ChangeMan® ZMF

The COBOL copybooks associated with 'yellow' XML Services (see Additional Information for details) are not distributed with the shipped ChangeMan ZMF installer. Full article: https://portal.microfocus.com/s/article/KM000013586#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#ChangeManZMF

Customers who use, or wish to use, the XML Services interface to customize ChangeMan ZMF processing require access to detailed, release-specific documentation covering the services and tags that are available to them. Full article: https://portal.microfocus.com/s/article/KM000013583#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#ChangeManZMF

Utility program CMNAUDRC can be used to reset the audit return code associated with a ChangeMan ZMF change package. Prior to ChangeMan ZMF 6.1, users who were defined as both an application administrator and who also possessed UPDATE access to the package application security entity could submit a CMNAUDRC job completely outside of ZMF to reset a package’s audit return code. After upgrading to ZMF 6.1, however, these jobs now fail with a RC=08 and the following message: CMN1094A - entity authorization required. Full article: https://portal.microfocus.com/s/article/KM000013569#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#ChangeManZMF

In the past, customers needed to open a case with the Support team to access specific documentation and/or the ‘yellow’ (see ‘Caution’ below) XML Service COBOL copybooks that are associated with a given release of ChangeMan ZMF. However, for recent releases, this information is now made available to all customers for self-service in the Knowledgebase. E.g. for the recent 8.2 Patch 7 release: - the XML Services Reference Tables (html) can be found here. - the XML Services Delta Report 8.2 Patch 7 vs 8.2 Patch 6 can be found here. - and the XML Services COBOL copybooks for the yellow services can be found here.  (Caution: Yellow services are intended for use by Professional Services and customers with detailed knowledge of the ZMF meta data. Yellow services are intermediate services which provide access to CREATE, UPDATE, and some DELETE functions. Careful design and testing should be conducted to ensure your implementation of a yellow service functions as intended and doe

ChangeMan ZMF 8.2 Patch 7 was released to customers on 24th January 2023. The software can be downloaded here. The documentation for the base product can be accessed here and the Client Pack documentation here.#SupportTip#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#ChangeManZMF

Status: Delivered We are planning to upgrade the CICS 6.1 soon .when i checked with micro focus vendor got the below reponse . At this point in time there is no ZMF version that is compatible with CICS 6.1.  As you are aware CICS 6.1 was only released in June, so we haven't released a release as yet which has been tested with CICS 6.1, we have a major release panned, ZMF 8.3 in the spring next year (2023), so it will be this release that will hopefully be compatible with CICS 6.1.However to make sure that this happens you can put in an IDEA on our Community, so that our Product Management can see that you are going to upgrade CICS to 6.1.  See URL to the IDEA section on our ZMF Community page. Kindly provide me update compatibility version of change man ZMF which supports CICS 6.1 Thanks Kishor #ZMF4ECL#ZMF#ZMFPluginActivityLogs#ZMFReports

A question regularly asked of ChangeMan ZMF Support is to explain the combination of security profile access requirements that allow access to various functions. For example, USERA needs to be able to approve packages but not create packages or change components in APPA. Or USERB needs access to backout packages in APPB. When initially assessing this type of requirement, a very helpful table exists in the Security Entities and Required Authority section of Chapter 3 in the ChangeMan ZMF Installation Guide. The 8.2 Patch 6 version of this manual is currently available here.#SupportTip#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#ChangeManZMF

Hi Team, How to check If ASG PRO JCL V3R5  is compatible with which Changeman version ? Please let me know where to check.#ChangeManSSM

Mainframe-based client connections to the ZMF Server started task may be one of two types: 1. Cross Memory Services (XMS) connections are available when the user or batch job issuing the connection request is executing on the same LPAR that hosts the ZMF Server task. 2. Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) connections can be used on both the LPAR hosting the ZMF Server task and also from other LPARs that are connected to the ZMF Server task host LPAR (i.e. via Load Balancing Option (LBO) functionality). Prior to ChangeMan ZMF 8.2 Patch 5, each utility that connected to the ZMF Server started task chose its own default initial connection mechanism. For example, the batch XML Service utility SERXMLBC defaulted to XMS connections whereas its rexx equivalent, SERXMLRC, defaulted to TCP/IP. However, a change was made in the 8.2 Patch 5 release to standardise all such connection methods. Since that change all connections will default to XMS whenever available to ensure op

A user abend 310 (U0310) can occur when a ZMF Server task is started for a variety of reasons. Knowledgebase article S131584 documents a number of the potential causes/resolution steps and provides a starting point to commence investigation. If this fails to help you resolve the issue, please open a case with the Support team who will be happy to assist.#SupportTip#ChangeManZMF#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs

