IBM United States
Software Announcement 200-376
October 24, 2000

Infoprint Server Transforms Now Supports Coax Printers

ENUS200-376.PDF (27KB)

(Corrected on October 26, 2000)

Typographical error corrected in the Overview.

At a Glance

With the addition of a new Coax Printer Support feature, the Infoprint Server solution now supports PCL and PostScript printers attached to TCP/IP networks, as well as printers defined to VTAM as Type 0, Type 1, or Type 3 logical units. This combined solution lets you:

Define all of your distributed printers in a single, consolidated printer inventory
Manage your TCP/IP-attached ASCII and coax printers from a single ISPF interface
Install and maintain fewer software products to support your total printing environment
Get better positioned to migrate your print from SNA to TCP/IP

For ordering, contact:

Your IBM representative, an IBM Business Partner, or IBM Americas Call Centers at 800-IBM-CALL (Reference: LE001).

Overview

The Infoprint^® Server feature of OS/390^® and the Infoprint Server Transforms (5697-F51) provide a flexible, secure, integrated, and scalable enterprise printing solution for OS/390. The addition of a new Coax Printer Support feature makes the solution even more complete.

This newly added support lets you drive your VTAM^®-controlled coax printers from the same OS/390-integrated distributed printing solution that supports your Advanced Function Presentation (AFP™), Printer Control Language (PCL), and Postscript printers. That means you can now define and modify printer definitions for AFP printers, ASCII printers and VTAM-controlled coax printers using a single, consolidated printer inventory. It also allows you to control your distributed coax printers from the same ISPF panels you use today to manage your PCL and PostScript printers in Infoprint Server. This total IBM printing solution makes distributed print management less complex and more productive.

Key Prerequisites

Infoprint Server Transforms run on any S/390^® processor capable of supporting OS/390 V2R8, or later.

Planned Availability Date

October 27, 2000

Description

What is the Infoprint Server Transforms product?

The Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390 complement the Infoprint Server for OS/390 optional feature of OS/390 in V2R8, and later. They provide the following print data stream transforms:

Printer Control Language (PCL) to Advanced Function Presentation (AFP)
PostScript and Portable Document Format (PDF) to AFP
SAP R/3 application output to AFP
AFP to PCL, PostScript, and PDF

What is the Coax Printer Support feature?

The new Coax Printer Support feature provides an interface to the Infoprint Server for OS/390 that enables you to drive VTAM-controlled coax printers defined to VTAM as LU0, LU1, or LU3 from the IP PrintWay™ component of Infoprint Server. The supported output print data streams are Data Stream Compatibility/Data Stream Extended (DSC/DSE) and SNA Character String (SCS). You can define both your TCP/IP attached ASCII printers and your coax printers in the same Infoprint Server Printer Inventory, and then manage them all from the Infoprint Server printer management ISPF panels.

Infoprint Server provides formatting and management for the coax printers including the following:

Printer configuration information used to determine the printer type
Line data records from the JES spool, including ANSI or Machine controls and Table Reference Characters (TRC)
Data set header information
User exit data, including the IP PrintWay Begin Data Set and End Data Set exits
Formatting information from a Forms Control Buffer (FCB), including page length, channel to line number mapping, and left margin are mapped to SCS printer controls. For SCS output line density (LPI), horizontal format (MPP) and vertical format (MPL) are also supported.
Print completion status
Error information

Year 2000

This product is Year 2000 ready. When used in accordance with its associated documentation, it is capable of correctly processing, providing, and/or receiving date data within and between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, provided that all products (for example, hardware, software, and firmware) used with the product properly exchange accurate date data with it.

Euro Currency

This program is not impacted by euro currency.

Product Positioning

Many of IBM's customers are in transition from all SNA network environments to TCP/IP networks, or mixed network environments. There are installed inventories of coax printers that usually support specific business applications, and distributed ASCII printers that support office printing. These printers are usually managed by different software products from IBM and other vendors. Now you can manage all of your traditional VTAM print and ASCII printing from an integrated Infoprint Server solution.

