News
Check out What’s NEW for z/OSMF 3.2 (Sep 2025).
z/OSMF enhancements in 3.2 (Click for details):
- The APAR PH66821 delivered enhancement in z/OSMF Incident Log which can setup communication with CEA without having Common Information Model (CIM) as a broker. This initiative removes the CIM dependency with Incident Log Plugin.
- CP policy upload via Firefox browser (issue since 2.5) was fixed. This was shipped via the APAR PH67654.
- In z/OSMF WLM, the APAR PH66084 provided enhancements such as:
- New SMF loading workflow that allows to load SMF data from multiple datasets.
- New Overview page that summarizes the most important findings and provides links to drill down to other pages
- Redesigned the entire tool to match design of other IBM tools and websites
- Improved and redesigned most charts
- Introduces lots of findings and recommendations that will help users improve their service definition
- z/OSMF Capacity Provisioning plugin can setup communication with Capacity Provisioning Manager (CPM) without having Common Information Model (CIM) as a broker. This initiative removes the CIM dependency with Capacity Provisioning Plugin.
- z/OSMF Storage Management APIs:
- New Management Class APIs: Introduced new Management Class, new ACS routines and new Base config APIs as part of the Storage Management enhancements.
- Standardized Field Naming:The Storage Management APIs have been updated to use standardized camelCase field naming conventions across all constructs — including Data Class, Storage Class, Storage Group, and Volumes — ensuring consistency and ease of integration.
- z/OSMF Storage Management UI: The Storage Plugin UI introduced in version 3.2 is entirely new, laying the foundation for future enhancements. It includes an updated header and side-panel navigation, a comprehensive dashboard, and construct pages for Volumes, Data Class, Management Class, Storage Class, Storage Group, and ACS.
- SCDS Management : Supports adding up to 10 SCDSs using the new Add SCDS functionality. This also includes options to edit short names and remove SCDSs.
- Navigation and Linking for user experience: View all volumes within a Storage Group by selecting the number of volumes hyperlink.
- User Experience: Added tooltips for key fields and charts (e.g., table meter charts and detailed view charts) in the Volumes and Storage Group pages.Each construct page supports search, view details, export to CSV, column customization, refresh and filtering options. Last refreshed details are visible for each construct page and dashboard to keep track of the how old the data is.
- Restore to defaults for column arrangement in each construct.
- Reset all settings option is provided to reset all the user persisted data to the default.
- With the APAR PH66293, z/OSMF storage management plugin introduced UI enhancements like:
- A feature to persist the pagination, SCDSes added to the view, column arrangements, selected SCDS tab etc in the constructs and dashboard across zOSMF.
- A comprehensive help document is included and accessible via the “Help” hyperlink within the plugin and programming guide updates.
- View details of a Storage Group directly from the Volumes page via storage group name hyperlink.
- Update filter to add filter cards on top of table.
- Message help plug-in with error codes in Storage Plugin
- With the APAR PH66796, Japanese language support for all panels/functions is provided.
- The APAR PH66694 provides enhanced Add Volume API:The Storage Group – Add Volume (POST) API in 3.1 has been enhanced with additional validation checks to enforce user restrictions and ensure compliance with defined standards.
Check out what users said about z/OSMF 3.1 features.
z/OSMF enhancements in 1H 2025 (Click for details):
- With APAR PH66327, z/OSMF support the deprecation of CF Flash Memory VFM exploitation and Dedicated GPs for CF images with MQ related structure sizing. Overflow SCM option will be removed when CF Level 26 is selected by user for MQ related structure sizing.
z/OSMF enhancements in 4Q 2024 (Click for details):
- z/OS Data Gatherer enhancements: z/OS Data Gatherer provides access to Monitor III data by means of the z/OS Data Gatherer Monitor III REST services. This allows applications to retrieve Monitor III data from a VSAM data set or local in-storage buffer via HTTP REST calls, described through the OpenAPI v3 specification. With the PTFs for APARs OA65072 and PH60122, this enhancement is available on z/OS 3.1.
