BMC APPLICATION RESTART CONTROL for VSAM

Automate batch processing. Restart VSAM batch jobs easily.

Many organizations run a significant amount of work in batch mode, but shrinking windows shorten the time available to run batch jobs. When a batch job fails, it must be restarted at the point of failure or at the beginning of the job (after recovery of affected databases and files). It is not practical to back out everything and start from the beginning because backing out updates from can take twice as long as running the application. Nor is it practical to restart from the wrong point, then back out errors and start over again. The only way to restart at the point of failure is to ensure that the application takes periodic checkpoints of the contents of application working storage areas.

BMC solution

BMC APPLICATION RESTART CONTROL for VSAM (AR/CTL for VSAM) provides local VSAM access services for VSAM data sets that are accessed exclusively by a batch VSAM application program. AR/CTL for VSAM dynamically intercepts the VSAM requests issued by the application program and provides repositioning support. AR/CTL for VSAM can also log the VSAM changes and dynamically back out the changes made since the last completed checkpoint.

Features and benefits

• Automates batch processing cycles
• Requires no JCL or application program changes in most cases
• Provides checkpoint frequency control outside of application code - you determine the best balance between performance, restart time, and checkpoint overhead
• Supports VSAM logging and dynamic backout
• Repositions VSAM files at restart

Key differentiators

• Supports VSAM file sharing between batch applications and CICS regions
• Integrated VSAM file sharing and checkpoint restart concepts
• Supports checkpoint restart for all data sets being managed by AR/CTL for VSAM
• Integrates with BMC APPLICATION RESTART CONTROL for DB2 and BMC APPLICATION RESTART CONTROL for IMS - synchronizes native VSAM checkpoint processing with associated database processing

Related Products

• VSAM Recovery Services by Defining The Moment