Overview

The BSA XCF Global Connect component is a started task with its own address space that remains constantly active in the XCF environment.

Beta Systems product components that do not set up their own address space in the XCF environment can use the address space of BSA XCF Global Connect, which has the following advantages:

• XCF communication is facilitated.
• Load on resources is reduced.

When to use

Use BSA XCF Global Connect component when the Beta SMF exit communicates via BSA XCF.

The Beta SMF exit is used by _beta access and _beta access monitor.

Note: The following warning message will occur if the Global XCF Connect address space is required, but not active:

xxx9116W GLOBAL XCF CONNECT FAILED - nnnnnnnn

Background

BSA XCF enables Beta products to access the various LPARs in a sysplex without having an additional started task on the LPAR concerned. When an address space sends a request to the other LPAR, a connection is set up to XCF in the operating system. The requestor is usually a TSO user, a batch job, or a slave started task. As a rule, all address spaces are Beta address spaces and are controlled by BSA XCF communication. When the address space (member) leaves the group, the connection is terminated properly by means of IXCLEAVE.

Some Beta Systems applications use components which, although they can communicate via BSA XCF, do not run in their own address spaces. The SMF exit used by _beta access and _beta access monitor is an example of such a component. This means that although a JOIN can be made (in any address space in z/OS), it is not possible to terminate the JOIN by means of a Beta-controlled IXCLEAVE. Each activation of an address space could in this case lead to the writing of a LOGREC record. Another problem could be an increased amount of overhead and the loss of performance because each address space receives its own XCF member in this type of communication.

Using the additional Beta-controlled address space provided by the BSA XCF Global Connect component overcomes both problems.

Features of BSA XCF Global Connect

Generation of a separate address space for BSA XCF communication:

• Always active and cannot be canceled
• Easy to install and activate
• Is used automatically when the product sends a request from the SMF exit
• Can be controlled by various operator commands and product functions, for example, from _beta access via the SMF exit

Limitations

The permanently active address space can only be used for special requests from the SMF exit. A valid Global XCF token must always be available. If the XCF token for BSA XCF Global Connect is not valid when a request is sent, no attempt will be made to generate a new XCF sender token, unlike basic BSA XCF communication. The request will always be refused and no reJOIN will be made to XCF.