To migrate a set of resource definitions between CICSĀ® configurations, follow these steps:
In addition to packaging resource definitions that refer to individual resources, such as programs and files, you can also package lists (sets of groups, as defined in CSD files). You can then migrate the lists from one CICS configuration to another. This enables you to manage changes to lists across CICS systems. Some restrictions apply to packaging lists that do not apply to other resource types: you cannot migrate a list to a CICS configuration that refers to a context. Also, note that packaging a list only adds the list object (a set of group names) to the change package, not the groups in the list.
If a change package requires approval, then it must be "fully approved" before it can be migrated: all of the applicable approver roles must have approved the change package.
Approval is not a "for/against" voting system: approver roles either approve a change package, or withhold approval. An approver role can only disapprove a change package that they have previously approved: disapproving the change package removes the approval.
For example, suppose you package a set of resource definitions in your development environment, and then you migrate the change package using a "development-to-test" migrate scheme. CICS Configuration Manager automatically adds to the change package the migrated resource definitions in the test environment. You can then migrate the same change package onwards to production using a "test-to-production" migrate scheme.
Roll out versus back out
If a migration fails for any of the resource definitions in a change package, then CICS Configuration Manager stops the migration, and undoes changes to resource definitions that have already been migrated. Similarly, if the CICS region running the CICS Configuration Manager server abends during a migration, then, when you restart the CICS region, the CICS Configuration Manager undoes changes performed by the partial migration. This automated process is known as a roll out, and ensures that the resource definitions in a change package are migrated together: either all or none are migrated.
If a change package migration succeeds, you can issue a command to back out (undo) the migration.
Rolling out or backing out a change package spans multiple CICS units of work and sync points, and will be performed and continued across a CICS COLD start.