----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 08:46:30 on 98/01/04 GMT (by F14 at TELVM1) <10365> Subject: JES3 and year2000 testing My customer is migrating from MVS/ESA-JES3 4.3 to OS/390 v1.3 in two steps. First to OS/390 V1 with JES3 V4.3 and latter, replace the JES3 with the latest version. Can he start year 2000 testing after the first step or he should wait till he complete the migration. The problem is that there are some hardware restrictions that cause them some delay between the two steps and they want to save time. Thanks, Jonathan Meron. ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 21:04:33 on 98/01/05 GMT (by RBARNETT at WASVMIC1) <10366> Subject: ADCS year2000 fixes I need to find out what fixes need to be applied to ADCS (5735-XR2) to make it year2000 ready. According to the Product Readiness Database, it require PTF's but I cannot find out which ones. Pointers to information welcome..... Randy Barnett ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 01:55:18 on 98/01/06 GMT (by ALANDP at SYDVMXA2) <10367> Subject: Subject: ADCS year2000 fixes According to the documentation, the PTF for the Year 2000 fix is PTF6. I hope this makes sense because it does not look like a standard number. Regards Alan Place Year 2000 Technical Support Center - Asia Pacific Internet: y2ktscap@vnet.ibm.com VNET: Y2KTSCAP at SYDVMXA2 ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 08:29:42 on 98/01/07 GMT (by DEWPV15 at ELINK) <10368> Subject: Testing for Year 2000 DB2 Dates Ref: Append at 13:26:29 on 97/12/04 GMT (by WOODHULL at RALVM17) This append was created on the External IBMLink system by West.Provinzial Vers ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 16:53:16 on 98/01/09 GMT (by TMALLARD at STLVM27) <10369> Subject: Date Warper We received the following request from a customer: Is anyone aware of a tool that performs functions similar to those of HourGlass, Tic Toc, etc., but in a VSE environment? Does anyone on this forum know the answer? Terry ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 06:12:54 on 98/01/13 GMT (by ALANDP at SYDVMXA2) <10370> Subject: Date Warper There are no IBM tools for VSE but there is a third-party product from DPE and Asocciates called "Sim2000". There is a link from the VSE Year 2000 page. http://www.dpewen.com/sim2inf.htm I hope this helps. Regards Alan Place Year 2000 Technical Support Center - Asia Pacific Internet: y2ktscap@vnet.ibm.com VNET: Y2KTSCAP at SYDVMXA2 ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 00:03:41 on 98/01/14 GMT (by VMEGLER at SFOVMIC1) <10371> Subject: Year 2000 Ready Products I am getting lists of 'year 2000 compliancy' information from 2 sources: - InfoPort, which produces a list of all hardware and software for a specific customer number, enterprise number, etc, and the compliancy of each product (w3.miw.ibm.com/cgi-bin/db2www/miw/zzy2k.db2w/input) - The Year 2000 product database, (wwwyr2k.raleigh.ibm.com), for a list of products that I enter. Do both of these lists refer to the same source information about year 2000 compliancy for a specific product and release? That is: am I guaranteed that, if I produce a list for all software and hardware that my client owns, I will get exactly the same result for compliancy from either source, down to whether or not a PTF is required to make a specific release compliant? Thank you for any assistance with this! I'd rather not find out the hard way! Veronika ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 15:53:06 on 98/01/15 GMT (by KEVINC at TOROLAB6) <10372> Subject: Year 2000 Ready Products Ref: Append at 00:03:41 on 98/01/14 GMT (by VMEGLER at SFOVMIC1) Veronika, Essentially, these two sources (INFORPORT and the IBM Product Readiness Database) use the same source. That is to say, the Product Readiness Database is the MASTER and where IBM product owners update this information, and INFOPORT receives those updates a little later. To define "a little later", I would expect within about 24 hours or so. In terms of a guarantee, be assured that the content is equal (less the potential lag time between the two systems). Each of these tools offer excellent function and information. Remember, customer only have access to the IBM Year 2000 Product Readiness Database which can be found at http://www.ibm.com/ibm/year2000/ (click on the Product Readiness button). As such, you may find that alerting them to this site will aid you in ensuring smooth communication during discussions of their products if you use the same reports. Good luck! Kevin J. Cummings ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 01:21:53 on 98/01/16 GMT (by TMALONE at TORVM3) <10373> Subject: Sharing DASD Hello: My name is Tom Malone and I am a Canadian IBM employee My client is in the midst of setting up a Year 2000 LPAR. They have decided upon purchasing