Steps for configuring the NCS interface

This topic describes how to configure the Network Computing System (NCS).

NCS is the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) implementation of Apollo's Network Computing Architecture (NCA**).

NCS includes:

1. RPC runtime library
2. Location broker
3. Network Interface Definition Language (NIDL) compiler

The RPC runtime library and the location broker provide runtime support. Together these two elements make up the Network Computing Kernel (NCK) which includes all the software necessary to run a distributed application. The NIDL compiler is a tool for developing NCS-based applications.

In order to execute NCS applications in an MVS™ environment, you must start a local location broker (LLBD). One of the hosts in your IP network must also start the global location broker (GLBD). Both the LLBD and the NRGLBD maintain information about active NCS server applications.

• LLBD server

  The LLBD manages the LLB database which stores information for the NCS-based servers running on this host.

  Your host must run LLBD if you want to support the location broker forwarding function or allow remote access to the LLB database. The LLBD function must be started on the host before any other NCS-based servers are started and before the NRGLBD is started.

  The LLB database is stored in the data set ADM@SRV.LLB@LL.DATABASE, which is not created until an entry is registered with the LLBD. This data set can be administered using the lb@admin tool.

• NRGLBD server

  The NRGLBD manages the NCS global location broker (GLB) database. The GLB helps clients locate servers on a network or internet.

  There are two versions of the GLB daemon: replicated GLBD and NRGLBD. The replicated GLBD is available only on Apollo, SunOS, and Ultrix systems. For other systems, such as IBM®, only the NRGLBD is available. The advantage of replicated GLBD over NRGLBD is that the GLBD can be run at the same time on several network hosts, providing greater availability in the event that one of the hosts running GLBD fails or if there is a partial network failure.

  You cannot use the NRGLBD on your system if:

  • The replicated version of GLBD can run on some other host in your network
  • Another host in your network is already running NRGLBD

  The GLB database is stored in a data set ADM@SRV.LLB@LG.DATABASE. This data set is not created until an entry is registered with the NRGLBD.

  The record structure for the LLBD and the NRGLBD databases is identical.

Perform the following steps to configure NCS:

1. Specify AUTOLOG and PORT statements in hlq.PROFILE.TCPIP.
2. Update the NRGLBD cataloged procedure in SEZAINST(NRGLBD).
3. Update the LLBD cataloged procedure in SEZAINST(LLBD).

For more information about NCS, see Network Computing System Reference Manual.