Mainframe Terminology

This list is the meanings of Mainframe Terminology in the alphabetic

order.

A4: The most common of the European standard paper sizes, 210 x 297 mm, and the one closest to
the North American standard of 8.5 x 11 inches.

AAL: ATM Adaptation Layer. A layer of the ATM architecture that defines services required by the
higher ATM layers. The classes of ATM adaptation layers correspond to types of higher network
traffic such as, data, voice, or video. See also ATM2

AAS: Authorized Application Specialist. Obsolete term for an independent software vendor whose
products IBM had agreed to sell. The greatest number of AASs were in the CASE and application
development market, a traditional IBM weakness. Today, everyone is an IBM Business Partner of one
type or another.

AASF: Advanced Address Space Facility. Introduced in ESA as a facility used (among other things)
by DB2 to enhance performance.

ABA1: Annual Billing Agreement. An IBM customer contract.

ABA2: Art Benjamin Associates. The first independent endeavor of Canada’s most famous IBMer,
Art Benjamin. Art left IBM to pursue his dream of building the perfect prototyping tool after IBM
Canada refused to fund it. The result of several million dollars and 1.5 million lines of Assembler was
ACT/1, a VSE/ESA CICS, z/VM CMS and z/OS CICS and TSO tool that did a nice job of
prototyping but failed to sufficiently simplify the task of putting the prototype into production.

ABARS: Aggregate Backup And Recovery Support. Disaster recovery feature within DFSMShsm for
automatically creating files containing backups of critical data. The main use of ABARS is to group
all the datasets relating to a particular application together.

ABE: Agent Building Environment. An experimental IBM architecture that provides an open
environment in which agents can be added to existing applications, and agent
parts, once developed, can be reused across many applications.

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Abend: ABnormal ENDing. IBMspeak for an unexpected termination to a program run, e.g., a crash.
Originally an error message on the System/360.

ABI: Application Binary Interface. Generic term (also used specifically to refer to Unix ABIs) for an
interface that would, in theory, enable application writers to write applications to a single interface
and run the same binary code on a variety of systems, without having to re-compile or re-link.
Application binary compatibility is the holy grail of the independent software vendors working in the
Unix, PC-DOS, and OS/2 arenas, and it ain’t there yet! The ill-fated ACE was a formal attempt to
create an ABI, as was the IBM-supported PowerOpen.

ABM: Asynchronous Balanced Mode. The mode of operation used in the TRN – effectively full
duplex.

Above the line: In z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA, above the line refers to virtual/real memory locations
with an address greater than 16Mbytes. The 16Mbyte limit was created by the fact that early versions
of MVS (pre-MVS/XA), VM (VM/SP and prior) and VSE (pre-VSE/ESA) only supported 24-bit
addressing.

ABS: Application Business Systems. For many years, the part of IBM responsible for the AS/400 and
System/3x. Ran as an autonomous business unit headquartered in Rochester, Minnesota.

Abuse: Any behavior violating security procedures.

ACA/ISCF: Automated Console Application for Inter-System Control Facility. Also known as
3090/ACA/ISCF. Basically it was a tailored version of ISCF for the 3090 environment consisting of a
set of NetView command lists, panels, and a command processor to enable remote operation of 3090s
running MVS/XA or MVS/ESA. Announced April 1989. Replaced by TSCF April 1991.

ACB: Access Control Block. The control block used to tie an application program to a VSAM dataset
– the two are connected by the DDNAME.

Access authority: The level of access allowed to a protected resource for a specific user. Levels in
RACF are NONE, EXECUTE, READ, UPDATE, CONTROL and ALTER.

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Access control: Enforcing rules governing use of computer resources by restricting both the use and
type of use to authorized individuals and the computer resources they are responsible for.

Access list: In RACF, the standard access list, not the conditional access list.

Access method1: An IBM-specific bit of jargon for software which moves data between main store
and I/O devices. Access methods create channel programs and manage system buffers, and have
implicit file structures. IBM access methods include TCAM, BTAM, VTAM, VSAM.

Access method2: Generic term for the way in which workstations access a LAN. The access method
in Ethernet is CSMA/CD, and the access method in the TRN is token passing.

Accessor Environment Element: A RACF control block that describes the current user’s security
environment.

Access plan: See Plan.

Access token: See authenticator.

acctcom: The accounting command within AIX WLM.

ACD: Automatic Call Distributor. Generic term for a PBX designed for call-center operations. May
also be used as an acronym for Automatic Call Distribution.

ACDEB: Data extent block in VTAM.

ACDI: Asynchronous Communications Device Interface. Programming interface introduced in OS/2

EE for establishing asynchronous communications sessions.

ACDI port: Asynchronous Communications Device Interface port. A serial port in Communications
Manager/2 that can be programmed for asynchronous communications.

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ACE: Advanced Computing Environment. A standard sponsored by a consortium of 22 vendors

(including DEC, Microsoft, Compaq, Silicon Graphics, SCO, and MIPS, although IBM declined to
join in the fun) in mid 1991. The intention was to create a set of standards to exploit RISC
architectures by defining a set of target environments for RISC chip builders to design to. Thus
software designers would build products for the Unix or NT environments, and the standard would
ensure hardware and network compatibility. By the middle of 1992, ACE was dead.

ACEE: See ACcessor Environment Element.

ACF: Advanced Communications Function. A once popular prefix for IBM software that uses SNA,
such as NCP, SSP2, TCAM, and VTAM. It originally indicated versions of software capable of multi-
host support to distinguish them from earlier versions. Today, ACF is still occasionally used, but most
SNA software is part of Communications Server.

ACF/NCP: See NCP.

ACF/SSP: See SSP2.

ACF/TAP: Advanced Communications Function/Trace Analysis Program. An SSP program service

aid that assists in analyzing trace data produced by VTAM, TCAM, and NCP and provides network
data traffic and network error reports.

ACF/TCAM: Advanced Communications Function/Telecommunications Access Method. See

TCAM.

ACF/VTAM: Advanced Communication Function/Virtual Telecommunication Access Method. See

VTAM.

ACF/VTAME: Advanced Communication Function/Virtual Telecommunication Access Method

Entry. See VTAME.

ACI: Access Control Information.

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ACID: Generic term for what transactions in a TP system should possess – atomicity, consistency,
isolation, and durability.

ACL: Automatic Cartridge Library. Synonymous with ATL. Also used to mean Automatic Cartridge
Loader, a fairly low-level device which keeps a few cartridges in a

loader and runs through them sequentially, typically for archiving a disk.

ACM: Association for Computing Machinery. Founded in 1947 in the USA, ACM was established
by mathematicians and electrical engineers to advance the science and

application of information technology. It is the oldest and largest international scientific and
educational computer society in the industry.

ACO: Automated Console Operations. Automated procedures which replace or reduce the number of
actions that an operator takes from a console in response to system or

network activities.

AConnS: Application Connection Services. OS/2 and mainframe feature which enables a workstation
user to think that he/she has direct connection to a VM or MVS

mainframe resource (e.g., a printer). Pre-requisite for some cooperative processing programs (e.g.,
Delivery Manager, Asset Manager/MVS). Announced June 1991,

withdrawn December 1993.

ACP: Airline Control Program. See TPF.

ACPDB: ACP DataBase. See TPFDF.

Acquirer: In the SET architecture, the acquirer is the financial institution that authorizes the
transaction after receipt and validation of financial data relating

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to a transaction.

ACRE: APAR Control Remote Entry. An IBM system for collating APAR information.

ACS1: Automatic Class Selection. A mechanism in DFSMS for centralized and automated control of
dataset movement and allocation.

ACS2: Automatic Cartridge System. Effectively the same as ATL.

ActionMedia: PS/2 adapter card from IBM and Intel (March 1990) for multimedia interactive digital
video. Uses the DVI standard. Supported in IBM’s Ultimedia.

Obsolete.

Active Directory: Microsoft’s new distributed directory service, which complements Windows 2000
and COM+.

Active MWC: An AIX1 feature that helps ensure data consistency on logical volumes in the event of
a system crash during mirrored writes. AIX 5.1 added Passive MWC for

better random write performance on mirrored logical volumes. See also MWC.

ActiveX: A reincarnation of Microsoft’s Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology, geared
specifically for Windows-specific Web and networking scenarios. Object-

based and closely related to Microsoft COM. In the context of Web-to-host, ActiveX is often a direct
competitor to Java applet-based solutions, although ActiveX

solutions are always restricted to Windows-based clients using the Internet Explorer browser.

ACU: Automatic Calling Unit. A dialing device that allows a computer to automatically dial calls
over a network.

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AD/Cycle: IBM’s all-embracing repository/CASE-based application development framework

originally intended to see users through the millennium and beyond. Announced

September 1989, it was a reasonable try at getting together a set of standards and interfaces to help
speed up application development; these included a view of the

application development life-cycle, tools supporting the life-cycle, software services for application
development, and the much derided Repository. Long dead.

AD/Cycle Alliance: Group of vendors supporting AD/Cycle. July 1993, there were nine members:
Digitalk, Easel, KnowledgeWare, Micro Focus, Sapiens, Seer Technologies,

Softlab, Synon, and Viasoft. The full name was International Alliance for AD/Cycle. As AD/Cycle
faded into the sunset, the Alliance went west with it.

AD/Platform: The workstation development environment within the defunct AD/Cycle architecture.
Components included workstation services, library services, repository

services, and an information model.

AD/SAA: Application Development/SAA. To all intents and purposes, it’s the same as ADE1.

ADA: Programming language much loved by the military (ADA is a US government standard),
which uses it for writing systems for controlling guided missiles and the

like. IBM provided ADA systems for VM, MVS, and AIX, and supported the language in various
mainstream subsystems including IMS, DB2, CICS, GDDM, and ISPF/PDF. When it

appeared to be gradually being replaced by C++, IBM let OC Systems take over the products.
Withdrawn August 1994.

ADABAS Database for large applications. Designed to support thousands of users in parallel with
sub-second response times.

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ADAPSO: Association of Data Processing Service Organizations. Renamed Information Technology

Association of America (ITAA).

Adaptive pacing: Facility available with LU6.2 whereby the system automatically adjusts the rate of
flow of data according to the prevailing conditions. See also

Pacing.

Adaptive Rate-Based Congestion Control: The anticipatory, congestion control mechanism used by
HPR.

ADAU: See Automatic Direction of Application Updates.

ADCP: Application Development Common Platform. Set of services for application development.
Includes object libraries, models, and an object repository (based on

ObjectStore) conforming to the SOM, DSOM, and CORBA standards.

ADCS: Advanced Data Communications for Stores. IBM mainframe software for managing POS
networks. Obsolete.

Address Book synchronization for OS/2: Directory synchronization software. Links IBM e-mail
directories with Lotus Notes or cc:Mail directories via the IBM Mail LAN

Gateway.

Addressing: See AMODE.

Address Resolution Protocol: The Internet Protocol (IP) used to dynamically map IP addresses to
physical hardware Media Access Control (MAC1) addresses.

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Address space: The virtual storage allocated to an executing task in a mainframe. Generally used
within z/OS to mean the space used by one of batch job, system task,

or TSO user.

ADE1: Application Development Environment. At one time ADE aspired to be an SAA

environment/architecture analogous to the full CASE environments provided by

independent vendors which would run across a network of PS/2s + AS/400 or mainframe, and would
incorporate library management, change control, object-oriented methods,

methodology support, etc. ADE specifications were made public to allow vendors and users to
integrate their products into the IBM approved world. Also known as AD/SAA.

Like AD/Cycle and SAA, ADE appears to have faded into obscurity.

ADE2: See Tivoli Application Development Environment.

ADF II: See IMSADF II.

Ad-Hoc Tool: A query, report and update tool for IMS1 data. Announced August 1996. Withdrawn
November 1999.

ADM/400: Application Development Manager/400. AS/400 version control software announced in

February 1992. A feature of ADTS.

ADMF: See Asynchronous Data Mover Facility.

Administrative domain: The combination of interconnecting networks, hosts, and routers that are
managed by a single administrative authority.

Adobe: Company which, among other things, specializes in technologies for creating screen and
printer fonts. IBM uses Adobe as the supplier of font technology. See

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PostScript, Display PostScript.

ADPS: Application Development Project Support. Program Product developed by IBM in Vienna
and sold in Europe to provide an application development environment under

VM and MVS. IBM liked to describe it as the Common Process Manager within AD/Cycle – but that
was in the days when it liked to talk about AD/Cycle.

ADRS II: A Departmental Reporting System II. Venerable Information Center product long ago
incorporated into IC/1, both of which are now obsolete.

ADS1: Application Dictionary Services/400. Dictionary product for the AS/400. Provides inventories
of all the data on an AS/400 system. Announced February 1992 and

withdrawn December 1995.

ADS2: Audio Distribution System. Defunct IBM voice messaging system from the early 1980s.
Based on Series/1, and derived from the Speechfile product. Despite being

highly regarded, was a market failure.

ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A derivative of DSL2 technology designed for
applications where the client-to-server data flow is a fraction of the server-

to-client data flow. This is appropriate for WWW applications or Video on Demand.

ADSM: The acronym for two of the five names for what is currently the Tivoli Storage Manager:
AdStar Distributed Storage Manager and Advanced AdStar Distributed

Storage Manager.

ADSM Space Management: Replaced by Tivoli Space Manager.

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ADSP: Automatic DataSet Protection. See ADSP attribute.

ADSP attribute: A RACF user attribute that ensures that all DASD datasets created by the user are
protected by RACF.

AdStar: ADvanced STorage And Retrieval. The San Jose, California, company formed early 1992,
which for a short while made and sold IBM’s storage products – DASD,

optical storage, tape drives, controllers, and storage management software. Although the original
intention appeared to be to hive off AdStar as a completely separate

company, by mid 1993, it had begun to lose its separate identity and was absorbed back into the body
corporate, where it became the Storage Systems Division. The name

lived on for a while in ADSM.

AdStar Distributed Storage Manager: See ADSM.

AD Strategy: The born-again AD/Cycle which appeared late 1993 and disappeared soon after.
Combines the surviving bits of AD/Cycle with AIX CASE. There are two key

differences between AD/Cycle and AD/Strategy: AD Strategy is based on the use of objects to build
multi-platform systems, whereas AD/Cycle was firmly rooted in the

mainframe-centric world and traditional development methods; and AD/Cycle was built on an attempt
to create a set of commercial alliances, whereas AD Strategy is based

more strongly on IBM creating common services (ADCP) which vendors may or may not wish to
license. See also TeamConnection.

ADT: Application Development Tools. IBM name for the development toolset on the AS/400.
Included PDM, SEU, SDA, and DFU. Replaced by ADTS.

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ADTS: Application Development ToolSet for the iSeries 400 environment. Includes a programming
development manager (PDM), source entry utility (SEU), screen design aid

(SDA), data file utility (DFU), advanced printer function utility, character generator utility and report
layout utilities. CODE/400 was added in June 1995. Replaced

by WebSphere Development Studio for iSeries July 2001.

Advanced 36: System/36 line introduced in October 1994 based on the AS/400 Advanced Series and
includes 64-bit RISC technology, disk caching, remote operations, etc.

It was launched to try to convert the vast numbers of System/36s to the AS/400. In February 1996 a
second model was announced which used PowerPC technology. It could

run SSP1 and OS/400 concurrently. Obsolete.

Advanced ClusterProven: A status reserved for application software, such as IMS1, that meets IBM’s
ClusterProven certification, plus: failure recovery with no impact

to application availability by the end user, application recovery with no loss of in-flight data or
transaction, and reduction/elimination of downtime for planned

upgrades.

Advanced Distributed Storage Manager: See ADSM.

Advanced Function Presentation: See AFP.

Advanced Function Printing: See AFP.

Advanced Function Printing Data Stream: See AFPDS.

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Advanced Identification Solutions: The IBM business unit that is concerned with the development of
biometric identification processes to combat fraud. The intention

is to enable effective validation for everything from passports, welfare benefits, driver licensing, and
citizen registries by measuring the physical characteristics

of a person, such as a fingerprint, hand geometry, voice characteristics, and comparing this
measurement against a version of the biometric taken previously from the

same person. See Fastgate, FLASH algorithm.

Advanced Network & Services Inc: A non-profit corporation formed in September 1990, which
included IBM, MCI, Merit, Nortel and others. It provided the NSFnet

backbone, which connected regional networks serving research and education in the USA at a
network speed eventually reaching 45Mbps (T3). In February 1995, ANS sold

most of its assets and operations to America Online (AOL).

Advanced Series: AS/400s announced in May 1994. Include Advanced Portable, Advanced Systems,
and Advanced Server models. There were a few new features: RAID as

standard (not on the Portable), tower packaging, FSIOP on the Server, more I/O card slots, improved
price performance, use of RISC PowerPC chips, and black paint on

the outside.

Advantis: VANS set up by IBM and Sears in December 1992, with the aim of providing a complete
network outsourcing service. Initially most of its work was supporting

the SNA requirements of large users, but by mid 1993, Advantis was moving fairly rapidly to ATM2.
IBM bought out Sears’ portion in 1997 and swallowed it into IBM

Global Services, immediately losing the Advantis name.

AEF: See Tivoli Application Extension Facility.

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AES: Architecture Engineering Series. RT PC, RS/6000, and PS/2 CAD software for architects.
Bought in by IBM from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Withdrawn August 1997.

AFCOM: Association For Computer Operations Management. Originally formed for data center
managers in 1981, but now attended by anyone interested in data centers.

AFI: Advanced Fulfillment Initiative. A two-pronged IBM initiative to manage its supply chain
logistics to reduce inventory and prices. Achieves this by bringing its

major suppliers into its own manufacturing facilities in Raleigh, North Carolina, and also by
introducing more snap-in components for easier product assembly.

Introduced September 1997.

AFIG(S): Advanced Function Image and Graphics. Feature of large IBM APA printers (e.g., the
3900). Enabler for ImagePlus.

AFP: Advanced Function Printing; briefly Advanced Function Presentation beginning in 1994.
General IBM term for advanced printer software, notably the software to

support 38xx and 39xx APA printers. Originally AFP was mainly restricted to centralized mainframe
printers, but it is now used on distributed printers too. See also

IPDS, PostScript.

AFP/IPDS: Advanced Function Printing/Intelligent Printer DataStream. See IPDS.

AFPDS: Advanced Function Printing Data Stream. See AFP.

AFP PrintSuite: A package of fonts and other graphics features for OS/400, promising, among other
things, to create electronic forms that will replace preprinted

forms. Announced June 1996.

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AFP Unicode Font: Alternately the Unicode data can be spooled directly into AFP files to be
processed by PSF/400 or Host Print Transform, using the AFP Unicode Font

resource product (5799-GHJ) via a PRPQ available through your IBM representative

AFP Workbench for Windows: Windows software which allows the user to view AFP and ASCII
files as they would be printed on an AFP device, and then add notes to the

files, or extract bits of the files for use elsewhere.

AFTP: Advanced File Transfer Protocol. IBM’s implementation of ftp over APPC/LU6.2. See FTP2

Agent: Generic term for a software entity that can accept instructions from a human being or other
software and carry them out independently, often over a distance.

Aggregate: Within the mainframe environment, a file which contains the names of other files. All
files associated with the aggregate are considered to be a single

entity for the purposes of backup/restore and archive/retrieve. Files within an aggregate cannot be
accessed individually.

Aglets: AGent AppLETS. Developed by IBM’s Tokyo Research Laboratory to extend the Java applet
concept into mobile agents. See Aglets WorkBench.

Aglets WorkBench: Based on Aglets technology, the AWB is a visual environment for building
network-based applications that use mobile agents to search for, access,

and manage corporate data and other information. AWB consists of the following components:
Aglets, Jodax, JDBC, and Tazza, a visual GUI builder for Java.

AGP: Accelerated Graphics Port. The PC bus standard developed by Intel that has replaced PCI as
the standard for video cards (i.e., what you plug the monitor into).

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AI: See Artificial Intelligence.

AIM/P: Advanced Information Management Prototype. Same as AIM1.

AIM1: Advanced Information Management. IBM research project (at the Heidelberg research labs)
for a non-relational database for unstructured data objects – text and

graphics – as well as traditional structured data. Part of the project was based on the NF2 data model.
The suggestion – at one time – that it was to be a replacement

for DB2 is probably a bit far-fetched.

AIM2: Application Interface Macros. Interface to allow application programs (COBOL, REXX, PL/I,
C) to access data in the ill-fated Repository Manager/MVS.

Airline Control System: ALCS, also known as TPF/MVS. Runs TPF under z/OS.

AIS: See Advanced Identification Solutions.

AIX/370: Version of AIX for the mainframe as a replacement for IX/370. Much delayed but
eventually announced June 1989, although it ran only as a guest under VM (cf.

Amdahl which offered a native Unix for its IBM-compatible machines, UTS). Superseded by
MVS/ESA OpenEdition, now known as z/OS Unix System Services. See also AIX/ESA.

AIX/6000: Operating system that was renamed AIX1 in October 1995.

AIX/ESA: Version of AIX, based on OSF/1, for the 370/390 environment announced September
1991. Runs in native mode on ES/9000 under VM or in a PR/SM partition. Has

OSF/1, Motif, and X/Open certification, and adheres to POSIX 1003.1. Withdrawn June 1996. Many
of the components ended up in z/OS Unix System Services. See also

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AIX/370.

AIX1: Advanced Interactive eXecutive. IBM’s incarnation of Unix for the RT PC, RS/6000, PS/2,
and mainframe (see AIX/ESA) – the AIX Family Definition. Basically it’s

an enhanced version of Unix V. Started life as the user interface to the operating system for the RT
PC (6150/1) CAD/CAM workstation. Since then, it’s gained POSIX-

conformance, 52-bit addressing, enhancements in the areas of file reliability, TCP/IP, fault tolerance,
NFS support, support for FDDI, support for symmetric

multiprocessing, a new COSE-based GUI, and simplified installation and packaging.

AIX2: Alternate IndeX. A KSDS VSAM file mapping a secondary key to the primary key for the
same record.

AIX 5080 Emulation Program/6000: Emulates the 5080 graphics system on the RS/6000. Replaced
by Soft5080 for AIX in January 1997.

AIX 5L: AIX Version 5 for POWER- and Itanium-based eserver pSeries systems. Announced April
2001 as specifically tuned for Linux. Supports concurrent running of both

32 and 64 bit applications. See AIX1.

AIX CICS/6000: See CICS/6000.

AIX Connections: Extension to AIX which allows an AIX machine to act as a file/print server on a
TRN or Ethernet LAN. Originally developed by Syntax Inc, and sold by

IBM. Replaced by AIX Fast Connect January 2000.

AIX Fast Connect: AIX optional feature providing file and print services to Windows workstations.

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AIX LDAP Security Audit Plug-in: A server plug-in that provides a parallel auditing service to the
SecureWay Directory default audit plug-in. The audit data is

written into the AIX audit trails.

AIX NetView/6000: See NetView/6000.

AIX OSI Services/6000: AIX software providing support for X.400, file transfer, virtual terminals,
TCP/IP, etc. Announced March 1994. Withdrawn December 1995.

AIX RMONitor/6000: RMON network management for AIX. Replaced by Nways LAN Remote
Monitor for AIX June 1996. See RMON.

AIX SNA Server/6000: Provides LAN and WAN connections to SNA networks. Announced
December 1993. Replaced by Communications Server for AIX in December 1995.

AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications: The unsupported collection of software bits that comes with
most Linux distributions.

AIX Viaduct: Interactive data bridge that enables AIX users to integrate their applications with
AS/400 and DB2 databases. Uses LU6.2 to provide connection of AIX

with OS/400 and MVS environments through SQL. The AS/400 implementation was replaced
September 1993 by AIX AS/400 Connection Program/6000 which was itself withdrawn

December 1993. The DB2 bridge was withdrawn March 1992.

AIXwindows: User interface to AIX based on OSF/Motif. Announced with the RS/6000 in February
1990. Incorporates IXI’s X.desktop manager, Silicon Graphics’ GL

interface, OSF/Motif, X-Windows, and Display Postscript. Absorbed into the AIX operating system
October 1995.

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AIX Windows Toolkit: A collection of object-oriented C language subroutines that supplement the
Enhanced X-Windows Toolkit. These are designed to simplify the

creation of interactive client application interfaces. Obsolete.

Akers: John Akers – the chief executive who presided over IBM during the period when its fortunes
slumped calamitously. Akers was replaced in April 1993 by Lou

Gerstner.

ALB: Address Lookaside Buffer. Performance improvement feature for large mainframes, which
works by reducing the machine time needed for address translation.

ALCS: See Airline Control System.

Alert1: A problem determination message sent to a network operator within an SNA and/or TCP/IP
network.

Alert2: Access control package originally from Goal Systems. Provides security at the terminal, user,
file, or transaction level. Includes menu-driven administration

interface, and facilities for disaster recovery and auditing. Available in CICS, VM, and MVS
incarnations. At one time sold by IBM for the VSE environment.

Alert Monitor: Obsolete NetView/PC application that collects network information from IBM, Rolm,
and IDNX PABXs and sends it to NetView.

Algorithm: A detailed non-programming-language-specific procedure that can be used to solve a

problem or perform a specific task.

Allen-Myland Inc: A refurbishing company whose claim to fame is that it got taken to court by IBM
in mid 1990 for splitting dual processors in half and selling them

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as two single processors. Because the dual processor had less than the power of its two component
CPUs, IBM sold the dual processor for less than the price of two

separate CPUs (e.g., a 3090 400E was less than twice the cost of a 200E). AMI used this differential
to try to earn a crust. IBM took AMI to court on the grounds that

it had breached the firmware license. The court agreed with IBM, but the judge also suggested that
IBM should charge a more reasonable price for the firmware if it

were not to be in danger of breaching anti-trust laws (see Consent decree). In the end the judge
decided that AMI had breached copyright and that it owed IBM several

million dollars. Mid 1994 the case re-opened when a higher court questioned the evidence given
earlier by IBM, and reversed the decision. See LIC1.

Allicat: The basic HDA used in all first-generation IBM RAIDs and sold by AdStar into the OEM
market. Consisted of a set of 95mm platters with capacities up to 2GB.

See also Corsair, Starfire, Spitfire, UltraStar.

Alpha1: Name for the high-powered processor, and workstation built around it, built by Digital
before they were bought by Compaq. Even though Microsoft offered a

version of Windows NT 4.0 for Alpha, no one seems interested in the Alpha because it is not Intel
compatible.

Alpha2: Software undergoes alpha testing as a first step in getting user feedback. See Beta.

alphaWorks: An IBM combined on-line laboratory and World Wide Web site. The site gives visitors
the opportunity to preview, use, and experiment with next-generation

Internet technologies still under development. Launched August 1996.

Altium: The name of the IBM company that, for a time in the early 1990s, sold the CADAM products
(it used to be called CADAM Inc). Altium was an ill-fated foray into

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the VAR channel business.

ALU: Arithmetic/Logic Unit. The bit of the CPU which executes the instructions. Known as the
execution element on the 308x and 3090.

AM: See Access Method1.

AMASPZAP: z/OS batch utility which can be used to apply a fix directly to object code in situ. Often
protected against unauthorized use because of its additional

ability to make direct changes to disk. See Zap.

Ambra: Brand name of the clone PCs originally sold by ICPI, IBM’s short-lived clone vendor.
Initially sold mainly in Europe: mid 1993, the Ambra machines were

launched into the US market by the Ambra Computer Corp, described (unlike ICPI, which appeared
to be embarrassed by its origins) as an IBM subsidiary. The name Ambra

disappeared in Europe in February 1994 along with ICPI, and in the USA in July 1994. See also
IPCC.

America: Code name of the second generation RISC CPU in the RS/6000 workstation. See ROMP II.

AMI1: Access Mode Interface.

AMI2: See Allen-Myland Inc.

AmiPro: Word processor from Lotus which IBM at one time seemed to be building up as its own
recommended software for the OS/2 environment (mid 1991). Now called

WordPro. See also Signature.

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AMMR/VM: Attachable Media Manager/VM. See Attachable Media Manager.

