CA - Computer Associates

now Broadcom Mainframe Software

Enhanced Definition

CA Technologies, formerly Computer Associates, is a prominent independent software vendor (ISV) that provides a vast portfolio of mission-critical software products for IBM mainframe systems running z/OS. These products are essential for managing, securing, automating, and developing applications in large enterprise mainframe environments. In 2018, CA Technologies was acquired by Broadcom Inc., and its mainframe software division now operates under Broadcom Mainframe Software.

Key Characteristics

- Extensive Product Portfolio: Offers hundreds of specialized software products covering diverse areas such as security (CA ACF2, CA Top Secret), software change management (CA Endevor), workload automation (CA 7, CA Workload Automation CA 11), storage management (CA 1), and database systems (CA IDMS).
- Independent Software Vendor (ISV): Provides crucial third-party software that often complements or enhances IBM's native z/OS offerings, giving customers more choices and specialized functionalities.
- Deep z/OS Integration: CA products are designed to run natively on the z/OS operating system, leveraging its architecture and often integrating with core z/OS components like JES, SMF, and RMF.
- Mission-Critical Focus: Many CA products are considered foundational and indispensable for the secure, efficient, and reliable operation of core business applications on the mainframe.
- Acquisition by Broadcom: The mainframe software division of CA Technologies is now part of Broadcom Inc., continuing to develop and support these critical products.
- Licensing and Support: Products typically involve significant licensing costs and require ongoing maintenance contracts, backed by dedicated technical support.

Use Cases

- Mainframe Security: Implementing CA ACF2 or CA Top Secret to establish robust access control, authentication, and authorization policies across the z/OS system, datasets, and resources.
- Software Configuration Management: Utilizing CA Endevor to manage the entire lifecycle of mainframe application source code (e.g., COBOL, PL/I, Assembler, JCL), including version control, promotion through development stages, and deployment.
- Workload Automation: Scheduling, monitoring, and managing complex batch job streams and critical business processes using CA 7 (job scheduler) and CA Workload Automation CA 11 (restart/recovery management).
- Tape Management: Employing CA 1 Tape Management System to automate the management and tracking of physical and virtual tape volumes, ensuring data integrity and optimizing storage utilization.
- Database Management: Using CA IDMS as a high-performance network model database system, or leveraging CA tools for performance monitoring and administration of DB2 and IMS databases.

Related Concepts

CA Technologies products are deeply integrated into the mainframe ecosystem, often interacting with or replacing core z/OS functionalities. For example, CA ACF2 and CA Top Secret function as external security managers (ESMs), providing an alternative to IBM's RACF. CA Endevor is vital for managing the source code of applications written in languages like COBOL or PL/I, which execute under transaction managers like CICS or IMS and are controlled by JCL. Their automation tools like CA 7 directly interface with JES to control and monitor batch processing.

Best Practices:

Stay Current with Maintenance: Regularly apply product maintenance (PTFs, APARs) and upgrade to the latest releases to ensure compatibility with z/OS updates, security patches, and performance enhancements.
Thorough Testing: Implement a rigorous testing strategy for all CA product configurations, upgrades, and rule changes in non-production environments before deployment to production.
Optimize Configuration: Periodically review and optimize product configurations (e.g., ACF2 rule sets, Endevor processors, CA 7 calendars) to align with evolving business requirements and improve efficiency.
Integrate with Enterprise Tools: Where appropriate, integrate CA mainframe tools with broader enterprise IT service management (ITSM), monitoring, and automation platforms for a unified operational view.
Comprehensive Documentation and Training: Maintain up-to-date documentation for all CA product implementations and provide continuous training for system programmers, developers, and operators who manage and use these critical tools.