Questions concerning the SESSIONS facility of VM:Operator

Products

• Mainframe VM Product Manager
• VM:Manager Suite for Linux on Mainframe
• VM:Manager Suite for z/VM
• VM SUITE
• VM:Operator

Issue/Introduction

Questions that arise as customers start putting in SESSIONS.

Resolution

Can VM:Operator on VM1 have a window that displays the OPERATOR ID logged onto VM2?

Answer: Not 'technically' a window but rather a Session. A Session is a logical device that is displayed on a VM:Operatorconsole. It is possible to switch a console between normal VM:Operator windows and logical device sessions without losing information (ormessages) from either. Both the sessions and the windows can be updated while not being viewed on a VM:Operator console (something that distinguishes VM:Operator sessions from most logical device session managers).

Does OPERATOR on VM2 have to be running VM:Operator?

Answer: No, not if using a SESSION to access VM2.

Does VM2 have to be on the same mainframe as VM1?

Answer: No, there only needs to be networking capabilities in place toallow a local 3270 on VM1 to logon to, or otherwise access VM2.

Is RSCS required on VM1 and VM2?

Answer: No, RSCS has nothing to do with sessions. However, RSCS isrequired for HOST/NODE support which facilitates the routing of messages and issuing of line mode commands between VM:Operator systems. Note:the next release of VM:Operator will make many changes in the area of Remote VM:Operator Support.

Are there restrictions?

Answer: Only in the sense that you must have some sort of networking software to allow a local 3270 (which is what a session is in
VM:Operator) to access another system. When Session support was added 22 years ago the only software that could do that on VM was Passthru. A fewyears later VTAM was added. Using a session you could directly dial theVTAM server and then directly get to the network. With IP networking there are other ways of doing this which might involve logging on to alocal CMS virtual machine to run a program that acts as a TN3270 client. As an example, on an IP only network, ie. no VTAM, no PVM,each OPERATOR id is a local 3270 session to its LPAR via Secure TN3270 over a 9074 connection, running a client application. Logon to VM1 and start a telnet session to VM2. If you can ping the VM, you could telnet into it. (if the telnet port is open) and no firewall issues.

How do you get a telenet session started?

Answer:

1. 1. go to a SESSION
   2. logon to a VM1 CMS userid
   3. TELNET to VM2
   4. logon on to a VM2 CMS userid
   5. ta-daaaa