Configuration details

The tables in the following sections show where the resource names are configured in the CICS® and SNA products. The information is generally given by naming the attribute in which the resource name is specified as a parameter, and giving the name of the definition statement or front-end panel in which that attribute appears. If you need further information on the configuration tools used by the different product you should refer to the product-specific manuals listed in SNA books.

If the tables show that a name is specified in both CICS and the SNA product, then the same matching name must be used in both. When a name is not defined in one of the products, this is indicated by a dash (-).

There is not complete symmetry in the configuration details in the mainframe host and the workstations. For example, the workstation configuration requires that it knows the address of the mainframe host, but the mainframe is not given the address of the workstation. This is because the workstations are regarded as the calling system, and the mainframe the listener. This means that the session will be initiated by the workstation calling the mainframe. Therefore the information the workstation needs about the mainframe is different from the information the mainframe needs about the workstation.

Mainframe host configuration

CICS on System/390® and VTAM® will have already defined their network name and LU name to the network. Table 6 shows where these names are defined in CICS on System/390 and VTAM. Here they refer to the mainframe’s local resources. You use these names when you later configure the workstations where they refer to the workstation’s partner resources.

The workstations need to know the address of the mainframe host. This is a 12-character hexadecimal code assigned to the front-end processor. This code is not used in the configuration of CICS on System/390 or VTAM and so is not shown in the table. The network administrator will be able to tell you the address.

Table 6. Defining local resources to CICS on System/390 and VTAM.
CICS on System/390 VTAM
Network name - NETID= attribute in VTAM startup procedure
LU name APPLID= attribute in the SIT The label on the APPL statement that defines CICS to VTAM

Defining the workstations to CICS on System/390 and VTAM

You now have to agree with the CICS and VTAM system administrator on the resource names that you use for your workstations. The workstations have to be defined to CICS on System/390 and VTAM so that CICS on System/390 recognizes and accepts session initiation requests from them. For each workstation the system administrator creates a new CONNECTION definition in CICS, and new PU, LU, and MODEENT definition statements in VTAM.

Table 7 shows where the LU, PU, CP and XID names are defined. Remember that these are the names of the mainframe’s partner resources. You use these same names when configuring the workstations, where they refer to those workstation’s local resources (see Table 8).

Table 7. Defining the workstation to CICS Transaction Server and VTAM.
CICS on System/390 VTAM
LU name NETNAME attribute in the CONNECTION definition The label on the LU statement
PU name - The label on the PU statement
CP name - CPNAME= attribute in the PU statement
XID - IDBLK= and IDNUM= attributes in the PU statement
Mode MODENAME attribute in the SESSIONS definition LOGMODE= attribute in the MODEENT statement
Note:
The workstation is in the same network as the mainframe, and so the network name it uses is the same as that defined to VTAM in Table 6.

AIX machine configuration

To configure the AIX® machine, you must:

  1. Define it to the network
  2. Define a connection to its partner

AIX is a versatile platform and offers many ways of connecting CICS to the network. The AIX SNA product can be in a different machine from the CICS for AIX product. It can be using an Encina PPC Gateway, with CICS using TCP/IP to communicate with the gateway before gaining access to the SNA network. The machines can be in different networks. The example shown here describes the basic case of a single machine, that is running both CICS for AIX and AIX SNA, and that is in the same network as the mainframe.

Defining the AIX machine to the network

Table 8 shows where the local resources are defined to CICS for AIX and AIX SNA. You use the names you have previously agreed with the mainframe system administrator that are shown in Table 7.

Table 8. Defining local resources in CICS for AIX and AIX SNA
CICS for AIX AIX SNA
Network name LocalNetworkName= attribute in the Region Definition Local network name attribute in the Initial Node Setup panel
LU name LocalLUName= attribute in the Region Definition Local LU name attribute in the Add LU 6.2 Local LU Profile and the Side Information Profile panels
CP name - control point name attribute in the Initial Node Setup panel
XID - XID node ID attribute in the Initial Node Setup panel
Mode DefaultSNAModeName= attribute in the Communication Definition Profile name attribute in the Add LU 6.2 Mode Profile panel

Defining the connection to CICS on System/390

Table 9 shows how you define the connection to the mainframe. All you have to provide is the LU name (which is effectively the name of the CICS on System/390 system), and the hardware address.

Table 9. Defining the connection to CICS on System/390
CICS for AIX AIX SNA
LU name RemoteLUName attribute in the Communications Definition Fully qualified partner LU name attribute in the Add LU 6.2 Partner LU Profile panel
Address - Link address attribute in Link station information in the Initial Node Setup panel

Related concepts
Introduction to SNA terminology
Related tasks
Preparing for SNA configuration
Configuring CICS for SNA--next steps
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