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Research Triangle Park, N.C.--IBM is practicing what it preaches on its internal network by tkaing advantage of the latest VTAM release to reduce configuration chores in its Southeast Region network and pave the way for Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (APPN).
Installation of VTAM Version 3 Release 4 has helped IBM drastically reduce the number of configuration parameters that must be manually entered for its mainframes, thereby increasing staff productivity and simplifying network moves and changes.
The enhancements are also a first step toward supporting APPN on the mainframes, a development that will further reduce the manual net definitions required and provide enhancements that increase overall network availability.
IBM uses a Communications Management Configuration (CMC) in its Southeast Region network, which consists of nine campuses and serves the Southeast quadrant of the country, said Mark Pozefsky, program manager of VTAM Strategy design and performance for IBM.
Under CMC, one or two mainframes handle session establishment and net management for all networked devices. Other mainframes in the network, dubbed data hosts, only run applications.
IBM has two CMC hosts for its Southeast Region net plus 78 data hosts. Twenty-six front-end processors running IBM's Network Control Program...