MSC TCP/IP link operations

Operating procedures for MSC TCP/IP links are generally the same as the operating procedures for MSC VTAM® links; however, a few differences do exist.

IMS Connect manages the TCP/IP connections that are required for MSC TCP/IP. Communication between MSC and IMS Connect is managed by the Structure Call Interface (SCI) component of the IMS Common Service Layer (CSL).

Under normal circumstances, the use of TCP/IP, IMS Connect, and SCI is not apparent during the operation of an MSC TCP/IP link. MSC TCP/IP links are started and stopped by using the same IMS commands that are used to initialize and terminate VTAM-type links. When you issue an UPDATE MSLINK NAME(linkname) START(COMM) command for a TCP/IP link in a local IMS system, the link is started in both the local and remote IMS and IMS Connect pairs.

IMS Connect also provides commands to control MSC TCP/IP links. Although you can stop a TCP/IP link by using IMS Connect commands, only do when a link has failed to clean up properly in IMS Connect after terminating in IMS.

Other differences between the operating procedures for MSC TCP/IP links and the other MSC link types are found in the error recovery procedures and in the management of affinities when TCP/IP generic resources are used.