IBM Mainframe Operations

IBM Mainframe Operations

This introductory course enables a new system operator to develop basic to intermediate level skills needed for day-to-day operations of the Power System with IBM i. Since IBM’s technologies are proprietary, there are certain prerequisites that are a must for this course. As such, this course will take the learner through the entire learning process from the ground up.

Expected Learning Outcome

• Understand what a Mainframe Computer is.
• The various Technologies and Terminologies associated with Mainframes.
• Running TSO/ISPF Commands on a Mainframe
• Creating datasets and performing operations on them
• Identify the different programming languages and Operating systems used on mainframe
• ISPF commands
• TSO commands
• Advanced TSO/ISPF commands
• JCL in detail (JOB CONTROL LANGUAGE programs)
• VSAM*
• Basics of CICS*
• Basics of COBOL Programming
• KSDS, RRDS, ESDS, LDS, Alternate index, REPRO*

Prerequisites:

The below are absolute minimum mandatory requirements for the participation in this course.

• Zoom Conferencing system
• SSH capabilities
• Two Screens
• Webcam (they need to be on during the entire stretch of the course)
• Microphone
• Hi-Speed internet
• Windows / Linux / MacOS
• Ability to install programs on the learning machine (admin rights / sudo access)
• An open mind and willingness to learn :)

Course Contents

This is a 4-day course designed to be conducted remotely. It is divided into four* main sections.

1. Section 1 - Prerequisites
   1. Introduction to mainframes
   2. Types of mainframes
   3. Accessing mainframes
   4. TSO
   5. ISPF
2. Section 2 - Operations
   1. Datasets
   2. Operations on Datasets
   3. Commands
   4. ELCs
   5. JCL (Job Control Language)
   6. VSAM
3. Section 3 - Programming for Mainframes
   1. Introduction to COBOL
   2. COBOL on your PC
   3. Structure of COBOL
   4. Divisions in COBOL
   5. Statements in COBOL
   6. Arithmetics in COBOL
   7. Functions in COBOL
   8. Control Flow in COBOL
   9. Files in COBOL
   10. DB2 in COBOL
4. Section 4 - Customer Information Control (CICS)*
   1. Basics
   2. BMS Mapset
   3. Access Control
   4. ASKIP
   5. DRK
   6. CICS with COBOL