README for IBM Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0

Copyright statement

(C) Copyright IBM® Corporation 2010. All rights reserved. For legal information, see http://www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml

Contents

Plug-in Overview

The Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0 provides the functionality to run the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI on Eclipse-based applications such as IBM CICS Explorer. Version 10.1.1.0 includes all features included in all Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI releases up to 10.1.1.0.

The Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI platform has built-in support for both local and remote (z/OS) repositories. The local repository is populated and refreshed automatically with the most recent transaction data, with the exception of the observation reports. Reports are downloaded on-request by selecting 'download reports' from the context menu of the Observation List or clicking "Download Reports" in the Reports View.

The initial install connects to the remote repository, while subsequent startup's automatically load and display the local repository of the Startup APA STC. If you wish to connect to the z/OS STC (remote repository), click "Connect APA" and after login, the remote repository will be downloaded to the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI.

The target audience for this document is for an experienced Application Performance Analyzer user. The purpose of this document is to provide details needed to setup and run the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI.

System requirements and prerequisites

The following minimum hardware levels are required to run the CICS Explorer and are therefore applicable to Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0:
  • CPU - Intel® Pentium® 4 or equivalent.
  • RAM - 768 MB in addition to the operating system requirements.
  • Hard disk - 500 MB available space.
One of the following levels of Windows operating system software is required to install the CICS Explorer and is therefore applicable to Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0:
  • Microsoft® Windows® XP 32-bit
  • Microsoft Windows Vista 32-bit
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003 32-bit
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008 32-bit
The following levels of software required to install the Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0:
  • CICS Explorer (for Windows) V1.0.0.5, or later
  • Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS Version 10.1 or later with PTF UK56111 (Base), UK56112 (JPN), UK56113 (KOR) for APAR PM05497, or above.

The Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in V10.1.1.0 is available in the following national languages:

  • English
  • Japanese
  • Korean

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Downloading Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0

The Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0 can be downloaded from the

Problem Determination Tools Plug-in website. The download file is called APA_plugin_V10110.zip.

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Installing Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0 into CICS Explorer

The following steps are required in order to install the Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0 into CICS explorer.

  1. Extract all the contents of APA_plugin_V10110.zip to any writable directory of your choice, for example, C:\APA.
  2. Start CICS Explorer.
  3. In the action bar click "Help" -> "Software Updates".
  4. The "Software Updates and Add-ons" pop-up appears. Click the "Available Software" tab.
  5. Click "Add Site" to point CICS Explorer to the downloaded Application Performance Analyzer plug-in.
  6. A third pop-up is displayed. Click "Archive".
  7. In the "Repository Archive" pop-up, navigate to the location where you extracted the files from APA_plugin_V10110.zip. Select the apa_gui_plugin.zip file and click "Open".
  8. In the "Add Site" popup, click "OK".
  9. The "Available Software" tab displays the plug-in. Click the "APA/GUI Plugin Platform" top level checkbox, verify that all checkboxes in the tree are selected, and click "Install...".
  10. The Install window is displayed. Make sure there is a check mark by each item and click "Next". (The "Finish" button might be enabled rather than "Next".)
  11. Accept the terms of the license agreements, and click "Finish".
  12. You will be prompted to restart CICS Explorer. Click "Yes". After CICS Explorer restarts, if it does not display the Welcome page, click on "Help" -> "Welcome" to display the Welcome page, then click on "Overview".
Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI communications requirements
  • The z/OS Application Performance Analyzer Listener 10.1.x started task must be installed and active on z/OS. Refer to Chapter 6 in the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS Customization Guide for more information.

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Getting Started Using Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0

Follow the steps below to startup the Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0.
  1. To access the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI, click "Window" -> "Open perspective" -> "Other".


  2. Select "APA/GUI" and click "OK".


  3. A Logon dialog is displayed where the Host Address, Host Port, TSO userid and password must be entered to connect to z/OS. Contact your system administrator for this information if you do not have it.
    • Host Address :
      The z/OS server where the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI communications (listener) is installed. This is the host address of the machine.
    • Host Port :
      The port where the z/OS Application Performance Analyzer server is listening. This is the port number the listener is configured to use.
    • TSO Id :
      The logon TSO ID.
    • TSO Password :
      The password for the TSO ID.


    The address, port and TSO ID are saved as a Network Connection Preference the first time they are entered. If any are changed in a subsequent login, they are not saved as a preference, but kept only for the connection session. The Network Connection Preferences page includes the settings to change and save these preferences.

    The connection settings group includes a checkbox where the address and port information can be hidden from display for future logon sessions.

    The Logon dialog also includes an option to save the password. If checked, the password is stored so that future connections to z/OS are done automatically using the TSO user ID and password preferences.

  4. The Select STC dialog is displayed in which a default startup APA Started Task (STC) must be selected. A list of active APA Started Tasks (STC's) is displayed. The default STC is the started task which will be selected at the startup of Application Performance Analyzer.

    The Default STC is displayed for the first successful login only, then saved as a Network Connection Preference that can be changed from either the Network Connection Preferences dialog or from the "Set as Default STC" context menu item of the STC List view.


  5. Once a successful connection to z/OS has been established, the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI automatically populates with the Observations List of the remote repository Default APA STC.

You can find more information on how to use the Application Performance Analyzer Plug-in for Eclipse V10.1.1.0 in the help of CICS Explorer. In the action bar, click "Help", and scroll down and select "Help Contents". Expand the section called "APA/GUI User's Guide".

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Security Considerations

As part of the logon process for the Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS GUI, there is an option to save your password on the workstation. If you select this option, the password will be encrypted before it is saved. Please be aware that while your password cannot be visually determined, it may be compromised by applying various computer algorithms.

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Technical Support

This plug-in is available at no charge to all licensed users of IBM Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS V10, or later. It is supplied under the standard terms and conditions of the IBM International Program License Agreement (IPLA) and of the associated License Information and other documentation, and provides a defect correction entitlement for those licensed users entitled to service for IBM Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS V10, or later. Service is available for this plug-in for as long as the IBM Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS product with which the plug-in is to be used is generally supported by IBM. In addition, IBM reserves the right to discontinue service on this plug-in when it is withdrawn from marketing by IBM. Please reference "IBM Application Performance Analyzer for z/OS" as the entitled product when contacting IBM and requesting support for this plug-in.

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