SupportConnect - z/VM and VM/ESA Newsletter, Version 05.02
  

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Computer Associates
E-News
z/VM and VM/ESA Newsletter
Version 05.02
November 07, 2005

In This Newsletter
Product News
> BrightStor® VM:Backup® r3.4 Now GA

Product Updates
> Recent Service Packs Available

General Information
> How to Remove a VM:Archiver® STAGE Disk
> Defining Non-Standard DASD in VM:Secure® and VM:Director®
> Electronic Software Download Without Java?
> GoToAssist™ for VM Customers

Special Events
> CA WorldSM 2005

Product News
BrightStor® VM:Backup® r3.4 Now GA
We are pleased to announce a new release of BrightStor VM:Backup, r3.4, is now available.

BrightStor VM:Backup performs reliable and efficient backups of CMS and non-CMS data. The restore process provides fast recovery of any amount of data, from a single file to an entire z/VM system. Through use of BrightStor VM:Backup, you also get automated tape management, catalog management, and full-screen administration. BrightStor VM:Backup r3.4 from Computer Associates provides:
  • New Tape Device and Media Support
  • High Performance Tape Volume Positioning
  • Large FBA Support for z/VM 5.1
  • New RESTAUTH Configuration File Record
  • Improved CFL056 Abend Recovery
You can download this BrightStor VM:Backup electronically from ca.com/supportconnect/. Customers in North America can also order service packs by calling 1-800-841-8743. For customers outside North America, please contact your local CA Support Center to determine availability.

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Product Updates
Recent Service Packs Available
CA VM:Manager® VM Management Suite r2.8 Genlevel 0507 SP6, which includes the new release r3.4 of BrightStor® VM:Backup®, is now generally available (GA).

You can download this service pack electronically from ca.com/supportconnect/. Customers in North America can also order service packs by calling 1-800-841-8743. For customers outside North America, please contact your local CA Support Center to determine service pack availability.

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General Information
How to Remove a VM:Archiver® STAGE Disk
Sometimes, you need to consolidate VM:Archiver STAGE disks. For example, you may want to replace some small STAGE disks with one large disk. Adding a STAGE disk is straightforward. This article provides information on the more difficult task of removing a STAGE disk.

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Defining Non-Standard DASD in VM:Secure® and VM:Director®
VM:Secure and VM:Director allow you to easily manage DASD volumes on a z/VM system. To have VM:Secure/VM:Director manage a volume, you have to define it in the DASD CONFIG file. When you define that volume, you give it a device type that matches the characteristics of the device. VM:Secure/VM:Director support a certain number of different DASD device types as shown in the VM:Secure/VM:Director Reference Guide in the Configuration File Reference chapter.

However, new DASD devices available today do not necessarily fit into the device descriptions VM:Secure/VM:Director have available for use. How do you define those to VM:Secure/VM:Director to allow them to be used? Click here for details.

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Electronic Software Download Without Java?
Some of you have downloaded our VM products from SupportConnectSM and used CDTAPE to install them. The products are downloaded as "tape image files" and served to the installation program using a java server. Regardless of whether the installation program is AIM or Activator, or simple TAPE LOAD, the CDTAPE server presents the tape image file to VM as a series of simulated tape records.

Some customers have found that this was not workable due to company standards. Normally, CDTAPE requires the use of TCP/IP on the mainframe, installation of Java on the workstation, and connectivity from the workstation to the host. Some of you are not able to achieve this environment due to network or security policies. If you are unable to use the CDTAPE Java server for any reason, use the following method.
  1. Download and unzip the CDTAPE system package from our server: ftp://edm:y3k7x@ftp.ca.com/cdtape.zip.


  2. Unzip CDTAPE onto your PC, putting the files into a new directory. The files contained in the package will be CDTAPE.JAR, UPLOAD.EXEC, README.TXT, CDTAPE.PROPERTIES, and two sample CDTAPE image files for testing.


  3. Upload the file UPLOAD.EXEC to the VM system as UPLOAD EXEC. Be sure to transfer the file as a text file so that ASCII characters get translated to EBCDIC.


  4. Execute the UPLOAD EXEC:

    EXEC UPLOAD EXTRACT fm

    where "fm" is the filemode of the accessed Minidisk or Filespace where the extracted CDTAPE system files are to be written. Consider using the VMRMAINT 191 disk for this.
You are now ready to install a VM product.

When you download a product from SupportConnect, it arrives as a zip file containing one or more tape image files. For example, when you download the BrightStor® VM:Tape® product, it will contain a file called 18040620A01.cdtape.
  1. Upload the tape image file to the VM userid where you loaded UPLOAD EXEC. Be sure to specify a BINARY transfer and variable length records. You will also have to rename the file as the files have an 11-character filename. In the following, we assume that 18040620a01.cdtape has been uploaded as VMTR18 CDTAPE.


  2. Use the CDTUPL utility (part of the CDTAPE system package) to convert the tape image file into a format readable by CMS. For example:

    cdtupl vmtr18 cdtape a

    See HELP CDTUPL for additional information.


  3. Start CDTAPE and mount the tape. Do not specify an IP address on the START command. This causes CDTAPE to look for tape image files only on the local system.

    cdtape start
    cdtape mount vmtr18
Now you can proceed with the installation as if a real tape were mounted.

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GoToAssist™ for VM Customers
CA Customer Support began using the Citrix GoToAssist product last year. With GoToAssist, we can quickly and efficiently view, diagnose, and solve problems in real time. In seconds, with your permission, we can run diagnostics on your desktop, download maintenance, or immediately update files. The service enables us to collaborate on an issue or provide instantaneous visual training.

However, while other CA support groups have quickly adopted GoToAssist, use of the tool within VM Product Support has been minimal, if not just downright non-existent. Our support group sees the benefits, but has not been successful in leading you, our customers, to use GoToAssist.

I volunteered to write this article to give you an understanding of the tool and to seek your help in asking us to use this great support tool. I am hoping that once you understand the benefits and prepare your desktop, we will all benefit from GoToAssist.

For more information on the GoToAssist tool, review the following link:
supportconnectw.ca.com/public/ca_common_docs/gotoassistinfo.asp.

Fran Hart
Customer Support Team Lead

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Special Events
CA WorldSM 2005
CA World 2005 will be held November 13 - 17, 2005, at the Venetian Las Vegas and Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Be sure to check ca.com/caworld for more details.

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