Introduction to Mainframe

Learner

Session 01 : Introduction to Mainframe

© 2010, Cognizant Technology Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
C3: Protected
About the Author

Created By: Mahadevi Samidurai (179541)

Credential 7 Years of Experience in Testing which includes 5 years in

Information: Mainframe Testing

Version and IMT/PPT/1010/1.0

Date:

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Icons Used

Hands on
Questions Tools Exercise

Coding Test Your

Reference
Standards Understandin
g

A
Try it Out Contacts
Welcome
Break

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Introduction to Mainframe Session [1]:
Overview

 Introduction:
» As a technical professional in the world of mainframe
computing, you will need to understand how mainframe
computers support your company’s IT infrastructure and
business goals

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Introduction to Mainframe Session [1] :
Objective
 Objective:
After completing this session, you will be able to:
» Explain how businesses make use of mainframe
processing power, the typical uses of mainframes
» Write the major types of workloads for which
mainframes are best suited
» Gain knowledge on how to connect Mainframe and
configure key map in IBM Personal Communication
and also saving the session

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Mainframe: Introduction
 What is Mainframe?
» Mainframe is a secured computer system designed to
continuously work for critical applications typically for bulk
data processing

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Mainframe: Introduction (Contd.)

 Mainframes combine three important features:

» Maximum reliable single-thread performance
» Maximum I/O Connectivity
» Maximum I/O Bandwidth

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Brief History of Mainframe

Year Evolution

1944 Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC)

1948 Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator

1952 Electronic Data Processing System, the IBM 701
1956 IBM RAMAC 305
1958 7070 Data Processing System
1962 Low cost 1440 Data Processing System
1964 System/360
1970 IBM System/370 Model 145

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Brief History of Mainframe (Contd.)

1972 System/370 with Virtual Storage

1990 System/390 with Enterprise Systems Architecture

2000 IBM eServer zSeries 900

2003 eServer zSeries 990

2005 IBM System z9 Integrated Information Processor

(IBM zIIP)

2006 System z9 BC

2008 System z10 BC

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Mainframe: Reasons to Choose
Reliability
Availability

Serviceability

Security

Scalability

Continuing compatibility

Evolving architecture

Extensibility

Total cost of ownership

Environment friendly

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Mainframe Computers: Users

Banking

Finance Health Care

Government Insurance

Public and
Private
Enterprises

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Mainframe Testing Overview

Batch Testing Online Testing

• The mainframe job will be • Online testing is a front-
submitted and the output end process which is
of the job will be verified done through various
as per the business Online Transaction
requirements Processing (OLTP)
• applications
Usually the Batch testing
is the back-end process

Mainframe Testing is similar to client-server application testing, but we need to operate basic TSO,
ISPF commands and menus, view mainframe files, look at the SDSF

Mainframe
Testing

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Mainframe Transaction Processing
 Most mainframe workloads fall into one of two
categories:
» Batch Processing
» Online Transaction Processing

Figure 1. Typical mainframe workloads

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Mainframe Batch Processing
 Batch applications are processed on the
mainframe without user interaction
 Batch processes typically have the following
characteristics:
» Large amounts of input data are processed and stored
» Large numbers of records are accessed
» Large volume of output is produced
» Information is generated about large numbers of users or
data entities

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Mainframe Batch Processing (Contd.)

Figure2 Typical Batch Use

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Mainframe Batch Processing (Contd.)
 In Figure 2, consider the following elements at work in
the scheduled batch process:
1. At night, numerous batch jobs running programs and utilities
are processed. These jobs consolidate the results of the online
transactions that take place during the day.
2. The batch jobs generate reports of business statistics.
3. Backups of critical files and databases are made before and
after the batch window.
4. Reports with business statistics are sent to a specific area for
analysis the next day.
5. Reports with exceptions are sent to the branch offices.
6. Monthly account balance reports are generated and sent to all
bank customers.

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Mainframe Batch Processing (Contd.)
7. Reports with processing summaries are sent to the partner
credit card company
8. A credit card transaction report is received from the partner
company
9. In the production control department, the operations area is
monitoring the messages on the system console and the
execution of the jobs
10. Jobs and transactions are reading or updating the database
(the same one that is used by online transactions) and many
files are written to tape

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Mainframe Batch Processing (Contd.)

 Benefits of Batch Processing

» It allows sharing of computer resources among many
users and programs
» It shifts the time of job processing to when the computing
resources are less busy
» Consumes less time and avoids the resources idle time
» By keeping high overall rate of utilization, it better
amortizes the cost of a computer, especially an expensive
one

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing
 Transaction processing that occurs interactively
with the end user is referred to as Online
Transaction Processing or OLTP
 Most people are familiar to Online Transactions.
Examples include:
» ATM machine transactions such as deposits, withdrawals,
inquiries, and transfers
» Supermarket payments with debit or credit cards
» Purchase of merchandise over the Internet

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing (Contd.)
 In fact, an online system performs many of the
same functions as an operating system:
» Managing and dispatching tasks
» Controlling user access authority to system resources
» Managing the use of memory
» Managing and controlling simultaneous access to data
files
» Providing device independence