dedicated DASD and control unit. They have decided to use "staging DASD" to transfer data from a test LPAR to the Y2K LPAR. They are doing this because they believe that the alternatives are too cumbersome. I have thrown together some recommendations on how to set up this staging DASD, but want to run it by "the experts" first. Would anyone care to comment on the following : The goal was to allow data transfer in one direction only. From the test LPAR to the Y2K LPAR (current date system to future date system). To get around problems with catalogs and VVDS's, I thought that we could use DFDSS to take a backup of the data on the current date system and write it out to the staging DASD as an uncataloged sequential dataset The future date system would then be used to restore the dataset to one of its own volumes. Additional set up items : 1. place the staging volumes on the new DASD - I felt that the impact of having a test or production lpar accidentally "seeing" Y2K DASD was not as great as a Y2K lpar accidentally seeing production DASD. 2. group the volumes together (this was housekeeping only) - it's easier to see what is online if the volumes are together rather than spread out all over the place. 3. make sure that the staging volumes are not SMS managed. The reasoning was that SMS managed volumes cannot have uncataloged datasets on them and I want to write out uncataloged sequential datasets. 4. On the current date system, restrict which userids and which jobs can write to the volume using RACF. I am assuming that this is possible. Prevent read accesses of the volume as well if possible. 5. Restrict access to the staging DASD on the future date system, again using RACF. 6. Used HCD device explicit function and device candidate lists to ensure that the current date system only sees the staging dasd volumes on the string of Y2K DASD. I need to further review comments by Ken Trowell about the implications of #6 and how to do this. Apart from this, are there any comments or thoughts on the above? Does anyone have any experience with staging DASD? Does anyone have a viable alternative to staging DASD? Thank you ..... Tom Malone ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 19:10:19 on 98/01/19 GMT (by CBS at SJEVM5) <10374> Subject: Sharing DASD Ref: Append at 01:21:53 on 98/01/16 GMT (by TMALONE at TORVM3) So far as #1 is concerned, the risks are not so terribly different. If a Y2K system "sees" a production volume and (say) opens a data set, you still have pollution, which could have severe consequences. Have you considered using XRC to copy data from the current production disks to your staging disks? The advantage of XRC is that you could use a separate data mover partition to do the moving and be assured that the omvement is one way. Whether or not this makes sense depends to some extent on how you plan to use the copy of the production environment. If you decided to combine your test and staging volumes onto one subsystem and made that subsystem a RAMAC Virtual Array, you could use SnapShot to copy data across from stage to test volumes very easily. Chris Saul, Storage Systems Division, San Jose http://saul.sanjose.ibm.com/ ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 13:55:50 on 98/01/20 GMT (by TMALONE at TORVM3) <10375> Subject: Using Staging DASD From Tom Malone - IBM Canada Thanks for your comments Chris. My intent with #1 was to make sure that the Future date system could not see any DASD that belonged to any other LPAR. The Production or Test LPAR's running with a current date, would have access to the staging DASD that was on the string of DASD dedicated to the Y2K LPAR. It might be possible that current date systems might accidentally 'see' future date DASD, but the future date system could not see current date DASD. I have heard mention of XRC in this forum, but I have not heard enough positive comments to recommend it. Is anyone actually using it? How easy is it to use? Did you see any problems with my suggested staging DASD setup? ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 21:51:58 on 98/01/23 GMT (by VMEGLER at SFOVMIC1) <10376> Subject: Year 2000 Vendor Letters A number of lawyers/magazines are advising their clients to send letters to all their vendors/business partners asking them to reply stating their Year 2000 compliance, in an attempt to limit their legal liability. (The receiver is not under any legal obligation to respond.) When IBM receives a letter from a customer asking IBM whether 'the following products are Year 2000 compliant', what is IBM's response? If there is a questionnaire attached to the letter, what does IBM reply? (e.g., does IBM fill in the questionnaire as requested? Point the customer to the web site? No reply? Answer in legalese????) Could someone attach a sample letter that IBM would/does/has send/t? ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 04:22:46 on 98/01/25 GMT (by LGENDRON at KGNVMC) <10377> Subject: IBM's Position on Year 2000 Readiness Any individual within IBM receiving such a questionnaire from a customer should direct that customer to IBM's Year 2000 web page http://www.ibm.com/IBM/year2000/facts/position.html which states IBM's position: If customers purchased an IBM application solution, IBM can assist in determining its readiness. If customers purchased applications from other suppliers, IBM has no way to determine if that software is Year 2000 ready. Customers in those circumstances are urged to contact the suppliers of such software. In cases where applications were developed internally, IBM advises its customers to go through a rigorous process of assessing and testing that software. ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 09:51:49 on 98/01/27 GMT (by 70669016 at EHONE) <10378> Subject: Year2000 LPAR on 9021 versus 9672 Hello, Customer has both 9021 and 9672. For Year2000 Testing, he wants to create a new LPAR. 9021 and 9672 both support Year2000 testing in a LPAR, but only 9672 (G4) supports the new Datasource function for Year2000 Sysplex testing. Is anyone aware of any other function or restriction for Year2000 testing in an LPAR on 9021 versus 9672 ? Thanks for help. Gildas Le H{naff - IBM France ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 09:53:42 on 98/01/27 GMT (by LPATON at IPNET) <10379> Subject: IBM's Position on Year 2000 Readiness Ref: Append at 04:22:46 on 98/01/25 GMT (by LGENDRON at KGNVMC) From: "Les Paton" In <786.public.cforum.year2000@TR2.ibm.com>, lgendron@kgnvmc writes: > > Any individual within IBM receiving such a questionnaire >from a customer should direct that customer to IBM's Year 2000 >web page If you receive a questionaire from a customer I would advise that you do not simply pass them to the web site. That action would be appropriate where the question is a very simple one like "is product X year 2000 ready ?". If, however, the question is broader than that and questions IBM's broad readiness position then refer the enquiry to your site Year 2000 Manager ( every site has one ). Customers deserve personal attention in this respect, the web site might not be appropriate to their specific enquiry in all cases. Les Paton, IBM PSG Greenock ( site Year 2000 Manager ). ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 11:58:02 on 98/01/27 GMT (by GAD at KGNVMC) <10380> Subject: Year2000 LPAR on 9021 versus 9672 Ref: Append at 09:51:49 on 98/01/27 GMT (by 70669016 at EHONE) The Year 2000 Datesource support added in the recent 9672's is the only thing that differs between the 9021 and the 9672 with regard to LPAR time processing. Both the 9021 and the 9672 have been used successfully for year 2000 testing under LPAR. As always, it is not the processor arena where problems occur. It is attached devices, specifically DASD, where cross contamination and problems can occur. Greg Dyck MVS BCP Kernel and CURE Support ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 15:16:48 on 98/01/27 GMT (by ACLARK at ELINK) <10381> Subject: IBM's Position on Year 2000 Readiness Ref: Append at 09:53:42 on 98/01/27 GMT (by LPATON at IPNET) I have to agree with Les, I'd be a bit ticked off if IBM said to go find out if our products are y2k ready yourself. It's not too bad with the operating systems or other vendors where you don't have many products but when you get into all the IBM program products it's a bit of a nightmare. IBM Canada was quite helpful... they ran us off a copy of all our licensed products and the version of record and the y2k required version. They've done this a few times after we put in a lot of upgrades to make it easy to chart our progress. It wasn't until much later we found that we could have done the same thing ourself at the web site. ------------------------------------- Adrian Clark - Sears Canada Inc. IBMMAIL(CASRSAJC) / aclark@null.net ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 13:55:43 on 98/01/28 GMT (by 61802330 at VIEVMA) <10382> Subject: IBM Product Readiness DB Report: Meaning of Hash Character The Columnar Form of the Expanded Product Readiness Report uses besides the 'asterisk' (*) a 'hash' (#) character. At the end of the list, I found the explanation for the 'asterisk', but I couldn't find any for the 'hash'. What is the meaning of the 'hash' character?? Tony Folkes (anthony_folkesıat.ibm.com; 61802330 at VIEVMA) ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 02:37:36 on 98/01/29 GMT (by LAURAG at SYDVMXA2) <10383> Subject: IBM Product Readiness DB Report: Meaning of Hash Character Ref: Append by anthony_folkesıat.ibm.com (VIEVMA) at 13:55:43 on 98/01/28 GMT Tony, The official definitions can be viewed on the web using the 'Report Definitions' hotspot on the 'Year 