AMODE: Addressing MODE. Attribute of z/OS programs indicating the length (in bits) of the
addresses used in the program. Introduced in MVS/XA to differentiate between

the new 31 bit addressing that expanded the addressable space from 16MB (24 bit) to 2GB. z/OS
introduced 64 bit addressing.

AMRF: Action Message Retention Facility. A facility in z/OS that retains all action messages except
those specified by the installation.

AMS: Access Method Services. z/OS and VSE subsystem for performing various data-related actions
on VSAM and ICF catalogs, including defining VSAM datasets, and

deleting and copying most dataset types. In short, a multi-purpose utility. Also known as IDCAMS
because that is the program name you specify.

AMT: Address Mapping Table.

AN/DB2: DB2 modeling and capacity planning tool. No longer marketed.

ANA: Assign Network Address.

Anchor: Within a HTML document an anchor is the tag which associates text with a hypertext link.
An anchor can either represent the destination of the link or the

start of the link.

ANDF: Architecture Neutral Distribution Format. An attempt to create a standard to allow software
to be ported between different incarnations of Unix. In effect, it

appears to be an attempt to create a universal computer language. Supported by OSF.

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A-Net: VTAM application which links 3270 users into non-IBM (TCP/IP and X.25) networks by
enabling 3270-type terminals to pretend to be full-screen ASCII terminals.

Developed by Teubner and marketed by IBM. Withdrawn March 1996.

Annandale: Internal IBM code name for its Repository project, which eventually emerged as
Repository Manager/MVS.

ANO: Automated Network Operations. NetView software for automating network operations.
Became available mid 1989 as a SolutionPac, and as a proper product in June

1991. Could be used to set up a single network control point (based on the interception of VTAM
messages) which controls multiple domains, and displays relevant data

in real-time. There’s an automated network recovery manager (ANRM) which brings an ailing
network back to life again. ANO/MVS was replaced by AON/MVS in the early

1990s. See also LANAO/MVS.

Anonymous FTP: Internet servers known as Anonymous FTP (AFTP) servers allow guests to log in
and access public resources. Normally users log in as anonymous, and the

browser uses their e-mail address for the password string.

ANR: See Automatic Network Routing.

ANS: See Advanced Network & Services Inc.

ANSI: American National Standards Institute. US standards body.

ANSI X.12: A generalized standard for EDI.

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Anti-aliasing: Technique for improving the readability of characters on a screen (even a low
resolution one). IBM has a proprietary technique for anti-aliasing which,

it claims, increases readability of PC screens by 30%.

Anti-trust: A US term for legislation which prevents large monopolies abusing a dominant market
position by restrictive or unfair marketing practices. IBM voluntarily

agreed to refrain from such practices (see Consent Decree), but there are many who suspect that it
finds the urge irresistible on occasions (see AMI2). Now that IBM

has become altogether more humble (sic), all eyes are focused on Microsoft.

AntiVirus: LAN (Enterprise Edition) and shrink-wrapped retail stand-alone workstation (Desktop
Edition) software from IBM for OS/2, DOS, Windows and NetWare.

Announced 1993. IBM combined forces with Symantec in May 1998 and both companies sold Norton
AntiVirus for a while. Unfortunately, IBM AntiVirus supported many

workstation configurations that neither Norton nor McAfee could handle, at least initially. IBM
stopped marketing Symantec/Norton anti-virus-related products in July

2001.

Anti-virus software: Software that can scan memory, files and magnetic media for viruses, remove
them (when possible) and protect a running system from virus attacks.

AnyLAN: LAN standard floated by IBM and HP in September 1993. Enables 100Mbps Ethernet and
100Mbps TRN to run over a range of wiring, including twisted pair. Note

that it simply enables either type of network to run on the wiring – it doesn’t provide integrated
LANs.

AnyMail: The AnyMail Mail Server Framework was added to OS/400 in October 1994. It provides
messaging services to e-mail APIs included with Client Access/400 and

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Ultimedia Mail/400. POP3 and MIME support was added in June 1996.

AnyNet: Protocol conversion technology from IBM based on the MPTN architecture of the
Networking Blueprint. Can be used to convert SNA to TCP/IP or vice versa. AnyNet

gateways can also encapsulate IPX and NetBIOS traffic within SNA LU6.2 message units using
software that IBM originally marketed as LTLW. AnyNet is available in

stand-alone gateway form (e.g., IBM 2217) or as a feature within server software (e.g., OS/2 Warp
and z/OS). Now primarily used to convert SNA traffic to TCP/IP, as a

direct alternative to DLSw encapsulation of SNA.

AnyNet/2: Implementation of AnyNet under OS/2, announced August 1993. Allows APPC, CPI-C,
and Sockets applications to operate independently of SNA and TCP/IP

protocols. Replaced by Communications Server for OS/2 Warp.

AO: Automated Operations.

AOC/MVS: Automated Operations Control/MVS. NetView application which automates some

console operation functions, including allowing operators to monitor MVS

subsystems and local and remote MVS systems from a central location. Facilities include automated
response to console messages, operator usability dialogs, real-time

data store for automation, and operator-friendly interfaces for installation. Replaces ACO. Replaced
by System Automation July 1997. See also AOEXPERT/MVS.

AOEXPERT/MVS: SAA SystemView Automated Operations Expert. Expert system providing

intelligent real-time automation under NetView and AOC/MVS. Announced December 1992.

Withdrawn January 1997.

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AOI: Automated Operator Interface. IMS/VS facility allowing programs to issue and action operator
commands.

AOL: America On-Line. The largest proprietary alternative to getting hooked up directly to the
Internet. Much more popular than MSN2.

AON: Automated Operations Network.

AON/MVS: Automated Operations Network/MVS. NetView software, announced April 1994, which
provides a library of ready-made NetView network automation functions,

including automated resource monitoring, recovery, and tracking. Includes support for SNA, TCP/IP,
subarea SNA, X.25, APPN, and TRN. Withdrawn January 2000.

AOR: Application Owning Region.

AOX: See MicroMASTER.

AP: Attached Processor. A second CPU attached to the memory of a standard uniprocessor to provide
limited (it doesn’t have its own I/O channels) multiprocessor

facilities. Not as resilient as an MP configuration. Obsolete concept in a parallel sysplex world.

APA: All-Points Addressable. Able to address all the points (pixels) on a graphic output device.
Typically used to describe screens, and laser and other printers able

to handle graphic output. IBM’s favored APA printer datastream is IPDS, although PostScript is also
supported. Bit-mapped is often used more or less synonymously.

Apache server: Reportedly powering more than half of all Web sites, this freeware Web server was
developed by programmers who volunteered their time. It implements

HTTP 1.1 protocol and is supported by OS/400 and AIX, as well as being behind IBM HTTP Server
within WebSphere Application Server.

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APAR: Authorized Program Analysis Report. An official report of a software error to IBM. Also
used to refer to the patch supplied by IBM to fix the error (PTF is the

correct term). See also SPE.

APD: Applications Program Driver. Software which sits on top of OS/400 and acts as a sort of high-
level JCL.

APE: Application Prototype Environment. APL-based system for prototyping applications in

VM/MVS environments. Primarily an Information Center tool – notwithstanding

IBM’s claims that it is appropriate for professional programmers. Obsolete.

APF1: Advanced Printer Function. iSeries 400 utility providing support for the advanced functions of
5224 and 5225 printers. Part of ADTS

APF2: Asynchronous Pageout Facility. Technique introduced into the new technology ES/9000s in
June 1992, which allows processor execution to overlap with the transfer

of pages from central to expanded storage. IBM reckons it speeds up paging and is particularly useful
to numerically intensive applications (difficult sums, to you and

me). Became available on 9121s as from February 1993.

APF3: Authorized Program Facility.

APF-authorized: Programs permitted to use sensitive system functions by the z/OS Authorized
Program Facility (APF3).

API: Application Program(ming) Interface. Documented programming procedures to access a given

piece of software; typically an entry point name and parameter list. A

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generic – not IBM-specific – term. The API in one piece of software enables users/developers to hook
one piece of software into another. APIs are the interfaces and

protocols that turn a set of software products into an architecture – there are no strategic software
products – only strategic interfaces.

API/CS: Application Program Interface Communications Services. The interface between

NetView/PC and device-dependent applications. Obsolete.

APL: Programming language conceived within IBM by K E Iverson. Was used to promote the
Information Center concept in the late 1970s, and formed the basis of a number

of decision-support tools, including ADRS II, ADI, and IC/1. Although extremely powerful, APL
uses up vast amounts of machine resource, is difficult to use, and

requires special keyboards. It has had a mixed reception as a language, and is now largely restricted to
enthusiasts.

APL2: IBM’s mainframe APL environment for z/OS, z/VM, Windows NT/9x/2000/Me, OS/2, AIX,
and Sun Solaris.

APLDI II: Information Center product, incorporated into IC/1, and now obsolete.

APM: See Tivoli Application Performance Management.

APP: Application.

APPC: Advanced Program-to-Program Communication. SNA facility (based on LU6.2 and PU12.1)
for general purpose interprogram communications in the intelligent

workstation market (not the 3270 world). Often used synonymously with LU6.2 (LU6.2 is the
architecture, and APPC is the programming interface, complete with 130 verbs,

to it).

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APPC/MLU: APPC/Multiple Logical Units. Enables multiple System/36s to communicate over a

single line to CICS. Obsolete.

APPC/MVS: Subsystem announced September 1990 which provides a range of APPC services
(including DDM) across a network or across memory via cooperative processing

primitives within the operating system. Callable by standard CPI-C procedure calls. Potentially it
saves an awful lot of Assembler, VTAM, CICS and TSO programming, and

gives much more flexibility in creating applications. APPC/MVS also provides a way for jobs to enter
and be scheduled in an z/OS system. See also OLCP, RPC.

APPC/PC: Advanced Program-to-Program Communication for Personal Computers. Package

providing LU6.2 and PU12.1 support for DOS PCs. Withdrawn September 1994.

APPC/VM: Primitive (i.e., not LU6.2) version of APPC for VM. Used in TSAF.

APPCCB: An LU6.2 control block.

APPI: Advanced Peer to Peer Internetworking. An alternative solution to IBM’s APPN, initiated by
Cisco with the support of various other router vendors. APPI offered

similar functionality to APPN, but was built on top of IP (rather than SNA) protocols, and was
consequently more open. It was announced in response to IBM’s decision

to patent the APPN technology and make it available only under license. It all fell apart in Aug 1993,
when Cisco took out a license to APPN, and abandoned the APPI

Forum, which subsequently ceased to exist.

APPL: Application.

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Apple: The owner of the second most successful proprietary desktop environment after
DOS/Windows. Apple’s Macintosh environment has an intensely loyal following, and

its user interface is still the standard against which all other desktop environments are measured. July
1991, IBM and Apple set up Taligent, a joint company to create

a new object-oriented operating system, which was absorbed back into IBM some four years later. See
also Pink, Kaleida, Macintosh, Motorola, PowerPC, Taligent.

Applet: Originally a very twee bit of IBMspeak, introduced with OS/2 Version 2.0, meaning a little
application. These days it’s usually used to refer to a small

program written in Java, which can be downloaded to a user workstation from an Internet server and
executed by a Web browser. Applet security is defined in two ways:

first, the applet cannot access the client’s file system; second, the applet’s network communication is
limited to the download server.

AppleTalk: Communications protocol used on Apple computer networks.

Application Binary Interface: See ABI.

Application-Centric Terminal: An IBM name (vintage mid 1996) for the Network Computer.

Application Framework for e-Business: A cross-IBM initiative providing a set of open standards,
services and products that allow the creation of platform-independent

e-business applications. The framework’s architecture model is based on an n-tier distributed

environment. Announced late 2000.

Application Layer: In the OSI Reference Model, the Application Layer provides a means for open
systems applications to exchange information. It also contains the

application-oriented protocols through which these processes communicate.

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Application-level gateway: A firewall proxy server that performs a requested service for a client.

Application Mining: An IBM initiative in the late 1990s to interface existing on-line (especially
CICS) applications, without modification, to graphical workstations,

network computers or web browsers. See also CICS Transaction Gateway, CICS Universal Clients.

Application plan: See Plan.

Application Programming Interface: See API.

Application server: A computer dedicated to running one or more applications, which is able to
receive requests from designated clients and return appropriate

results. Analogous to a file or database server.

Application System: IBM mainframe decision support system. See AS1.

Application Tag API: This Workload Manager (WLM) function enables multiple instances of the
same application to exist in different classes. Using Application Tag API,

applications can enable automatic assignment of multiple instances of the same application in
different classes.

Application User Identity: An alternate name by which a RACF user can be known to an application.

APPLID: Application ID.

APPN: Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking. Architecture derived from SNA/LEN (PU12.1),

providing mainframeless, peer-to-peer networking with dynamic multipath routing;

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capable of supporting several hundred thousand nodes. IBM’s answer to the minicomputer suppliers’
networking solutions. Introduced on the System/36, and then the

AS/400, APPN was announced for OS/2 EE and the 3174 early 1991, made available in MVS and the
3745 in September 1992, reached VM and VSE in January 1995 and is still

going strong today. January 1992 IBM announced that it would sell licenses for network node support
to other manufacturers. March 1992 APPN reached its apotheosis,

when IBM announced that the APPN approach would supersede subarea SNA as the standard way of
building SNA networks. See Networking blueprint.

APPN+: New version of APPN announced early 1993 which IBM positioned (not terribly
successfully) as a rival to TCP/IP. 3 to 10 times as fast as standard APPN

(achieved largely through reduction in the overhead at the network nodes), and with true dynamic
alternative path routing. Designed to support multi-gigabit/sec

systems, such as ATM2, as the corporate backbone. See also HPR.

APPNTAM: APPN Topology and Accounting Manager.

Approach: A Lotus relational database that is tightly integrated with Notes.

APR: Alternate Path Retry. Facility allowing a failed I/O operation to be tried on a different channel.
The term is yet another example of the inability of the

computer industry to use the words alternate and alternative correctly.

APS: Application Processing Services. Component of DIA, facilitating office systems, and
supporting other DIA services, including changing a document from revisable

to final form, inter-program communications, etc.

APSE: ADA Programming Support Environment. See ADA.

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APT: Automatically Programmed Tools. A programming language for numerically controlled

machine tools.

Aptiva: IBM’s computer family for the consumer market first announced in October 1994 to replace
the PS/1. Replaced by NetVista September 2000.

APUNS: Adjacent Physical Unit Network Services.

AR: Access Register. Introduced as part of ESA, these special registers in processors are used in
conjunction with General Purpose Registers (GPRs) to access more

than the 2GB of data normally accessible in 31-bit addressing. cf. 64-bit addressing.

ARB: See Adaptive Rate-Based Congestion Control.

Arbre: Almaden Research Back-end Relational Engine. IBM database research project in multi-
processor, highly parallel, query systems. Developed in a VM environment

using bits of SQL/DS and DB2. Obsolete.

Architect: Those who believe that architect is a noun denoting someone who designs buildings are, of
course, completely mistaken. In the wonderful world of IBMspeak,

it’s a verb meaning conforming to a grandiose scheme, and it’s usually used in constructions such as
an architected solution which means that it conforms to some

marketecture or other: for example an SAA-architected product was one that contained the letters
SAA in its name.

Architecture: According to the dictionary, architecture is the overall design of the hardware and
software of a computer. Architectures and conceptual schemes are a

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particular strength of IBM, although sometimes (as with bits of SAA) there is more than a hint of
retro-fitting the design to the status quo ante. IBM architectures

include SAA, SNA, DDM, APPC, APPN, GTA, IAA, and a multiplicity of others. See also
Marketecture, Architect.

Ardis: IBM/Motorola joint venture (announced January 1990) to build a US-wide wireless data
comms network so that there would be no way of avoiding computers even if

you couldn’t get near a telephone. Mid 1994, IBM pulled out and sold its stake to Motorola.

ARF: See Automatic Reconfiguration Facility.

ARM1: ACRE/RETAIN Merge. A combination of ACRE and RETAIN data. Not of great relevance
to man or beast except that it’s an instance of that rare animal, the three

level acronym – the full expansion is ACRE (APAR (Authorized Program Analysis Report) Control
Remote Entry)/RETAIN (REmote Technical Assistance and Information

Network) Merge. Good, ennit?

ARM2: Application Response Measurement. An application programming interface that can be used
to monitor the availability and performance of business transactions

within and across diverse applications and systems. It was developed by a group of technology
vendors, including Tivoli.

ARM3: Automatic Restart Manager. A recovery function in z/OS that automatically restarts batch
jobs and started tasks after unexpected termination.

ARM agent: A Tivoli agent that monitors software using the Application Response Measurement
(ARM2). This is shipped as part of Tivoli Distributed Monitoring.

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Armonk: The location of IBM’s Headquarters in Westchester County, New York State, about an
hour’s drive north of New York. Urban myth has it that the headquarters

were located outside of New York City because Thomas Watson senior thought that it was vulnerable
to nuclear attack during the Cold War, and incidentally he did not

like the commute. The first headquarters at Armonk were built in 1964 and were moved in 1997 to a
new 280,000 square foot building.

ARP: See Address Resolution Protocol.

ARPA: Advanced Research Projects Agency. The agency in the US Department of Defense
responsible for creating ARPAnet. This agency is now called the Defense Advanced

Research Projects Agency (DARPA). See ARPAnet.

ARPAnet: Advanced Research Projects Agency network. The precursor to the Internet. Tradition has
it that the network was developed in the 1960s as a military

communications system designed to survive a nuclear assault. Unsurprisingly the actual reason which
emerges is that it was developed for purely economic motives.

Artic: A Real-Time Interface Co-processor microchannel card originally designed for PC Network
and TRN, and used for connecting (as a 3174 controller) real time

devices, including programmable controllers, robots, and machine tools. These days Artic is
increasingly being used as a pretty generalized family of add-in cards for

off-loading I/O and other tasks from the main processor.

Artificial intelligence: Generic term for computer systems that use some kind of reasoning process
akin to that allegedly used by the human mind. Knowledge-based, and

expert systems are the most widely applied artificial intelligence applications in the IBM world. See
Expert systems.

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ARTour: Replaced by the IBM eNetwork Wireless product family in September 1997.

ARTour Web Express: IBM software used to extend the World Wide Web to mobile users.
Announced February 1997. Renamed in September 1997 as the eNetwork Web Express.

ARU: Audio Response Unit. A device that provides a spoken response to digital enquiries from a
telephone or similar. The DirectTalk family of products are ARUs.

AS/400: Application System/400. IBM’s mid-range processor. Announced June 1988 and originally
aimed at the System/3x replacement, and departmental and distributed

machine market. By January 1994, the 250,000th AS/400 had been shipped (to Coca-Cola in
Belgium). May 1994 the Advanced Series came out. Replaced by the iSeries 400

October 2000.

AS/400 Advanced 36: See Advanced 36.

AS/400 Advanced Entry: Entry-level AS/400 which bundles processor, disk drive, tape backup unit,
and preloaded software into a single unit.

AS/400 BASIC: AS/400 version of the BASIC programming language.

AS/400e: Replaced by iSeries 400.

AS/400 NetServer: File and print server for Windows workstations accessing AS/400-managed data
and printers.

AS/400 Office: Office software for the AS/400. Became OfficeVision/400 in May 1989, and has now
been overtaken by PC-based systems, but is still available.

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AS/400 PASCAL: AS/400 version of the PASCAL programming language. Based on the ANSI
X3.97-1983 standard. Withdrawn December 1997.

AS/400 PL/I: AS/400 version of the PL/I programming language. Withdrawn February 2000.

AS/400 Portable: Portable version of the AS/400 announced September 1993 – aka the Luggable
Huggable. Full function, single user, attache case size, and capable of

running all software that runs under OS/400. Requires a ThinkPad or similar notebook computer as a
console. Initially sold through VARs who customized it and packaged

it as an application-specific device. An Advanced Portable model was announced January 1995 with
more memory, performance, etc. Withdrawn July 1997.

AS/400 Web Server in a Box: Internet Server package based on the AS/400 Advanced Server.
Announced July 1996. Obsolete.

AS/Entry: Originally, the AS/Entry was the 5363, an entry level System/36 which IBM re-christened
to try to pretend that it was really a pukka member of the AS/400

family – it wasn’t, since it couldn’t run the OS/400 operating system, just the System/36 SSP. Later
versions of the AS/Entry included the option to upgrade to a

proper AS/400 by a complete processor board swap. Obsolete.

AS1: Application System. An interactive applications development, decision support, and personal
computing facility which runs under z/VM, or z/OS with TSO. Provides

graphics, statistical functions, business modeling, and forecasting. Version 4.2 (Oct 1996) provides
advanced client/server support for OS/2 and Windows workstations.

Sold to ASTRAC and withdrawn by IBM in January 1999. See also Personal Application System.

AS2: See Advanced Series.

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ASA: Advanced Systems Architecture. At one time, a rumored top-end MVS operating environment.

ASAI: Adjunct/Switch Application Interface. AT&T’s published interface for linking computers and
telephone switches.

ASAP: Automatic Software Alert Process. IBM system providing customers with automatic
electronic notification of critical information – notably bugs. Available within

the SoftwareXcel program.

ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A modification of the international
code which has become a de facto standard (except for IBM which uses

the EBCDIC code) for transmitting data. Uses seven bits plus a parity bit, and includes alphanumeric
and control characters. ASCII must be converted to EBCDIC for

uploading to IBM mainframes. ASCII terminals is often used to refer to asynchronous terminals such
as those used in the Unix environment. IBM’s main ASCII terminal

family is the 3164.

ASCII TTY: ASCII TeleTYpe protocol. Asynchronous transmission of ASCII characters. Long used
in Unix, DEC and most minicomputer systems from host to dumb terminal.

Ascot: IBM pre-launch code name for the PS/1.

ASC X12: Accredited Standards Committee X12. Comprises North American industry members who
create EDI standards for submission to ANSI for approval or for submission

to the United Nations Standards Committee.

ASD1: Application Software Division. Former division within IBM’s Information Systems Group,
whose role was to ensure that IBM systems have lots of application

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software and that IBM can help customers to acquire that software.

ASD2: Automated Software Distribution.

ASF1: Application Support Facility/Feature. Mainframe software (announced April 1988) which was
launched with a great fanfare with claims that it would provide a

front-end to IBM’s office systems to enable MVS and VSE software products to present a common
user interface to 3270 terminals. These days it’s said to be designed for

the creation and processing of varied sized volumes of individual and structured documents and
business correspondence. Withdrawn for VSE September 2000, but still

available for z/OS.

ASF2: Alert Standard Format. See DMTF.

ASG: See Australasian SHARE/GUIDE.

ASGO: Annualized Software Growth Offering. A short-lived and long forgotten IBM discount
scheme; you tell IBM how much you spent on software in the last year, and IBM

agrees to let you have all the software you want over the next year for that amount of money. The day
of reckoning comes at the end of the year, when you find you

can’t do without all the software you’ve grown to know and love, and have to start paying the full
price to keep it.

ASI: Automatic System Initiation. Startup definitions for VSE/ESA.

ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit. A type of VLSI chip designed to carry out a specific
task. IBM sells CMOS ASIC chips in the semiconductor market.

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ASID: Address Space IDentifier.

ASIM: Automated Systems Information Management. MVS systems management products.

Information/MVS or Info/Man are pre-requisites. Developed by Information Retrieval

Co, and marketed by IBM until November 1994.

ASM1: Address Space Manager.

ASM2: Auxiliary Storage Manager. The part of z/OS which looks after the I/O operations relating to
paging – specifically the pages and page slots on external storage

(typically DASD).

ASM H: Assembler H. Extended version of standard Assembler used in MVS/XA and later.

ASN: Abstract Syntax Notation. ASN.1 is a high level specification language used to define the
X.400 protocols.

ASO: Automated Systems Operations.

ASP1: Attached Support Processor. Early OS spooling system which eventually evolved into JES3.

ASP2: Advanced SQL Protocol. SAA standard for shipping SQL between SAA databases, and at one
time a candidate as an industry standard. Little heard of these days –

DRDA and ODBC now dominate.

ASP3: Average Selling Price.

ASP4: Auxiliary Storage Pools in OS/400. See also User ASP.

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ASP5: Active Server Page(s). A Microsoft architecture which allows dynamic commands, such as
those necessary to retrieve database information, to be embedded in HTML

pages. First introduced with the Internet Information Server (IIS) 3.0 Web Server, and now a popular
server-side scripting scheme for creating dynamic, highly

interactive Web pages and applications.

ASP Solution Pack: Lotus platform, based on Domino and WebSphere, for developing ready-to-rent
web-based applications, and a system for hosting, managing and

delivering web-based solutions to end customers.

Assembler: The language which allows the user to get closest to the hardware on IBM mainframes.
Assembler statements correspond one-to-one with mainframe, machine-

level instructions. (Strictly speaking Assembler is not the language, it’s the software that translates the
language into executable code; in most cases Assembler

means the language.) Specific to the mainframe; other platforms typically refer to their equivalents as
Assembly Language. See also Assembler H, High Level Assembler.

Assembler H: A high level version of Assembler announced early 1992 for ESA environments.
Supports ESA dataspaces, 31-bit applications, and other ESA features.

Replaced early 1993 by High Level Assembler.

Asset Manager: Asset Manager/MVS. SAA and SystemView product announced September 1990,
availability delayed June 1991, then withdrawn April 1992 prior to

availability. Promised to manage enterprise hardware, software, and related resources (i.e., it tells you
what hardware and software you’ve got), but I guess we’ll

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never know. The process manager component did show up a month later in Process Services but it
was withdrawn March 1994. Customers were referred to Information

Retrieval Companies, Inc. (IRC) for their inventory management needs. IRC was a member of the
IBM International Alliance for SystemView.

Assist: Firmware and/or hardware which carries out functions formerly carried out by software. Used
to provide enhanced performance for frequently-used functions;

e.g., in June 1992 IBM introduced three assists on the ES/9000 to improve string handling. Assist is
an example of a verb which has been nouned.

ASSIST/400: IBM support program for AS/400 users. Provides problem management, status
tracking, and problem resolution for IBM hardware and software.

Asymmetric: A reference to the use of different keys for encryption and decryption in computer
security.

Async: Abbreviation for asynchronous.

Asynch: Abbreviation for asynchronous.

Asynchronous: An asynchronous (also known as start-stop) system is one in which there is not a
constant time interval between the events in the system. Typically each

character in an asynchronous system is de-limited by start and stop bits (cf. a synchronous system, in
which bits are synchronized to a timer). Not surprisingly,

asynchronous transmission is dreadfully slow and, in the IBM world, has largely been superseded by
block-mode protocols such as BSC and SDLC1. Unfortunately the

adoption of Unix, which supports asynchronous terminals (also known as ASCII terminals), seems to
be slowing its demise. Note that asynchronous is also used to refer

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to systems with store-and-forward facilities where there is a time delay between events in different
parts of the system (e.g., MQSeries); a better term for the latter

is de-synchronized.

Asynchronous Data Mover Facility: Function (ADMF) introduced on certain ES/9000s to reduce
CPU usage when large amounts of data are moved between central and expanded

storage. Requires the appropriate subsystem software. IBM claims that it can improve elapsed time
for DB2 queries by up to 20% and it was used by DB2 Hiperpools. Later

advancements of the Move Page instruction matched the speed of ADMF, so the Fast Sync Data
Mover Facility was invented to indicate to DB2 that Move Page should be used

instead of ADMF.

Asynchronous pageout: See APF2.

AT&T: American Telephone & Telegraph Company. The parent company of most of the US
common carrier companies, and many subsidiaries in the information industry, and

the only company with the muscle to take on IBM. For years the general industry view was that,
although it may have had the brawn, AT&T was short on the brain.

However, AT&T’s success in persuading the world that its wholly owned Unix was actually less
proprietary than MVS suggests that AT&T was rather brighter than most

people believed, although the fact that it sold Unix to Novell just when it became flavor of the month
may temper that view.

AT&T GIS: The re-named NCR, which was bought up by AT&T at the beginning of 1994. It became
NCR again at the beginning of 1996.

ATAPI: Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface. A standard which allows the connection
of a CD-ROM drive to an enhanced IDE adapter. This has considerably

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simplified the installation of CD-ROM drives.

