Vscode-extension-for-zowe: FTP extension - Using FTP to access MVS files and JES queues

[FALLAI-Denis]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Our systems teams are very reluctant to give access to z/OSMF (even z/OSMF Lite) to development teams: they consider z/OSMF to be a z/OS administration system product and not an interface / API for accessing z/OS.

Describe the solution you'd like

An alternative would be to use the FTP server instead of z/OSMF to access the resources exploited by Zowe Explorer: MVS files, USS files and JES queues (jobs).

Describe alternatives you've considered

IBM RSE API (IBM System Explorer API) and @ ibm / rse-api-for-zowe-cli plugin.

Asks the vendor of a solution already used on our sites to interface with Zowe CLI, (the solution already uses a listener on the z/OS host, used by Eclipse and WEB clients; it would be a question of making it addressable by Zowe CLI to no longer be dependent on z/OSMF).

Additional context

Modernization of our Mainframe Development Workshop.

[dkelosky]

There is an FTP extension here: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Zowe.zowe-explorer-ftp-extension

We recognize some see z/OSMF as an administration only tool, but IBM has provided doc on using z/OSMF in a devops context.

[FALLAI-Denis]

Thanks @dkelosky.

My issue refers to the "Zowe Explorer extension for FTP", so that it is not limited to "UNIX SYSTEM SERVICES (USS)" access, but also allows "DATASETS (MVS)" access, and also the "JOBS (QUEUE JES)", and therefore completely substitutes for z/OSMF to access all these resources.

Note: I think it is better to write "DATASETS" (in one word) than "DATA SETS" (in two words). It is this form that is generally used in IBM reference documents. And since this is the "MVS" part of z/OS, you could even say "MVS DATASETS", or "DATASETS (MVS)".

[FALLAI-Denis]

Hi,

Still in discussion with our system team for the use of z/OSMF...

With the addition of a French specificity: "Military Programming Law", it is forbidden to give access to administration functions or production data outside of reserved communication channels. And z/OSMF is an administration tool.

Since version 1.13, all that's missing is access to JES ;-)

[dkelosky]

We'll keep progressing on FTP.

The link for z/OSMF in a DevOps context is broken (I contacted IBM). In the meantime, chapter 28 here: https://www-01.ibm.com/servers/resourcelink/svc00100.nsf/pages/zosV2R4SC278419/$file/izua300_v2r4.pdf

z/OSMF by name is an administrative tool, but it's security configuration is granular, not broad. Meaning, you don't need to give full access to z/OSMF and everything it can do. Instead you can open up the jobs, data sets, and USS files APIs.

[dkelosky]

Here is an updated link: https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en/SSLTBW_2.4.0/com.ibm.zos.v2r4.izua300/V2R4/zosmf/izua300/izuconfig_DevOpsConfiguration.htm

We'll keep progressing here (with z/OSMF). We hear that FTP and even FTPS are not permitted in in many sites.

[lauren-li]

Version 1.14.0 of the Zowe Explorer Extension for FTP added the following JES capabilities:

• List Jobs with prefix * owner *
• List job by jobid
• List spool files
• View spool files content
• Download spool files
• Submit job
• Delete job