in the form of tables. Where possible, use the other methods.
  • You can change the definitions contained in the tables while CICS is running, but you must stop and restart CICS if you want it to use the changed tables.
  • You must do time-consuming assemblies to generate macro tables.
CICSPlex SM BAS Using BAS, you can create, maintain, and install CICS resources in a running CICS system. For full information, see CICSPlex System Manager Managing Business Applications.
  • Centralized resource definition
  • Logical scoping
  • Distributed resource installation