IBM Z Content Solutions

With hundreds of z/OS and related books in the IBM Knowledge Center along with countless other resources scattered throughout the web, finding information about z/OS offerings can be overwhelming. When you do find information, it can be difficult to know where to start, and what steps to take. The resolution to these challenges? IBM Z content solutions.

What Is a Content Solution?

A content solution is a comprehensive set of information and user assistance that provides you with everything you need to understand, implement and use an offering from IBM. It’s typically comprised of one or more components of varied types, each of which addresses a different aspect of the user experience. All of the components are accessible from a single engaging and interactive starting point. A content solution is developed with multi-disciplinary teams and repeated validation from sponsor users.

The hub for a content solution is a web solution—an interactive one-stop shop for all of the components that make up the content solution. It introduces the offering and provides first steps to help you get started along with links to more details.

Components of a content solution include, but are not limited to:

• A comprehensive content collection (c3). A c3 is a collection of technical topics in the z/OS library. It begins with a value statement and covers all aspects of the user experience, including getting started, use, management, upgrading and support. With a c3, you don’t have to look across a virtual stack of books in the z/OS library—it brings all of the information together in one place.
• Workflows. A z/OSMF workflow provides guided steps for completing a task. The workflow tracks your progress and lets you assign work to the right person in your organization while maintaining a single overall view of the task.
• Digital and social media. Related information from whitepapers, Redbooks and blogs in places like developerWorks along with articles in technical journals can also be included in a content solution.
• Multimedia. Videos and podcasts provide another engaging way to learn more about a function.

A Content Solution Example: Container Pricing for IBM Z

The content solution for Container Pricing for IBM Z includes a c3, z/OSMF workflows, videos and other components. The top of this content solution (as shown in Figure 1) begins with the basics, and defines what Container Pricing for IBM Z is.

Figure 1

Next, a “Big Picture” section (as shown in Figure 2) provides a quick, visual introduction to implementing a Container Pricing solution.

Figure 2

This is followed by a “Getting Started” section (as shown in Figure 3) that provides brief descriptions of the different solutions offered by IBM—including the Application Development and Test solution, the New Application solution and the Payments Pricing solution—along with links to more details on what you need to know and what steps you should take.

Figure 3

Finally, a “Resources” section (as shown in Figure 4) links to the other components of the content solution, such as the c3 and z/OSMF workflows.

Figure 4

Check out the full content solution here.

How Content Solutions Can Help You

In summary, a content solution:

• Provides a comprehensive view of an offering (no more searching across multiple books or websites)
• Helps you quickly understand what an offering is
• Leads you to the details
• Helps you find a variety of resources, including Redbooks, whitepapers, z/OSMF workflows, blogs, videos and podcasts

Throughout our development process—from initial brainstorming sessions to the implementation and delivery of content solutions—we emphasized customer validation. In working with sponsor users, we listened to clients and iterated our design in a continuous loop.

With this in mind, we want your feedback! A “Rate this Content” feature of the web solutions for Container Pricing for IBM Z and pervasive encryption for IBM Z provides you with the opportunity to give us input about content solutions. If there’s something you’d like to see, let us know. If you want to be a sponsor user for content solutions, tell us. And, if you have suggestions for new content solutions, we welcome them.

The more feedback we receive, the better content we can produce. We look forward to hearing from you.

More Resources

• Be sure to check out the content solution for pervasive encryption for IBM Z here.
• For a complete list of content solutions and solution components, see IBM Z Solutions on the z/OS V2R3 landing page in the Knowledge Center.

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