ATC: Authorization To Copy. Scheme (restricted to PC software) in which users are allowed by IBM
to make duplicate copies of IBM software (for a fee) for use by other

users. The copier has to keep a register for inspection by IBM. In effect it’s a sort of site-licensing
agreement, but one in which the user does all the work, and IBM

gets all the cash. Replaced by DUA in October 1989.

ATCVT: VTAM Communication Vector Table.

ATL: Automatic Tape Library (also known as Automatic Cartridge System – ACS, tape silo, or silo).
Type of mass storage system (MSS) in which industry standard

(3480/3490) tapes are loaded by a robotic arm. Do not confuse ATLs with automatic cartridge loaders
such as that on the 3490. After years of protestation that there

was no place for an ATL in its scheme of things, IBM announced its first ATL in May 1992 (the
3495) along with SMS1 support, and introduced the rather more usable 3494

in September 1993. See also 3495, ACL, ACS2, Epic, MSS1, RMM, Silo, Tape silo.

ATM1: Automatic Teller Machine. Generic term for cashpoint/hole-in-the-wall and similar banking
machines. IBM, with its customary terminological idiosyncrasy, knows

them as Consumer Transaction Facilities. July 1990 IBM and Diebold set up a joint venture –
Interbold – to market ATMs worldwide. See 3624, 1/LINK.

ATM2: Asynchronous Transfer Mode. Strategic Layer 2, ITU-T data transfer standard, derived from
a 1988 initiative for Broadband ISDN (B-ISDN), that combines the

constant bandwidth and consistent delay characteristics of circuit switching with the resource sharing
and bursty traffic accommodating features of packet switching.

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The basis of ATM is the very fast switching of fixed-length, 53-byte cells that permits voice, video
and data traffic to be supported across a given link at the same

time without the voice or video traffic suffering any disruptive interruptions from other traffic. July
1993 IBM announced a whole strategy for ATM – Broadband Network

Services. See also 8260, APPN+, Broadband Network Services, Frame Relay, Nways, PDH, Prizma,
PTM, SDH, Switched Virtual Networking, TNN, Turboways 100.

ATM campus network: A network of ATM2 nodes located within the same local area, normally less
than a kilometer.

ATMS III: Advanced Text Management System III. Mainframe-based text processing system in use
for many years. Extensively used by technical writers for whom its user

hostility was not a problem. Runs on the mainframe under VSE or MVS with CICS. Withdrawn
January 1990 with migration to BookMaster or CALS recommended by IBM.

ATM traffic descriptor: The intrinsic traffic characteristics (such as forward/backward peak cell rate
or forward/backward maximum burst size) of an Asynchronous

Transfer Mode (ATM2) connection.

Atomic transaction: A set of related transactions on the RS/6000 which are grouped as a single
transaction in database memory to help recovery/restart after a crash.

See also Remote Unit Of Work.

Attachable Media Manager: Automated system under VM for managing attachable devices such as
drives, volumes, tapes. Maintains a database about the contents of media.

Seems to overlap considerably with some of the functions of DFSMS. Withdrawn May 1994.

Attribute: See user attribute and group-related user attribute.

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At Work: A Microsoft initiative in the mid-1990s to set standards for embedding Windows features
in office products – photocopiers, faxes, printers, and the like.

ATX: Advanced transistor technology. The base technology used in the top end ES/9000s.

Audit: A thorough and systematic review of procedures, their implementation and the results.

Auditor: An individual who performs audits. Internal auditors work for the organization being
audited. External do not.

AUDITOR attribute: A user attribute that permits use of the RACF audit features.

Audit trail: Detailed logging of individual security-related activities, allowing a specific event to be
traced from beginning to end.

Auspex: Company specializing in high-performance servers. IBM set up a short-lived alliance with
Auspex in late 1992 which produced the 7501 server.

Australasian SHARE/GUIDE: An IBM user group serving Asia and Australia/New Zealand. See
SHARE and GUIDE.

Authentication: A term which has a series of meanings in computer security, including the
verification of the identity of a user, or the user’s eligibility to access

a system. Sometimes it is used to indicate that a message has not been altered or corrupted.

Authentication service: A service in APPC that provides a method for generating authentication
information on the originating side and verifying authentication

information on the destination side. The authentication service is interfaced with the Generic Security
Service Application Programming Interface (GSS API).

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Authentication token: See authenticator.

Authenticator: A hand-held electronic device (or software that emulates it) that can be identified
because each device generates a unique set of characters at a fixed

point in time.

Authority: The right to access resources, objects or functions.

Authorization checking: Checking authority using the RACF RACROUTE macro, with REQUEST=
parameters such as AUTH, FASTAUTH and VERIFY.

Authorized path: A facility in VTAM under z/OS that enables an application to specify that a data
transfer be carried out in a more efficient manner.

AutoBridge: Tivoli NetView for z/OS facility which enables information to be exchanged
automatically between NetView and Tivoli Service Desk. Announced January 1993.

AutoFS: Sun’s ONC+ implementation of automatic mounting. AutoFS was ported to AIX in April
1998.

AutoGUI: Automatic rejuvenation of host screens, as with IBM’s Host On-Demand Screen
Customizer.

AutoID: Intended to replace UPC bar coding, tracking not only unique products, but giving each unit
of a product a separate AutoID, much as a serial number does for

more expensive products.

Automated operator: An application program in IMS1 that can issue a subset of IMS operator
commands and receive status information on the execution of the commands.

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Automated transfer: A mode that a user can choose to have data automatically transmitted over the
network with the IBM eNetwork Mobile Equalizer.

Automatic command direction: RACF’s automatic routing of commands to remote RRSF nodes.

Automatic DataSet Protection: See ADSP attribute.

Automatic direction: See automatic command direction, automatic direction of application updates
and automatic password direction.

Automatic direction of application updates: RRSF’s ability to route RACF database update requests,
using the ICHEINTY and RACROUTE macros, to remote RRSF nodes.

Automatic Dump Analysis tool: An AIX tool that automatically examines a dump and pulls out (in
text) relevant information for forwarding to support entities as an e-

mail attachment. This avoids having to send the entire dump file.

Automatic Network Routing: The lowest layer in HPR’s Layer 2 routing scheme. A low-overhead,
connectionless routing mechanism for rapidly switching message units

along a predetermined path based on Routing Information Field (RIF) concept akin to that used by
Source Route Bridging (SRB).

Automatic password direction: RRSF’s ability to change the password for a user ID on remote RRSF
nodes whenever the password is changed on the local system.

Automatic profile: The tape volume profile created by RACF when a RACF-defined user protects a
tape dataset.

Automatic Reconfiguration Facility: A PR/SM feature that allows you to reset and reconfigure one or
more LPARs and their related storage, then redistribute workload

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from the failed primary system to the backup system without operator intervention. Announced June
1992.

Automation script: A script in the IBM eNetwork Mobile Equalizer that performs certain operations
automatically in response to system events or user preferences. For

example, an automation script can determine which files to transfer based on the type of network
connection, the bandwidth of the network connection, and the file

size.

Auxiliary storage: All storage which needs a channel I/O to access it (basically cache, SSD, disk,
tape, mass storage).

Availability management: The Tivoli management discipline that considers the collection and
analysis of information regarding the operational status of an

organization’s network allowing for the appropriate corrective action to be taken.

AVC: Audio Visual Connection. OS/2 and DOS software for creating presentations which mix video,
text, and audio. Provides synchronization of audio, video and text,

graphic manipulation, some ability to link images with text, and full motion video. AVC is designed
for environments where a single master is produced by a

professional, and distributed for play-back on lots of fairly low-power systems (i.e., it’s not something
for the manager in the street to develop his own

presentations). Typical uses would include development of a computerized mail order/parts catalog
for use in showrooms/shops. Can be used in conjunction with

KnowledgeTool. According to IBM, voice, stereophonic music, and the amazing visual quality of the
IBM PS/2 all combine to make this the most amazing concept in

Personal Computing – amazing isn’t it? Obsolete.

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AVS: APPC/VM VTAM Support. The VTAM equivalent of TSAF for VM environments. Allows
connection of APPC programs running in non-VM systems.

AVT: Address Vector Table.

Axiom: Software developed at the IBM labs at Yorktown Heights. Used for solving algebra, calculus,
graphics functions, and for using as a calculator for very

difficult sums.

B1: B1 Trusted Computer Systems Evaluation Criteria. A US Department of Defense security rating.
IBM has acquired B1 status for z/VM and z/OS.

B2B: See Business to Business.

B2C: Business to Consumer. A subdivision of e-commerce in which a business interacts with retail
customers (usually by offering goods or services for sale in an

online shopfront).

Bachman: At one time an IBM business partner which provided AD/Cycle and SystemView tools,
including the Database Administrator for DB2, the Data Analyst process and

data modeler, and the Designer CSP code generator. The partnership broke up early 1993. Early 1996
Bachman merged with Cadre Technologies to form Cayenne Software,

which was purchased by Sterling Software in August 1998. Sterling was purchased by Computer
Associates in February 2000.

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Backbone: Generic term for a LAN or WAN – or combination of the two – which provides
connectivity between subnetworks across the enterprise. The subnetworks are

connected to the backbone via bridges and/or routers, and the backbone acts as a communications
trunk for LAN-to-LAN traffic.

Back door: See trap door.

Backend: The program in the AIX operating system that sends output to a device.

Back-level: IBMspeak for a prior release of an IBM product, which may not support certain
functionality in a more recent release.

Backout: Originally, a process in IMS1 which removes all database updates performed by an
application that has abended. Is now offered in DB2, VSAM (CICSVR) and other

environments.

Backup dataset: In RACF, a dataset in the backup RACF database.

Backup RACF database: A RACF database defined in the dataset name table (ICHRDSNT) that is
kept current with the primary RACF database. No IPL is required to switch

to the backup should the primary fail.

BAL: Basic Assembler Language. The machine language on the original 360 from which the modern
Assembler languages are derived.

Balanced routing: A networking methodology where network routes are assigned in such a manner
that all routes are used equally.

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Balun: Generic term for a small, passive, impedance-matching device for connecting BALanced and
UNbalanced cables (e.g., 3270 coax cable with twisted pairs). Often

produces a small performance degradation. Used in the IBM Cabling System.

BAN: See Boundary Access Node.

Bandwidth: A measure of how fast a network can transfer information, originally measured in Hertz
(Hz), but now used for any measure of network throughput. The more

precise definition: frequency range within a radiation band required to transmit a particular signal.
Measures the difference between the highest and lowest signal

frequencies in millions of cycles per second.

BARC: An acronym for before, after, removal, and commit. An obsolete term for a configuration
program.

Bar code: See UPC.

Bar code reader: See scanner3.

Bart: Code name for the VisualAge for Visual BASIC software released in June 1996.

Baseband: Generic term for a type of transmission medium capable of carrying just one channel.
Ethernet and the IBM Token Ring Network are baseband systems. cf.

Broadband.

Base Control Program: The core MVS, OS/390 or z/OS operating system, not including components
such as JESx, ISPF, TSO/E.

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BASE disk: The z/VM virtual disk that contains the text decks and macro-instructions for VTAM,
NetView, and VM/SNA console support.

Base LIC load: The original firmware delivered with a system or device when it came from the
factory.

Base segment: The segment within the RACF profile that contains the most fundamental information.

BASIC: Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. Universal interactive programming

language. See also Visual BASIC.

Batch: An accumulation of data brought together for processing or transmission, usually unattended.
Less formally, the processing of such data, as opposed to on-line

processing where a user is present to respond interactively.

BatchPipes: z/OS software product that began life as BatchPipes/MVS, announced April 1994. After
a second release in September 1995, it was replaced March 1997 by

SmartBatch for OS/390, which includes BatchPipes functionality plus some BMC software. Then, in
April 2000, SmartBatch was withdrawn, and a few days later, Version 2

of BatchPipes for OS/390 was announced. Currently, BatchPipes uses the Coupling Facility to pipe
data between jobs running on different systems in a Parallel Sysplex.

Includes the BatchPipeWorks component.

BatchPipeWorks: A component within BatchPipes that provides over 100 functions that can be used
to operate on data as it passes through a pipe.

Batch Terminal Simulator: See BTS.

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Baud: Generic term in asynchronous transmission for the number of frequency changes per second,
most commonly used as the unit of speed in communications systems.

More widely, but not strictly accurately, baud is used to mean bits per second, which gives the
mindlessly pedantic the opportunity to congratulate themselves on how

much more they know about technology than the poor benighted individuals who use the word in this
way.

BBNS: See BroadBand Network Services.

BCC: Block-Check Character. In redundancy checking, a character that is transmitted by the sender
after each message block to determine whether all the bits

transmitted have been received.

BCCA: Buffer Chaining Channel Adapter. Feature (announced September 1990) in the 3745 which
moved the NCP into the channel adapter firmware. Withdrawn October 2000.

BCD: Binary-Coded Decimal. A binary-coded notation in which each of the decimal digits is
represented by a binary numeral. This differs from the pure binary notation,

where the entire number is represented as a single binary numeral.

BCDIC: Binary-Coded Decimal Interchange Code. A 6 bit character representation used by most
non-IBM-compatible mainframes in the 1950s through 1970s. cf. ASCII,

EBCDIC.

BCE: Byte Channel Enhancement. Feature introduced first on 9121s which enabled any eight parallel
channels to be specified as byte channels.

B-channel: A 64 kilobits-per-second channel in ISDN, for the transport of data or speech between the
ISDN service provider and the user.

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BCOCA: Bar Code Object Content Architecture. September 1991 architecture for dealing with those
horrible little stripy markings used by shops to conceal the price of

goods from customers. See UPC.

BCP: See Base Control Program.

BDAM: Basic Direct Access Method. Access method1 which allows the programmer to access
specific blocks of data on DASD. Difficult to work with, but still supported in

z/OS DFSMS for compatibility.

BDOS: Basic Disk Operating System. The core part of a simple operating system (e.g., PC-DOS).
BDOS uses the BIOS to interface programs with the hardware. BDOS is by

its nature machine-independent.

BDT: Bulk Data Transfer. z/OS product for transferring datasets from one system in an SNA network
to another. Data is transferred directly without having to go

through an intermediate JES spool file.

BDU: Basic Device Unit.

Beaconing: The repeated transmission of a frame sent by an adapter to indicate a serious ring
problem, such as a broken line or power failure. The transmission will

continue until the error is corrected.

Beamer: US name for someone who works for IBM (I-BeaMer – get it?). Fell into disuse after the
general public started using the term to refer to any BMW automobile.

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Bean: A reusable Java component built using JavaBeans technology.

Benchmark: An agreed workload used as a standard against which to compare the performance of
different hardware/software. For a benchmark to be useful it needs to be

a public standard. IBM, naturally, has its own proprietary (and hence farcical) standards, the best
known of which is RAMP-C. Other benchmarks frequently cited for IBM

machines include LINPAK, Gibson Mix, ET-1, Debit-Credit, Dhrystone, RPMark, and the TPC
family.

Benchmarking: Although it can mean to benchmark (see benchmark), more commonly it refers to the
practice of measuring an organization’s performance against best

practices, as determined by a consulting or research firm.

BEST: Build Enterprise Systems Today. Long forgotten IBM marketing program based on the idea
of a customer-solution objectives plan. You pay for everything, not

separately for the bits – what IBM calls a bottom-line bid. The marketing/sales people get paid on
whether they can shift the plan, not the traditional product-based

commission. IBM used it as a way of moving users onto strategic products as early as possible. BEST
was part of IBM’s plan to develop out of box-shifting and into the

systems integration market. From the user point of view BEST could be a good deal.

BESTE: Letterpress printing unit built by BESTE Bunch Inc, and sold by IBM/Pennant from March
1993 until December 2001. Adds color to output from 3900 and other AFP

printers.

Best practices: Consulting and research firms try and determine what works best for a given business
process as practiced by organizations who do the best job at it.

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Beta: Software undergoes beta testing shortly before it’s released, to determine applicability and
effectiveness and aid in final debugging. In traditional IBMspeak

it is often referred to as an EEP. See Alpha2.

BFS: Byte File System. A POSIX standard, z/VM supports it within the CMS1 Shared File System
(SFS).

Big Blue Zoo: The IBM Laboratories in Rochester, Minnesota.

Big Decimal Extension: IBM’s addition of decimal floating point to the Java Big Decimal class.

Big iron: Industryspeak for large, expensive, ultra-fast computers. These include conventional
commercial mainframes, of which IBM is king, and other number crunching

supercomputers such as Crays. See Heavy metal, Dinosaur1.

Binary compatibility: Indicates that a program will run, without recompiling from source code, in a
new hardware/software environment, just as it did on the old. For

example, 64-bit applications produced using AIX1 Version 4 will not execute on AIX Version 5
unless they are recompiled.

Binary Synchronous: See BSC.

BIND1: An SNA request to activate a session between two logical units.

BIND2: The message that’s sent from one LU to another to request the establishment of a session.
Under LU6.2, BINDs are negotiated by the two LUs. The LU which

initiates the BIND is known as the primary LU, and the LU which receives the BIND request is
known as the secondary LU.

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BIND3: Berkeley Internet Name Domain. The implementation of the Domain Name System (DNS)
by the University of California at Berkeley.

BIND4: Within DB2, the process of extracting and converting embedded SQL statements into a plan.
The bind determines access paths to data.

BIND5: The z/VM command to execute the DFSMS/MVS Program Management Binder.

Binder: See Program Management Binder.

Biometrics: Identification through the use of any human attribute that is unique to each individual.

BIOS: Basic Input/Output System. The I/O component of a simple operating system defining the
interface between the operating system and the outside world – i.e., it’s

the machine-dependent part of the operating environment. Accurate imitation of the PC’s BIOS is the
key to compatibility with the PC. Infringement of IBM’s copyright

on its BIOS is a good way of getting yourself into court very quickly.

Bi-polar: Chip fabrication technique. In the early 1990s, bi-polar was fast but expensive, compared to
CMOS – the other main technique used in IBM computers. Bi-polar

was used in the large ES/9000s, but by early 1995, IBM was saying that bi-polar had had its day as
the base technology in large mainframes, and that everything was

coming up CMOS now. The announcement of the S/390 Parallel Enterprise Server (G4) signaled the
end of bi-polar.

Bi-processor: A single box which contains two processors with different architectures – as in the
MicroChannel 370-14 which contains separate mainframe and PS/2

processors.

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BIPS: Billions of Instructions Per Second. See MIPS.

BISAM: Basic Indexed Sequential Access Method. Old access method1 that used index structures to
access data on DASD.

B-ISDN: See Broadband ISDN.

Bisync: See BSC.

Bisynch: See BSC.

Bit: Short for binary digit. Either of the digits 0 or 1 when used in the binary system.

Bit hoses: IBMspeak for the thick channel cables which used to connect old-style, floor-standing, 14
inch hard disks and other antique devices. See Boa2.

Bit-mapped: A bit-mapped display is one in which the screen display (characters and/or graphics
and/or image) is generated or retrieved from a full representation in

memory (the bit map). The bit map contains a bit for each point of the screen display which enables
high resolution screens to be displayed rapidly and accurately, but

at the expense of a lot of memory (e.g., a VGA/2 screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels needs
about 100KBytes of memory). Often used synonymously with APA.

BIU: Basic Information Unit. The unit of data and control information in SNA that consists of a
request/response header followed by a request/response unit and that

is passed between half-sessions.

BizTalk: An industry initiative headed by Microsoft to promote XML as the common data exchange
language for e-commerce and application integration on the Internet.

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The BizTalk Framework provides guidelines on how to publish schemas (standard data structures) in
XML and how to use XML messages to integrate software programs.

Microsoft has also announced a product called the BizTalk Server.

BLL: Base Locator for the COBOL Linkage section.

BLOB: Binary Large OBject. A generic term for a file containing some kind of binary data (text,
image, document, sound, etc). Typically BLOBs can be transferred and

manipulated across a wide range of platforms. BLOBs became available in DB2 CS mid 1995.

Block: A string of data elements, such as characters, words, or physical records, that are recorded or
transmitted as a unit.

Block cipher: Algorithms that encrypt data a chunk (e.g., 64 bits) at a time, rather than as a
continuous stream of bits. cf. stream cipher.

Block multiplexer: Medium- to high-speed mainframe channel. Typically used for DASD, tapes, etc.

BLU: Basic Link Unit. The unit of data, in SNA, that is transmitted over a link by data link control.

Bluebird: IBM code name used for the WorkSpace On-Demand product in the eNetwork Software
family.

Blue Glue: IBMspeak for SNA (Systems Network Architecture).

Bluegrass: At one time, an internal IBM code name for a planned, low price AT-compatible PC.
There were three flavors of machine: Bluegrass good, Bluegrass better,

and Bluegrass best.

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Blue Letter: The oldest form of IBM customer announcement letter, which preceded the Ivory letter.
Named because of the color of the paper on which they were written.

Blue Lightning: IBM-built 486 processor brought out mid 1993. Has optimized instruction set, 16KB
internal cache, and lowered power consumption. It’s actually a 486

without a mathematical co-processor, built using high-speed CMOS. Obsolete.

Blue Pacific: An IBM supercomputer that could perform 3.9 trillion calculations per second
(TeraOps). It was used for US nuclear weapons simulations.

Blueprint: See Networking Blueprint.

Blue wire: IBMspeak for patch wires added to circuit boards at the factory to correct design or
production problems. See also purple wire, red wire, yellow wire.

BMF: Batch Maintenance Facility. Command language for model (submodel) maintenance within the
late, unlamented Repository Manager/MVS.

BMP: Batch Message Processing program. A batch processing program in IMS1 that has access to
message queues and on-line databases.

BMS1: Basic Mapping Support. An interface between CICS and an application to control the
movement and presentation of datastreams to and from a dumb terminal. BMS

allows data to be displayed without allowing for display-dependent formatting characters. Equivalent
of the IMS1 MFS.

BMS2: Broadcast Message Server. Hewlett-Packard CASE product licensed by IBM mid 1992. BMS
helps integrate a variety of CASE tools into a fairly coherent environment,

and was used in IBM’s SDE2 environment under AIX. See also Communique.

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BNC: Bayonet Neill-Concelman. A standard coax cable connector which is used, for example, in
Ethernet.

BNN: Boundary network node. Obsolete SNA terminology for a boundary node.

BNS: See Broadband Network Services.

BOA1: Basic Object Adapter. CORBA-compliant software designed for object implementations.

Boa2: IBMspeak for the big fat bus and tag cables used on pre-ESCON channels.

Boat anchor: IBMspeak for a product that is just so bad that it should be dropped over the side of a
ship – like a boat anchor.

BOCE: Branch Office Customer Engineer.

BOM: Branch Office Manager.

BookManager: Publishing software for creating, formatting, reading, or browsing books and
manuals. BookMaster Build modules can be used to assemble existing

BookMaster files into a book, and BookMaster Read software on workstations, or AS/400, z/VM or
z/OS terminals can be used to read and browse the electronic

publications. Includes CD-ROM support. October 1994 enhancements included proportional fonts,
color, and application initiation within books. There’s also a Library

Reader Kit which allows vendors and publishers to distribute electronic books in-house without
requiring a license for each user. The BookManager GUI is used by IBM as

one way of delivering manuals to Web browsers (for free) on their Web site.

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BookMaster: Software for developing technical publications. It’s based on SCRIPT/VS, uses GML
and DCF, and runs in z/OS and z/VM environments. IBM once touted it as

the documentation tool within AD/Cycle.

Boolean: An operation that follows the rules of Boolean algebra.

Boot: To prepare a computer system for operation by loading an operating system. See also IPL,
IML.

Borg: Part of Microsoft’s Millennium research project, which automatically makes ordinary
programs distributed without any source code modification or programmer

involvement.

BOSS: Business Object Server Solution. IBM initiative for managing the middleware environment,
not so much at the middleware level itself but at the next level up,

where it is deploying a range of OO tools, frameworks, and class libraries which overcome some of
the inconsistencies between middleware object standards. See

Component Broker.

Bottleneck: A software or hardware element that can degrade the performance of a device, or
network.

Boundary Access Node: IBM’s variant on the RFC 1490 standard for encapsulating SNA/APPN
traffic within Frame Relay. Uses the same encapsulation scheme used by

bridges, which is slightly longer than the native encapsulation scheme for SNA/APPN as specified by
RFC 1490/FRF.3.1.

Boundary Function: In SNA, a set of services, including Address Conversion, provided by a Subarea
Node to the peripheral nodes attached to it; in HPR, the set of

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services provided by an HPR NN to ensure interoperability between HPR and APPN nodes.

BPAM: Basic Partitioned Access Method. Used to read a Partitioned DataSet (PDS) at a low level,
such as when you want to write a program to look at the directory of

PDS members.

BPM: See Business Process Modeler.

Bps: Bits per second. In some contexts, bps means bits per second and Bps bytes per second, as in
Mbps and MBps.

BQM: Business Quality Messaging.

BRADS: Business Report Application Development System. Application/Report generator, the most
recent incarnation of which was announced May 1983 for the System/36.

Withdrawn December 1997.

Breeze for SCLM for z/OS: Browser/e-mail-based software package notification, review and
approval tool for approving the promotion of packages through the software

development life cycle. See also SCLM.

BRI: Basic Rate Interface. The basic interface to the ISDN.

Bridge: A generic term for a device (such as IBM’s 8209) for connecting two networks. The bridge
functions at layer 2 of the OSI model (the data link layer), and

makes interconnected LANs appear as a single LAN to attached devices. In effect the bridge sits and
listens to the traffic on the two networks, and when it hears that

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a packet on network A is intended for network B, it makes the transfer. The two networks may be
physically different; the bridge will convert the physical protocols

while leaving the data formats and control data intact. As far as the end-user is concerned, all devices
are connected on a single network. Compare Gateway, Router,

Brouter.

BRMF: Repository Manager Batch Load Facility.

BRMS: Backup Recovery and Media Services for iSeries. Provides policy-driven backup, recovery,
tape media management and archive services for tape devices. Can be

used on a stand-alone iSeries 400 or in a network supporting a shared tape media inventory.

Broadband: A frequency band that is broad enough to be divided into several narrower sub-bands.
This allows different kinds of transmission (such as voice, video, and

data) to occur simultaneously (typically by frequency division multiplexing – see FDM). Broadband
is used in the MAP standard and IBM’s DAE, and was used as the

carrier technology in the defunct PC Network. cf. Baseband.

Broadband ISDN: A nascent, 150Mbit/s, packet switching, carrier technology expected in the late
1990s. A ITU-T standard.

Broadband LAN: A local area network (LAN) that consists of more than one channel, in which data
is encoded, multiplexed, and transmitted with modulation of carriers.

Broadband Network Services: IBM high-speed networking architecture announced July 1993 to
support ATM2 and other broadband services. Includes control and management

functions, support for open interfaces, managed pipes for user traffic, and support for ATM cells and
variable length packets. Implemented in a range of chip-level

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technologies.

Brochureware: Non-existent product which is being actively marketed. See also Vaporware.

Brouter: Generic term for a hybrid bridge and router. Typically it functions as a router at layer 3 of
the OSI model and then steps down to layer 2 if it can’t find

the network information it needs to function at layer 3.

BrowseMaster: z/VM and z/OS product enabling the user to view and manipulate (fairly limited)
documents to be printed on a page printer. Part of the VM SolutionPac

publishing system. GDDM is a pre-requisite. Still available.

Browser: Generic term for software which allows users to meander around a collection of
information. Usually used to refer to Web browsers (such as Netscape or IE1)

which enable people to waste inordinate amounts of time failing to find any useful information on the
Internet (assuming they can get a reliable Internet connection in

the first place).

Browser plug-in: A client application, usually not Java-based, that can be dynamically downloaded
from a Web server when invoked from a Web browser, and then executed

on the client. A browser plug-in is required to run IE1-centric ActiveX software with Netscape.

BRS: Business Recovery Services. IBM disaster recovery service in the USA. Set up early 1989 to
provide backup for users of mainframes, AS/400s, and System/3xs. Now a

part of IBM Global Services known as Business Continuity and Recovery Services.

BSAM: Basic Sequential Access Method. One of two access method1s used to read and write
sequential dataset1s in z/OS. A part of DFSMSdfp. See also QSAM.

