IMS Connect client support

As a TCP/IP server and a message router for IMS, IMS Connect provides access to IMS TM, IMS DB, and the CSL Operations Manager (OM). The client support provided by IMS Connect differs, depending on which type of access the IMS Connect client needs.

IMS Connect supports TCP/IP clients that communicate with socket calls, as well as TCP/IP clients that communicate with different input data stream formats.

IMS DB client support

For access to IMS DB, IMS Connect, with the CSL Open Database Manager (ODBM), supports the following types of clients:

  • Application programs that use the IMS Universal Database resource adapter for the Java™ EE platform
  • Application programs that use the IMS Universal JDBC driver
  • Application programs that use the IMS Universal DL/I driver
  • User-written client application programs that use the open standard DRDA communications architecture

The following figure illustrates an IMS Connect system configuration that supports IMS DB client communications:

Figure 1. Overview of IMS Connect support for IMS DB systems
begin figure description. Graphical representation of how IMS DB clients communicate with IMS DB through IMS Connect and how the information is communicated between multiple data stores. end figure description.

IMS TM client support

For access to IMS TM, IMS Connect supports the following types of clients:

  • User-written TCP/IP client application programs that use the IMS request message (IRM) header to communicate protocol options to IMS Connect
  • IMS TM Resource Adapter (previously known as IMS Connector for Java)
  • IMS Enterprise Suite SOAP Gateway, which includes XML message conversion support
  • IMS Web 2.0 Solution for IBM® Mashup Center, which includes XML message conversion support

The following figure illustrates an IMS Connect system configuration that supports IMS TM client communications:

Figure 2. Overview of IMS Connect support for IMS TM systems
begin figure description. Graphical representation of how IMS TM clients communicate with IMS TM through IMS Connect and how the information is communicated between multiple data stores. end figure description.

For IMS TM IMS Connect clients, you can write user-message exits that execute in the IMS Connect address space to convert the format of client input messages to the OTMA message format before IMS Connect sends the message to IMS. The user-written message exits also convert the OTMA message format to the customer message format before returning the message to IMS Connect. IMS Connect then sends output to the client.

IMS Connect supports TCP/IP communications between IMS TM and distributed Java applications through the IMS TM Resource Adapter running under either WebSphere® Application Server for distributed platforms.

For IMS TM, IMS Connect also supports the SOAP Gateway, which is a web services solution that enables IMS applications to inter-operate outside of the IMS environment through SOAP to provide and request services that are independent of platform, environment, application language, or programming model.

IMS Connect supports the IMS Web 2.0 Solution for IBM Mashup Center, which enables the integration of existing IMS assets into Web 2.0 mashup and application solutions, providing users access to IMS transactions through RSS, ATOM, or XML feed.

For SOAP Gateway and IMS Web 2.0 Solution clients, IMS Connect also provides XML conversion support, which converts incoming XML messages into the data structures of some of the common programming languages supported by IMS application programs.

IMSplex operations support

To issue IMS type-2 commands to the CSL OM and receive command responses through a TCP/IP connection, IMS Connect supports clients such as IBM Management Console for IMS and Db2 for z/OS®. A single IMS Connect can support communication between the TCP/IP client and any IMS within an IMSplex.

The following figure illustrates an IMS Connect system configuration that supports IMS TM client communications:

Figure 3. Overview of IMS Connect support for TCP/IP clients
begin figure description. Graphical representation of how IBM Management Console for IMS and Db2 for z/OS communicates with IMS through IMS Connect and how the information is communicated between multiple data stores. end figure description.