z/OSMF and related system components

z/OSMF is shipped as part of z/OS.

z/OSMF can run on a parallel sysplex, monoplex, or XCF local mode environment.

Structurally, z/OSMF is a set of web applications that are hosted on your z/OS® system. Depending on the task to be performed, z/OSMF interfaces with other z/OS components to offer you a simplified interface for performing those tasks.

The z/OS components make up the environment necessary for using the z/OSMF functions. z/OSMF neither requires a client workstation component nor does it provide one. All that is needed is a compatible web browser for accessing z/OSMF from your workstation.

z/OSMF includes the following software:
  • z/OSMF server.
  • WebSphere® Liberty profile, which provides an application server runtime environment for z/OSMF.
  • Set of optional, system management functions or plug-ins, which you can enable when you configure z/OSMF.
  • Technologies for serving the web browser interface, such as JavaScript, Dojo, and Angular.
Figure 1. z/OSMF and related system components
This graphic presents a selection of the z/OS elements that might be involved in z/OSMF processing. As presented by the image, z/OSMF can use various enabling technologies of z/OS, such as common event adapter, the Common Information Model server, and System REXX.

The goal of this architecture is to provide simplified systems management function through a common, easy-to-use, graphical user interface. Figure 1 shows a typical architecture and flow, starting with the user's browser session and continuing through z/OSMF, with information passed to various z/OS system components as needed.

Depending on the particular task that is being performed, z/OSMF uses various enabling technologies on z/OS, such as the following:
  • IBM® 64-bit SDK for z/OS, Java™ Technology Edition. This IBM software development kit (SDK) contains the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and other tools that support Java applications.
  • Common Information Model (CIM) server on the host z/OS system. This component provides the z/OS data and administrative capability.
  • Common event adapter (CEA). This component enables CIM providers to identify, receive, and process the selected z/OS events.
  • System authorization facility (SAF). This component enables programs to use system authorization services to control access to resources, such as data sets and MVS™ commands. SAF either processes security authorization requests directly or works with RACF®, or other external security manager, to process them.
  • System REXX (SYSREXX). This component provides an infrastructure through which programs that are written in the REXX language can be run outside the normal TSO/E or batch environments, using a programming interface.