This is an old kind of link with a data-transfer speed of 100 MB/second. If the distance between the coupling facility and the z/OS processor complex is more than 7 meters or your processor is not a 9672 G5 or later processor, you must use this kind of link.

This kind of link is supported by 9672 G5 and later processors and by z/OS Version 1 Release 3 and later systems. The data transfer speed is 280 MB/second. You can use this kind of link, however, only if the distance between the coupling facility and the z/OS processor complex is less than 7 meters. If your installation meets these requirements, you should use ICB links.

This is not a real physical link. If you run both the coupling facility and z/OS in the same processor complex, you can use an ICC to connect the coupling facility and z/OS to get maximum performance. An ICC is supported by 9672 G5 and later processors onwards and by z/OS Version 1 Release 3 and later systems.