Chapter 4   Managing Data


This chapter describes how to use the Management Console and the Repository Browser to manage and view your data.

This chapter contains information about the following topics:

• The Management Console

• The Repository Browser

The Management Console

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Each enterprise connector has an interactive tool, called the Management Console. The Management Console is typically used by the data source administrator and consists of two groups of functions:

• Tasks that are used to process and browse data, and functions from EIS metadata:
  • data mining

  • creating new data sources

  • editing data sources

• Mapping User Privileges that establishes relationships between the web and EIS users.

• The Listener Management enables the administrator to view and edit listener parameters, create new listeners and view listener statistics.

To Enter the CICS Management Console from Windows NT

Select Start>Programs>iPlanet Application Server 6.0 >CICS Connector 6.0- Management Console.

To Enter the CICS Management Console from Solaris

1. Enter the following directory:

   cd <iPlanet>/ias/APPS/bin

2. Enter the following command:

   cicsconsole.sh

   The CICS Management Console window is displayed. See Figure 4-1.

Figure 4-1    CICS Management Console

Management Console Functions

The Tasks tab is used for:

• Creating a New Data Source

• Editing a Data Source

The CICS User Management tab is used for:

• Mapping User Privileges

The Listener Management tab is used for:

• Listener Statistics

• Listener Management

The Data Mining Tool

The Data Mining Tool uses a common cross platform format, called eXtensible Markup Language (XML), to populate the repository by taking EIS information and converting it to XML. The XML is then stored in the UIF Repository in a specific structure that can be browsed when necessary.

Figure 4-2    Mining Tool

The Data Mining Tool allows you to extract functions and parameters from CICS. The iPlanet Application Server user can then utilize these functions (calls).

Accessing the Data Mining Tool

The Data Mining Tool in the iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for CICS is accessed through the Management Console.

To Enter the Data Mining Tool

1. Enter the CICS Management Console as described in The Management Console.

2. In the Tasks tab, select the Data Mining icon.

   The Option Chooser window is displayed see Figure 4-3.

Figure 4-3    Option Chooser Window

You can select a local or remote Cobol file.

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Note	To convert a local Cobol File, continue to To Choose a Cobol File (local). To convert a remote Cobol File, go to To Choose a Remote Cobol File.

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To Choose a Cobol File (local)

1. In the Option Chooser window, select the option Convert local Cobol File, and click OK.

   A window is displayed enabling you to select and load a local file. See Figure 4-4.

Figure 4-4   

Load Window

2. Select and load a file and click Open. A Console Question window is displayed. See Figure 4-5.

Figure 4-5    Console Question

3. Click Yes to generate a hints file for the Compiler, or No.

   A Hints file informs the Cobol data mining tool how to treat redefined variables. For more information, consult a Cobol source book.

   If Yes, an editor screen opens with the hints file displayed.

   The Cobol file is converted to XML and loaded into the repository.

To Choose a Remote Cobol File

1. In the Option Chooser window, (Figure 4-3), select the option Convert remote Cobol File, and click OK.

   The Get Remote File window is displayed. See Figure 4-6.

Figure 4-6    Get Remote File Window

Table 4-1 describes the fields for the Remote Host Information where the copybook file is downloaded from using FTP.

2. Enter in the information required.
   

   Table 4-1    Remote Host Information  
   
   

   Variable	Definition
   Host Name	Name of the host computer where the remote file is located.
   User Name	Name of the host user ID.
   Password	Password of the host user ID.
   Initial Remote Directory	Name of the directory where you start browsing the mainframe files.
   Local Save Directory	Name of the local directory to where the file is saved.

3. Click OK.

   The FTP Chooser window is displayed, see Figure 4-7. The file is converted to XML format, and loaded into the Repository.

Figure 4-7    FTP Chooser

4. Select a file (or files) from the tree and click OK. The file(s) is downloaded, data mined and loaded into the repository.

