PAGE PC WEEKNAPPLIGATION DEVELOPMENT APPLJED INTELLIGENCE. V likely that the AS/400 will implement JUNE 12, 1989 ANSI SOL. IBM is working to remedy all Implementation ACross AS/400 Is Key to SA A's Success This is the fifth part of a series on IBM s midrange com- puter famuy, the AS/400, a pivotal part of IBM s strategy to provide great- iy enhanced con- sistency and, connectivity across multiple supported envi- ronments. Systems Appli- cation Architecture (SAA) is IBM stra- tegic direction to provide an integrated computing environment across multiple supported platforms. The objectives of SAA include the following: € consistent user interfaces, program: S | ming interfaces, communication inter- faces and common applications across. multiple hardware platforms; 8 common database access and distrib- uted database management Ur Senoti a network; | -% cooperative processing, providing teč means to distribute processing functions transparently across multiple sodna environments; and € advanced connectivity support for '; peer-to-peer communications between diverse computer systems and ua cated network management. These objectives will be achieved bi the implementation of common applica- tions and application-enabling tools across three strategic SAA platforms: the System/370 under MVS/ESA and VM/CMS, the AS/400 under OS/400 and the PS/2 under OS/2 Extended Edition: Users who adopt SAA standards in their shops can take advantage of the extensive software support that will be- come available in stages to support the downsizing of applications, cooperative processing, distributed data and greatly increased connectivity. SAA-compliant software can be ported among support- ed platforms with a minimum of con- version effort or expense. SAA removes much of the guesswork involved in planning for system growth. It outlines IBM's strategic application- software environments and defines the types of interfaces compatible with these environments. | Many of the SAA guidelines are still MARTIN vague and much information remains to be published; however, information-sys- tems managers willing to develop appli- cations within the SAA framework will position themselves to benefit from IBMs strategic direction. They protect themselves from a premature obsoles- cence of software and hardware. And they take advantage of forthcoming new applications, distributed applications support, relational database capabilities and improved produtctivity. By defining the platforms supported by SAA, IBM has identified those pro- cessing environments considered strate- gic to its future growth. However, not, all strategic products ly with SAA guidelines and are inher- LJ h . j h i fully participate in SAA. CICS/MVS and IMS/DC, for example, comply only part« ently unsuitable technologically for full inclusion in SAA. SAA can be described as d collectiori: hi of selected software interfaces, conven- tions and protocols that provide greater '. consistency across IBM s business com- puting platforms. SAA consists of four related elements: 6 the Common User Access (CUA), which describes how users interact with an application; 8 the Common Programming Interface (CPI), which describes the languages and services that applications develop- ers need in order to build applications; € the Common Communications Support (CCS), which deseribes connectivity SAA guidelines earlier and probably more completely than other IBM hard- ware platforms. The following is a sta- tus summary of each, major SAA inter- ', face for the AS/400. Common User Access: The AS/400 ' user interface today implements most of the CUA guidelines for host-dependent ' workstations. This CUA support in- cludes semantic consistency and user-in- teraction standards (function keys). Major elements not yet implemented include cursor selection and mnemonic selection of objects, pop-up windows 'and action bars. There Is a commitment, to support SAA Provides Identical Softwate Structure Across Platforms | Users and Programs Interact with Common External Interfaces Layers visible to the User, standard interface on all platforms AS/400 Common | / User Access || | Lotil Level ul zme; Communi- |! oe lk ask k KME ME | ui, z kk 5 PC UL. $ERA, | Common ; | Commu- ' nications | Support / Šyslem Control Programs | Layers invisible to the user; differ from platform to platform, reflecting machine design John Avakian The AS/400, to date, doesn't implement SAA standards. How: ever, it's likely that the AS/400 will implement the guidelines earlier and more completely than any other IBM platforms. standards for systems and applications; j % Common Applications, which are ap- plication-software packages developed 1 by IBM and independent software ven- | dors according to the SAA guidelines, — /( and the complete in ED these facilities in a future release of the operating system. The implementation of a graphics-ori- -ented user interface awaits the introduc- ' tion of AS/400 Presentation Manager egration of the in- and which are implemented z across mul- :.- telligent workstation. ' tiple platforma. a piši ;... Common o te The chart shows the common set o SAA programming robably faces, conventions and ' the poskest rod of support on the AS/- protocols that are supported across the .i 400 today Saloni drange and PO envi 4 currently supported on 'the AS/400 in- ronmen - re sk clude RPG II and COBOL 85. The widely touted as "the SAA | | AS/400 does not support the C lan: ei RADO, to A Ada reli , guage, REXX or CSP. Current siri, plemeni. erytbing close tb 8 full gom: — Ouery je (SOL) support is , its omen Po ei vni loweve ito s ameri rsirictec uboco KA: S ductivity Software Inc, o( Marble- | head, Mass. (800) 2421210. For infor. poli New St, Carnjorih Lancs > LASOBX these limitations: An SAA-compliant version of the C language is expected to be available for .. the AS/400 in the second half of the year. A procedures language based on REXX is likely to be available for the AS/400 in 1990. | IBM is expected to provide a CSP run- time execution environment for the AS/- 400 this year. The CSP execution envi- ronment will allow code developed on a System/370 or PC to be executed on an AS/400. The AS/400 operating system current: Iy does not support an SAA-compatible dialogue interface; current dialogue sup- port is sophisticated and easy to use, but it's not portable to other systems. An SAA dialogue manager is not expect: ed to be made available on the AS/400 for at least the next year. Common Communications Support: In contrast, to its rather weak support for the SAA programming standards, the AS/400 offers comprehensive SAA communications facilities. These facili- ties are fully integrated with the operat- ing system and need not be purchased — as separate software products. Common communications facilities and protocols supported by OS/400 in- clude 3270 data streams, Document Content Architecture (DCA), Intelli- gent Printer Data Stream (IPDS), SNA Distribution Services (SNADS), Docu- ment Interchange Architecture (DIA), SNA Network Management Architec- ture, and Distributed Data Manage- ment Architecture (DDM). The LU 'Type 6.2 peer-to-peer communications protocol is supported by 0S/400. It forms the basis for personal computer connectivity. Support for low-entry networking (LEN) architecture is provided as part of the operating system Advanced Peer- to-Peer Networking (APPN) funetions. Data-link-control protocols supported by the AS/400 include X.25 packet. switch- ing, Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC) and the IBM Token-Ring Net: work. SAA represents a major step forward by IBM. But its success will depend on its acceptance by the software industry and the user community. Its likely that some elements of SAA will be embraced more than others. For example, CSP in its current implementation provides lit- tle or no additional capability to AS/400 applications developers. Overall, SAA will provide a framework and a direc- tion for software developers for at least the next decade. ' Next week, T'Ul look at current applica- doo a strategies for the AS/- Ta Jama MONA Productivity Series, an information service updated guar- terly, is available through High Pro- Hd ia k. id ee ae | Pusd Pra LA A? za godi ni na tke k ze z ie k ' a SNE ue set, lika, maki kli ' Ši F mi A NE a Ma Dej % aka m d ČI z JI L: Cod i M Le EN č ela šti s Peer tiče EME V Er sili ksi orle ea mo p ae ab pb, Zu sa znak ni JE a ŠE imeti 2 ai adi zao P ka a, raja je", | / si sa 4 podi! ske a a EI. a — de ir a UE A i.m a ! United Ki Re : šim ; - ge a pošav ue ut a pli i NE Pra, Me zi ie EN KE na z EEA Ma KE ; z : iča ao a a gain mea počaka, (me RE mA, h