Glossary

This glossary defines technical terms and abbreviations used in Managed System Infrastructure for Setup documentation. If you do not find the term you are looking for, refer to the index of the appropriate Managed System Infrastructure for Setup manual or view IBM Dictionary of Computing Terms, located at :

http://www.ibm.com/networking/nsg/nsgmain.htm

In this glossary, glossary items are shown in italics where they are used in definitions for other items.

A

administrator
In msys for Setup, the person using msys for Setup to set up software. For example, system programmers, database administrators, and security administrators are administrators.

B

Back up key configuration data
The task of backing up a service's critical configuration data. In msys for Setup, a single backup version is kept. This task is always provided in conjunction with Restore key configuration data.

C

commit updates
The task that copies all temporary configuration files and data sets used during the Prepare update step to the actual configuration files and data sets that are used by the system being customized. For configuration resources that are accessed through a command interface commands can be issued that are determined during Prepare update.

Currently, part of the updates already take effect during prepare update.

commit undone updates
The task that copies all temporary configuration files and data sets used during the Undo update step to the actual configuration files and data sets that are used by the system for which configuration changes are reversed. For configuration resources that are accessed through a command interface commands can be issued that are determined during Undo update.

Currently, part of the reversals already take effect during prepare update.

customize
The task of specifying all service specific settings in msys for Setup dialogs.

E

exploiting product
A product that uses msys for Setup to simplify its setup procedure.

Extensible Markup Language
A meta-language for defining specialized markup languages. An XML (Extensible Markup Language) document has a hierarchical structure of tags and attributes according to a specific syntax. XML documents are plain text documents and thus platform and language independent.

L

LDAP
See Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
A directory service protocol that runs over TCP/IP.

LOADxx
A parmlib member that constitutes the anchor for the configuration of a z/OS system.

M

management directory
The central repository where msys for Setup keeps data on the resources it manages. In particular, system configuration data is stored in the management directory.

workplace
The workstation component of msys for Setup.

multiple instance service
A service of which one or more instances can but need not be set up on a system.

O

optional service
A service of which a single instance can but need not be set up on a system.

P

parameter
A data item that represents a system setting. In the context of msys for Setup this can be, for example, a statement in a parmlib member, a RACF user definition, or a data set name.

parmlib
A z/OS partitioned data set with members that contain specifications of system settings.

policy
In msys for Setup, an option for the behavior of the msys for Setup code or for a plug-in. An msys for Setup user sets the policies on the workplace.

prepare update
The step within the Update system configuration task in which the changes to the configuration of the z/OS system being customized are determined. Some services make the changes in temporary configuration resources that are then copied to the actual resources in the commit updates step that follows. Other services determine commands that are issued against command interfaces in the subsequent commit updates step.

Currently, part of the updates already take effect during prepare update while other updates take effect during the subsequent commit updates.

proclib
A z/OS partitioned data set with members that contain procedures. Procedures are written in JCL and describe one or more job steps.

product set
A collection of products that are installed, maintained, and upgraded as a group. The information that msys for Setup stores on a product set includes information on the services that its products provide and on the location of the code that makes up the products.

R

refresh management directory
The task of exploring the z/OS system to be configured and updating the management directory with information on existing configuration data of a service, in particular also information on configuration data changes that have taken place outside of msys for Setup. The purpose of refresh management directory is to make existing configuration data available to a service's own customization or to other services' customizations. If a service provides both a customization dialog and refresh management directory, the configuration data covered by each does not necessarily comprise the same items.

Restore key configuration data
The task of restoring a formerly backed up version of a critical configuration resource. This task is always provided in conjunction with Back up key configuration data.

S

services
The functional aspects of a product. A separately customizable or refreshable part of a product. For example, RACF is a service of the Security Server.

service configuration
A complete set of options and parameter values for a service. Service configurations reside in the management directory.

service instance
A customizable copy of a service. See also service template.

service template
An object that groups all instances of an optional service or a multiple instance service when services are displayed in the workplace list view.

setup
The cycle of tasks that are required to create or change a service configuration.

simulate
A mode for running prepare update, commit updates, undo all updates, and commit undone updates. Simulation runs most of the host code of the task being simulated but stops short from making changes to any configuration resources. Instead the changes that would have been made are written to a job report.

support function
A function for modifying options and parameters in files and data sets owned by the supporting product in response to a request by an exploiting product. Support functions are provided by the supporting product but run under msys for Setup. Processing of update requests is based on support functions.

supporting product
A product with services providing support functions.

sysplex
A set of z/OS systems communicating and cooperating with each other through certain multisystem hardware components and software services to process customer workloads.

msys for Setup groups all systems into sysplexes even if they do not constitute a real sysplex. Systems that are grouped into a sysplex need to share at least one volume where msys for Setup can maintain a common msys for Setup parmlib and proclib.

sysplex driving system
A system that has access to a sysplexe's sysplex-wide shared configuration resources and is used for processing sysplex-wide configuration settings.

system
(1) The active software on a hardware system. (2) The combination of a hardware and the software running on it. (3) An IPL-ed system profile.

system profile
A system profile in the context of msys for Setup is a set of system parameters used to start a system with modifications made by msys for Setup. A system profile is uniquely identified by its name, the LOADxx member it uses, and filter information. It contains as an unchangeable property the volume serial of the IODF volume used for starting a system with this system profile.

system volume
A storage unit containing code that is part of an operating system or service installed under that operating system.

U

update system configuration
The task of applying changes to a z/OS system. The changes are defined by the configuration data of services. Update system configuration has the steps Prepare update and Commit updates.

undo all updates
The task in which commit requests are generated that reverse changes to a system configuration. "Undo all updates" is at the granularity of all changes that msys for Setup has made for the customization of a particular service, for a specific system profile.

Currently, part of the reversal takes effect during "undo all updates" while other reversals take effect during a subsequent commit undone updates.

upgrade
The task that associates a product set with a changed product set description. A product set description can change because of modifications that are applied, outside msys for Setup, to the SMP/E zone that corresponds to the product set. For example, applying a PTF or installing an FMID can change the product set description. After upgrading a product set, service customization data might need to be adapted to the new level.

X

XML
See Extensible markup language.