- z/OSMF Desktop enhancements
To help enable users to be more efficient when working with data sets and jobs, the following capabilities have been added:
- In the Data set and File Search tool, the informational attributes of the data sets (such as volume, track, record format, block size, etc.) are displayed
- Users can save a sequential data set or a data set member with specified content types in the Data set and File Search tool
- Users can compare the contents of uncatalogued data sets, change the volser and view the last modified time of a data set member or a Unix file in the comparison editor window
- Additional information in the Job Output tool can be viewed. The attributes ‘submitted’ ‘started’, ‘ended’ date and time will be displayed to users for every job
- With enhancement provided via APAR PH60035, z/OS users can package and send diagnostic data for dump incident with guided wizard and don't need to worry about password information in job log.For all the supported protocols FTP, SFTP, PDUU_FTP, and PDUU-HTTPS job output will not include sensitive information.
- z/OSMF workflows have been enhanced to enable file template resolution during step execution. Workflows can be defined without file template content available upfront; users provide variable values for file template location at execution time, allowing dynamic retrieval of content. The workflow editor task now supports dynamic file template specification.
- The APAR PH66694 provides enhanced Add Volume API in z/OSMF Storage management plugin. The Storage Group – Add Volume (POST) API in 3.1 has been enhanced with additional validation checks to enforce user restrictions and ensure compliance with defined standards.
z/OSMF enhancements in 2Q 2024 (Click for details):
- Visual Data Set and Volume Comparison: Enhanced capability to visually compare data sets and volumes via the z/OSMF interface in IBM z/OS Change Tracker, allowing users to quickly identify member-level changes, additions, and deletions. This is delivered through APAR PH56939.
- z/OSMF Software Update Enhancements: Allows users to select and install specific PTFs from a displayed list of received updates, improving user experience by avoiding manual input. Also, users can now filter which recommended PTFs are installed based on their criteria using SOURCEIDs. This were delivered with the PTF for APAR PH58221.
- New REST API for SMPCSI Data Sets: Provides read access to data stored in SMPCSI, simplifying development by enabling easier access to this information without needing lower-level programming languages. Delivered via the APAR PH58221.
- z/OSMF AICI Simulation Visualization: z/OSMF AICI task's enhanced visualization feature allows users to compare actual batch initiators managed by Workload Manager (WLM) with predicted values in simulation mode, facilitating evaluation of AI behavior and benefits. This is delivered through APAR PH56709.
- z/OSMF WLM support for z/OS Container: Supports latest function level to configure performance goals for z/OS Container workloads delivered via APAR PH43496.
z/OSMF enhancements in 1H 2024 (Click for details):
- z/OSMF supports syntax validation of z/OS Parmlib with one single and easy to use REST API via APAR PH56207.
- z/OSMF REST TSO API is enhanced to support surrogate user which provides more flexibility. This is delivered through APAR PH56564.
- z/OSMF Desktop Data Set and File Search is enhanced to support remote sysplex. User can open multiple Search windows for multiple sysplex and work with data sets or USS files from multiple sysplex at the same time. This is achieved via APAR PH56708.
- z/OSMF Feedback Collection is enhanced to support collecting product usage information on a monthly base via APR PH56716.
Check out What’s NEW for z/OSMF 3.1 (Sep 2023).
z/OSMF Configuration Trial is online! A dedicated environment and step by step guide is ready for you at here.
z/OSMF Community Guild was founded in Nov 2021. Welcome to participate this guild for discovering, learning and sharing about z/OSMF.
z/OSMF enhancements in 2H 2022 (Click for details):
- z/OSMF Desktop supports uploading and downloading sequential data set, data set member and USS file with a few clicks via PH44157.
- REST Jobs API supports notification for additional job events via PH44152.
- Storage Management REST API is enhanced to support adding volume into Storage Group via PH44884.
- Workflow supports signing workflow step to provide further secure workflow execution via PH43962.
- Security configuration of z/OSMF nucleus can be verified via job with PH45350.
z/OSMF enhancements in 1H 2022 (Click for details):
- Workflow is enhanced to support policy based archiving workflow (PH39153). The archived workflows can be saved in specified USS directory.