Early versions of the ZMF REST API documentation, and a number of the videos generated at the same time, refer to two separate applications, zmfrest and zmfevent, distributed in war files of the same names. In ZMF 8.2 Patch 4 and later, however, only the zmfrest application is provided. Why is this? The very simple answer is that, as mentioned in the ZMF 8.2 Patch 4 Readme file, the zmfevent application was merged into the zmfrest application in that release. However, a more comprehensive explanation can also be found here.#ChangeManZMF#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#SupportTip

Need compatibility information for ChangeMan ZMF (or ChangeMan SSM, Comparex, StarTool FDM, and StarTool IOO) running on z/OS 2.5? This can be found in S143476.  If an upgrade is required to reach the minimum supported level, we recommend that the very latest patch version of the appropriate product is selected. At time of writing (December 2022) for ZMF that is 8.2 Patch 6. ZMF 8.2 Patch 7 is expected to GA in January 2023 (monitor updates here).#SupportTip#ChangeManZMF#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs

When installing or upgrading to a new version of ChangeMan ZMF, customers will be presented with three options: Process FULL Product Installation (formerly referred to as ‘FULL’), Install All Available PATCHES (formerly ‘FIX’), and Install Only This Current PATCH (formerly ‘DELTA’). This sometimes confuses the person running the installation. So, what are the differences? - Process FULL Product Installation: This contains all of the software required to install a completely new ZMF environment at the specified software level or to upgrade from a prior version of ZMF. - Install All Available PATCHES: This contains all software changed since the initial version of this release of ZMF was shipped. - Install Only This Current PATCH: This contains all software changed in this patch level only. So, let’s take three examples of customers installing or upgrading to the 8.2 Patch 6 release: - Customer A is currently running ZMF 8.1.4.01 in their environment. This customer should select the firs

2022: Highlighting Customer Success It’s been a busy year for the Micro Focus Application Modernization and Connectivity (AMC) business.   There are far too many highlights to share in this short blog, but I did want to draw special attention to one new and exciting set of resources for modernization enthusiasts—resources which may also help influence future planning as we now look to 2023.  And to help accomplish that, I honestly can’t think of a better set of materials than these new customer success stories highlighting application, process, and infrastructure modernization.  A New Approach to Modernization For those that aren’t familiar with the Micro Focus modernization story, I’d encourage you to take a closer look.  It's a unique approach to IT transformation enabling developers and IT leaders to both run and transform while setting priorities to what, how and where modernization matters for their business and customers. Where agility and speed to market

Customers sometimes ask how they can diagnose ISPF file tailoring problems that occur in external tasks, such as compile jobs built in a CMNADSP started procedure. This is documented in the section named ‘Debugging Skeletons in Started Task Procedures’ within the ZMF Customization Guide. The 8.2 Patch 6 version of this manual can currently be found here. #SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#SupportTip#ChangeManZMF

With ZMF 8.3 currently expected to GA in Spring 2023, what's next for ZMF 8.2? You can find Product Manager Jimmy O'Rourke's latest update here.#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#SupportTip#ChangeManZMF

As we continue to support ChangeMan ZMF 8.2 Release, we felt it was important to create a page about the patch update (PU) releases and announcements for new patches as they relate to ChangeMan ZMF 8.2. As a refresher, since the release of Patch Update 5 (PU5) we have removed customizable components from PUs. Only executable components have been part of any PU for the 8.2 release (starting with PU5). This has greatly improved adoptability and provides an easier upgrade path for our customers. We also changed the PU release cadence and moved from a 6 month PU cadence to a more flexible 9-12 month timeframe. This has given customers more time to test as well as stay on a PU longer than before, without having to plan for an upgrade every 6 months. With the new PU cadence, customers have 9-12 months between patch updates to plan for upgrades. Also, as a reminder, we will only issue Hot Fixes and execute OEM compatibility testing against the current / latest PU.  For reference: PU5 (8

As documented in the Known Issue sections of our ZMF Readme files (the 8.2 Patch 6 version can currently be found here), there are two potential causes of user 44 (U0044) abends in ChangeMan ZMF. 1) The most common situation is when users attempt to connect to the ZMF ISPF User Interface (UI) and receive the following response: User abend 44 dec occurred processing command 'CMNINIT '. ***                                                       This occurs when a user is already logged onto another ZMF instance via the ISPF UI and that other instance is running a different version of the product. Disconnecting from one of the ZMF instances should clear the problem and allow the other ZMF instance to be accessed. 2) Alternat

Status: Waiting for VotesWaiting for VotesThe prompt of many TSO messages hinders at work. A reduction would be useful.When triggering operations in ChgMan (eg Promote Jobs, Stagejobs), a relatively large number of TSO messages (depending on the individual Todo steps of the process) are generated as confirmation / notification about the individual steps.   In our opinion, a message for the submit and a final message per triggered process would be more useful here.   If many of these processes are triggered and you want to continue working, then these numerous messages that you have to constantly click away, can be very disturbing.   You can completely suppress these messages for your own user, but this is not ideal, because then you would be 'blind'.   A 'healthy mix' with fewer messages would be good.

