z/Journal: What is the significance of EV: Most significant is the name itself. VSE’s 40th anniversary? z/VSE powers billion-dollar businesses such as one running native VSE/ESA ISVs on Eric Vaughan: VSE/ESA’s staying on a new 660 MIPS z/890. Another power can’t be over-dramatized. This newly exploited strength is VSE/ESA “fledgling” operating system was never Connectors. These easily integrate mul- meant as more than a stop-gap solu- tiple platforms with VSE—even allow- tion, but excellent technology and a ing Java programs on other platforms to VSE’s determined customer base helped VSE seamlessly interact with VSE data and weather storms that threatened its exis- applications. tence. z/VSE’s most significant weakness is the same as z/OS’s—green-screen Peter Harris: It points out that VSE was 3270 technology. The mainframe’s Heritage well-built and has lasted very well. IBM image remains on these screens, imply- has done a lot to make VSE play in the ing that mainframes are obsolete; yet, platforms of Windows, Unix, and Linux. only the 3270 is. This weakness is a criti- Another key point is VSE’s low mainte- cal part of decisions to migrate to other & nance manpower overhead. platforms. Mark Combs: VSE, directly descended PH: z/VSE’s strength is its new SCSI from early S/360 business systems, set DASD interface, which will lower VSE’s the stage for z/VSE, z/VM and z/OS cost of ownership. I would like addi- Future: operating systems, all variations on the tional functionality such as 64-bit zSeries gold standard for business solutions. architecture features. On its 40th anniversary, VSE succeeds when other operating systems have TT: Strengths include dependabil- An Interview risen and fallen. ity, dependability, and dependability. A weakness is the 255-task limit. Leo Langevin: VSE, longer lived than most of today’s PC operating systems, is a MC: z/VSE’s leading strength is its pro- By Gabe Goldberg solid and viable operating system. duction-proven deployment and its low maintenance requirements, which pro- z/Journal: What is your reaction to the vide good ROI. The limit of 255 current z/VSE 3.1 announcements? active tasks and the dispatcher limitation of one active CPU per partition leave EV: This announcement is extremely room for improvement. important as IBM welcomes VSE into Any celebration of VSE the z/Family. Executives of organiza- z/Journal: What have been VSE’s best tions throughout the world must view and worst moments? must include Independent VSE as a strategic technology partner. Software Vendors (ISVs), EV: The best was VSE/ESA’s TT: SCSI attachment will reduce DASD announcement in 1990. Bernd which supply real-world costs and help sites on tight budgets. Too Robatzek, VSE Development lab many people predict(ed) VSE’s death. director, declared that “we made a customer solutions. We Inclusion of VSE in the “z” world helps mistake—we took our eye off the ball.” overcome naysayers. IBM then promised to never do so asked five representative again, and to continue supporting and vendors for reactions to PH: It helps the IBM zSeries brand bet- enhancing the platform. They have ter align with z/OS and z/VM. It’s an kept their word. A worst moment was recent VSE news. They important message to VSE’s very loyal in 1988, when a senior IBMer essen- customer base. tially told GUIDE’S VSE User Group include Software AG’s that VSE was dead and that migration Peter Harris, illustro MC: The zSeries designation affirms to MVS was our only alternative. He the importance of this robust OS in basically said, “You will go to MVS, or Systems’ Eric Vaughan, varied IT strategies. It also assures the you will go to Hell!” Most of us asked, VSE base of continued support and “What’s the difference?” Computer Associates’ a future in zSeries family technology investments. TT: The best were when VSE received Mark Combs, Connectivity multiple address spaces, 31-bit support, Systems International’s LL: It tells us that, despite decades of and dynamic partitions. The worst were rumors, IBM sees a future for VSE. statements such as “VSE will never have Leo Langevin, and Thigpen address spaces.” z/Journal: What are z/VSE 3.1’s strengths Enterprises’ Tony Thigpen. and weaknesses? LL: When IBM closed source code, we

