technical: How to Get System Information Without Being a Systems Programmer

How do you find out the z/OS version? Or the processor model and size, or the Sysplex or z/OS image name? Systems Programmers have a range of tools to find out this information. But if you're not a Systems Programmer, what can you do?

Almost every time I logon to a new z/OS system, I need to get information about the mainframe processor and system. Basic information such as the mainframe model number and capacity, if it is running JES2 or JES3, and systems software versions. It sounds easy to get, but unless you have access to Systems Programmer tools, it can be difficult and time consuming. It's usually easier just to ring up the local Systems Programmer and ask. But there are other ways, and we'll look at them in this article.

USS Telnet

For those logging in via a UNIX Systems Service Telnet client (or the TSO/E OMVS command), there's limited information to be gleaned. The home switch of the netstat command shows the TCP/IP home addresses. Netstat can also be called from TSO/E (NETSTAT HOME), and from the z/OS Console (D TCPIP,,NETSTAT,HOME)

M: >netstat -h
MVS TCP/IP NETSTAT CS V1R11       TCPIP Name: TCPIP           22:27:43
Home address list:
Address          Link             Flg
-------          ----             ---
172.29.122.55    OSDL             P
127.0.0.1        LOOPBACK

The sysvar command will display static z/OS symbols. There are two handy standard symbols: SYSNAME (the z/OS system name) and SYSPLEX (the name of the parallel sysplex which this z/OS belongs to).

: >sysvar SYSNAME
MVS1
: >sysvar SYSPLEX
SYSPLEX1
: >

Those willing to get into a C program have more options. z/OS provides functions to:

• Get the CPU ID (__get_cpuid())
• Get the z/OS name, version and hardware model (__osname() or uname())

z/OS Console Commands

For those with z/OS console access, there are some basic z/OS commands that can get a lot of information. The IPLINFO display command shows the z/OS release (1.11), and when the system was last IPLed (31-Jan-2011).

D IPLINFO
IEE254I  22.13.14 IPLINFO DISPLAY 565
 SYSTEM IPLED AT 16.05.31 ON 01/30/2011
 RELEASE z/OS 01.11.00    LICENSE = z/OS
 USED LOADW1 IN SYS1.IPLPARM ON 0CF3
 ARCHLVL = 2   MTLSHARE = N
 IEASYM LIST = (W1,SV,VN)
 IEASYS LIST = (00,LV,SV,VN) (OP)
 IODF DEVICE: ORIGINAL(0CF3) CURRENT(0CF3)
 IPL DEVICE: ORIGINAL(1000) CURRENT(1000) VOLUME(DISK01)

The D M=CPU command displays information about each processor.

D M=CPU
IEE174I 22.25.31 DISPLAY M 592
PROCESSOR STATUS
ID  CPU                  SERIAL
00  +                     01AD112094

CPC ND = 002094.S28.IBM.02.00000004AD11
CPC SI = 2094.722.IBM.02.000000000004AD11
         Model: S28
CPC ID = 00
                                                            
+ ONLINE    - OFFLINE    . DOES NOT EXIST    W WLM-MANAGED
N NOT AVAILABLE

CPC ND  CENTRAL PROCESSING COMPLEX NODE DESCRIPTOR
CPC SI  SYSTEM INFORMATION FROM STSI INSTRUCTION
CPC ID  CENTRAL PROCESSING COMPLEX IDENTIFIER

Hidden in this output is the model number: in this case 2094-722 (a System z9 EC). The following table shows processor models, and what they mean.

2064-xxx = z Series 900
2066-xxx = z Series 800
2084-xxx = z Series 990
2086-xxx = z Series 890
2094-xxx = System z9 EC
2096-xxx = System z9 BC
2097-xxx = System z10 EC
2098-xxx = System z10 BC
2817-xxx = zEnterprise 196

The D PROD,REG command displays registered products. This shows the version of z/OS (1.11), and we are running JES2 (1.11) and RACF.

