RefWiz Mainframe Project Management Software

1. What type of tool is RefWiz?
RefWiz is an analysis and documentation tool that provides, in one place, comprehensive data about mainframe batch and CICS application elements and their interrelationships. The information can be immediately accessed in a variety of standard or customized forms, based on your specific needs.
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2. What does RefWiz do?
RefWiz gathers together information from JCL, source code, and database definitions to build application inventories that capture the interrelationships between different elements such as jobs, procedures, control card members, programs, data sets and databases. Also, RefWiz collects data from SMF records, scheduling and change management tools and integrates it into a repository, providing access to accumulated change and usage histories. RefWiz can provide these details in minutes -- significantly reducing analysis time and increasing the accuracy of analysis that is performed -- allowing you to complete projects much more quickly, at a lower cost, and with fewer problems to address later.
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3. Does RefWiz analyze both batch and online applications?
Yes, RefWiz is unique in that it analyzes both batch and online applications, including online applications that are dynamically accessed.
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4. What are the specific areas within my organization that would benefit from RefWiz?
Following are just some areas that would benefit from the use of RefWiz. Please contact us to discuss your particular needs and how RefWiz can assist you. Examples include:

What is the benefit of using RefWiz throughout our upcoming conversion/migration projects?
Whether you are migrating applications to a new environment or converting to a new data format, RefWiz will save significant time in analysis and testing. It allows you to quickly see the magnitude of the required work by providing, in one place, complete data about application interrelationships between all aspects of batch and CICS applications (including whether or not the element is being used or is obsolete). Users have reported analysis time reductions of up to 75%. In addition, documentation no longer needs to be manually updated every time a change is made.
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How can RefWiz help me prepare for audits?
RefWiz allows you to easily access and produce reports showing the historical documentation of application changes and program and job usage activity, including who performed the changes, thereby easily documenting the steps taken to remain compliant with legal, corporate or other standards.
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Some of our mainframe staff will be retiring soon. How can RefWiz help as we make transitions?
RefWiz will significantly help programmers get up to speed on understanding mainframe applications as it puts details about application elements, interrelationships and historical usage where they can be easily accessed as needed.
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My organization is merging with another company/consolidating its data center. Can RefWiz help us manage this change effort?
Yes. When consolidating multiple environments, the inventory portion alone is time consuming and highly prone to human error. RefWiz helps you avoid duplication/replication of work as it shows the elements that have been changed, by whom, and lets you monitor your progress. It also shows where to insert interfaces and extract data.
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How can RefWiz help me determine if a change will cause a failure elsewhere?
By determining the relationships of batch and CICS application components, RefWiz provides views of your applications that help you identify potential areas of change impact, so you can avoid failures from unexpected problems. Should a failure occur, RefWiz keeps information about changes made to production libraries in one place, allowing you to quickly determine what changes have been made to an application and by whom, so you can analyze and correct the problems.
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6. Can I create cross-references on applications still in development?
Yes. This can help avoid potential problems before the applications are moved to production.
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7. Is the RefWiz data in a proprietary format?
No. Copy books with file definitions are available in the RefWiz SAMPLIB library, in COBOL and Easytrieve formats. RefWiz provides numerous reports that address the most frequently requested information. In addition, users can easily access the data to create custom reports or perform other analysis.
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8. Can I create customized reports?
Yes, all extracted raw data is available for customization, although most information is already included in the standard reports.
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9. Where does RefWiz store the data?
RefWiz pulls information directly from existing locations and writes it to flat files. No duplication of source files or additional databases is required. RefWiz data is stored mostly in sequential datasets, allowing you to easily create custom reports.
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10. How can I view the RefWiz output?
Information is accessed via user-friendly ISPF panels.
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11. Can RefWiz information be imported to PC-based spreadsheets or databases?
Yes, RefWiz allows you to access the information in a variety of standard or customized formats to suit your specific needs.
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12. Which operating systems are supported?
RefWiz supports all releases of z/OS and OS/390.
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13. In which programming language(s) is RefWiz written? Which programming languages/databases are supported?
RefWiz is written in COBOL and HLASM; it supports COBOL, Assembler, Easytrieve, and all levels of CICS, IMS and DB2. However, RefWiz does not require CICS, IMS or DB2.
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14. Which Change Management products are supported?
RefWiz supports Endevor, CA Panvalet® and SCLM. Ordinary PDS and PDSE data sets are also supported as repositories for program source and copy books.
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15. Does RefWiz require any JCL Expansion Products?
RefWiz provides its own JCL scanning tool as part of the base product. It can also use either ASG-PRO/JCL® or ASG-JOB/SCAN® JCL validation and standards enforcement products.
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16. Does RefWiz support CICS Transaction Server?
Yes, RefWiz supports all versions and levels of CICS TS.
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17. What is required for the installation process?
Basic RefWiz installation takes approximately 4 hours; customization time will vary. Generally, installation will require DB2 systems information and the names of SMF files, JCL production libraries, and program source libraries. Any programmer, systems or applications technician who has access to this information can complete the install. An IPL is not required.
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18. Are there are “hooks” to the Operating System?
No, RefWiz is an application, not operating system software. RefWiz does not modify existing system files, databases or source members.
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19. Are there any restrictions as to the number and types of end users?
There are no restrictions as to the number of end users, and anyone with RACF (or other security) authorization can access reports.
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20. How much staff is required to support RefWiz?
Once installed, RefWiz is a self-sustaining process requiring minimal user input and upkeep, and does not require dedicated manpower resources to maintain it.
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21. How frequently does RefWiz information need to be refreshed?
Information about your application data is automatically updated based on the schedule defined at installation. Batch and Online application information can usually be refreshed weekly. Batch and Online execution history is updated daily. Change History information is updated daily.
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22. Do the RefWiz jobs have significant batch overhead?
No. Although they can be I/O intensive, they are mainly reading files and are not significant CPU consumers.
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