PSF/AIX V2 and SNA Server communicating with PSF/MVS v
ITEM: RTA000091709
Q:
ABSTRACT: PSF/AIX V2 and SNA Server communicating with PSF/MVS via
channel extender. Will it work? Is it supported??
SEARCH ARG: sna server rs/6000 psf
TOPIC THREAD: PRINT
AFP
PSF6000
..
The current environment for my customer is an S/390 mainframe in
Boulder (ISSC Outsource) with a 3745 (Max Capacity) in Richmond along
with a Channel Extender. Attached to the Channel extender is four
3174's, a 3827, and a 3900-0W1. This customer has five HP-9000's and
will have a requirement to print large reports from the HP's.
We are looking at using an RS/6000 Model 380 with SNA/Server and PSF
for AIX Version 2. Because the 3745 is at max capacity, we can not
attach the RS/6000 to it. From the way we look at it, we have the
following two options:
OPTION A
Use the RS/6000 Model 380 with SNA Server, PSF for AIX Version 2 via
PSF direct to accept print from the MVS system in Boulder and also
accept print from the HP's on the Token Ring LAN. The RS/6000 would
be directly attached to the channel extender and look like a local
channel attached device communicating via LU 6.2 protocol.
OPTION B
Attach the same above RS/6000 configuration to one of the channel
attached 3174's that has a Token Ring attachment feature and drive the
printers in the same manner.
The MAJOR questions with both Option A and Option B are:
1. Will either option work? I think they both will, but we have the
"unknown" of the channel extender in the middle.
2. Are either of these options supported. Again the channel extender
is in the middle.
In reviewing ASKQ items, salesmanual and announcement letters, there
is no mention of a channel extender in the attachment capabilities of
and RS/6000 via SNA Server.
I feel comfortable with handling the print from the HP's since I am
doing that at other accounts. My major concern is the MVS machine
and getting the data from it.
A:
I checked with the SNA Server/6000 folks for their comments, and
from their standpoint, either of your configurations should be able to
support an SNA LU6.2 conversation between PSF/MVS and PSF/AIX if the
channel extender is behaving as a true channel should.
I also talked to the PSF Direct developer, and he did have two comments:
1) Channel support is a recent addition to SNA Server/6000, and we have
not tested PSF Direct over its channel support. He has no reason to
believe that PSF Direct wouldn't work over their channel support.
2) He has some reservations about the channel extenders, as some channel
extenders prematurely feed back information to indicate an operation
has completed when in fact it has not yet done so, in order to
improve performance. He does recall some early problems with PSF/MVS
and channel extenders that have since been resolved. However, since
noone has tested or plans to test channel extenders with PSF for
AIX, we have no way of knowing what complications the channel
extenders might introduce.
In short, he evaluates this as a high-risk approach. It would be
better if the channel extenders could somehow be bypassed or eliminated.
I hope that helps. Closing.
S e a r c h - k e y w o r d s:
AIX PSF/6000 PSF FOR AIX DIRECT EXTENDER CHANNEL SNA
WWQA: ITEM: RTA000091709 ITEM: RTA000091709
Dated: 08/1999 Category: XPSF6000
This HTML file was generated 2000/11/30~13:34:05
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