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OS/390 -- A new concept in enterprise computing
The challenges in today's business environment are unprecedented.
The computerization and globalization of the marketplace
have completely
changed the ways we design, produce, market, and use
products. The pace is faster, the reach for markets broader, the
focus on customer satisfaction more intense. Advances in computer
technology have been both agents for change in the ways we conduct
business and responses to market trends. Throughout its history,
IBM has both driven change and responded to forces that demanded
change.
In recent years,
one of the major breakthroughs in enterprise operating system software
has been OS/390.
When it was previewed in the autumn of 1995, OS/390
represented a new concept in large-system, large-enterprise
operating system software.
The keywords were
integration, functionality, and investment
protection.
Integrated elements and features
Integration of MVS related functions and features
meant reduced
complexity. Reduced complexity made
OS/390 easier to plan for, install, use,
and maintain. And for that reason, more and more
system and people resources could be diverted from 'the care and
feeding of the system' to the much more useful task of
using
information technology to answer real business needs.
Rich functionality
OS/390 also represented a broad and
rich base of functionality, probably richer than any
other computing environment. For example,
OS/390
integrated a set of products that made OS/390 the platform of choice
to develop and run applications, including
open UNIX applications and object-oriented applications. It also
provided a set of distributed computing and LAN services. Also
integrated were
communication and security servers that manage secure
communications among workstations and enterprise servers.
Investment protection
At the same time, your huge investment in applications and data
could be leveraged, with OS/390, to deliver even more value in
an open, distributed, shared, and networked world. Additionally, OS/390
enhanced the classic
strengths of MVS: security, scalability, nearly outage-free
availability.
OS/390 -- Truly an enterprise server
In short, Version 1 represented a leading-edge,
open, object-enabled, server operating system. Its vision and
its promise were to serve the world's most successful enterprises
with unprecedented levels of
function, capacity, throughput, security, availability, and transparent
access to data, through transparent networks, to any and all users
and applications.
Today's
fast-paced, global, and intricately
interconnected world demands an information technology environment
that not only
fulfills that promise but also supports secure electronic business
on the Internet, server integration and consolidation, support
for business intelligence,
and continued and enhanced application
enablement with leading-edge technology.
The next step is Version 2
Release 4 of OS/390
is the next step
in the continuum of OS/390 releases and is the first release
in the family of releases that make up Version 2.
Version 2, and its family of releases, inheriting
all the value that Version 1 offered, builds on that value with
timely and appropriate
responses to new market challenges and gives you the power and
functionality to transform
those challenges into opportunities. The new version takes the next
step in delivering on the initiatives of network computing,
application enablement, server integration, business intelligence,
general business,
and technology leadership.
Today's challenges
Today's extremely
fast-paced and competitive business environments demand
comprehensive end-to-end solutions.
Enterprise
servers must be able to scale up to
support explosive growth in the number of Internet and intranet
users. They must serve
multiple applications across distributed and heterogeneous
clients and servers, support the integration of multiple UNIX
server application workloads and provide data capacity
in the terabytes range, and beyond.
They must deliver mission-critical
information when and where it is needed, while ensuring
extraordinary network and system-wide security and throughput.
All this must be provided at a low incremental cost.
The promise of OS/390 Version 2 is that it
will integrate over 70 leading edge elements and
features to address these key customer requirements in the most
cost-effective way.
Addressing the challenges
Several initiatives characterize the ways Version 2 is meeting the
challenges. OS/390 will allow you to:
- Conduct secure
business over the Internet, also called e-Business
- Model and implement business processes across systems and
networks as business
objects and use them transactionally, locally or
remotely
- Use Java, a language that can be used to build both Internet
and general business applications.
- Consolidate separate servers onto OS/390, allowing
you take take advantage of the synergistic value of integrated
server processing and resultant reduced systems management costs
- Mine data intelligently, giving you the chance to transform
your huge stores of raw data into meaningful information that
can translate into new market opportunities
-
Span both large and smaller enterprises with OS/390 technology
The next sections provide a closer look at these strategies for the
future.
Network computing
OS/390 Version 2 will provide the technologies and services required to
conduct true
and secured e-Business. OS/390 connects organizations,
customers and business partners so that
they will be able to
communicate and
carry out e-Business transactions.
Version 2 will
provide this robust capability using Lotus Go WebServer for OS/390.
Lotus Go WebServer
for OS/390 is integrated as a base element in Version 2 Release 4. It
includes
the
Internet
Connection Secure Server (ICSS) V2R2
and NetQuestion, which is a robust
text search engine. OS/390 also delivers
BonusPac (Internet Gateways), an enhanced
Communications Server and the integrated support for the
IBM Network Station.
OS/390 Version 2 will offer maximum security for conducting
e-Business over the Web. Version 2 will
provide access control, including
an auditing mechanism and authentication (SSL Version 3),
both hardware and
software encryption (ICSF - Integrated Cryptographic Service Facility),
a Security Server, and integrated Firewall technology.
