Advanced Topics › Command Processing › How Command Sources on Linkages are Identified › How Products are Identified as Command Sources

How Products are Identified as Command Sources

There are two ways to identify products as command sources:

• Specifying a PRODUCT linkage
• Specifying a CONSOLE linkage

Because of integration between CA products, the CA MIC PRODUCT linkage can be used for CA Remote Console and CA OPS/MVS, regardless of the type of console (subsystem or extended) through which these products issue commands.

PRODUCT Linkages

To allow these products (or any product using subsystem consoles) to issue cross-system commands, specify a PRODUCT linkage for the product using the following command syntax:

LINK PRODUCT=ssss   SYSID=    AUTHORITY=    POOL=

ssss

Specifies the subsystem name of the product. The default subsystem name for CA Remote Console is RCS, and for CA OPS/MVS it is OPSS.

CONSOLE Linkages

To allow products using extended consoles (except CA Remote Console and CA OPS/MVS) to issue cross-system commands, specify a CONSOLE linkage for the product using the following command syntax:

LINK CONSOLE=conname   SYSID=   AUTHORITY=   POOL=

conname

Specifies the name of the extended console the product is using to issue commands. In many cases, products use more than one extended console to issue commands. The asterisk (*) and pound sign (#) wildcard characters are supported on the CONSOLE keyword so that a single console LINK can be used for more than one console.

For example, if product XYZ allocates extended consoles with names beginning with ABCD, then the following LINK command syntax covers all extended consoles used by product XYZ:

LINK CONSOLE=ABCD* SYSID= AUTHORITY= POOL=

Cross-system Command Authority Level for a Command Source

Use the AUTHORITY parameter on the LINK command to secure the types of cross-system commands that can be issued through the linkage. All z/OS commands are assigned to an operator command group, or command authority level. To determine the authority level of a particular z/OS command, see the IBM documentation on system commands. The AUTHORITY parameter on the LINK command determines the cross-system command authority level for the command source specified on the linkage.

The LINK command can increase or decrease the authority level of a local command source for cross-system commands. For example, a local console defined with SYS authority, with a linkage assigning MASTER authority, can only issue SYS-level commands locally, but can issue MASTER-level commands cross-system.

You can also use the AUTHORITY parameter to decrease the cross-system commands authority of a local console.

Important! You need SYS authority to issue the LINK command. You need only SYS authority to assign MASTER authority through the LINK command.

Note: For more information, see the Statement and Command Reference Guide.