release-v1.6.0-beta.1

Version 1.6.0-beta.1

New Modules

• zos_volume_init - Can initialize volumes or minidisks on target z/OS systems which includes creating a volume label and an entry into the volume table of contents (VTOC).

Minor Changes

• zos_blockinfile - Adds an enhancement to allow double quotes within a block.
• zos_data_set - Adds a new option named force to enable deletion of a data member in a PDSE that is simultaneously in use by others.
• zos_job_query - Enables embedded positional wild card placement throughout job_name and job_id parameters.
• zos_lineinfile - Adds a new option named force to enable modification of a data member in a data set that is simultaneously in use by others.
• zos_tso_command - Adds a new option named max_rc to enable non-zero return codes lower than the specified maximum return as succeeded.

Bugfixes

• zos_copy
  - Fixes a bug where files not encoded in IBM-1047 would trigger an error while computing the record length for a new destination dataset.
  - Fixes a bug where the module would change the mode for a directory when copying in the contents of another directory.
  - Fixes a bug where the incorrect encoding would be used during normalization, particularly when processing newlines in files.
• zos_encode - Fixes a bug where converted files were not tagged with the new code set afterwards.
• zos_find - Fixes a bug where the module would stop searching and exit after the first value in a list was not found.
• zos_lineinfile
  - Removes use of Python f-string to ensure support for Python 2.7 on the controller.
  - Fixes a bug where an incorect error message would be raised when a USS source was not found.

Availability

• Automation Hub
• Galaxy
• GitHub

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python 3.9 - 3.11
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.2.2 (or later) but prior to version 1.3.

release-v1.5.0

Version 1.5.0

New Modules

• zos_gather_facts - can retrieve variables from target z/OS systems that are then available to playbooks through the ansible_facts dictionary and managed using filters.

Major Changes

• ibm_zos_core - Updates the entire collection in that the collection no longer depends on the managed node having installed System Display and Search Facility (SDSF). Remove SDSF dependency from ibm_zos_core collection.

Minor Changes

• zos_apf - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_blockinfile

  - fixes a bug when using double quotes in the block text of the module. When double quotes appeared in block text, the module would error differently depending on the usage of option insertafter. Examples of this error have return code 1 or 16 along with message "ZOAU dmod return content is NOT in json format" and a varying stderr.
  - updates the module with a new option named force. This allows for a user to specify that the data set can be shared with others during an update which results in the data set you are updating to be simultaneously updated by others.
  - updates the module with a new option named indentation. This allows for a user to specify a number of spaces to prepend to the content before being inserted into the destination.
  - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.
  

• zos_copy - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_data_set - Ensures that temporary datasets created by zos_data_set use the tmp_hlq specified. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_encode - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_fetch - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_job_output - was updated to leverage the latest changes that removes the REXX code by calling the module utility jobs.

• zos_job_query

  - was updated to leverage the latest changes that removes the REXX code by calling the module utility jobs.
  - was updated to use the jobs module utility.
  

• zos_job_submit

  - architecture changed such that the entire modules execution time now is captured in the duration time which includes job submission and log collection. If a job does not return by the default 10 sec 'wait_time_s' value, it can be increased up to 86400 seconds.
  - behavior changed when a volume is defined in the module options such that it will catalog the data set if it is not cataloged and submit the job. In the past, the function did not catalog the data set and instead performed I/O operations and then submitted the job. This behavior aligns to other module behaviors and reduces the possibility to encounter a permissions issue.
  

• zos_lineinfile - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_mount - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_mvs_raw

  - Ensures that temporary datasets created by DD Statements use the tmp_hlq specified. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.
  - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.
  - updated module documentation on how to use a multi-line string when using the content field option as well as an example.
  

• zos_operator

  - added in the response the cmd result.
  - added in the response the elapsed time.
  - added in the response the wait_time_s set.
  - deprecated the wait option, not needed with wait_time_s minor_changes.
  - was updated to remove the usage of REXX and replaced with ZOAU python APIs. This reduces code replication and it removes the need for REXX interpretation which increases performance.
  