Hardware and Software Support Services

SmoothStart™/Installation Services

IBM SmoothStart Services, an on-site implementation and training startup service, are designed to accelerate your productive use of your IBM solution. The service is provided by IBM Global Services or your IBM Business Partner at an additional cost. For additional information, refer to Services Announcement 697-004 , dated March 25, 1997, or contact your IBM representative and ask for SmoothStart Services for Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390.

IBM Installation Services are provided for Infoprint Server Transforms by IBM Printing Systems Professional Services or your IBM Business Partner at an additional cost. For additional information, contact your IBM representative and ask for Installation Services for Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390.

Reference Information

For additional information, refer to:

Software Announcement 299-234 , dated August 24, 1999, entitled IBM OS/390 V2R8 Availability
Software Announcement 299-235 , dated August 24, 1999, entitled Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390
Software Announcement 200-210 , dated June 27, 2000, entitled Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390 Give You Unlimited Flexibility

Trademarks

: AFP, IP PrintWay, and SmoothStart are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.
: Infoprint, OS/390, VTAM, and S/390 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both.
: Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

Technical Information

Hardware Requirements

The Coax Printer Support feature of Infoprint^® Server Transforms produces output that can be printed on printers attached via a 3174 or equivalent controller that can accept the SCS or DSC/DSE printer data streams. The printers must be defined to VTAM^® as LU0, LU1, or LU3.

Software Requirements

The Coax Printer Support feature of Infoprint Server Transforms operates with OS/390^® R8 and later releases, with the Infoprint Server feature installed and licensed. The minimum level of System Modification Program/Extended (SMP/E) that can be used to install Infoprint Server Transforms is the OS/390 R7 level of SMP/E.

SecureWay^® Communications Server — SNA Services is also required.

Limitations: Input print datasets containing Double-byte Character Sets (DBCS) and Shift Out Shift In (SOSI) controls are not supported.

Planning Information

Packaging: The Coax Printer Support feature of Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390 is shipped on a separate tape from other product features.

Security, Auditability, and Control

The announced program uses the security and auditability features of the OS/390 operating system software. The customer is responsible for evaluation, selection, and implementation of security features, administrative procedures, and appropriate controls in application systems and communication facilities.

Customer Financing

IBM Global Financing offers attractive financing to credit-qualified commercial and government customers and Business Partners in more than 40 countries around the world. IBM Global Financing is provided by the IBM Credit Corporation in the United States. Offerings, rates, terms, and availability may vary by country. Contact your local IBM Global Financing organization. Country organizations are listed on the Web at:

http://www.financing.ibm.com

Ordering Information

Current Licensees

Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390, Coax Printer Support Feature: This feature can be ordered as an MES for installed users of Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390.

New Licensees

Orders for new licenses can be placed now.

Shipment will not occur before availability date.

Unless a later date is specified, orders entered before the planned availability date will be assigned a schedule date of one week following availability.

Shipment will begin on the planned availability date.

New users of Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390 should specify:

          Type           Model
 
          5697           F51

Basic License: To order a new basic license, specify program number 5697-F51 and feature number 9001 for asset registration. Specify the feature number for the Transforms to AFP™ Basic No-Charge Feature. This feature must be ordered with any of the optional, priced product features. Then specify the feature number for either:

Flat Monthly License Charge (MLC)
Qualified Entry Support License Charge (ESL)

Also, specify the feature number of the desired distribution medium. Most product media is only shipped via Customized Offerings (that is, CBPDO, ServerPac, SystemPac). Non-customized items (CDs, diskettes, source media, media kits) will continue to be shipped via the stand-alone product.

Basic No-Charge License

To order the Basic No-Charge License for the Transforms to AFP, specify the following feature number:

                                                       Basic
                                                       No-Charge
                                                       Feature
                                                       Number
 
Infoprint Server Transforms to AFP                     0008

Coax Printer Support License

To order the Coax Printer Support feature for the Infoprint Server Transforms, specify the following feature number:

                                                       Monthly
                                                       License
                                                       Charge
                                                       Feature
                                                       Number
 
Coax Printer Support feature                           0076

Entry Support License (ESL): To order an ESL license, specify the program number, feature number 9001 for asset registration, and the applicable ESL one-time charge (OTC) feature number. Also specify the feature number of the desired distribution medium.