OS/390 Version 2 software technology will deliver
the most scalable web server in
the industry that can easily grow
to meet
an organization's expanding e-Business needs. Version 2
will contain full web-serving
support for Parallel Sysplex and an enhanced Workload
Manager (WLM) domain name support (DNS)
for improved web-based workload balancing
across the parallel sysplex environment.
OS/390 Version 2 will
offer the most extensive information management tools
in the industry, enabling
companies to effectively
manage their enterprise-wide
Internet and intranet information. Version 2 will enable customers to
easily access, store and search softcopy publications using OS/390's
BookServer and the
NetQuestion functions of Lotus Go WebServer for OS/390.
Applications
OS/390 Version 2 will provide a rich base on which an organization can
develop and run their business solution applications, taking full
advantage of the latest industry software technologies.
Version 2
will be a flexible, open environment which leverages S/390 strengths for
the
execution of a wide range of applications. The following
software application development and execution technologies
and functions will be supported:
- UNIX 95 branding
- C and C++ languages
- Java language and Java
development kit (available for downloading onto a future
Version 2 release using an IBM FTP site)
- Component Broker Series (CBSeries) - is a flexible Object
Transaction Monitor
that introduces a programming model that significantly reduces
the need for programmers to be familiar with details relating to
locking, caching, transactions, data location, navigation and storage.
All data residing in DB2, CICS, and IMS throughout the sysplex
can be accessed as if it were local data, dramatically improving
application performance.
- Distributed Computing Environment (DCE)
- DCE-AS (Application Support)
- GUI offered via VisualLift and ISPF (Interactive System Productivity
Facility)
- Encina ToolKit Executive
- WLM JES2 batch management
- Existing business and scientific language
development tools and run-time libraries
Customer application decisions, based on business value and function,
are driving requirements in the underlying operating system to enable
and scale the industry's hottest applications.
OS/390 Version 2 will enable Enterprise Resource Planning and
Business Management System (ERP/BMS)
enterprise-wide applications,
such as Lotus Domino, SAP R/3, PeopleSoft, Oracle applications,
JD Edwards One World,
plus hundreds more third party
applications that not only will exploit integrated OS/390 technology but
will bring immediate value to your business solution needs.
Server integration
Rising systems and operations management costs of alternate
platform servers in many enterprises are becoming prohibitive and
a serious concern to many business unit and IT executives.
The need to integrate and consolidate
these multiple, mixed servers
is important for obtaining and preserving a
competitive business advantage.
OS/390 Version 2 will deliver the necessary technology, function and
performance to
integrate and consolidate on S/390
multiple LAN servers, alternate platform UNIX servers
and Multimedia servers. This means that
OS/390 Version 2 will
provide customers substantial reduction in costs
and simplification of systems management tasks as they migrate
their business solution data and applications to OS/390. In
addition:
- OS/390 Version 2 will handle more work than any other commercial
operating system.
- As alternate platform servers are integrated and consolidated,
fewer
IT systems management resources will be required, potentially lowering
the overall cost of computing
- Version 2 robustness will handle all of an organization's
data.
Having all data reside on OS/390 will provide customers
with optimum and direct access to data.
- Version 2 will represent software integration and consolidation
at its best. Such
integration means fewer hardware components are required,
resulting in environmental cost savings.
- Version 2 will
offer an enhanced Communication Server that fully enables
and encourages server consolidation.
- TME10 Framework will be integrated into Version 2, simplifying
systems management of OS/390 and distributed applications.
Business intelligence
OS/390 Version 2 will provide new ways of using
existing corporate data to
achieve a competitive advantage. Customers will be able to explore
existing corporate data to locate patterns and structures that will
provide answers to real-world business
questions or new business opportunities.
Using OS/390 Version 2 with
DB2 for OS/390
has the best capability for handling the largest databases
as a single image.
All of this means that
OS/390 Version 2 will provide the ideal underlying technology to exploit
data warehousing,
data mining and decision support disciplines. Version 2
will support Intelligent Miner exploitation of an integrated search
engine. DB2 will provide parallel query capability
with OS/390 as prerequisite software.
General business
OS/390 Version 2 will offer outstanding value for customers who need the
advantages of the industry's most robust server operating system but who
require
a smaller computing investment.
OS/390 is
now more applicable to customers with less complex computing needs while
maintaining its outstanding reputation to satisfy
those with the most demanding needs.
OS/390 supports the
PC Server for S/390, S/390 Server-on-Board, Multiprise 2000
IBM processors and the latest S/390 G3/G4 processors.
OS/390 is also a certified Year 2000 ready system.
OS/390 Version 2 design will continue the reduction-of-complexity
evolution built into
OS/390 releases, potentially
lowering staff requirements. Version 2 will continue to strive
for simplicity in ordering, installing,
testing, using and maintenance. The
benefits of integration testing, ServerPac delivery and installation
and the integration of a broad range of the latest and leading
functions will define the essence of
OS/390 Version 2's family of releases: an open server operating system
for the entire range of IBM S/390 customers.
Technology leadership for the next century
These strategic directions are launched from a foundation
we call 'technology
leadership.' OS/390 Version 2 represents one of the strategic pillars
of technology leadership.
Version 2 will extend OS/390 technology leadership over multiple
releases by adding value
beyond the content already announced for OS/390 Release 4, Version 2's
initial release. Specifically:
As a Business Object Server, OS/390
will provide a new business
object-oriented programming model that will be enabled
for parallel sysplex, supports two-phase commitment and provides
a new application execution and development
environment that inherits the robustness
and classic strengths of S/390.
As a Secure Network Server for application development, its
extensions to ICSS, now integrated in Lotus Go WebServer
for OS/390,will
provide client authentication which allows the server to
determine that clients are who they say they are. It will have
the ability to
detect the presence of crypto hardware on the S/390 system and, if
present, hand off the encryption and decryption function to the
hardware instead of the software, thereby improving overall
performance, throughput and security.
As a Communications Server, its new TCP/IP protocol stack will
provide improved performance for OS/390 Version 2 UNIX and MVS
application environments.
TCP/IP's dynamic stack configuration capability will provide higher
availability and greater ease of use.
As a Security Server, the future addition of Firewall technology
and
ICSF will provide enhancements which improve OS/390's overall system and
network security capabilities.
For Systems Management, the future integration of Tivoli's TME 10
Framework into OS/390 will enable TME applications to provide network
computing management from OS/390.
Tivoli TME 10 is IBM's strategic distributed computing
management solution and replaces SystemView. TME 10 is based on an
open, architected, object-oriented framework and provides end-to-end,
cross system solutions for managing distributed computing
environments.
For Distributed Computing, the addition of the Encina Toolkit
Executive,
DCE Application Support and enhancements to DCE Base
Services will
further extend OS/390 distributed computing. Encina Toolkit Executive
and DCE Application Support will provide transactional RPC to
enable the building of reliable, distributed, transactional applications
using two-phase commit for IMS transaction applications.
One of the many DCE Base Services enhancements in Version 2 will
provide a Cell Directory Server. Customers will then have a complete
set of DCE services on OS/390 and will not have to rely on another
platform for DCE directory services.
For System Services, OS/390 Version 2 will include
enhancements to Workload Manager (WLM). WLM algorithmic
decision making, using real time, state and topology information,
will represent a major positive step in the evolution of OS/390 and the
Parallel Sysplex strategy. The existing Workload Manager algorithmic
management actions, driven by customer business objectives, will be
directly applied to JES2 batch job pre-execution scheduling.
For S/390 I/O Configuration Management, the OS/390 Hardware
Configuration Manager (HCM) will be available. The combination of
HCM and Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD) provides the
configuration solution for OS/390, allowing both the physical and
logical configuration of your enterprise.
In summary
The S/390 platform promise is to serve the world's most successful
enterprises by providing extraordinary security, throughput, and
capacity, so that
mission-critical information can be delivered
when and where it is needed.
The current and future releases of OS/390 are dedicated to the
fulfillment of this promise. For example,
in Version 2, we're taking the ability to
access and surf networks that we provided in earlier releases, and
moving it to a level of access and security that will allow you to
transact real electronic business.
Version 2 will also be the consummate network application
server.
It will
provide everything needed to create bet-your-business
applications and run them on the networks of choice.
Over
the next several releases we will deliver on the application development,
collaboration and content management capabilities. Version 2 will
also allow you to integrate other servers you may currently have,
and take advantage of the benefits of server integration and
consolidation.
At the same
time, you will be able to derive full benefit from all the data
you own by using Version 2 as a way to transform raw data into real
business intelligence. And OS/390 will grow more attractive to those
with less complex computing needs because it supports the full range
of S/390
hardware, from the smallest processor to the largest. And, of course,
the classic
platform strengths of availability, security and scalability,
along with a commitment to continually improving ease of use and
installability, will always be a focus of OS/390 development.
OS/390 continues its evolution
to fulfill the promise of transforming MVS
into a total enterprise server solution, meeting its customers' current
and future enterprise computing needs.
The time is right for our renewed commitment to fulfill
the promises of the vision, while maintaining an easy release-to-release
transition. Customers who have moved to the latest version of MVS/ESA
and related products can be assured that those efforts have correctly
positioned
them for the OS/390 platform. Existing OS/390 customers can readily
move to OS/390 Version 2 as their next logical release. Indeed, the
time is right.
Copyright MTV&Co. © 2000-2003
Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
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