Security API programming fundamentals

You obtain CCA cryptographic services from the coprocessor through procedure calls to the CCA security application programming interface (API).

Most of the services provided are considered an implementation of the IBM® Common Cryptographic Architecture (CCA). Most of the extensions that differ from other IBM CCA implementations are in the area of the access-control services. If your application program is used with other CCA products, compare the product literature for differences.

Your application program requests a service through the security API by using a procedure call for a verb. The term verb implies an action that an application program can initiate. Other publications might use the term callable service instead. The procedure call for a verb uses the standard syntax of a programming language, including the entry-point name of the verb and the parameters of the verb. Each verb has an entry-point name and a fixed-length parameter list.

The security API is designed for use with high-level languages, such as C, COBOL, or RPG and for low-level languages, such as assembler language. It is also designed to enable you to use the same verb entry-point names and variables in the various supported environments. Therefore, application code you write for use in one environment generally can be ported to additional environments with minimal change.