How do you use SMP/E commands and dialogs to perform various tasks?

1 Creating and modifying zones

Zones are logical containers that store information about the software products and elements that SMP/E manages. There are three types of zones: global, target, and distribution. The global zone contains the inventory of all the software products and elements that are installed or available for installation on the system. The target zone contains the actual software products and elements that are installed on the system. The distribution zone contains the software products and elements that are received from the vendor or developer and are ready to be installed on the system. To create and modify zones, you can use the DEFINE ZONE and MODIFY ZONE commands, or the corresponding dialogs in the ISPF interface.

2 Applying and rejecting service

Service is the term that SMP/E uses to refer to any software update or maintenance that affects the software products and elements in the zones. Service can be delivered as SYSMODs, which are packages of changes that can include fixes, enhancements, or new features. To apply and reject service, you can use the APPLY and REJECT commands, or the corresponding dialogs in the ISPF interface. Applying service means installing the SYSMODs in the target zone and updating the global zone accordingly. Rejecting service means removing the SYSMODs from the target zone and updating the global zone accordingly.

3 Generating reports

Reports are useful tools that help you monitor and verify the status and history of the software products and elements in the zones. SMP/E can generate various types of reports, such as list, exception, error, or summary reports. To generate reports, you can use the LIST, QUERY, or REPORT commands, or the corresponding dialogs in the ISPF interface. Reports can be displayed on the screen, printed, or written to a data set. You can also specify various options and filters to customize the reports according to your needs.

4 Using dialogs

Dialogs are interactive screens that provide a user-friendly way to perform SMP/E tasks without typing commands. You can access dialogs from the ISPF primary option menu by selecting option 4 for SMP/E. Dialogs are organized into panels that guide you through the steps and options for each task. You can also use the HELP function to get more information about each dialog or field.

5 Using commands

Commands are statements that instruct SMP/E to perform specific tasks. You can enter commands from the ISPF command shell by selecting option 6 from the ISPF primary option menu and prefixing the command with "SMP/E". You can also use the command input data set (SMPCMDIN) to submit commands in batch mode. Commands have a syntax that consists of a verb, an operand, and optional keywords and parameters. You can use the HELP function to get more information about each command or keyword.

6 Using SMP/E utilities

SMP/E utilities are programs that perform specialized functions that are not covered by the dialogs or commands. For example, you can use the SMP/E utilities to create or restore backup copies of the zones, to compare or synchronize the zones, or to validate or repair the zones. You can invoke SMP/E utilities from the ISPF option menu by selecting option 7 for SMP/E utilities, or from the command shell by entering "SMP/E CALL" followed by the utility name and parameters.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?