SoftDate - SoftBase Systems, Inc.

SoftDate
Simulate Dates for Testing
z/OS Programs
Test DB2 for z/OS Date Dependent Logic
Simulate Past or Future Dates
Minimize Date Simulation System Impact
Business Challenges
Applications can be programmed to use any number of triggers before activating certain processes. Using the current
date as a trigger is standard for applications that process time sensitive data, such as those that generate invoices
or accounting statements. Unfortunately, testing these applications can be difficult because their date-dependent
processes only activate on specified dates.
Existing solutions usually require creating modified copies of important system routines. This approach tends to use
excessive system resources and can create system stability problems, potentially disrupting system performance.
Introducing SoftDate
SoftDate, distributed by SoftBase, provides an easy to use interface which
allows you to test date-dependent logic in DB2 for z/OS applications with
minimum system impact.
Quickly Find Date-Related Errors in Applications
SoftDate allows you to quickly set the current date for a job or job step so you
can test date-dependent logic. Ensure that your applications work how they
should, when they should.
SoftDate was originally developed to assist in the increasing need to have
e-Application 21st Century Calendar Compliance, easily integrating as
a standard step in the final stages of program testing. However, many
programs have features that are activated only under certain date and time
conditions. Some common examples include:
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Accounting processes for end of month, quarter, or year
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Policy anniversary
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Bond maturity
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Overdue payment
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License expiry
SoftDate also allows you to cater for special requirements such as:
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Re-running failed production jobs on the same apparent system date
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Simulating correct local date and time for users in widely dispersed
geographic locations and time zones, independent of the actual
physical location of their data center - a valuable feature in data center
consolidation
SoftDate gives you a simple mechanism to test date-dependent logic in your
programs without requiring cumbersome and expensive procedures such
as ‘IPL’ing a test LPAR with the required date. Applications that contain time
sensitive logic also require testing for all possible date and time conditions.
SoftDate provides the ability to correctly test against these predicted time
events.
This type of date-dependent processing is virtually universal across a wide
variety of applications found in all industry segments. Such programs cannot
be fully tested without running them under simulated current date and time
conditions that will trigger these special processing paths.
SoftDate can be turned on at the individual job step, TSO, CICS or IMS user
level without impacting other jobs or users running in the same system.
ROVEN
CODE
TEST
DEPLOY

SoftDate
Simulate Dates for Testing z/OS Programs
Safely Test with SoftDate’s Minimum Impact Approach
SoftDate works by dynamically front-ending system routines used to obtain
the current date and time. This front-ending occurs only in regions where it
is required. Other regions and system processes that do not require SoftDate
are completely unaffected.
In cases where it is needed, SoftDate lets the system routine return the
current date and time and then applies the adjustment factor requested by
the user.
Avoid Costly Overhead and System Stability Problems
Past approaches to date simulation have invariably involved creating
modified versions of key system routines. These patched routines then allow
the simulation product to gain control whenever any program running in
the z/OS system requests the system date or time. The product then typically
scans its own internal tables to determine if the caller requires a simulated
date, and returns the simulated value if so, otherwise passing the call off to
the standard system routine. This is a high impact approach because:
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Every date request issued by any program running in the z/OS system will
incur overhead. Date requests are issued by many system components
as well as application programs and there can easily be thousands or
more of these per second in a busy z/OS system. The additional overhead
introduced by the simulator will be a substantial cost, particularly when
you consider at times there could be no or few actual users of it, but yet
every process running on the z/OS system is still penalized.
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The entire z/OS system will be exposed to any stability problems (bugs)
that may exist in the product. By contrast, the SoftDate approach confines
its impact to only those regions and users that actually require it. Apart
from two trivial exceptions, there is zero impact from SoftDate on regions
which are not actively using it. There are no permanent changes to any
system routines, and any region that is running without SoftDate active
will execute only standard, unmodified system code.
Additional SoftDate Features and Benefits
There are a variety of unique SoftDate features and options that supply
benefits relating to increased productivity and the reduction of risk:
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Supports Java workloads running under z/OS Unix System Services and
WebSphere Application Server.
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Has a powerful and intuitive ISPF front end for defining rules to specify
jobs that require SoftDate, meaning you can test with SoftDate without
having to make JCL changes.
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Offers unrivalled flexibility in rules specification and security controls
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Assists Sarbanes-Oxley compliance for testing date compliance and to
protect profit by pre-empting risks of date errors and related issues.
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Assists Basel II compliance with risk management testing, protecting
your data assets and those transactions running with them.
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Does not make permanent changes to critical system routines.
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Is under a program of active support and development.
About SoftBase
SoftBase Systems is committed to creating a better DB2 development experience. By combining decades of DB2 expertise with a set of proven DB2 testing
and performance-tuning tools and an unmatched customer support team, SoftBase delivers – helping application developers and DB2 administrators create
reliable, high-quality DB2 applications faster and with ease. With SoftBase you can count on tools that work as promised, and a knowledgeable support
team available 24/7 to answer questions. That’s SoftBase: Proven Technology. Proven Tools. Proven Partner.
For information, call 800.669.7076 or visit softbase.com