Using shared connections

As an alternative to defining your own connections, you can share a set of connections that are stored in a central location. You can load or import the shared connections into your copy of z/OS® Explorer. Sharing connections means that the connections can be managed centrally, and any changes to the connections file are picked up automatically the next time z/OS Explorer starts.

Typically, a system administrator uses z/OS Explorer to define shared connections and export them to a central location where other users can access them. The exported file must have a file type of .pref, for example, connections.pref. Any user with access to the file location can load or import the connections in their copy of z/OS Explorer.

When you load connections, a link is created to an external connections file, and the connections are shown in the Host Connections view. You can view the connections but you cannot change them. If the shared connections file changes, those changes are reflected next time z/OS Explorer starts. If the shared connections file is deleted or moved, the connections are lost from z/OS Explorer.

When you import connections, the connections are copied into your local workspace and the connections are shown in the Host Connections view. If any details of the connection change, you must update them locally. If you import a connection that already exists in z/OS Explorer and is associated with a credential, only the existing connection details are updated; the credential is unchanged.

  1. Start from the Host Connections view. To open this view, click Window > Manage Connections on the main menu for the workbench.
  2. Click the Load Connections from file or URL icon in the toolbar of the view.
  3. In the Load Connections window, type, or browse for, the location of the connections file that you want to load or import. The connection file must have a file type of .pref, and the location can be a file path or a URL.
  4. Select Load or Import and click OK. The connections are loaded or imported.

You can now use the loaded or imported connections to connect to a host system. You must have a credential defined before you can connect. If you have not defined any credentials, you are prompted to create one when you attempt to connect. For more information, see the related links.