- Security Configuration Assistant (SCA) is enhanced to support REST API for validating (PH41248) and fixing (PH39327) SAF resource based security requirements. With PH39327, users can also fix SAF resource based security requirements with a few clicks from SCA UI.
- z/OSMF Ansible Collection v1.2.0 is online and includes below enhancements
- Improved zmf_sca module to support security provisioning
- Improved zmf_workflow to support reporting current step information when workflow is in progress
- Sysplex Management is enhanced to support Import/Export of CFRM policies and bulk copy of structures (PH39687).
- Sysplex Management is also enhanced to support comparing CFRM policy changes or differences and exporting CFRM policy with CSV format (PH44343).
- z/OSMF Systems task supports verifying connection status from local z/OSMF to other z/OSMF (PH44158).
- REST data set and file API is enhanced (PH44068) to support
- Create and remove USS symbol links
- Mount USS file system with nosetuid option
- Set TSO region size and logon procedure through HTTP header
The new version of z/OSMF Ansible Collection is now online! Find more information in our blog.
z/OSMF enhancements in 2H 2021 (Click for details):
- z/OSMF Desktop is enhanced to support more daily operations of data set or USS file. With z/OSMF V2R5 (APAR PH39605 on V2R4), a handy compare utility is built into z/OSMF Desktop. It provides modernized experience for comparing text format based data set or USS file. Copy, rename, and change permissions of USS file are now also supported (APAR PH39637 on V2R4).
- Several new REST APIs as well as REST API enhancements are added into z/OSMF:
- NEW REST API to retrieve DFSMS Data Class and Storage Class information (APAR PH40099 for z/OS V2R4 and above)
- NEW REST API to retrieve SYSLOG messages based on timestamp and direction (APAR PH38968 for z/OS V2R4 and above). This is an addition to previous OPERLOG API.
- NEW REST API to retrieve run time value of System Symbols (APAR PH41196 for z/OS V2R4 and above)
- NEW REST API to work with Sysplex CFRM policy data such as copying, renaming, deleting and activating policies. (APAR PH39685 for z/OS V2R4 and above).
- z/OS data set and file API is enhanced to support specifying account number for purpose like charging and handling sepcial international characters in the name of data set or USS file. (APAR PH39690 for z/OS V2R4 and above)
- Incident Log is enhanced to support using HTTPS for PDUU data transfer. (APAR PH39848 for z/OS V2R4 and above)
Check out our z/OSMF Value Proposition to learn about the unique value of z/OSMF by use case.
Check out our latest video about introduction and demo for Ansible drives Workflow.
z/OSMF enhancements in 1H 2021 (Click for details):
- z/OSMF Workflows is enhanced by APAR PH27725 to support searching keywords from the content of workflow step. This could help user to quickly locate corresponding steps.
- z/OSMF Security Configuration Assistant (a.k.a. SCA) plugin is enhanced by APAR PH29907 to support z/OS components, features, products or self-defined json format of security requirement file. Check out our video at here.
- z/OSMF ISPF is enhanced by APAR PH34102 to support global setting. This could avoid the need for each individual user to provide z/OSMF ISPF setting before they can use z/OSMF ISPF. The settings of z/OSMF ISPF is also able to be cloned and deployed to other z/OSMF by copying and pasting json format of setting files.
- z/OSMF Desktop Editor is enhanced by APAR PH34912 to support displaying data set name or USS file path as a link. User could open the referenced data set or USS file from z/OSMF Desktop Editor by simply clicking on the link.
- z/OSMF Incident Log is enhanced by APAR PH34912 to support opening diagnostic data such as log snapshot with z/OSMF Desktop Editor. Previously, the diagnostic data displayed in Incident Log can only be viewed in z/OSMF ISPF panel. By leveraging z/OSMF Desktop Editor, user can view diagnostic data in a VS Code like editor.
- A new z/OSMF REST API is introduced by APAR PH34912 to support changing z/OS password.
- A new REST API is provided by PH35930 to allow user to retrieve OPERLOG based on specified starting time stamp and direction.
