Objective: Create a new software instance

This topic explains when to select the Create a new software instance deployment objective, and when to connect the new target and distribution zones to a new global zone, the source global zone, or another existing global zone.

Overview

The Create a new software instance objective is different from the add software instance action. When you add a software instance, you are making z/OSMF aware of the software that currently exists in your installation. You are not making any changes to the systems or to the software in your installation.

If you select the Create a new software instance deployment objective, however, you will create a new software instance. If the source for the deployment is a software instance then you will create a copy of the source software instance. When the deployment is complete, you will have two copies of the software instance – the original (source instance) and the copy (target instance). If the source for the deployment is a portable software instance you will create a native software instance from the content of the portable software instance. For this objective, you are not required to delete an existing software instance when you create the copy.

Why would you select this objective?

Some reasons you might choose to create a copy of a software instance and not simultaneously delete an existing software instance include the following:
  • You want different releases, versions, or maintenance levels of the software to coexist.
  • You are deploying a new product in your installation.
  • You are deploying software into a new sysplex.
  • Your installation has enough DASD to store a new copy of the software instance.

The deciding factor is whether you want to replace or delete software that currently exists in your installation. If you do not want to replace existing software, you should select this objective. Otherwise, you should select the Replace an existing software instance deployment objective.

Which global zone should you select?

If your source software is SMP/E-managed, then you need to select which global zone to use for the new target software instance. If you want the new copy to be completely independent or to have a separate SMP/E receive process, you should create a new global zone and add ZONEINDEX subentries for the new target and distribution zones into the new global zone. Doing so prevents you from inadvertently applying service to the wrong SMP/E environment.

If you prefer to acquire service once and apply it to the software instances, as needed, you should add ZONEINDEX subentries for the new target and distribution zones to the source global zone or to another existing global zone. When choosing which existing global zone to use (source or a different one), be sure to select the global zone in which you want to receive all the service.

For information about what will be included in the resulting global zone, see help topic Updates for SMPCSI and SMPPTS data sets.

Example

Figure 1 depicts a sysplex that has three running systems. The systems are running a total of four software instances (ZOSV2R2, ZOSV2R1, DB2V10R1, and CICSTSV5R1). The software instances reside on four volumes (A, B, C, and D). Software instance DB2V9R1 resides on volume C, but is not currently running on a system.

Figure 1. Example system and software instance configuration
Example system and software instance configuration.

Suppose you want to deploy CICSTSV5R2 from a test system (not depicted) to System 2. To do so, you would add a software instance to z/OSMF that represents the software you want to deploy. You can name that software instance CICSTSV5R2. Then, in the deployment checklist, you would select CICSTSV5R2 as the source software instance.

For the objective, you can select to create a new software instance or to replace an existing software instance. You would select to create a new software instance because you do not want to replace software instance CICSTSV5R1. You want the two software instances to coexist, and CICSTSV5R1 will be the fallback if errors occur with the copy of software instance CICSTSV5R2.

Now that you have selected to create a new software instance, you must decide whether you want to define ZONEINDEX subentries for the new target and distribution zones in a new global zone, the source global zone, or another global zone. If you want to have separate SMP/E receive processes, you would add ZONEINDEX subentries for the new target and distribution zones into a new global zone. Otherwise, you would select the source global zone or another existing global zone.

If you want to receive service for CICSTSV5R2 only, you would add the new ZONEINDEX subentries into the source global zone. If you want to receive service for both versions of the software simultaneously, you would share a global zone with software instance CICSTSV5R1.