Configuring a CICS system connection

Before you can view any information, you must establish a connection between CICS Explorer® and your CICS® systems by providing details about the system connection, its location, and its authentication requirements. By default, CICS Explorer attempts to connect using the SSL protocol. If the SSL connection is not successful, the connection is reattempted without SSL.

Before you begin

If you are connecting to a CICS TS version 3 system, you must connect to a CICSPlex SM WUI server using the CICSPlex® SM Data Interface read-only connection.

If you are connecting to a CICS version 4 or later system you can connect either to a CICSPlex SM WUI server using the CICSPlex SM Data Interface read-only connection, or, if you want update capability, you can use the CICS management client interface (CMCI) connection. If you are using the CMCI connection, the CICS system must be set up to use CMCI. See Setting up the CICS management client interface in the CICS information center for instructions on how to do this.

If you are connecting to a CICS TS for VSE/ESA 1.1.1 system, you can use the CICS management client interface (CMCI) read-only connection.

If CICS Explorer is not configured, or you want to add a connection, perform these steps:

Procedure

  1. On the workbench menu bar click Window > Manage Connections. The Host Connections view is displayed.

    If your connections are preconfigured, you see the connections listed under the categories in the view. If not, the categories are empty. The following example screen shows the Host Connections view with one connection defined in each category type. Each connection is associated with a credential, with the exception of the z/OS FTP connection. The credential is shown in brackets after the connection name.

    Host Connections view showing the Host Connections view with one connection defined in each category type. Each connection is associated with a credential, with the exception of the z/OS FTP connection. The credential is shown in brackets after the connection name.

  2. In the Connections section select the required category under CICS System Management, and click Add. The Add Connection window opens. The following example shows the Add CICS Management Interface Connection window.
    A screen capture showing the Add CICS Management interface Connection window.
  3. In the Host name field enter the TCP/IP host name of your server . As you type, the characters up to the end of the first qualifier are inserted in the Name field. So if your host name is myserver.example.ibm.com then the name would display as myserver.
  4. Enter the port number. As you type, the port number is also appended to the Name field, so the name is displayed as something like myserver:20332.
  5. Optional: You can specify a different name by overtyping the name in the Name field.
  6. Click OK to save the connection. The connection is saved and is displayed in the Host Connections view.
  7. Optional: You can choose to associate a credential with the connection at this time. Right-click the connection name and hover over Set Credentials to show the credentials available. Click the credential you want to use for the connection.

Results

The connection and associated credential are displayed in the Host Connections view.

What to do next

You can now connect to the system by right-clicking the connection name and clicking Connect. Alternatively, select the connection name and click the Connect button. If the connection is not already associated with a credential, you can choose an existing credential or create one at this time.