Access to databases and data sets

CICS® supports access to external data in DB2® and DL/I databases and in VSAM and BDAM data sets.

Access to DB2 databases

CICS programs can use SQL statements to access data in DB2 databases. Access to DB2 uses the CICS DB2 attachment facility.

Access to VSAM and BDAM data sets

CICS programs can use the CICS application programming interface to read and write data stored in data sets that are managed by VSAM (virtual storage access method) and BDAM (basic direct access method).

An application program does not refer directly to a data set; it refers to a file, which is a CICS resource that is mapped to a data set by a resource definition.

You can use shared data tables to provide efficient access to VSAM key-sequenced data sets. A data table is a file that has records are held in main storage; a shared data table is a data table that is accessible to more than one CICS region.

Access to DL/I databases

CICS programs can use the DL/I command-level interface and the call level-interface to access data in DL/I databases. Access to DL/I databases uses Database Control (DBCTL).

Access to non-SQL databases

The use of non-SQL document database MongoDB Java™ Driver is supported from Java applications deployed within the Liberty JVM server.