Newbie questions regarding the set up of CA IDMS Server

[jpmad4it]

Hi there,

I am totally new to IDMS systems. I have just started a new career and my first task is to connect to our CA-IDMS mainframe database using ODBC / JDBC. Once I set up the conenction I can then use Advantage CA-Visual Express Reporter r1.5 to view the data on the mainframe (is that theory correct??). I am gathering that this is correct as I successfully used the ODBC manager to connect to an SQL database using the mySQL ODBC 5.1 driver. I created a "test" System Data Source to achieve this.

I want to impress my manager, and I have read the CA IDMS Server User Guide, which has helped me lot, but I'm struggling with a few issues.

Ok here goes.........I will write this using my limited level of understanding which I have taught myself at work today, so please correct me wherever its relevant!!:

- I have installed CA IDMS Server r16.1 SP0 on my local PC which is connected our local network. My local PC is running Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3.

- Other software that is required has been installed on my local PC: CAICCI-PC with SSL, ODBC Driver Manager, Java RTE v1.6.0_6 which includes the Java Virtual Machine.

- For a start, I think that our mainframe is using z/VM 5.2. It is a very old command prompt style interface. It is Ipswitch TNHOST v4.11. I have never seen or used the interface before. Does this mean that I am limited to using the JDBC driver 3 or 4 for connection? Does this mean I cannot use OBDC to connect to the mainframe? The only reason I think that is because I read this section in the manual that related to z/VM:

"The JDBC driver can be used as a Type 3 driver on any Java platform. It uses TCP/IP to communicate with the JDBC server, which can run on any Java platform. When the JDBC server runs on Windows or USS, it can invoke the native SQL client interface and CAICCI to communicate with any supported release of CA IDMS running on z/OS or VSE. The JDBC server can use TCP/IP from any Java platform to communicate directly with CA IDMS r16 SP2 or later running on z/OS, VSE, or z/VM.

The JDBC driver can be used as a Type 4 driver on any Java platform. It uses TCP/IP to communicate directly with CA IDMS r16 SP2 or later running on z/OS, VSE, or z/VM."

- At this stage I began to get confused. Do I need to install the CA IDMS Server software on the mainframe, or did I do right in installing it on my PC? I also read that:

"CA IDMS Server requires the installation of CA IDMS r15.0 or later on the mainframe."

Is that different to CA IDMS Server software?? Or is it the same thing? I don't know if our mainframe has that installed? If z/VM is being used on the mainframe, does that mean CA IDMS will be installed too?

I also read:

"Use of the ODBC driver, JDBC type 2 driver or JDBC type 3 driver requires the installation of the CA Common Services components CAIENF (Event Notification Facility) and CAICCI (Common Communications Interface) on the mainframe."

Are these provided on the IDMS Server installation CD?

What is the "host component", and what is the "central version (CV)". Is that the local PC or the mainframe? If its the mainframe then I guess I need to install something on it for this to work?

The above relates the follwing which I read in the guide:

"CA IDMS Server includes a host component, installed on all mainframe operating systems, that allows encrypted passwords to be sent from the client to the CA IDMS system. The host component must be installed on each secured CA IDMS system.

Attempts to connect to a secured CA IDMS system with the earlier version of the host component installed will fail when password encryption is enabled.

The host component consists of an object module, RHDCD0LB, linked with the CAICCI line driver, RHDCD0LV. The object module is delivered on the CA IDMS tape for r15.0 and later."

What are these modules? And where are they? On the mainframe??

Then the next section really, really confused me Chapter 3 "Setting up Your System - Setting Up CA IDMS Server". What is a CCI line? What is a listener PTERM for the TCP/IP line. What is an IDMSJSRV task for the TCP/IP line. What is a PTERM/LTERM pair for each concurrent connection on each line?

The guide then goes on to show how to create CCI Lines with code, where the hell do I input that code? It then goes on to show how to create a TCP/IP line and the IDMSJSRV task?!?! Is all this necessary or can I just create a simple data source??

The next section thats relvant talks about defining data sources. Am I correct in saying that i need the following from my manager / DBA:

- the dictionary name containing the definitions of the tables I want access to?
- the node name of the system on which the dictionary resides?
- the task code for the IDMS Server?
- I need my own user ID and password to login to the mainframe?

I think that is everything I have come across that I don't understand at the moment. If you guys can point me in the right direction or explain some basics to me, I think it would really help me, because at the moment I am pretty clueless on a lot of the above issues.

Any help would be fantastic.

kind regards
Jonathan

[Island1]

Example: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infoce...onfigidms.html

I see you've posted this all over, but it looks like the vendor would be a very good start for initial training and implementation, some of which I see doing a search of the IBM site, as well.

Best whishes on your new career.

Bill

[jpmad4it]

Bill,

Yes I posted this in a lot of places as when I first looked at the task, it seemed like a huge and daunting and I panicked!

I will have a read through the online resources you gave me, and I just found out where all the manuals are for the mainframe

Thanks ever-so-much!

Jonathan

[Island1]

Glad you got what you needed. The site is excellent for the huge amount of documentation they provide ... an unbelieveable resource!

Thanks for getting back ...

Bill