Specifying systems and system groups in the SMS complex

You can add, delete, or rename the systems or system groups defined to an SMS complex using page 2 of the SCDS Base Define panel.

A Parallel Sysplex® is a collection of systems linked by closely coupled hardware facilities to process workloads. In SMS, the term system group is used instead of Parallel Sysplex. SMS system group name support allows you to specify a system group as a member of an SMS complex. A system group consists of system names within a Parallel Sysplex, excluding those systems that are individually specified in the SMS base configuration. A system group name can represent multiple systems. This allows SMS to support more than eight systems per SMS complex while retaining the existing configuration format of the configuration data set.

A system group name matches a Parallel Sysplex name and refers to all systems defined as part of the Parallel Sysplex that are:

Running the same SMS configuration
Defined in the configuration using the name of the Parallel Sysplex to which they belong (that is, system group)
NOT defined in the configuration by their system names

For a discussion on running SMS in a Parallel Sysplex and special considerations to observe, see Running SMS in a parallel sysplex environment.

On the SCDS Base Define panel, the System Name and Sys Group fields display the systems or system groups that you have previously defined. The system or group names appear in alphabetical order. You must add at least one system name or system group name to a base configuration before you can save it in the SCDS, and you can define up to 32 system names, system group names, or both, to the SMS complex.

The system name must match the value of the SYSNAME parameter in the IEASYSyy member of the SYS1.PARMLIB used on that system. The system group name must match the value of the SYSPLEX parameter in the COUPLExx (XCF) member of the SYS1.PARMLIB used on that system.

To add a system name or a system group to the SCDS base configuration:
Choose option 1, Add, and enter the system name in the System Name field or system group name in the Sys Group Name field. Press Enter to add the system.

Restriction: In a JES3 environment, system group name is not supported due to the fact that the system features and resources that are used to determine on which eligible system a job will be run are only applicable to each system, not to a system group.
To delete a system or a system group from the base configuration:
Choose option 2, Delete, and enter the system name in the System Name field or enter the system group name in the Sys Group Name field. Press Enter to delete the system or system group name from the SCDS. You are asked to confirm that you want the system or system group deleted before it is deleted.
To rename a system or a system group in a base configuration:
Choose option 3, Rename, enter the current name of the system in the System Name or Sys Group Name field, and enter the new name of the system in the New System/Sys Group Name field. Press Enter to rename the system or system group.

Tip: The Rename option cannot be used to change the type of name. To change a system to a system group, or a system group to a system, you must delete the name, then add it as the desired type.

See Recovering from a systems failure in the SMS complex for information on recovering from a systems failure in the SMS complex.