Glossary

 

A

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

buffer

see "typed data buffer."

C

CICS

"Customer Information Control System." A program execution monitor system resembling an operating system that controls and manages the execution of multiple transactional programs. CICS programs are arranged within "regions." COBOL is the primary programming language used for CICS applications.

COBOL

"Common Business Oriented Language." A semi-structured programming language designed by the U.S. DoD in 1959, designed to be used for most business applications. It is the most common language used for most mainframe applications in general.

COMMAREA

A CICS data buffer area that is sent to application programs, typically as a COBOL linkage section variable, providing an area for sending data to, and returning data from, application programs. This is part of the data sent to a program invoked via DPL.

copybook

A COBOL source file that is included by one or more source programs and typically contains a declaration for one or more record (group) data items.

D

DataView

The representation of a data record, consisting of information about all of the data fields within the record as well as their types, lengths, and offsets.

DPL

"Distributed Program Link." A remote invocation of a CICS program from another CICS region or SNA domain.

Domain

A domain can be another BEA WebLogic Server application that is independently administered, an application that is under the control of another transaction processing system, or an application in a remote CICS/ESA region. Domains can be local or remote.

E

EJB

"Enterprise Java Beans." The object-oriented business component model for transactional-based programs, defining the operation and protocols between Java client and server programs.

I

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.

J

J2EE

"Java to Enterprise Edition." A collection of Java standards (EJB, JNI, and so forth) that together define an enterprise application programming environment.

Java

An object-oriented programming language. A descendant from C, it was invented by James Gosling of Sun Microsystems.

L

Local Domain

A Local Domain is a part of an application (set or subset of services) that is available to other domains. A Local Domain is always represented by a Domain Gateway Group, and the terms are used interchangeably.

Local Service

A Local Service is a service of a local domain that is made available to remote domains through a Domain Gateway Group.

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.

P

Partitioned Data Set (PDS).

A CICS/ESA data set in direct access storage that is divided into partitions called members. A member can contain a program or data. Program libraries are held in partitioned data sets.

R

re-entrant

The attribute of a program or routine that allows the same copy of the program or routine to be used concurrently by two or more tasks.

Remote Domain

A Remote Domain is a part of an application accessed through a Domain Gateway Group. The remote domain may be another BEA WebLogic Server application, an application running under another TP system, or a BEA WebLogic Java Adapter for Mainframe application.

Remote Service

A Remote Service is a service of a remote domain that is made available to the local application through a Domain Gateway Group.

S

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.

Stack

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

SNA Communication Resource Manager (SNACRM)

A process that directly communicates with the PU2.1 server.

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

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.

typed data buffer

A block of data, arranged as a record composed of one or more data fields. Each field has a type and a length, and optionally a name. Buffer types are specified by their name, which typically corresponds to the copybook name or class name that defines the record structure.

V

Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM)

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