Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!necntc!adelie!barry From: barry@adelie.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.periphs,comp.unix.wizards,comp.sys.dec,comp.dcom.lans Subject: WANTED: VAX Unix/Ultrix -> IBM SNA Interface Message-ID: <4725@adelie.Adelie.COM> Date: Thu, 2-Apr-87 13:49:57 EST Article-I.D.: adelie.4725 Posted: Thu Apr 2 13:49:57 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 4-Apr-87 15:55:44 EST Reply-To: barry@adelie.Adelie.COM (Barry A. Burke) Followup-To: comp.misc Distribution: world Organization: Adelie Corporation, Cambridge MA Lines: 67 Keywords: Unibus/Q-Bus/BI-Bus, UNIX, SNA, APPC, 3278, LU6.2, PU2.1, TCP/IP Xref: utgpu comp.misc:419 comp.periphs:301 comp.unix.wizards:1637 comp.sys.dec:124 comp.dcom.lans:320 (I apologize for the length and wide cross posting, but I figure that this article may be of various interest to different parties, as well as wanting as big an audience as possible...) My company selss a distributed application which manages a distributed, hierarchical database in a non-homgeneous environment of IBM MVS Mianframes (CICS or IMS), DEC Vax (Ultrix) or AT&T 3Bx (System V) minicomputers, and IBM PC's (now that's a mouthful!). [Before you call- we sell the Application, not the distributed database- they're Very Closely Integrated, by design] Lacking readily available LU6.2 three years ago when we began the PC component of the distributed database, we `standardized' on implementing our PC->Mainframe link by developing a proprietary database synchronization protocol based upon an interactive communications session between the two systems. The initial transport vehicle was based upon DCA IRMA cards (ie. 3278 emulation), carrying on a PC-initiated "database synchronization" conversation directly with an On-line CICS/IMS transaction through normal 3278 screen read/writes: ("Hello- I'm PC:xyz. Do you have any database changes I should know about? No, I don't have those yet. Please send that Now. OK Thanks- here is some stuff I'm sure you'll be interested in:...Got that? OK, is there anything in what I just sent you that's unacceptable? OK, let me fix that. Anything else? Ok, bye!") This is all fine and good and working quite well. Our next product implemented the same protocol between a 3B2/400 and the mainframe through AT&T's ISC card and the SNA/Emulator+ and API software (a nightmare in itself). Also not too bad (except that now that it's done, AT&T announces LU6.2 support...Just In Time!). Now I need a transport vehicle for MicroVAXen, Unibus VAXen, and BI-Bus VAXen, all running Ultrix (or BSD4.2/4.3), and I'm looking around for alternatives. Not surprisingly, there aren't many end-user products out there yet for Unix that will plug-in readily to an existing IBM DP-shop environment (TCP/IP, etc. for the Mainframe isn't an option in most MIS environments). Several companies will license software ports, but these are generally priced and packaged for Manufacturers/OEM's, something we are not yet ready to become (commit to sell How Much in the next 3 months?- Bah!). So.... I would appreciate any/all information about and/or experience with SNA interfaces for VAX UNIX. External 3278 terminal emulators are of little use, since it's my Application that needs to do the talking, hence API(3278) and APPC(LU6.2) in the Keywords, above. I would prefer a family of cards (Unibus/Q-Bus/BI-Bus) for the VAXen, along with 3278 terminal emulator software AND an API (applications program interface) through which my applciation can read/write screens. LU6.2 APPC would be even nicer, but not my first requirement. One option I know of is the Mitek Network Servers, which one can access via an API over TCP/IP Ethernet. Neat, non-vendor specific solution (so long as TCP/IP is available), but somewhat expensive for the low-end MicroVAX configurations. Please MAIL me any information on vendors and experiences- I will summarize fo the net in "comp.misc", lacking a specific "comp.dcom.SNA" group (one day we'll have one of those, too. I'm sure). Thanks! -- LIVE: Barry A. Burke, (617) 499-6370 USPS: Adelie Corporation, 125 CambridgePark Drive Cambridge, MA 02140 UUCP: barry@adelie.Adelie.COM / ..!{harvard,ll-xn,necntc,mirror}!adelie!barry ARPA: barry@adelie.Adelie.COM (via MX) / barry%adelie@harvard.Harvard.EDU