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BSC: Binary Synchronous Communications. A character-oriented synchronous link communications

protocol evolved from the old async (start-stop) protocol. Originated by

IBM in 1964. Synchronization of the sending and receiving stations is established before the message
is sent, which allows faster block-mode data transmission and

fewer data errors than start-stop. Speed comes from the lower ratio of checking bits to data bits (i.e.,
it’s not carrying as much junk around as async). Widely used,

but superseded within IBM’s mainstream products by SDLC1/SNA protocols. Also known as Bisync,
Bisynch and Bisynchronous.

BSCA: Binary Synchronous Communications Adapter.

BSCEL: Binary Synchronous Communications Equivalence Link.

BSD: Berkeley Software Distribution. A version of the Unix operating system.

BSDM: Business System Development Method. IBM-endorsed application development method.

Supported by the BSDT product.

BSDT: Business System Development Tool. Upper CASE1 tool for OS/2 PM environments. Based
on work done by Systematica, a now defunct IBM business partner in England.

Supports BSDM. Obsolete.

BSL: Basic System Language. Programming language used in the development of VM. Superseded
by PL/S and PL/AS.

BSM: See Tivoli Business Systems Manager.

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BSP: Business Systems Planning. IBM methodology (announced in 1970) for analyzing the
structure/clustering of business activities. Uses the top-down approach. An

enhanced version of BSP was used as the basic modeling technique for IBM’s ill-fated Repository.

BTAM: Basic Telecommunications Access Method. The first access method common to the
predecessors of VSE/ESA and z/OS: provides low-level services for reading from and

writing to TP devices. Problems with the complexity of BTAM led to the evolution of TP monitors
such as CICS. BTAM was largely superseded by access methods, such as

VTAM, which implement the SNA procedures (BTAM does not support SNA devices). Withdrawn
for VSE/ESA June 2000 and z/OS March 2000. Support ends March 2002 for both

platforms.

BTAM-ES: BTAM Extended Support. BTAM for VSE. Based on the BTAM component of DOS/VS
Release 34. Announced January 1979, withdrawn June 2000 with end of support March

2002.

BTLS: Basic Tape Library Support. Program offering providing entry level automation support for
the 3495 in a non-SMS1 environment.

BTO: See Build-to-Order.

BtoB: More commonly B2B. See Business to Business.

BtoBI: See WebSphere Business Integrator.

BTP1: Basic Terminal Processor.

BTP2: See Build-to-Plan.

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BTS: Batch Terminal Simulator. Product allowing on-line IMS TM programs to be tested in a batch
environment.

BTU: Basic Transmission Unit. SNA terminology for the unit of data and control information that is
passed between path control components.

Bubblegum: IBMspeak for the IBM Boeblingen Lab in Germany at which much of the development
of VSE/ESA and mid-range mainframes happened.

Buckets-based: An optional extension to the malloc subsystem, the default AIX1 memory allocator.
Intended to speed up applications that issue large numbers of small

allocation requests. A buckets-based approach satisfies all small memory requests with pre-divided
chunks of memory of a uniform fixed size. Announced April 2001 in

AIX 5L Version 5.1.

Buffer: A relatively small amount of memory, directly available to the CPU, which momentarily
holds either instructions or other information. Not to be confused with

memory cache. Buffers are used to overcome factors that affect direct access of instructions or data to
the CPU, such as speed differences, interface delays, and other

variations between a device and the CPU.

Buffer pool: Main memory holding data being read or written.

Build-to-Order: A way of buying IBM hardware or software that sees them custom-assemble the
product(s) you ordered. cf. Build-to-Plan.

Build-to-Plan: One of several approaches to order fulfillment that IBM uses. This one sees them
preassembling hardware and software products based on forecasts of

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exactly what configurations customers will order. cf. Build-to-Order.

BUNCH: IBM and the BUNCH was the industry term for the main players in the computer industry
during the heady days of the 1960s and 1970s. The BUNCH, who had emerged

from the Seven Dwarves, were Burroughs, Univac, NCR, Control Data, and Honeywell. However,
Honeywell was bought out by Bull, Univac merged with Sperry to form

Sperry/Univac, which in 1984 merged with Burroughs to form Unisys, and in 1991 AT&T absorbed
NCR. See Seven Dwarves, Dinosaur mating.

Bundling: The practice of selling hardware and/or software in packages, so that users get (and pay
for) all sorts of things they may not want. The attraction to the

vendor is that the unit of purchase is large. IBM voluntarily abandoned such practices in the US (see
Consent decree) but Microsoft now gets accused of similar

activities.

Burst: Data communication terminology for a data sequence that is counted as a single unit based on
a specific criterion or measure.

Bus: Generic term in data communications to describe a wiring topology (such as that used in
Ethernet) in which devices are connected along a single linear medium.

Bus and tag: The physical cabling system for attaching high-speed devices to mainframe processor
channels. Uses a synchronous byte-oriented (9 bits in parallel)

protocol in which bus wires carry data, and tag wires carry control information. Unfortunately, if the
distance or baud rate is too great, the parallel electrical

signals can get skewed – i.e., they arrive at different times – limiting both the distance of the
connection (to about 122 meters) and the bandwidth (about 4.5MB/sec).

Bulky and clumsy, traditional copper bus and tag were replaced by ESCON fiber optics throughout
the IBM mainframe range. See Boa2.

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Business Continuity and Recovery Services: Part of IBM Global Services.

Business Process Modeler: OS/2 CASE1 tool for modeling workflow. Built on IBM’s Line of
Visibility Enterprise Modeling (LOVEM) methodology and integrated with

FlowMark. Announced February 1996 and withdrawn June 1998.

Business Recovery Services: See BRS.

Business to Business: Buying and selling between organizations, as opposed to Retailing, where
Consumers are involved.

Bus master: A device that controls data transfers between itself and a subordinate.

Busmaster: PS/2 LAN adapter cards providing co-processor support for machines acting as LAN
servers. The Busmaster takes over the MCA or EISA bus and off-loads

processing work from the main processor – usually by transferring data directly into memory without
any involvement by the processor. IBM’s product, the Token Ring

Network 16/4 Busmaster Server Adapter/A was announced December 1990 and withdrawn June
1993.

BYPASS2000: AS/400 software that assists the conversion of two-digit dates in RPG and COBOL
programs. BYPASS2000 analyses an application’s programs and files, stores

information, traces memory use of data, handles overlays, rewrites source programs, generates file-
conversion programs, and assists data-simulation tests. Withdrawn

May 2000. See Y2K.

Byte: A string of 8 bits that represents one EBCDIC character. The IBM mainframe architecture is
organized around the concept of the byte.

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Byte multiplexer: Low- to medium-speed mainframe channel. Typically used for card readers,
communications FEPs, and terminals.

Byte stream: A file type capable of storing long continuous strings of data. Though normally thought
of as a Unix file type, OS/400 also supports it.

C: A programming language developed at Bell Labs in 1972, so named because its predecessor was
named B. Unix was written in C, and C’s popularity, both on and off of

Unix platforms, peaked in Unix’s early years of widespread use. Still available on most platforms, but
most new development is done in one of its object-oriented

successors, such as C++, or newer languages like Java or Visual Basic.

C&IR: Commercial and Industry Relations.

C++: An object-oriented version of C that has pretty much replaced it. See also C/C++, Visual
BASIC.

C/370: C compiler and library for MVS and VM. Replaced by C/C++ (z/OS) and C for VM/ESA
(z/VM).

C/400: An early C implementation for the AS/400. Replaced by ILE C for AS/400 December 1995.
See also System C/400.

C/C++: An optional, separately priced feature of z/OS, available with or without Debug Tool. The
C/C++ IBM Open Class Library is included with z/OS, but is only

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enabled when C/C++ is licensed.

C2: A security classification level set by the US National Security Agency (NSA). There are other
levels within the Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria

(TCSEC).

C2T: See Cable Chaining Technology.

C4 joints: Controlled Collapse Chip Connection points. The first eserver zSeries 900 used MultiChip
Modules (MCM), each with 85,000 C4 joints.

CA1: Channel Attachment.

CA2: See Certification Authority.

CAATT: Computer Assisted Auditing Tools and Techniques. A generic term for software tools to
help carry out internal audits.

Cable Chaining Technology: A technique to drastically reduce the number of cables in rack mounted
systems by creating a single chain of cables between systems,

through which any system can communicate with any other.

Cable-on-line: Uses IBM-designated cable modem, software, and switching hardware allowing cable
TV systems to provide data services to subscribers, including high

speed Internet access. Announced December 1996.

Cabling System: IBM standard for wiring up sites for compatibility with current and future IBM
systems. A laudable attempt, although the initial spec used fat,

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expensive cables and space-consuming hardware in the wiring closet. Changes to the cable specs
(notably use of twisted pair) and more compact closet hardware have made

it a better proposition.

Cache/400: AS/400 PRPQ which allows main memory to be used as a DASD cache. It seems a
remarkably silly idea, since main memory is over-expensive for this purpose,

and its use requires the kind of expertise which is meant to be unnecessary in the AS/400
environment. Obsolete.

Cache1: High-speed buffer between a fast device and a slow device. In large IBM systems caching
may take place in the CPU (in main or expanded storage), the

controller, device head-of-string, or the device itself (e.g., in a track buffer). It is used to reduce access
time.

Cache2: The installation of downloaded applets on a client’s hard drive, to eliminate the need for
repeated downloads. Automatic version checking occurs with the

server that originally downloaded the applet each time the applet is invoked, to ensure that users are
notified when a newer version of the applet is available. (See

also smart caching). Static Web pages, previously displayed, may also be cached at the client or at an
intermediary caching agent to expedite subsequent accesses.

Cache Fast Write: Facility on cached DASD controllers to improve the writing performance of
DASD. Data is written to cache (although not to a non-volatile medium),

thereby removing the need for a program to wait for data to be written to disk before it can continue.
Typically used for temporary data (e.g., by DFSORT) and other

specialist system software. See also SSD1, DASD Fast Write.

Cache structure: A Coupling Facility structure that contains data shared by systems in a sysplex.

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Caching proxy server: A proxy server that stores the documents that it has retrieved in a local cache.
This allows for improved response times when these documents

are subsequently requested.

CAD: PS/2 drafting/design software. Supports bill of materials data, interfaces to CADAM, CATIA,
and non-IBM systems. As it did with PC and Laser Printer, IBM appears

to have hijacked a generic term and used it to refer to an IBM product. CAD/Plus had additional
features. Both were withdrawn March 1993.

CAD/CAM: Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing. What people used to call
systems which control design and manufacturing systems (nowadays they tend to be

called CIM). See 6090, Artic, CATIA, CAEDS, COPICS, DAE, MAPICS.

CADAM: Computer Aided Design And Manufacture. At one time, an IBM product originally
developed by Lockheed. Merged with CATIA and the CADAM name gradually

disappeared. See CATIA.

CADAM Inc: Lockheed software subsidiary acquired by IBM November 1989 for $80m as part of
IBM’s drive into CIM, and renamed Altium in March 1993. Merged with IBM’s

CATIA group a few years later.

CADD: Computer Aided Drafting and Design. Generic term for software that automates drafting and
design, notably of integrated circuits and printed circuit boards.

CAE: Computer Aided Engineering.

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CAEDS: Computer Aided Engineering Design System. Integrated computer aided design system for
engineers. Over the years, there have been versions that ran on the 5080

graphics system, z/OS, z/VM, RS/6000 under AIX, even the RT PC. In March 1994, they were all
replaced by the I-DEAS Master Series from Structural Dynamics Research

Corporation (SDRC).

CAF: See Call Attach Facility.

Cairo: A promised version of Windows NT based on distributed object technology, which was to be
the successor to both NT 4.0 and Windows 95. Instead the operating

systems remained divergent until Windows XP in 2001.

Call-AIX: Remote support service for AIX and RS/6000.

Call Attach Facility: Interface which enables application programs to access DB2 tables from outside
the DB2 environment.

CallPath: CallPath started life in mid 1989 as a way of linking Rolm 9750 voice exchanges with
mainframe-based data applications, using a PS/2 to manage the protocol

conversions between the data and the voice. Mid 1990, CallPath became CallPath Services
Architecture (CSA) a generalized way of integrating a PABX with a computer

system to allow application-initiated calls, call transfer, redirection of inbound calls, etc, and
ultimately to allow the integration of voice with data applications.

The first CSA product was CallPath/400 for AS/400. Later announcements included MVS/CICS,
RS/6000, and PS/2 versions. In May 2001, IBM sold the CallPath product line

to Alcatel.

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CallUp: On-line office directory application for VM (April 1992). Stores, maintains, and gives access
to information about the people and services of an organization.

Used to provide office directory support for OfficeVision/VM. Obsolete.

CALS: Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistics Support. A US Department of Defense standard

for exchange of electronic information. Mandatory after 1990 for weapons

system documentation. Not surprisingly, IBM provides CALS products, mainly built around its
SCRIPT text processor, which uses GML, which is the source of SGML, which

is part of the CALS specification, which is the key to megasales of IBM equipment, which is
recognized as a good thing by IBM. Support began in October 1989 with OS/2

and mainframe. Today, CATIA and ENOVIA are where you are most likely to see it.

CAM: Computer-Aided Manufacturing.

CAMkit: CADAM and Professional CADAM software for driving numerical control machines.
Announced September 1991. CAMkit/370 was withdrawn August 1997. AIX CAMkit/6000

was withdrawn August 2001.

Capacity Backup: Closely related to Capacity Upgrade on Demand (CUoD), CBU lets a small
zSeries 900 be a backup for another system by expanding its capacity to meet

emergency situations, such as hardware failure or disaster recovery. For example, an additional
processor can be activated from the system’s reserve capacity. See also

Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex (GDPS).

Capacity on Demand: Several IBM upgrade schemes for some iSeries 400 models. See Processor on
Demand for one example. See also Capacity Upgrade on Demand.

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Capacity Upgrade on Demand: An IBM upgrade scheme that delivers eserver zSeries 900 systems
with unused capacity so they can be upgraded when needed. An upgrade from

a uniprocessor to a 10-way server is possible with no downtime. See also Vertical Capacity Upgrade
on Demand, Horizontal Capacity Upgrade on Demand, Storage Capacity

Upgrade on Demand.

Career Transition Program: Ghastly IBM euphemism for a program to reduce its manpower by
helping people to leave. Congratulations, we’ve decided to enroll you on our

new Career Transition Program sounds so much nicer than Clear your desk, you’re fired.

Carrier: An electric or electromagnetic wave that may be modulated to transmit information over a
communication system.

CASE1: Computer Aided Software Engineering. Generic term for systems designed to provide
computer support for software development. Very fashionable at one time –

although objects now command the attention of the dedicated follower of programming fashion.
Typically, CASE systems support the analysts’ activities as well as

programmers’, and involve sophisticated workstation graphics and advanced software engineering
techniques. A distinction is sometimes made between upper CASE tools

which support requirements and systems analysis, and design and data modeling, and lower CASE
tools which support application generation. IBM failed to make an impact

on this market, even with its most unequivocal endorsement of the CASE philosophy – the defunct
AD/Cycle. See ADE1, WASE, MAESTRO, CAST.

Case2: See Object.

CAST: Computer Aided Software Testing.

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Casters up: Slang terminology for dysfunctional hardware.

Castors-up mode: IBMspeak for broken.

Catalog: A dataset that contains information about other datasets, e.g., type, location, size, format.
The mainframe equivalent of the PC directory. The z/OS master

catalog usually also contains entries for user catalogs. See also ICF2, CVOL, VTOC.

Category: See security category.

CATIA: Computer graphics Aided Three dimensional Interactive Application. Originally a CIM1
tool for design, drafting, solid modeling, numerical control; written by

Dassault, and available from IBM as a package on mainframes and AIX boxes. Today, CATIA has
absorbed the CADAM line and bills itself as the world’s leading CAD/CAM/CAE

software. CATIA runs on Windows 9x/NT/2000, AIX, HP-UX, SGI IRIX and Sun Solaris. See also
ENOVIA.

CATV: CAble TeleVision. Wired, rather than wireless, reception of television, typically received off-
air or via satellite at a central point then distributed,

typically through an entire town or city, by coaxial and, more recently, fiber optical cable. Cable
companies have traditionally operated as regulated monopolies, but

that is changing, slowly.

CAU: Controlled Access Unit. See 8230.

CAW: Channel Address Word.

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CBDS: Circuit Board Design System. Graphics-based printed circuit design tool. Runs under VM
and AIX. IBM withdrew from marketing the products after Valid Logic

Systems and Cadence Design Systems merged under the Cadence name January 1992.

CBEMA: Computer and Business Equipment Manufacturers’ Association. Renamed to Information

Technology Industry Council (ITI) December 1994.

CBIPO: Custom-Built Installation Process Offering. Package of system software together with a
system for installing the relevant bits in the customer installation.

One of IBM’s multitude of attempts to kill off the system programmer.

CBPDO: Custom-Built Product Delivery Offering. IBM software distribution technique in which the
user receives from IBM an incremental upgrade to an existing z/OS

system. cf. CBIPO which is a complete system, not an upgrade.

CBT: Computer-Based Training.

CBU: See Capacity Backup.

CBX: Computerized Branch eXchange. IBM/Rolm family of voice data exchanges (see 8750). CBX
is also used in the US as a generic name for PABXs.

CC1: Communications Controller.

CC2: Control Code.

cc:Mail: Lotus e-mail product which IBM took on (June 1991) as an alternative to the e-mail
functionality of OfficeVision. Mid 1994 IBM stopped marketing cc:Mail when

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it brought out its AnyMail and UltiMail products, and then took it up again – via Lotus – when it
bought Lotus.

CCA1: Concurrent Communication Adapter. Facility on 3174 which provides concurrent host access.
Became available end 1989.

CCA2: See Common Cryptographic Architecture.

CCCA: COBOL and CICS/VS Command-Level Conversion Aid. Tool to convert OS/VS COBOL,
DOS/VS COBOL and ANSI 74 VS COBOL II into ANSI 85 VS COBOL II or IBM COBOL for

OS/390 and VM. Runs in the z/OS and z/VM environments.

CCE: Channel Control Element. The RISC processor boards that drove the channels in the 3090 and
ES/9000.

CCHHR: Cylinder-Head-Record. See CKD.

CCITT: Comité Consultatif International de Téléphonie et de Télégraphie. International Telegraph

and Telephone Consultative Committee. The CCITT used to be an element

of the ITU (International Telecommunications Union). When the ITU was reorganized in March
1993, responsibility for standards was placed under the control of the ITU-T

(ITU-Telecommunication Standardization Sector).

CCM1: Concurrent Channel Maintenance. Feature, originally announced September 1991 for the
9021, which allows channels to be maintained without shutting down the

whole CEC.

CCM2: The CORBA Component Model, which (broadly speaking) generalizes EJB to multiple
languages. CCM can be seen as a crystallization of best practice to date in

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building CORBA systems.

CCP: Configuration Control Program. An IBM program used to define, display, and alter
configurations that contain network controllers.

CCS1: Common Communications Support. One of the pillars of SAA, CCS specifies the core
communications functions and products for SAA-compatible systems. The original

elements of CCS were those of SNA – later incarnations introduced new facilities or strategic
directions mainly from outside the true-blue world; e.g., OSI was brought

into CCS September 1988, ISDN in September 1991, TCP/IP and APPN in March 1992. Nowadays a
discreet silence is maintained over the whole notion.

CCS2: Console Communications Services. Feature of z/VM used by VCNA to communicate with
z/VM routines.

CCSID: Coded Character Set Identifier. Used to specify what national language character set is being
used. For example, Japan Katakana extended range has a CCSID of

5026.

CCU: Central Control Unit.

CCV: Culture Compatible Vendor.

CCW: Channel Command Word. An instruction to an I/O processor (channel). Performance-oriented

Assembler programmers used to code their own CCWs because they thought

the standard I/O macros generated inefficient CCWs.

CD: Compact Disc. Can refer to a prerecorded music CD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, or even a CD
drive, recorder or player.

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CDDI: Copper Distributed Data Interface (also known as TPDDI – Twisted Pair Distributed Data
Interface). A proposed copper wire version of FDDI. The idea is to use

copper cable (UTP or STP) to support transmission rates up to 100Mb/sec – but only over very short
distances (up to 100 meters). Strictly an interim solution to stave

off a conversion to fiber optics.

CDE: Common Desktop Environment. A desktop manager from the COSE initiative.

CDF: Communications and Data Facility. The part of IBM’s CIM Architecture which provides data
management services for CIM data. Consists of a DB2 repository and a

data store. Used by IISR. Replaced by CDF/MVS.

CDF/MVS: Common Data Facility MVS. February 1992 software which originally provided the
communications and data management base for mainframe CIM systems. Built

around DB2, and stores image, graphics, text, and data. Replaces CDF. Enhanced January 1993 with
support for optical storage and binary large objects. IBM appeared at

one time to be positioning it as a generalized, i.e., not just CIM, operational repository. An OS/2 GUI
front end was announced mid 1993, and DataGuide, which is

supported in CDF/MVS, was announced in October 1993. Withdrawn February 1996.

CDIF: CASE Data Interchange Format. A generic sequential file interface specification for data
models and related information.

CDIM: Change Delivery and Implementation Manager. MVS software which delivers software,
application programs, and data to multiple MVS systems allowing central

control of large networks. Withdrawn February 1999.

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CDLA: Computer Dealers and Lessors Association. Has been renamed Information Technology
Resellers Association (ITRA).

CDLI: See Common Data Link Interface.

CDMF: See Commercial Data Masking Facility.

CDPF: Composed Document Printing Facility. Print driver for the 4250.

CD-R: Compact Disk – Recordable. Exploits a specially designed recording layer in CD-R media,
which undergoes a physical change at the spot where the high-power laser

beam is focused to form a pit. The pits produced cause changes in reflectivity, and those changes are
decoded to produce the 1s and 0s of the digital code stream. CD-R

is based on WO technology.

CDRA: Character Data Representation Architecture. IBM architecture (announced July 1990 and
implemented in the 370/390 September 1990) which provides management of

graphic character integrity across any pair of SAA database systems. See also GCD.

CDRM: Cross Domain Resource Manager. SNA (VTAM) component for managing multi-domain
SNA networks. Processes logons for other domains.

CD-ROM: Compact Disk – Read Only Memory. Laser optical method of information retrieval from
high capacity disk (normally 640MB). Initially defined by Philips and Sony

in 1983, with their Yellow Book standard. This was later modified by the industry-wide High Sierra
specification which defines the logical structure, file structure,

and record structures of the CD-ROM disk. This served as the basis for the ISO 9660 international
format standard for CD-ROM. See CD-RW, CD-R.

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CDRSC: Cross-Domain ReSourCe. A definition of cross domain resources (applications in other

subareas of the SNA network).

CD-RW: CD-ReWritable. A CD format developed jointly by Hewlett-Packard, Mitsubishi, Philips,

Ricoh, Sony, and Verbatim which allows CD-RW disks to be written over

repeatedly. Announced October 1996.

CDS: Configuration DataSet.

CDSA: Common Data Security Architecture. A framework set up between IBM, Security Dynamics,
and RSA Security, aimed at establishing an open, multi-vendor environment

for integrating and deploying security solutions for applications using the public key encryption
methodology developed by RSA Security. Announced January 1998.

CDSM: See Tivoli Cable Data Services Manager.

CDT: See Class Descriptor Table.

CDU: Coolant Distribution Unit. Box providing liquid cooling to the processor unit. Back in the days
when processors had to be water-cooled or worse (Freon).

CEC: Central Electronic Complex. IBMspeak for a group of processors which present a single
system image to the users.

CED: Compound (or possibly Comprehensive) Electronic Document. IBMspeak for something sent
through an electronic mail system which either holds – or is capable of

holding – a mix of data types. CEDs can hold information in a variety of formats – voice, data, image,
text, high-resolution graphics, video, or a mixture of some or

all of these.

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CEDA: A CICS transaction for on-line definition of CICS resources.

CEDF: CICS Execution Diagnostic Facility. Testing aid from IBM.

Celeron: A low end Pentium III processor introduced in 1999. Initially, virtually crippled, but later
models were better than the Pentium III models of just six

months earlier.

Cell relay: A packet switching technology which uses standard sized packets over Broadband ISDN
networks to simplify and speed up data transmission.

Cemetery: IBMspeak for a bureaucratic non-job into which an older member of IBM staff has been
shunted. There’s no way out other than retirement. See also Parking

lot, Penalty box, Cooling house.

Center for On-Line Addition: The first private, non-profit behavioral health care firm to specialize in
Internet-related conditions. Does extensive research on the

subject. Offers virtual clinics with on-line counseling through e-mail or chat rooms, as well as
telephone counseling. Founded by Dr. Kimberly S. Young, Clinical

Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

(Pennsylvania, US). See Internet Addiction Disorder.

Central storage: The storage which is directly linked to and accessible from the CPU. Used to be
known as real or main storage. Does not include expanded storage.

CEPT: European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations. In 1988, all

standards work was transferred to the newly-created European

Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

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CERN: Center Européen pour la Récherche Nucleaire, the European laboratory for particle physics
near Geneva where the efforts of Tim Berners-Lee produced the World

Wide Web and the first Web server.

Certificate: See digital certificate.

Certificate-authority certificate: RACF-managed digital certificate associated with a certification

authority, used to verify signatures in other certificates.

Certificate Management Protocol: Defines the interactions between PKI components. A certification
authority (CA) is an example of a PKI component. Based on Internet

standards RFC 2510 and 2511, which includes X.509 CRMF.

Certificate Name Filter: In the SET architecture, a mapping of digital certificates to multiple user IDs
created by RACF’s RACDCERT MAP command,

Certificate Request Message Format: See CRMF.

Certificate Revocation List: In the SET architecture, a list of digital certificates that are no longer
valid. A certification authority (CA) makes the list available

and keeps it current. But it only lists certificates issued by that CA. cf. Certificate Trust List.

Certificate store: In the SET architecture, a storage location for digital certificates, Certificate
Revocation Lists, and Certificate Trust Lists.

Certificate Trust List: In the SET architecture, a predefined list of items that have been signed by a
certification authority. The items need not be (just) digital

certificates.

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Certification: See digital certificate.

Certification authority: In the SET architecture, any trusted entity that follows established procedures
when requested to issue a digital certificate by an

individual, organization or machine.

CETI: Continuously Executing Transfer Interface. Product which enabled the 9370 to talk with its
integrated communications adapter at the physical and data link

layers. In effect it was an alternative to VTAM for LAN attachment. Note that the user either had to
re-write the operating and network software or use 4331/4361

emulation (supported by the CETI).

CF: See Coupling Facility.

CFCC: See Coupling Facility Control Code.

CF Channel: The connection between a Coupling Facility (CF) and an operating system logical
partition (LPAR). There are currently five types: Inter System Coupling

link, HiPerLink, Integrated Cluster Bus link, Internal Channel link and Integrated Coupling Migration
Facility link (ICMF).

CFO: Customer Fulfillment Option. IBM procedure whereby direct account customers bought kit
from dealers, but the IBM reps got the credits from the sales. The idea

was to stop IBM competing too hard against its dealers.

C for VM/ESA: C compiler for z/VM that supports Language Environment (LE) and OpenExtension.
Announced October 1995.

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CF Search/370: VM Contextual Search/370. VM/CMS product enabling text search through CMS
files based on full text indexing. A STAIRS basher. Withdrawn March 1991.

CFSizer: See Coupling Facility Structure Sizer Tool.

CFSW: An IBM software configurator accessible from IBMLink and HONE.

CGA: Color Graphics Adapter. Original IBM PC color graphics standard. Offers 16-color palette
with four colors simultaneously available in medium resolution (320 x

200 pixel), or 2 colors in high resolution (640 x 200 pixel). Succeeded by the EGA standard.

CGI: Common Gateway Interface. A mechanism used by HTTP servers to invoke arbitrary programs
for additional processing of certain requests: typically, those involving

database access. While simple and convenient, CGI is now often replaced by ASPs, JSPs, or servlets
when performance is important.

