Mainstar FastAudit

The architecture of Mainstar FastAudit is designed to provide a robust and efficient solution for auditing DFSMShsm control datasets on z/OS. The main components include the Audit Engine, the Catalog Interface, and the Reporting Module. The Audit Engine is responsible for parsing and analyzing the MCDS, BCDS, and OCDS datasets.

It identifies structural errors and inconsistencies based on predefined rules and configuration parameters. The Catalog Interface interacts with the ICF catalogs to correlate control dataset entries with catalog information. This ensures data integrity and consistency across the storage environment.

The Reporting Module generates detailed reports that summarize the audit findings. These reports can be customized to include specific information and can be output in various formats. The communication between these components is primarily through z/OS system calls and internal data structures.

The product utilizes configuration files to define audit parameters, reporting options, and dataset specifications. The z/OS security manager (RACF or equivalent) is used for authentication and access control, ensuring that only authorized users can access and modify audit data. The Tape Audit feature integrates with tape management software by correlating ICF catalogs with tape management system data.

The product does not expose any external APIs. The primary storage mechanism is the z/OS dataset structure, with audit logs stored in datasets accessible to authorized users. The CLI provides the primary administrative interface, allowing administrators to execute commands, configure settings, and manage audit processes.

The product's design prioritizes performance and reliability, ensuring minimal impact on system resources during audit operations.