Scenario 1 – External Nodes Communicate with One IBM Connect:Direct Server

This section describes the simplest IBM® Connect:Direct®/Plex configuration – both external nodes communicate with the same IBM Connect:Direct Server.

In the following illustration, the ZOS.CD system is configured as a IBM Connect:Direct/Plex consisting of a IBM Connect:Direct Manager and two IBM Connect:Direct Servers. Both external Connect:Direct for UNIX systems communicate only with SERVER1.

To accomplish this setup, assign the APPLID from the original IBM Connect:Direct system (AP1) to SERVER1 through the local initialization parameters of SERVER1 (callout 1 in the preceding illustration). Note that you must create new APPLIDs for the SERVER2 (AP2) and the IBM Connect:Direct Manager (AP3).

Then, specify SERVER1 as the default PLEXCLASS in the IBM Connect:Direct/Plex network map (callout 2). This routes all work and communication among the nodes through SERVER1.

The advantage of this approach is that the Connect:Direct for UNIX nodes do not need to change any initialization parameter or network map definitions. They do not have any knowledge of the change to the z/OS node.

The disadvantage of this approach is that you cannot use IBM Connect:Direct/Plex workload balancing to its full potential. You cannot perform workload balancing on Processes received from or sent to the external nodes. However, work originating and done entirely on the Connect:Direct for z/OS® system can use IBM Connect:Direct/Plex workload balancing.