CGI Informatique: A French computing services company which IBM acquired mid 1993. Quite why
IBM wanted to buy a company with 4,000 employees at a time when it was

laying off its own people in droves, is difficult to explain. The only likely reason seemed to be that
IBM wanted to get its hands on CGI’s CASE expertise and

products, notably Pacbase.

CGM: Computer Graphics Metafile. A standard for defining vector (object-based) images, widely
used in SGML-tagged documents. The preferred format for transferring

two-dimensional drawings over the World Wide Web.

CHA: CHAnnel driver card. I/O support card in the eserver zSeries 900 and previous System/390
systems. Introduced September 1996. See also FIBB.

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Change management: The methodology for planning and controlling software changes. This used to
be more commonly known as the discipline of software management.

Channel: A specialized computer used in the IBM mainframe architecture to control transfers
between devices and the processor unit. The channel off-loads some of the

processing associated with I/O from the main CPU. May 1993, mainframe channel emulation was
announced for the RS/6000, allowing 3480/3490 and 3495 to be attached,

presumably for distributed data management. Channel is also used to refer to the cable used to
connect the channel processor to the peripherals. See Bus and tag, CTC,

CTCA, Fiber optic channel, FICON, ESCON.

Channel adapter: Hardware unit to attach a channel to a processor.

Channel attached: Devices that are directly attached to the processor by cable rather than over a
communications link.

Channel extender: Device for extending the distance over which devices can be attached to a
processor channel. IBM’s preference is to use FEPs for this (although see

2944, 3737), but independent vendor products (Hyperchannel, Paradyne, CNT, Comparex) often did
the same job better and/or cheaper. The need for channel extenders was

reduced (although not eliminated) by the introduction of the ESCON channel architecture. The 9036
allows the channel to be connected across a PTT network.

CHANNELink: Remote channel connection system from Computer Network Technology for
connecting devices to mainframes across a WAN. Used in 3990-6 Extended Remote copy.

Channel link: An I/O channel-to-control unit interface found on mainframes that have an SNA
network address. A channel link can be a subarea link, a peripheral link,

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a LEN link, or an APPN link.

Channel router: Generic term for a device which acts as a multiway switch between a processor and
device. The ESCON director is such a beast.

Channel Subsystem Priority Queuing: New with z/OS, WLM now prioritizes channel I/O requests
across all LPARs.

Checksum: A mathematical calculation made on data in a file, database or transmission, used to

check the integrity of the data.

Chestnut: IBM code name for DAE.

Chicago: The code name for what became Windows 95.

CHPID: CHannel Path IDentifier. A single byte binary value used to uniquely identify each channel
path on an eserver zSeries 900 and previous mainframe systems.

CHRP: Power Reference Platform. An IBM standard architecture for systems built using the
PowerPC chip. Appears to be much the same as PReP. See PowerPC Platform.

CI: Command Interface. Interface between CLISTs and QMF – the interface enables CLISTs to make
use of QMF services.

CIB: Control Information Base. IBM term for a type of Management Information Base (MIB) which
contains control information – short-lived, requiring a prompt response,

and of limited applicability. The CIB is quite likely to be on a distributed node in a network. cf. EIB.

CICS: Customer Information Control System (although these days IBM tends to say that it stands for
Certainly Is Client/Server, or, for the stomach-churning

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Continually Increasing Customer Satisfaction). General purpose TP monitor for terminal-oriented and
inter-system transaction processing in z/OS and VSE/ESA

environments. Sits between user application programs, teleprocessing access method (e.g., VTAM),
and database managers – i.e., CICS invokes user-written application

programs in response to transactions entered at TP terminals. Originally developed for (the

predecessors of) z/OS and VSE/ESA, but has evolved into a client/server

product, in a number of ways. There are several non-mainframe versions, but only CICS Transaction
Server for iSeries and OS/2 are still available. The CICS Transaction

Gateway interfaces CICS on z/OS with clients on a broad range of platforms. And, for a time, there
was the TXSeries, which merged CICS, Encina and IBM Transaction

Server.

CICS/400: AS/400 version of CICS first announced in February 1992 as Version 2.2. Renamed CICS
Transaction Server for iSeries.

CICS/6000: Written in C by IBM using TP technology from Transarc, and incorporated the Encina
software. Replaced by Transaction Server for AIX in January 1997, which

was withdrawn December 1998. See CICS.

CICS/AMA: CICS Application Migration Aid. IBM program designed to help people convert their
COBOL programs from CICS macro-level to command-level. Originally

available as a licensed program and as a remote service. No longer supported December 2001.

CICS/AO: See CICS Automation Option.

CICS/BMS: See BMS1.

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CICS/CMS: VM product for developing CICS command-level applications in a VM/CMS

environment. Replaced by CICS/VM April 1989.

CICS/ESA: Release of CICS announced July 1989 on CICS’ 20th birthday. Claimed to offer lots of
enhancements in reliability, serviceability, and performance

(particularly a reduction in the resource requirements of CICS own monitor), and to address 200 user
requirements initiated from groups such as GUIDE and SHARE. It was

a major re-write (using the Z technique) which stripped out a lot of redundant code, and made CICS
leaner and fitter than it had been for years. It’s also OCO, and

finally did away with macro-level programming, whose demise has been the cause of many a tear
among CICS buffs. Replaced by CICS Transaction Server for z/OS. See also

CICS.

CICS/MVS: Version 2 of CICS in February 1987 which gave a degree of fault tolerance (filched
from the IMS XRF), and interfaces to C. Replaced by CICS/ESA, but

supported for many years because it was the last version of CICS that supported macro-level
programming. Withdrawn April 1994, with support ending December 1996.

CICS/Unix: A version of CICS/6000 which IBM sold to the open Unix market – i.e., to run on other
vendors’ platforms. Obsolete.

CICS/VM: Version of CICS which ran under VM/IS on the 9370. Designed for applications where
seamless integration is more important than high performance, which is a

polite way of saying that it ran with great dignity – but slowly. In fact it was a non-starter for
production applications – just a development and testing

environment. Replaced CICS/CMS and was itself withdrawn December 1992.

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CICS/VSE: September 1990 version of CICS for VSE/ESA users. Offered functional, RAS and
performance enhancements over previous versions. Replaced by CICS Transaction

Server for VSE/ESA.

CICS/XRF: See XRF.

CICSAO: See CICS Automation Option.

CICS Attach: Generic name for software within a database system (IBM or third-party) which
enables the DBMS to support CICS applications.

CICS Automation Option: July 1991 MVS NetView application which automates CICS functions
from a single point of control. Can be used to drive multiple local or remote

CICS regions by automating functions such as start-up, shut-down, and recovery. Replaced by the
CICS Auto Feature of AOC/MVS.

CICS Clients: Replaced by CICS Transaction Gateway and CICS Universal Clients.

CICS Connector for CICS TS: Part of CICS Transaction Server for z/OS. Enables Java enterprise
beans to invoke non-Java programs using code that can be generated

automatically by VisualAge for Java.

CICS External Call Interface: An API that allows a non-CICS client program to call a CICS program.

CICS External Presentation Interface: An API that allows a non-CICS client program to appear to
CICS as if the program is a 3270 terminal, thereby eliminating the

need to change existing CICS applications.

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CICS for AIX: Obsolete. See CICS.

CICS for OS/2: System (announced October 1988) for running small TP-type systems on a PS/2 or
PC/AT – i.e., it allows a PC to be used as a CICS transaction server on

a LAN. Supports an application-oriented subset of the COBOL CICS command-level API, and
includes LU6.2 support. Available in client and server (CICS OS/2 Multiuser)

form. Renamed CICS Transaction Server for OS/2. See CICS.

CICS for Windows NT: Obsolete. See CICS.

CICS Fundamentals for e-business: Not a piece of software, but an HTML-based self-study course
that describes the main concepts and facilities of CICS and the most

commonly used CICS transactions.

CICS Gateway for Java: Originally shipped as a component of Version 1.2 of CICS Transaction
Server of OS/390. Replaced by the CICS Transaction Gateway.

CICS Internet Gateway: Replaced by the CICS Transaction Gateway.

CICS Monitoring Facility: Creates SMF type 110 records with data about the performance of all
user- and CICS-supplied transactions. See also CICS Performance

Analyzer.

CICS ONC RPC: See CICS Open Network Computing Remote Procedure Call.

CICS Open Network Computing Remote Procedure Call: Allows non-CICS applications to access
CICS-managed data.

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CICS OS/2 Multiuser: Version 2 of CICS for OS/2, announced March 1993. Turns a PS/2 into a full
blown TP server. IBM sold it both for systems downsized from the

mainframe, and systems upsized from LANs. Renamed CICS Transaction Server for OS/2. See CICS.

CICS PA: See CICS Performance Analyzer.

CICSPARS: CICS performance monitor. Collects information about such things as transaction rates,
response times, paging rates, virtual/real storage use. There were

separate versions for MVS and VSE environments. Withdrawn February 1991.

CICS PD/MVS: CICS Problem Determination/MVS. Set of tools, announced September 1990, for
the diagnosis and resolution of CICS region failures in CICS/ESA. March 1993,

IBM sold the marketing rights for PD/MVS to Compuware Corporation (which originally developed
the system in 1989).

CICS Performance Analyzer: A z/OS product that analyzes the SMF records created by the CICS
Monitoring Facility (CMF), creating reports and extracts useful for tuning

and system management. Announced May 2001.

CICSplex: A single system formed by interconnecting multiple CICS systems (originally using
MRO), to form a single system image (see SSI1).

CICSplex SM: See CICSplex System Manager.

CICSplex System Manager: February 1994 system management product, initially for CICS/ESA,
(bought in from Boole & Babbage Inc) which enables all of the CICSplex

systems in a network to be managed as a single system image (see SSI1) without the operator having
to know where the component systems are located. Designed for use by

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systems programmers, systems administrators, and master terminal operators. Web User Interface
announced November 1999. Pre-requisite for the Parallel Transaction

Server.

CICS Transaction Affinities Utility: z/OS software introduced in February 1994 which identifies
transactions requiring two programs to share the same application

owning region. No longer supported after December 2001. See also CICSplex.

CICS Transaction Gateway: A multi-user CICS gateway which supports programming interfaces on
the same (middle) tier as the Web application server, for use by Web

applications in Java and other languages. CTG runs on z/OS, Linux/390, AIX, Windows NT/2000,
Sun Solaris and HP-UX. See also CICS Universal Clients.

CICS Transaction Server for iSeries: See CICS.

CICS Transaction Server for OS/2: See CICS.

CICS Transaction Server for VSE/ESA: A packaging of CICS and some products that had been sold
separately. Includes CICS Web Support, REXX for CICS, CICS Universal

Client and the CICS Transaction Gateway function. Announced September 2000. See also CICS.

CICS Transaction Server for z/OS: IBM repackaging of CICS for z/OS (November 1996), replacing
CICS/ESA version 5. Version 1 was intended primarily to exploit the

Parallel Sysplex – a Coupling Facility is a prerequisite. Includes server, client, and management
functions, and facilities such as VSAM data sharing, shared temporary

storage, and resource definition for transient data. Version 2 announced September 1997. See also
CICS.

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CICS TS: See CICS Transaction Server for z/OS and CICS Transaction Server for VSE/ESA.

CICS Universal Clients: Part of IBM’s Application Mining initiative. Provides access to any CICS
platform from a single workstation user running Windows, OS/2, AIX

and Solaris. CICS Transaction Gateway is intended for multi-user applications. CICS Universal
Clients was withdrawn December 2002 with functionality included in other

products, most notably CICS Transaction Gateway.

CICSVR: CICS VSAM Recovery. Software providing forward recovery of VSAM datasets. A utility
is invoked each time a CICS journal is archived, which reads the CICS

journal and stores information in the CICSVR recovery control dataset (RCDS), which is used for
recovery. The recovery can be carried out on a system where CICS is not

installed so that the CICS service can be continued in parallel with the recovery.

CICS VSAM Recovery: See CICSVR.

CICS Web 3270 Bridge: See 3270 Bridge.

CICS Web Interface: Originally, a free CICS feature that provides direct access to CICS from a Web
browser. Announced September 1996. Later became a part of CICS Web

Support.

CICS Web Support: HTML protocol support within CICS.

CID: Configuration, Installation, and Distribution. IBMspeak for the information/functions needed to
manage distributed workstations.

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CIEDS: Computer-Integrated Electrical Design Series. Mainframe, PC, AIX software. Replaced by
CBDS December 1990.

CIM1: Computer Integrated Manufacturing. Generic term for systems used to control manufacturing
processes. CIM tools include MRP, CAD/CAM, inventory control, just-

in-time scheduling, etc. IBM CIM products include Artic, CATIA, CAEDS, CIM Advantage,
COPICS, DAE, Gearbox, and MAPICS (with over 65,000 licenses). See also CATIA,

ENOVIA.

CIM2: Common Information Model. See DMTF.

CIM Advantage: IBM family of CIM products announced October 1989. Also goes under the name
Industrial Solutions. Withdrawn December 1993. See also CATIA, ENOVIA.

CIMAPPS: CIM Advantage Production Planning Series. MVS and VSE CIM software derived from
COPICS for the SQL environment. Withdrawn December 1993. See also CATIA,

ENOVIA.

CIM Architecture: Yet another architecture. CIM Architecture (announced October 1989) was based
on SAA and AIX platforms, and included various bits of software which,

according to IBM, all talk to one another. Frankly, it was all rather vague, and seems to have fallen
into disuse. See also CATIA, ENOVIA.

CIM Series/400: Suite of CIM products for the AS/400. Announced September 1990. Provides a
building block approach for integrating various systems – including RS/6000

CAD, OS/2 CAD, MAPICS. Withdrawn April 1995. See also CATIA, ENOVIA.

CIO: Channel Input and Output.

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CIP1: Cisco’s Channel Interface Processor that permits a Cisco 7000/7500 class bridge/router to be
ESCON or bus-and-tag attached to a mainframe. And can optionally

act as a tn3270 server.

CIP2: Controlled Introduction Program.

Cipher text: A message that has been encrypted. See also encryption.

Circuit-level gateway: In a firewall1, a proxy server that redirects a client’s request through the
firewall to the intended server. cf. application-level gateway.

CISC: Complex Instruction Set Computer. The opposite of a RISC. The Intel chips used in the PC
and PS/2 are typical CISCs, as is the processor in IBM mainframes and

the Motorola 68000.

CIT: Computer Telephony Integration. See CTI, CST.

Citrix MetaFrame: Provides support within AIX for high bandwidth X.11 and Java applications over
thin connections.

CKD: Count Key Data. The original way that disk drives were formatted on mainframes. CCHHR
would locate a record on disk by cylinder number (CC), track number within

the cylinder (HH for head number) and physical record (block) number within the track (R). cf. FBA.

Class: A collection of RACF-defined entities with similar characteristics.

Class Authority: A user attribute specifying the classes, if any, where the user may create RACF
profiles.

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Class Descriptor Table: A RACF table containing entries for each class, except USER, GROUP and
DATASET.

Classic Connect: SQL read-only access to IMS databases and VSAM datasets. A middleware server
than runs on z/OS and provides access from other platforms. Announced

April 1999, replacing DataJoiner Classic Connect.

CLAUTH attribute: See class authority.

CLAW: See Common Link Access for Workstations.

Clear data: In cryptography, data that is not enciphered.

Clever: The code name for an algorithm developed at the IBM Amalden Research Laboratories for
refining the search ability of search engines.

CLI1: Call Level Interface.

CLI2: Calling line identification. Within telephony systems, the mechanism which enables the called
telephone to know the caller’s number.

Client/server: Generic term for systems (also known as server/requester) in which one machine
provides a range of services to one or more other machines. Typically,

intelligent workstations (clients – also known as requesters) share access to one or more other
machines (servers) which provide services to the workstations. Services

may include printing, filing, processing, database access, etc. These days the server and the client both
tend to be intelligent (except for print servers), to be

transparent to the user, and to work cooperatively using program-to-program communication. Note
that in the context of X-Windows, the terms have exactly opposite

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meanings; an X-Windows server is the user’s terminal, and an X-Windows client is the computer to
which the server terminal is connected. See also Cooperative

processing.

Client Access: A family of products providing access to iSeries 400, originally a mid-1990s
replacement of PC Support. Client Access Express for Windows provides

TCP/IP connectivity for Windows workstations, including 5250 emulation, DB2 data transfer and
access to the OS/400 Integrated File System (IFS) and printers. iSeries

Access for Web provides a subset of these functions for Web browser users.

Client Access Express: Part of the Client Access family of products.

Client daemon: A process in AIX that performs a client’s operations.

CLIST: Control language used to manage interactive applications in the z/OS TSO environment.
Largely superseded by REXX, which SAA brought from VM as the procedure

language standard. Also used generically to refer to any set of control language statements which can
be called by name.

Clone: More or less synonymous with PCM machine. Originally referred to non-IBM replicas of the
IBM PC.

Closed: Usually a reference to a proprietary system that therefore cannot readily be connected to
other systems. cf. Open.

Cloud 9 for SCLM for z/OS: A browser-based centralized Software Configuration Management
(SCM) tool for developing and deploying z/OS-based e-business applications

containing objects such as HTML files, Java programs, z/OS objects, Web applications, documents
and spreadsheets stored on various platforms. See also SCLM.

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CLPA: Create Link Pack Area. An option used during IPL to initialize the Link Pack Area (LPA).

Cluster1: A group of devices comprising a cluster controller and one or more devices.

Cluster2: A VSAM structure comprising a group of related components.

Cluster3: A measure of space on a PC diskette. PC-DOS allocates space to files in cluster increments.

Cluster4: An architecture, employing hardware, software, or both, in which multiple computers

behave as one. Parallel sysplex is a good example. Technically, even one

computer becomes a cluster when all the parallel sysplex pieces are put into place. And this is
typically how most parallel sysplexes begin, just to test the

technology in a production environment, in preparation for the real thing. Clusters have several
advantages, particularly in regard of reliability and ease of upgrade.

Cluster controller: A device that can control the I/O operations of multiple devices. A cluster
controller can be controlled by either software, such as the 3601, or

hardware, such as the 3272. Now known as Establishment controller.

Clustered FORTRAN: Version of FORTRAN announced with Supercomputing Systems Extensions

(see SCSE). Enables up to 24 processors (in up to four 3090s or ES/9000s) to be

linked together via a 4GB common memory to execute a single application. Also supports the PIOAM
and File striping. Obsolete.

Cluster Management Utility: OS/400 software that allows you to create and manage a simple two-
node, switched disk cluster. The utility includes wizards and help text

that simplify the tasks involved in defining and managing the cluster.

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ClusterProven: IBM certification for a combination of application software and IBM server cluster
that has passed a test for total system availability, scalability

and resiliency characteristics. A year after being introduced in 1999, 60 applications from 40 different
vendors had passed the test, including IBM, of course. See

also Advanced ClusterProven.

Cluster System Management: AIX’s support for management from a single point of control,
monitoring, running commands and collecting output across a domain of AIX

machines.

CM: See Communications Manager.

CMC: Communications Management Configuration. IBM method of concentrating all of the network
management functions onto one processor (sometimes also known as the CMP

– Communications Management Processor) in a multi-host SNA network. The CMC host does no
work other than managing the network, while the other hosts perform no network

management. Never very popular.

CMF: See CICS Monitoring Facility.

CMIP1: Common Management Information Protocol. OSI standard for network management data
which should enable different network management systems to exchange

information. Although it was designed for OSI networks, CMIP is transport independent, and there is
no reason why CMIP shouldn’t be used directly on SNA networks. CMIP

is supported in IBM’s OSI/CS product, and in September 1991, IBM announced that it would support
CMIP across a wide variety of networking environments. See also CMOL,

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CMOT, CMIS, HLM, SNMP.

CMIP2: IBM Content Manager ImagePlus for z/OS. See ImagePlus.

CMIS: Common Management Information Service. The interface used by applications to access OSI
network management functions. Uses the CMIP1 protocol.

CMOL: CMIP1 over LLC. 3Com/IBM protocol for the use of the CMIP network management
protocol over LLC-based Ethernet and Token Ring networks. Never really took off.

CMOS: Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. A chip technology used almost universally for
processors today. Mainframes were the last to move to CMOS because, until

the mid-1990s, bi-polar technology, though much more expensive, was the only way to make a single
processor fast enough to handle many batch workloads in large

organizations. As well as cost, CMOS also eliminated the need for water-cooling that larger bi-polar
processors required.

CMOS copper technology: See copper.

CMOS Cryptographic Coprocessor: Encryption hardware that is included with the eserver zSeries
900. See also PCI Cryptographic Coprocessor.

CMOT: CMIP1 over TCP/IP. IETF standard supporting the use of the CMIP management protocols
over TCP/IP networks. Published April 1989 as RFC 1095.

CMP1: Cooperative Marketing Program. A quick and dirty method for IBM to market third-party
software without having to get tangled up in lengthy agreements.

CMP2: Communications Management Processor. The processor in a CMC.

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CMP3: See Certificate Management Protocol.

CMS1: Conversational (originally Cambridge – the lab where it was built) Monitor System.
Operating system running under VM, and providing timesharing and program

development facilities. Comparable in function to TSO but less resource hungry and generally
friendlier. Main use is for software development, and latterly for end-

user Information Center support. The original file system was mainly oriented towards small files
which made it a non-starter for critical applications.

CMS2: Cross Memory Services. MVS extension to the basic mainframe architecture which uses
DASF to simplify sharing data between address spaces. CMS is a way of

circumventing the 5MB private area limitation of MVS. Used extensively in the distributed version of
DB2. Also known as XMS.

CMS3: Custom Migration Support.

CMSDESK: CMS Desktop. A GUI providing a subset of CMS functionality on a z/VM host from a
Windows, OS/2 or AIX workstation.

CMS Pipelines: CMS job control product for z/VM that enables complex tasks to be specified and
executed. CMS Pipelines has three parts – a command parser, a library

of built-in programs, and a dispatcher.

CMVC: Configuration Management and Version Control. Development tool for OS/2, and RS/6000
and other Unix platforms, announced January 1992. Provides configuration

management, version control, integrated problem tracking, and notification and reporting. Replaced
by VisualAge TeamConnection Enterprise Server October 1999.

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CNAT1: Central Node Administration Tool. z/OS ISPF application (announced July 1989) for
running distributed VSE/ESA systems. Includes facilities for generating and

submitting jobs to VSE/ESA nodes, and for central management of software. Withdrawn March 1993.

CNAT2: See Tivoli Comprehensive Network Address Translator.

CNM: Communications Network Management. Interfaces and entities (e.g., programs such as
NPDA, RTM1, NPA) of SNA’s network management architecture.

CNMI: Communications Network Management Interface. VTAM interface allowing an NCCF

command processor to request and receive network management information from the

network.

CNN: Composite Network Node. A node in an SNA network which includes a VTAM (host) node
and all of the NCP nodes within its domain. To an APPN network, a composite

node appears as a single APPN network node.

COACH: COgnitive Adaptive Computer Help. A system which is included as a standard part of
IBM’s OS/2 Warp operating system, called WarpGuide. It models user behavior

and uses an inference engine to provide proactive and adaptive assistance. COACH has been applied
to both application-specific environments and general-purpose system

interfaces.

COAR: Computer Output Archival and Retrieval. A possible replacement for COLD technology.
COAR is more representative of the current archival and search and retrieve

technologies, which will add more value and broad accessibility to applications based on computer
output. See COLD, COM.

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Coax: Coaxial cable. The standard medium (like a bloated version of TV aerial cable) for connecting
mainframe (3270 family) terminals. Although coax is capable of

carrying lots of information, it’s the bane of many a DP manager’s life – it’s fat, inflexible, and
incompatible with telephone wiring. The IBM Cabling System, which

can use standard telephone twisted pair wires, marked the start of the end for coax.

COBOL: Widely-used programming language for commercial applications. SAA-anointed in the

ANS X3.23 (1985 Intermediate Level) version. COBOL has always been the most

popular programming language on the IBM mainframe, from System/360 to eserver zSeries 900. For
more than 20 years, the popular mainframe compilers have been DOS/VS

COBOL, OS/VS COBOL, VS COBOL II and IBM COBOL. IBM COBOL runs on z/OS, z/VM and
VSE/ESA. IBM ILE COBOL runs on OS/400 and VisualAge for COBOL on Windows. And there is

COBOL Set for AIX.

COBOL/2: SAA-anointed Version of COBOL for the workstation (OS/2). Originally developed by
Micro Focus, but marketed by IBM. Obsolete.

COBOL/SF: COBOL Structuring Facility. z/VM and z/OS software which uses expert systems to
turn tacky old COBOL programs into paragons of structure. Includes

complexity metrics, and code restructuring. Withdrawn March 2001.

COBOL Productivity Suite: Integrated set of host and workstation tools that help improve
programmer productivity. Withdrawn June 1996.

COBOL Set for AIX: COBOL application development environment for AIX1 with object-oriented
and client/server support. See also COBOL.

COBOL VisualSet for OS/2: See VisualSet.

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COBTEST: COBOL test tool. Replaces TESTCOB. Obsolete.

Codasyl: Conference On Data Systems Languages. A standard for database systems (strictly it’s the
committee which maintains the standard). IBM does not itself provide

a Codasyl database – the only Codasyl database available for the IBM mainframe sector is IDMS.

CODE/370: CoOperative Development Environment for System/370. Mainframe/workstation

software, announced September 1991, which provides combined edit, compile, and

debug facilities for high-level (initially COBOL and C) languages to create applications for the z/OS
and z/VM environments. Uses cooperative processing techniques,

with an OS/2 front-end talking to a host mainframe. The workstation portion was replaced by
VisualAge and C/C++ Productivity Tools in February 2000. The host Debug

Tool is still available.

CODE/400: CoOperative Development Environment for iSeries 400. Workstation software,

announced mid 1991, which provides combined edit, compile, and debug facilities

to create applications for the iSeries 400. Initially, it only supported RPG, but has since been
expanded to COBOL, C, C++, DDS, CL (Control Language) and Java. Uses

cooperative processing techniques, with a workstation front-end, initially OS/2, now only Windows,
talking to a host iSeries 400. Became a part of ADTS (Application

Development Toolset) in June 1995. In turn, ADTS became part of WebSphere Development Studio
for iSeries in July 2001.

CODEC: COmpression-DECompression. Adapters that compress and decompress audio/video files.

Used to stand for COder-DECoder.

Coexistence: In z/OS, the ability of up to four consecutive releases of the operating system to run on
a multisystem configuration.

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Coign: Part of Microsoft’s Millennium research project, which analyses application code (both
statically and dynamically) and decides how best to partition it to

optimize performance.

COLA: See Center for On-Line Addition.

COLD: Computer Output to Laser Disk. Early systems often used optical disks (or laser disks) as the
archival media. Current optical technology, however, offers CD-

ROM-based archival subsystems, RAID subsystems, various optical disk jukeboxes or autochanger
systems, and others – with an assortment of software for their use. See

COM, COAR.

COM: Component Object Model. Microsoft’s rules and architecture for software objects. See also
COM+, DCOM.

COM+: An improved version of COM, incorporating the functionality of MTS1 and providing
sophisticated runtime services.

Com300: IBM branding of the Siemens Hicom300 digital PABX; at one time available in Germany,
Luxembourg, Belgium, the UK, and other countries where the local PTT

allowed IBM to sell it. Replaced the 1750 and 3750. Defunct.

Comb: An assembly of access arms in a magnetic disk unit that move as a unit.

Command Direction: RRSF’s ability for users to issue a command and specify it be run on a local or
remote RACF, on their own or another user ID.

Command interpreter: A program in AIX that sends instructions to the kernel.

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Command-level: A method of CICS application programming that provides a much simpler method
of programming than the macro-level CICS programming which it replaced.

Command operator: A special character in OS/2 or DOS, used to redirect input or output, or for
conditional processing or grouping.

CommercePOINT: A suite of payment programs for Internet commerce. Using the SET security
procedures, CommercePOINT Wallet allows use of credit/debit cards through

PCs. CommercePOINT Till is the electronic cash register for vendors. CommercePOINT Gateway
allows connection between banks/credit card providers and merchant sites.

Became the Payment Gateway for OS/390 mid 1998.

