IBM® IMS™ has been a trusted foundation for high-performance transaction processing and data management for decades. Its reliability, data integrity, and scalability are well established, but for many teams, especially those onboarding new talent, IMS can be difficult to navigate. The learning curve is steep, and finding answers often requires extensive research or access to a limited pool of experts.

This is where IBM IMS Agents, available through watsonx Assistant for Z, make a difference.

IMS Agents are intelligent assistants designed to make working with IMS faster, easier, and more intuitive. They help developers, DBAs, and system programmers get the answers they need without searching through documentation or relying on senior colleagues.

What IMS Agents Do

IMS Agents support users in real time. They understand natural language, so users can ask questions the same way they would speak to a colleague. The agents respond with clear, context-specific guidance drawn from IBM’s knowledge base and live system data.

Key capabilities include:

• Providing context-specific answers in seconds
  IMS Agents resolve complex questions quickly with relevant insights, helping users avoid time-consuming research.

• Querying the IMS knowledge base using natural language
  Users can ask follow-up questions just like they would with a senior engineer, making the experience conversational and efficient.

• Accelerating issue resolution
  IMS Agents provide real-time system information to support faster troubleshooting and resolution.

• Empowering developers to work independently
  IMS Agents reduce reliance on senior staff and help maximize team productivity.

• Generating precise IMS command syntax
  Users can produce accurate command syntax instantly without needing deep IMS expertise or searching through documentation.

Use Cases

IMS Agents support a wide range of operational scenarios:

• Understanding IMS database types and structures
  Users can ask questions such as “What types of databases does IMS have?” or “What is a DEDB?” and receive clear, helpful answers.

• Retrieving command syntax for system queries
  For example, users can ask “What is the command to show the status of a DEDB named IDEDB01?” and get the exact syntax needed.

• Investigating transaction performance issues
  IMS Agents can outline detailed steps to help users gather information and analyze performance events.

• Recovering IMS databases
  Users can request guidance on recovery procedures and receive a structured walkthrough of the necessary steps.

These examples demonstrate how IMS Agents deliver practical, intelligent support for a variety of IMS tasks.

Built with Deep Domain Expertise

IMS Agents are purpose-built for IBM Z and trained on decades of IMS knowledge. They understand the complexity of mainframe workflows and operate with the precision, security, and governance required in enterprise environments.

Whether your team is new to IMS or looking to improve operational efficiency, IMS Agents offer a smarter and faster way to work with one of the most powerful systems in enterprise computing.

Summary

IBM IMS Agents make IMS more accessible and therefore help database and system administrators be more productive. IMS Agents provide fast, intelligent support for common tasks, reduce the need for deep expertise, and help teams resolve issues more efficiently. With natural language interaction, real-time system data, and built-in domain knowledge, IMS Agents are transforming how teams work with IMS.

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