Bugfixes

• zos_copy

  - fixes a bug such that the module fails when copying files from a directory needing also to be encoded. The failure would also delete the `src` which was not desirable behavior. Fixes deletion of src on encoding error.
  - module was updated to correct a bug in the case when the destination (dest) is a PDSE and the source (src) is a Unix Systems File (USS). The module would fail in determining if the PDSE actually existed and try to create it when it already existed resulting in an error that would prevent the module from correctly executing.
  - fixes a bug where the computed record length for a new destination dataset would include newline characters.
  - fixes a bug where if a destination has accented characters in its content, the module would fail when trying to determine if it is empty.
  - fixes a bug where copying a member from a loadlib to another loadlib fails.
  - fixed wrongful creation of destination backups when module option `force` is true, creating emergency backups meant to restore the system to its initial state in case of a module failure only when force is false.
  - copy failed from a loadlib member to another loadlib member. Fix now looks for an error in stdout while copying to perform a fallback copy for executables.
  - fixes a bug where the module would change the mode for a directory when copying into it the contents of another.
  - fixes a bug where source files not encoded in IBM-1047 would trigger an encoding error while computing the record length for a new destination dataset.
  - fixes a bug where the code for fixing an issue with newlines in files would use the wrong encoding for normalization.
  

• zos_data_set

  - Fixes a bug such that the module will delete a catalogued data set over an uncatalogued data set even though the volume is provided for the uncataloged data set. This is unexpected behavior and does not align to documentation; correct behavior is that when a volume is provided that is the first place the module should look for the data set, whether or not it is cataloged.
  - fixes a bug where the default record format FB was actually never enforced and when enforced it would cause VSAM creation to fail with a Dynalloc failure. This also cleans up some of the options that are set by default when they have no bearing for batch.
  

• zos_fetch - Updates the modules behavior when fetching VSAM data sets such that the maximum record length is now determined when creating a temporary data set to copy the VSAM data into and a variable-length (VB) data set is used.

• zos_job_output - fixes a bug that returned all ddname's when a specific ddnamae was provided. Now a specific ddname can be returned and all others ignored.

• zos_job_query - was updated to correct a boolean condition that always evaluated to "CANCELLED".

• zos_job_submit

  - fixes the issue when `wait_time_s` was set to 0 that would result in a `type` error and the response would be a stack trace.
  - fixes the issue when a job encounters a security exception, no job log would would result in the response.
  - fixes the issue when a job is configured for a syntax check using TYPRUN=SCAN that it would wait the full duration set by `wait_time_s` to return a response.
  - fixes the issue when a job is configured for a syntax check using TYPRUN=SCAN that no job log would result in the response.
  - fixes the issue when a job is purged by the system that the response would result in a stack trace.
  - fixes the issue when invalid JCL syntax is submitted such that the response would result in a stack trace.
  - fixes the issue when resources (data sets) identified in JCL did not exist such that a response would result in a stack trace.
  - fixes the issue where the response did not include the job log when a non-zero return code would occur.
  

• zos_mount - fixed option tag_ccsid to correctly allow for type int.

• zos_mvs_raw - module was...

release-v1.4.1

Version 1.4.1

Bug fixes

• zos_copy

  • failed at copying a load module to a PDS/E which contained other load
    modules. Now both stdin and stdout are inspected to decide on the correct
    copy option for this scenario.
  • files not encoded in IBM-1047 would trigger an error while computing the
    record length for a new destination dataset has been corrected by
    normalizing on all encodings.
  • new lines in files would cause an error. Now files are reviewed before
    copying and normalized.
  • wrongful creation of destination backups when the module option
    force was true. These backups were meant to restore the system to
    its initial state in case of a module failure, now this only happens when
    when force is false.
  • when computing record length for a new destination dataset would include
    newline characters; this change removes newline characters from the
    computed length.
  • module would change the destination directory permission bits when the
    option mode was set; now the destination directory permissions are preserved.

• zos_job_query

  • fixes a bug where a boolean was not being properly compared.

Availability

• Automation Hub
• Galaxy
• GitHub

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3_ or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python 3.9
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.0 and
  Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.1

release-v1.5.0-beta.1

Version 1.5.0-beta.1

New Modules

• zos_gather_facts - can retrieve variables from target z/OS systems that are then available to playbooks through the ansible_facts dictionary and managed using filters.