Commercial Data Masking Facility: Part of the IBM Common Cryptographic Architecture. 40-bit
encryption used by RACF to mask the data portion of RRSF transaction

processing message packets.

Commit: The point in a TP system at which a transaction actually takes place. In an industrial
strength TP system, such as CICS, the commit only takes place when the

system is sure that all data so far processed is recoverable in the event of a system failure. On-line
programs typically commit automatically at the end of a

transaction. For batch programs, the programmer typically initiates the commit at regular intervals
during processing.

Commodity: Commodity items in the computer industry are those sold on a lowest bid wins basis
with none of the value-adds beloved of IBM. PC compatibles and clones

are typically sold as commodity items. In the past, IBM had always steered clear of commodity
markets, but increasingly was dragged into them as the computer industry

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matured. With the exception of the iSeries 400, virtually all IBM hardware is now sold into what are
effectively commodity markets.

COMMON: International user group for users of mid-range IBM systems.

Common Area: Area within the z/OS operating system containing the z/OS code itself, plus key z/OS
data (e.g., control blocks). Shared by all users.

Common Cryptographic Architecture: September 1990 vintage architecture which provides a

standard cryptographic API for z/OS and VSE/ESA applications. Implemented in

the Integrated Cryptographic Feature.

Common Data Link Interface: Allows snmpd to monitor Ethernet, Token Ring and FDDI devices
even if they are not running TCP/IP. Supported by AIX1.

Common Data Security Architecture: See CDSA.

Common Link Access for Workstations: The IBM Layer 2 channel-protocol used by IBM on the
3172 and Cisco on the CIP to transport TCP/IP traffic across bus-and-tag or

ESCON II channels.

Common LISP: IBM environment – comprising mainframe and PC or PS/2 software – for developing
and running LISP programs. Developed and jointly marketed by IBM and

Lucid Inc. IBM withdrew from the joint marketing agreement in March 1990.

CommonPoint: The first deliverable – an object-oriented application development

system/environment for OS/2 and AIX. From the Taligent company. Withdrawn December

1997.

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Common Process Manager: See ADPS.

Common Queue Server: Used by IMS and other software for Shared Message Queuing with the
Sysplex Coupling Facility.

CommonStore: See Content Manager.

Communications Manager: The bit of OS/2 that – surprise, surprise – manages communications.
Supports lots of protocols, including asynchronous, SNA LU0, X.25,

Ethernet, IEEE 802.3, and also provides an SNA LAN gateway. Available only as part of the OS/2 EE
bundle until early 1991, when it became available separately.

Includes support for APPN, host NetView, CPI-C, and enhanced NDIS. Withdrawn July 1994.

Communications Server: IBM software that supports several APIs that may be called concurrently
and that are designed for client/server and distributed application

programs. Available on AIX1, OS/2, z/OS, and Windows NT/2000. An SCO UnixWare version was
withdrawn March 2001. The z/OS version includes VTAM and is an optional,

separately priced element of z/OS. This implies full integration testing with z/OS and all its other
elements.

Communications Server for MVS/ESA: Multiprotocol networking solution from IBM (Nov 1996),
which includes VTAM 4.3, TCP/IP 3.2, and AnyNet. Intriguingly, it’s aimed at

users who don’t intend to go to OS/390. Withdrawn March 2000.

Communications Suite for Windows: See eNetwork Communications Suite for Windows.

Communique: Group of vendors, headed by HP and IBM, which at one time was developing the
Broadcast Message Server (BMS) CASE standard. Not a lot is heard from it

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these days.

Compaction: Within DFSMShsm, a method used for compression and encoding of data during
migration or backup to reduce required storage space.

Compile: The translation of a high-level programming language (source program) into a machine
language program (an executable program). Some operating systems,

including z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA, require an additional step before the program can be actually
executed; see Program Management Binder for the z/OS and z/VM

requirement.

Compiler: A program that translates high-level programming languages into machine language
programs.

Compiler for REXX/370: A compiler for the normally interpretive REXX language, available for
z/OS and z/VM. Intended to speed up large REXX applications.

Component Broker: Originally known by its code name of BOSS. It is a super middleware
framework from IBM. A component-based application development strategy with

common tool interfaces with which IBM intends to promote its object oriented technologies such as
SOM/DSOM and Bighorn server software. Now part of WebSphere

Application Server, Enterprise Edition.

Componentization: Customizing an applet’s functionality to match the needs of a specific set of

users, to eliminate the downloading of unnecessary code to the client.

This cuts down applet download times.

Composer: See DisplayWrite Composer.

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Compression: Generic term for a method of reducing the amount of space needed to store data, by
encoding the data. This is achieved through the elimination of empty

fields, gaps, redundancies, and unnecessary data to shorten the length of records or blocks. Also used
specifically by IBM to refer to the technique of removing

embedded, unused space from between members of a partitioned dataset. A compression TCM1
(which requires special versions of the appropriate software, including

MVS/ESA 4.3) was introduced into the ES/9000 in February 1993. See also Compaction, IDRC.

COMTI: Microsoft’s COM-based Transaction Integration. An extension to Microsoft Transaction

Server (MTS) to enable it to support CICS, IMS, DB2 and 3270/5250

transactions.

Concurrent Channel Maintenance: First introduced as an optional feature on the Summit ES/9000s
which allows a failing channel to be repaired or replaced without

interrupting processor operation.

Conditional Access List: RACF users and groups permitted access only when a specified condition is
true. For example, access to a dataset may be permitted only when

executing a specific program.

Confidential mailbox: An option available on the IBM Network Printer 17 that ensures confidential
print jobs are output into a locked security box which can be

accessed only by inputting a PIN to the printer. The Network Printer 17 has 10 of these secure bins,
which can hold a maximum of 40 sheets each.

Connect for iSeries: B2B software integration framework using Java, XML and the Internet to
connect an organization’s application software with its trading partners.

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Supports Domino, WebSphere and MQSeries.

Connectionless communication: A type of communication in which there is no formally established

physical communication path between the two communicators; i.e., there

is no notion of a set-up and take-down phase at the start and finish of the connection. Packet
switching, datagrams, store and forward, and asynchronous delivery

services such as SNADS, are examples of connectionless communications.

Consent decree: A voluntary agreement entered into by a US company to avoid Uncle Sam
clobbering it under anti-trust legislation. IBM has entered into various consent

agreements (notably one in 1956) covering such topics as unbundling, and selling as well as renting
its hardware. By 1994, IBM’s market dominance had eroded to the

extent that it launched an appeal against the 1956 consent decree, and after forty years and nine
months IBM finally extracted itself from the decree in May 1997.

Consumer Transaction Facilities: IBM’s verbally succinct terminology for hole-in-the-wall machines.
See also 1/LINK, 3624, ATM1.

Content Connection: Replaced by Content Manager.

Content Manager: A portfolio (product family) providing an enterprise content management

infrastructure for e-business information. Supports z/OS, iSeries 400, AIX1,

HP-UX, Sun Solaris and Windows NT/2000. Includes ImagePlus, OnDemand and VideoCharger
components, as well as CommonStore components for Domino and SAP2. Replaces

Content Connection, Digital Library, EDMSuite and FAF.

Content policy: Rules within an organization regarding what type of material may not be stored on
computers, such as pornography.

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Content security: Enforcement of content policy.

Contingency planning: Any cost-effective preparations for negative future circumstances.

Control block: Areas of storage within mainframe system software much loved of systems
programmers. Control blocks contain data used to control part of a system or

subsystem – system parameters, addresses, pointers, counters, etc.

Controller: Specialized processor which sits between a channel and one or more peripherals. IBM
controllers include the 3880 and 3990 disk controllers, the 3725 and

3745 communications controllers (FEPs), and the 3274 and 3174 cluster controllers.

Control point: A program which manages an APPN network node and its resources, enabling
communication to other control points in the network.

Conversation: The logical connection between two programs serially sharing an LU6.2 session.

Convertible: IBM laptop PC which claimed to be a member of the PS/2 family but was nothing more
than a physically small PC. Didn’t do very well in the market and

ended up being sold off as a special offer in high street hi-fi shops. Obsolete.

Cookie1: IBMspeak for the recording medium of a diskette, i.e., the spinning disk inside the jacket.

Cookie2: User preferences and data that the user may submit while browsing the site that a Web
server stores as a small file on a user’s computer when the user

browses a particular Web site. The use of cookies enhances Web site interactivity on future visits. But
they are the subject of considerable debate among security and

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consumer groups as to their ability to tie together (for marketers) otherwise disparate pieces of
information about individuals.

Cooling house: IBMspeak for a bureaucratic non-job into which a youngish member of IBM staff has
been shunted. Apparently there’s still hope for you if you’re young,

which is why IBM is keeping you in suspended animation in the cooling house. If you pass the
magical age of 45 and you’re still in a cooling house, the cooling house

becomes a Cemetery. See also Parking lot.

Cooperative processing: Generic term for systems in which the processing is spread across two or
more systems. The most common use of cooperative processing is where

a system is provided partly on an intelligent workstation (the user interface) and partly on a
minicomputer or mainframe (database access, application processing,

etc). SAA was designed as an architecture for cooperative processing, and OfficeVision was one of
the first whole-hearted attempts by IBM to create a cooperative

application. The term has rather gone out of fashion, and people tend to call the concept client/server
these days.

Coordinator system: The system in a RACF data sharing group where a RACF command is entered
by a system operator or administrator and is propagated to the entire

group.

COPICS: Communications Oriented Production and Information Control System. Venerable CIM
MRP software for the mainframe. Enhanced October 1989 with shop floor

interfaces and CDF compatibility. SQL versions announced October 1989 as a part of CIM
Advantage. COPICS Enhanced (July 1991) is a COPICS re-vamp by IBM, General

Electric, and some third parties. Obsolete. See also CATIA, ENOVIA.

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Copper: IBM was the first company to commercially manufacture computer chips with copper
instead of aluminum, for the metallic circuitry linking transistors on the

semiconductor. IBM overcame problems of copper leaching into the silicon with a patented fusion
barrier. The result was smaller chips that integrated more complex

functions, used less power, and required less cooling. Announced September 1997.

COPR: Control operator control block.

Co-processor: An additional processor within a CPU which off-loads (it’s also known as an offload
engine or IOP – Integrated Offload Processor) specific tasks from

the main CPU. Co-processors provide a very effective way of building parallelism into each
mainframe processor and IBM has always provided mathematical co-processors.

In September 1990 a cryptographic co-processor (see Integrated Cryptographic Feature) was

announced, and in February 1993 a data compression engine.

CORBA: Common Object Request Broker Architecture. Set of standards for distributed object
management from the Object Management Group (OMG). Supported in IBM’s SOM

and DSOM architectures.

CORMES: Communications Oriented Message System. VSE/MVS system for building electronic
mail systems under COPICS. Withdrawn August 1994.

Corporate portal: A company-specific Web portal that provides selective access to the company’s
Intranet and information systems resources. See also WebSphere Portal

Server.

Corrective Service Diskette: A diskette provided by IBM that includes updates to a program designed
to resolve problems. The diskette is distributed to registered

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service coordinators for resolving user-identified problems with previously installed software.

Corsair: IBM code name for a 95mm, high performance disk which it sells on the OEM market, and
uses in its own products. Part of the same family of devices as

Allicat.

Cortina: See 4391.

COS1: Corporation for Open Systems. US corporation, similar to the European SPAG, which aims to
promote the use of OSI standards. Members (including IBM) are vendors

and users. By mid 1993 it had got into such a state squabbling over TCP/IP that it decided to re-
organize itself completely. Dormant.

COS2: Class Of Service. A mechanism within SNA which assigns virtual routes and priorities to
sessions.

COSE: Common Open Software Environment. Alliance (March 1993) between IBM, HP, Sun, Unix
System Labs, and others aimed at improving interoperability between their

respective Unix workstation platforms. The agreement includes a Common Desktop Environment,
based on HP VUE, OSF Motif, and Sun ToolTalk; marketing agreements covering

OSF DCE and Sun ONC; and a range of draft specifications concerning multi-media, object-
orientation, networking, graphics, and system management. COSE was probably

inspired by Windows NT paranoia, but it’s good news for Unix users. See also CDE, Spec 1170,
WABI. Dormant.

COTS: Commercial Off-The-Shelf software. Generic term for shrink wrapped commercial products
which are not custom designed for a specific user.

Country code: The 3-digit number in X.25 that precedes the national terminal number in the network
user address for public networks.

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Coupling: Generic term used to mean connecting of processors together into a more or less tightly-
knit computing complex. Used specifically by IBM to mean the

connection of multiple eserver zSeries 900 processors in a sysplex.

Coupling Facility: Hardware from IBM, such as the 2064 model 100, where common tables can be
shared in a sysplex, for high speed caching, update locking of shared

data, list processing and workload balancing between multiple processors.

Coupling Facility Control Code: The code (small operating system) implementing the Coupling
Facility.

Coupling Facility Structure Sizer Tool: A tool on IBM’s Web site that can be used to calculate
storage usage within a Coupling Facility for the major IBM software

products that use it.

Coupling Link: See CF Channel.

COW: Character Oriented Windows. A Microsoft user interface employed in LAN Manager for the
user and administrator interfaces, where it presents an appearance very

similar to OS/2 Presentation Manager.

CP: Control Program. The collection of software modules that make up the core (nucleus) of z/VM.

CP/67: A very early IBM mainframe operating system which eventually evolved into VM. Originally
written for the S/360 Model 67, the only S/360 with the DAT hardware

required to do paging in support of virtual memory.

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CP/88: Concurrent operating system developed by IBM for use within the NetView/PC product.
Capable of running a PC-DOS program as a task. Obsolete.

CP/MSU: Control Point Management Services Unit.

CPA: Cisco’s Channel Port Adapter – a smaller version of the CIP for Cisco 7200 family
bridge/routers.

CPAR: Customer Problem Analysis and Resolution. Process in which a customer identifies the cause
of a problem and the appropriate fix. It brings sunshine into IBM’s

life when customers who carry out a CPAR, issue an APAR. Obsolete.

CPC: Central Processor Complex. Synonym for CEC.

CPE: Customer Premises Equipment. Generic term for telecommunications equipment – handsets,
PBXs, modems, etc – that lives on the customer’s rather than the PTT’s

premises.

CPF: Control Program Facility. The operating system for the System/38. Highly integrated, with
database and communications facilities all tied in to the basic system

(cf. the mainframe operating systems which comprise a minimal set of core functions and a mass of
subsystems – VTAM, VSAM, CICS, IMS, DB2, etc). OS/400 builds on and

expands CPF. Support for CPF was withdrawn mid 1992.

CPI: Common Programming Interface. The part of SAA which specified the languages conforming to
the SAA. The idea was to make it possible to write an application in

one of the SAA languages or application generators and then run it on any SAA architecture. The
initial presentation by IBM focused on software portability, moved to

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productivity improvement, and then to support for client/server (it would have saved IBM a lot of
trouble if it had just said that reducing the number of programming

languages is self-evidently a good thing). CPI components include CSP1, REXX, COBOL, C,
FORTRAN, RPG, Resource Recovery Interface, Language Environment Interface.

CPI-C: Common Programming Interface for Communications. A superset of IBM communications

verbs containing bits of APPC/VM, TSAF, and SRPI. Provides a high-level

interface to APPC, and consists of 30 standard calls available in SAA high-level languages and other
subsystems, including consistent APPC interfaces. CPI-C licenses

(which IBM offered at a knock-down price) have been taken up by many major vendors, and it rapid
becoming an industry standard (X/Open took it up). Version 2 May 1994

introduced full duplex, non-blocking calls, and OSI enhancements.

CPI-CI: Another name for CPI-C.

CPI-M: Common Programming Interface – Messaging.

CPI-RR: Common Programming Interface for Resource Recovery. The bit of SAA for controlling
access to a TP resource recovery subsystem.

CPLOG: The IMS Checkpoint Log.

cps: Characters per second.

CPSA: CallPath Services Architecture. See Callpath.

CPU: Central Processing Unit. Processor. The part of a computer that executes instructions.

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CQS: See Common Queue Server.

CRAD: Customer-Requested Arrival Date. IBM term for when you want their product delivered.

CRAM: Consolidation, Rationalization, Automation, Management. A program which IBM applied to

itself in the early 1990s to rescue itself from the mess it had fallen

into.

CRC: Cyclic Redundancy Check. An error detection and/or correction mechanism based on cyclic
codes. Or the storage location used to store CRC value for a block of

data.

CREN: Corporation for Research and Educational Networking. A large computer network formed
after the merger of BITNET and CSNET. Headquartered in Washington, D.C.

CRL: See Certificate Revocation List.

CRM: See Customer Relations Management.

CRMF: Certificate Request Message Format. The X.509 Internet standard as defined in RFC 2511.

Cron table: Chronological table. A table in AIX that is used to schedule application programs and
processes.

Cross Platform Extension: A SCSI to ESCON gateway, based on Seascape architecture, that allows
zSeries 900s to share RAMAC2 storage with UNIX and Windows servers.

Cross System Coupling: See XCF.

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CRT: Cathode ray tube. And computer monitors built with them. Similar technology to a television
picture tube. The once-popular term was rarely heard until the late

1990s when it was used to differentiate from the emerging LCD monitor technology that became
practical for more than just laptops.

CRU: Customer Replaceable Unit. A unit replaced lock, stock, and barrel by the customer if it
breaks. See FRU.

Cryptanalysis: Interpreting cipher text without being given the key.

Cryptoanalysis: Less common spelling for cryptanalysis.

Cryptographic Coprocessor: See CMOS Cryptographic Coprocessor, PCI Cryptographic

Coprocessor.

Cryptographic hardware: A specialized processor for providing system security. It is faster and more
secure than software encryption and less vulnerable to corruption

by unauthorized users. See also 4758, CMOS Cryptographic Coprocessor, PCI Cryptographic
Coprocessor.

Cryptography: Designing an algorithm for cipher text.

Cryptology: The mathematics behind cryptography and cryptanalysis.

Cryptolope: A mechanism invented by IBM as part of its infoMarket service, which lets owners of
digital information distribute it over the Internet securely, while

ensuring payment for its use. Potential users can receive a cryptolope, but can only see a headline; the
useful information is inside the cryptolope, and the user can

choose whether to open and pay for it. Information can be passed on to other users, who in turn must
decide whether to unlock and pay for it.

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Cryptolope clearing center: Provides server support for cryptolopes, including registration,
authentication, key transformation and management, event logging, and

access to billing services.

Cryptolope Live: The next generation of the cryptolope secure Java component. It will be able to
create information objects, components that could be static content

or content linked by an IBM subset of Java surrounded by business logic. Previously a cryptolope
opener was required on the desktop to add the business logic, but Live

makes the containers more generic and easier to distribute by having the rules inside the containers.
Announced September 1997. But nothing seen or heard since.

Cryptolope opener: Enables users to access or purchase the contents of a cryptolope container by
requesting keys to decrypt the content from a clearing center.

Cryptolope packer: Assembles the content to be enclosed in a cryptolope container, encrypts that
content with appropriate keys registered with a clearing center, and

allows the content owner to specify the terms and conditions, prices, usage rules, and access
restrictions for that content.

Cryptosystem: The world’s first public-key encryption scheme that provides a mathematically proven
uniform level of data encryption. It is based on the difficulty in

finding what is called the unique shortest vector in an n-dimensional lattice, which is apparently
impossible. Announced May 1997 but not a product yet.

CS1: Customer Service.

CS2: See Communications Server.

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CSA1: Common Service Area. Part of the common area of z/OS. Mainly used for data for VTAM,
IMS1, etc.

CSA2: Corporate Service Amendment. IBM maintenance scheme.

CSA3: Callpath Services Architecture. See Callpath.

CSAT/400: Central System Administration Tools/400. AS/400 software (February 1992) which
allows a central AS/400 to control a network of AS/400s running DSAT/400.

Facilities include planning and tracking of file distribution, problem management, distribution of
fixes, configuration audits. Withdrawn December 1995.

CSC: Cross Systems Consistency. A philosophy which became SAA when it grew up.

CSCM: Central Site Change Management. Software allowing 3174 firmware to be updated
electronically from a central site. Requires NetView/DM.

CSCW: Computer Supported Collaborative Working. A self-explanatory term for the activities
supported by groupware. Used by IBM in response to Microsoft making first

claim on the less tortuous term workgroup computing.

CSD1: Corrective System Diskette. A diskette, or more usually quite a number of diskettes, supplied
by IBM to correct bugs in OS/2 software.

CSD2: Communications System Division.

CSD3: CICS System Definition.

CSE: Cross System Extensions.

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C Set++: IBM system for developing C++ programs. Included 32-bit compiler, class libraries, full
function browser, etc. Available on several platforms before being

withdrawn.

CSF1: COBOL Structuring Facility. See COBOL/SF.

CSF2: Common Storage Format. A specific implementation of the Fixed Block Architecture (see
FBA), long recognized as the best format for delivering predictable

response times from DASD. As well as simplifying data formats, the CSF allows new facilities,
including: backup while open, backup at record level, enhanced file

sharing and improved space allocation. Also known as M4K.

CSF3: 4690 Controller Services Feature. See StorePlace.

CSFI: Communications Subsystem for Interconnection. An early 1991 VTAM application which acts
as a protocol converter between SNA and OSI environments. Uses NPSI on

the FEP. It appears to be aimed at the e-mail, videotext, and EDI markets, and should simplify 3270-
to-ASCII connection. Although the Networking Blueprint wasn’t

around when it first appeared, CSFI belongs to the Multi-Protocol Networking layer of the Blueprint,
as it allows SNA and non-SNA terminals to interoperate with SNA

and non-SNA applications through different types of networking facilities, like SNA, TCP/IP, and
OSI. Enhancements in January 1993 included improved TCP/IP (MVS only),

use of VT220 applications from 3270, and enhanced X.25 performance. VSE/ESA and z/VM support
has ended, but new releases continue to appear for z/OS.

CSI1: Copy Screen Image. Facility on AS/400 which allows the screen image on one workstation to
be copied to another local or remote workstation. Used for Help Desk

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activities or remote diagnosis and repair.

CSI2: Computer Security Institute.

CSL: Callable Service Library. Package of VM/CMS Assembler routines that can be stored as an
entity for use by a high-level language, REXX, or Assembler.

CSMA/CD: Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection. A LAN protocol in which the
workstations all listen to a common channel, and wait for a lull before

transmitting; if two channels transmit at the same time (i.e., there’s a collision), both wait for some
suitable (i.e., different!) period of time before trying again.

It’s a terribly egalitarian system since all the workstations have equal access rights and privileges, and
hence it’s difficult to manage explicitly – a point which

IBM reiterates endlessly. Used in the Ethernet and PC/Network LANs and within the IEEE 802.3
standard. cf. Token passing.

CSNET: Computer Science Network. A large computer network, composed of universities, research
labs, and some commercial companies mostly in the United States but with

international connections. Now CSNET and BITNET have merged, it is a component of the
Corporation for Research and Educational Networking (CREN).

CSO: Consistent Sign-On.

CSP/AD: The part of CSP1 providing the development environment. Obsolete.

CSP/AE: The part of CSP1 providing the run-time (execution) environment. Obsolete. See also EZ-
Run.

CSP/AG: See EZ-Prep.

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CSP/Q: Query/Report Writer for CSP users. Provides casual access to VSAM or CMS files, mainly
for non-DP users. Obsolete.

CSP1: Cross System Product. IBM application generator. Over the years, it ran on quite a number of
environments including the AS/400, PC-DOS and OS/2 workstation,

8100 and mainframe running VSE/ESA, z/VM, z/OS and DPPX/370. At one time CSP was IBM’s
strategic 4GL, but by December 1997 it had been withdrawn from all platforms,

with VisualAge Generator the suggested replacement.

CSP2: Cooperative Software Program. An agreement between IBM and an Independent Software
Vendor (ISV).

CSS: Channel SubSystem.

CST: Computer Supported Telephony. Another name for Computer Telephony Integration. See CTI.

CSTA: Computer Supported Telecommunications Applications. An ECMA interface standard for

PABX-computer communications. IBM and Ericsson worked together to create

CSTA-based links between Ericsson PABXs and Callpath products.

CSV: Comma Separated Value. Free format file standard for PCs in which a comma is used for
separated fields (text is delimited by quotation marks).

CSW: Channel Status Word. The word in main store where channel status information is held. The
operating system looks at the CSW to find out whether a channel (I/O)

operation has completed successfully.

CT: Control Terminal.

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CTC: Channel-To-Channel. The technique of connecting channels, allowing data transfer between
two mainframe systems at channel speeds over short distances. Used by

IBM subsystems such as JES3 and VTAM. CTC connection is useful where faster communication
than can be provided by a communications link is required.

CTCA: Channel-To-Channel Adapter. Device for directly connecting the channels of two machines
to one another. CTCAs have been replaced by the integrated CTC function

in the channels of the ES/9000 and newer mainframe systems.

CTG1: Computer Task Group. System integrator in which IBM took a 15.3% stake in May 1989 as
part of its program of getting into the systems integration market. CTG

bought back IBM’s share in December 1994.

CTG2: See CICS Transaction Gateway.

CTI: Computer Telephony Integration. Generic term for systems – àla IBM CallPath – which
integrate computer and telephone systems. aka CIT and CST.

CTL: See Certificate Trust List.

CTR: Computing-Tabulating-Recording. The company which in February 1924 became International

Business Machines (IBM).

CTS: Common Transport Semantics. A layer within IBM’s Networking Blueprint which acts as an
interface between the application and the underlying protocols, and, in

effect, makes applications independent of the network across which they run. See also MPTF, MPTN.

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CUA1: Common User Access. The part of SAA which specifies the ways in which the user interface
to systems is to be constructed. Includes standards for such things as

the position of items on screens, use of mouse, meanings of terms, etc. There are two main versions of
the CUA based on different models of the user interface – the

graphical model for the Programmable WorkStation (PWS), and the entry model for the Non-
Programmable Terminal (NPT). There’s also a version which provides the

interface to OfficeVision, and a text subset of the graphical model which enables you to build
interfaces on NPTs so that they look vaguely like proper WIMPS

environments. Note that the CUA does not require IBM hardware or software – it can be implemented
using Windows, Motif, OpenLook, etc.

CUA2: IBM Computer Users’ Association. The UK IBM users association.

CUA 87: The original CUA1 specification built around the 3270 dumb screen.

CUA 89: The version of the CUA1 built around the programmable workstation, and based on the
WIMPS notion.

CUA 91: The version of the CUA1 which builds on the concept of object orientation. The base
technologies for CUA 91 were Easel and Smalltalk/V.

CUD: See Capacity Upgrade on Demand.

CUoD: See Capacity Upgrade on Demand.

Current: IBM PIM software introduced December 1989 for creating simple personal databases. It’s a
single user DOS product incorporating a run-time version of Windows,

and includes word processing, calculation, file transfer, and hypertext. Available as a front-end to
OfficeVision/400 from March 1993, and as a front end to

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OfficeVision/MVS and VM from April 1993. And upgraded to run under Windows 3.x. The last
Current product was withdrawn August 1997.

Current Connect Group: The RACF group assigned to the user at logon.

Current Security Label: The RACF security label assigned to the user at logon.

Customer Relations Management: Focusing, on an on-going basis, on how an organization deals with
its customers.

Customer value pricing: IBMspeak for not having a price list. The idea is that the customer pays
whatever he thinks the product is worth, rather than a notional (and

probably heavily discounted) list price. In effect it meant that IBM had stopped publishing its price
list. Introduced worldwide in February 1993 (the same principle

had been in use in the UK since early 1992).

CUT: Control Unit Terminal. A mode of operation used by the 3274 where the device LU logic is
maintained in the controller on behalf of the terminal; i.e., the

controller, not the terminal, interprets the 3270 datastream. The 3278, 3178, and other very dumb
terminals use this mode. cf. DFT.

CUTPWHIS: A free utility from IBM that removes non-usable passwords from the RACF password
history.

Cut-through: Switching mode used by LAN switches (e.g., IBM 8270) and WAN switches where the
switch starts to forward bits that make up a frame to its destination as

soon as it has determined the relevant destination port without waiting to receive the end of the frame
and checking whether it is error-free. Opposite of store and

forward.

