🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <D6H5wL.276@world.std.com> pang@world.std.com writes:

[Please don't shotgun messages.  Followups redirected to (just) comp.
client-server.]

>   I was wondering if anyone has tried using the mainframe as a client to a 
>unix box?

We've done this in testing -- see below.

>the idea is that the unix box will be the funationality/database 
>server and the mainframe will be the client hosting the user interface. this 
>approach will make use of many existing 3270 terminals and requires minimal
>user re-training. is there a pacakge similar to OEC's encompass that can make
>this happen? ideally, i should be able to use REXX/COBOL on the mainframe
>to code the user interface. any idea regarding feasibility of this approach
>and existing tools/packages that can make this possible is welcome.

(begin plug)

It's not entirely clear what you want in an existing tool, but our
AAI (Application to Application Interface) middleware product allows
REXX/COBOL (or other language) host apps to invoke and exchange data
with servers on other platforms, including Unix.  AAI is a general-
purpose cooperative processing subsystem that provides things like
multiple programming models, name and location transparency, multiple
protocol support and protocol switching, etc.  Host OSes include CICS,
MVS / batch, TSO.  Unix flavors supported include AIX, Solaris, Pyramid,
HP-UX, possibly others.

Contact your local Micro Focus representative for details.

(end plug)

There are other solutions -- eg. you can call TCP/IP on the host in
a COBOL program (I think), though you may have to go through assembler
in the process.  You could always write APPC or CPI-C code, too.

Michael Wojcik
Transaction Services Product Group, Micro Focus Inc.
Department of English, Miami University

In article <D6H5wL.276@world.std.com>, pang@world.std.com wrote:
>Newsgroups: 
comp.client-server,comp.protocols.ibm,bit.listserv.ibm-main,bit.listserv.tn327
0-l,comp.lang.rexx,comp.lang.cobol
>Path: news.iadfw.net!uunet!in1.uu.net!world!pang
>From: pang@world.std.com
>Subject: client/server using mainframe and unix?
>Message-ID: <D6H5wL.276@world.std.com>
>Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
>Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995 19:53:09 GMT
>Lines: 14
>Xref: news.iadfw.net comp.client-server:1163 comp.protocols.ibm:211 
bit.listserv.ibm-main:881 bit.listserv.tn3270-l:35 comp.lang.rexx:974 
comp.lang.cobol:1029
>Status: N
>
>Hi,
>   I was wondering if anyone has tried using the mainframe as a client to a 
>unix box? the idea is that the unix box will be the funationality/database 
>server and the mainframe will be the client hosting the user interface. this 
>approach will make use of many existing 3270 terminals and requires minimal
>user re-training. is there a pacakge similar to OEC's encompass that can make
>this happen? ideally, i should be able to use REXX/COBOL on the mainframe
>to code the user interface. any idea regarding feasibility of this approach
>and existing tools/packages that can make this possible is welcome.

Yes there is! It's call EDA/SQL from Information Builders. EDA/SQL is a host 
based product (meaning that it will reside on each host MF or UNIX) and will 
allow either product to be the client or server simultaneously.

You will be able to maintain and use your current Cobol and C programs in both 
environments through user exits. Both systems have a REXX like scripting 
language and will support any built in languages such as REXX on the MF and 
the C interpreter on the UNIX.

All in all, this is a superior product with unparalled functionality and is an 
open environment. EDA/SQL is avalible for over 15 differ platforms and OS's. 
The lastest innovation from IBI is data location transparency meaning that you 
can connect to a single host and it will maintain the catalogs for the data 
locations so that the user does not have to worry about the originator or 
destination. The product provides interfaces to over 65 differnent databases 
and file types.

All the user has to do to get the data is issue a single SQL request and 
EDA/SQL will handle the rest even if the data isn't in relational format. As 
an added benefit, EDA/SQL will also provide heterogeneous joins across 
platforms!


If you need any more info, email me at ericc@airmail.net

Good luck...

Eric Caldwelll

"Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated!"
 - AKA Bill Gates... -
	Eric Caldwell ericc@airmail.net
	   Client Server Consultang

pang@world.std.com wrote:
>
> Hi,
>    I was wondering if anyone has tried using the mainframe as a 
> client to a unix box? the idea is that the unix box will be 
> the funationality/database server and the mainframe will be 
> the client hosting the user interface. this 
> approach will make use of many existing 3270 terminals and 
> requires minimal user re-training.

Why do it the hard way? The best mainframe/midrange/workstation
arrangement is to use the AS/400 in the middle.

That way you let IBM do all the middle ware (which they have done)
you do not have to worry about ASCII/EBCDIIC converstions, collating
sequence problems etc.

UNIX and mainframes do not work together as well as mainframe/AS/400
does.  I do not think that many people in IBM realise this - yet.

regards
brd

pang@world.std.com wrote:
>Hi,
>   I was wondering if anyone has tried using the mainframe as a client to a 
>unix box?

Oracle has been doing this since 1988.  Feel free to email
me for details.

/b
----------
Bill Manry  -  Mainframe and Integration Technologies  -  Oracle Corporation
Standard disclaimer applies.

In article <3mfmup$1cg@dcsun4.us.oracle.com>, bmanry@ibmgate-aix.us.oracle.com (Bill Manry - MainframeBmanryIntegration) says:
>
>pang@world.std.com wrote:
>>Hi,
>>   I was wondering if anyone has tried using the mainframe as a client to a 
>>unix box?

Another approach is to use your existing mainframe as a data warehouse with a gateway to 
some form unix server database, Oracle, Sybase, whatever.  Then you can place a server
process on the same platform as your database to service all manner of client requests.  This
type of architecture does a couple of things for you.  First, it preserves the utility and
investment in the mainframe.  Second, it makes your clients database independent.  Third,
you can scale both the client and the middle tier server portions of the implementation very
neatly, not to mention the ability to add  or shift functionality.

CJA
cja@candyman.iii.net