OA18842: INFOMAN DISCOVERY LIBRARY ADAPTER (DLA)

Obtain the fix for this APAR.

APAR status

• Closed as new function.

Error description

• This APAR will ship the JCL and REXX EXECs for the
  InfoMan Discovery Library Adapter (DLA).
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All Information Management (InfoMan) and     *
  *                 Web Access (WAI) customers that wish to      *
  *                 load data into the CMDB using a Discovery    *
  *                 Library Adapter (DLA) should apply           *
  *                 this APAR.                                   *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: A template RFT, sample JCL, and EXECs   *
  *                      to retrieve and format InfoMan data     *
  *                      are provided.                           *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:  Apply the PTF                               *
  ****************************************************************
  The RFT for WAI Incident records is BLQRDINC.
  The RFT for InfoMan Problem records is BLGRDPRB.
  The JCL is BLGDLAJ.
  The EXECs are BLGDDLAI and BLGDRFTG.
  
  1. Introduction
  
  The purpose of this Discovery Library Adapter (DLA) is to
  extract information from the Tivoli Information Management for
  z/OS Version 7.1 database and load it into the Information
  Technology Service Management (ITSM) Configuration Management
  Data Base (CMDB) in order for other products to access this
  service desk related data.  The DLA uses the Report Format
  Facility which is a feature of Tivoli Information Management for
  z/OS, to extract incident and CI information from the Tivoli
  Information Management for z/OS database into a report.  This
  report is manipulated into a XML file in IDML book format and
  uses File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to place the book in the
  Discovery Library file store (ITSM CMDB).  The DLA is written
  as a batch process and runs in the MVS environment.
  
  2. Overview
  
  The Tivoli Information Management for z/OS DLA comprises three
  processes:
  
  1. The Tivoli Information Management for z/OS Report Format
     Facility processes a Report Format Table (RFT) to generate
     and format a report.  This report consists of Incident
     records and related CI information.
  
  2. A REXX program takes the report output, created in step 1,
     and interrogates the CI information.  For any CI
     information that is recognized as an IP address, this
     program formats and outputs an XML file in IDML book format
     containing Common Data Model Incident Class, Computer
     System Class and  affects , and  contains  relationship
     information.
  
  3. A transfer mechanism to send the XML file to the Discovery
     Library file.  Ideally FTP can be used, but if not, the
     customer must provide a means of transfer.
  
  The Tivoli Information Management for z/OS DLA runs in two
  modes.
  
    1. A full discovery of all non-Closed Incident records with
       CI information containing IP addresses found in the Tivoli
       Information Management for z/OS database.  The DLA will
       specify the REFRESH IDML tag to tell the Discovery Library
       Bulk Loader that this is a full discovery.
  
    2. A partial discovery whereby only those Incident records
       with CI information containing IP addresses that have been
       created or modified since the last time the Tivoli
       Information Management for z/OS DLA was run, will be picked
       up.  The DLA would not specify the REFRESH IDML tag and
       the Bulk Loader will only create or update in CMDB
       accordingly.
  
  3. Operation
  
  3.1 Initial Setup
  
  The components of the Tivoli Information Management for z/OS DLA
  are installed as part of the normal installation process for
  APAR OA18842.  The supplied batch job BLGDLAJ (shipped in
  SBLMSAMP) will execute the processes to extract relevant
  Incident data and format an xml file for transfer to the CMDB.
  Prior to running BLGDLAJ, a number of refinements are required
  listed below.
  
  * Set the variable INFOHLQ to the High Level Qualifier for
    Tivoli Information Management for z/OS datasets.  For example,
    BLM
  
  * Set the variable ISPFHLQ to the High Level Qualifier for ISPF
    datasets.  For example, ISP
  
  * Set the variable DLAHLQ to the High Level Qualifier required
    for output datasets.  For example, &SYSUID..IMDLA
  
  * Set the variable FTPDLFS to the full name of the Discovery
    Library File Store where the xml file can be sent.  For
    example, your.company.com
  
  * Set the variable FTPNETRC to the full name of the dataset that
    contains the User Id and password for access to the Discovery
    Library Server.  The contents of this dataset is of the form:
      MACHINE your.company.com LOGIN your_id PASSWORD your_pw
  
  * Set the parameters for BLGDRFTG in the DISCOVERY step:
  
    1. Use REFRESH to discover all non-closed Incidents from the
       Tivoli Information Management for z/OS data base.  AUTO may
       also be used.
  
    2. Set the session if the default session 00 is not to be
       used.
  
    3. Set the class if the default class MASTER is not to be
       used.
  
       Example:
         %BLGDRFTG REFRESH SESSION 00 CLASS BLQALST
  
  * If FTP is not available as a means of file transfer, the FTP
    step should be removed and another method of file transfer
    adopted.
  
  
  3.2 Execution
  
  The Tivoli Information Management for z/OS DLA will first be run
  using the REFRESH parameter for a full discovery of Incident
  data from the Tivoli Information Management for z/OS data base.
  Every Incident record is examined and if the status is CLOSED
  then the incident is rejected.  For all other incidents, if
  there is related CI information, then the CI Name, Alternate 1
  CI Name, and Alternate 2 CI Name fields are examined and if any
  one of these fields contain an IP address then the Incident
  record is selected for formatting into the xml output file for
  transferring to the CMDB.  The date the Tivoli Information
  Management for z/OS DLA is run will be stored in the ISPF
  profile for future use.
  
  It is anticipated the Tivoli Information Management for z/OS DLA
  will be run periodically to capture additional or amended
  Incident information.  The purpose of using the DELTA parameter
  is to examine all Incident data that has been created or
  modified since the last time the Tivoli Information Management
  for z/OS DLA was run.  Note that even CLOSED Incidents will be
  selected under this option if they were modified (closed) in
  that period.  The same selection criteria regarding CI
  information is used, similar to the REFRESH option.
  
  The AUTO parameter can be used instead of REFRESH or DELTA, as
  AUTO will default to REFRESH if no previous timestamp is found
  in the ISPF profile, and will default to DELTA if a timestamp is
  found.  AUTO is also the default if no mode of operation
  parameter is specified.
  
  The REFRESH parameter then ignores any timestamp that may be
  stored in the ISPF profile.  If there is a problem with FTP for
  example, following the initial run of the Tivoli Information
  Management for z/OS DLA, it would be possible to run REFRESH
  again, and the same Incident information will be discovered.
  
  If a DELTA execution of the Tivoli Information Management for
  z/OS DLA has a problem and a re-run is required, then there is a
  problem as the DELTA execution selects records from the date of
  the previous execution.  This is where a date parameter can be
  specified, and that date will override the stored timestamp.
  By specifying the date of the last successful run, maybe last
  months execution date, a re -run of the DELTA execution is
  possible.  An example of running with the date parameter (format
  YYYY/MM/DD) is:
  
     %BLGDRFTG 2006/06/15
  
  V71MNEW
  

Problem conclusion

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

  UA30648

Modules/Macros

• BLGDDLAI BLGDLAJ  BLGDRFTG BLGRDPRB BLQRDINC
  

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  INFO MAN Z/OS 7

• Fixed component ID

  5697SD900

Applicable component levels

• R103 PSY UA30648

     UP06/11/11 P F611

Fix is available

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