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Cut-through routing: Communications technique of the store and forward ilk. Unlike conventional
store and forward in which a whole frame of data is received before it

is forwarded, in cut-through routing, the node begins to forward the data after it has received the first
few characters. Used within the Serial Storage Architecture.

CVOL: Control VOLume. Obsolete, but still in use, z/OS catalog stored in a non-VSAM dataset with
the name SYSCTLG.V followed by the VOLSER. Replaced by ICF2.

CVT: Communications Vector Table. The central control block in the z/OS environment. Can be
used in read-only mode by applications programs to access certain system

tables and control areas related to the active address space.

CWM: The OMG’s Common Warehouse Metamodel, a standard model of data warehouse metadata.

CWS: See CICS Web Support.

Cylinder: The tracks, in an assembly of magnetic disks, that can be accessed without repositioning
the access mechanism.

Cypress: Combined telephone and computer terminal (ASCII) which emerged during IBM’s short-
lived marriage to Rolm.

Cyrix: Semiconductor manufacturer with a particularly strong presence in the Intel-compatible

market. After a protracted legal battle with Intel, Cyrix won the right

to make Intel clones. From early 1994 IBM manufactured Cyrix’s 486 chips for use in its own
machines and for sale in the open semiconductor market.

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DA/2: Distributed Application/2. OS/2 software providing a set of APIs for building client/server
applications. The APIs hide the complexity of underlying

communications (APPC, NetBIOS, Named Pipes, etc). Supports CID, CICS, IMS1, APPC.
Withdrawn December 2000.

DACTLINK: Deactivate link.

DACTLU: Deactivate logical unit.

DACTPU: Deactivate physical unit.

DACU: Device Attachment Control Unit. See 7171.

DADSM: Direct Access Device Space Management. Space allocation software within DFSMSdfp.

DAE: Distributed Automation Edition. Set of tools, services, and interfaces for developers to use to
create factory-floor applications. Announced February 1989. One

by one, it has all been withdrawn over the years.

Daemon: An event-driven process, implemented as a memory-resident program that remains in the

background until an event of interest occurs, then jumps into action.

The term is most commonly used in the Unix environment.

DAISY: Dynamically Architected Instruction Set. A VLIW software translator which can convert
Java code and PowerPC machine code. Not a product but a prototype

developed at IBM’s research center at Yorktown, which began working on VLIW techniques in 1986.

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DAN: Direct Attachment Node.

DARI: Database Application Remote Interface. A stored procedure API supported by DB2 CS.

Dark fiber: A fiber optic cable path without any repeaters for reamplification in between.

DARPA: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Formerly called the Advanced Research
Projects Agency, DARPA is the US Department of Defense agency responsible for

creating ARPAnet.

DASD: Direct Access Storage Device. IBMspeak for disk. When RAMAC RAID was announced, it
looked like IBM had finally capitulated to the word Disk, but it was not to

be.

DASD farm: Term coined as sites started to install huge amounts of DASD, and to manage all the
DASD as a single data resource – the DASD farm. The confines of the

farm are rather indistinct, but it normally stretches from the processor side of any storage control
devices to the slowest layer on the storage hierarchy, which does

not normally contain DASD per se. See also Information warehouse.

DASD Fast Write: Facility introduced on the 3990-3 to improve the writing performance of DASD.
Data is written to cache and non-volatile storage in the DASD

controller, which then writes it to disk at its leisure, thereby removing the need for a program to wait
for data to be written to disk before it can continue. Fast

Write extends the range of datasets which can be considered for caching, and improves performance
by about 28%. Key feature when it was introduced, since the ability

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to write data very quickly is essential to a memory-based computing environment. See also SSD1,
Cache Fast Write.

DASF: Dual Address Space Feature. Facility in z/OS enabling a user to connect a secondary address
space to a program, notably in JES3. A very similar feature appears

to have been used to create z/OS dataspaces and Hiperspaces. See also Dataspace1.

DAT: Dynamic Address Translation. The process by which virtual addresses are converted into real
addresses during instruction execution.

Data Analyst: See Bachman.

Data Analyzer: A Microsoft Office visualization and analysis product announced November 2001
and sold separately, rather than being a part of any Office XP offering.

Database/2: See DB2.

Database Administration Tools: A set of DB2 utilities. A member of the Data Management Tools for
DB2 family, announced September 2000 as a replacement for DB2

Utilities. See also Database Recovery and Replication Tools.

Database Manager: The IBM-developed database manager originally available only as part of the
OS/2 EE bundle until early 1991, when it became available separately.

The unbundled version was renamed DB2/2 in January 1993.

Database memory: Feature on the eserver pSeries which uses a combination of hardware and
software to allow related transactions to be grouped as a single atomic

transaction; it’s meant to help recovery/restart after a crash.

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Database Navigator: An OS/400 Operations Navigator GUI that displays the relationship among
relational objects such as tables, views, and indexes.

Database Recovery and Replication Tools: A set of DB2 utilities. A member of the Data
Management Tools for DB2 family, announced September 2000 as a replacement for

DB2 Utilities. See also Database Administration Tools.

Datablazer: Range of fixed and removable storage devices announced for the OEM market early
1993. Given to Xyratex when it was founded in a management buyout (MBO)

from IBM in 1994. Obsolete.

Data Class: One of the SMS1 storage management classes. Data Class defines the physical
characteristics of a dataset.

Data Dictionary: A data dictionary (DD) is a database which contains information about the way
items of data are used. Typically a DD contains details of data names,

data usage, data structures, data models, and so on. IBM’s eponymous Data Dictionary was never
appreciated in a marketplace dominated by third-party products.

Data flow control: Layer 5 of SNA; manages the logical sessions over a single connection between
two locations.

DatagLANce: IBM system administration tool for Ethernet and Token Ring LANs, announced
October 1993. Provides facilities for the collection of LAN statistics in real

time, and can be used for application software debugging, capacity planning, network reconfiguration,
and internetwork trouble-shooting. Withdrawn March 1995.

Datagram: Generic term for a transmission method used in packet switched networks in which
sections of a message are transmitted in an arbitrary order and then re-

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assembled by the recipient. Each datagram packet is sent without any regard to previous or
subsequent packet. Typically individual datagrams are not explicitly

acknowledged.

DataGuide: Information Warehouse software (vintage October 1993). Creates and searches a catalog
of information on all databases using various extract tools.

Originally for accessing DB2 on z/OS and OS/2 only, but support for OS/400 and AIX was added
December 1995. DataGuide for Windows and DataGuide for Lotus Notes were

announced October 1994 then withdrawn March 1996. DataGuide Version 1.1 was announced
December 1995 for Windows and OS/2 clients to DB2 on OS/2, AIX, OS/400, z/OS and

Windows 95/NT. In May 1998, it was replaced by Visual Warehouse, which became part of DB2
Enterprise Edition then DB2 Universal Database.

DataGuide Tags: An IBM technology for storing and sharing metadata.

Data heap: A term used in Unix and AIX to refer to a section of memory set aside to store a specific
type of data.

DataHub: DBMS product set (full name SystemView Information Warehouse DataHub) of database
tools which provides a workstation-based control point for database

management. Includes MVS, VM, OS/400, RS/6000, and OS/2 (DB2/2) host components, plus a
workstation component. First emerged in September 1992 when various vendors

(including Candle, Platinum, and Legent/CA) promised that they would support DataHub. Withdrawn
October 1995.

Data integrity: The knowledge that information has been unaltered during transmission or storage.

DataInterchange: See expEDIte.

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Data Interpretation System: See DIS2.

DataJoiner: IBM Information Warehouse Software for AIX, announced October 1994. Provides
transparent SQL access to data on relational and non-relational databases on

a number of platforms. HP-UX version announced June 1996. DB2 version announced September
1997. Version 2.1.1 was announced July 1998, running on AIX, Windows NT and

Sun Solaris, leaving HP-UX users still supported by marooned at June 1996’s Version 1.1. The
iSeries 400 with the Integrated PC Server (IPCS) is also supported with

the NT version.

DataJoiner Classic Connect: Expands DataJoiner access to IMS1 and VSAM data. Announced July
1996. Replaced by Classic Connect July 1999.

Data link: A physical link, e.g., a wire or a telephone circuit, that connects devices or
communications controllers. Specified in layer 2 of the OSI reference model.

See OSI layer.

Data link control: Layer 2 of SNA; manages the physical connection between two locations.

Data Link Switching: See DLS3.

Data Management Tools for DB2: A family of DB2 utilities, announced September 2000 as a
replacement for DB2 Utilities. Includes Database Recovery and Replication

Tools and Database Administration Tools.

Data Mart: Storage of the data required to meet the information needs of a department or group of
users. Typically read-only. Optimized to satisfy their query and/or

reporting needs.

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Data mining: The practice of using a data warehouse for highly complex, ad hoc queries. Data mining
and data warehousing have become synonymous in the hearts and

brochures of most database salesmen.

Data Propagator: Became one word in more recent versions. See DataPropagator.

DataPropagator: z/OS program developed in association with the Swiss Bank Corporation, and
announced September 1990 as Data Propagator (later made into one word).

Initially it automatically copied changes in an IMS database to a DB2 database using a two-phase
commit protocol so that the end-user DB2 database could be kept in

sync with the production IMS database. A bi-directional version which propagated changes either
from DB2 to IMS or from IMS to DB2 was announced in March 1993 looking

suspiciously like a migration aid from IMS to DB2. A version which allowed parts of a mainframe
database to be replicated (in read-only form) on OS/2 workstations was

announced in October 1993, AS/400 implementations in April 1994, and an HP-UX version in
February 1995. Withdrawn October 1995. Also known as DPROP. See also TPFDDA.

DataRefresher: GUI-based software (October 1993) which moves large amounts of data from
databases and flat files to refresh relational databases from existing MVS

relational and non-relational applications. Uses a client/server paradigm based on an OS/2 client.
Supports IMS/ESA, DB2 (under MVS, VM, OS/2, and RS/6000) flat files,

and various non-IBM files. Replacement for DXT. Withdrawn April 1999.

Data Sciences: UK system/software integrator bought by IBM in March 1996.

Data Security Monitor: An auditing tool that comes with RACF. Reports on the status of resources
that RACF controls.

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Dataserver: See 3995.

Dataset1: A unit of data storage and retrieval consisting of one or more data records. Outside of the
IBM mainframe environment, people call them files.

Dataset2: AT&T term for a modem – presumably in contrast to a handset.

Dataset profile: A profile used by RACF to protect one or more datasets.

Dataspace1: Areas of storage (up to 2GB) accessible to mainframe programs for storage and retrieval
of data. In effect, the dataspace concept is a mapping facility

which allows the user to pretend that he has loads more central storage (16 terabytes under
MVS/ESA) than he actually has.

Dataspace2: Within MVS VSAM, the area on a disk allocated to a VSAM catalog on which VSAM
datasets can be placed.

DataStage: Software from Ascential Software announced marketed by IBM beginning September
2001. Works with DB2 Warehouse Manager to bring together multi-platform

data.

Data striping: A technique for achieving parallel transfer of data by splitting up data across a number
of devices and transferring parts of sets of data in parallel.

See File striping, Disk striping.

Data Tables: CICS feature announced March 1989 which allowed heavily used data to be held in
CICS controlled main storage above the 16MB line. Gave substantial

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performance improvements by reducing I/O. Shared Data Tables were announced in March 1992, and
gave massive improvements (up to 70% for local reads) compared to VSAM.

Part of the Data In Memory (DIM) philosophy.

DataTrade: A set of IBM communications programs – announced April 1990 – designed to provide a
consistent API for data transfer between distributed applications on

processors running different IBM operating systems. Available for PS/2, RS/6000, and System/88.
Each program is in two parts, a Manager in a server, and a Workstation

Feature in a workstation. Withdrawn between mid 1992 and mid 1994.

Data Warehouse: General term for a collection of database, middleware, and query tools that allow
fast, flexible access to near-operational corporate data. Data

warehousing has proved invaluable in industries such as retail for tracking buying patterns and
forecasting future customer requirements. It has also provided a handy

marketing tool for database vendors trying to breathe new life into their products.

Data Warehouse Center: Provides a data warehouse creation and management GUI. Handles tasks
such as registering and accessing data sources, and defining data

extraction and data transformation steps. Part of DB2 Warehouse Manager and integrated with DB2
Control Center.

DAT box: A hardware feature of some System/360 and most System/370 systems that translated
virtual into real addresses. Mention of the DAT box brings nostalgic tears

to the eyes of hoary old systems programmers and to the eyes of the DP managers who bought
$200,000 DAT boxes in 1970 only to find DAT as a standard 370 feature two

years later. No one talks about them anymore, but they are standard equipment in all IBM mainframes
since the 370. Virtual memory and paging would be impossible

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without it.

DATE: Dedicated Access to X.25 Transport Extension. SNA facility for handling X.25 packets.
Configuration option under NPSI.

DB/DC: DataBase/Data Communications. Generic name for on-line database system + TP monitor.
IMS1 is an example, with IMS DB as the database and IMS TM as the monitor.

DB2: Database/2. Relational database management system first announced for z/OS environments in
1983. Originally promoted as an end-user tool, but is now IBM’s

preferred DBMS for just about everything apart from the legacy applications serviced by IMS1. DB2
became a family in the early 1990s and there are now DB2 versions,

most under the name DB2 Universal Database, for a broad range of platforms. Since some began as
other products, there were initial compatibility problems, they seem to

have disappeared over the years. See also DB2 Universal Database, DB2 Server for VSE and VM,
DB2 Everyplace.

DB2/2: A renaming of OS/2 Database Manager in January 1993 when it was unbundled from OS/2
Version 2.0. The new version was a true 32-bit product, and included

enhancements in performance, portability, DB2 and SQL compatibility, and systems management.
Replaced by DB2 Universal Database.

DB2/400: The SQL implementation on the AS/400. A subset of full IBM SQL, but a full
implementation of the SAA version of SQL. Includes compilers for calls from high-

level languages, and interactive options for table and file definition. Originally called SQL/400.
Replaced by DB2 Universal Database.

DB2/6000: The relational DBMS for the RS/6000 announced in March 1993. Built on top of the
OS/2 DB2/2 code, but with industrial strength features more akin to

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mainframe DB2 – extensive locking, on-line optimizer, and performance management. Supports
DDCS and DRDA, and enables the RS/6000 to act as a database server, perhaps

in an Information Warehouse set-up. POWERparallel support announced April 1994 (see DB2
Parallel Edition for AIX). Replaced by DB2 Universal Database.

DB2/6000 Parallel Edition: See DB2 Parallel Edition for AIX.

DB2/MVS: The original DB2 incarnation first announced in 1983. Technically, SQL/DS was first,
but DB2/MVS was the first to bear the DB2 name. Originally promoted as

an end-user tool, but is now IBM’s preferred mainframe DBMS. Its key strength is the SQL interface
which is now a de facto industry standard. A major re-vamp in March

1993 added Hiperpool, access to Asynchronous Data Mover Facility, improved partitioning, and
better availability. Enhancements in Version 4 (announced October 1994)

included support for parallel query, domain definition by users, and much better support for
distributed processing. Version 5 (announced Nov 1996), which was supposed

to be version 4.2, included much higher prices than users had expected. Replaced by DB2 Universal
Database.

DB2/UX: Mid 1995 implementation of DB2 for HP-UX. Shares a common code base with
DB2/6000. Replaced by DB2 Universal Database.

DB2/VM: A renaming (mid 1993) of SQL/DS for the VM environment. Renamed DB2 Server for
VSE and VM May 1997.

DB2/VSE: A renaming (mid 1993) of SQL/DS for the VSE environment. Renamed DB2 Server for
VSE and VM May 1997.

DB2 buffer-pool tool: IBM software that helps performance analysts tune DB2 relational databases,
to optimize memory usage and I/O. Produces statistics for all pools

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and objects, simulation of changing pool sizes, prediction of effects of moving DB2 objects into new
pools. Announced September 1997.

DB2 Catalog: The set of tables within DB2 which maintain the descriptions of objects such as tables,
plans, views, and indexes. See DBRAD.

DB2 Common Server: Obsolete term for DB2 Universal Database.

DB2 Connect: Middleware that runs on AIX, HP-UX, Linux, NUMA-Q, OS/2, Sun Solaris and
Windows to enable applications running on those platforms to access DB2 data

residing on z/OS, z/VM, VSE/ESA and OS/400. Announced September 1997.

DB2 Control Center: A Java-based GUI that provides a single point of control and consistent
procedures for managing DB2 systems on different platforms, including the

mainframe. It can run directly on the workstation as a Java application or on a Web server and run
through a Web browser.

DB2 CS: See DB2 Common Server.

DB2 Estimator: Originally a Windows and OS/2 software product for estimating resource
requirements and modeling the performance of z/OS DB2 systems. Announced June

1994. Became a component of DB2 itself in December 1996.

DB2 Everyplace: DB2 for mobile and embedded devices. Runs on Linux, Palm OS, QNX Neutrino,
Symbian EPOC, Windows CE/PocketPC and Win32-based platforms. Has its own

data store that can be used to store local data or data downloaded from elsewhere. The Sync Server
component runs on AIX, Linux, Sun Solaris and Windows NT/2000/XP. It

synchronizes the Everyplace data store with external databases on DB2 Universal Database for z/OS,
iSeries 400, Unix, OS/2 and Windows, as well as Oracle, Microsoft

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SQL Server, Informix and Sybase.

DB2 Extenders: Software that supports new DB2 data types. For example, DB2 XML Extender
enables defining, accessing, storing, and searching data stored using the XML

data type. See also Net Search Extender, Starburst.

DB2 Governor: A component of DB2 which sets a CPU limit on queries to prevent users hi-jacking a
machine. Also known as RLF (Resource Limit Facility).

DB2I: DB2 Interactive. z/OS ISPF techie’s tool providing interactive access to DB2.

DB2ICF: DB2 Integrity Control Facility. Programmer’s z/OS DB2 development tool running under
ISPF.

DB2 Intelligent Miner: See Intelligent Miner.

DB2 Parallel Edition for AIX: Version of DB2/6000 announced in April 1994 along with the
POWERparallel hardware. Decomposes complex queries into small parts which can

be run in parallel. Also allows updates, index creation, and backup and restore to be run in parallel.
Formerly known as DB2/6000 Parallel Edition. Replaced by DB2

Universal Database (UDB) December 1997.

DB2 PM: DB2 Performance Monitor. Performance monitor for DB2 Universal Database for z/OS
that produces all sorts of pretty colored pictures showing how much resource

both it and DB2 are consuming. Now part of a family called IBM Tools for Database Performance
Management. Other members include DB2 SQL Performance Analyzer, DB2 Query

Monitor, IMS Performance Analyzer and IMS Queue Control Facility.

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DB2 Server for VSE and VM: The very first DB2 implementation was on VM and VSE in the early
1980s. But it was known as SQL/DS. Curiously, despite several renamings,

it is now almost an orphan, being only one of two DB2 products not (yet?) given the Universal
Database (UDB) moniker (DB2 Everyplace is the other).

DB2 Solaris: Mid 1995 implementation of DB2 for Sun Solaris. Shares a common code base with
DB2/6000. Replaced by DB2 Universal Database.

DB2 Sort Assist: A standard feature of eserver zSeries 9000 that accelerates DB2 performance during
sorting. Sorting is very common when processing SQL queries. See

also Assist.

DB2 Text Extender: See Text Extender.

DB2 UDB: See DB2 Universal Database.

DB2 Ultralite: Cut down version of DB2/2 once intended as a competitor for the likes of Microsoft’s
Access and Borland’s Paradox in the OS/2 and Windows markets.

DB2 Universal Database: With the exception of z/VM, VSE/ESA and mobile/embedded platforms,
all DB2 implementations are known as DB2 Universal Database. Those

platforms include z/OS, AIX, HP-UX, Linux, OS/2, NUMA-Q, Sun Solaris, Windows and iSeries
400. There is also the Satellite Edition, which runs on occasionally-

connected remote systems running Windows. See also DB2, DB2 Server for VSE and VM, DB2
Everyplace.

DB2 Warehouse Manager: A set of tools to build, manage and access data warehouses built in z/OS
DB2 Universal Database. See also Data Warehouse Center.

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DB2WWW: DB2 World Wide Web Connection. First previewed June 1995, free software,
downloadable from the Internet, which allows users to access DB2 data via the

Internet using a web browser. Initially available for DB2 under AIX and OS/2, and promised for
MVS, VM, and AS/400. Versions for Windows NT, Solaris, and HP-UX were

announced mid 1996. A VM/ESA version was previewed in May 1997, two months after the same
product name was used for a CBT course for Internet application developers.

Nothing has been heard since.

DBA: DataBase Administrator. The person who is responsible for a database system.

DBCS: Double-Byte Character Set. Coding sets used for certain far-East languages, including
Japanese and Korean. cf. SBCS, MBCS.

DBCTL: DataBase ConTroL. z/OS facility which improves the interaction between subsystems
(notably IMS and CICS) and multiprocessor performance.

DBEDIT: DataBase EDIT. DB2 and SQL/DS editor, allegedly suitable for users without DP or
relational database experience. Withdrawn March 1997.

DBICF: IMS DataBase Integrity Control Facility. Set of inter-related programs and procedures,
originally written by Swiss Bank Corporation, for simplifying recovery

of IMS and CICS DL/I databases.

DBMAUI: DB2 Migration Aid Utility. Withdrawn January 1993.

DBMS: DataBase Management System. Generic term for a computer system, usually software-based,
for storing and accessing data. IBM’s DBMSs include DB2 and IMS1, but

not VSAM. Although VSAM has the ability to lookup records directly by key, it does not allow the
definition of fields, a key feature of a DBMS.

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DBPROTOTYPE II: Design/prototyping tool for designing IMS databases. Withdrawn January 1989.

DBRAD: DataBase Relational Application Directory – available as DBRAD/MVS and DBRAD/VM.

A crude data dictionary for DB2, announced with DB2 Release 3, which was

initially seen as a solution to the weaknesses of the DB2 Catalog. In fact, DBRAD was not a lot better
than the Catalog itself; it’s little more than a Catalog front

end which adds the ability to store and report data relationships, but is not a full data dictionary. Users
say it’s cumbersome and incomplete. DBRAD/MVS was withdrawn

January 1993. DBRAD/VM was not withdrawn until December 1997 in a purge of non-Y2K-
compliant software.

DBRC: DataBase Recovery Control. Originally an IMS tool for automating a large part of system
recovery, but now used by DB2 as well. DBRC maintains logs and generates

recovery job streams.

DBRM: DataBase Request Module. Dataset containing source SQL code created by the DB2 pre-
compiler. The SQL is removed from the source code of the program and replaced

by calls to DB2 modules. The DBRM entry is used as input to the bind processor to create a plan
which is stored with a time stamp in the database.

DBSYNC: A free IBM utility that compares two RACF databases and generates the RACF
commands to make them similar.

dbx: Debugger for Unix programs, available for AIX1 and z/OS Unix System Services. Provides
source-level debugging and services to debug C language programs in a

multi-threaded environment.

DC: Data Chaining.

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DCA: Document Content Architecture. Set of rules (machine-independent datastream) about

document formats, meanings of control characters, handling of non-text

material, etc. The objective of DCA is to enable any DCA hardware or software to receive and
interpret any DCA document in the same way. Now incorporated within

MO:DCA.

DCAF: Distributed Console Access Facility. OS/2 facility (June 1990) which uses LU6.2 to enable
an OS/2 workstation to control another DOS or OS/2 device across an

SNA or gatewayed TRN network. Can transmit files, dump, or re-boot remote file servers and
workstations. Works by receiving screens from, and controlling the keyboard

of, the remote machine. Sold for Help Desk type applications. Replaced by Tivoli Remote Control
July 1997.

DCB: Device Control Block. The control block used to tie an z/OS application program to a non-
VSAM dataset – the two are connected by the DDNAME.

DCC: Data Country Code. A 3-digit code used in X.25, as a unique country identifier.

DCE1: Data Control (sometimes Configuration, sometimes Circuit-terminating) Equipment. ITU-T

term defining the network end of a link on the user’s premises; the other

end is the DTE. A modem is a typical piece of DCE.

DCE2: Distributed Computing Environment. An attempt by the IBM-backed OSF to create an

independent standard for cooperative processing systems. Comprises standards

for distributed services (name and directory services, remote procedure calls, etc), and data sharing
services (distributed file system, PC integration, diskless

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operation). DCE was the basis of the CICS/6000 product. IMS support was announced in October
1993, AS/400 support in January 1994. By the middle of 1994, IBM had

worked itself up into a state of great enthusiasm for it, and before long DCE support seemed to be in
every IBM platform.

DCE Security Server: A component of SecureWay Security Server that is integrated with RACF and
provides a fully functional OSF DCE2 security server for z/OS Unix

System Services (USS).

DCF: Document Composition Facility. Mainframe text composition software consisting of a text
formatter (SCRIPT/VS) and an environment feature. Works with ATMS III,

DLF and PROFS, where it was one of the least liked features of the package (it was replaced by
DisplayWrite/370 within PROFS, and nobody liked that much either). The

emergence of CALS in the early 1990s gave DCF a new lease on life. Still supported in z/OS, z/VM
and VSE/ESA but there has not been a new release in over a decade.

DCI: Display Control Interface. Microsoft/Intel standard for multimedia and video software under
Windows.

DCLGEN: DB2 facility for creating COBOL or PL/I copybooks based on table definitions.

DCM1: Dynamic Channel Path Management.

DCM2: See Digital Certificate Manager.

DCME: Dynamic Cache Management Enhanced. DB2 facility introduced after Version 3.0 for
exploiting DASD cache controllers.

DCMF: Distributed Change Management Facility.

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DCollect: DFSMSdfp utility for collecting data storage usage information.

DCOM: Distributed COM. Obsolete since COM now supports both local and remote operation. See
also COM, COM+.

DCSS: DisContiguous Saved Segment. DCSS areas are bits of virtual storage in a z/VM system used
to hold a single copy of shared code. The objective is to improve

performance and reduce storage requirements.

DD1: See Data dictionary.

DD2: Data Definition. The MVS JCL statement used to associate a dataset with the application
program processing element (e.g., ACB, DCB). The DD statement is

characterized by its bewildering number of parameters with unusual spellings.

DDBMS: Distributed DBMS. Generic term for a database system in which the physical data is
distributed across different machines, but which presents a single database

image to the user – i.e., it provides location transparency. Technically it’s extremely difficult, and no
vendor has a complete solution. See DB2, DDF, DDM,

Distributed Unit Of Work, DRDA, QMF, Remote Unit of Work, Two-phase commit.

DDCS: Distributed Database Connection Services. Software which creates a transparent connection
between a client workstation application (DOS, Windows, OS/2) and a

DB2, SQL/DS, RS/6000, or AS/400 database server, allowing the client to read and update the
database on the server. DDCS was a key implementation of the DRDA

architecture. DDCS software was available from IBM for OS/2, AIX, HP-UX, and Sun Solaris.
Replaced by DB2 Connect September 1997.

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DDE: Dynamic Data Exchange. Method in Windows and OS/2 Presentation Manager of transferring
data in real time among applications. Supported in Easel. See also OLE.

DDF: Data Distribution Facility (also Distributed Data Facility). LU6.2 facility for getting DB2
databases to talk to one another.

DDL: Data Description/Definition Language. Generic term for a language used to describe data
elements and their relationships. Also used specifically to refer to the

part of SQL used for data definition.

DDLSw: See Desktop DLSw.

DDM: Distributed Data Management. A cross platform function using LU6.2 and APPC facilities to
network processes on one machine with data on another. In effect, it’s

a protocol for distributed file access. DDM is one of the base architectures for IBM’s distributed
database and was implemented in September 1990 on the mainframe,

having been available for many years prior on the AS/400, System 38 and System/38. Other platforms
followed. Today, it is still a key component of DRDA in DB2. See

also FTS1, DRDA.

DDN1: Defense Data Network. MILNET and several other United States Department of Defense
networks.

DDN2: Document Distribution Node. Network node with storage, processing, and communications
capabilities to attach and support workstations within a DIA network.

