MVS North

All registered users of the MVS North system can now access the RACF facility from the North system's webpage and, from any browser, issue RACF commands. The capabilities of this Web RACF are identical to those in TSO RACF.

Web RACF provides true interactive RACF capability from the web. Simply enter requested information in the Web RACF page and press enter—the facility formats all RACF commands. Commands are sent to the MVS system for processing and a response is returned indicating successful completion or an appropriate RACF message.

A valid MVS North userid and MVS password are required to submit any RACF request. In addition, the userid entered must be authorized to perform any RACF function requested. Generally, this means that only the owner (creator) of a data set can change RACF access to that data set. Also, passwords can only be changed by the owner of the account or the RACF coordinator for the Agency Code.

Web RACF allows users to

· permit individual, universal, and group access to mainframe data sets
· view the RACF profile of a mainframe data set
· stop or resume another account
· change the mainframe account password

In addition, RACF coordinators will be permitted to change the password of another mainframe account.

Using RACF Commands

RACF commands are very powerful, mainframe security tools. They must be used judiciously. Web RACF supports the following commands: permit, change password, altdsd, listdsd, and altuser. Web RACF provides an easy method for making mainframe security more manageable. To access the North system's RACF go to http://silkad.nih.gov/racf.

For more information concerning SILK Web technology, go to the North system's webpage at http://silkad.nih.gov or call TASC.