Networking on z/OS
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Mainframes and networks

Networking on z/OS

To support the changing requirements of online transactions, enterprise networks can be designed, customized, operated, and supported using the combined features and functions of network protocols, such as SNA and TCP/IP.

z/OS network capability includes a fully-featured communications server with integration of SNA and TCP/IP protocols, making the mainframe a large server capable of serving a large number of worldwide clients simultaneously.

Many technology options exist to transport, secure, protect, and encrypt z/OS hosted business sensitive and customer confidential data between the mainframe and authorized clients.

The requirements and specifications of the business transactions should determine the technologies chosen to handle the transactions.

As a data communications expert in the world of mainframe computing, you will need to understand the role of the network in your company's business objectives and corporate infrastructure. You also need to understand how the latest networking technologies work with your company's mainframe computer.

  • Mainframes, networks, and you
    Regardless of which elements comprise a particular network, you--the end user--are the ultimate source and destination of the information that flows through it.
  • Networks and online systems
    Today's online transaction processing increasingly requires support for transactions that span a network and may include more than one company.
  • Why are networks important?
    In today's competitive market, responsiveness to customer or supplier demand is often a decisive factor in the success of an organization. The network is considered one of the most critical resources in an organization, both in the private and public sectors.
  • Examples of mainframe-based networks
    Mainframes are used by large organizations as their central transaction processing system. Transaction processing in this context requires high availability, security, performance, and responsiveness.
  • Who supports the network?
    Network communications has both a software and a hardware aspect, and a separation of software and hardware administrative duties is common in large enterprises. The network administrator, a skilled software data communication expert, however, needs to understand both aspects.
  • What are the basic elements of a network?
    Basic elements of a computer network include hardware, software, and protocols. The interrelationship of these basic elements constitutes the infrastructure of the network.
  • Overview of mainframe network capabilities
    IBM's current mainframe technology provides significantly large servers with a distinctive strength of handling a high volume of transactions and input/output operations in parallel. The mainframe is capable of serving a large number of network nodes geographically dispersed across the world while simultaneously handling a high volume of input and output operations to disk storage, printers, and other attached computers.
  • Security in a network
    Today more than ever, businesses depend on the critical data that flows over networks. A large amount of sensitive and confidential data is stored and retrieved from z/OS systems, so the data that moves through z/OS-attached networks must be secured, have high integrity, and be available at all times. The mainframe environment includes both hardware and software tools that meet these goals.
Parent topic: Introduction to networking on the mainframe

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