Understanding AFP and PSF

AFP is an architected system of hardware and software for creating, formatting, viewing, retrieving, printing, and distributing information on a wide variety of printer and display devices. First introduced in 1984 to support the IBM® 3800 Model 3 high-speed printer, AFP now supports improved printing technology and functions. From tabletop printers to high-speed production printers, AFP currently supports a full family of impact and nonimpact printers. These printers include ones with both continuous form and cut-sheet capability and ones with a choice of channel and communication attachments.

The AFP architecture governs the creation and control of data types (such as text, font, image, graphics, bar code, fax, color, audio, and multimedia) so that computer output is more readable and attractive. AFP’s specific interchange architecture, called Mixed Object Document Content Architecture (MO:DCA), makes information interchange possible among different operating systems by using different protocols. These operating systems support AFP:

• AIX®
• IBM i
• Linux
• VM
• VSE
• Windows
• z/OS®

shows the operating systems on which AFP is supported. The AFP architecture supports various network protocols and numerous input and output data streams.

Figure 1. Operating systems on which AFP is supported