Configuring a CICS CM system connection

Before you can view any information, you must establish a connection between CICS® CM plug-in and your CICS systems by providing details about the system connection, its location, and its authentication requirements.

Before you begin

Ensure that your system connection details are saved in the credentials view, Defining connection credentials. You must have the correct level of authorization to connect to your system, and you must be connected to your company network.
Note: System connections can now be secured using the SSL protocol. For more information, see Using SSL security for Explorer connections, and Managing SSL security and certificates.

If CICS CM plug-in was pre-configured by your system administrator, you can view the details in the Connections Preferences view.

If CICS CM plug-in was not configured, or you want to add another connection, follow these steps:

About this task

  1. Click Window > Manage connections
  2. In the Host Connections view, select Configuration Manager and click Add. The Add Configuration Manager Connection window opens.
    The Connections preferences dialog.
  3. Complete the fields with the details provided by your system administrator:
    Field Label Description
    Name The local name used to identify this connection. The name can be anything you choose and is used only to help you distinguish between different connections.
    Host name The address of your Configuration Manager server.
    Port number The port used to access the server.
    Secure connection (TLS/SSL) Select this field if the connection uses TLS or SSL security.
    CICS Connection® Connection The CICS Connection pane is populated with the CICS connections that are available to use with this connection. The CICS CM plug-in can use the CICS connection to interrogate operation resources and the CICS CM Connection to interrogate definition resources without your intervention.
    Note: The check box for CICS Management Interface must be checked to allow concurrent connections for CM and SM. Leaving the check box cleared causes the CM connection to be disconnected when you switch to the SM perspective.
  4. Click Save and Close to save the configuration without connecting or Click Save and Connect to save the configuration and connect immediately. If you click Save and Connect, you are presented with the Signon window, where you must select an existing credential to use with this connection, or define a new credential.

What to do next

When you connect, the CICS CM plug-in tries to connect to the system that you configured.

If the connection is successful, the connection name is displayed in the workbench window next to a green icon.

If the connection is not successful, the connection name is displayed in workbench window next to a red icon. An error message is displayed in the workbench status bar providing a reason for the failure. Check the values in the fields, correct any errors, and try to connect again.