Constructing an MVS 3.8 with 2703 controller and TCAM configuration for my remote 3174 - try 1

 OVERVIEW

In order to bring up MVS and have it communicate with the SyncDongle and my 3174 controller, I need to set up the OS to use a 2703 communications controller (emulated) having a BSC socket. The network and TSO system needs a TCAM message control program that defines my remote terminals and attempts to contact them using the 2703. 

The existing turnkey MVS 3.8J system I have does NOT have 2703 devices generated into it, thus I will need to do a sysgen (systems generation) to configure the device first. That is a lengthy process that I will attempt using Jay Moseley's process based on the starter system and distribution tapes. 

Once that system comes up, I need to generate the appropriate TCAM files and message control program that will know how to start a TSO session on my remote terminals. Finally, the startup process needs to vary those new terminals online in order for them to accept logons.

DOWNLOADING THE START SYSTEM, DISTRIBUTION TAPES AND JAY'S SUPPORT TOOLS

After I downloaded the various tape files and support tools, I stepped through the process from the very start, as if I had only the tapes and some uninitialized hardware in a data center. I could have worked within the existing turnkey system I had but I decided to begin at step zero for nostalgia. I had worked with MVS systems a long time ago and this walked me through a realistic scenario. 

This begins with standalone utilities to initialize blank disk drives, then restoration of various tape images to create a starter system, in this case MVS 3.7. The system maintenance program SMP needed to be created at the proper level of functionality and there were similar small issues to address, but from that point forward we build up the distribution libraries for all the software functionality.

These many libraries are read from the tape and imported by SMP to create the code base, following which a slew of bug fixes (PTFs) had to be applied. Various catalog entries, files and other content were built, culminating in the point where the system is generated by defining many macros that list devices and options to be handled by our new OS. 

I was well along, having completed the first stage with my macros and was ready to have the customized OS modules placed in the proper locations on the production disks. At this point, I realized something was wrong as the temporary (user) catalog that was created for the sysgen was no longer discoverable by the starter OS. 

I have to either find the existing user catalog (SYS1.VSAM.MASTER.CATALOG) and link it back or recreate that catalog and every single file and PDS that was managed by it. I have a lot of investigating and sorting out to accomplish, so I will call it a night and begin fresh tomorrow.