Major Changes

• ibm_zos_core - Updates the entire collection in that the collection no longer depends on the managed node having installed System Display and Search Facility (SDSF). Remove SDSF dependency from ibm_zos_core collection.

Minor Changes

• zos_apf - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_blockinfile

  - fixes a bug when using double quotes in the block text of the module. When double quotes appeared in block text, the module would error differently depending on the usage of option insertafter. Examples of this error have return code 1 or 16 along with message "ZOAU dmod return content is NOT in json format" and a varying stderr.
  - updates the module with a new option named force. This allows for a user to specify that the data set can be shared with others during an update which results in the data set you are updating to be simultaneously updated by others.
  - updates the module with a new option named indentation. This allows for a user to specify a number of spaces to prepend to the content before being inserted into the destination.
  - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.
  

• zos_copy - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_data_set - Ensures that temporary datasets created by zos_data_set use the tmp_hlq specified. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_encode - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_fetch - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_job_output - was updated to leverage the latest changes that removes the REXX code by calling the module utility jobs.

• zos_job_query

  - was updated to leverage the latest changes that removes the REXX code by calling the module utility jobs.
  - was updated to use the jobs module utility.
  

• zos_job_submit

  - architecture changed such that the entire modules execution time now is captured in the duration time which includes job submission and log collection. If a job does not return by the default 10 sec 'wait_time_s' value, it can be increased up to 86400 seconds.
  - behavior changed when a volume is defined in the module options such that it will catalog the data set if it is not cataloged and submit the job. In the past, the function did not catalog the data set and instead performed I/O operations and then submitted the job. This behavior aligns to other module behaviors and reduces the possibility to encounter a permissions issue.
  

• zos_lineinfile - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_mount - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.

• zos_mvs_raw

  - Ensures that temporary datasets created by DD Statements use the tmp_hlq specified. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.
  - updates the module with a new option named tmp_hlq. This allows for a user to specify the data set high level qualifier (HLQ) used in any temporary data set created by the module. Often, the defaults are not permitted on systems, this provides a way to override the defaults.
  - updated module documentation on how to use a multi-line string when using the content field option as well as an example.
  

• zos_operator

  - added in the response the cmd result.
  - added in the response the elapsed time.
  - added in the response the wait_time_s set.
  - deprecated the wait option, not needed with wait_time_s minor_changes.
  - was updated to remove the usage of REXX and replaced with ZOAU python APIs. This reduces code replication and it removes the need for REXX interpretation which increases performance.
  

Bugfixes

• ibm_zos_copy

  - fixes a bug such that the module fails when copying files from a directory needing also to be encoded. The failure would also delete the `src` which was not desirable behavior. Fixes deletion of src on encoding error.
  - module was updated to correct a bug in the case when the destination (dest) is a PDSE and the source (src) is a Unix Systems File (USS). The module would fail in determining if the PDSE actually existed and try to create it when it already existed resulting in an error that would prevent the module from correctly executing.
  - fixes a bug where the computed record length for a new destination dataset would include newline characters.
  - fixes a bug where if a destination has accented characters in its content, the module would fail when trying to determine if it is empty.
  - fixes a bug where copying a member from a loadlib to another loadlib fails.
  - fixed wrongful creation of destination backups when module option `force` is true, creating emergency backups meant to restore the system to its initial state in case of a module failure only when force is false.
  

• zos_data_set

  - Fixes a bug such that the module will delete a catalogued data set over an uncatalogued data set even though the volume is provided for the uncataloged data set. This is unexpected behavior and does not align to documentation; correct behavior is that when a volume is provided that is the first place the module should look for the data set, whether or not it is cataloged.
  - fixes a bug where the default record format FB was actually never enforced and when enforced it would cause VSAM creation to fail with a Dynalloc failure. This also cleans up some of the options that are set by default when they have no bearing for batch.
  

• zos_fetch - Updates the modules behavior when fetching VSAM data sets such that the maximum record length is now determined when creating a temporary data set to copy the VSAM data into and a variable-length (VB) data set is used.

• zos_job_output - fixes a bug that returned all ddname's when a specific ddnamae was provided. Now a specific ddname can be returned and all others ignored.

• zos_job_query - was updated to correct a boolean condition that always evaluated to "CANCELLED".

• zos_mount - fixed option tag_ccsid to correctly allow for type int.

