Operator Console in IBM side

ashimprodhan · New User Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Kolkata

Hello Team,

I am working in a Migration Project from Unisys to IBM mainframe.

In the Source platform a running program(for Both Batch and Online) can be interrupted at any time by some specific KEYIN which is entered through Operator Console(In the program itself it is defined what are the values that can Interrupt the program,if that value is entered then the program will do the specific function defined in the program)(I beleive there is nothing like in IBM side). If I want to interrupt a running program how can it be done in IBM side?

To illustrate this with an exapmle...
say a batch program is there which at the time of initiation will ask the operator (Do you want to proceed? Y/N) on the console depending upon that the program execution will happen.

Can we implement this same thing in IBM side where the options are displayed on the Terminal and the batch execution depends on that. I beleive that in IBM side for Batch Execution all the inputs are given in a card and the Display can be verified at SYSOUT only. My question is can we implement this in the above Console method(by including the special names paragrapgh in COBOL)? Is it a standard procedure followed in IBM side Production enviornment? Please give your suggestions. If more input is needed please let me know.

With Best Regards,

dick scherrer · Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:49 pm

Hello,

Are you migrating the Unisys system to an existing IBM mainframe environment or is a completely new IBM environment being established for the migrated Unisystem work?

I ask because if the Unisys code is going to co-exist with other applications that are already running on the mainframe, the newly migrated code will have to confrom to the existing system standards.

Most mainframes completely prohibit "comversation" between executing code and the console operator.

There are ways to terminate online and batch processes on the mainframe, so if you need to terminate a process, it should be no major problem. At least not for initial testing. There are very few maiunframe applications that are expected to be externally terminated once they have started execution. The norm is for processes to run to the end of the process.

Most production batch jobs are processed via the scheduling software and there is no need for interaction with the console operator.

I would encourage that you and the rest of your group concentrate on learning how things are done on an IBM mainframe. I would not try to find a way to migrate features/functoins that are specifically from the Unisys environment. Hopefully, your migration is going onto a system that already has a solid infrastructure and standards in place.

ashimprodhan · New User Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Kolkata

Hello,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, it will be altogether a New Mainframe.

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 3:04 pm

it is not the mainframe that prohibits, rather a good workflow organization
and standards

if Your organization plans to have the operator interact with the jobs,
Your organization will never be able to exploit zOS features to the fullest extent