WSz Self Upgrade

You can upgrade the IBM Workload Scheduler for z/OS controller in an automatic way, with only few manual steps, by using the IWSZSELFUPGRADE job stream that is provided with the product. 

WSz Release to Release Migration
BEFORE

• Manual repetitive work before starting with the new environment
• Migration Work to be prepared in advance
• Even if the manual steps are very known, some errors may still occur
• Some customers still require stopping batch for a while, in some case over the weekend
• Too much time needed to migrate one Controller

​NOW

• Manual work reduced of about 90%
• Most of the work performed by WSzitself

​
Self Upgrade introduction
In IWSZSELFUPGRADE, the jobs requiring manual actions are defined as dummy operations on a manual start and completion workstation.

IWSZSELFUPGRADE is provided in batch loader and Workload Automation Programming Language formats that you can import by using the EQQUPGBL or
EQQUPGWA sample, respectively.

Customize the following jobs as required for your migration purposes:

• EQQALPDS (allocates JCL and SKEL libraries)
• EQQNPJOB (NOPS optional operations)
• EQQCPMOD (copy WSzsubsystem load modules)
• EQQCPPAR (copy OLD parmlib in the NEW installation)
• EQQUPGBL (Batch Loader application definitions)
• EQQUPGWA (WAPL application and workstation definitions)

​
Create the IWSZSELFUPGRADE Job Stream
For import IWSZSELFUPGRADE job stream you can use batch loader or alternatively WAPL. 

This is the Batch Loader example:

• Find Batch Loader member EQQUPGBL in SEQQSAMP and copy it in your SYSIN data set
• Add your Controller subsystem (i.e. IWSC) in the initial OPTION statement
  OPTIONS DURUNIT(SECONDS) SUBSYS(WC01)
• Change CPU1 (C,A) and MAN1 (G,C) with your corresponding workstations and OWNER (default is TWSUSER)
• Submit a EQQYLTOP (Batch Loader) job using as SYSIN the member you just updated

IWSZSELFUPGRADE in the Plan
Once the job stream is defined in the application description database you can add it in the plan. 

This is the IWSZSELFUPGRADE occurrence add in the plan:

Self Upgrade Steps
Manual actions modeled as dummy operations on general manual completion workstation

• Execution of EQQJOBS CLIST to generate new datasets 3
• Update of the SYS1.PARMLIB (subsystem definition)
• Update of the WSzstarted task procedure
• Update of the WSzinitialization statements to include BUILDSSX(REBUILD)
• EQQNPJOB JCL sample to NOP all the optional steps with BCIT. It can be modified to allow execution of optional steps
• EQQPCS0x sample jobs submitted in parallel to generate the new WSzdata sets
• Sample jobs to linkedit the JES2 and SMF exits, to copy the load modules to user libraries etc.

Execute the IWSZSELFUPGRADE Job Stream

• Ensure that VARSUB=YES is specified in your OPCOPTS
  
  • ​You can eventually set it temporarily
• Operations 004 and 005 are defaulted to JES2 (EQQJES2*)
  
  • ​Update them accordingly if you have JES3 (EQQJES3)
• Customize initial job EQQALPDS to allocate data sets needed for the EQQJOBS
  
  • Customize also EQQNPJOBS, EQQCPMODS and EQQCPPAR
• Add IWSZSELFUPGRADE to the Current Plan
• When you have to run EQQJOBS manually, set variables you need during the process
  
  • ​For exampe &OJOBNAME, &OADOWNER, etc... plus eventually yours 
• All that can be automated will be executed automatically by the IWSZSELFUPGRADE job stream
  
  • NOP of unusued jobs (accordingly to customization)
  • Most of the EQQJOBS obtained samples
  • The migration jobs EQQICNV*
  • Most of the parameters members replacements
    
• ​Only few operations will have to be done manually
  • Run of EQQJOBS
  • Update of SYS1.PARMLIB
  • Controller startup update
  • Last WSzPARMLIB changes
    
    

When IWSZSELFUPGRADE completes... You can start the new migrated subsystem.
​

​Michelangelo La Placa
Senior Software Engineer
Workload Automation for z/OS

---

Michelangelo La Placa has worked in the Workload Automation area since 2005. In 2016, he moved from IBM to HCL Technologies and is currently part of the Quality Assurance team of Workload Scheduler for z/OS as a Senior Software Engineer. He is the Scrum master of the development team.