• zos_mvs_raw - module was updated to correct a bug when no DD statements were provided. The module when no option was provided for dds would error, a default was provided to correct this behavior.

• zos_operator

  - fixed case sensitive error checks, invalid, error & unidentifiable.
  - fixed such that specifying wait_time_s would throw an error.
  - fixed the wait_time_s to default to 1 second.
  - was updated to correct missing verbosity content when the option verbose was set to True. zos_operator - was updated to correct the trailing lines that would appear in the result content.
  

Deprecated Features

• zos_encode - deprecates the module options from_encoding and to_encoding to use suboptions from and to in order to remain consistent with all other modules.
• zos_job_submit - Response 'message' property has been deprecated, all responses are now in response property 'msg'.
• zos_job_submit - The 'wait' option has been deprecated because using option 'wait_time_s' implies the job is going to wait.

Availability

• Galaxy
• GitHub

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3_ or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python 3.9- 3.11
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.2.x

release-v1.4.0

Version 1.4.0

New

• zos_mount

  • can manage mount operations for a z/OS UNIX System Services (USS) file
    system data set.

Bug fixes and enhancements

• zos_copy

  • enhanced the force option when force=true and the remote file or
    data set dest is NOT empty, the dest will be deleted and recreated
    with the src data set attributes, otherwise it will be recreated
    with the dest data set attributes.
  • enhanced to optimize how it captures the permission bits state for
    the dest. This change now reviews the source files instead of
    traversing the entire dest path.
  • enhanced to support creating a parent directory when it does not exist
    in the dest path. Prior to this change, if a parent directory
    anywhere in the path did not exist the task would fail as it was
    stated in documentation.
  • enhanced to support system symbols in PARMLIB. System symbols are
    elements that allow different z/OS® systems to share PARMLIB definitions
    while retaining unique values in those definitions. This was fixed in a
    future release through the use of one of the ZOAU dependency but this
    version of ibm_zos_core does not support that dependency version so
    this support was added.
  • fixes a bug that when a directory is copied from the controller to the
    managed node and a mode is set, the mode is applied to the directory
    on the managed node. If the directory being copied contains files and
    mode is set, mode will only be applied to the files being copied not
    the pre-existing files.
  • fixes a bug where options were not defined in the module argument spec
    that will result in error when running ansible-core v2.11 and using
    options force or mode.
  • introduced an updated creation policy referred to as precedence rules
    such that if dest_data_set is set, this will take precedence.
    If dest is an empty data set, the empty data set will be written with
    the expectation its attributes satisfy the copy. If no precedent rule
    has been exercised, dest will be created with the same attributes of src.
  • introduced new computation capabilities such that if dest is a
    nonexistent data set, the attributes assigned will depend on the type
    of src. If src is a USS file, dest will have a Fixed Block (FB)
    record format and the remaining attributes will be computed. If src
    is binary, dest will have a Fixed Block (FB) record format with a
    record length of 80, block size of 32760, and the remaining attributes
    will be computed.
  • was enhanced for when src is a directory and ends with "/", the
    contents of it will be copied into the root of dest. It it doesn't
    end with /, the directory itself will be copied.
  • was updated to support the ansible.builtin.ssh connection options; for
    further reference refer to the SSH plugin documentation.
  • was updated to take into account the record length when the source is
    a USS file and the destination is a data set with a record length.
    This is done by inspecting the destination data set attributes and
    using these attributes to create a new data set.
  • was updated with the capabilities to define destination data sets
    from within the module. In the case where you are copying to
    a data set destination that does not exist, you can now do so using
    the new module option dest_data_set.
  • fixes a bug that did not create a data set on the specified volume.
  • fixes a bug where a number of attributes were not an option when
    using dest_data_set.

• zos_fetch

  • was updated to support the ansible.builtin.ssh connection options;
    for further reference refer to the SSH plugin documentation.

• zos_job_output

  • was updated to to include the completion code (CC) for each individual
    job step as part of the ret_code response.
  • fixes a bug that returned all ddname's when a specific ddname was
    provided. Now a specific ddname can be returned and all others ignored.
  • was updated to correct possible truncated responses for the ddname
    content. This would occur for jobs with very large amounts of content
    from a ddname.

