CA Agent Technology Best Practices › Mainframe Agent Installation Considerations

Mainframe Agent Installation Considerations

Agent Technology is used by all mainframe agents. This section describes the mainframe agent installation considerations with respect to Agent Technology.

Agent MIB Files

Each agent installation provides the MIB file for the agent being installed. These files must be copied into the Agent Technology MIBLIB when the particular agent is installed.

A sample job AWADDMIB is supplied in the Common Services CNSMSJCL library. This job uses SMP/E to RECEIVE and APPLY a USERMOD containing a mainframe Agent's MIB. It will copy the MIB delivered with the specific Agent into the Agent Technology MIBLIB.

A unique USERMOD name should be used for each Agent’s MIB, and the REWORK date should be accurate. Thus the SMP/E environment for Agent Technology will reflect the latest MIB for each Agent.

The MIB must be available each time the AT Object Store is cleared and rebuilt (CLEANADM and LDMIB jobs).

Establishing a Mainframe Agent with Agent Technology

There are several requirements that must be met for Agent Technology to recognize an Agent.

• First, as noted above, the Agent’s MIB must be copied into the Agent Technology MIBLIB.
• Second, the MIB must be loaded into the Agent Technology Object Store. This can be accomplished either by using the individual Agent-supplied JCL, by using the install_mibs script found in the $AGENTWORKS_DIR/services/tools directory, or by using the Agent Technology LDMIB job found in the Common Services CNSMJCL library.
• Third, the Agent itself must be registered with Agent Technology. This can be accomplished either by using the individual Agent-supplied JCL or by using the install_agents script found in the $AGENTWORKS_DIR/services/tools directory.

JCL Requirements for Communicating Between Agents and AT Services

All z/OS-based agents must communicate with the AT z/OS services running under UNIX Systems Services. The agents communicate to AT Services through a TCP/IP socket connection.

To facilitate this communication, the following modifications must be made to the Agent JCL job-stream for the system being monitored:

• The Common Services CNSMLOAD library must be added to the STEPLIB Concatenation or be in the link list.
• The following DD statements must be added:

  ENVFILE
  

  Should be defined to point to the ENVFILE member within the Common Services CNSMOPTV library. This member contains configuration data that points the Agent to the appropriate TCP/IP Port and Stack, and to the AT zFS.

  SYSTCPD
  

  Should be defined to point to the TCPDATA file for the local TCP/IP Stack. This is the same file referenced in your TCP Startup proc. This file contains configuration data about the TCP/IP stack.

• Add any log or configuration files mandated by the specific agent being installed.