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Introducing IBM Remote System Explorer API

  


If you've used IBM Explorer for z/OS, you're probably familiar with the Remote System Explorer (RSE) UI and communications framework in Eclipse. When accessing MVS, UNIX, TSO, and JES subsystems, the client talks with the z/OS Explorer host server. The server tooling technology, otherwise known as the RSE server, has been at the heart of IBM Developer for z/OS and its predecessors for almost two decades. While serving Aqua products well, its communications protocol is not HTTP-based and is therefore not ideal for use by external tools. However, we're now pleased to bring you a new way to leverage the RSE host tooling technology!

As of the June 2020 release of IBM Explorer for z/OS, IBM introduces IBM Remote System Explorer API. Unlike the traditional z/OS Explorer server, RSE API runs in a web application server and speaks HTTP. Although it uses a new protocol, the new server is built on the same tooling framework and extensions as z/OS Explorer. Because of this both varieties of server will evolve in parallel. You can use the REST APIs to access MVS data sets, UNIX files and JES Jobs. For consistency with other technologies across the Z ecosystem, IBM RSE API supplies equivalent core endpoints to the Zowe API. As such, tools written to use Zowe API are able to adapt to RSE API and vice-versa. The new API server also includes services for searching, scanning, running commands and there are more in the works. Check out the Swagger docs here.



New Ways of Exploring



Exposing the z/OS Explorer functionality in a RESTful manner expands its reach outside of Eclipse. Scripts, web tools and other IDEs can exploit the APIs. Zowe Explorer, a VS Code extension, uses the Zowe CLI to present a user interface for z/OS access via z/OS MF. In IBM Z Open Editor, the IBM RSE API Plug-in for Zowe CLI lets you access z/OS resources using RSE API. Learn more about the IBM RSE API Plug-in for Zowe CLI here. Also note the upcoming release of Wazi Sandbox will be configured for use with RSE API.

How to get RSE API



IBM RSE API is freely available as an SMP/E just like the standard z/OS Explorer host component. It prereqs host 3.1.1 or higher. You can find it on ShopZ along with the z/OS Explorer host. You can also find it here. For more information, please visit here.

Note: RES API is non warranted unless it is used as a part of one of the following programs:

  • IBM Developer for z/OS, V14.2.3 or later
  • IBM Developer for z/OS Enterprise Edition, V14.2.3 or later
  • IBM Application Delivery Foundation, V3.2.2 or later
  • IBM Wazi Developer for Red Hat CodeReady Workspaces, V1.0 or later