What is IBM Rational Developer for System z/OS

mkk157 · Active User Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 310

Dear Experts,
I have recently heard of Rational Developer for System z/OS tool which is a IDE for mainframe using websphere instance. Where do we get the manual for this. I have a chance to get basic training on this tool and use it at my work place. Please let me know How should I make this opportunity and give boost to my career. Anybody is already working on this ?

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:49 am

wiser for You to stick just to activities closely related to the mainframe skills as You declared them

chandan.inst · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 12:02 pm

Hi,

Which version of RDZ you are using. If it 8.03 then below is the link

pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/ratdevz/v8r0/index.jsp

Also below is the link for IBM RDZ forum
www.ibm.com/developerworks/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=1131

Regards,
Chandan

mkk157 · Active User Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 310

Hi enrico-sorichetti,
I do agree that, We can easily land up in IBM page when we search for rational developer for system z on Google. Just downloading the manual is n't the solution at all. As a developer with exposure to COBOL, JCL, DB2, VSAM and CICS on Mainframe, How I have to utilize the opporutnity of RDz IDE access facility at my work which can help my career.

Please don't curse me. No doubt, it is a technical forum for professionals. That's why I'm here to seek related information from industry experts.

mkk157 · Active User Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 310

Hi chandan.inst,
We are currently using RDz V 8.0.1

Thanks for providing the useful links.

Ed Goodman · Active Member Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 556 Location: USA

IF this is what I'm thinking of, it's just a plug in for Eclipse that lets you edit COBOL. All the work was really done on the mainframe, like the compiles and JCL runs.

I used it once in a training class. I didn't care for it.

It was easier to just go up to the mainframe and work. In my case it was even more so because I would probably be the one having to maintain the mainframe side "skeletons" that did the work.

It may have been a prototype when I used it, and it may have improved in the last few years. I can't remember where the code repository was in that set up, but I think it was still on the mainframe.

Career wise, are you just trying to break into RDZ?

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:42 pm

IMUO:

NEVER decline

FREE,
acknowledged,
accepted,
approved,
your-job-suddenly-becomes-learning-something,

education,
which expands your skill-set,
which is what you are worth to a company.

have a good weekend.

don.leahy · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:29 pm

In our shop, RDz is being promoted in two ways.

For veteran developers, RDz is promoted for its debugger, which provides a GUI interface to IBM's Debug Tool product. IMO the GUI interface is not as powerful as Debug Tool's mainframe interface, but a lot of people think that the GUI looks better. (The intent is to retire Intertest Batch, the current mainframe-based debugging product).

For newer developers, it is felt that the Eclipse look-and-feel of RDz will be more comfortable for them.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:54 pm

In my last shop I worked with it a bit. Apart from what Don said, it was also advertised to be used as a "training tool" for new joinees. It was like working with IBM Debugger under Windows. And as Ed suspects, yes, the code-repository was on z/OS.

AFAIK, ofer71 ("O"), one of the Moderators here, had been involved as one of the reviewer/writer of Red-Books for this Product.

Ed Goodman · Active Member Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Posts: 556 Location: USA

The free IBM class is a demo of the product. You will use it just the way you would at work.

The gotcha is that it won't work unless your workplace installs all of the hooks and programs on the mainframe.

To me, the idea from IBM was to get us to come back and evangelize the product to help them sell it. Totally valid process, but the "class" you will be attending is not to educate you or improve your skills.

My favorite thing about the demo was learning about the virtual desktops they used to give us hands on. They started some instance of a server application, then we could remote desktop in and use it. THAT was neat.