IBM provides support within z/OS that allows authorized applications to query, change, and perform basic operational procedures against the installed System z hardware base. This support provides a set of high-level application program interfaces (APIs) for data exchange and command requests. The functionality, called base control program internal interface (BCPii), is delivered in the base of the operating system. This support not only allows control of the hardware that the APIs are executing on, but also extends to other System z processors within the attached process control network. This support does not require communication on an IP network for connectivity to the support element (SE)/hardware management console (HMC). Calls using the BCPii APIs can be made from either C or assembler programming languages.

The services listed below are all documented in z/OS MVS Programming: Callable Services for High-Level Languages. See that information for a complete description of the BCPii APIs as well as an overall description of how to use BCPii on the z/OS operating system.