Common terminology for Datacom/DB and Datacom/AD

Products

• Datacom
• DATACOM - AD
• COMMON SERVICES FOR Z/OS
• Common Services
• Datacom/DB

Issue/Introduction

Datacom/AD and Datacom/DB have some specific terms to describe the components and the processing of the software. What is the meaning and usage of some of the more common terms?

Environment

Component: CA90S

Resolution

Common Datacom terminology:

MUF	The MUF (Multi-User Facility) is the manager of the system. It receives a request from the application and determines how it should be processed. It coordinates the activities that must take place to service the request. The MUF runs in a separate region in the z/OS and z/VSE environments. The required space for the MUF region varies according to the MUF startup options.
CXX	Is similar to the OS CATALOG, and holds information about all the databases in the Multi-User Facility (MUF)
Area	Is like an OS DATASET and is the smallest unit of data that is accessed by physical open, read and write functions
LXX/RXX	Contain logging and recovery information, like SMF records file update information
PXX	Is like SYS1.DUMP in that it holds dump and control block information for failed tasks
Task	Is a work area in the MUF to process a logical unit of work, like the z/OS INITIATOR
URT	Manages which database tables are accessed and how, just as JCL manages files, for a particular program
COMM STATUS	Asks the MUF to tell what is happening "right now," just as D A shows all the jobs running in the system
COMM EOJ	Is a command to stop the MUF, similar to the P jobname command
COMM SNAP	Is similar to the DUMP jobname command, but specific to the MUF
RUNUNIT	Identifies a particular unit of work, just as the JES # identifies the job or task