PIE®/CICS-MultiCICS

Up to 99 Simultaneous Applications Running in Separate Sessions

PIE/CICS, Productivity Integrated Environment for z/OS / CICS Transaction Server is an integrated family of common and optional components. With PIE/CICS administrators can create user profiles extending the user sessions to 99 simultaneous applications running in separate sessions.

With PIE/CICS you can build secure menus that contain multiple applications and transactions without changing existing CICS applications. When used as a CICS based application, these menus greatly simplify site navigation and shorten learning curves.

Eliminate the need for the user to Sign On to each application and/or transaction. PIE/CICS seamlessly authenticates users to external security systems (RACF, CA-ACF2, CA-Top Secret) and to internal application security. PIE/CICS Single Sign On saves valuable time and reduces user frustration.

  • OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
    OVERVIEW
  • AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
    AT-A-GLANCE
  • FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
    FEATURES
  • REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS
    REQUIREMENTS

OVERVIEW

PIE/CICS-MultiCICS is an optional PIE/CICS component that provides access up to 99 simultaneous applications running in separate sessions. Using NetGate and PIE/CICS-MultiCICS together, users can switch between sessions with simple commands, menu options, or a designated PF key.

PIE/CICS-MultiCICS system administrators ultimately control the PIE/CICS-MultiCICS environment. As a system administrator, you determine who can sign on and what authority users have. If you choose, you can authorize group administrators to maintain PIE resources for their groups and authorize individual users to maintain private resources for themselves. Or you can retain control over all PIE resources. Those in control of PIE resources determine how many sessions users can have open at once, what they can run in their sessions, and whether they can open sessions for themselves. They can also write and implement REXX programs and scripts.

PIE/CICS flexibility allows you both the centralized control of a mainframe, with its advanced security and efficiency, and decentralized user controls so that users can modify their environments to suit their work needs.

AT-A-GLANCE

  • Up to 99 simultaneous applications
  • Central control of CICS applications
  • Advanced enterprise-wide security integration

FEATURES

  • Sessions Menu
    The Sessions menu can be customized at the user, group, and system levels. For example, you can set up a default Sessions menu for general users, an Accounts Payable and Receivable menu for your accounting department, and custom menus that are adapted to the needs of individual users.
  • Single Signon
    Users sign on to PIE/CICS using the Logon Director. The Logon Director stores the user’s ID, password, profile, and other information. Whenever a subsequent signon is required, the Logon Director can pass the required information automatically and transparently.
  • Eliminating the Blank CICS Screen
    MultiCICS allows you to eliminate the CICS blank screen. As a result, users don't get “lost” and have to call the helpdesk as often. It also means they are not as free to experiment. The following features can be implemented to prevent the CICS blank screen from being shown to users:
    • AutoEnd
    • Predefine all sessions
    • Restrict access to the CANCEL, FREE, and SYSTEM commands
  • Transferring Screen Data Between Sessions
    Frequently, users need to transcribe data from one application to another. For example, suppose customer data is already entered in one application, and your user needs to copy it to another application to process an order.

    Instead of writing the information down, switching to another session, and re-typing it, users can copy the information from one session screen, switch sessions, and paste the information onto the new session screen.
  • Scripts
    With play-back scripts, you simply record the keystrokes used to complete the task. You can use PIE/CICS variables for variable data; for example, user IDs and passwords. The script records keystrokes along with variables. When you execute the script, it executes your keystrokes and substitutes current values for the variables.
  • System or User Control
    MultiCICS system administrators ultimately control the MultiCICS environment. As a system administrator, you determine who can sign on and what access users have to system resources. You can designate group administrators to maintain PIE resources for their groups and authorize individual users to maintain private resources for themselves. Or, you can retain complete control over all PIE resources as the system administrator.
  • Flexible System
    MultiCICS is flexible. With the flexibility built right in to the product, some customized userexits, and a little help from us, you can customize it to fit almost any set of requirements. For example, you can
    • Predefine user sessions or let your users define their own sessions
    • Create custom switch sequences and PF keys for different users and groups
    • Handle an application differently in different sessions—for example, change variable data or run it in different AORs
    • Allow users to run the same application in many sessions or limit certain transactions or groups of transactions to a single session
    • Make all commands available to all users or make some commands off-limits to certain users
    • Make PIE/CICS features, such as the Sessions menu and pop-up menus, fully available to users or make PIE/CICS completely transparent

REQUIREMENTS

  • Product
    PIE/CICS base
  • Mainframe
    IBM z/Architecture and compatible
  • Operating System
    MVS/ESA
    OS/390 2.10 or later
    z/OS 1.8 or later 
  • Host System
    CICS Transaction Server 3.2 or later