• zos_job_query

  • was updated to handle when an invalid job ID or job name is used with
    the module and returns a proper response.
  • was updated to support a 7 digit job number ID for when there are
    greater than 99,999 jobs in the history.

• zos_job_submit

  • was enhanced to check for 'JCL ERROR' when jobs are submitted and
    result in a proper module response.
  • was updated to fail fast when a submitted job fails instead of
    waiting a predetermined time.

• zos_operator_action_query

  • response messages were improved with more diagnostic information in
    the event an error is encountered.

• zos_ping

  • was updated to remove the need for the zos_ssh connection plugin
    dependency.

• zos_mount

  • fixed option tag_ccsid to correctly allow for type int.

• zos_operator

  • enhanced to allow for MVS operator SET command, SET is equivalent
    to the abbreviated T command.

Deprecated Features

• zos_copy

  • option sftp_port has been deprecated. To set the SFTP port, use the
    supported options in the ansible.builtin.ssh plugin. Refer to
    the SSH port <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/ssh_connection.html#parameter-port>__
    option to configure the port used during the modules SFTP transport.
  • module option model_ds has been removed. The model_ds logic is now
    automatically managed and data sets are either created based on the
    src data set or overridden by the new option destination_dataset.
  • option dest_dataset has been deprecated and removed in favor of the
    new option dest_data_set.

• zos_fetch

  • option sftp_port has been deprecated. To set the SFTP port, use the
    supported options in the ansible.builtin.ssh plugin. Refer to
    the SSH port <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/builtin/ssh_connection.html#parameter-port>__
    option to configure the port used during the modules SFTP transport.

• zos_ssh

  • connection plugin has been removed, it is no longer required. You must
    remove all playbook references to connection ibm.ibm_zos_core.zos_ssh.

release-v1.4.0-beta.2

Version 1.4.0-beta.2

• Bug fixes and enhancements

  • Modules

    • zos_copy

      • introduced an updated creation policy referred to as precedence rules
        that if dest_data_set is set, it will take precedence. If
        dest is an empty data set, the empty data set will be written with the
        expectation its attributes satisfy the copy. If no precedent rule
        has been exercised, dest will be created with the same attributes of
        src.
      • introduced new computation capabilities that if dest is a nonexistent
        data set, the attributes assigned will depend on the type of src. If
        src is a USS file, dest will have a Fixed Block (FB) record format
        and the remaining attributes will be computed. If src is binary,
        dest will have a Fixed Block (FB) record format with a record length
        of 80, block size of 32760, and the remaining attributes will be
        computed.
      • enhanced the force option when force=true and the remote file or
        data set dest`` is NOT empty, the destwill be deleted and recreated with thesrcdata set attributes, otherwise it will be recreated with thedest` data set attributes.
      • was enhanced for when src is a directory and ends with "/",
        the contents of it will be copied into the root of dest. It it doesn't
        end with "/", the directory itself will be copied.
      • option dest_dataset has been deprecated and removed in favor
        of the new option dest_data_set.
      • fixes a bug that when a directory is copied from the controller to the
        managed node and a mode is set, the mode is applied to the directory
        on the managed node. If the directory being copied contains files and
        mode is set, mode will only be applied to the files being copied not the
        pre-existing files.
      • fixes a bug that did not create a data set on the specified volume.
      • fixes a bug where a number of attributes were not an option when using
        dest_data_set.
      • fixes a bug where options were not defined in the module
        argument spec that will result in error when running ansible-core
        v2.11 and using options force or mode.

    • zos_operator

      • enhanced to allow for MVS operator SET command, SET is
        equivalent to the abbreviated T command.

    • zos_mount

      • fixed option tag_ccsid to correctly allow for type int.

    • module_utils

      • jobs.py - fixes a utility used by module zos_job_output that would
        truncate the DD content.

  • Documentation

    • Review version 1.4.0-beta.1 release notes for additional content.

• Deprecated or removed

  • zos_copy module option destination_dataset has been renamed to
    dest_data_set.

    • Review version 1.4.0-beta.1 release notes for additional content.

Availability

• Galaxy
• GitHub

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3 or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python v3.8.2 -
  IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python v3.9.5
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.0_ and
  Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.1

Known Issues

• Review version 1.4.0-beta.1 release notes for additional content.

Deprecation Notices

• Review version 1.4.0-beta.1 release notes for additional content.

release-v1.3.6

Version 1.3.6

What's New

• Bug Fixes

  • Modules

    • zos_copy fixes a bug that when a directory is copied from the
      controller to the managed node and a mode is set, the mode is now applied
      to the directory on the controller. If the directory being copied contains
      files and mode is set, mode will only be applied to the files being copied
      not the pre-existing files.
    • zos_copy - fixes a bug where options were not defined in the module
      argument spec that will result in error when running ansible-core v2.11
      and using options force or mode.
    • zos_copy - was enhanced for when src is a directory and ends with "/",
      the contents of it will be copied into the root of dest. It it doesn't
      end with "/", the directory itself will be copied.
    • zos_fetch - fixes a bug where an option was not defined in the module
      argument spec that will result in error when running ansible-core v2.11
      and using option encoding.
    • zos_job_submit - fixes a bug where an option was not defined in the
      module argument spec that will result in error when running
      ansible-core v2.11 and using option encoding.
    • jobs.py - fixes a utility used by module zos_job_output that would
      truncate the DD content.
    • zos_ssh connection plugin was updated to correct a bug that causes
      an ANSIBLE_SSH_CONTROL_PATH_DIR attribute error only when using
      ansible-core v2.11.

Availability

• Automation Hub
• Galaxy
• GitHub

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3_ or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python v3.8.2 -
  IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python v3.9.5
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.0 and
  Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.1

release-v1.3.5

Version 1.3.5

What's New

• Bug Fixes

  • Modules

    • zos_ssh connection plugin was updated to correct a bug in Ansible that
      would result in playbook task retries overriding the SSH connection
      retries. This is resolved by renaming the zos_ssh option
      retries to reconnection_retries. The update addresses users of
      ansible-core v2.9 which continues to use retries and users of
      ansible-core v2.11 or later which uses reconnection_retries. This
      also resolves a bug in the connection that referenced a deprecated
      constant.
    • zos_job_output fixes a bug that returned all ddname's when a specific
      ddname was provided. Now a specific ddname can be returned and all others
      ignored.
    • zos_copy fixes a bug that would not copy subdirectories. If the source
      is a directory with sub directories, all sub directories will now be copied.

Availability

• Automation Hub
• Galaxy
• GitHub

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3 or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python 3.8.2 or later
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.0 and
  Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.1

release-v1.3.3

Version 1.3.3

What's New

• Bug Fixes

  • Modules

    • zos_copy was updated to correct deletion of all temporary files and
      unwarranted deletes.

      • When the module would complete, a cleanup routine did not take into
        account that other processes had open temporary files and thus would
        error when trying to remove them.
      • When the module would copy a directory (source) from USS to another
        USS directory (destination), any files currently in the destination
        would be deleted.
        The modules behavior has changed such that files are no longer deleted
        unless the force option is set to true. When force=true,
        copying files or a directory to a USS destination will continue if it
        encounters existing files or directories and overwrite any
        corresponding files.

    • zos_job_query was updated to correct a boolean condition that always
      evaluated to "CANCELLED".

      • When querying jobs that are either CANCELLED or have FAILED,
        they were always treated as CANCELLED.

Availability

• Automation Hub
• Galaxy
• GitHub

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3 or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python 3.8.2 or later
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.0 and
  Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.1

release-v1.4.0-beta.1

Version 1.4.0-beta.1

What's New

• Modules

  • zos_mount can manage mount operations for a
    z/OS UNIX System Services (USS) file system data set.

• Plugins

  • zos_ssh connection plugin has been removed from this release and is no
    longer a dependency for the zos_ping module.

• Bug fixes and enhancements

  • Modules

    • zos_ping was enhanced to remove the need for the zos_ssh
      connection plugin dependency.

    • zos_copy

      • was enhanced to support the ansible.builtin.ssh connection options;
        for further reference refer to the SSH plugin_ documentation.
      • was enhanced to take into account the record length when the
        source is a USS file and the destination is a data set with a record
        length. This is done by inspecting the destination data set attributes
        and using these attributes to create a new data set.
      • was updated with the capabilities to define destination data sets from
        within the zos_copy module. In the case where you are copying to
        data set destination that does not exist, you can now do so using the
        new zos_copy module option destination_dataset.

