Welcome
Integrating
HCL Launch supports integrations with other IBM® products, products from others, and certain cloud systems.
z/OS considerations for HCL Launch
HCL Launch includes support for the z/OS platform. Although the articles in this Knowledge Center for using HCL Launch to deploy applications, certain platform-specific configuration factors must be considered when using a z/OS model.
Upgrading z/OS® agents
You can upgrade IBM® z/OS® agents. However, you must upgrade the server before you upgrade the agents.

Welcome
Welcome to the HCL Launch 7.1.1 documentation, where you can find information about how to install, maintain, and use HCL Launch.
Release information
Overview
This section provides overview and getting started information.
Tutorials
Tutorials are available for every experience level.
Installing
An HCL Launch installation consists of the HCL Launch server, a database, and at least one agent.
Upgrading and migrating
Learn how to upgrade HCL Launch elements, including the server, agents, and blueprint design server, and how to migrate data.
Uninstalling
Learn how to uninstall an HCL Launch server, agent, or blueprint design server.
Integrating
HCL Launch supports integrations with other IBM® products, products from others, and certain cloud systems.
- Integrating with IBM® Rational® Asset Manager
  You can use IBM® Rational® Asset Manager to store and catalog build outputs, test results, and related packages as part of component processes in HCL Launch.
- Integrating with IBM® Rational® Test Workbench
  You can use IBM® Rational® Test Workbench to virtualize services and to run integration tests as part of component processes in HCL Launch.
- z/OS considerations for HCL Launch
  HCL Launch includes support for the z/OS platform. Although the articles in this Knowledge Center for using HCL Launch to deploy applications, certain platform-specific configuration factors must be considered when using a z/OS model.
  - Installing the z/OS® agent
    Before you deploy to the IBM® z/OS® platform, you must install the z/OS agent and configure the z/OS server for communication with HCL Launch. If the build process runs on a different logical partition (LPAR), then you must additionally install the agent on the build LPAR. You can install the z/OS agent and deployment tools by using the IBM System Modification Program Extended (SMP/E) or by extracting archive files to the z/OS UNIX™ file system.
  - Upgrading z/OS® agents
    You can upgrade IBM® z/OS® agents. However, you must upgrade the server before you upgrade the agents.
    - IBM® z/OS® agent changes in version 6.2.4
    - Migrating data from versions before 6.1.1
      Upgrade the server, agents, and agent relays before upgrading the IBM® z/OS® deployment tools.
  - Starting z/OS agents from the z/OS UNIX command line
    The z/OS agent can be started from ISPF as a started task or from the z/OS UNIX command line. To start an agent from ISPF as a started task refer to install/topics/run_agent.html. To start the z/OS agent from the z/OS UNIX command line, follow this procedure.
  - Installing the z/OS® agent and deployment tools by using SMP/E
    IBM® System Modification Program/Extended (SMP/E) is a tool for installing and maintaining software on z/OS® systems. SMP/E controls software changes at the element level. Job Control Language (JCL) is submitted by using 3270 emulation.
  - Job Monitor customization
    The Job Monitor binary is installed with the IBM® z/OS® deployment tools in the hlq.SBUZAUTH data set. You need the assistance of a security administrator and a TCP/IP administrator to complete this customization task.
  - Planning storage
    You can store the versions in CodeStation or in Artifactory/Nexus. To store versions in Artifactory or Nexus, the artifactory details must be passed to the buztool.sh. Every z/OS agent that is used to deploy projects, stores backups of old artifacts so that a rollback can be done when required. Plan the agent directory to ensure there is sufficient space for backup.
  - Customizing and verifying the TSO-ISPF client gateway
    HCL Launch uses the IBM® z/OS® Time Sharing Option-Interactive System Productivity Facility (TSO-ISPF) gateway when it imports and deploys component versions.
- Deploying components to the z/OS® platform
  Use the toolkit to deploy to the IBM® z/OS® platform.
Administering
Learn how to administer settings in HCL Launch elements and communication between the elements.
Managing security
HCL Launch uses a flexible team-based and role-based security model that maps to your organizational structure.
Modeling software deployment
Modeling software deployment in HCL Launch includes configuring components and component processes and adding those components to applications. Then, you use processes to deploy the components to environments.
Deploying
Learn how to deploy applications in HCL Launch.
Reporting
provides several different deployment and security reports.
Extending product function
Learn how to extend the function of HCL Launch.
Troubleshooting and support
Learn how to troubleshoot some common issues with HCL Launch.

Upgrading IBM® z/OS® agents

You can upgrade IBM® z/OS® agents. However, you must upgrade the server before you upgrade the agents.

About this task

Depending on how the z/OS® agents are installed, you have several options for upgrading the agents.

If you are upgrading to version 6.2.4 from a previous version, review IBM z/OS agent changes in version 6.2.4.

If you are upgrading to version 6.2.4 from a version earlier than 6.1.1, see Migrating data from versions before 6.1.1.

Note: HCL Launch does not support upgrading z/OS agents remotely.

Procedure

To upgrade from SMP/E installation, complete these steps:
1. If a different high-level qualifier than that for the previous installation is used, edit each agent's installed.properties file, specifying the new high-level qualifier.
2. Follow the instructions in the Program Directory for HCL Launch for z/OS®.
3. Upgrade each agent by using one of the options in Upgrading agents
Note:
After the SMP/E installation, the UNIX installer is already on your file system so you can skip the first few steps in the typical command-line install or upgrade guide and start from running the shell commands. If you are following the instructions in Upgrading agents from the command line or Upgrading agents in silent mode topics, you can skip the steps that download and extract the installer. Start with running the install-agent.sh or install-agent-from-file.sh script from your SMP/E installation directory.
To upgrade from a non-SMP/E installation, complete these steps:
1. Upgrade by using one of the options in Upgrading agents.
2. Submit a job to load the agent data sets. Locate the job JCL at agent install dir/mvs/BUZEXPD. The JCL, except the job parameter, is already customized, based on the agent configuration. Edit and submit the job to load the agent data sets. For example, use the following commands in OMVS to edit or submit the JCL:
```
oedit agent install dir/mvs/BUZEXPD
submit agent install dir/mvs/BUZEXPD
```