Interest in z/OSMF Is Abounding

(Repost from February 11, 2019)

Shared links on z/OSMF configuration in response to reader questions.

Updated on 11 April 2019, with another great link to find concise z/OSMF information below!

I've been happy to see that my email inbox has been very full lately.  Not because I love email, but because many people have been asking z/OSMF configuration questions.   I'm going to stick my neck out and assume that these emails are from those rapidly moving to z/OS V2.3 and are heavily interested in getting z/OSMF up and running before then.  Maybe my "Big Mig" recommendation for getting ready for z/OS V2.3 is being taken seriously.  One can certainly hope.

I did get some information from the z/OSMF Senior Developer, Xiao Zhen (Joey) Zhu, on some good resources to help with your configuration and other pertinent z/OSMF topics that I wanted to share.  There certainly is no shortage of helpful information if you know where to find it.  Let me list them here for those still are working on their z/OSMF configuration, or are even looking at exploiting more plug-ins if you already have the z/OSMF base up and running.

• z/OSMF one-stop hub. Another nice list of z/OSMF resource links, which is kept updated..
• z/OSMF V2.3 Redbook. This one is from April 2018, and is over 600 pages. I love all the screen shots, and the clear steps that we've come to appreciate with Redbooks. There are sections on the plug-ins, so you can go shopping here for help on plug-ins you might not be using already.
• z/OSMF Trial: You might not have done a trial before, but you use this to try out a couple of important z/OSMF functions. It is being continuously updated, and is on a real z/OSMF system.
• z/OSMF Media Center videos – Short and helpful videos, all about z/OSMF.  
• Last but not least: z/OSMF Configuration Guide on IBM Documentation the official book in which I find a lot of critical information about where to find samples and requirements. If you do not use RACF, this Security Section in the Config Book is critical!  Also, do not overlook the z/OSMF Help panels which you can find in the upper right pages. When I'm a little lost, this is the first place I go, and more times than not, I find what I'm looking for. It is usually is faster than a google search as it helps me with "in context" struggles.

Let's say you've got the server up and you've been able to get logged on. That's great! What do I think are the next things to do? If you've been to any z/OSMF lab at any conference in past couple of years, you know I'm going to push you to learn about Workflows!

After Workflow, where would I suggest? If you are a Networking person, you really should be getting the Network Configuration Assistant up and running. If you've got a Sysplex, the Sysplex Management plug-in really helps me visualize (and now modify) my configuration. The z/OSMF Operator Consoles have been growing on me once I got my EMCS consoles defined as I wanted them, and with the most recent usability enhancements with the latest PTF PI99365.

If you will ever be installing software, from any major ISV, you'll have to get familiar with z/OSMF Software Management. This function will be used to drive software installation in the future. 

If you use SDSF, I've been so pleased that the latest enhancements have been put in SDSF for z/OSMF. A word about this function: notice that SDSF is an external application and not a plug-in you define in parmlib member IZUPRMxx like many of the others I've mentioned above. Read here for the simple way to add SDSF to z/OSMF. 

There certainly are more functions, but I hope that you've got a list of where to find help and what you might want to enjoy once you've got there.