D PROD,REG           
IFA111I 22.34.13 PROD DISPLAY 619
S OWNER            NAME             FEATURE          VERSION  ID
E IBM CORP         z/OS             z/OS             01.11.00 5694-A01
N IBM CORP         z/OS             JES2             01.11.00 5694-A01
N IBM CORP         z/OS             RACF             **.**.** 5694-A01
E IBM CORP         z/OS             RMF              **.**.** 5694-A01
E IBM CORP         z/OS             Security Server  **.**.** 5694-A01
E IBM CORP         z/OS             SDSF             **.**.** 5694-A01
E IBM CORP         z/OS             TCP/IP BASE      **.**.** 5694-A01

D XCF can show details about all systems in the parallel sysplex, including ours.

D XCF,S,ALL
IXC335I  23.03.49  DISPLAY XCF 636
SYSPLEX SYSPLEX1
SYSTEM   TYPE SERIAL LPAR STATUS TIME         SYSTEM STATUS
MVS1     2094 AD15   N/A  02/01/2011 23:03:49 ACTIVE         TM=SIMETR
                                                                        
SYSTEM STATUS DETECTION PARTITIONING PROTOCOL CONNECTION EXCEPTIONS:
  OPERATING AS VM GUEST

We can see that we are running as a z/VM guest on a 2094 processor. Our system name is MVS1, and there are no other systems in this sysplex.

ISPF

The IBM supplied ISPF front panel quickly shows the z/OS system name:

  Menu  Utilities  Compilers  Options  Status  Help
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                           ISPF Primary Option Menu
Option ===>
                                           More:     +
0  Settings     Terminal and user parameters       User ID . : DAVIDS
1  View         Display source data or listings    Time. . . : 22:08
2  Edit         Create or change source data       Terminal. : 3278
3  Utilities    Perform utility functions          Screen. . : 1
4  Foreground   Interactive language processing    Language. : ENGLISH
5  Batch        Submit job for language processing Appl ID . : ISR
6  Command      Enter TSO or Workstation commands  TSO logon : DBPROC9G
7  Dialog Test  Perform dialog testing             TSO prefix: DAVIDS
8  LM Facility  Library administrator functions    System ID : MVS1
9  IBM Products IBM program development products   MVS acct. : FB3
10 SCLM         SW Configuration Library Manager   Release . : ISPF 6.1
11 Workplace    ISPF Object/Action Workplace

Unfortunately, the ISPF version number is shown rather than the z/OS release. The following table shows how this relates to the z/OS version.

RACF DSMON

Users with access to the RACF DSMON reporting utility can quickly get basic system information from the System Report that is always produced when using DSMON:

         S Y S T E M     R E P O R T 
CPU-ID 					116622 
CPU MODEL 				2094 
OPERATING SYSTEM/LEVEL 	z/OS 1.10.0 HBB7750
SYSTEM RESIDENCE VOLUME 	VOL001 
SMF-ID 					MVS1
RACF FMID HRF7705 IS ACTIVE 

The SMF-ID is the name of the z/OS image – MVS1 in this case.

Other Options

The bottom line is that there aren't many options to get basic processor and system information if you are not a Systems Programmer. Because of these difficulties, other solutions have been developed:

• The lpinfo REXX in Longpela Expertise's Tools and Samples section is a simple REXX script to display basic information. Any TSO/E user can use this script: simply load it into a dataset and call it from TSO/E using the exec command (eg. Exec 'MY.DATASET(LPINFO)')
• A more comprehensive REXX script has been created by Mark Zelden.
• TASID is a free ISPF utility to show a wealth of z/OS information. It is available free from the IBM website, but must be installed by the Systems Programmer.
• SHOWMVS is a famous program by Gilbert St Flour, and can be downloaded free from the CBT website. Although it provides more information when installed by a Systems Programmer, users without administrator access can run this program to get basic information.
• For those willing to get their hands dirty, z/OS Control blocks have a lot of information. The Control Blocks for Beginners Part 2 article has examples in most high level languages.

David Stephens

LongEx Quarterly is a quarterly eZine produced by Longpela Expertise. It provides Mainframe articles for management and technical experts. It is published every November, February, May and August.

The opinions in this article are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of any other person or organisation. All trademarks, trade names, service marks and logos referenced in these articles belong to their respective companies.

Although Longpela Expertise may be paid by organisations reprinting our articles, all articles are independent. Longpela Expertise has not been paid money by any vendor or company to write any articles appearing in our e-zine.