Customization overview

TSO/E customization is the process whereby you tailor TSO/E functions to fit the specific needs of your installation. To tailor a TSO/E function, you might make a change or addition to TSO/E itself or to some other related IBM® product or z/OS element, such as the Advanced Communications Function for VTAM® (Virtual Telecommunications Access Method).

Some customization is required before you can use TSO/E, but most is optional. If you elect not to do optional customization on a specific TSO/E function, that function then works according to IBM-provided defaults. If TSO/E is new to your installation, you initially might want to do a minimum amount of optional customization. Your users can then use TSO/E, and you can do additional customization only when inadequate TSO/E performance or reduced TSO/E capabilities indicate the need to do so.

There are a number of ways for you to customize TSO/E and the processing of jobs submitted through TSO/E. TSO/E itself provides exits for which you can write exit routines, initialization values you can change, macros you can use, and procedures you can change. Each of the following z/OS elements and products interact with TSO/E. They provide interfaces that you can use to customize the way TSO/E and the element work together. The elements are:

MVS™
DFSMSdfp
ISPF/PDF
Job Entry Subsystems (JES2 and JES3)
Security Server RACF®
VTAM
PSF for z/OS®

The customization facilities discussed in this document are summarized in several places. For a description of the TSO/E macros, see Macro syntax. For a brief description of TSO/E exits, see Writing exit routines. For a list of the other customization facilities, see Overview of facilities for customizing TSO/E.