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Systems Application Architecture GC26-4341-2 An Overview Please Return To Room 330 n Systems Application Architecture GC26-4341-2 An Overview n Third Edition (February 1988) This edition applies to IBM's Systems Application Architecture as announced in March 1987, and expanded in October of that year. Changes are made periodically to this publication; before using this publication in connection with the operation of IBM systems, consult the latest IBM System/370. SOxx, 4300, and 9370 Processors Bibliography, GC20-0001, IBM System/36 Guide to Publications, GC21-9015, or IBM System/38 Guide to Publications, GC21-7726, for the editions that are applicable and current. References in this publication to IBM products, programs, or services do not imply that IBM intends to make these available in all countries in which IBM operates. Requests for IBM publications should be made to your IBM representative or to the IBM branch office serving your locality. If you request publications from the address given below, your order will be delayed because publications are not stocked there. A Reader's Comment Form is provided at the back of this publication. If the form has been removed, com- ments may be addressed to IBM Corporation, Programming Publishing, P. O. Box 49023, San Jose, \ ) California, U.S.A. 95161-9023. IBM may use or distribute whatever information you supply in any way it believes appropriate without incurring any obligation to you. © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1987,1988. All rights reserved. Contents Parti. Introduction to Systems Application Architecture 2 Its Purpose 2 Background 2 What It Covers 2 How It Gives Value 3 Supported Environments 5 Common Programming Interface 6 Specifications for Consistency 6 Advantages for Independent Software Vendors 6 Full Implementation, Plus 6 Scope 7 Using the Programming Components Together 7 Common User Access 9 Elements of the Interface 9 Flexibility 10 Evolution 10 Summary of Benefits 10 Common Communications Support 11 Types of Support 11 Current Product Base 13 Expansion 13 Common Applications 14 —, Benefits 14 f \ Initial Focus 14 Current Product Base 14 Continued Support in Other Areas 15 Future Growth 16 General Areas 16 National Language Support 17 Summary 18 Part 2. Contents of the Programming Interface 20 Languages 21 Application Generator 22 C 28 COBOL 33 FORTRAN 40 Procedures Language 42 Services 47 Communications Interface 48 Database Interface 51 Dialog Interface 55 Presentation Interface 57 Query Interface 64 Contents III About This Manual This manual Is Intended to help managers and technical personnel evaluate IBM's Systems Application Architecture, and do some preliminary, high-level planning for Its Implementation. Related Documentation More detailed Information on the components of the common programming Inter face Is available In the following Systems Application Architecture manuals: Application Generator Reference, SC26-4355 C Reference, SC26-4353 COBOL Reference, SC26-4354 Communications Reference, SC26-4399 Database Reference, SC26-4348 Diaiog Reference, SC26-4356 FORTRAN Reference, SC26-4357 Presentation Reference, SC26-4359 Procedures Language Reference, SC26-4358 Query Reference, SC26-4349 General programming advice may be found In Writing Applications: A Design Guide, SC26-4362. A definition of the common user access may be found In Common User Access: Panel Design and User Interaction, SC26-4351. Ordering Information: The above publications can be ordered from Mechanlcsburg (contact your IBM representative at your local IBM branch office). They also can be obtained through an authorized IBM dealer. The entire set of Systems Application Architecture publications can be ordered by specifying the blll-of-forms number SBOF-1240. iv Systems Application Architecture: An Overview Part 1. Introduction to Systems Application Architecture Part 1. Introduction to Systems Application Architecture o Its Purpose Background IBM offers systems based on several different hardware architectures and control programs. By pursuing a multiple-architecture strategy, IBM has been able to provide products with outstanding price/performance ratios across an ever- broadening spectrum of customer requirements. Today, IBM's systems span a nearly thousand-fold capacity range, and support the information processing needs of people in very different environments. To make movement between these systems easier, to facilitate multi-system use, n and to bring the breadth of IBM's product line to bear on customer needs in all environments, IBM has introduced Systems Application Architecture. The results of Systems Application Architecture are intended to be: • Applications that can be ported with less effort • Applications that can span systems • User access to these applications that is simpler and more uniform • Programming skills that have broader applicability. O What It Covers Systems Application Architecture is a collection of selected software interfaces, conventions, and protocols that are being published. Systems Application Archi tecture wit! be the framework for developing consistent. Integrated applications across the future offerings of the major IBM computing environments. The interfaces, conventions, and protocols of Systems Application Architecture are designed to provide an enhanced level of consistency and connectivity in the fol lowing areas: n • Programming interface — the languages and services that application devel opers use in building their software • User access — the design and use of screen panels and user interaction tech niques • Communications support — the connectivity of systems and programs • Applications — the software built and supplied by IBM and other vendors. n 2 Systems Application Architecture: An Overview System/3X System/370 Personal Computer Figure 1. Large Enterprises Seek Multi-System Solutions How It Gives Value Systems Application Architecture facilitates an increased level of consistency and connectivity across the participating systems. As a result, the development and use of applications should be less expensive and more timely, and optimal use can be made of an enterprise's resources. Consistency provides several advantages. Those users who need access to data on one system today and another system tomorrow can benefit. The programs they run will be similar, and the actions they perform while running those pro grams will be more uniform. Panels, keyboards, procedures — their appearance and behavior will often be the same. With less relearning, users have faster and easier access to data, and business efficiency increases. Programmers, too, benefit from this increased consistency. Skills learned in one environment are transferrable to others, and there is less need for retraining or for system specialists. A programmer familiar with one environment can readily move to another and soon be productive. Parti. Introduction to Systems Application Architecture 3 Consistency means portability, and building applications for multi-system solutions becomes faster and easier. The source for a program built on one system can be taken to another system and implemented more smoothly. Effort expended in cre ating a general data processing solution Is therefore lessened, along with develop ment time. Connectivity allows programmers to create applications that span systems — running partly in one environment and partly in another. Distributing an applica tion in this manner permits its various functions to be processed where most desir able. This allows maximum leverage of existing capabilities, utilizing the unique strengths of an enterprise's various systems. A particularly advantageous arrangement is the use of intelligent workstations with a host. The host system gives powerful processing and fast access to large data bases. The Intelligent workstation (in the form of the Personal Computer) offers attractive graphics and convenient menus and conversations for the user. Using Systems Application Architecture's connectivity features, an application can be split so that its logic and data access run efficiently on the host, while Its human interaction takes place on the user-friendly Personal Computer. Furthermore, because these interfaces also have the consistency provided by Systems Application Architecture, application parts can be more easily moved to other systems should the enterprise structures expand or change. System/370 System/3X Personal Computer ii Tn te g r ated^o^UUJ p,,n 1 P o r t a i) I e "Tri'd I n t e g r a t e d "§^b f uT16 H. n Figure 2. Consistency and Connectivity across Systems Thus, there is much value in the growing consistency and connectivity of the inter face to the System/370. System/3X, and Personal Computer. The people who build the applications and the people who use the applications all benefit. In addition to these new benefits. IBM plans to continue to support the execution of existing applications in the Systems Application Architecture environments, thus conserving customers' current Investments. O 4 Systems Application Architecture; An Overview Supported Environments Several combinations of IBM hardware and software have been selected as Systems Application Architecture environments. These are environments in which IBM will manage the conformance to specification and the availability of support for all applicable Systems Application Architecture elements. These environments are: • TSO/E in the current version of the MVS operating system • CMS in the current version of VM/System Product