Accommodate the SETLOAD xx,IEASYM command to update system symbols without initiating an IPL

Description: Before z/OS V2R1, the downloadable SYMUPDTE routine and the IEASYMUP module in SYS1.SAMPLIB were provided as mechanisms to update system symbols without initiating an IPL. Starting with z/OS V2R1, the SETLOAD xx,IEASYM command is available to perform this task. In z/OS V2R1, the IEASYMUP module in SAMPLIB is updated to return with a RC=X'FFF', not having done the requested function. However, unless this IEASYMUP module is rebound, there is no way to prevent the usage of an old copy, or detect an update because of use of an old copy of the tool.

In z/OS V2R1 you should stop using the downloadable SYMUPDTE routine or the IEASYMUP module from samplib in your earlier release. Note that use of SYMUPDTE or IEASYMUP might produce incorrect results when used in conjunction with the SETLOAD xx,IEASYM command. The SYS1.LINKLIB program IEASYMU2 is instead provided via APAR OA42569 as a replacement for the function provided by IEASYMUP / SYMUPDTE on previous z/OS releases. IEASYMU2 is a supported program in z/OS, and has considerations when used with SETLOAD xx, IEASYM.

Element or feature:

BCP.

When change was introduced:

z/OS V2R1.

Applies to migration from:

z/OS V1R13 and z/OS V1R12.

Timing:

After the first IPL of z/OS V2R1.

Is the migration action required?

Yes, if you are currently using the IEASYMUP module provided in SYS1.SAMPLIB or the SYMUPDTE routine to update system symbols.

Target system hardware requirements:

None.

Target system software requirements:

None.

Other system (coexistence or fallback) requirements:

None.

Restrictions:

If you continue to use the SYMUPDTE routine or the IEASYMUP module, or if you use the IEASYMU2 program, system symbols will be updated and the system will continue to function properly until the SETLOAD xx,IEASYM command is used. Once SETLOAD xx,IEASYM has been issued, updates introduced by those other programs will be lost. You may continue to use the IEASYMU2 program again, even after a SETLOAD xx,IEASYM has been issued, but the same considerations will be in effect.

System impacts:

Note:

Updates to the system symbol table through the SETLOAD xx,IEASYM command will occur only on the system issuing the command.
When a SETLOAD command is issued and fails, messages issued by IEFPRMLB (logical parmlib service) that contain jobname and stepname will contain the master jobname and stepname of the last step that ran under master because the SETLOAD command runs under master but does not run as its own step. In this case, the error is related to the SETLOAD processing and NOT the step whose name appears in the message.

Related IBM Health Checker for z/OS check:

SUP_SYSTEM_SYMBOL_TABLE_SIZE. This code checks if the size of the static system symbol table has exceeded the threshold. This check is initially run once and is also run when the SETLOAD xx,IEASYM command is successfully processed.

Steps to take: Follow these steps:

Rebind the IEASYMUP module from the z/OS V2R1 SAMPLIB to disable the code or simply remove it from LINKLIB or your LNKLST library.
If you have used the downloadable SYMUPDTE routine, remove it from your LINKLIB or your LNKLST library. Begin using SETLOAD xx,IEASYM command instead of these obsolete modules. Or change your JCL to use IEASYMU2 instead of IEASYMUP (and remove any joblib/steplib specification). IEASYMU2 verifies access through the same profile of IEASYMUP.* in the FACILITY class that IEASYMUP did, so there are no security definition changes from using IEASYMUP to IEASYMU2.

Reference information: The "SETLOAD command" in z/OS MVS System Commands and "System Symbols" in z/OS MVS Initialization and Tuning Reference