- A new REST API is provided by PH35244 to allow user to issue TSO command. Previously, to issue TSO command through z/OSMF REST API, user has to call several REST APIs and manage the life cycle of TSO address space. This new REST API simplifies the process and only requires one stateless call.
Check out our latest blog about z/OSMF performance measurement reference for Zowe CLI scenario.
z/OSMF Security Configuration Assistant now supports external products. Check out our latest video at here.
Check out our latest blog about z/OSMF Desktop UI.
z/OSMF enhancements in 4Q 2020 (Click for details):
- z/OSMF Ansible collection is enhanced to support MVS operator commands as well as fetching sequential data set or PDS/E data set member.
- z/OSMF Desktop is enhanced by PH28692 to support typeahead search. PH30398 also enhances z/OSMF Desktop to support creating data set. Clients can create a new physical sequential or partitioned data set based on an existing data set, a predefined template, or fully specified attributes.
- z/OSMF REST data set and file API is enhanced by APAR PH29745 to queue concurrent requests from the same user when the number of TSO address spaces are exhausted. A tuning guide for REST data set and file API is also published at here.
- z/OS Operator Consoles plugin is enhanced by PH30881 to support side view for WTOR/Hold messages.
- z/OSMF is enhanced by PH30398 to support 15 minutes as the minimum expiration time of z/OSMF user session.
- z/OSMF Diagnostic Assistant is enhanced with PH25691 to support the display of z/OSMF data file system utilization on the z/OSMF desktop taskbar. It also supports automatic cleanup of z/OSMF diagnostic data based on a predefined policy.
- z/OSMF Workflow Engine has several enhancements with the PTF for APAR PH28532. The workflow administrator can delete multiple workflow instances at a time. To perform a workflow on a remote sysplex, a single sign-on among z/OSMF instances is no longer strictly required. In the absence of a single sign-on, the request prompts for a user and password, if necessary. The "create new workflow instance" dialog now exploits the typeahead search for the workflow definition and workflow properties files. This can eliminate the need to provide the full data set name or path name.
- z/OSMF startup time and resource consumption during startup is improved with the PTFs for APARs PH28921, PH28920, PH28971, PH28990, PH28451, PH29230, PH29243, PH28832, and PH28872. Actual results can vary, depending on the client's configuration.
- Cloud Provisioning and Management (CP&M) for z/OS continues to deliver many new functions and improved user experience via continuous delivery. The following features were delivered on December 10, 2020 with PTFs UI72944 (z/OS V2.3) and UI72945 (z/OS V2.4) to expand CP&M provisioning capability and offer a robust software provisioning platform on z/OS. Please refer to our latest blog for details.
z/OSMF startup improvement is now available:
- With the new PTFs we delivered for startup improvement, in lab measurements of a small z15 lpar, the startup time improved about 50%. Please refer to our latest blog for details.
Check out this blog about how to access z/OSMF with client certificate.
z/OSMF Lite Stage 2 is now available:
- z/OSMF Lite provides the flexibility to tailor z/OSMF runtime for better performance in a few clicks. With z/OSMF Lite, you can improve up to 50% startup performance. Please refer to our latest blog for details.
z/OSMF enhancements in 2Q 2020 (Click for details):
- z/OSMF REST Jobs API is enhanced by APAR PH23046 to support search option and codepage conversion for spool outputs. Additional option is also introduced to return active jobs only and additional data like submit time.
- z/OSMF REST data set and file API is enhanced by APAR PH22030 to support "Allocate Like". Response time is also improved for retrieving content from large data set or USS file by supporting "Accept-Encoding: gzip" header.
- User can create link on z/OSMF desktop with APAR PH24527. With this APAR, the VS Code like editor included in z/OSMF desktop is also enhanced to support syntax highlight for JCL, XML, HTML and REXX content.
- z/OSMF Workflow Editor is enhanced with APAR PH24190 to use the z/OSMF integrated VS Code like editor, when working with large amounts of text. This could leverage benefits of the z/OSMF editor such as easy to do find and replace, preview support, syntax highlighting, etc.
