gtpd2m09Data Communications Services Reference


Overview of Automated Operations

What is Automated Operations?

Automated operations in TPF perform or assist in the execution of a large subset of tasks that operators traditionally perform. These tasks include monitoring and responding to messages as well as issuing commands.

Why Should You Use Automated Operations?

Automated operations yield such benefits as:

How Does Automated Operations Benefit the Operator?

Automated operations relieve the operator of many mundane day-to-day tasks. TPF system can be automated in various ways, through its console interface.

The TPF system's implementation of automated operations allows for the filtering, suppression, and reformatting of select system messages. These select system messages can then be passed to an outboard automation platform where command processors and/or command lists can interpret the message and determine the appropriate command response based upon the message received.

Operators can respond faster to situations, while being able to focus on the real problems without having to worry about extraneous information, or having to issue trivial commands. In effect, the operator can now become a specialist in a streamlined data processing environment.

Additional operator benefits include:

Message Filtering/Suppression

Message filtering allows you to suppress trivial or informational messages so that the operator only sees messages that require operator intervention and action.

Message Reformatting

Messages may be reformatted for:

Terms and Concepts You Need to Know

You should read this section to become familiar with the following terms and concepts.

Term/Concept
Definition

automated operation
In a generic sense, an automated operation is a computer program designed to assist a computer operator in the management of daily tasks. Automated operations help in the human interaction with any event coming from any system or network component.

automation procedure
A sequence of commands that can be a command list or a command processor written in a high-level language such as REXX.

command list
This is a sequential list of commands and control statements designed to perform a specific function. When the name assigned to this list is invoked as a command, the commands in the list are executed.

command processor
This is a high-level language program that is written to run under NetView. The function of this program is to perform an operation specified by a command (similar to a command list), but with much higher speed and flexibility.

external automation
When the target system is down, external automation is used to allow another computer system to perform an initial program load (IPL) and restart the target system. The TPF system is the target system being controlled.

focal point system
The controlling system where Target System Control Facility (TSCF) (5688-139) runs. (TSCF is described on page "Target System Control Facility (TSCF)".) The focal point system is an MVS system that includes the NetView program. Contrast with target system.

internal automation
A situation where automation consists of programs inside the target system. Internal automation is only valid if the target system is functioning. When the target system is down, internal automation is also down.

non-steady state
The point in time when the operating system is being restarted when normal communications facilities are not available (only primitive console operations are available). For the TPF system, this is from IPL until the system reaches NORM or computer room agent set (CRAS) state.

SNA character string
The System Network Architecture (SNA) character string (SCS) is a data stream used by logical unit (LU) type 1 sessions. This data stream consists of EBCDIC control characters optionally mixed with end user data.

steady state
Normal system operations, along with full communication facilities running. This is when message volumes may require a high-performance communications link to the focal point.

target system
This is the computer system being monitored and controlled. In our scheme of things, the target system is the TPF system.

Terminal Access Facility
The Terminal Access Facility (TAF) is an option of NetView that allows a NetView operator to emulate a CICS, TSO/E, or IMS SNA LU type 1 or type 2 terminal.