Creating a New Data Source

The data source contains all the information needed to connect to the CICS system, and stores all the function objects. In addition, the data source determines which system to mine, and where to place the function objects.

To Create a New Data Source

1. On the CICS Management Console, click the Create New Data Source icon. The Creating Data Source window is displayed. See Figure 4-8.

Figure 4-8    Creating Data Source Window

The Creating Data Source window contains information about the following:

• Connection Details

• User and Host Information

• Pooling Parameters

Connection Details
Table 4-2 lists information fields from the Connections Detail area needed to connect to the CICS system.

Table 4-2    Connection Details  

Variable	Definition
DataSource Name	Name of the CICS EIS in the Repository.
Applid	This field specifies a CICS program name that is to be invoked on the CICS system.
Conversation Type	Can be either "POOLED", or "DIRECT". Pooled is used for TCP/IP and Direct is used for SNA/APPC.
LU	The Logic Unit (LU) name where the transaction specified in TranName is defined if SRVXLINK is used. This is where SRVXLINK itself resides.
Request	Specifies the communication operation that the Relay (POOLED)/Client (DIRECT) performs. The following values are acceptable: SendAndEnd - Sends data to the server application, waits for a response, then ends the conversation. SendLast - Sends data to the server application and waits for a response. Send - Sends data to the server application. Receive - Receives data from the server application. End - Ends the conversation with the server. Quit - Aborts the conversation with the server.
Stub Request	Instructs SRVXLINK what to do. The following values are acceptable: EX - Execute the program without determining the unit of work. EC - Link to a program and commit to the unit at work. CO - Commit the unit of work. PR - The SRVXLINK is instructed to prepare to commit. RB - Rollback the unit of work.
Target System ID	Target CICS Region connected to the CICS data source.
Transaction Name	Informs CICS what program to start. In the CICS system, each transaction is identified by a four letter code, and is accessed with a program name.
Target Transaction Name	Used to specify the name of the transaction to be used only if TargetSRVX has been specified. If no name is specified, CICS supplies a default name.
Use Stub	Determines whether you are using the SRVXLINK program or not. Values are "Y" (Yes), or "N" (No).
Hold Conversation	Places the conversation on "hold" for the user until he wants to access it again. This option guarantees that the user will access the same CICS transaction on its next execution of an operation, within the same user interaction.

User and Host Information
Table 4-3 contains information fields from the User and Host Information area that are specific to the user and host.

Table 4-3    User and Host Information  

Variable	Definition
Userid	Used ID of the host ID.
Password	Password of the Mainframe host.
Host	Name of the host computer where CICS is running.
Port	The port where iPlanet Application Server is connected to the CICS system.

Pooling Parameters
Table 4-4 lists and defines parameters that describe the configuration of the CICS connection pool. The parameters are set by the system administrator. Default parameter settings appear.

Table 4-4    Pooling Parameters  

Variable	Definition
Max Pool Size	The maximum number of objects allowed in the pool. Set this number to the peak number of connections available to the server. If the number of objects is less than MaxPoolSize but exceeds SteadyPoolSize, objects are destroyed 3 seconds after they are returned to the pool.
Max Wait	The maximum time, in seconds, that a request for a physical object is held in the queue before the request times out and is destroyed.
Monitor Interval	(Optional) The time interval, in seconds, after which a thread is executed to monitor the current status of the pool. Default is 30 seconds. Typically, setting this number too low degrades performance, but it should be set to a number less than UnusedMaxLife.
Steady Pool Size	The number of unused objects that are kept in the pool until they time out.
Unused Max Life	The maximum time, in seconds, that a physical object remains unused in the pool. After this time, the physical object is destroyed.
In Use Timeout	Time interval set for an inactive "live" connection. When the set time is elapsed, the connection is closed.
Extended Timeout	Time interval set, in seconds, for an extended connection. When the set time is elapsed, the connection is closed.
Debug Level	(Optional) Determines type of message logging, as described by the following choices: 0: Logging turned off. 1: Logs only callback messages. 2: Logs all messages.

