Installation and Compatibility


License File

A product license file for Natural is required. In addition, a license file is required for the zIIP Enabler for Natural, if installed.

For information on Software AG's mainframe product licensing, see the Software AG Mainframe Product Licensing documentation.

Changes to Installation

This section describes the changes in the installation process of base Natural and the Natural add-on products released with this Natural version.

The sections indicated for more information are contained in the Natural Installation documentation, unless otherwise noted.

System Maintenance Aid: Readme File

For installation guidance and information on new or changed System Maintenance Aid (SMA) parameters and Natural features, you can view the product-specific Readme files by using the appropriate SMA function.

Beginn der AnweisungslisteTo view a product-specific Readme

  • From the product list on an SMA Maintenance screen, execute the RM (Show Readme File) command for the required product(s).

Selectable Unit for New Roll Server Feature on z/OS

A new NATSUPGM load module now supports Natural selectable units. The load module delivered with this Natural version contains the new Natural Roll Server feature on z/OS announced in Thread Compression/Decompression Moved to Natural Roll Server.

For the changes in installation, see Link Natural Modules to an APF Library (Step 1220: Natural Roll Server) in Installing Natural on z/OS in the Installation for z/OS documentation. If you want to use selectable units under CICS TS, you need to perform an extra step to implement NATSUPGM during installation: see Selectable Units Module NATSUPGM in Installing Natural CICS Interface on z/OS.

See also Selectable Units for New Natural Features in the Operations documentation.

zIIP Enabler for Natural CICS Interface on z/OS

zIIP Enabler for Natural can now also be used in a CICS environment on z/OS if Natural CICS Interface Version 8.3.3 is installed. See also Natural CICS Interface Version 8.3.3.

The zIIP Enabler for Natural supports use of IBM's System z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP). The zIIP is a specialty engine designed to offload eligible workload from a general central processor. For more information, see the zIIP Enabler for Natural documentation. Note that zIIP Enabler for Natural requires a license file.

Wichtig:
See Load Fix Required for License Utility.

zIIP Enabler for Natural under Com-plete

zIIP Enabler for Natural can be used in a Com-plete environment since Natural Com-plete/SMARTS Interface Version 8.3. 3.

Beginning with Natural Com-plete/SMARTS Interface Version 8.3.4, zIIP Enabler for Natural can be used without the requirements described in the section Natural Com-plete/SMARTS Interface Version 8.3.4.

The zIIP Enabler for Natural supports use of IBM's System z Integrated Information Processor (zIIP). The zIIP is a specialty engine designed to offload eligible workload from a general central processor. For more information, see the zIIP Enabler for Natural documentation. Note that zIIP Enabler for Natural requires a license file.

Wichtig:
See Load Fix Required for License Utility.

New ICU Data Libraries

The ICU data libraries provided as Natural load modules with ICS (International Components for Unicode for Software AG) have changed due to the new ICU version (see also ICU Version Upgrade):

Old Library Name New Library Name
ICSDT53E ICSDT54E
ICSDT53J ICSDT54J
ICSDT53X (not for z/VSE) ICSDT54X (not for z/VSE)

The ICSDT54J data library contains the same code pages and locales as ICSDT54E plus all Japanese code pages. For more information, see ICU Data Libraries in the Unicode and Code Page Support documentation.

For the resulting changes in installation steps, see the Installation Procedure for z/OS, z/VSE and BS2000/OSD in Installing International Components for Unicode for Software AG in the Installation documentation.

Natural for DL/I: New Build Step for Bootstrap on z/OS

The NDLSINIB bootstrap module is no longer contained on the NATvrs.LOAD data set supplied with Natural for DL/I on z/OS for legal reasons. The NDLSINIB bootstrap is now build during installation as described in the Build the DL/I Bootstrap Module in Installing Natural for DL/I on z/OS in the Installation for z/OS documentation.

Compatibility

This section provides the latest information for this Natural release regarding compatibility with earlier versions of Natural for Mainframes as well as with Natural on other platforms.

Anmerkung:
For information regarding Software AG product compatibility with IBM platforms and any IBM requirements for Software AG products, please review the Product Compatibility for IBM Platforms web page at http://www.softwareag.com/.

Special-Purpose Zaps

The following table lists Natural Version 8.2.6 Zaps and the special purposes they support:

Zap Special Purpose
NA93189 Suppress NAT3145 error information Suppress extra L2 calls to Adabas after a NAT3145 error has occurred.

If this Zap is applied, the application programming interface USR8202N no longer provides extended information on the NAT3145 error message.

NA93228 Migrate old maps Provide option to migrate Natural Version 4 maps that contain erroneous numeric field definitions to Natural Version 8.2.
NA95017, NA95018, NA95019, NA95020, NA95021 and NA95022 Support for the Arabic shaped format Keeps the shaped format of Arabic characters produced in a previous Natural version.
NA95038 Resolve problems (RSP=46) during Natural mainframe calls to Adabas LUW Resolve problems that can arise when Natural calls Adabas on Linux, UNIX or Windows from a mainframe platform: an unexpected RSP=46 can occur if a READ loop at the level 1 (*LEVEL=1) ends with an End-of-File (RSP=3) and is executed multiple times. This occurs because Natural on the mainframe does not send a final RC command to release the Adabas Format Buffer if the READ receives RSP=3.