Systems Management

FAQS™/ASO

Automation, Systems & Operations Management

Platform: z/VSE and VSEⁿ

FAQS™/ASO is the automated systems operations product for z/VSE.

FAQS™/ASO enables you to automate your system in many ways with

• Full message management and enhanced system console support
• Automated console messages
• EOJ console reporting (much more detailed than LISTLOG), which can be directed to SYSLST and/or to the SYS$ARC archive file
• AR (Attention Routine) command support
• CMS user message routing
• Hardcopy file printing, backup, and merge

FAQS™/ASO allows users to

• Create operator commands
• Modify system commands
• Hold, unhold, delete, mask, suppress, route, and reply to messages
• Secure any commands you want
• Create REXX IMODs (Intelligent Modules) to control your system
• Create REXX IMODs and REXX EXECs to communicate between VSE and VM
• Post global events for FAQS™/PCS or FAQS™/ASO
• Spool POWER or SPRI members to CICS-attached printers

FAQS™/ASO provides performance improvements for your VSE system

• Hardcopy file caching reduces I/O and system task utilization
• Fast Transient Loader (FTL) allows phases to be loaded into SYSTEM GETVIS (31-bit if available), reducing access to libraries, eliminating I/Os associated with searching libraries
• Message automation reduces delays, increasing system performance and eliminating errors

Use the FAQS™/ASO online interface for your operators, and you can specify which messages they need to see

FAQS/ASO™ provides extensive security

• Prevents users from accessing or issuing commands to the VSE system
• Reports any attempts to enter specific commands
• Reduces user access to a single command if desired
• Restricts individual users' access to specific requirements if desired

• The FAQS™/ASO Online facility provides remote console services, online debugging and fix-it facilities, job and system monitoring capabilities, and several other online system tools. These features increase the effectiveness and productivity of application programmers, system programmers, and computer operators. This facility is available as an interactive application under
• BTAM
• CICS
• ICCF
• VTAM
• VM/CMS
• Browser (CGI)

To aid in use and flexibility, FAQS™/ASO Online can be used as a command-driven system, a menu-driven system, or a combination of both. Some of the available commands are

• LVTOC—sorted VTOC display
• LSERV—label information report
• LISTIO—current logical unit assignments
• LIBLIST—current library definition chain
• LIBR—VSE libraries and members
• VSAM—VSAM catalog information, files, and records
• MSHP—online MSHP interface panels
• Display/Alter Storage and Disk Record

FAQS™/ASO Online offers the following features:

• Menu-driven panels for automation, configuration, security, and control
• Extensive help facilities, including error message display
• Extensive hardcopy file display facilities
• Partition and task debug facilities
• Interfacing with various products, such as BIM-EPIC, BIM-EDIT, and other vendors' products
• Mapping of partitions and partition GETVIS
• Direct interfacing to FAQS™/PCS
• Filters that determine which console and hardcopy file messages can be displayed
• Command and sign-on exits to allow special requirements, such as RACROUTE or LDAP, to provide additional customer-tailored security