Glossary

A 

Access Control Lists (ACL)

A Tuxedo security feature that controls client access to services by means of lists that are automatically checked each time a service is requested.

ACID Properties

The essential characteristic of transaction processing systems:
Atomicity: All changes that a transaction makes to a database are made permanent, or else are nullified.
Consistency: A successful transaction transforms a database from a previous valid state to a new valid state.
Isolation: Changes that a transaction makes to a database are not visible to other operations until the transaction completes its work.
Durability: Changes that a transaction makes to a database survive future system or media failures.

Application Domain

When used alone, the term Domain can mean a number of things. In order to avoid confusion, the term application domain is used to refer to a Oracle Tuxedo application bounded by the configuration of a tmconfig file. This application domain can be restricted to a single platform or shared memory (SHM) environment, or it can be scaled across multiple machines in a multiple processor (MP) environment.

Application Programming Interface (API)

1) The verbs and environment that exist at the application level to support a particular system software product. 2) A set of code that enables a developer to initiate and complete client/server requests within an application. 3) A set of calling conventions that define how to invoke a service. A set of well-defined programming interfaces (entry points, calling parameters, and return values) by which one software program utilizes the services of another

Application Program-to-Program Communication (APPC)

An interface to LU6.2 services; provides a set of primitives to conduct conversations in LU6.2 sessions.

B 

(No terms begin with the letter “B.”)

C 

Client

A program designed to request information from a server.

CNOS

CNOS are service programs implemented as part of an LU6.2. The CNOS programs negotiate session limits between the two communication LUs.

Common Programming Interface for Communications (CPI-C)

An interface to LU6.2 services. It is a simpler set of primitives than the APPC interface and is intended for use in program-to-program communications.

Communication Resource Manager (CRM)

A process that provides all of the sync-level two logic for an SNA domain gateway and directly communicates with the PU2.1 server.

Customer Information Control System/Enterprise System Architecture (CICS/ESA)

An operating environment devised by IBM that provides a foundation upon which to write customer applications programs. Several facilities useful for programming are supplied by the CICS environment, including basic mapping services (BMS), transient data queues (TD), temporary storage files (TS), memory services, etc. Customer applications are built as separate transaction programs, and are invoked as transactional tasks. CICS/ESA is a trademark of International Business Machines (IBM), Inc.

D 

Distributed Program Link (DPL)

Function of CICS ISC that supports LINK requests between CICS regions, and is similar to a Oracle Tuxedo request/response.

Distributed Transaction Processing (DTP)

A CICS intercommunication in which processing is distributed among transactions that communicate synchronously over intersystem or inter-region links. It is roughly equivalent to Oracle Tuxedo conversations.

E 

ESA

(ESA) Enterprise Systems Architecture is the conceptual structure and functional behavior of the latest range of IBM mainframe computers. ESA/370 is the fourth step in an evolution of which the first three steps were System/360, System/370, and System/370 extended architecture (370-XA).

F 

Field Manipulation Language (FML)

A set of C language functions for defining and manipulating storage structures called field buffers. Cooperating processes can send and receive data in fielded buffers.

FML Buffer

A buffer of self-describing data items accessed through the Field Manipulation Language (FML) API.

G 

(No terms begin with the letter “G.”)

H 

(No terms begin with the letter “H.”)

I 

Inbound

A generic term referring to request message direction relative to the server or a response message direction relative to the client.

Information Management System (IMS)

A database manager used by CICS/ESA to allow access to data. IMS provides for the arrangement of data in an hierarchical structure and a common access approach in application programs that manipulate IMS databases.

InterSystem Communications (ISC)

Communication between separate systems by means of SNA networking facilities or by means of the application-to-application facilities. ISC links CICS systems to other systems and may be used for communication between user applications or to transparently execute CICS functions on a remote CICS system.

J 

(No terms begin with the letter “J.”)

K 

(No terms begin with the letter “K.”)

L 

Logical Unit (LU)

In SNA, a port through which a user gains access to the services of a network. Also, see System Network Architecture (SNA).

LU6.2

LU6.2 is a particular SNA logical unit that identifies a specific set of services for program to program communication. Services include syncpoint, mapping of buffers into records, message confirmation, and security.