    • zos_fetch was enhanced to support the ansible.builtin.ssh
      connection options; for further reference refer to the
      SSH plugin_ documentation.

    • zos_job_output

      • was updated to correct possible truncated responses for
        the ddname content. This would occur for jobs with very large amounts
        of content from a ddname.
      • was enhanced to to include the completion code (CC) for each individual
        jop step as part of the ret_code response.

    • zos_job_query

      • was enhanced to support a 7 digit job number ID for when there are
        greater than 99,999 jobs in the history.
      • was enhanced to handle when an invalid job ID or job name is used with
        the module and returns a proper response.

    • zos_job_submit

      • was enhanced to fail fast when a submitted job fails instead of waiting
        a predetermined time.
      • was enhanced to check for 'JCL ERROR' when jobs are submitted and result
        in a proper module response.

    • zos_operator_action_query response messages were improved with more
      diagnostic information in the event an error is encountered.

  • Documentation

    • Noteworthy documentation updates have been made to:

      • zos_copy and zos_fetch about Co:Z SFTP support.
      • zos_mvs_raw to remove a duplicate example.
      • include documentation for all action plugins.
      • update hyperlinks embedded in documentation.
      • zos_operator to explain how to use single quotes in operator commands.

• Deprecated or removed

  • zos_ssh connection plugin has been removed, it is no longer required.
    Remove all playbook references, ie connection: ibm.ibm_zos_core.zos_ssh.
  • zos_ssh connection plugin has been removed, it is no longer required.
    You must remove the zos_ssh connection plugin from all playbooks that
    reference the plugin, for example connection: ibm.ibm_zos_core.zos_ssh.
  • zos_copy module option model_ds has been removed. The model_ds logic
    is now automatically managed and data sets are either created based on the
    src data set or overridden by the new option destination_dataset.
  • zos_copy and zos_fetch option sftp_port has been deprecated. To
    set the SFTP port, use the supported options in the ansible.builtin.ssh
    plugin. Refer to the SSH port_ option to configure the port used during
    the modules SFTP transport.

Availability

• Galaxy_
• GitHub_

Reference

• Supported by z/OS V2R3_ or later
• Supported by the z/OS® shell_
• Supported by IBM Open Enterprise SDK for Python_ 3.8.2 or later
• Supported by IBM Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.0_ and
  Z Open Automation Utilities 1.1.1_

Known Issues

• If a playbook includes the deprecated zos_ssh connection plugin, for
  example connection: ibm.ibm_zos_core.zos_ssh, it will
  encounter this error which can corrected by safely removing the plugin:

  .. code-block::

  "msg": "the connection plugin 'ibm.ibm_zos_core.zos_ssh' was not found"
  

• When using the zos_ssh plugin with Ansible 2.11 and earlier versions
  of this collection, you will encounter the exception:

  .. code-block::

  AttributeError: module 'ansible.constants' has no attribute 'ANSIBLE_SSH_CONTROL_PATH_DIR'.

  This is resolved in this release by deprecating the zos_ssh connection
  plugin and removing all connection: ibm.ibm_zos_core.zos_ssh references
  from playbooks.

• When using module zos_copy and option force with ansible versions
  greater than Ansbile 2.10 and earlier versions of this collection, an
  unsupported option exception would occur. This is resolved in this release.

• When using the zos_copy or zos_fetch modules in earlier versions of
  this collection without 'passwordless' SSH configured such that you are using
  --ask-pass or passing an ansible_password in a configuration; during
  the playbook execution a second password prompt for SFTP would appear pausing
  the playbook execution. This is resolved in this release.

• When using the zos_copy or zos_fetch modules, if you tried to use
  Ansible connection options such as host_key_checking or port, they
  were not included as part of the modules execution. This is resolved in this
  release by ensuring compatibility with the ansible.builtin.ssh plugin
  options. Refer to the SSH plugin_ documentation to enable supported options.

• Known issues for modules can be found in the Notes section of a modules
  documentation.

Deprecation Notices

Features and functions are marked as deprecated when they are enhanced and an
alternative is available. In most cases, the deprecated item will remain
available unless the deprecated function interferes with the offering.
Deprecated functions are no longer supported, and will be removed in a future
release.