Phoenix Software International
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Phoenix Software Product Releases: September 2024

The JES3^plus® Client Advisory Council does it again! Providing the Phoenix Software development team with the guidance necessary to provide enhancements that bring real value to their organizations.

With z/OS 3.1 being the first version of z/OS to no longer offer IBM JES3, clients looking to continue with the JES3 technology should be happy with the continued direction of JES3^plus. Not only is Team JES3^plus committed to the technology and continuing to move it forward, so are our clients and particularly the JCAC.

“We feel very fortunate to have such a fantastic group of committed individuals helping set our JES3^plus development priorities," said Ed Jaffe, Chief Technology Officer at Phoenix Software International. "Without them, we would be essentially guessing about the relative value of the various projects on which our developers could be working."

The Phoenix Team is also proud to announce it is bringing a new Java-based product to z/OS. Entrypoint® is a suite of easy-to-use tools, previously available under Windows and Linux only, for developing custom applications with graphical user interfaces. It includes an intuitive graphical development environment, a wide array of built-in validation, editing, and export options, and a Web Services API and Java-based SDK for extending its core functionality as needed. Entrypoint on z/OS can help eliminate cross-platform data movement, strengthen the security characteristics of your workflow, and leverage the stability, performance, and scalability inherent in the mainframe to create mission-critical applications. And, because Entrypoint is a Java-based product, bringing it to z/OS incurs no additional software charges.

JES3^plus V1R4

Enhancement Highlights:

• WLM Batch Initiator AI Support, with functionality equivalent to what’s included in z/OS 3.1 JES2.
• Modify Job SSI (SSI 85). This SSI was added by IBM in z/OS 2.1 with support for JES2 only. It is used by z/OSMF and other products to cancel and change job attributes without reliance upon the CIM (Common Information Model) server. The JES3 technology does not contain a superset of all JES2 functions/attributes and vice versa. Where equivalent functions/attributes do exist, JES3^plus now supports the appropriate SSI 85 actions.
• The SPIN= JCL keyword is now fully supported for all SYSOUT DDs. Previously, this capability was supported for JES log data sets only. The SEGMENT= JCL keyword was added at the same time.
• Dynamic Duplicate Logon Change. This enhancement makes it easier for JES3^plus clients to make the configuration adjustments recommended by IBM for a successful z/OSMF implementation.
• The JOBRC= JCL keyword is now recognized and supported consistent with z/OS JES2.
• Most dynamic job class changes are now checkpointed. Previously, these changes were lost over a JES3 restart. This behavior was both surprising and frustrating for our clients.

(E)JES^® V6R4

A command activated license, a new Memory Contents display with related enhancements throughout the product, new columns on existing tabular displays, and new installation options that can replace the need for common modifications, serve to improve the (E)JES experience for both End Users and Administrators. Despite not having a formal advisory council, our developers continue to look for ways to honor client requests in each and every new release.

Entrypoint—Available Q4

Functional Highlights:

• Browser based and desktop-based end user front end
• Extendable Java architecture
• JavaScript logic for customization within applications
• Intuitive graphical development interface
• WS-API
• Software Developer Kit (SDK)
• SAF available for system access
• Role based in-platform security
• RACF certificates for leveraging SSL/TLS
• System Integration Services (SIS) extensions (equivalent to User Exits) — bundled with the product or build your own leveraging the SDK

Phoenix Software Product Releases: September 2024

Product downloads are available to customers via the Phoenix Software International Support portal.
Visit: https://phoenixsoftware.com/support.htm#downloads.

New product releases include:

• (E)JES V6R4
• CONDOR^® z/OS 26.4 z/VSE 32.4
• CYGNET^® z/OS 26.4 z/VSE 32.4
• Entrypoint 16.5
• FALCON^® z/OS 26.4 z/VSE 32.4
• JES3^plus V1R4
• PHX-BDT^® V1R4