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Check out the Enterprise Networking Solutions sessions

z/OS Communications Server Technical Update: Summer 2023 Edition

In this session, the speakers will provide a look at new and coming features in z/OS 3.1 Communications Server. Features to be covered include: Networking support for z/OS containers Network security enhancements z/OS UNIX syslogd support for secure logging over TCP Communications Server exploitation of the IBM Function Registry for z/OS ... and more!

- Time: Aug 14, 2023 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (CDT)
- Speaker: Sam Reynolds, Mike Fitzpatrick
- Room: Strand 12A

Introduction to z/OS Communications Server

Are you relatively new to the communications area and want a better understanding of the Communications Server component of z/OS? Have you heard of TCP/IP, SNA, VTAM, APPN, OSA, etc. but wondered what relationship these things have to Communications Server? If so, this presentation is for you!

- Time: Aug 14, 2023 | 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM (CDT)
- Speaker: Sam Reynolds
- Room: Strand 12A

z/OS Communications Server Network Security Overview

z/OS Communications Server provides a wide variety of security features to protect z/OS from the network and to protect z/OS data as it traverses the network. In this session you will be introduced to many of those security features and how they contribute to self-protection of the local z/OS node. Topics covered are IP Security, AT-TLS, Intrusion Detection Services, zERT and SAF-based access controls for Communications Server.

- Time: Aug 14, 2023 | 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM (CDT)
- Speaker: Chris Meyer
- Room: Strand 13B

Using Network Configuration Assistant to Configure zERT Policy Enforcement

zERT Policy Enforcement allows you to configure policy rules to take actions in real time based on the observed cryptographic attributes of inbound and outbound z/OS TCP connections. As part of this support the Network Configuration Assistant (NCA) provides new, advanced function for configuring zERT policy enforcement. In this presentation you will learn how to get the most out of NCA's zERT support, including quickly and efficiently defining zERT rules and using reusable rules and rule sets to group your zERT rules into logical, hierarchical buckets that are easy to manage and coordinate.

- Time: Aug 14, 2023 | 4:25 PM - 5:00 PM (CDT)
- Speaker: Mike Fox
- Room: Empire C

Current IP and Routing Considerations for z/OS TCP/IP

In this session we will discuss what you need to know about IP routing from a z/OS point of view. Topics covered include: Basic IP routing concepts including ARP and the routing table, Equal Cost Multipath (ECMP) considerations, VIPA, and route failover.  We will also discuss flat layer 2 networks, z/OS dynamic routing including interoperability with BGP backbones, and considerations for connecting z/OS to a Cisco ACI network fabric.

- Time: Aug 15, 2023 | 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (EDT)
- Speaker: Mike Fox
- Room: Strand 12A

ISPF Recent and Coming Updates

In this session, the speaker will briefly review the recent changes made to ISPF in z/OS V2R5, and will then focus on describing and demonstrating the changes coming to ISPF in z/OS 3.1.

- Time: Aug 15, 2023 | 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (EDT)
- Speaker: Sam Reynolds
- Room: Empire D

Sysplex Network Technologies and Considerations

In this session, the speaker will review z/OS Communication Server networking technologies that help maximize the value of the Parallel Sysplex environment. He will discuss enhancements in the area of High Availability and workload balancing, including considerations for enabling these features. Topics will also include: ? Types of virtual IP addresses, when to use them, and how they are helpful in load-balancing workloads across the sysplex ? Best practices recommendations for intra-Sysplex connectivity ? External connectivity into the Sysplex environment ? Techniques for achieving network interface resilience.

- Time: Aug 15, 2023 | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (EDT)
- Speaker: Mike Fitzpatrick
- Room: Strand 12A

HOL: Create zERT Enforcement Policy Using Network Configuration Assistant

zERT Policy Enforcement allows you to configure policy rules to take actions in real time based on the observed cryptographic attributes of inbound and outbound z/OS TCP connections. As part of this support the Network Configuration Assistant (NCA) provides new, advanced function for configuring zERT policy enforcement. In this lab exercise, you will experience NCA's zERT support, including quickly and efficiently defining zERT rules and using reusable rules and rule sets to group your zERT rules into logical, hierarchical buckets that are easy to manage and coordinate. 

- Time: Aug 15, 2023 | 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM (CDT)
- Speaker: Mike Fox
- Room: Foster 2

Modernize and Secure Your Mainframe Networking

Are you still running classic SNA protocols across your network? Do you still have lots of unencrypted network connections to your mainframe? This session focuses on how to fix some of the most urgent configuration issues that probably harm your network's stability and security. Topics include modernizing SNA connections and z/OS Encryption Readiness Technology (zERT).

