HOST-TO-HOST COMMUNICATIONS

The growing demand for more timely information has drastically increased the number of multi-site mainframe computer installations. In today's distributed processing networks, data centers are linked together to share information between local and remote sites. 

Large files as well as transaction oriented data must flow freely between multiple CPU locations. Often, transmission windows are limited and high speed host-to-host communications is a necessity. Channel extension is the high performance alternative to front end processors when addressing these requirements.

One of the strategic components of the software evolution by major mainframe manufacturers has been multi-system management. The objectives of the multi system management evolution have been to simplify the management of multiple processor installations, minimize the performance constraints inherent in uncoupled configurations, and to enhance the ability to loosely couple processors for horizontal as well as vertical growth.

MGT's PIXNET-XL product family allows mainframes to communicate at channel speeds with no distance limitations. IBM has provided the software tools for many years, and now MGT provides the connectivity.

Off Loading Front-End Processors
Front-end processors, as an integral part of data communications technology, provide for a wide range of connections. However, they depend heavily on host resources and cannot provide the performance attainable via Channel-to-Channel Adapters (CTCA).

With PIXNET-XL products, CTCA links provide higher speed routes to and from IBM mainframes. The PIXNET-XL product family supports IBM CTCA applications such as native JES2, JES3, RSCS, VM/Pass-Through, and VTAM.

Using PIXNET-XL products to provide CTCA emulation will allow your customers to off-load bulk data movement from a front-end processor, thereby improving existing network performance and the productivity of network users.

Bulk data transfer can also be supported at greater than T1 speeds by combining XL/2000 hardware with XL/XPRESS software, a VTAM application which provides data transfer rates above those attainable through CTCA. MGT developed XL/XPRESS to enhance the capabilities of VTAM. By utilizing XL/XPRESS with the PIXNET-XL product family, the need for host-to-host communications via a front-end processor or a channel-to-channel adapter is eliminated (see diagram which follows).

A PIXNET-XL system provides cross-domain users with high speed bulk data transfer and optimal CRT response time.

A PIXNET-XL system provides critical data base protection via high-speed file transfer, real-time data base journaling and multiple host access.

Acquisitions and Mergers
Activity in the area of acquisitions and mergers has increased dramatically in recent years, resulting in the requirement to interconnect multiple SNA networks. MGT's XL/XPRESS software, together with PIXNET-XL provides this connectivity while preserving the autonomy of each individual SNA network. In this way, XL/XPRESS provides SNI functionality without the overhead of an SNI implementation in host or FEP resources.

The figure below shows an example of a simple PIXNET-XL network connecting two SNA networks.

PIXNET-XL nodes support host-to-host communications across SNA networks.

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