Further Reading — Chapter 31: Operational Automation

IBM Documentation

REXX on z/OS

• TSO/E REXX Reference (SA32-0972) — The definitive REXX language reference for z/OS. Essential for OUTTRAP, LISTDSI, SYSVAR, and all TSO/REXX-specific functions. Keep this bookmarked.
• TSO/E REXX User's Guide (SA32-0982) — Practical guide to writing REXX execs under TSO. Covers host command environments, ISPF service calls, and batch REXX execution.
• DB2 for z/OS: REXX Reference (SC19-4768) — Complete documentation for the DSNREXX interface. Covers CONNECT, EXECSQL, cursor processing, and error handling for REXX-DB2 integration.
• ISPF Services Guide (SC19-3626) — Documentation for ISPF services accessible from REXX: table services, file tailoring, panel display, and variable services.

JCL and Procedures

• z/OS MVS JCL Reference (SA23-1385) — The JCL bible. Chapter on procedures covers PROC statement, symbolic parameters, nested PROCs, and JCLLIB.
• z/OS MVS JCL User's Guide (SA23-1386) — Practical JCL guidance with examples of PROC design patterns, override techniques, and parameterization strategies.

IBM System Automation for z/OS

• IBM System Automation for z/OS: Defining Automation Policy (SC34-2716) — How to define application groups, automation operators, start/stop policies, health checks, and move groups in SA z/OS.
• IBM System Automation for z/OS: Programmer's Reference (SC34-2714) — API documentation for programmatic interaction with SA z/OS. Necessary for integrating SA z/OS with custom automation.
• IBM System Automation for z/OS: Customizing and Programming (SC34-2715) — Advanced customization including user-written automation procedures and exit routines.

NetView

• Tivoli NetView for z/OS: Automation Guide (SC31-8871) — Automation table syntax, command list (CLIST) programming, and cross-system automation design.
• Tivoli NetView for z/OS: Programming Guide (SC31-8872) — NetView command processor development, message automation, and timer-based automation.

Broadcom (CA) Documentation

OPS/MVS

• OPS/MVS Event Management and Automation: User Guide — Comprehensive guide to OPS/MVS rule types (MSG, CMD, TOD, SMF, EOJ, SEC), OPS/REXX language extensions, and the OPS/MVS event engine.
• OPS/MVS Event Management and Automation: Reference Guide — Detailed reference for all OPS/MVS built-in functions, global variables, and event attributes.
• OPS/MVS Best Practices — Broadcom's recommended practices for rule design, performance tuning, and governance. Particularly useful for avoiding common pitfalls with MSG rules.

Books

• Merrill, Michael J. z/OS REXX Programming. IBM Redbooks (SG24-7821). — The best practical guide to REXX on z/OS. Covers TSO REXX, batch REXX, ISPF integration, DB2 access, and automation patterns. Written by practitioners, not language theorists.

• IBM Redbooks. System Automation for z/OS: End-to-End Automation. (SG24-6355). — Comprehensive Redbook on SA z/OS deployment. Covers policy design, application group configuration, health monitoring, and integration with Tivoli Workload Scheduler.

• IBM Redbooks. z/OS Planned Outage Avoidance Checklist. (SG24-7328). — While focused on planned outages, this Redbook contains extensive material on automation patterns for system maintenance, IPL procedures, and subsystem management.

• IBM Redbooks. Batch Modernization on z/OS. (SG24-7779). — Covers modern batch design patterns including restart/recovery, conditional processing, and integration with automation products. Essential context for self-healing batch design.

Technical Articles and White Papers

• "Operational Automation Maturity Model for z/OS" (SHARE presentation) — A five-level maturity model for assessing and improving z/OS operational automation. Provides concrete criteria for each level and a roadmap for advancement.

• "Self-Healing Systems: The Next Frontier in z/OS Operations" (IBM Systems Magazine) — Overview of self-healing concepts applied to z/OS, with case studies from banking and insurance.

• "The Economics of z/OS Automation" (Broadcom whitepaper) — ROI framework for automation investments, including labor cost models, MTTR reduction calculations, and compliance cost avoidance. Useful for building business cases.

• "REXX Automation Patterns for the Modern z/OS Shop" (SHARE proceedings) — Collection of production-proven REXX automation patterns: dataset management, job monitoring, DB2 health checking, and security auditing.

Related Standards and Frameworks

• ITIL v4: Service Operation — The ITIL framework for IT service management includes Event Management and Incident Management processes that directly align with z/OS operational automation. Understanding ITIL terminology helps communicate automation value to management.

• COBIT 2019: DSS01 (Manage Operations) — COBIT's control objectives for IT operations management, including automated monitoring, event response, and operational procedures. Relevant for organizations subject to SOX or similar regulatory frameworks.

• NIST SP 800-53: AU (Audit and Accountability), SI (System and Information Integrity) — NIST security controls that mandate automated monitoring, audit logging, and incident response. Directly applicable to automation governance requirements.

Community Resources

• SHARE Association (share.org) — The premier z/OS user group. Annual conferences include multiple sessions on automation, REXX programming, and operational best practices. Presentation archives are available to members.

• IBM-MAIN mailing list — Active community of z/OS professionals. Searchable archives contain decades of practical REXX and automation discussions.

• Planet Mainframe (planetmainframe.com) — News and articles on mainframe technology, including regular coverage of automation tools and techniques.

• Mainframe DEV (developer.ibm.com/mainframe) — IBM's developer portal for mainframe technology. Includes tutorials, code samples, and sandbox environments for testing REXX and JCL.

Connections to Other Chapters