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing (Contd.)
 Some industry who uses of mainframe-based
online systems include:
» Banks – ATMs, teller systems for customer service
» Insurance – Agent systems for policy management and
claims processing
» Travel and transport – Airline reservation systems
» Manufacturing – Inventory control, production
scheduling
» Government – Tax processing, license issuance and
management

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing (Contd.)
 Online transactions usually have the following
characteristics:
» A small amount of input data, a few stored records
accessed and processed, and a small amount of data as
output
» Immediate response time, usually less than one second
» Large numbers of users involved in large numbers of
transactions

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing (Contd.)
 Round-the-clock availability of the transactional
interface to the user
 Assurance of security for transactions and user
data

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing (Contd.)
 In a bank branch office, for example, customers use online
services when checking an account balance or making an
investment

Figure3 Typical Online Use

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing (Contd.)
 Figure 3 shows a series of common online
transactions using a mainframe
1. A customer uses an ATM, which presents a user-friendly
interface for various functions: Withdrawal, query account
balance, deposit, transfer, or cash advance from a credit
card account.
2. Elsewhere in the same private network, a bank employee
in a branch office performs operations such as consulting,
fund applications, and money ordering.

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Mainframe Online Transaction
Processing (Contd.)
3. At the bank's central office, business analysts tune
transactions for improved performance. Other staff use
specialized online systems for office automation to
perform customer relationship management, budget
planning, and stock control.
4. All requests are directed to the mainframe computer
for processing.
5. Programs running on the mainframe computer perform
updates and inquiries to the database management
system (for example, DB2).
6. Specialized disk storage systems store the database
files.

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Mainframe Configuration
 How to connect Mainframes through Terminal
Emulator?
» Mainframes can be connected from Windows through an
Emulator
» IBM Personal Communications (PCOM) is the widely
used emulator
» To connect “Start -> All Programs -> IBM Personal
Communications -> Start or Configure”
(Note: IBM PCOM should be installed in your PC before going into this
step)

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Mainframe Configuration (Contd.)
» Click Configure button

Note: The configuration process may vary in different versions of

PCOM. In this document we have used IBM PCOM Version 5.9

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
» On clicking the configure button, the below screen is
displayed

» Click Link Parameters button

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
» The below screen is displayed

» As given in the above screen enter the IP Address as

“10.237.5.102” (This IP address is for Cognizant
Mainframe, this may vary in Client Mainframes)
» Click OK button

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
» The below screen is displayed

» Click OK button to get connected to mainframe

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
» The below screen is displayed

» Now you can login to mainframe using your

mainframe user-id and password. (Login procedure
will be explained in TSO / ISPF chapter)

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
 Configuring Keyboard
» To use copy, paste and cut facility in the emulator,
you need to create a Key-Map
» To map the keys, click the Remap Keyboard Functions
icon in the toolbar. The below screen will be
displayed

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
» In the above screen, under “Function” select “Edit
Copy”, click “C” from the keys displayed and click “->”
button corresponding to “Ctrl”. Similarly map the
keyboard as below
Operation Function Key Action Key
Copy Edit Copy C Ctrl
Paste Edit Paste V Ctrl

Cut Edit Cut X Ctrl

» Click on “File -> Save” to save the Key-Map. Now you

can use Copy, Paste and Cut operation using Ctrl+C,
Ctrl+V and Ctrl+X respectively

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
 Saving the Session
» To save the current settings and configuration for the
session, click on “File -> Save” the below dialog-box is
displayed

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
» In the file-name textbox, enter the name you want to
save in and Click “OK” button. The below dialog-box is
displayed.

» Click on “Yes” button

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Mainframe Configuration(Contd.)
» The below dialog-box is displayed

» Click OK button (make sure “Add icon into the folder of

Desktop” check-box is enabled). Now the session is
saved and you can see the shortcut on the desktop as
shown

» Now you can directly (without configuring) invoke the

mainframe from your desktop

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 Allow time for questions from participants

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Test Your Understanding
1. Why mainframes are used?
a) Huge Memory Capacity
b) Security
c) Both a & b
2. To save your current mainframe session, what is the
menu navigation?
a) File -> Save
b) File -> Save Session
c) File -> Save As
3. What is the name of the keyboard configuration file?
a) Key-board settings file
b) Key-Map
c) Key-Layout File

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Introduction to Mainframe Session [1]:
Summary
 Mainframes are large and expensive computers
 In banking, finance, health care, insurance, utilities,
government, and a multitude of other public and private
enterprises, the mainframe computer continues to form
the foundation of modern business
 Mainframe Testing is similar to client-server application
testing, but we need to operate basic TSO and ISPF
commands and menus, view mainframe files, look at the
SDSF
 Usually the Batch testing is the back-end process where
as Online testing is a front-end process which is done
through various online transaction processing (OLTP)
applications

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Introduction to Mainframe Session[1] :
Source
 http://pdf-free-download.com/ibm-mainframe-black

 http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/mainfr

 IBM’s System/390 by Computer Technology

Research Corp.

Disclaimer: Parts of the content of this course is based on the materials available from the Web sites
and books listed above. The materials that can be accessed from linked sites are not maintained by
Cognizant Academy and we are not responsible for the contents thereof. All trademarks, service marks,
and trade names in this course are the marks of the respective owner(s).

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You have completed Session
1 of Introduction and
About Mainframe.

© 2010, Cognizant Technology Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.