2. Enter in information into the fields, and Click OK.

   The new data source is created and an Information window displays informing you that must restart the Management Console to use the newly created data source. See Figure 4-9.

Figure 4-9    New Data source Information Message.

3. Click OK, and restart the Management Console.

Editing a Data Source

You can edit an existing data source from the Management Console.

To Edit a Data Source

1. Click the Edit Data Source icon on the CICS Management Console to display the Choose Data Source list, see Figure 4-10.

Figure 4-10    Choose Data Source

2. Select the data source to be edited, and click OK.

   The Edit Data Source window is displayed, see Figure 4-11.

Figure 4-11    Edit Data Source Window

3. Edit the appropriate fields and click OK.

   The data source is updated and loaded into the repository.

4. Restart the Management Console.

Mapping User Privileges

The CICS User Management function enables the administrator to assign access privileges to the EIS. There are two separate user identity domains: Web users and Enterprise System users. An incoming request has a specific web user identity associated with it. The web identity needs to be mapped to an Enterprise System user identity specific to the data source.

The user mapping service maintains user mapping tables. There are two distinct tables:

• Enterprise System user identities

• Web to Enterprise System mappings

The mapping service provides the connector with methods to determine the Enterprise System identity, given a web-identity, as per the mapping tables opened using the Management Console. The Enterprise System user table is populated using the Data Mining Tool in the Management Console. The data source administrator can populate the user mapping table interactively, through the Management Console.

To Perform User Mapping

1. From the CICS Management Console window, click the CICS User Management tab.

2. Click on the CICS User Mapping node. Figure 4-12 is displayed.

Figure 4-12    CICS User Management

The tree view represents the general topics available. The browser view displays the details of the node selected.

3. Double click on the CICS User Mapping icon in the tree. A Getting Data Sources window (work in progress window) is displayed replaced by the Choose Data Source window. See Figure 4-10.

4. Select a data source from the Choose Data Source window and click OK.

   The CICS User Mapping window is displayed with the Web and Entity Information for the selected data source. See Figure 4-13.

Figure 4-13    CICS User Mapping

The CICS User Mapping window displays two fields of information:

• Web User Information

• Entity Information

Using the Web User Information area you can:

• Add New User

• Change User

• Delete a User

Using the Entity Information area you can:

• Add a New Entity

• Change Entity

• Delete an Entity

To save you changes click Save.

Web User Information

The Web User Information area is used to map a web user identity to a EIS user identity. The Web ID is used by the server to enable users to move freely across multiple systems. The administrator assigns Entity Information before the Web User Information, since the Web User Information is based on the parameters defined in the Entity Information.

Table 4-5 lists and defines fields in the Web User Information area.

Table 4-5    Web User Information Parameters

Parameter Name	Definition
Web ID	ID assigned to users on the system.
Entity	Name of the assigned EIS user. The naming convention is dependent upon the database type used.

Add New User

This option creates a new web user.

To Add a Web User

1. Click New User.

   The Web User Information window is displayed. See Figure 4-14.

Figure 4-14    Web User Information Window

2. Type in the Web ID.

3. Select an Entity Name from the available names.

4. Click OK when finished to return to the main window.

Change User

This option enables you to change an existing user.

To Change a Web User

1. Click Change User.

2. Edit the desired field.

3. Click OK. You are returned to the CICS User Mapping window.

Delete

This option enables you to delete an existing web user.

To Delete a Web User

1. Select the web user.

2. Click Delete.

   The web user is deleted and you are returned to the main window.

Entity Information

The Entity Information area is used to list data about EIS entities assigned to the web users. Table 4-6 lists and describes these parameters for the Entity Information window.

Table 4-6    Entity Information Parameters

Parameter Name	Definition
Backend User Name	Name of the backend (EIS) user
Backend Password	Backend (EIS) password, assigned by the user.
Entity	Backend (EIS) entity name, assigned by the system administrator.

