Communications Server for AIX

Communications Server for AIX® V6.4 adds connectivity options for AIX®, Linux®, and Microsoft® Windows® platforms. It includes the same features and functions you rely on for your mission-critical, core business applications for the distributed Communications Server product line. These features and functions have been well proven in the AIX®, Linux®, and Microsoft® Windows® environments across a wide variety of server systems -- from relatively small single-processor to high-end multiprocessor systems.

Communications Server for AIX can provide all-in-one communications services between workstations and host systems, as well as other workstations. It features:

• Full-function SNA gateway

• TN3270E Server

• Telnet Redirector

• Rich set of SNA APIs, including LUA (SLI, RUI), APPC, and CPI-C

• Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (APPN ), including end node and network node

• Branch extender

• Dependent LU requester (DLUR)

• High performance routing (HPR)

• Enterprise Extender (HPR over TCP/IP)

• Support for many types of LAN and WAN connections, including Ethernet and token ring

Communications Server for AIX v6.4 delivers these additions:

• Virtualization support for HPR connections such as Enterprise Extender

• APPN enhancements for Path Switch delay support

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (SLES 11) support for the Remote API Client

• Improved trace and logging options for Windows Remote API clients

• TN3270 device type and LU Model expanded support

• Java for CPI-C application support for IBM Remote API Client for Windows

Virtualization support HPR connections:

Distributed Communications Server family of products provide improvements to HPR connections, especially Enterprise Extender (HPR/IP), when running in a virtual operating system environment. When a Communications Server is running in a virtual system like VMWare, XEN, Microsoft Virtual Server, there may be times when the real-time clock is not as accurate as needed. The new improvement uses Progressive ARB to handle directly attached links, including Connections Network links, to rely on buffer resources and not the real-time clock. This will provide more reliable connectivity and improved performance between a virtual system and a partner SNA node when the system is put under a heavy load.

APPN enhancement for Path Switch delay support

The Distributed Communications Server family of products now provides a setting for the minimum delay period, in seconds, before an HPR link will perform a path switch. When an HPR connection is determined to need a new route calculation, a minimum delay can be set so that excessive Path Switch occurrences are prevented. This helps keep the level of network traffic to a minimum as trouble spots in the network are found and corrected.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 support

For the Linux platforms that use Communications Server for Linux (i686, x86_64, ppc64), and the Communications Server for Linux on System z (s390x), and the Remote API Linux clients, support for the SLES 11 release has been added.

Improved trace and logging options for Windows Remote API clients

The Windows Remote API client now has a configurable setting for activating traces, logs, and messages. This provides an easier-to-use interface to manage the Windows clients when connected to an AIX or Linux server.

TN3270 device type and LU Model expanded support (added to Communications Server for AIX, Linux, and Linux on System z)

You can specify a mapping between TN3270 device types and the LU models that Communications Server for Linux should request from the host when these devices connect through Communications Server for Linux TN Server using DDDLU. This allows you to use the most appropriate LU model for each type of device.

Java for CPI-C application support for IBM Remote API Client for Windows (added to Communications Server for AIX, Linux, and Linux on System z)

The Windows, AIX, and Linux Communications Servers already have Java for CPI-C application support. Also, the the AIX and Linux Remote API clients have the Java support for making CPI-C calls. This release adds this Java for CPI-C support to the Windows Remote API client. This allows Java applications to make calls to CPI-C verbs on the Windows platforms.