- Time: Aug 16, 2023 | 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (CDT)
- Speaker: Sam Reynolds
- Room: Strand A

Shared Memory Communications Version 2 - Multiple IP Subnet Support

Shared Memory Communications has been limited to communications within a single IP subnet. SMC Version 2 removes this limitation by providing multiple IP subnet support for both SMC-D and SMC-R. This session will provide a brief introduction and overview of SMCv2, SMC-Dv2, and SMC-Rv2. Additional information will be provided for SMC-Rv2 along with RoCEv2 ("Routable RoCE?) including the IBM z16 and RoCE Express3. SMC-Rv2 uses RoCEv2 technology which uses your existing IP topology and IP routes to extend the reach of RDMA thereby expanding the benefits of SMC-R to additional application workloads. In this session you will learn how you can define and control the scope of SMCv2 connection eligibility and how to identify potential use cases that could benefit from the savings in network related CPU cost, reduced latency, and increased throughput. Learn how you can unleash SMCv2 in your enterprise!

- Time: Aug 16, 2023 | 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM (CDT)
- Speaker: Randall Todd Kunkel, Aparna Vankamamidi
- Room: Strand 12A

Configuring and Operating z/OS syslogd

The z/OS UNIX syslog daemon (syslogd) provides logging services to many important security-related services on z/OS. Syslogd captures messages from multiple sources and logs them to pre-configured destinations, ranging from local z/OS UNIX files to peer syslogd instances running on other network nodes. It also provides built-in archival support to ensure your critical log trails are preserved for the long haul. Come to this session for an overview of syslogd's current capabilities, new support coming in z/OS 3.1, as well as a look at its setup, configuration, and operation.

- Time: Aug 16, 2023 | 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM (CDT)
- Speaker: Chris Meyer
- Room: Strand 2

Assess Your z/OS TCP/IP Encryption

Security audits are becoming more frequent and more demanding every day. One of the more difficult areas in which to prove compliance is in the cryptographic protection of your z/OS network traffic. The speaker will show you how to deploy and use z/OS Encryption Readiness Technology (zERT) to monitor and assess the breadth and strength of your TLS/SSL, SSH and IPsec protection for your z/OS TCP/IP and Enterprise Extender (SNA over IP) traffic. 

- Time: Aug 17, 2023 | 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (CDT)
- Speaker: Chris Meyer
- Room: Strand 2

z/OS Communications Server Performance Update

Getting the Most Out of OSA and HiperSockets with z/OS Communications Server

The IBM Z OSA-Express is a critical aspect of your z/OS application workloads. OSA and HiperSockets are used for both SNA and IP connectivity. In this session, we will focus on how z/OS Communications Server uses OSA for IPv4/IPv6 external connectivity based on the Queued Direct IO (QDIO) architecture. The session will cover the operational aspects of OSA as well as configuration options for optimizing both inbound and outbound network traffic. We will also look at how HiperSockets Converged Interface (HSCI) could be an operational benefit to your environment. The focus will be on the z/OS Communications Server software use of OSA. The speaker will also discuss hardware aspects where such aspects are of importance to understanding how the hardware and software combine and cooperate to deliver optimal function and performance.

- Time: Aug 17, 2023 | 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM (CDT)
- Speaker: Randall Todd Kunkel, Aparna Vankamamidi
- Room: Strand 12A

Understanding z/OS Communications Server Storage Usage

Upgrade Your z/OS TLS(SSL) Protection

So you've done your z/OS TCP/IP encryption assessment and you found a weakness in your TLS/SSL protection. Now what? On z/OS, there are a variety of ways to enable or apply TLS protection, so when you have to upgrade that protection, where do you start? The speaker will show you how to control settings for the three primary TLS providers on z/OS: System SSL, AT-TLS, and Java JSSE. The session will also cover how to change TLS-related setting for a variety of common z/OS workloads like CICS, MQ, WebSphere, Db2, and more.

- Time: Aug 18, 2023 | 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM (CDT)
- Speaker: Chris Meyer
- Room: Strand 2

Sysplex-like Recovery for Business-Critical Workloads

In this session, the speaker will review solutions that provide continuous availability for your business-critical workloads. One solution focuses on environments where the workload’s applications are not sysplex-enabled and not running in a Sysplex. A brief demo will show this solution in action, rapidly recovering the workload’s availability for planned and unplanned scenarios. A second solution focuses on environments where the workload is able to run in either of two data centers, separated by unlimited distance, where an active Sysplex is running in each data center. This session will also discuss the components comprising both solutions:

• Software replication for data sources

• Workload monitoring and routing

• Automation and management 

- Time: Aug 18, 2023 | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (CDT)
- Speaker: Mike Fitzpatrick
- Room: Strand 2

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