Visara Master Console Center Operations Guide - Manual (Page 71)

Operations Guide 71
Appendix B MVS Mainframe Console Operation
Basics
Operating MVS system consoles in a MCC environment are no different than operating MVS
system consoles in a non-MCC environment. However, a review of common commands used to
control consoles is provided here, since MCC consoles frequently include “extra” consoles not
necessarily seen in typical MVS console configurations.
Basic VARY Options
As with any MVS console, customer site personnel assign addresses, update MVSCP/HCD, and
update the CONSOLxx member of PARMLIB for MCC consoles just as they do for standard
327x consoles. MCC administrators must inform operators of the assigned addresses and
operational procedures (if they vary from standard console operational procedures), so that the
consoles can be properly managed by operations personnel or automation routines.
Most MVS systems utilizing the MCC will have “printer” consoles assigned. A physical printer
console does not have a keyboard, and therefore may be designated as an OUTPUT ONLY
device. OUTPUT ONLY console device commands are preceded by “O-” (that is the letter O
followed by a dash). For example, to vary a standard (keyboard-attached console) online, the
user normally enters:
V xxx,ONLINE (use this format for I/O consoles)
If the device in question is an OUTPUT ONLY device, the user must enter:
V O-xxx,ONLINE (use this format for OUTPUT ONLY consoles)
If unsure, try entering the first format of the command; if it does not work, try the second format.
The same applies to OFFLINE commands:
V xxx,OFFLINE (use this format for devices to be used as I/O consoles)
V O-xxx,OFFLINE (use this format for OUTPUT ONLY devices to be used as consoles)
MVS defined consoles (see SYS1.PARMLIB member CONSOLxx) are not active as consoles
until they are “varied” into console status. Varying a console ONLINE does not make a
SYS1.PARMLIB defined (see member CONSOLxx) console recognizable to MVS as a console.
To do this requires another form of vary command, which should only be issued after the device
is ONLINE to MVS, as follows:
V xxx,CONSOLE (use this format for I/O consoles)
V O-xxx,CONSOLE (use this format for OUTPUT ONLY consoles)
The commands above should be issued once the device is in the ONLINE status. MVS takes care
of this during IPL, but console manipulation after IPL requires manual (or automated) commands
(as previously shown).
Also, certain error situations require additional MVS console commands. The following are
some commands that are most useful for operations: