Use to specify the name of the address space running the SNALINK program and the LU name of the 3745 Communications Controller to which an Ethernet or token ring is attached. SNALINK allows TCP/IP to send and receive packets using SNA sessions instead of dedicating physical network hardware (such as a channel-to-channel adapter or a channel connection to a 3745/46 Communication Controller). SNALINK allows an installation to multiplex SNA and IP traffic over the same I/O subchannels, rather than requiring separate subchannels dedicated to VTAM and TCP/IP. While such multiplexing capability may be desirable at some installations, the native TCP/IP CTC and 3745/46 device drivers will likely outperform SNALINK connections. Interaction with the SNALINK address space is very CPU-intensive, and is not required with the native TCP/IP CTC and 3745/46 device drivers. It is therefore important to weigh the multiplexing capability that SNALINK provides against its performance cost, in determining whether to use SNALINK or the native TCP/IP CTC or 3745/46 device drivers. SNALINK communicates with one or more instances of SNALINK at remote nodes, using the SNA LU type 0 protocol.
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