IBM JZOS Batch Toolkit for z/OS SDKs

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Update: August 5, 2008

What is IBM JZOS Batch Toolkit for z/OS SDKs?

The IBM® JZOS Batch Toolkit for z/OS® SDKs is a set of tools that addresses many of the functional and environmental shortcomings in current Java™ batch capabilities on z/OS. It includes a native launcher for running Java applications directly as batch jobs or started tasks, and a set of Java methods that make access to traditional z/OS data and key system services directly available from Java applications. Additional system services include console communication, multiline WTO (write to operator), and return code passing capability. In addition, JZOS provides facilities for flexible configuration of the run-time environment, and it allows intermediate data to be seen via z/OS System Display and Search Facility (SDSF). Java applications can be fully integrated as job steps in order to augment existing batch applications.

The combination of the launcher, data access, added system services, and environmental enhancements make running Java on z/OS as batch jobs easier, particularly for traditional z/OS programmers. The net result of these enhancements is that the look and feel of running Java applications is much closer to other z/OS batch jobs, and the way Java batch can be managed is now like other z/OS batch applications written in COBOL, PL/I, or other compiled languages. (Note that the original JZOS functionality corresponding to download level jzos123.zip is now available in supported z/OS Java products for SDK 1.4.2 and above.

How does it work?

The batch launcher and toolkit extends the z/OS J2SE products with a set of Java classes and additional C++ code. Java applications can be launched directly as batch jobs on z/OS along with using the custom launcher. The JZOS set of Java class libraries extends the function available in the standard Java product. The extensions provide APIs for Java access to z/OS operating system services and access to z/OS-specific data types, including VSAM data.

What are the most recent functional improvements?

The JZOS Cookbook 1.0.3 includes the following additional chapters:

• Generating Java Record Classes
• Analyzing Application Performance with Java Interactive Profiler
• Analyzing Performance with JinsightLive for System z

The JZOS Cookbook 1.0.2 develops an example inventory application in order to demonstrate the following:

• development and testing of z/OS Java applications using Eclipse
• deployment to z/OS using Apache Ant
• running of z/OS batch Java applications using the JZOS Launcher
• demonstration of how to use the following Java and z/OS programming interfaces:
  • SQL database access
  • data set access -- sequential and VSAM
  • XML processing
  • mapping of COBOL-described records to Java
• demonstration of the use of popular open-source Java tools:
  • Spring framework
  • Apache Derby
  • Apache Commons Digester, Logging, and BeanUtils
  • Apache Log4J
  • JUnit
  • Apache Ant
• complete source, packaged in an Eclipse project, that can be used as a template for new development.

JZOS Version 2.3.0 includes the following additions:

• support for z/OS Java SDK 6
• AccessMethodServices (IDCAMS interface)
• Enqueue (interface to ISGENQ)
• ZUtil.substituteSystemSymbols() methods (ASASYMB system symbol service)
• ZFile.getFullyQualififiedDSN(String, boolean) method
• new sample class: EnqUpdatePdsMember