It is truly exciting to see the number of clients embarking on digital transformations, transforming mainframe application development processes with DevOps adoption and shift-left testing!

Testing an application on Z is no different, perhaps even better than on distributed, with IBM ZUnit and IBM Wazi Virtual Test Platform (Wazi VTP).  These testing solutions are designed for full virtualization and their stubbing capability empowers developers and testers to run tests without any dependency on the original middleware or data.

As Bob Reselman, DevOps.com, rightly explains in his blog “Mainframe testing using Wazi VTP in many ways surpasses the capabilities present in current distributed computing paradigms. This is no longer the ‘coders code, testers test,’ waterfall-driven approach to testing that was common only decades ago. It’s a modern approach to the way that enterprise testing works in today’s world. In short, it’s very cool!”

Wazi VTP 1.1.0

And it is only getting better!  Wazi VTP is on an accelerated path to deliver capabilities that truly help clients shift left a majority of the testing either on-prem or in a hybrid cloud environment. We went GA in June with CICS and batch support,triggering a significant number of requests from our clients for IMS support.

We are now announcing support for IMS, which will be generally available on Dec 11^th, 2020 for the following:

• IBM IMS batch messaging processing (BMP) with Data Language 1 (DL/I)
• IMS BMP accessing IBM Db2®
• IMS BMP/Generalized Sequential Access Method (GSAM)
• IMS/transaction manager (TM) accessing Db2/SQL directly
• IMS/TM transactions using DL/I
• File I/O support for COBOL processing of sequential (QSAM) files, and VSAM (KSDS, ESDS, and RRDS) files
• Batch/DLI jobs

To provide an overview on how IMS support will work, let’s look at an IMS/TMexample. If this is your first time reading about Wazi VTP, a quick read through my previous blog may help.

Similar to how it worked with CICS, recording a transaction in IMS has been simplified. Once the initial setup is complete, to begin recording for a specific user ID, enter the IMS transaction ‘BZUS’ while signed on. To stop recording and close the playback file, enter the transaction ‘BZUE’. This transaction accepts an optional parameter that represents the name of the dataset that is to be written to directly. That’s it! You now have the required playback file with test data that includes calls made by application programs to various subsystems or other programs.  Now you can test your IMS application either on prem or in a hybrid cloud environment using Z Development and Test environment (ZD&T). All you need is a Z system and the playback file.

Wazi VTP 1.1.0 also adds support for testing IBM MQ from batch.

Wazi VTP 1.0.4

We also delivered an update generally available today, October 30^th, 2020 with Wazi VTP 1.0.4 providing support for Batch File I/O and CICSPlex.

You can now record your batch job with no middleware involved, except only access to files. By simply adding a steplib to the job, it will capture all the calls, including program to program interceptions.

For detailed information, please refer to the IBM  Knowledge Center.

ZUnit (IDz) 15.0

With ZUnit, we continue to focus on simplifying the process of adding unit tests to your automated build CI/CD pipeline. Along those lines, we recently published a Technote explaining how to use DBB to integrate unit testing into your build process

ZUnit V15.0 adds support for unit testing a COBOL CICS and batch Db2 program making program-program calls with the option to stub out calls without re-linking

Also we introduced further support for using local projects which provides developers the ability to check out and run a test case from the ZUnit test case editor for local Git or RTC project.

Please refer to Bill Alexander's blog for more details

Z Development and Test Environment V13.0

Finally, our Z Development and Test Environment team (ZD&T) has delivered significant enhancements, available today, October 30^th, 2020, which includes: 

• Redesigned User Interface
• Improved REST APIs
• New Docker Target Environment
• New volume component creation from existing ZD&T in Enterprise Edition
• Updated Application Developers Controlled Distribution (ADCD) - Preconfigured software’s
• Latest Z15 instruction set in all editions

Please refer to Raichel Sheeja Varghese, Offering Manager, ZD&T blog for more details on what’s new with ZD&T. Here is the link

Our Innovation journey continues ..