Set up the external scheduler interface using WebSphere MQ

We can install and configure the batch high performance external scheduler connector. This connector is the native WSGrid connector that is implemented in a native compiled language and that uses WebSphere MQ for communication.

The benefit of native WSGrid is twofold:

1. It makes more efficient use of z/OS system processors by preventing the need for JVM startup processing on each use.

2. It uses the most robust messaging service available on z/OS to ensure reliable operation with a messaging service already known and used by most z/OS customers.

The authenticated user ID of the environment that starts WSGRID is propagated to the batch job scheduler. The resulting batch job runs by using that user ID. This user ID must also have sufficient WebSphere privileges to submit batch jobs, that is, lradmin or lrsubmitter roles. For example, if JCL job WSGRID1 is submitted to run under technical user ID TECH1, the resultant batch job also runs under user ID TECH1. User ID TECH1 must be permitted to get and put to and from the WebSphere MQ input and output queues used by WSGRID.

1. Define WebSphere MQ queues.

   Queue manager must be local. Two queues are required: one for input, one for output. We can name the queues according to the naming conventions. As an example, the name WASIQ is used for input queues and the name WASOQ is used for output queues. The queues must be set in shared mode.

2. Update the MQ_INSTALL_ROOT WebSphere variable.

   1. In the console, click Environment > WebSphere variables.

   2. Select the node scope where the job scheduler runs.

   3. Select MQ_INSTALL_ROOT .

   4. For Value, put in the directory path to where WebSphere MQ is installed.

      For example, Value can be /USR/lpp/mqm/V6R0M0.

   5. Click Apply and save the changes.

3. Run osgiCfgInit.sh|.bat -all for each server whose MQ_INSTALL_ROOT WebSphere variable you updated in a previous step.

   The osgiCfgInit command resets the class cache that the OSGi runtime environment uses.

4. Create the WSGRID load module:

   1. Locate the unpack script in the app_server_root/bin directory.

      The unpackWSGRID script is a REXX script.

   2. Perform an unpack using the unpackWSGrid script. To display the command options, issue the unpackWSGRID script with no input: unpackWSGRID <was_home> [<hlq>] [<work_dir>] [<batch>] [<debug>]

      <was_home>

      Required WebSphere Application Server home directory.

      <hlq>

      Specifies the optional high-level qualifier of output data sets. The default value is <user id>.

      <work_dir>

      Specifies the optional working directory. The default is /tmp.

      <batch>

      Specifies the optional run mode for this script. Specify batch or interactive. The default is interactive.

      <debug>

      Specifies the optional debug mode. Specify debug or nodebug. The default is nodebug.

      /u/USER26> unpackWSGRID /WebSphere/ND/AppServer

      Sample output:

      Unpack WSGRID with values:
      WAS_HOME=/WebSphere/ND/AppServer
      HLQ =USER26
      WORK_DIR=/tmp
      BATCH =INTERACTIVE
      DEBUG =NODEBUG
      Continue? (Y|N)
      Y
      User response: Y
      Unzip /WebSphere/ND/AppServer/bin/cg.load.xmi.zip
      extracted: cg.load.xmi
      Move cg.load.xmi to /tmp
      Delete old dataset 'USER26.CG.LOAD.XMI'
      Allocate new dataset 'USER26.CG.LOAD.XMI'
      Copy USS file /tmp/cg.load.xmi to dataset 'USER26.CG.LOAD.XMI'
      Delete USS file /tmp/cg.load.xmi
      Delete old dataset 'USER26.CG.LOAD'
      Go to TSO and issue RECEIVE INDSN('USER26.CG.LOAD.XMI') to create CG.LOAD

   3. Go to TSO, ISPF, option 6 - Command, and do a receive operation.

      For example:

      RECEIVE INDSN('USER26.CG.LOAD.XMI')

      The following output is the result:

      Dataset BBUILD.CG.LOAD from BBUILD on PLPSC
      The incoming data set is a 'PROGRAM LIBRARY'
      Enter restore parameters or 'DELETE' or 'END' +

      Click Enter to end. Output similar to the following output is displayed.

      IEB1135I IEBCOPY FMID HDZ11K0 SERVICE LEVEL UA4
      07.00 z/OS   01.07.00 HBB7720  CPU 2097
      IEB1035I USER26   WASDB2V8 WASDB2V8   17:12:15 MON
      COPY INDD=((SYS00006,R)),OUTDD=SYS00005
      IEB1013I COPYING FROM PDSU  INDD=SYS00006 VOL=CPD
      USER26.R0100122
      IEB1014I
      IGW01551I MEMBER WSGRID HAS BEEN LOADED
      IGW01550I 1 OF 1 MEMBERS WERE LOADED
      IEB147I END OF JOB - 0 WAS HIGHEST SEVERITY CODE
      Restore successful to dataset 'USER26.CG.LOAD'
      ***

5. Restart the servers that you just configured. Also, restart the node agents.

Results

You have configured an external job scheduler interface.

What to do next

Submit a job from the external job scheduler interface to batch.

Related tasks

Integrate batch features in z/OS operating systems

Submitting jobs from an external job scheduler

WSGrid job template