Status: DeliveredCMN$$JBL.SKL.txtCurrently, the CMN$$JBL (generate JOBLIB DD skeleton) and CMN$$SEX (generate SYSEXEC DD skeleton) along with CMN$$DSN require modifications to ensure that the correct ChangeMan ZMF load library and REXX exec library concatenations are built, depending on the ChangeMan ZMF subsystem ID. This proposal sets forth to reduce---and likely even eliminate---the need to customize CMN$$JBL and CMN$$SEX, and just have the customizations be done in CMN$$DSN.  My understanding is that CMN$$DSN was created to move all data set specifications---and various scenarios for data set specifications---out of other skeletons to keep the other skeletons simpler.  If there is the need for more complicated logic, then this complicated logic would be in a skeleton such as CMN$$DSN that is meant to be customized anyway.  This way, other skeletons such as CMN$$JBL, CMN$$SEX, CMN$$COE (which uses &SIGYCMP), CMN$$SYL (which uses &SCEESPC, &SCEELK

Prior to ChangeMan ZMF 8.2 Patch 4, components that were locked within a package could only be unlocked by the user who possessed the lock or by administrators. In ZMF 8.2 Patch 4 we added the option to add a new security entity to the application admin parms that allows additional users the ability to unlock components. Further information on this option can be found in the 8.2 Patch 4 Readme file and the ZMF Administrator's Guide, the 8.2 Patch 6 version of which can currently be found here.#SupportTip#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#ChangeManZMF

Questions still occasionally arise regarding the need to run the SERSET job and the purpose of the SERXPTIK module. To summarise: - SERXPTIK is a small, executable module that is loaded into CSA on every LPAR hosting ZMF users or batch jobs. - This module is executed each time a user connects to a ZMF Server started task using the TCP/IP connection method – either explicitly or when technically required (e.g. when connecting across LPARs using Load Balancing Option (LBO) functionality). - It is used in the generation of a Security Server PassTicket for the connecting user or batch job. - This PassTicket is validated by the ZMF Server started task at connection time. - SERXPTIK is automatically loaded into CSA whenever a ZMF Server task is started on an LPAR. - For LPARs not hosting a ZMF Server task, you must run the SERSET job to load SERXPTIK into CSA before any users or batch jobs attempt to connect to any ZMF Server started task from that LPAR. - IPLing the LPAR will result in SERX

A frequent cause of customer problems that we see in the Support team is related to batch JOBs executing on unexpected LPARs. Even when JOBs are actually submitted on the correct, expected LPAR, a variety of factors may dictate that the JOB is routed away to another LPAR for execution. If your problem could be related to a JOB running on an incorrect LPAR, it is always worth taking a moment to confirm that it did actually execute on the anticipated LPAR before progressing investigation. For example, in a JES2 environment, the following kind of message may provoke an assumption that the job actually executed on the LPAR named LPA1:                    J E S 2  J O B  L O G  --  S Y S T E M  L P A 1  --  N O D E  M A C H I N 1 However, the subsequent $HASP373 message shows that the job actually executed on LPA2: 05.29.19 J0703655  $HASP373 USER01J  ST

Searching for a full list of the administration security profile names (e.g. CMNGBADM to allow users access to Global Admin)? Or the functional entity profile names (e.g. CMNCREAT to access the package create function)? These are all documented in the Security Considerations section of Chapter 3 in the ChangeMan ZMF Installation Guide. The 8.2 Patch 6 version of this manual is currently available here.#ChangeManZMF#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#documentation#Security

‘Staging Versions’ information displayed for a component in ZMF4ECL does not match the data displayed by the ‘VC’ (Version Control) option for the same component in ChangeMan ZMF. In ZMF4ECL staging versions are missing, duplicates displayed, or the date/time is incorrect on the version. Full article: https://portal.microfocus.com/s/article/KM000011389#SupportTips/KnowledgeDocs#ChangeManZMF