CICS Learning

sachinji84 · New User Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 14 Location: india

Hi All,
I am an experienced professional in mainframe technology. I have not worked on cics rigorously but want to explore on that so can any buddy tell me what should be my approach to achieve it?

I have gone through good training on cics from a good institute. I have good knowledge also on cics. Only lack of hands on is there, Even I have seen the existing codes in my shop but that is not much exciting as fresh code.

I am reading the
MURACH'S "CICS for the Cobol programmer
CICS Handbook: Yukihisa Kageyama
i am also trying to get work on cics in my shop.

Please suggest me what else can be done to learn and confident on cics.

Dsingh29 · Active User Joined: 16 Dec 2008 Posts: 132 Location: IBM

Hi Sachin,

As you have already gone through training and study material.

You can start by coding for a dummy project for yourself. Make some maps, learn how to send/receive values to/from. Then subsquently, you can add files, vsam or db2.

Bill O'Boyle · Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:01 pm

You can ask management to give you access to the "CICS Command Level Interpreter" transaction "CECI", in a "Sandbox" region.

You can learn quite a bit on your own with CECI.

One other thing; Take the time to learn CEDF. It seems that more and more programmer's simply rely upon the gazillion dollar 3rd-Party Debugger to hand them the error on a silver platter.

Note that there are still some shops that only have CEDF for Debugging.

Bill

prasanth_thavva · New User Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 86 Location: Chennai

its pretty simple until unless you create and work on any project to confident on CICS esp. you need to create you own map or keep monitoring all the post CICS in ibmmainframes to create the issue or try to resolve the issue thats way you can get confidence. if you feel this is wrong suggestion let me correct.

sachinji84 · New User Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 14 Location: india

Thanks prasanth.

whatever you are saying is a theoretical approach and I would like to have some hands on.

I am agree with Bill and Dsingh29. but for that I need to ask access from my management.

Let me ask them.

Thanks

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:46 pm

sachinji84 · New User Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 14 Location: india

WOW!! Is it?
I mean I was not aware that some institute can provide this kind of facility.
So if I can get the access from them I will be able to practice the CICS MAPs and Code Right?
But I must say there will be some charges for this facility. What will be charges any idea?

Anuj please let me know in case you have any idea of such institute in Pune or out of Pune.
I will try some institutes which I know.

Thanks to all of you to suggest me such a good idea.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 3:22 pm

I'm not a spoke person for any of these institutes and would not like to mention them here; they are private entities.

If you reside in Pune, suggest you get in contact with the local institutes in person there, they will guide you then. There are couple of institutes in Pune, I know off, which are in this business.

sachinji84 · New User Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 14 Location: india

Hi Dsingh29 and Bill,

As per my knowledge, to code a map and to use it in any sample Program. I need to have PPT and PCT entries. So I think Access to CICS region is not enough to practice with some sample programs. I need to have access to make the Table entries.

Please clarify it.

sachin
---------------
"Learning happens when you ask yourself WHY and HOW"

Robert Sample · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:00 pm

sachin: CICS now has online access to add programs and transactions. This is done through the CEDA transaction in the region you are using. You can also define files and a number of other CICS resources this way. Most production sites restrict its use to support personnel but if the institute isn't doing production work they may allow you to use it.

sachinji84 · New User Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 14 Location: india

Hi All,

I checked in market there are some institute which provide mainframe access at home and trainings on their location. They charge for it.

I am here again to ask you question that;
1. Should I Opt Mainframe access at home and practice at home.
OR
2. Should I go to institute and do the practice in specified time limit.

I am asking this question because I don’t know the feasibility of this service (mainframe access at home).
I mean emulator software they must be providing with the service but I am worried about speed. I think it is deepens on internet connection I have.
It should not happen that I have pressed the Enter key and I am waiting for long time to execute a small COBOL program.

So I am not sure about mainframe access at home.
Please help me to decide something and convince me about this service.

Your suggestions are welcome.