Data Center Management Systems
Data Ager Overview
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Data Ager - Accurately adjusts all or a portion of the dates in your test files in seconds. Data Ager provides significant reductions in the time and
labor associated with System Testing setup. Data Ager allows programmers to quickly update test files with a portion or all of the
date fields adjusted in seconds. A recent Data Ager customer realized $25,000 in cost
reductions for testing setup, and projects that they will save an estimated $45,000 per year for continuous improvement testing setup.
Data Ager significantly reduces project cost and delivery time by providing complete automation in the test file aging setup
process. This automation eliminates the majority of the manual labor-intensive processes associated with test file aging. Data Ager
also improves test accuracy by making it so easy to regenerate test files that Data Ager users are seldom tempted to risk reusing out of
date test files from a previous project.
The Data Ager system consists of 2 components: the Online and Batch utilities.
Online - The Data Ager Online utility permits you to specify information about
the file to be aged, such as it's name and the date fields on the file. Each use of the Online utility creates the Data Ager Batch
utility JCL needed to accomplish the specified data aging. The JCL can be submitted for immediate execution or stored on a private
library for later execution.
Batch - The Data Ager Batch utility actually performs the data
aging. It sequentially updates the file, incrementing each
selected date field. It supports QSAM fixed- or variable-blocked
(sequential) or VSAM (KSDS, ESDS or RRDS) files. It supports fields that are character,
packed or hex (binary) data types, containing dates in more than 20 formats,
such as MMDDYY and YYYY-DDD. DCMS is committed to supporting all date
formats. New date formats will be quickly added as required.
1. The Initial ISPF screen prompts the user for the following
information.
- Input COBOL record layout member, library and access method
(Panvalet, Librarian, PDS)
- Input name of the file to be aged and file organization type
- Specify if Selection Criteria is to be used to optionally
select only a portion of the records to be aged
- Specify if Automatic Date Selection is to be used to
optionally select all fields containing the word 'date' for aging
- Input the date to be used in the aging calculation
- Respond to prompts for options on how the process is to be performed
2. The second ISPF screen optionally prompts the user for information on
which records are to be selected for aging. The Selection
Criteria screen is only displayed if (Selection Criteria = YES) was
specified in the previous screen.
- Data Ager presents a list of Field Names and allows the user
to specify the operation codes and field values to use to select records
for aging. Valid Operation codes are (EQ or =, NE or ¬=, GT
or >, LT or <, GE or >=, LE or <=).
3. The Third ISPF screen optionally presents each field that
contains the word 'Date' in the field name. The Selected Field screen
is only displayed if (Automatic Date Selection = YES) was specified in
the initial Data Ager Screen.
- Data Ager allows the user to optionally select each field
presented for aging by entering the field date format. Data Ager supports
over 20 different date formats.
4. The fourth ISPF screen displays a scrollable list of all the fields
including the fields to be modified
- Data Ager presents a list of field names and allows the user to
specify which date fields are to be aged and the format of the date stored
within each field. Data Ager supports over 20 different date formats.
5. The fifth ISPF screen displays the Generated JCL.
- Data Ager presents the Generated JCL in an ISPF edit
session. The user can optionally submit the JCL for execution or save it for
future execution.
Data Ager can provide Customer with much time and cost savings advantages
for their project efforts, current “as-is” system testing, and future
on-going system testing requirements on the OS/390 or z/OS platform. This
product will provide cost savings, which will pay for the product many times
over.
The following is a list of proposed Data Ager product usage considerations.
- Testing automation analysts could use Data Ager to build properly aged files required for daily, weekly, quarterly and year-end Baseline and Regression testing.
- Prepare file-testing packets for outside vendors to perform unit testing on code renovation projects.
- Development staff can create independent testing environments for concurrent production simulation testing.
- Current “as-is” systems development staff can use Data Ager to reduce their current labor on testing setup.
- Operations and Development staff can use Data Ager to re-create problem resolution testing for production systems.
- Data Ager can provide automated support for Q/A and development environments.
Data Ager is available for any processor that supports the OS/390 and z/OS
operating system environments. Data Ager utilizes ISPF/Dialog Manager (DM) and ISPF/Program Development Facility (PDF).
Data Ager supports all versions and releases of z/OS, ISPF (version 2.0 and higher) and VSAM.
- Data Ager installation and customization takes less than 30 minutes.
- Data Ager is very easy to use. Detailed help information is available for every Data Ager panel. Formal training is seldom required.
DAT is available for any processor that supports the z/OS and OS/390 operating system environments. DAT utilizes ISPF/Dialog Manager (DM) and ISPF/Program Development Facility (PDF). DAT supports all versions and releases of z/OS and OS/390.
The DCMS toll-free Customer Support Hotline (800) 998-3848 is accessible 24 hours / 7 days a week. On-site training and consulting are available
for a nominal fee.
Business Application changes require system integration testing be performed on a business process flow comprised of batch processing testing. This
testing includes the changed programs and the associated programs impacted by the process changes. The model is based on “best case” industry averages. Cost estimates are based on a $50.00 hourly rate.
This scenario assumes Company ABC requires changes to the Accounts Receivable system to adjust the aging algorithms. These changes impact online CICS
programs which define the customer master detail records which define the terms for receipt and the related batch jobs performing system
accrual, G/L hand off, etc. Complete testing requires that files be prepared to reflect future daily, monthly, quarterly, and year-end
processing and reporting.
Programs scheduled for modification |
20 |
|
| Programs scheduled for testing |
100 |
|
| Jobs scheduled for testing |
30 |
|
| Files required for testing |
300 |
|
| Hourly Rate |
$50 |
|
| Time required to manually modify 300 files |
60
|
Hours |
Testing Setup Function |
Manual Hours |
Est. Manual Cost |
Est. Data Ager Hours |
Est. Data Ager Cost |
Modify files for jobs |
60
|
$3,000.00
|
4.00
|
$200.00
|
| Totals: |
60
|
$3,000.00
|
4.00
|
$200.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Time Savings |
|
60 Hours - 4.00 Hours = |
56 Hours |
Cost Savings |
|
56 Hours * $50.00 = |
$2,800.00 |
|
$895.00
|
Total system delivery price |