Concept of Nodes

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Understanding the concept of nodes is critical to understanding how Processes work. A node is a computer in a network, as shown in the following example:

In this example, a computer in the node Boston communicates with a computer in the node Wichita.

A computer network can have numerous nodes, as shown in the following example:

In a IBM® Connect:Direct® network, each IBM Connect:Direct server is considered a node. A IBM Connect:Direct server can be one of two node types:

  • The primary node (PNODE). This is the IBM Connect:Direct server that initiates and controls the processing. It is the server where the IBM Connect:Direct Process is submitted.
  • The secondary node (SNODE). This is the IBM Connect:Direct server that works with the PNODE to accomplish the processing. For example, it may be the IBM Connect:Direct server that receives a file, or the IBM Connect:Direct server that sends a file to the PNODE.

The Process defines which node is the PNODE and which is the SNODE. A node can be a PNODE in one Process and an SNODE in another Process, as shown in the following examples.

The first example shows a simple file transfer. A Process is submitted to a Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows node to send, or push, a file to a Connect:Direct for UNIX node. In this example, the Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows node is the PNODE and the Connect:Direct for UNIX node is the SNODE.

In the next example a Process is submitted to a Connect:Direct for UNIX node to receive, or pull, a file from the Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows node. In this example, the Connect:Direct for UNIX node is the PNODE and the Connect:Direct for Microsoft Windows node is the SNODE.

Note that the PNODE or SNODE designation has nothing to do with the file transfer direction. The PNODE and SNODE can both send or receive files.

For information about communicating with B2B Integrator, see Transmitting Files between IBM Connect:Direct and B2B Integrator.