Share the news. Share the data. Check out the latest IMS course: IMS Data Sharing!
It's self-paced, there's no cost, and you can earn a digital badge.

What's in the course?
In this advanced course, you'll learn about IMS data sharing capabilities. You'll learn how multiple IMS systems on different LPARs and processors can access and update the same databases with complete integrity.
This 12-hour course is for experienced IMS system programmers and database administrators who need to install, configure, maintain, and support IMS data sharing.
Prerequisites
You should have experience as an IMS system programmer or database administrator. It is also recommended that before taking this class, you should complete the following training or have the equivalent experience in these areas:
Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able to:
- Define IMS subsystems, IRLMs, and coupling facilities that are used to support IMS data sharing
- Install and implement a data sharing environment
- Design recovery procedures for failures in the data sharing environment
- Monitor the performance of a data sharing environment
- Explain IRLM and coupling facility roles in supporting IMS data sharing
Log in in to the IMS Data Sharing course and complete the units at your own pace. There's no cost, and all you need is an IBM id.
If you successfully complete the course, you'll get a digital badge!
What is data sharing?
When more than one Information Management System (IMS™) system has concurrent access to an IMS database, those systems are sharing data, and you have a data sharing environment.
An IMS system includes databases whose data can potentially be made available to, or shared with, all declared application programs. Access to a database is a characteristic defined in an application program's PSB. With data sharing support, application programs in separate IMS systems can concurrently access databases.
In a data sharing environment, you manage multiple IMS systems, each running on different z/OS® systems in a sysplex.
Is it safe?
Absolutely! IMS uses lock management to ensure that database changes requested from one application program are fully committed before other application programs access that data.
Now share that data!
Check out more IMS courses!
IMS Fundamentals
IMS Database Fundamentals
IMS System Programming: Database and Transaction Management
IMS Diagnostics
IMS Shared Queues
IMS System Programming in a DBCTL Environment
IMS Fast Path Implementation
Don't forget to visit IMS Central to find more IMS training content, what's new, and links to documentation and support.