Main Frame Course

Lesson 1 • History and Evolution of Mainframes

Traces mainframe development from early batch systems to modern z-series machines. Establishes context for why mainframes remain critical in large-scale computing.

Lesson 2 • Mainframe in the Enterprise

Examines business use cases including banking, insurance, and retail transaction processing. Demonstrates the economic and reliability rationale for mainframe adoption.

Lesson 3 • Mainframe Software Ecosystem

Surveys the layered software stack from firmware to middleware and applications. Prepares students to navigate the full software environment in later chapters.

Lesson 1 • Dataset Management and VSAM

Covers sequential, partitioned, and VSAM dataset types along with allocation and cataloguing. Enables students to create, manage, and access data correctly on z/OS.

Lesson 2 • z/OS Console and Operator Interface

Teaches use of the system console, message routing, and operator commands. Connects console skills to daily system monitoring and incident response.

Lesson 3 • Storage Management with SMS

Introduces System Managed Storage policies for automatic dataset placement and migration. Builds skills for efficient storage administration in production environments.

Lesson 4 • z/OS Architecture Overview

Explains the kernel, address spaces, and supervisor services that form z/OS. Anchors all subsequent system interaction skills to the OS architecture.

Lesson 1 • Job Scheduling and Output Management

Explains job class, priority, and SYSOUT routing for output control. Connects scheduling parameters to workload management and SLA compliance.

Lesson 2 • DD Statement and Data Definition

Explores DD parameters for dataset allocation, disposition, and space specification. Enables precise control over how jobs access and create datasets.

Lesson 3 • JCL Syntax and Statement Types

Covers JOB, EXEC, and DD statement syntax, parameters, and continuation rules. Provides the grammatical foundation required for all subsequent JCL work.

Lesson 4 • Procedures and Symbolic Parameters

Teaches catalogued and in-stream procedures with symbolic parameter substitution. Promotes reusable, maintainable JCL design across multiple job streams.

Lesson 1 • TSO Environment and Commands

Introduces the Time Sharing Option logon process, profile setup, and native TSO commands. Establishes the interactive session foundation for all ISPF work.

Lesson 2 • ISPF Utilities and Dataset Management

Explores ISPF utility options for dataset listing, copying, renaming, and printing. Builds practical file management skills used in daily mainframe operations.

Lesson 3 • ISPF Editor Fundamentals

Teaches line commands, primary commands, and edit macros for dataset editing. Directly supports JCL writing, program editing, and configuration file management.

Lesson 4 • SDSF Job and Output Monitoring

Demonstrates SDSF panels for viewing active jobs, held output, and system logs. Connects output monitoring to JCL debugging and production job control.

Lesson 1 • COBOL Program Structure and Divisions

Explains the four COBOL divisions, their required sections, and compilation unit rules. Provides the structural template all subsequent COBOL programs will follow.

Lesson 2 • File Handling and Sequential I/O

Teaches SELECT, FD, OPEN, READ, WRITE, and CLOSE for sequential file processing. Connects COBOL I/O verbs to JCL DD statements and dataset management.

Lesson 3 • Compiling, Linking, and Debugging COBOL

Demonstrates the compile-link-go process using JCL, compiler options, and debugging tools. Prepares students to deploy and troubleshoot COBOL programs in production.

Lesson 4 • Control Flow and Structured Logic

Covers IF, EVALUATE, PERFORM, and inline PERFORM for structured program logic. Builds maintainable, readable code patterns used in enterprise COBOL applications.

Lesson 1 • Embedded SQL and Host Variables

Teaches embedding SQL in COBOL programs using host variables and SQLCA. Connects database access to the COBOL programming skills developed in Chapter 5.

Lesson 2 • DB2 Architecture and Objects

Explains DB2 subsystem structure, buffer pools, tablespaces, and catalogue objects. Grounds all SQL and administration work in the physical DB2 environment.

Lesson 3 • DB2 Security and Authorisation

Covers GRANT, REVOKE, and DB2 privilege levels for controlling data access. Aligns database security practices with enterprise compliance requirements.

Lesson 4 • SQL Fundamentals for DB2

Covers SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and JOIN syntax with DB2-specific extensions. Enables students to retrieve and manipulate business data stored in DB2 tables.

Lesson 1 • CICS Debugging and Monitoring

Demonstrates CEDF, transaction dumps, and CICS statistics for problem diagnosis. Prepares students to resolve CICS application failures in production environments.

Lesson 2 • CICS Command-Level Programming

Introduces EXEC CICS commands for I/O, storage, and program control. Builds the command-level coding skills required for all CICS application development.

Lesson 3 • CICS Architecture and Components

Describes the CICS region, task structure, storage management, and dispatcher. Provides the architectural context needed to understand CICS program execution.

Lesson 4 • BMS Screen Design and Mapping

Teaches Basic Mapping Support macros for defining and sending terminal screens. Connects screen layout design to COBOL program data flow in CICS applications.

Lesson 1 • User and Group Administration

Covers ADDUSER, ALTUSER, CONNECT, and REMOVE commands for identity management. Enables administrators to provision and maintain user access in compliance with policy.

Lesson 2 • Dataset and Resource Protection

Teaches ADDSD, PERMIT, and general resource profile commands for access control. Connects RACF profiles to the datasets and system resources defined in earlier chapters.

Lesson 3 • SMF and Audit Logging

Introduces System Management Facilities record types for security and performance auditing. Builds skills for producing evidence of compliance and detecting anomalies.

Lesson 4 • RACF Architecture and Concepts

Explains the RACF database, profiles, and the authorisation checking process. Establishes the security model that governs all resource access on z/OS.