z/Journal VSE Supplement • April/May 2005 sure cried! But the best things came releases and collaborate on release fea- tools such as Redirectors and Linux on from establishing user groups all over tures and overall direction. zSeries, since that’s where major VSE the world, where we share information improvements will be. and exchange fancy resolutions. LL: Without vendors, VSE would have disappeared. Innovative individuals and MC: With IBM’s commitment to driving z/Journal: Is there increasing use of Linux organizations outside VSE develop- VSE direction as a member of the zSeries with VSE? ment provide solutions that make VSE family, customer technology solutions a vibrant Internet-enabled system that’s can focus more on business drivers, with EV: VSE integrates strongly with part of business-critical processing. less restrictive consideration on the OS Linux. For example, Linux UDB rela- platform. CA views VSE as a critical tional technology interacting with VSE z/Journal: How do IBM and ISVs col- business platform, with renewed growth data and resources on a HiperSockets- laborate on meeting VSE sites’ needs? and opportunity. connected mainframe provides tremen- dous advantages over UDB spread over EV: A formal Vendor Council has met z/Journal: Finally, please describe prod- slower, distributed Intel systems. New yearly since 1988 with VSE’s manage- ucts/services your company offers to the technologies for inter-platform collabo- ment and development team to exchange VSE community. ration let COBOL applications interact feedback on plans and submit requests, with other application strategies, per- ensuring successful introductions of PH: Software AG provides a real-time haps even unifying different technical new releases. single view of strategic business infor- cultures. mation by integrating applications and TT: IBM provides direct communication systems, in addition to modernizing main- PH: Multiple industry segments are between ISVs and VSE developers, giv- frame and open system IT environments. installing Linux on zSeries for modern ing ISVs information to correctly hook Offerings are based on product families application solutions with reduced cost products into VSE. Sometimes, IBM’s Adabas, Natural, EntireX, and Tamino. of mainframe ownership while benefit- nasty OCO (Object Code Only; i.e., pro- ing from VSE-based data and back-end gram source code unavailable to non- EV: illustro Systems offers services and systems. Linux on zSeries also supports IBMers) policy increases vendor effort internally developed software. Products, abundant packaged solutions. making products work with VSE. focused on mainframe Internet-enable- ment, include z/Web-Host and z/XML- TT: z/VSE and Linux on zSeries are MC: CA and IBM work closely through Host. becoming so tightly coupled that they IBM’s Early Adoption program to under- will almost be considered a “product stand new features and behaviors and TT: VSE2PDF, our primary product, pair.” They will each require the other to to ensure that our solutions perform brings the look of reports into the 21st reach their full potential. consistently. century with improved appearance and security. MC: Yes, many VSE sites remain loyal LL: We respond to customer needs because they can accomplish business identified by IBM. Users also contact us MC: Computer Associates (CA) has objectives at lower cost than through directly; if IBM involvement is needed, a long history of providing rich, VSE- competing z/OS and z/VM solutions. they get information necessary to make based enterprise management, security, Like VSE, Linux offers lower IT cost. everyone happy. and storage solutions.

LL: Through TCP/IP, most Linux cli- z/Journal: What message about the future LL: CSI created the TCP/IP stack for VSE ents—especially major ones that people do you have for the VSE community? when its future looked bleak because it are used to—can speak with VSE servers was the only operating system excluded and vice versa. LL: VSE belongs in colleges, along with from Internet connectivity. The stack and Linux and Windows servers. its numerous clients and servers revital- z/Journal: In what way do ISVs affect ized VSE and are accepted by IBM as a VSE evolution? EV: As VSE technology adapts to emerg- critical part of VSE’s future. Z ing capabilities, VSE customers should PH: ISVs have developed solutions as draw confidence from the staying power VSE evolved. Vendors exploit items and overwhelming success that thou- About the Author such as 31-bit storage, data spaces, and sands of organizations have achieved Gabe Goldberg is a the Turbo Dispatcher to improve func- through VSE technology. And the IBM technology journalist tion and price/performance. Recent ISV VSE Development Lab’s outstanding and enterprise solutions let customers modernize appli- quality ensures that we can count on consultant, focusing on cations without rewriting them. their innovation. Internet and enterprise computing. A frequent TT: System tool ISVs have driven VSE’s PH: VSE will continue to grow and ISVs conference speaker/ future. They’ve met customer needs will continue to offer solutions on the organizer, he also more cost-efficiently than a large corpo- platform that exploit new functionality. volunteers with DC- ration such as IBM can. area groups, helping professionals and consumers apply technology to TT: VSE is changing and we must their daily lives. MC: CA works with IBM’s Early change, too. We’re not dealing with the e-Mail: [email protected] Adoption program to understand new VSE we knew in the past. Exploit new

z/Journal VSE Supplement • April/May 2005 • Copyright©2005 z / J o u r n a l