- z/OSMF Ansible collection is enhanced to support z/OS job operations based on z/OSMF REST Jobs API.
- APAR PH24527 provides more flexibility to customize z/OSMF runtime in terms of which services to be started. User can now use a simple GUI panel or a json file to easily enable/disable most z/OSMF services for lightweight purpose.
- User can use "SETIZU" or "SET IZU" command to dynamically change values of z/OSMF parmlib options instead of having to restart z/OSMF. This is provided by APAR PH24088.
- z/OSMF Workflow is enhanced by PH21919 to support saving all job outputs in specified USS directory and also displaying the path of workflow definition. In addition, PH24190 also enhances workflow to support automatic deletion when workflow is completed.
- z/OS Operator Console plugin is enhanced by PH24072 to allow setup console attributes from z/OSMF UI instead of having to create several security configuration.
- z/OSMF Diagnostic Assistant is further enhanced by PH18776 to support changing z/OSMF logging level from z/OSMF GUI. Combine with previous support to download z/OSMF diagnostic data with a few clicks, z/OSMF Diagnostic Assistant intends to simplify the diagnostic process of z/OSMF.
z/OSMF Ansible collection is now available on Ansible Galaxy:
- z/OSMF Ansible collection helps you to integrate Ansible and z/OS without any environment change to z/OS. Please refer to our latest blog for details.
z/OSMF enhancements in 4Q 2019 (Click for details):
- z/OSMF Security Configuration Assistant is enhanced to support variable substitution and validation by user group with APAR PH17871.
- z/OSMF Desktop is enhanced by APAR PH16076 to support searching, browsing and editing USS file and directory from the same place where user can do similar operation with data sets today. User can also submit data set or USS file as JCL and check job output directly from the z/OSMF desktop editor or search window.
- z/OSMF Workflows tasks is enhanced to support creating workflow instance from workflow definition located in remote systems by APAR PH14185.
- z/OSMF REST data set and file service is enhanced to support accessing data sets and files in remote system by APAR PH15263.
- z/OSMF supports JSON Web Token (JWT) by returning JWT token during authentication and accepting JWT token for authorization of z/OSMF services by APAR PH12143.
- z/OSMF Sysplex Management plugin is enhanced by PH15554 to allow users to create a new couple data set for several operations like set Primary CDS, switch Alternate CDS to Primary CDS, etc.
- z/OSMF startup time is reduced by APAR PH19227 and PH06678.
z/OSMF V2R4 is now available in Sep 2019:
- Please refer to the latest handout from SHARE Fort Worth or z/OS V2R4 Announcement.
About z/OSMF
IBM z/OS Management Facility (z/OSMF) provides a framework for managing various aspects of a z/OS system through a task-oriented, web browser interface. By streamlining some traditional tasks and automating others, z/OSMF can help to simplify some areas of system management and reduce the level of expertise that is needed for managing a system.
- Learn more about z/OSMF:
- Explore spotlights and key features of z/OSMF:
Get Started
The IBM Z software trials program provides a no-charge trial for z/OSMF that does not require installation:
The IBM-Z-zOS GitHub repository provides demonstrations of z/OSMF functions that you can download:
IBM provides a series of tutorial videos and online courses to help you learn more about specific z/OSMF tasks. For all z/OSMF videos, please refer to the z/OSMF channel of IBM MediaCenter.
Documentation
IBM provides some expert documentation to help you learn more about z/OSMF:
- Learn more about z/OSMF Workflows:
- Learn more about IBM Cloud Provisioning and Management for z/OS (CP&M):
- Other documentation:
Community
The IBM Z and LinuxONE Community provides business and technical experts around the world the ability to exchange ideas, develop expertise, and connect through shared interests:
User Reference
The following cases illustrate how customers benefit from z/OSMF:
z/OSMF Badges
Start your free online learning and get the following z/OSMF badges:
Contact Us
The zosmf-adoption channel on Slack is provided for open discussion about configuration, adoption, marketing, and events for the z/OSMF product.