Controlled z/OS® systems

An agent is required for every controlled z/OS® system in a configuration. This includes, for example, local controlled systems within shared DASD or sysplex configurations.

The agent runs as a z/OS® subsystem and interfaces with the operating system (through JES2 or JES3, and SMF), using the subsystem interface and the operating system exits. The agent monitors and logs the status of work, and passes the status information to the engine via shared DASD, XCF, or ACF/VTAM®.

You can use z/OS® and cross-system coupling facility (XCF) to connect your local z/OS® systems. Instead of being passed to the controlling system using shared DASD, work status information is passed directly through XCF connections. XCF lets you use all the production-workload-restart facilities and its hot standby function. See Automatic recovery and restart.