1. Introduction to CICS

• Overview of CICS:

  • What is CICS?
  • History and evolution of CICS.
  • Importance of CICS in transaction processing.
  • Use cases for CICS (e.g., banking, retail, telecommunications).

• CICS Architecture:

  • Basic components of CICS (transactions, programs, resources, etc.).
  • CICS regions: Application region, system region, and transient regions.
  • Key CICS system components (Transaction Manager, Program Manager, etc.).

• Transaction Management:

  • What is a transaction?
  • Transaction lifecycle in CICS.
  • Key transaction processing concepts: Start, process, commit, and rollback.

2. CICS Commands and Control

• Introduction to CICS Commands:

  • Basic CICS commands: EXEC CICS, WRITE, READ, START, SEND, etc.
  • Command-level programming syntax and usage.

• CICS Control Options:

  • CICS system initialization and shutdown processes.
  • Defining and managing resources.
  • CICS system parameters (e.g., CICS.INI).

• CICS Monitoring and Debugging:

  • Debugging techniques and using diagnostic tools.
  • Working with the CICS log file.
  • Tracing and logging events.

3. CICS Application Development

• Programming Languages and Tools:

  • Using COBOL, Java, and other programming languages for CICS application development.
  • Writing and compiling CICS applications.
  • Integrating with DB2 and other databases.

• CICS Programming Concepts:

  • Working with file and data management (temporary storage, permanent storage).
  • Handling input/output operations.
  • CICS screen handling (using CICS maps for terminal I/O).

• Developing CICS Programs:

  • Program control in CICS: Binding programs to transactions, dynamic transaction handling.
  • Using CICS service programs for modularity.
  • Working with program variables and data structures in CICS.

• CICS Application Lifecycle:

  • From development to deployment: Building, testing, and running CICS applications.
  • Transaction initiation and handling.
  • Error and exception handling in applications.

4. CICS Resource Management

• CICS Resources:

  • Defining and managing resources such as files, queues, temporary storage, etc.
  • Managing database resources (accessing DB2 from CICS).
  • Resource control mechanisms (locking, queuing).

• Managing Temporary and Permanent Storage:

  • Temporary storage management in CICS (Temporary Storage Queues).
  • Permanent storage management (VSAM files, DB2 tables).

• CICS Queuing and Message Management:

  • Using CICS queues for message handling.
  • Working with the CICS Message Control System (MCS).
  • Managing CICS message queues and their parameters.

5. CICS Performance Optimization

• Performance Monitoring:

  • Using the CICS Performance Analyzer (CPA) to monitor system performance.
  • Identifying bottlenecks and optimizing CICS regions.

• Tuning CICS Applications:

  • Memory management and efficient data handling.
  • Performance tuning for CICS transactions.
  • Minimizing response time and maximizing throughput.

• System Tuning and Capacity Planning:

  • Optimizing system resources to handle large transaction volumes.
  • Managing system load and balancing workloads.

6. CICS Security

• Security Fundamentals:

  • User authentication and authorization in CICS.
  • Setting up user profiles and access control lists (ACLs).

• Data Security:

  • Securing sensitive data with encryption.
  • Implementing security for file I/O and transaction processing.

• CICS and RACF (Resource Access Control Facility):

  • Integration with RACF for system-level security.
  • Managing user roles and access permissions.

7. CICS Interfacing with Other Systems

• CICS-DB2 Integration:

  • Accessing DB2 databases from CICS applications.
  • Using CICS API for DB2 calls.

• CICS-IMS Integration:

  • Interfacing with IMS (Information Management System) databases.

• CICS Web Services:

  • Creating and consuming web services in CICS.
  • RESTful and SOAP-based web services in a CICS environment.

• CICS and MQSeries (IBM MQ):

  • Integrating CICS with MQ for message queuing.
  • Working with CICS and MQ to exchange messages between applications.

8. Advanced CICS Topics

• CICS Web Support:

  • Integrating CICS with web-based applications using CICS Transaction Gateway (CTG).
  • Web-enabled CICS applications (HTML, JavaScript, etc.).

• CICS Modernization:

  • Migrating CICS applications to modern platforms.
  • Leveraging cloud technologies with CICS.
  • Using Java and web technologies in CICS environments.

• CICS Transaction Server (CICS TS):

  • Advanced configuration of CICS Transaction Server.
  • New features and updates in CICS TS versions.

9. CICS Troubleshooting and Debugging

• Common Issues in CICS:

  • Identifying and resolving common problems in CICS applications.
  • Debugging using CICS diagnostic tools and logs.

• Error Handling:

  • Analyzing errors in CICS transactions and resolving them.
  • CICS abends and their causes.

10. CICS System Administration

• Managing CICS Systems:

  • Setting up and maintaining CICS regions and instances.
  • Monitoring system health and status.

• Backup and Recovery:

  • Implementing backup strategies for CICS applications.
  • Managing recovery after a system failure.

• CICS Configuration and Maintenance:

  • Configuring CICS resources (files, databases, programs).
  • Updating and patching CICS systems.