Issuing CP commands to hercules from a guest

The most common way of doing this for MVS3.8J (Turnkey3) users is to use the HERCCMD program written by Grzes Plucinski. As that is provided in object only form and I like having source I have also written my own to provide the same function.

There is a risk associated with allowing CP commands to be issued from a guest machine. That is not really a problem for Turnkey3 users that presumably only use the system for their own enjoyment; but if you allow external access you really should lock it down.

The two options, that I know about, are documented here.

HERCCMD

The HERCCMD program is provided in object form by Grzes Plucinski. As an essential utility how to obtain and install it has been documented by Jay Moseley in the Hecules FAQ section of his website. That includes the JCL needed to unload it off the AWS tape image Grzes provides.

The HERCCMD program checks for a security product installed, but I cannot find any documentation on what it is checking for.

MDDIAG8

I like source code, and I was curious to find out how to do it myself. So after a lot of reading and many varied abend codes I have written my own program to do the same thing.

My MDDIAG8 program also checks for a security product, as I have written it I know what it is checking for :-). My program checks for authority to a facility class of DIAG8. It has only been tested using RAKF as that is all TK3 users have.

My program is available as source code you are free to tweak for your own use. It is available in the hercules download section of my site.