Add a New Entity

You can add a new EIS entity in the CICS User Management.

To Add an Entity

1. To add a new EIS entity, click New Entity.

   The Entity Information window is displayed. See Figure 4-15.

Figure 4-15   

Entity Information Window

2. Enter the Entity information (Backend User Name, the Backend Password, and Entity Name).

3. Click OK.

   The new entity information is displayed in the Entity Information area of the window.

Change Entity

You can change the EIS entity in the CICS User Management.

To Change Entity Information

1. Click Change Entity.

2. Edit the desired field(s).

3. Click OK.

   The edited entity is displayed in the Entity Information area of the window.

Delete an Entity

You can delete a EIS entity.

To Delete an Entity

1. Select the entity.

2. Click Delete.
   

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   Note	You can not delete an EIS entity if there are web users associated with the entity.

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When you have completed all actions in the Entity Information window, click Save. All your additions and changes are saved to the system.

Listener Management

The Listener Management enables the administrator to view and edit Listener parameters, logon as a different user, and create new Listeners.

To Enter the Listener Management Function

1. From the CICS Management Console window, click the Listener Management tab.

   Figure 4-16 is displayed.

Figure 4-16    Listener Management Window

Listener Management has two subsections:

• Listener Statistics

• Listener Management

Listener Statistics

The Listener Statistics lists statistics associated with the Listener. See Figure 4-17.

Figure 4-17   

Listener Statistics

Table 4-7 lists and defines the variables of the Listener Statistics.

Table 4-7    Listener Statistics 

Variable	Definition
Job Name	Name of the job under the Listener.
Job ID	ID of the job under the Listener.
Monitor Interval	Time period set for monitoring the Listener.
Spool Files

To View Listener Statistics

1. In the Listener Management tab of the Management Console for CICS, click on Listener Statistics.

   The mainframe login data window is displayed. See Figure 4-18.

Figure 4-18    Mainframe Login Data

2. Enter in the Login Name, Password, and Host Name for the mainframe, and click Login.

   The mainframe is logged in.

3. Click on Listener Statistics. The Listener Statistics are displayed, see Figure 4-19.

Figure 4-19   

Listener Statistics

Refresh
To update the screen, click Refresh.

Listener Management

The Listener Management option allows you to:

• Login in as a Different User

• Create (Start) New Listener

Login in as a Different User

In the Listener Management window, you can login as a different user to view information about the Listener, or create a new Listener.

To Login as a Different User

1. In the Listener Management tab, right mouse click on the Listener Management option. A pop up menu is displayed, see Figure 4-20.

Figure 4-20    Listener Management Options

2. Select the Login as a Different User option.

   The Mainframe Login Data window is displayed. See Figure 4-21.

Figure 4-21    Mainframe Login Data Window

Table 4-8 describes the Mainframe Login Data fields

Table 4-8    Mainframe Login Data  

Variable	Definition
Login Name	Login name used to login to the mainframe.
Password	Password used for accessing the mainframe.
Host Name	Name of the host where the mainframe is located.

.

3. Enter in the mainframe login data, and click Login.

   You are now logged in as a different user.

Create (Start) New Listener

Listeners are created in the main frame computer. This option allows you to start a new listener on a port other than the one already used.

To Create New Listener

1. In the Listener Management tab, right mouse click on the Listener Management option. A pop up menu is displayed, see Figure 4-20.

2. Select the Create New Listener option.

   The New Job window is displayed. See Figure 4-22.

Figure 4-22    New Job Window

3. Enter in a new file name, and click OK.

   A new Listener is created.

4. You can check the new Listener listing by double clicking on the Listener Management option. The Listeners are displayed in a tree, see Figure 4-23.

Figure 4-23    Listeners

The Repository Browser

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All the definitions for the connector using the Management Console are saved in a repository. The Repository Browser is the Graphical User Interface to the repository and is used only for viewing information about the connector. Most management tasks are done using the Management Console.

