BCAM control files

BCAM knows various control files which can be specified in the DCOPT/DCSTART command. The file names can be modified during ongoing operation using the BCMOD command. The following control files are available:

• Processor file

• Socket host file

• FQDN file

• Services file

• Application file

Processor, socket host and FQDN files have an influence on automatic end system creation, the application file and services on file access to applications.

The following rules apply for all control files:

• Format:
  File format:         SAM
  File contents:     EBCDIC

• The processor and socket host file must always be cataloged in the home pubset,otherwise errors may occur in connection with control files cataloged on data pubsets or shared pubsets.

• File contents that do not correspond to the appropriate syntax (see the related section) are reported in console message BCA0771, but are apart from that ignored. BCAM always attempts to read the complete file; the read operation is therefore not aborted in the event of an incorrect line.

The BCAM control files are only input files.

For ongoing operation BCAM uses work files with the suffix .IS1 or .IS2, and for the processor files also files with the suffix .AUT or .LOG.

Attributes of the .IS1, .IS2, .AUT and .LOG work files

The files with the suffix .IS1 or .IS2 are ISAM files. The .AUT and .LOG files created for the processor file are SAM files.

The following applies for these files:

• The .IS1 and .IS2 files are normally generated the first time BCAM starts.

  During ongoing operation BCAM checks periodically (at intervals of one minute) whether the control files have been modified in the monitored period. If they have, BCAM reads in the control file concerned and generates a current ISAM file from it. When this new file is generated, BCAM switches back and forth between the ISAM files .IS1 and .IS2 in order to coordinate usage and the update.

  Message BCA0750 shows that generation of an ISAM file has been completed. The file entries contained in this file are effective from this point in time.

  When very large files are involved, it can take some time to generate an ISAM file from a control file.

• The .AUT and .LOG files are generated during operation.

  The .AUT file contains the created partner end systems which are not contained in the processor file and cannot be found via DNS.

  The .LOG file contains the information of the .AUT file in readable form and is used by the system administrator as a logging file for the created end systems.

• Both the ISAM files and the .AUT and .LOG files survive the BCEND and DCSTART operations, which means that their content is also available for the next session. If you do not want this to be so, you must delete these files explicitly.

• At startup BCAM checks whether corresponding ISAM files exist for the control files (and whether a .AUT file exists for the processor file) and what change dates these files have. If a file with the suffix .IS1 or .IS2 already exists which is more recent than the associated input file (and in the case of the processor file also more recent than the corresponding .AUT file), BCAM reads this file in. Otherwise BCAM uses the control file.

• With a BCMOD command the specified control file is always read in and a current ISAM file is generated from it.