John,
 We use the symbolic relate with systems symbols and then just use
SYMUPDTE to change the symbols as needed w/o IPL on each system.
DEFINE ALIAS  (NAME(SYS5.DB2.DBP0.SDSNEXIT) -                     
   SYMBOLICRELATE(SYS5.DB2.&DBPRL..&DBPSS..&DBPLV..SDSNEXIT) ) 
Dennis  

-----Original Message-----
From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of McKown, John
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 8:11 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: cascading catalog dataset aliases.

This is likely another weird idea of mine. We have a two system basic
sysplex. One system is designated as Production. The other as
Development. We also have a "sandbox" z/OS which is not in the sysplex
for sysprogs only. Our method to install a new product or release of an
existing product is: (1) install and test on sandbox; (2) install and
test on Development; (3) install and test on Production.

Now, if the product goes into the LNKLST, implementing on Development is
easy. Just update the LNKLST on Development and run. This is because we
don't use STEPLIB in this case. But not all products go on the LNKLST.
Our shop standard, which is set in stone (at least until we change
management again), is that the release level of the product must be
included in the DSN so that it is obvious. This means when we upgrade,
we do JCL changes to point to the new DSN. Well, my first thought was to
have an alias. Suppose the DSN is SYS3.SOMEPROD.V1R1M0.LINKLIB. Make an
alias called SYS3.SOMEPROD.PROD.LINKLIB which "points" to the
SYS3.SOMEPROD.V1R1M0.LINKLIB. The same for any other DSNs other than
LINKLIB. The refer to SYS3.SOMEPROD.PROD.LINKLIB in the JCL. Hum. The
problem occurs in that the SYS3 catalog is shared. So if I want to
upgrade to V1R2M0 in the Development system only, I have a problem. I
need to change the JCL for testing.

Now, the SYMBOLICRELATE alias occurred to me. That's where an ALIAS,
such as SYS3.SOMEPROD.PROD.LINKLIB can include the &SYSNAME in the
actual dataset name.

DEF ALIAS(NAME(SYS3.SOMEPROD.PROD.LINKLIB)
SYMBOLICRELATE(SYS3.SOMEPROD.SYS&SYSNAME..LINKLIB))

The problem is that I now have two versions of the same DSN. And they
don't contain the version number. So it would be nice if I could have
the above, and then do:

DEF ALIAS(NAME(SYS3.SOMEPROD.SYSDEV1.LINKLIB)
RELATE(SYS3.SOMEPROD.V1R2M0.LINKLIB))

and

DEF ALIAS(NAME(SYS3.SOMEPROD.SYSPRD1.LINKLIB)
RELATE(SYS3.SOMEPROD.V1R1M0.LINKLIB))

Then SYS3.SOMEPROD.PROD.LINKLIB would resolve to the proper DSN
dependant on the executing system. I do undertand that I could have a
different static symbolic such as &SOMEPROD on each system containing
and use the SYMBOLICRELATE using &SOMEPROD instead of SYS&SYSNAME . But
I don't know of a supported way to change the value of &SOMEPROD without
an IPL. This is on z/OS 1.10.

John McKown
Systems Engineer IV
IT

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