The Repository Browser contains the following:

• information representing the connection to the EIS

• all the function objects that you mine from the EIS

• user mapping information

• connection pools

All of these components are part of a data source.

Although the repository service does not impose any specific organization (schematics) on the repository contents, the UIF runtime requires the contents of the repository to be organized in a specific and well defined way. This organization is the UIF repository schematics. The UIF runtime expects specific information in specific places in the repository hierarchy. Therefore, repository contents are not supposed to be arbitrarily modified by the user. Contents are modified as part of the specific administration activities controlled by the Management Console, which enables the administrator to use the import and export functions appropriately. In addition, the UIF runtime service runs a consistency check on repository contents at startup.

Repository Browser Functions

The following functions are available in the Repository Browser:

The following functions are available in the Repository Browser:

• Import — allows you import XML files into the repository

• Export — allows you export XML files from the repository

• Delete — deletes nodes from the data structure in the repository

• Refresh — refreshes the Repository Browser display

• Import Root — imports an XML file and creates the root node

Loading Data Into the Repository Browser

There are two ways to load data into the Repository Browser. You can either load the data automatically into the Repository Browser via the Management Console, or you can manually load the XML file using the Import function.

To Access the Repository Browser from Windows NT

• Select Start > Programs> iPlanet Application Server 6.0> UIF 6.0 SP1 Repository Browser.

  The Repository Browser is displayed. See Figure 4-24.

To Access the Repository Browser from Solaris

1. Enter the following command lines:

   cd iplanet/ias6/ias/APPS/bin

   and

   ./bspbrowser.sh

   The Repository Browser is displayed. See Figure 4-24.

Figure 4-24    Repository Browser

The Repository Browser is divided into two panes. When you open the browser the left pane displays nodes containing the adapter (connector) types and data sources. These nodes are hierarchical and can be expanded to show details of the data structure and function objects. The right pane displays the properties of the node selected in the left pane.

For a more detailed description of the node contents, refer to the iAS Enterprise Connector for CICS Developer's Guide.

The Repository Data Structure

The Repository Browser contains the following nodes that are installed automatically when you install the UIF:

• root node

• adapterTypes

• dataSources

adapterTypes

The adapterTypes node contains a default data structure for each type of connector that is installed. The adapterTypes section contains one subtree entry per adapter. The entry contains common definitions, which form the basis for defining data sources on the connector.

dataSources

The dataSources node contains a default dataSource structure that is set when you install a connector. You can define several data sources for each adapterType. The dataSource section contains subtree entries, each of which is a logical UIF data source. A data source corresponds to a specific EIS and is supported by the corresponding adapterType.

The data source definition activity is tightly controlled by the Management Console. There are two distinct user roles: the data source administrator and the application developer. The data source administrator is responsible for creating and administering data source entries, while the application developer develops applications that access these data sources.

A data source definition is usually heavily pre configured by the data source administrator. The application developer usually uses pre configured function objects, much like EJBs would be used with the deployment descriptor already set. This substantially isolates the application developer from the EIS specific interaction issues. See the iPlanet Application Server Enterprise Connector for CICS Developer's Guide for more information about programming applications.

To Import XML Files

1. Select Import.

   Figure 4-25 is displayed.

Figure 4-25    Import Database Window

2. Enter the XML filename that you want to import and click OK.

To Export XML Files

1. Select Export.

   Figure 4-26 is displayed.

Figure 4-26    Export DataBase Window

2. Enter the XML filename that you want to Export and click OK.

To Delete Nodes

1. Select Delete.

2. Select the Node you want to delete

   A warning message is displayed.

3. Click OK.

   The display in the Repository Browser is updated with current data.

To Refresh the Display of Repository Contents

Click Refresh.

To Import the Root Node into the Repository Contents

1. Click Import Root.

   The Import Database window is displayed as shown in Figure 4-25.

2. Enter the XML filename to import and click OK.

   The root node and its contents are imported into the repository.