M 

MODENAME

MODENAME is a configuration parameter that names a set of characteristics for a group of Oracle Tuxedo Mainframe Adapter for SNA sessions. In the CICS region, the mode is defined in VTAM and referenced in CICS and the DMCONFIG file.

mirror task

CICS/ESA task that services incoming requests that specify a mirror transaction (CSMI, CSM1, CSM2, CSM3, CSM5, CPMI, CVMI, or a user-defined mirror transaction identifier).

mirror transaction

CICS/ESA transaction that recreates a request that is function shipped from one system to another, issues the request on the second system, and passes the acquired data back to the first system.

Mirror Transaction Identifier Support

Oracle Tuxedo Mainframe Adapter for SNA feature which enables Oracle Tuxedo clients to invoke host CICS/ESA programs and, conversely, CICS/ESA client programs to invoke Oracle Tuxedo services. Based on the IBM CICS/ESA mirror transaction.

Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS)

An operating system for processing systems consisting of one or more mainframe processors.

N 

(No terms begin with the letter “N.”)

O 

Outbound

A generic term referring to request message direction relative to the client or response message direction relative to the server.

P 

PU 2.1

PU 2.1 is an SNA server that provides client programs with access to an SNA network. The PU 2.1 Server's functions include managing the physical connections, providing SNA node device emulation, servicing Logical Units, communicating with client programs, and controlling and monitoring the local SNA resources.

Q 

(No terms begin with the letter “Q.”)

R 

Resource Definition Online (RDO)

The recommended method of defining resources to CICS/ESA. Resource definitions are created interactively by a CEDA transaction, or by the DFHCSDUP utility. Both methods store definition in the CICS/ESA system definition data set (CSD). At CICS initialization, CSD definitions are selectively installed as CICS system tables controlled by a user-supplied list of definitions. CEDA-defined resource definitions can be installed while CICS is active and used immediately.

S 

Server

A computer or program that is dedicated to providing information in response to external requests.

Session

When two LU bind with each other, that is, when they have successfully negotiated how they will communicate, they are said to be in session. SNA has fixed limits on the number of sessions configured for an LU type.

SNA Communication Resource Manager (CRM)

A process that provides all of the sync-level two logic for an SNA domain gateway and directly communicates with the PU2.1 server.

Stack

Platform vendor-supplied software that provides connectivity to an SNA network.

Synchronization Level (sync level)

The level of synchronization (0, 1, or 2) established for an APPC session between intercommunicating CICS/ESA transactions. Level 0 gives no synchronization support, level 1 allows the exchange of private synchronization requests, and level 2 gives full CICS/ESA synchronization support, with backout of all updates to recoverable resources if failure occurs.

System Network Architecture (SNA)

A seven-layer networking protocol. Each layer of the protocol has a set of associated data communication services. The services of the uppermost layer are embodied in a Logical Unit (LU). Each LU type defined in SNA has its own specific set of services available to an end user for communicating. The end user may be a terminal device, or an application program. The SNA structure enables the end user to operate independently, unaffected by the specific facilities used for information exchange.

T 

T Application

A Oracle Tuxedo System/T application is bounded by the environment described in a single TUXCONFIG file. In /Domain, a Oracle Tuxedo System/T application can communicate with another application via a domain gateway group.

Transaction

1) A complete unit of work that transforms a database from one consistent state to another. In DTP, a transaction can include multiple units of work performed on one or more systems.

2) A logical construct through which applications perform work on shared resources (e.g., databases). The work done on behalf of the transaction conforms to the four ACID properties: atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability.

Transaction Processing (TP)

A form of immediate data processing in which user requests are entered directly to the terminal and on-line programs satisfy the requests; for example, by updating database files and displaying output messages.

U 

(No terms begin with the letter “U.”)

V 

Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM)

A set of programs that control communication across a network between terminals and application programs.

W 

\(No terms begin with the letter “W.”)

X 

(No terms begin with the letter “X.”)

Y 

(No terms begin with the letter “Y.”)

Z 

(No terms begin with the letter “Z.”)