Master ISPF Productivity on IBM z/OS Mainframes

Name: Master ISPF Productivity on IBM z/OS Mainframes
Rating: 4.9 (17 reviews)

Learn how to deliver more by effectively using ISPF to your advantage on IBM z/OS Mainframes

Created byDirceu Bimonti Ivo

Last updated 1/2025

English

What you'll learn

Learn how to effectively use ISPF to improve productivity
Learn several tips and tricks to better manage mainframe administration
Save time on your daily routine with improved usage of basic mainframe tools
Learn advanced ISPF and mainframe functions
Learn how to quickly navigate the ISPF Dataset List panels and invoke functions without having to switch back and forth between options
Update your knowledge on IBM ISPF for z/OS with real use cases and hands on labs

Course content

4 sections • 13 lectures • 4h 24m total length

Unit 0 - Introduction2:10
Quick introduction about the instructor and the class. See the objectives and agenda for the IBM ISPF for z/OS master class.
Unit 1 - Access to a Mainframe8:35
Learn what options are available to have access to a mainframe and support you during training and the hands on labs. Three options are available, including free alternatives so you can follow along and practice the content.
Unit 2 - Refresh on TSO and ISPF12:44
A refresh on what is TSO and what is ISPF. Define some important terms that will be used in the later units. Intended for new students that are starting with IBM Mainframes and z/OS.

Unit 3 - Text editing40:54
Learn about text editing commands, including repeating factors, block commands and more. This is the most fundamental building block for the class. It contains very basic concepts on text editing commands and then it expands on how to effectively use them.
Unit 4 - Editing commands24:55
How to use primary text editing command to work with your data. These commands will empower the text editing functions from the previous unit and enable the more advanced data manipulation functions on IBM ISPF.
Unit 5 - Find more31:02
Get to know more about the many options available to improve your search for data and replace strings. By far, these are the most used commands on a IBM Mainframe support person. We will cover a vast list of parameters for the FIND, CHANGE and EXCLUDE commands, including manipulate data based on data type as opposed to a fixed character string, and more.

Unit 6 - Basic DSLIST functions23:18
Overview of the DSLIST and how to navigate between the options. Description of the many options available on the dataset list panel so we do not have to go back and forth between panels to do our work.
Unit 7 - Primary commands 116:51
In this unit we will see many primary commands that can be used with the DSLIST panels. The first half of the primary commands will cover the basic commands that should be memorized by IBM Mainframe support staff when working with data set lists on ISPF.
Unit 8 - Primary commands 228:22
Another part of the primary commands to support the usage of the DSLIST panels. This unit will cover the advanced commands, and most likely the least known commands, that will allow IBM Mainframe support staff to greatly improve the usage of the ISPF Data set list panels.
Unit 9 - Tryout Unit 123:39
In this unit we will do a tryout exercise that incorporates all the content from the class up to this point and demonstrate a real use case on how to effectively manage your data on ISPF. We will cover text editing commands, data set list commands, primary commands, etc, to build a data set concatenation from scratch, without using copy and paste commands.

Unit 10 - Member List21:56
Learn about the member list panel and how to use commands to manipulate members of partitioned data sets. Partitioned datas sets are very common on mainframes and we have a dedicated unit to cover the many commands that we can use to manipulate member lists on IBM ISPF for z/OS.
Unit 11 - Filter Command8:09
How to effectively use filters to change the scope of your work and be more productive. A very powerful function on IBM ISPF for z/OS that completely changes the way that you will work with member lists on the mainframe.
Unit 12 - Tryout Unit 221:29
The second tryout unit where we will see how to use all the content learned in this hands on exercise using another real world use case to demonstrate how productive we can be when using ISPF. Similar concepts that were presented, with the addition of the member list functions to go through another real use case. We will build a complete, syntax ready, IEBCOPY control statement from scratch, no copy and paste, just regular IBM ISPF for z/OS functions and commands.

Requirements

No experience with mainframes are required. If you already have experience with ISPF, I am sure you will learn many new tips and tricks to improve your productivity
This class will not provide access to a mainframe. There are alternatives provided that you can use to access a real mainframe, not an emulator, to practice the contents of the class.
No programming experience required
All hands on labs will guide you through the content end to end

Description

We will cover from the very basics of ISPF on IBM z/OS Mainframes until the most advanced text editing techniques to effectively use ISPF to be more productive and focus on business goals. Each of the 12 units will cover the theory in video with animation and annotation, and at the end of each unit there will be a hands on demonstration that you can follow along on a live mainframe system from IBM to apply the knowledge.

In the first section we will see:

- Introduction about the class
- How to access a mainframe system
- Refresh on TSO and ISPF

With the fundamental knowledge acquired, we will cover:

- Text editing
- Editing commands
- Effective use of the find, change and exclude commands
- Using the DSLIST panel
- Primary commands to manipulate data set lists - Part 1
- Primary commands to manipulate data set lists - Part 2
- Tryout unit to review all concepts in a hands on lab

The last section of the course will cover member list functions:
- Member list panels
- Filter your data
- Tryout unit to review all the concepts in a hands on lab

The contents is designed to entertain new users that have never worked with mainframes before and are looking for opportunities to get to know the platform for education purposes or job interviews, as well as senior system programmers and mainframe support people that would like to now more about ISPF and learn new tricks to be more productive. I am sure that everyone can learn something with this class.

Who this course is for:

Mainframe System Programmers, Mainframe Application Programmers, Mainframe Database Administrators and other mainframe job roles in general, including Mainframe Operators.
IT Professionals that want to start their mainframe carreer
Seasoned mainframe support staff that are looking for new tips and tricks for IBM ISPF on z/OS

Master ISPF Productivity on IBM z/OS Mainframes

What you'll learn

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Course content

Introduction and Setup3 lectures • 23min

Text Editing3 lectures • 1hr 37min

The DSLIST panel4 lectures • 1hr 32min

The member list panel3 lectures • 52min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: