Introducing the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View Mainframe Applications

This chapter introduces the features of the mainframe application. This chapter includes the following main sections:

What is the CiscoWorks Blue Mainframe Application?

The CiscoWorks Blue mainframe application acts solely as a server to provide Systems Network Architecture (SNA) resource information to the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View applications on workstations. There are no end-user functions provided.

For information about how the SNA information is used at the workstation, see the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View Workstation Installation and Administration Guide or the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View User Guide.

What SNA Functions are Provided?

The CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View products obtain SNA physical unit (PU) and logical unit (LU) resource information from VTAM at a mainframe computer and correlate that information with the Cisco routers that are associated with the PUs and LUs. Maps and SNA View consist of two components: a Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS) system mainframe application and a UNIX workstation application (for Maps and SNA View) or a Windows NT system (for SNA View).

The mainframe component provides the SNA PU and LU information to the workstation program. It runs as a started task under OS/390 (MVS/Enterprise Systems Architecture).

The workstation component obtains the PU and LU information from the mainframe and stores it in a database at the workstation.

Note PUs connected via the remote source route bridging (RSRB) protocol and a CIP or 3172 connection to the mainframe will not benefit from the correlation feature. This means that the Maps and SNA View applications cannot determine on which routers these PUs are dependent for connectivity to the mainframe. However, the IBM APAR OW36070 is available that allows Maps and SNA View to support switched PUs using these types of connections.

The workstation program provides the user with PU and LU information. To provide these services to the workstation user, the mainframe application uses the interfaces described in the following sections.

VTAM XID Configuration Services Exit

When you install the mainframe application, you get a fully functional Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM) exchange identification (XID) configuration services exit routine. For more information, see the "Updating MVS and VTAM" section in "Updating the Mainframe Application Software."

Mainframe Parameter Cards

The mainframe application provides a set of initialization parameter cards with which you customize the mainframe application. For more information, see the "Updating the Mainframe Configuration File (NSPPARM)" section in the "Updating the Mainframe Application Software."

Mainframe Commands

The mainframe application provides a set of mainframe commands with which you configure and monitor the mainframe environment. You can start, stop, and display the status of the mainframe subtasks. For more information, see the "Issuing Mainframe Commands" section in "Using the Mainframe Application."

Mainframe Subtasks

The mainframe application includes a series of subtasks that run on the mainframe. These subtasks provide connections to the workstations and PU/LU discovery and monitoring. For more information, see the "Mainframe Subtasks" section in "Using the Mainframe Application."

What's New in Software Release 3.0

Note CiscoWorks Blue SNA View is supported on Windows NT; however, CiscoWorks Blue Maps is not supported on Windows NT. CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View 3.0 is supported on the AIX, HP, and Solaris UNIX platforms

The following major changes have been made in CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View Release 3.0:

CiscoWorks Blue SNA View, Release 3.0 is supported on Windows NT, Release 4.0.
- Windows NT users can use the CiscoWorks Blue SNA View Administration application to add, delete, modify, and discover devices in their CiscoWorks Blue database and to select DLSw key devices. For more information, refer to "Using the Administration Application for Windows NT" in the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View User Guide.
- Windows NT users can use the CiscoWorks Blue SNA View Configuration application to configure CiscoWorks SNA View after installation. Use the Configuration application to configure general SNA connections, add additional mainframe connection ports, change TAC settings, and configure APPN, DLSw, and the web interface. For more information, refer to "Using the Configuration Application for Windows NT" in the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View User Guide.
Performance improvements have been made to accommodate environments with very large SNA networks. The host discovery process and the status update process times for large SNA environments have been significantly reduced.
The mainframe installation procedure has changed for SMP/E installation. Instead of being distributed on a 3480 tape, the software is distributed on the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View Release 3.0 CD-ROM. The software is comprised of sequential data sets that you ftp to the mainframe. After receiving these data sets on the mainframe, SMP/E jobs are available to complete the installation. For more information, refer to the "Installing the Mainframe Application Directly" section or the "Installing the Mainframe Application Using SMP/E" section in the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View Mainframe Installation Guide.

: The mainframe installation procedure has not changed for the direct installation. For more information, refer to the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View Mainframe Installation Guide.

All mainframe data set member names are changed from the format NSP210*.* and NSPS210*.* to NSP300*.* and NSPS300*.*
The separate AppnPollerServer process for APPN has been removed. In Release 3.0, APPN polling is performed as a thread of the cwbsnamapsd process.
Sybase has been upgraded to Version 6.0.3 to increase overall product performance. This is an internal database included with the product. Sybase knowledge is not required.
Additional diagnostic information has been added in the message log for SNMP-related failures.
HP-UX 10.20 is no longer supported.

Table of Contents

Introducing the CiscoWorks Blue Maps and SNA View Mainframe Applications