Skip to main content
Version: v2.18.x LTS

Zowe z/OS components installation checklist

Zowe z/OS components installation checklist

Use this checklist to guide you through the installation and configuration of Zowe server-side components for z/OS.

Preparing for installation

TaskResultsTime Estimate
Review the Zowe server-side installation overviewKnowledge about the basic installation stages and the roles and responsibilities to perform the installation25 minutes
Prepare for installationKnowledge about the key-concepts in server-side installation25 minutes
Address pre-installation requirementsThe following pre-installation requirements are addressed:
    * z/OS
    * Node.js
    * security
    * USS
    * storage
    * network
    * z/OSMF
      (recommended for full functionality)
    * z/OSMF HA
      (required for production)
1 day

Installing the Zowe z/OS runtime

Choose from the following installation options to install Zowe server-side components for z/OS.

TaskResultsTime Estimate
Option 1: Install Zowe with SMP/E
(Optionally install via Server Install Wizard)

Option 2: Install Zowe with z/OSMF from a portable software instance

Option 3: Install Zowe SMP/E build with z/OSMF workflow

Option 4: Install Zowe via a convenience build (PAX file)
(Optionally install via Server Install Wizard)
Executables and binaries are unpaxed on the mainframe1 hour

Configuring Zowe z/OS Components

Choose the following options to initialize Zowe z/OS runtime:

TaskResultsTime Estimate
Option 1: Configure Zowe with zwe init

Option 2: Configure Zowe with z/OSMF workflows

Option 3: Configure Zowe with JCL
* All datasets are created and populated.
* Started tasks are copied to system libraries.

Important: Security administrator permissions are required for some zwe init sub-commands to pass.
1 hour

Configuring security

Configure Zowe and your z/OS system to run Zowe with z/OS.

TaskResultsTime Estimate
Review Configuring securityKnowledge about which tasks need to be performed by the security administrator.10 minutes
Initialize Zowe security configurationsThe JCL member to configure the z/OS system is created.10 minutes
Perform APF authorization of load librariesAPF authorization is granted to load libraries.10 minutes
Address z/OS requirements for ZoweYour z/OS and security product are configured.2 hours
Assign security permissions to usersZowe user is created and is assigned all required permissions.30 minutes

Configuring certificates

Zowe is able to use PKCS12 certificates or certificates held in a z/OS Keyring.

TaskResultsTime Estimate
Read the article Zowe certificate configuration overview. Then use one of the following options:

Option 1: Choose the certificate configuration scenario that best applies to your use case, and follow the configuration procedure and scenario template.

Option 2: Set up Zowe certificates using workflows
Your certificates are configured and stored securely.2 hours

Configuring the Zowe cross memory server (ZIS)

The Zowe cross memory server (ZIS) provides privileged cross-memory services to the Zowe Desktop and runs as an APF-authorized program.

note

To start Zowe without the desktop (for example to launch just the API Mediation Layer), you do not need to install and configure the cross memory server and can skip this step.

TaskResultsTime Estimate
Configure the Zowe cross memory server (ZIS)* JCL member ZWESISTC is copied from SZWESAMP installation PDS to a PDS on the JES concatenation path.
* The PDSE Load Library SZWEAUTH is APF-authorized, or the load module ZWESIS01 is copied to an existing APF Auth LoadLib.
* The JCL member ZWESISTC DD statements are updated to point to the location of ZWESIS01 and ZWESIP00.
30 minutes

Configuring High Availability (optional)

You can configure your system to enable HA. This configuration is not required to run a single instance of Zowe.

TaskResultsTime Estimate
Configure Sysplex for high availabilityThe Parallel Sysplex environment is set up.30 minutes
Configure z/OSMF for high availability in SysplexThe z/OSMF server is set up to provide continuous availability of REST services.30 minutes
Configure the Caching Service for HAState data persistent in HA mode is centralized.30 minutes
Define the haInstances section in your zowe.yamlA dedicated section for haInstances is created in your zowe.yaml file.30 minutes

Starting and Stopping Zowe

Start/Stop StepTaskResultsTime Estimate
Start and stop the cross memory server ZWESISTC on z/OSThe ZWESISTC task starts and stops the ZWESASTC task as neededThe cross memory server is run as a started task from the JCL in the PROCLIB member ZWESISTC5 minutes
Start and stop the Zowe main server ZWESLSTC on z/OSOption 1: Use zwe to start and stop the main Zowe server

Option 2: Manually start and stop the Zowe main server ZWESLSTC
You started or stopped Zowe main server ZWESLSTC on z/OS with zwe or manually20 minutes

Verifying Zowe installation on z/OS

Verification StepTaskResultsTime Estimate
Verify Zowe Application Framework installationOpen the Zowe Desktop from a supported browserYou should be able to open the Zowe Desktop from a supported browser.20 minutes
Verify API Mediation installationUse a REST API client to review the value of the status variable of the API Catalog service routed through the API GatewaySee the example presented in Verify API Mediation installation15 minutes
Verify z/OS Services installationZowe z/OS services usually are registered with Zowe APIML DiscoveryYou should see JSON format data of all jobs running on the system15 minutes