This IBM® Redbooks® publication describes the IBM System z® Personal Development Tool (IBM zPDT®) 2017 Sysplex Extensions, which is a package that consists of sample files and supporting documentation to help you get a functioning, data sharing sysplex up and running with minimal time and effort. This book is a significant revision of zPDT 2016 Sysplex Extensions, SG24-8315, which is still available online for readers who need the IBM z/OS® 2.1 level of this package.

This package is designed and tested to be installed on top of a standard Application Developers Controlled Distribution (ADCD) environment. It provides the extra files that you need to create a two-way data sharing IBM z/OS 2.2 sysplex that runs under IBM z/VM® in a zPDT environment.

This package differs from the zPDT sysplex package delivered in IBM zPDT Guide and Reference, SG24-8205, in that it provides working examples of more sysplex exploiters. It is also designed to adhere to IBM sysplex best practices as much as possible in a zPDT environment.

Compared to the 2016 Sysplex Extensions, this book describes a significantly easier installation path, using enhancements delivered in the November 2016 and May 2017 version of the ADCD package. For more information, see the ADCD documentation.

It also provides a working IBM CICS® workload that can be used for testing sysplex recovery scenarios.

Although the package was not tested with IBM Rational® IBM Z Development and Test Environment V10 (previously known as RD&T), it can be used to reduce the effort to create a fully functional sysplex under zD&T.

Conceptually, the package might also be restored and used as a template to create a sysplex environment that is running on a real IBM Z CPC.

The target audience for this document is system programmers who are responsible for designing, creating, and maintaining IBM Parallel Sysplex® environments. It can also be beneficial to developers who currently maintain their own ADCD environments and want to extend them to add sysplex functions.

This book was produced in the International Technical Support Center (ITSO), Poughkeepsie, NY, US.

Frank Kyne is the editor of Cheryl Watson’s Tuning Letter. Before joining Watson and Walker, Frank was a project leader in the ITSO in Poughkeepsie for 15 years, responsible for ITSO deliverables that were related to sysplex, high availability, IBM GDPS®, and performance. In addition to editing the Tuning Letter, Frank teaches classes and provides technical consulting for z/OS customers globally.

Bill Ogden is a retired Senior Technical staff member who continues to work part-time with projects, including new mainframe users and entry-level systems.

Thanks to the following people for their environment and residency support contributions to this project:

Robert Haimowitz (ITSO Poughkeepsie Center) for his invaluable advice and assistance in setting up and maintaining the systems throughout the creation of this book.

Thanks to the following people for their contributions to this project:

Stephen Anania
IBM USA

Andy Clifton
IBM UK

Alan Murphy
Tengri Consultancy Ltd., Ireland

Keith VanBeschoten
IBM USA

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