CA EZTEST Modernization Guide

CA EZTEST is an interactive testing and debugging tool designed for CICS COBOL, PL/1, and Assembler applications running on z/OS. It allows developers to set breakpoints, examine variables, and step through code in real-time.

CA EZTEST was originally developed by CAPEX Corporation and later acquired by CA Technologies. It provided interactive testing capabilities for mainframe applications.

CA EZTEST primarily targeted developers working on CICS applications written in COBOL, PL/1, and Assembler. It helped them identify and resolve issues during the development and testing phases.

Common commands included setting breakpoints (e.g., `B` or `BREAK`), displaying variable values (e.g., `D` or `DISPLAY`), stepping through code (e.g., `S` or `STEP`), and modifying variable values (e.g., `M` or `MODIFY`).

The basic syntax for setting a breakpoint is `B `. For example, `B 100` sets a breakpoint at line 100. To display a variable, use `D `. For example, `D WS-AMOUNT` displays the value of the variable WS-AMOUNT.

CA EZTEST typically used configuration files to define settings such as terminal characteristics and debugging options. These files were often customized for specific environments.

CA EZTEST helped reduce the time and effort required to debug CICS applications, leading to faster development cycles and improved application quality. It allowed developers to identify and fix issues early in the development process.

By providing interactive debugging capabilities, CA EZTEST enabled developers to deliver more reliable and efficient CICS applications, resulting in improved business processes and customer satisfaction.

CA EZTEST's security features primarily relied on the underlying z/OS security infrastructure, such as RACF, ACF2, or Top Secret. Access to debugging functions was typically controlled through these external security managers.

Authentication was typically handled by the z/OS security system. CA EZTEST itself did not implement its own authentication mechanisms but relied on the existing mainframe security infrastructure.

Auditing and logging capabilities were provided through the z/OS security system. CA EZTEST could generate audit records that were captured by RACF, ACF2, or Top Secret, providing a history of debugging activities.

CA EZTEST required access to CICS regions and the associated datasets containing the application code. It also needed access to the z/OS security system for authentication and authorization.

Monitoring CA EZTEST involved tracking its usage and performance within the CICS environment. This could be done using standard CICS monitoring tools and z/OS system monitoring facilities.