NetSpool

NetSpool intercepts print data from VTAM® applications, such as CICS® and IMS; transforms the data streams to EBCDIC line data, PCL, PDF, or other formats that the printer accepts; and allocates output data sets on the JES spool. JES or PSF can print the output data sets or JES can transmit them to other locations for printing. IP PrintWay can transmit the output data sets to remote printers in your Internet Protocol network.

NetSpool supports these data streams:
  • SNA character string (SCS) data over a logical unit (LU) type 1 session
  • 3270 data over an LU type 0 or type 3 session
  • Binary data over an LU type 0, type 1, or type 3 session

You can configure NetSpool so that you do not need to change existing VTAM applications. That is, existing VTAM applications can send print requests to NetSpool in the same manner as they currently send print requests to SNA network printers.

Some of the benefits of NetSpool are:
  • Data integrity

    By placing VTAM application output on the JES2 or JES3 spool, NetSpool lets you take advantage of the security, checkpoint and restart, and reprint capabilities that JES provides.

  • Printer sharing

    NetSpool lets multiple VTAM applications direct output to the JES spool for simultaneous printing on a single shared printer.

  • Print broadcasting

    NetSpool lets a single VTAM application simultaneously direct output to the JES spool for printing on multiple printers.

  • AFP formatting

    Users can specify AFP parameters, such as page definition, form definition, and character sets, to take advantage of AFP formatting when printing on AFP printers.

  • DBCS support

    NetSpool supports DBCS data in both SCS and 3270 data streams.

  • Transparent-data support

    NetSpool supports transparent data in SCS data streams and provides exits for adding and changing transparent data.

  • Owner and job attribute support

    VTAM application programmers can embed the owner job attribute and other Infoprint Server job attributes in the application's print data that is sent to NetSpool. Also, the administrator can specify a NetSpool default owner in the printer definition.

  • Transforms
    NetSpool can transform data streams from one format to another, such as from SCS and 3270 data streams to:
    • Line data streams for printing on AFP printers (does not require a separate transform product)
    • Line data streams and then to PDF data for viewing in an email attachment (requires the AFP to PDF transform)
    • PCL data streams for printing on network printers (does not require a separate transform product)
      When converting to PCL, NetSpool can preserve more print-formatting controls in SCS data streams by generating corresponding PCL commands. This results in greater print fidelity. For example, when converting SCS data, Infoprint Server can:
      • Preserve line-density and print-density controls
      • Preserve paper-source, output-bin, job-separation, and duplex controls
      • Preserve portrait and landscape page-orientation controls
      • Automatically change the page orientation and reduce the font size, if necessary, page by page