IMS Fundamentals (CM68G)

Overview

This course equips beginners with practical skills in IMS architecture, hierarchical database design, access methods, transaction manager, and integration with z/OS services. You will learn how to develop, maintain, and troubleshoot IMS applications, preparing you for roles such as mainframe developer, system analyst, or IMS administrator. 

Audience

  • Entry‑level mainframe developers who have basic z/OS knowledge and want to learn IMS architecture and database design.
  • Junior system analysts responsible for analysing IMS transaction flows and integrating services.
  • Newly hired IMS administrators tasked with configuring and maintaining IMS components.
  • Mid‑level application developers transitioning to IMS development and needing hands‑on experience with access methods.
  • IT support engineers with foundational mainframe experience who support IMS environments and require troubleshooting skills.

Prerequisites

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Objective

  • Understand the components and benefits of an IMS database and transaction management system
  • Describe the processing of a database record in hierarchic sequence and identify the different IMS database organization types
  • Understand the differences between Database Description (DBD) and Program Specification Block (PSB) control blocks
  • Explain the reasons for the use of secondary indexes and logical relationships
  • Contrast full-function (including High Availability Large Databases) and Fast Path database types
  • Describe some of the services provided by an IMS control region and the basic IMS Data Communications functions of the IMS Transaction Manager (IMS TM)
  • Identify the roles of messages, queues, and logical terminals
  • Explain the different scheduling characteristics of the IMS and Transaction Manager region types: Message Processing, Batch Message Processing, and Interactive Fast Path
  • Identify the functions of dynamic and batch backout, the system log, and the benefits of periodically backing up a database
  • Describe the function of Database Recovery Control (DBRC), Integrated Resource Lock Manager (IRLM) for data sharing, and distributed processing
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Course Outline

  1. Module 1: IMS Architecture Overview: Introduces IMS components, system hierarchy, and integration points with z/OS services.
  2. Module 2: Hierarchical Database Design: Covers data modeling, segment definitions, and access method selection for efficient retrieval.
  3. Module 3: Transaction Manager Fundamentals: Explains transaction processing, scheduling, and performance tuning techniques.
  4. Module 4: IMS Application Development: Demonstrates coding standards, debugging tools, and maintenance practices for IMS applications.
  5. Module 5: Troubleshooting and Best Practices: Provides systematic approaches to diagnose issues and implement optimal maintenance procedures.
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