Steps to Implement the PC Server

When the current level is prior to tableBASE maintenance level 7:

If the z/OS system will be IPLed, start the higher maintenance level PC Server before starting any CICS regions or other jobs accessing tableBASE.

If the system will not be re-IPLed, the following steps allow the PC Server to be introduced in a running system.

Assuming there are CICS regions running current-level tableBASE and the current-level PC Server is running:

  1. Stop the current-level PC Server.
    • Use the MVS stop (“p”) command
    • Non-threadsafe CICS transactions accessing tableBASE will continue to work.
    • While the PC Server is down, the following messages may appear on the MVS log when jobsteps accessing tableBASE initialize:

      'DK100840I GCA does not exist.'
      'DK100201I tableBASE PC Server not available'.
      (These are informational messages and can be ignored.)

  2. Bring up the higher-level PC Server (while CICS is running current-level tableBASE code).
    • tableBASE will continue to run in all regions.
    • non-threadsafe tableBASE CICS transactions will continue to run.
    • threadsafe CICS transactions accessing tableBASE may abend or hang since pre-level07 tableBASE code doesn’t support CICS threadsafe transactions.
  3. Start CICS regions with higher-level tableBASE code.
    • non-threadsafe CICS transactions accessing tableBASE will continue to work.
    • threadsafe CICS transactions accessing tableBASE will now work.

When the current level is tableBASE maintenance level 7 or higher:

Review the Release Notes for the new level of maintenance to determine if any additional steps are necessary.

If the z/OS system will be IPLed, start the higher maintenance level PC Server(s) before starting any CICS regions or other jobs accessing tableBASE.

If the system will not be re-IPLed, the following steps allow the PC Server(s) to be introduced in a running system.

Assuming there are jobs, including CICS regions, running current-level tableBASE and the current-level PC Server(s) are running:

  1. Stop the current-level PC Server(s).
    • Use the MVS stop (“p”) command
    • Running jobs accessing tableBASE will continue to work.
    • While the PC Server(s) are down, the following messages may appear on the MVS log when jobsteps accessing tableBASE initialize:

      'DK100201S tableBASE PC Server unavailable'
      'DK100567E The tableBASE PC Server must be running for tableBASE to initialize'

      The DK100201S message results in a U201 abend of the step.
      The DK100567E message, which appears in a CICS region, allows the CICS region to initialize, but tableBASE transactions will not work.

  2. Bring up the higher-level PC Server(s) (while CICS is running current-level tableBASE code).
    • tableBASE will continue to run in all regions
    • tableBASE CICS transactions will continue to run.
  3. Start jobs, including CICS regions, with higher-level tableBASE.
  4. Start jobs, including CICS regions, with current-level tableBASE.
    • The higher-level PC Server(s) are backward compatible