Product overview for Rational Team Concert for System z

Rational Team Concert™ for System z® is a team collaboration tool that is built on a scalable, extensible platform that integrates tasks across the software lifecycle. It is specifically designed for teams that are involved with software lifecycle activities for z/OS® and cross-platform software. Many aspects of the software development lifecycle are integrated, including iteration planning, process definition, source control, defect tracking, build management, and reporting. Rational Team Concert for System z extends the features and functions of the base Rational Team Concert.

Note: Rational Team Concert for System z 2.0 is available for installation on Linux®, Linux for System z, UNIX®, Windows®, and z/OS. For more information, see Rational Team Concert for System z 2.0 editions and licenses.
The following is a list of the primary Rational Team Concert for System z product components, including descriptions of component functionality and supported platforms:
Jazz Team Server for System z
Extends the Jazz Team Server with capabilities for z/OS development.
Can be installed on the following platforms:
  • Linux
  • UNIX
  • Windows
  • Linux for System z
  • z/OS using SMP/E
Note: The Jazz Team Server for System z can be installed on any platform supported by the Jazz Team Server.
Rational Team Concert for System z client
Extends the Rational Team Concert client with capabilities for z/OS development.
Can be installed on the following platforms:
  • Linux
  • Windows
Notes:
  1. The Rational Team Concert for System z client is supported on any platform supported by the Rational Team Concert client.
  2. If you plan to use the Rational Team Concert for System z client with the Rational® Developer for System z client, you must install the Rational Team Concert for System z client on a platform that the Rational Developer for System z client also supports.
Build System Toolkit for System z
Contains the following components:
  • Jazz Build Engine for z/OS
  • z/OS file system support
  • Rational Team Concert for System z mass import tool
  • System z Jazz Gateway
  • Other z/OS-based Rational Team Concert for System z components, including sample JCL and scripts
Note: The Build System Toolkit for System z is installed on z/OS as a separate component.
Rational Build Agent
Runs on a target build environment to provide project build support.
Can be installed on the following platforms:
  • Linux
  • UNIX
  • Windows
  • Linux for System z
  • z/OS as a separate component
    • Job Monitor provides support for JCL-based builds on z/OS
    • Antz and the Build System Toolkit for System z provide support for native z/OS builds
System z Jazz Gateway
  • Can be used to programmatically extract information from the Rational Team Concert for System z repository
  • Installed on z/OS using SMP/E as part of the Build System Toolkit for System z component
Jazz Build Engine
Provides project build support.
Can be installed on the following platforms:
  • Linux
  • UNIX
  • Windows
  • Installed on z/OS as part of the Build System Toolkit for System z component
Note: The Jazz Build Engine provided with Rational Team Concert for System z can be installed on any platform supported by the Jazz Build Engine provided by Rational Team Concert.
Job Monitor
  • Provides job status and output for JCL-based builds that are submitted to the Rational Build Agent.
  • Installed on z/OS as a separate component.

Specific capabilities for development on System z

To support cross-platform development, Rational Team Concert for System z features native hosting of the Jazz Team Server for System z on z/OS and Linux for System z and includes an integrated set of collaborative software delivery lifecycle tools for System z development, including source control, change management, and build and process management. Multitier software development, application modernization efforts, and traditional language artifacts such as COBOL have specialized support. Rational Team Concert for System z also provides System z artifact builds and file system support.

Collaboration and integration across the development lifecycle

Rational Team Concert for System z makes it easy to exchange information directly in the context of your work. If an enhancement request changes, you and other team members are notified of the change automatically. You can reference the change in chat sessions and link to artifacts. Business stakeholders can also automatically stay informed about the status of task changes that interest them.

Several views enable you to share team information. You can track team activity, present information in more detail, or configure which information is visible at any time.

Many aspects of the software development lifecycle are integrated, including iteration planning, process definition, source control, defect tracking, build management, and reporting. Each of these aspects is integrated in a single environment. You can track and manage the relationships between artifacts, promote sound development processes, and gather project information automatically and unobtrusively.

Process configuration and customization

Rational Team Concert for System z projects follow a process. By customizing the process, you customize how the product works. A process is the collection of roles, practices, rules, permissions, and guidelines that you use to organize and control the workflow for a project. Rational Team Concert for System z provides support for your team to follow your process.

You use a process to define user roles and their permissions for performing operations in the product. The initial process used by a project is defined by a process template. You can modify a template to meet your overall project and team requirements. Each component is process-aware, so you can add rules for behavior in the form of preconditions and follow-up actions.

Eclipse client and Web interfaces

Rational Team Concert for System z provides users with both an Eclipse-based client interface and a Web interface. The client interface provides developers with a rich, integrated development environment for building and delivering artifacts. The Web interface is well suited for server and project administration and allows users to access project areas, browse repository information, update tasks, or read about recent events.

Powered by the Jazz Technology platform

Jazz Technology platform is the first product to be delivered on the Jazz technology platform. Jazz is a scalable, extensible team collaboration platform that integrates tasks across the software lifecycle. The platform also provides useful building blocks and frameworks that facilitate the development of new products and tools.

The Jazz Technology platform also supports globally distributed development teams, provides solutions that are scalable from small teams up through large enterprises, helps teams maintain audit trails and automate bookkeeping, and streamlines software development.

The Jazz Technology platform is developed at Jazz.net, where you can register to participate. You can open enhancement requests, track schedules, participate in discussion forums, and see a production deployment of Rational Team Concert.