Configuring a CICS CM system connection

Before you can view any information, you must establish a connection between CICS® CM plug-in and your CICS systems by providing details about the system connection, its location, and its authentication requirements.

Before you begin

You require a suitable credential, that is, a set of information that you use to authenticate the connection. See Defining connection credentials in IBM Explorer for z/OS product documentation. You must have the correct level of authorization to connect to your system, and you must be connected to your company network.
Note: System connections can now be secured by using the SSL protocol. For more information, see Using SSL security for Explorer connections, and Managing SSL security and certificates in IBM Explorer for z/OS product documentation.

If your system administrator pre-configured the CICS CM plug-in, you can view the details in the Host Connections view.

If the CICS CM plug-in is not configured, or you want to add another connection, use the following procedure.

Procedure

  1. On the workbench menu, click Window > Manage connections. The Host Connections view is displayed.
  2. From the list of connection types, select Configuration Manager, then click Add.
  3. In the Add Configuration Manager Connection window, complete the fields with the details that your system or database administrator provided:
    The Connections preferences dialog.
    Option Description
    Name The local name that you give to this database connection. Use this name to distinguish between different database connections.
    Host name The address of your Configuration Manager server.
    Port number The port that is used to access the server.
    Secure connection (TLS/SSL) Select this field if the connection uses TLS or SSL security.
    CICS Connection The CICS Connection pane is populated with the CICS connections that are available to use with this connection. The CICS CM plug-in can use the CICS connection to interrogate operation resources and the CICS CM Connection to interrogate definition resources without your intervention.
  4. Do one of the following:
    • To save the configuration and connect immediately, click Save and Connect. In the Signon window, select the user credentials that you want to associate with the connection and click OK.

      Your new connection is shown in the Host Connections view. The credential that is associated with the connection is shown in brackets after the connection name.

    • To save the configuration without connecting, click Save and Close.

      Optionally, associate a credential with the connection. Right-click the connection name, click Set Credentials to show the available credentials, then click the credential that you require.

      If you do not associate a credential with the connection at this time, you will be prompted for the credential when you start the connection.

      To start the connection later, select the connection from the list in the Host Connections view, then click Connect.

Results

If you started the connection and the connection is successful, a message is displayed in the CICS Explorer® status bar and the connection icon is green.

If the connection is not successful, an error message is displayed in the CICS Explorer status bar. Use the information in the message to check the values in the fields and correct any errors, then try to connect again.

What to do next

You can export your connections to back them up or to share them with other users. See Exporting connections in IBM Explorer for z/OS product documentation.

You can set one connection in this connection category as the default so that this connection can be used for automatic connection when you start CICS Explorer. See Connecting automatically at startup in IBM Explorer for z/OS product documentation.