It is recommended that a class on TSO and ISPF, to help navigate through panels, be taken prior to the MVS Installation and SMPE class. The IBM SMPE class is a good and necessary prerequisite to the MVS install class. SMPE is similar to VSE MSHP. It provides key information on installing products and applying PTFs and is good for VSE systems programmers.

The focus of the MVS Installation class is for MVS customers installing a new version of MVS. There may be additional considerations for first time users. These needs may be addressed in customized training.

A.1.2 Custom Classes

IBM Education and Training (E&T) can help you with your training challenge by providing customized training. E&T specializes in presenting a common basic curriculum to a mixed audience of operators, applications programmers and system programmers (OS/390 basics, how to use ISPF, JCL basics) and then splitting each audience to learn those topics specific to their job performance.

The following training on MVS fundamentals is intended for individuals skilled and experienced with the VSE environment, but new to the MVS environment. After this series of courses, the MVS professional should understand the basics required for MVS.

A customized base VSE to OS/390 training plan would include the following:

an overview of the components of OS/390

a hands-on ISPF primer

basic JCL and utilities preceded by a TSO primer

OS/390 commands

JES2 commands

DIM (Data In Memory) techniques for applications programmers

advanced OS/390 training for systems programmers

A.1.3 OEM Product Education

OEM product education must also be coordinated during the migration. Training on OEM job schedulers and report managers have become increasingly important over the last few years.

A.2 When are Courses Scheduled and When are they Needed?

It is best to schedule training close to the time the new skill is needed. Some OS/390 training is required early in the migration. An example is the specification phase, when some knowledge about OS/390 is required early in the project, to help define the target system.

It can be a waste to have the application programmers trained on TSO early in the migration. The skill is typically not needed until the system testing phase of the migration.

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IBM OS/390 manual Custom Classes, OEM Product Education, When are Courses Scheduled and When are they Needed?

OS/390 specifications

IBM OS/390, a versatile operating system, was a cornerstone in enterprise environments and played a pivotal role in mainframe computing. Released in the mid-1990s, OS/390 combined the strengths of IBM's MVS (Multiple Virtual Storage) with new features and enhancements, targeting scalability, reliability, and performance in demanding business applications.

One of the key features of OS/390 was its robust support for multiple users and processes. The system allowed thousands of concurrent users to access applications and data, ensuring high availability and minimizing downtime—a critical requirement for many large organizations. This scalability was supported through various enhancements in memory management and processor scheduling, enabling optimal resource allocation across diverse workloads.

OS/390 was known for its superior workload management capabilities. The Workload Manager (WLM) component allowed administrators to define service policies, specifying how system resources would be allocated according to the priority of tasks. This ensured that critical business processes received the necessary resources while less critical tasks were managed more flexibly.

Another significant characteristic of OS/390 was its commitment to security. The operating system provided comprehensive security features, including user authentication, data encryption, and auditing capabilities. This focus on security was vital for organizations handling sensitive data, ensuring compliance with regulations and safeguarding against unauthorized access.

OS/390 also supported advanced technologies that facilitated integration and development. The system included features like the IBM CICS (Customer Information Control System) for transaction processing and IMS (Information Management System) for database management. These technologies allowed organizations to build robust, high-performance applications tailored to specific business needs.

The ease of network integration was another strength of OS/390. With the advent of the Internet and global connectivity, OS/390 systems could easily interface with various network protocols, enabling businesses to operate in a connected world. This inclusion paved the way for many organizations to expand their capabilities and offer new services, driving digital transformation.

In conclusion, IBM OS/390 represented a significant advancement in mainframe technology, combining scalability, security, and robust workload management. Its rich feature set and support for critical enterprise applications solidified its role as a vital component of many organizations' IT infrastructures, ensuring they could meet their operational challenges head-on while supporting future growth. As technology continues to evolve, the legacy of OS/390 remains influential in the realm of computing.