VISUALjob EPD Modernization Guide

VISUALjob EPD is a workbench designed for developing JCL (Job Control Language) and schedules specifically for the Tivoli Workload Scheduler (TWS). It provides a centralized environment for managing and creating production jobs.

VISUALjob EPD is a toolset. It provides a collection of tools and interfaces to facilitate the development, management, and scheduling of batch jobs within the Tivoli Workload Scheduler environment.

Organizations that rely heavily on batch processing and use Tivoli Workload Scheduler to manage their workloads are ideal candidates for VISUALjob EPD. This includes enterprises in industries such as banking, finance, insurance, and retail, where efficient and reliable batch job scheduling is critical.

A company should consider using VISUALjob EPD when they need a more efficient and user-friendly way to develop and manage their Tivoli Workload Scheduler JCL and schedules. It is particularly useful when dealing with complex scheduling requirements and a large number of batch jobs.

Alternatives to VISUALjob EPD include other JCL management and scheduling tools, as well as manual JCL development and scheduling processes. Some competing products include Rocket OpsCentral, Rocket Cortex-Prep, Workload Planner, TWSeasy, and OPS/JCLMaster.

VISUALjob EPD runs on the z/OS platform. It is z/OS dependent and likely runs in an LPAR (Logical Partition). It requires Tivoli Workload Scheduler to be present, as it extends and enhances its JCL development and scheduling capabilities.

VISUALjob EPD requires an existing Tivoli Workload Scheduler environment. It integrates with TWS to manage and schedule JCL. The specific subsystems required depend on the TWS configuration.

VISUALjob EPD likely uses configuration files to store settings and parameters. The specific interfaces used depend on the product's design, but a GUI (Graphical User Interface) is a common interface for managing JCL and schedules.

The main system components likely include a JCL editor, a scheduling interface, and a repository for storing JCL and schedule definitions. These components communicate to allow users to create, modify, and schedule batch jobs.

VISUALjob EPD provides a centralized workbench for developing and managing JCL and schedules, which can significantly improve the efficiency of batch processing. This can lead to reduced operational costs and faster turnaround times for critical business processes.

By streamlining JCL development and scheduling, VISUALjob EPD helps organizations reduce errors and improve the reliability of their batch processing. This can minimize disruptions to business operations and ensure that critical tasks are completed on time.

VISUALjob EPD integrates with Tivoli Workload Scheduler, leveraging its existing scheduling capabilities. It enhances TWS by providing a more user-friendly and efficient environment for JCL development and management.

VISUALjob EPD likely integrates with z/OS security systems, such as RACF, ACF2, or Top Secret, to control access to JCL and schedule definitions. This ensures that only authorized users can modify or execute critical batch jobs.

The access control model used by VISUALjob EPD is likely RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), where users are assigned roles with specific permissions to access and modify JCL and schedules. This simplifies user management and ensures that users have only the necessary privileges.

VISUALjob EPD likely provides audit logging capabilities to track changes to JCL and schedules, as well as user access and activities. This helps organizations meet compliance requirements and identify potential security breaches.

VISUALjob EPD is typically deployed on-premise, as it is designed to run within a z/OS environment. Implementation requires expertise in z/OS, Tivoli Workload Scheduler, and JCL.

Ongoing operational requirements include monitoring the performance of VISUALjob EPD, maintaining the JCL and schedule definitions, and ensuring that the integration with Tivoli Workload Scheduler is functioning correctly. This may require dedicated staff with expertise in z/OS and TWS.

Common implementation challenges include integrating VISUALjob EPD with existing security systems, migrating existing JCL and schedules, and training users on the new interface. Careful planning and testing are essential for a successful implementation.