                                                       ESL OTC
                                                       Feature
Description                                            Number
 
Infoprint Server Transforms for OS/390                 0077
 Coax Printer Support Feature

ESL machines can be determined by referring to the IBM Entry End User/390 Attachment (Z125-4379).

Single Version Charging: To elect single version charging, the customer must notify and identify to IBM the prior program and replacement program and the designated machine the programs are operating on.

Basic Machine-Readable Material: For information on ordering the Basic Machine Readable Material for the AFP to PCL, PostScript, and PDF transforms, refer to Software Announcement 200-210 , dated June 27, 2000, entitled Infoprint Server Transforms Give you Unlimited Flexibility in AFP Printing Options.

                           Feature
Product/Feature            Number            Distribution Medium
 
Infoprint Server           5852              3480 Tape cartridge
 Transforms Coax           6229              4-mm tape
 Printer Support
 feature

Customization Options: Select the appropriate feature numbers to customize your order to specify the delivery options desired. These features can be specified on the initial or MES orders.

Example: If publications are not desired for the initial order, specify feature number 3470 to ship media only. For future updates, specify feature number 3480 to ship media updates only. If, in the future, publication updates are required, order an MES to remove feature number 3480; then, the publications will ship with the next release of the program.

                                                    Feature
Description                                         Number
 
Initial Shipments
 
Serial Number Only (suppresses shipment             3444
 of media and documentation)
 
Ship Media Only (suppresses initial                 3470
 shipment of documentation)
 
Ship Documentation Only (suppresses                 3471
 initial shipment of media)
 
Update Shipments
 
Ship Media Updates Only (suppresses                 3480
 update shipment of documentation)
 
Ship Documentation Only (suppresses                 3481
 update shipment of media)
 
Suppress Updates (suppresses update                 3482
 shipment of media and documentation)
 
                                                    Feature
Description                                         Number
 
Expedite Shipments
 
Local IBM Office Expedite                           3445
 (for IBM use only)
 
Customer Expedite Process Charge                    3446
 ($30 charge for each product)

Expedite shipments will be processed to receive 72-hour delivery from the time IBM Software Delivery and Fulfillment (SDF) receives the order. SDF will then ship the order via overnight air transportation.

Unlicensed Documentation: A program directory for each feature that is ordered will be supplied automatically with the basic machine-readable material.

Terms and conditions for license use are also shipped with the product. No other publications are shipped in hard copy with this product.

Displayable Softcopy Publications: Infoprint Server publications are offered in displayable softcopy form. The displayable manuals will be available on the following schedule:

BOOK and PDF formats on the OS/390 Web site on October 27, 2000
PDF format on the Printing Systems Web site on October 27, 2000
BOOK and PDF formats on the OS/390 V2R10 refresh CDs on December 30, 2000

A printed copy of the following publications can be ordered separately after December 15, 2000.

                                                       Order
Title                                                  Number
 
OS/390 Infoprint Server Introduction                   G544-5696
OS/390 Infoprint Server User's Guide                   S544-5692
OS/390 Infoprint Server Customization                  G544-5694
OS/390 Infoprint Server                                S544-5693
 Operation and Administration
OS/390 Infoprint Server Migration                      G544-5697
OS/390 Infoprint Server                                G544-5690
 Messages and Diagnosis

Subsequent updates (technical newsletters or revisions between releases) to the publications shipped with the product will be distributed to the user of record for as long as a license for this software remains in effect. A separate publication order or subscription is not needed.

Support Line: Yes

Prices

Contact your IBM representative for charges information for this announcement.

Order Now

 Use Priority/Reference Code: LE001
 
 Phone:     800-IBM-CALL
 Fax:       800-2IBM-FAX
 Internet:  ibm_direct@us.ibm.com
 Mail:      IBM Atlanta Sales Center
            Dept. LE001
            P.O. Box 2690
            Atlanta, GA  30301-2690

You can also contact your local IBM Business Partner or IBM representative. To identify them, call 800-IBM-4YOU.

Note: Shipments will begin after the planned availability date.