2000 Product Readiness' webpage. I have copied the relevant text below. Please note that the 'READY#' does not indicate the FIRST RELEASE ready. It means that the most current release is ready and at least one prior release is not ready. To remove any doubt about which releases are ready, an expanded report with the 'Include all releases' option would provide the definitive answer. >> Product Readiness >> Each product will have one of the following values: >> Ready >> A product is Year 2000 Ready if the product, when used in accordance with its >> associated documentation, is capable of correctly processing, providing, and/or >> receiving data within and between the 20th and 21st centuries, provided all other >> products (for example, software, hardware, and firmware) used with the product >> properly exchange accurate date data with the product. Note that a ready >> product may require a service update to achieve readiness. (Service updates >> includes APARs and PTFs for software and EC updates for hardware.) Also, >> note that some products in this category may have a future date (typically by >> year end 1997). >> Not >> Ready >> IBM considers a product not Year 2000 ready if we know that it does not meet >> the definition of Year 2000 ready set out above, or if it has not been tested. >> There are no plans to make products in this category ready. >> >> >> Ready Status >> In accordance with the definition of Ready above, this field will have the >> following values: >> >> READY >> READY* (The * indicates that application of service is required for >> the product to be Year 2000 ready.) >> READY# (Indicates that the most current release is ready but prior >> release(s) are not ready.) >> READY*# (Indicates that the most current release is ready once service >> is applied but prior release(s) are not ready.) >> NOT READY >> VENDOR (No readiness information is available from IBM. Please contact >> the original manufacturer.) Regards, Year 2000 Technical Support Centre - Asia Pacific. Internet: y2ktscap@au1.ibm.com ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 05:06:52 on 98/01/29 GMT (by SOEGENGF at SYDVM1) <10384> Subject: VS Cobol II In the AP97-1087 announcement letter, it is stated that service for VS Cobol II (5668-958) will be discontinued on March 31, 2001. In other words, it is still supported until March 31, 2001. Yet it is not Year 2000 ready. Does this mean that it is supported for any problems other than those related to Year 2000 or 4 digit year ? Thanks, Frank Soegeng ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 11:12:55 on 98/01/29 GMT (by GBAIMI23 at ELINK) <10385> Subject: VS Cobol II Ref: Append at 05:06:52 on 98/01/29 GMT (by SOEGENGF at SYDVM1) I would interpret this as implying that it will be made Year 2000 Ready before Year 2000 - if it is not then any problem including dates should be APARable. This append was created on the External IBMLink system by Richard Morton, Icom Solutions Ltd. phone: +44 121 356 8383 fax: +44 121 356 0463 IBMMAIL: GBKDFQXF Internet: richard_morton@icom-solutions.com ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 00:47:57 on 98/01/30 GMT (by Y2KTSC3 at STLVM6) <10386> Subject: VS COBOL II Ref: Append at 05:06:52 on 98/01/29 GMT (by SOEGENGF at SYDVM1) >In the AP97-1087 announcement letter, it is stated that service for >VS COBOL II (5668-958) will be discontinued on March 31, 2001. > >In other words, it is still supported until March 31, 2001. Yet it is >not Year 2000 ready. >Does this mean that it is supported for any problems other than >those related to Year 2000 or 4 digit year ? It means it is supported for any problems that are bugs in the product. There is no 4-digit year date available in VS COBOL II language. Languages, including VS COBOL II, are Year 2000 "Don't Care". When IBM says they are not "YEAR 2000 READY" we mean they do not provide the language that is needed to deal with the Year 2000. A Year 2000 Ready programming language provides 4-digit year date constructs or built in century windowing support. VS COBOL II has neither, and will not have either one of these. All language products that we know about will continue to run past 1999, but some of them are not supported on the other system software that is required for Year 2000 readiness. Please see my article, "OS/VS COBOL and VS COBOL II programs and the Year 2000" at www.software.ibm.com/ad/cobol/news.htm Year 2000 Technical Support Center ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 00:48:53 on 98/01/30 GMT (by Y2KTSC3 at STLVM6) <10387> Subject: VS COBOL II Ref: Append at 11:12:55 on 98/01/29 GMT (by GBAIMI23 at ELINK) >I would interpret this as implying that it will be made Year 2000 >Ready before Year 2000 - if it is not then any problem including >dates should be APARable. VS COBOL II will never be made Year 2000 ready