Pace 60 POG WEEKNXAPPLIGATION DEVELOPMENT Ov JUNE 12, 1989 APPLIED INTELLIGENCE d Implementation Across AS/400 Is Key to SA A's Success This is the fifih part of a series on IBM's midrange com: puter family, the AS/400, a pivotal part of IBM strategy to provide great- ly enhanced, con- sistency and connectivity across multiple supported envi- JAMES MARTIN Mčzšee Systems Appli- cation Architecture (SAA) is IBM's stra- tegic direction to provide an integrated computing environment across multiple supported platforms. The objectives of SAA include the following: š € consistent user interfaces, program- ming interfaces, communication inter: faces and common applications across multiple hardware platforms; i € common database access and distrib- uted database management throughout a network; PEUME % cooperative processing, providing the means to distribute processing functions transparently across multiple supported environments; and se merilna ' advanced connectivity support for :; peer-to-peer communications between diverse computer systems and sophisti- cated network management. V These objectives will be achieved by 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. SA A-compliant software can be ported among support: ed platforms with a minimum of con- version effort or expense. SAA removes much of the guesswork Jt outlines IBM's strategic application- software environments and defines the types of interfaces compatible with these environments. Many of the SAA guidelines are still be published; however, information-sys- position themselves to benefit from IBM strategic direction. They protect themselves from a premature obsoles- cence of software and hardware. And applications, distributed applications and improved productivity. By defining the platforms supported by SAA, IBM has identified those pro- gic to its future growth. However, not all strategic products ly with SAA are involved in planning for system growth. vague and much information remains to tems managers willing to develop appli- cations within the SAA framework will they take advantage of forthcoming new support, relational database capabilities cessing environments considered strate- fully participate in SAA. CICS/MVS and IMS/DC, for example, comply only part: guidelines and inher- ently unsuitable technologically for full inclusion in SAA. ; SAA can be described as a collection of selected software interfaces, conven- tions and protocols that provide greater '. consisteney across IBM's business com: puting platforms. SAA consists of four related elements: 8 the Common User Access (CUA), which deseribes how users interact with an application; € 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 Provides Iden External likely that the AS/400 will implement 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 ical Software Structure Across Platforms Users and Programs Interact with Common | | | Intetfaces Layers visible to the user; standard interf: ace on all platforms Common Commu- nications Support | Communi- | cations ji Layers invisible to the user; differ from platform to platform, reftlecting machine design i The AS/400, to date, doesn't implement SAA standards. How- standards for systems and applications; | and hdi € Common Applications, which are ap- : plication-software packageš developed 4 by IBM and independent software ven- dors according to the SAA guidelines, |! ever, it's likely that the AS/400 will implement the guidelines earlier and more completely than any other IBM platforms. ja these facilities in a futiire release of the operating system. || 'The implementation of a graphics-ori- ented user interface awaits the introduc- tion of AS/400 Presentation Manager and the complete integration of the in- and which are implemented across mul- ..- telligent workstation. € tiple platforma. (ij/// Common Programming Interface: 'The chart shows the common set of | SAA programming support is probably software interfaces, conventions and | the weakest area of support on the AS/- protocols that are supported across the ..1, 400 today. malnframe, midrange and PO envi: ;..,. currently su on the AS/400 in- ronmente. €. dlude RPG II and COBOL 85. The Although a izubed El RA JAMI li AMO dose not mpnart tč lan: machine," the , to date, |, guage, REXX or . Curren! implement anything close to a full com: . Onery Language.(SOL) support is limit: plement of SAA standards. vite jed to a severely restricted subset of zma oda mi. UM kaja JU! df - Ni leni Sa KOM pa | i ( v To EN OT Ee —— ANSI SOL. IBM is working to remedy all 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- ly 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 0S/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) functions. 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. It's 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, Fl look at current applica- Mia O strategies for the AS/- The James Martin Productivity Series, an information service updated guar- teriy, is available through High Pro- ductivity So,