according to IBMs definition. Year 2000 Technical Support Center ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 09:42:34 on 98/01/30 GMT (by GBCFDM44 at ELINK) <10388> Subject: VS COBOL II Ref: Append at 00:48:53 on 98/01/30 GMT (by Y2KTSC3 at STLVM6) Cobol II can never be truly Y2K ready, because the date format is defined by the relevant Cobol Standard, but APAR PN79703 describes how to use LE dynamic calls in Cobol II to handle dates with 4-digit years. My understanding is that this IS an IBM-supported way of working. This append was created on the External IBMLink system by Sandy Janas Standard Life, Edinburgh, UK Tel +44 (0)131 245 3526 Fax +44 (0)131 245 3520 e-mail: GBSL1SAJ@IBMMAIL.COM ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 16:58:20 on 98/01/30 GMT (by KYNEF at DUBVM1) <10389> Subject: Guide to setting up a Y2K LPAR Hello, In the last week, it appears that nearly all my customers have decided that they want a Y2K LPAR! Is there any documentation (WSC FLASH or REDBOOK or anything) that gives guidelines about how to do this? I would like information about what can and cannot be shared, the impact of network and NJE connections where the two systems are years apart, and so on. As so many customers are looking at this question now, I thought there might be a guide that we could all use. Many thanks for any advice you can offer. Frank Kyne (KYNEF at DUBVM1) IBM Ireland ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 18:26:58 on 98/01/30 GMT (by DHONDY at PK705VMA) <10390> Subject: Guide to setting up a Y2K LPAR Ref: Append at 16:58:20 on 98/01/30 GMT (by KYNEF at DUBVM1) For more details, refer to the soon to be released Time management Redbook, S/390 Time Management and IBM 9037 Sysplex Timer, SG242070. The chapter that describes various time source configurations for Year 2000 testing can be found at: Internet URL http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/SG242070/y2000.html or the Intranet URL http://wtscpok.itso.ibm.com/~redweb/SG242070/y2000.html Contact me offline if you need more information. NOSHIR DHONDY S/390 Parallel Center ----- YEAR2000 CFORUM appended at 00:14:05 on 98/01/31 GMT (by TROWELL at WTSCPOK) <10391> Subject: Guide to setting up a Y2K LPAR Ref: Append at 16:58:20 on 98/01/30 GMT (by KYNEF at DUBVM1) Frank I have a very good S/390 9672 Y2K presentation: - what time each clock runs at, Local, GMT, UTC/GMT, or Y2K. - how each clock is set, and what time value is used, local, GMT, UTC or Y2K. - what is the clocking source and or sync source - what is the impact of each clock on other areas of a configuration - how many clocks are there: 9672 SE, 9672 HMC, 9672 CPC TOD, 9672 Logical Partitions logical TOD, 9037 clocks, 9037 ETS, 9672 Datesource - how clocks are management in the 7 OS/390 environments Multisystem sysplex - ETRMODE YES production sysplex (ETR used) Multisystem sysplex - SIMETR - with or without ETR (no datesource) ** Multisystem sysplex - SIMETR - with or without ETR (Y2K datesource) Monoplex sysplex - ETRMODE YES/NO - without Y2K datesouce ** Monoplex sysplex - ETRMODE NO - with Y2K datesource XCFlocal sysplex - ETRMODE YES/NO - without Y2K datesource ** XCFlocal sysplex - ETRMODE NO - with Y2K datesource - how clocks are management in the 6 VM/ESA environments S/390 basic mode - using current time S/390 basic mode - using a Y2K date and time S/390 LPAR mode - using current time for each logical partition ** S/390 LPAR mode - using a Y2K datesource for one logical partition S/390 Basic or LPAR mode - 2nd level guest using current time S/390 Basic or LPAR sing - 2nd level guest usng a Y2K date and time - how clocks are management in the 6 VSE/ESA environments S/390 basic mode - using current time S/390 basic mode - using a Y2K date and time S/390 LPAR mode - using current time for each logical partition ** S/390 LPAR mode - using a Y2K datesource for one logical partition S/390 Basic or LPAR mode - 2nd level guest of VM using current time S/390 Basic or LPAR sing - 2nd level guest of using a Y2K date & time ** These configurations can use the Datesource feature. Note: Even though the full name of the Datesource feature is: 'Sysplex Test Datesource' You not have to have a OS/390 sysplex to use this feature. Without this feature you cannot: - have a Y2K test OS/390 Sysplex on a non-dedicated processor - set a Y2K time on a S/390 in LPAR from hardware With this feature you can: - have a Y2K test OS/390 Sysplex on a non-dedicated processor - set a Y2K time on a S/390 in LPAR from hardware I was surprised that this actual subject was not accepted for Success/98 I am still trying to get it on the Year 2000 Technical conferences agendas in Europe and USA. It is down for presenting at all 5 Asia/Pacific Share/Guides meetings in 2Q/98 (it takes 2 sessions). I will send you a copy for your IBM location. Ken Trowell