DDname: Data Definition Name.

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DDNS: Dynamic DNS.

DDOS: Distributed Denial of Service. Hacker technique of first secretly gaining remote access to a
large number of Internet-attached computers, then triggering all of

them to simultaneously flood a specified Web site with spurious traffic. The Web site is effectively
shut down.

DDP: Distributed Data Processing. Generic term for applications where the intelligence in the system
is not located at a single point or in a single device. Though

very popular in the late 1970s, the term has not been heard much since. Nonetheless, client/server is a
DDP architecture.

DDR: Dynamic Device Reconfiguration. z/OS facility for reconfiguring a broken device. Can be
used dynamically, i.e., without stopping the program using the device, or

shutting down the system.

DDS1: Document Distribution Services. Component of DIA supporting distribution, requesting, store
and forward, and delivery in a document distribution system. DDS can

function in a store and forward mode – that is the originator and receiver do not need to be connected
when the transmission of information is initiated.

DDS2: Database Definition Specification. Utility on the iSeries 400 for the development of display,
print, and database definition files. Offers similar facilities to

SQL.

DDS3: Data Definition Statement.

DDS4: Distributed Data Services. See StorePlace.

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DDV: Direct Document View. Obsolete 8100/DOSF feature enabling users to view a DISOSS
document without first having to retrieve it onto the 8100 system.

DEA: Data Encryption Algorithm. Public standard for data encryption. Used in IBM’s Integrated
Cryptographic Feature.

Dead Gateway Detection: An AIX networking function. IP multi-path routing with multiple gateways
where a failure of a gateway is detected and data is automatically

routed through alternate gateways.

Deadlock: A conflict in resource locking order between two requestors both wishing to update the
same resources. The simplest example is two programs both wishing to

lock the same rows in the same two tables at the same time. One locks the first table first and the other
locks the second table first. They will both wait forever for

the other to complete. The OS/400 Integrated File System, for example, has a deadlock detection
feature that helps diagnose applications with conflicting lock

ordering.

Debit-Credit: A transaction processing benchmark for OLTP systems. Developed by the Bank of
America and has become a de facto standard, although IBM shows little

enthusiasm for it, preferring its own RAMP-C measure. Unlike RAMP-C, Debit-Credit is a public
standard, but one which vendors treat with scant respect, and comparing

one set of Debit-Credit results with another is by no means straightforward. Debit-credit is now
largely out of fashion, replaced by the TPC’s benchmarks. See ET-1,

TPC, TP-1.

Debug: The human problem determination process for software. Literally, to remove bugs.

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Debugger: A tool for debugging.

Debug Tool: Debugger. An optional feature of many IBM compilers, such as IBM PL/I for z/OS and
z/VM where it is part of the Full-Function Feature.

DEC: Digital Equipment Corporation. Computer manufacturer founded in August 1957 by Kenneth
Olsen. During the eighties, DEC was a large pain in IBM’s corporate

derrière – its VAX line sold very well into IBM accounts, much to the jolly giant’s chagrin. By the
1990s, DEC was in just about as much trouble as IBM. In January

1998 DEC was sold to Compaq for $9.6 billion – the largest acquisition in the history of the computer
industry.

DECnet: DEC’s family of network products based around Ethernet.

Decode: Translating an encoded object back to its original form.

Decryption: Converting cipher text to plain text.

DEDALE: Expert system for analog circuit diagnosis. IBM research project.

DEDB: Data Entry DataBase.

Dedicated Token Ring: 32Mbps Full Duplex Token Ring technology on new adapters and on certain
Token Ring switches. See also Token Ring Network.

Deep Blue: The 1.4 tonne, chess playing IBM RS/6000 SP that finally beat chess grand master Gary
Kasparov in New York in May 1997. IBM’s RS/6000 SP, with its 32 P2S3

microprocessors and 512 dedicated chess processors, with the ability to assess 200 million possible
moves per second, beat Kasparov in a six game contest. IBM

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considers the RS/6000 SP as having application for pharmaceutical drug development, molecular
dynamics, and financial risk assessment.

Deep Thought: An IBM chess playing machine which was the first artificial intelligence machine to
be granted Grand Master status in the chess world in 1983. It was

the precursor to Deep Blue, the RS/6000 SP which eventually beat Grand Master Gary Kasparov in
May 1997.

De facto: Actual, not rightful according to the dictionary. Used to describe standards such as SNA,
the mainframe architecture, and the PC, which dominate the market,

usually to the detriment of the rightful (de jure) standards such as OSI.

Default group: The group specified in the RACF user profile that becomes the current connect group
unless another group is specified at logon.

Defragmentation: The use of a software utility to improve access and retrieval time by rewriting
fragmented data to contiguous sectors of a computer storage medium.

Delegation: Giving groups or users the authority to use some security administrator functions of
RACF.

Delivery Manager: IBM SystemView product (also known as SAA Delivery Manager) announced
September 1990. Enables software and data to be delivered to networked OS/2

workstations from an MVS or VM host, and between hosts. Can be driven centrally or remotely.
AConnS is a prerequisite. January 1992, CICS and PC-DOS support added.

Withdrawn December 1993.

Delta disk: The virtual disk in VM that holds temporary program fixes.

DEN: Directory Enable Network. See DMTF.

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Dependent LU: See DLU.

Dependent workstation: Old IBMspeak for MFI workstation (dumb terminals). Preferred to MFI in
the UK, where MFI is the name of a large chain of stores purveying low-

price furniture.

DEQ: See Dequeue.

Dequeue: The removal of a named entry from an z/OS system resource queue in which it has been
enqueued (see Enqueue). Also known as DEQ.

DES: Data Encryption Standard. Originally developed by IBM in 1971, now an NIST standard first
published in 1977. A block cipher that encrypts 64 bits at a time using

a symmetric algorithm. Supported by IBM in z/VM passwords, the Common Cryptographic

Architecture, RACF, and ICRF.

Design Center for e-transaction Processing: Project teams pulled together from across IBM to help
large companies build comprehensive e-business environments with IBM

servers, software and services, and integrate their business processes with that new environment they
just built. Began July 1999, with a dedicated facility in

Poughkeepsie, New York in March 2000, a second and third soon after in Montpellier, France and
Makuhari, Japan.

DeskStar: Version of the UltraStar disk drive for use in desktop PCs.

Desktop DLSw: A scheme whereby SNA/APPN traffic is encapsulated within TCP/IP packets right
at its source (e.g., PC/workstation) even before it reaches the LAN. Only

justifiable in dial-in scenarios for mobile-users.

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DET: Device Entry Table.

Developer Network: A service for people building applications around Lotus products. Includes a
technical forum, expanded knowledge base, tools and newsletter.

Developmate: Business modeling and prototyping tool announced along with AD/Cycle in
September 1989 to run in MVS+OS/2 environments. Defines a business’s processes

and data in terms of entity-relationship models stored in a Repository. An analyst’s, not a

programmer’s tool. Withdrawn July 1994.

Device driver: The code needed by a computer to allow it to interface with an attached I/O device.

Device Level Select: Feature first introduced on 3380D/E that lets any two devices in a two path
string read or write data simultaneously. DLS Enhanced was introduced

with the 3380J/K, expanding DLS to four data paths. See also Dual porting.

Device pool: A group of similar devices that can be shared by a group of users.

DFC: Data Flow Control. SNA layer (number 5) defining protocols for managing LU-LU data flows.

DFDS: Data Facility Device Support. Venerable software product for supporting various devices –
mainly DASD. Withdrawn December 1991.

DFDSM: Data Facility Distributed Storage Manager. Became ADSM then Tivoli Storage Manager.

DFDSS: Data Facility DataSet Services. Renamed DFSMSdss.

DFEF: Data Facility Extended Function. MVS software now integrated into DFSMSdfp.

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DFHSM: Data Facility Hierarchical Storage Manager. Renamed DFSMShsm.

DFP1: Data Facility Product. Renamed DFSMSdfp.

DFP2: Dynamic Feedback Protocol.

DFS: Distributed File System. Runs on DCE2 to provide a single, shared file space for all authorized
users from all possible locations across different platforms.

Supports replication, providing high availability by placing multiple geographically-dispersed copies

of files and applications. File names and paths are location-

independent so that files can be relocated without renaming. Caching stores the most commonly used
files close to the workstation that is using them. Available for

AIX. Supported as Distributed File Service (DFS/SMB) in z/OS.

DFSMS: Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem. An element of z/OS and also available for
z/VM, as DFSMS/VM. But it began life February 15, 1988, as an IBM term

for its then-new approach to data management: the notion that you will no longer need armies of
systems programmers and data administrators to look after your data –

you simply tell the system about the storage, backup, performance and other requirements of the data,
and the system does the rest for you. Then some bright boy in IBM

mainframe software management realized that the company could save a bundle of money by
packaging related software together, thereby avoiding the need to test every

possible combination of supported version/release of each product together. He named his guinea pig
DFSMS/MVS and it was announced May 19, 1992. It combined and

replaced MVS/DFP1, DFHSM, DFDSS and TLCS, as they had been previously known, renaming
them DFSMSdfp, DFSMShsm, DFSMSdss and DFSMSrmm. The bundling concept worked so

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well that it was tried on a much grander scale: OS/390, a bundling of MVS/ESA and many systems
software products. z/OS continued the tradition, with DFSMS as a

component.

DFSMS/VM: Data Facility Storage Management Subsystem/VM. z/VM version of z/OS DFSMS,
providing SMS1 space management for SFS and mini-disk files, including migration

and management classes. ISMF is also included, along with 3495 tape library support. But, when first
announced in October 1989, there was lots of marketing hype but

not a lot of product substance. It was little more than a utility with an ISMF interface for speeding
DASD conversions, and managing mini-disks. Things got better by

mid 1992 with space management for SFS files, FBA support and 9348 tape support under VM/ESA.
Today it is a component of z/VM.

DFSMSdfp: DFSMS Data Facility Product. A component of z/OS DFSMS that provides functions
for storage, data, program, and device management, in conjunction with

distributed data access. Enables the definition of the services to be assigned to new datasets. Handles
catalog management and access methods. Formerly a separate

product known as DFP.

DFSMSdss: DFSMS DataSet Services. An optional, separately priced feature of z/OS DFSMS that
handles device migration, copy, space management, and dump/restore. It

also converts existing data between non-SMS and SMS volumes, and provides an interface for storage
administrators (ISMF). Formerly a separate product known as DFDSS

(Data Facility DataSet Services).

DFSMShsm: DFSMS Hierarchical Storage Manager. An optional, separately priced feature of z/OS
DFSMS known mainly for its uncanny ability to migrate your datasets to

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tape just before you next need to use them. In fact, hsm is a sophisticated automated system for both
backup and hierarchical storage management. It includes an ISPF

interface for end users who wish to migrate, recall, backup or recover individual datasets, or to
override the default migration and/or backup parameters. The

hierarchy being referred to is flexible, but most installations define so that Level 0 is standard disk
storage, Level 1 is compressed disk storage and Level 2 is

tape. Datasets have to be recalled to Level 0 before they can actually be read or written. hsm also
includes a disaster recovery feature known as ABARS. Originally

introduced in the early 1980s as a separate product known simply as HSM, then later renamed
DFHSM (Data Facility Hierarchical Storage Manager), before becoming the

DFSMShsm component of DFSMS/MVS (now just DFSMS) in May 1992.

DFSMSrmm: DFSMS Removable Media Manager. Initially, as TLCS, it was a rather unpopular tape
library management system. A major revamping and inclusion in DFSMS/MVS

(now just DFSMS, a component of z/OS) when it was announced in May 1992 saw customers
flocking to it, most from supposedly enternched non-IBM tape library management

products. Its goal was to integrate the system managed storage principles of DFSMS into all
removable media, most notably tape and optical. Manages shelves and media

storage as well as the media volumes themselves. An optional, separately priced feature of z/OS
DFSMS.

DFSORT: Data Facility Sort. An optional, separately priced feature of z/OS, it began its life as the
venerable Sort/Merge of the original System/360 OS/360 and

DOS/360 operating systems, back in the days when software was free and hardware was what you
paid for. It had a reputation for sluggishness, but it was hard to compete

with free. Nonetheless, given how much sorting is involved in business batch data processing,
competitive sort/merge packages were one of the first software products

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to hit the market. At one time, SyncSort had over 70% of the market. Computer Associates was
founded with an acquired sort/merge package as its first product. Until

the 1990s, DFSORT was dogged with performance problems, but started to shake them as each new
release bested SyncSort in benchmarks and in-house tests. SyncSort, of

course, would then come out with a new release that beat DFSORT. Beyond sorting, DFSORT has
become a major utility in its own right, especially with the addition of

ICETOOL. See also DFSORT/VSE, DFSORT/CMS.

DFSORT/CMS: Data Facility Sort/Conversational Monitor System. The z/VM implementation of

DFSORT. Announced February 1988, but no new releases announced since Version

2 in September 1990. Still marketed and still supported. Replaced DOS/VS-VM/SP Sort/Merge.

DFSORT/VSE: Data Facility Sort/VSE. Announced September 1994 as Version 3, replacing Version
2 of DOS/VS-VM/SP Sort/Merge, DFSORT/VSE has evolved into a close match

to the z/OS implementation of DFSORT.

DFT: Distributed Function Terminal. A mode of operation used in a 3274/3174 controller where the
device LU logic is maintained in the (intelligent) terminal

downstream of the controller. In this mode the terminal can manage more than one session with the
host. The controller has a much more passive role when DFT is in use.

DFT allows terminals to communicate using the LU6.2 protocols, and is likely to replace the CUT
protocol in the long term. Used by the 3290 and IBM PC when attached to

a 3274 in DFT mode.

DFU: Data File Utility. iSeries 400 utility for developing simple data maintenance systems (query,
file maintenance, etc). A System/36 leftover that is now part of

ADTS.

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DFW: See DASD Fast Write.

DH: See Diffie-Hellman algorithm.

DHCF: Distributed Host Command Facility. Feature supporting SNA network management for
System/3x, AS/400 and iSeries 400. System/36 DHCF provides access to System/36

applications from 3270 terminals on a mainframe host.

DHCP: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. A protocol defined by the IETF for dynamically
assigning (on demand) IP addresses to computers in a network.

Dhrystone: A measure of machine performance for compute-intensive applications. Roughly, 1757

Dhrystones/second is 1 MIPS.

DHTML: Dynamic HTML. A synergistic combination of HTML, style sheets, and JavaScripts that
exploit the newest capabilities in Version 4 (and above) Web browsers, to

allow the development of animated and interactive Web pages.

DIA: Document Interchange (Interface) Architecture. The set of standards and rules (part of SAA
CCS1) for sending documents around IBM computer systems – the

electronic envelope. DIA is implemented as a set of SNA communications programs – IBM would
like all DIA to use LU6.2, but for compatibility LU2 is also supported.

DIAL-IBM: Direct Information and Assistance Link to IBM. Telephone link to an IBM database to
enable IBM to shift more iron. Defunct.

Dialog Manager1: Application announced May 1989 for creating CUA1 compliant systems on the
PS/2. Obsolete.

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Dialog Manager2: Term often used to refer to ISPF, as opposed to its PDF1 component.

Dial-up: See Switched line.

Dial-up line: See Switched line.

Dictionary Model Transformer: See DMT.

DIDOCS: Device Independent Display Operator Console.

DIF1: Document Interchange Facility. IBM program which provided a link between DCF/DLF and
DOSF/8100 terminals. Ran on mainframes and the 8100. Obsolete.

DIF2: Data Interchange Format. A standard format (developed by Software Arts in the US) for
interchange of ASCII data. Became a de facto standard for interchange of

data between PCs – most spreadsheet and several database packages can read DIF files. Obsolete.

DIF3: Display Information Facility. Rudimentary application generator and query system on the
System/38. Obsolete.

Diffie-Hellman algorithm: A public key algorithm used for secure key exchange.

DiffServ: Differentiated Services. A Quality of Service (QoS) function of OS/400.

Digital certificate: In the SET architecture, a digital document containing the certificate owner’s
public key and a digital signature. The certificate authenticates

the identity of the owner because it is issued by a certification authority.

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Digital Certificate Manager: OS/400 software with SSL that supports X.509 certificates and Global
Server Certificates for HTTP, LDAP, telnet and client access

servers, DDM, DRDA, Management Central and Operations Navigator.

Digital envelope: In the SET architecture, this is a unit of encrypted data and the encryption key.

Digital Equipment Corporation: See DEC.

Digital Library: Replaced by Content Manager for Multiplatforms.

Digital Research: Microcomputer software company which failed to build on the success of its CP/M,
the first successful microcomputer operating system. The story,

still shrouded in controversy to this day, is that the DR bigwigs were out when IBM called in the early
1980s to ask DR to develop an operating system for IBM’s new

PC. Unused to being treated with such scant respect, the IBM executives stomped off in a huff to
Microsoft, where, ten years later they found they were treated with

even less respect. In 1991, DR was taken over by Novell.

Digital signature: In the SET architecture, a digital string used to authenticate the message it is
attached to, verify that it has not been tampered and, optionally,

identify the sender.

DIM: Data In Memory. The principle of always holding as much data as possible in the main
memory of the computer – or at least as high up the data storage hierarchy

as possible. When the idea was first floated by IBM in the late 1980s, many a Technical Support
manager dreamed of buying enough memory to store his primary DB2

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databases totally in memory. And DIM proved itself quickly in Hiperbatch and CICS with customers
reporting throughput improvements of over 60%. See also Memory-based

computing.

Dinosaur1: Unflattering terminology for old minicomputers and mainframes. Many mainframe
enthusiasts have embraced the term, pointing out that dinosaurs survived for

150 million years. There is even a Dinos Web ring linking Internet sites covering mainframe topics.

Dinosaur2: IBMspeak for a conservative user with a closed mind. See Zipperhead.

Dinosaur mating: A derogatory industry term to describe the process of big iron mergers in the 1960s
and 1970s. In the 1960s the main players in the computer industry

were IBM and the Seven Dwarves, the Dwarves being Burroughs, Control Data, General Electric,
Honeywell, NCR, RCA, and Univac. After the loss of GE and RCA the Seven

Dwarves metamorphosed into the BUNCH (Burroughs, Univac, NCR, Control Data, and Honeywell).
Further mergers and sell outs left the marketplace unrecognizable. See

Dinosaur1, BUNCH, Seven Dwarves.

DIOF: Display Input/Output Facility. Full-screen (3270) I/O facility for z/VM. Also known as
IOS3270.

DIP: Document Image Processing. Generic term for systems and equipment which create and store
images, usually of correspondence and documents. See 389x, 3117-9,

ImagEdit, ImagePlus.

Directed command: A RACF command specifying AT or ONLYAT, issued from a user ID on an

RRSF node.

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Director: IBM Director with UM Services. See NetFinity.

Directory Audit: An AIX directory server security audit log facility that includes a time stamp and
BindDN in each log record. Audit plug-in support allows any

application, such as a centralized audit package, to receive the audit data and filter to incorporate with
other audit information.

Directory-based Resolvers: Name resolver routines have been enhanced to include resolving
hostnames through an LDAP server

Directory server: APPN network node which serves as a repository for information about where
things are in a network. Directory servers help to focus APPN network

searches and limit the number of network-wide (broadcast) searches.

Directory services: Generic name for the network control element which contains a directory of the
names and addresses of all the network elements and the translation

tables to turn a partial address (e.g., a name) into a full address. Within traditional SNA, directory
services are provided by VTAM in the SSCP; in APPN and more

distributed network architectures, the directory services may be distributed around the network in
directory servers. See also X.500.

Direct Route/2: OS/2 voice/data application which intercepts incoming telephone calls, and brings
the caller’s details up on the operator’s screen by the first ring

of the telephone. The system was developed by IBM in conjunction with a US electricity company.
Usable only with Nortel exchanges. Not a terribly important product in

its day – CallPath was the key voice/data offering. Obsolete. See also DirectTalk.

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DirectTalk: CallPath and Direct Route/2 facility announced July 1991 which runs on RS/6000 and
PS/2, and enables the user to access spoken information from a standard

telephone. The message sent to the caller is either pre-recorded or created by speech synthesis. Long-
term replacement for the 9270/4.

Direct Window Access: Beginning with AIX 5L, OpenGL on POWER GXT4000P and GXT6000P
graphics adapters supports 64-bit Direct Window Access (DWA). Intended to boost

performance for 64-bit OpenGL applications by allowing them to render using the OpenGL protocol
directly, rather than going through the Xserver and GLX Extension.

DirMaint: Directory Maintenance. A z/VM CMS subsystem used to maintain the VM directory. User
IDs and their private mini-disk can be defined with DirMaint commands.

DIS1: Direct Information Services. On-line catalog of all IBM products and services. Available
through IBM’s INS service. Defunct.

DIS2: Data Interpretation System. Workstation tool (data access, analysis, presentation, etc of
EIS/DSS-type data), based on the Metaphor user interface. From April

1993 DIS was sold only under Metaphor’s name, not IBM’s. And IBM stopped marketing it
altogether in October 1994. Metaphor stopped marketing the product at some point

after that.

Disaster Recovery Manager: An optional feature of ADSM. Replaced by Tivoli Disaster Recovery
Manager.

Disaster Recovery Plan: A documented set of procedures to be used in the event of a major computer
outage.

Discontinuous Binary: A date format used in some mainframe systems.

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Discount: For years it was beneath IBM’s dignity to join in the hurly-burly of the marketplace with
anything quite as vulgar as discounts. These days, times are

tough, things are different, and the IBM salesman slugs it out with the rest of them – see ASGO,
DSLO, GIO, HESC, Market basket, OSTA, SCO2, Special bid, TSP, VLA,

VPA, VWA.

Discovery: The ability of software to determine the existence and identity of hardware or software,
typically on a network, but arguably also on a workstation in the

way that Windows operating systems fill the screen with those annoying Found New Hardware dialog
boxes.

Discovery Server: Lotus Discovery Server. Extracts, analyzes and categorizes structured and
unstructured information, attempting to determine the relationship between

the content, people, topics and user activity within an organization. It will automatically generate and
maintain a Knowledge Map (K-map) to display relevant content

categories. Originally part of the Lotus Knowledge Discovery System, which also includes K-station.
Version 1.1, announced October 2001, became a stand-alone product.

Discrete profile: A resource profile that provides RACF protection for a single resource.

Discretionary access control: The resource owner defines who can access the resource.

Disk array: Generic term for a disk drive made up of a large number of small platters and heads.
Compared with traditional DASD design, the technology offers the

potential for better performance (the smaller disks spin faster, and the head has less distance to travel),
a high degree of fault tolerance, and the ability to use

techniques such as disk striping (although, the performance improvement is small in practice). The
first disk array that IBM produced was part of the Super Computing

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Systems Extensions (see SCSE, 9570); there are now RAID disks for all IBM platforms, and IBM is
committed to a strategy of using arrays as the basis of all its disk

products. The technique is also known by the generic term Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks
(see RAID for further details). See also 9337, Iceberg, RAMAC2.

Disk striping: Technique for very high-speed data access from multi-platter DASD. Data is stored
one bit on each platter, and all data bits are accessed in parallel

(a bit like early drums). See also File striping.

DISOSS: DIStributed Office Support System. At one time the principal IBM mainframe system for
office automation. Was the first strategic implementation of DIA/DCA on

a mainframe. Runs on z/OS under CICS. Although it was strategic for some time, DISOSS is now just
another bit of system software which provides three functions for

connecting incompatible systems – e-mail, text database, protocol/format translation. Obsolete.

DISOSS/PS: DISOSS Professional System. Obsolete.

Display PostScript: Screen writing version of Adobe’s PostScript language. Originally a feature of
the AIXwindows user interface, it was announced as a separate

product July 1994: IBM AIXwindows Display PostScript (AIX DPS). Withdrawn July 1997 after
support ended December 1996 with the suggestion that Adobe might have a

replacement.

Display Technologies: Joint venture formed between Toshiba and IBM in 1989 to build large liquid-
crystal color displays. The partnership ended in August 2001, each

company absorbing portions of DTI.

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DisplayWrite: Family of IBM word processor software originally for the PC, PS/2, System/3x, and
mainframe (including DPPX/370). The OS/2 and PC-DOS versions were

withdrawn in May 1995, although support had already ended in December 1992. Support ended for
the VSE/ESA version March 2002. The z/OS and z/VM versions of

DisplayWrite/370 are still available.

DisplayWrite Composer: Text layout tool designed for use with DisplayWrite under OS/2 and, since
October 1990, DOS. Withdrawn September 1992.

Displaywriter: Defunct IBM stand-alone word processor and desktop micro. The announcement of
DisplayWrite software for the PC, System/36, and mainframe was the kiss

of death for the hardware, and the apotheosis of the software.

Distributed: Distributed systems are those that run on a collection of separate computers, with each
computer performing part of the overall workload. See also DDP.

Distributed Debugger: A GUI for debugging programs, found on many platforms, for many
programming languages, in many IBM products. Including C/C++ Productivity Tools,

where it runs on Windows NT/2000/XP workstations, working with IBM Debug Tool to source level
debug z/OS C and C++ programs running in TSO, batch, CICS, IMS, DB2, Unix

System Services and WebSphere. It can even debug multi-threaded and multi-process C/C++
applications. Distributed Debugger is also a part of the CODE component of

WebSphere Development Tools for iSeries. It can also be found in VisualAge for Java Enterprise
Edition. And WebSphere Application Server Advanced Edition. There is

also an AIX version that runs on Windows NT/2000/XP workstations.

Distributed File System: See DFS.

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Distributed Key Management System: Security management software from IBM that provides central
management of encryption keys.

Distributed Security Manager: Family of security administration programs first mooted in September
1994. Available February 1996, initially on z/OS with an OS/2

workstation GUI. An AIX version was previewed October 1995. In 1997, both products were
withdrawn and absorbed by Tivoli, eventually becoming part of Tivoli SecureWay

Security Manager.

Distributed Unit Of Work: A distributed unit of work is a group of SQL statements, accessing data
that may be situated at multiple physical locations, which would

need to be rolled back as a group if any single statement in the group could not be executed. Each
SQL request in the DUOW can access only one system. The DUOW is the

basic recovery unit where SQL originated on one machine accesses a database on a number of other
machines. Supported in DB2 with effect from March 1993. See also

Remote Unit of Work.

DITTO: Data Interfile Transfer, Testing and Operations. Venerable VSE/ESA, z/VM and z/OS utility
for tape, card, and disk devices, and OAM objects. Allows the user to

browse, copy, print, update, and create files. Runs interactively, in batch and callable from REXX.
Still alive and well, and currently known as DITTO/ESA for all

three platforms.

DIU: Document/Distribution Interchange Unit. The unit of interchange within the DIA architecture.

DIV: Data In Virtual. A z/OS technique for holding specific types of data, such as VSAM linear
datasets, permanently in virtual memory. See also DIM, Memory-based

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computing.

DIVE: Direct Interactive Video Extension. A set of APIs within OS/2.

DKMS: See Distributed Key Management System.

DL/I: Data Language/I. The I is the Roman numeral one. The data manipulation language within IMS
DB. DL/I is also the product name for IBM’s VSE/ESA implementation of

IMS DB.

DL/I transparency: The ability to process relational data through DL/I calls in an application. DL/I
transparency enables existing applications to be run using the

new database. cf. SQL transparency.

DLC: Data Link Control. The rules (protocol) used by nodes on a network connection (data link) to
communicate with each other. See also GDLC.

DLF: Document Library Facility. Library facility for storing text. DLF includes security, user types
etc. Input data can be from user systems, DOSF, ATMS III, DCF,

etc. Text is stored in VSAM files. Runs in batch on z/OS and VSE/ESA. It does not run directly in
z/VM, but can run on a z/OS or VSE/ESA guest, handling text edited in

CMS1.

DLL: See Dynamic Link Library.

DLPI: Data Link Protocol Interface.

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DLR: DOS LAN Requester. Component of the OS/2 LAN Server which provides LAN connectivity
to PC-DOS clients.

DLRPL: Dump/Load/Restart Parameter List.

DLS1: Document/DISOSS Library Services. Component of DIA supporting the storage and retrieval
of information. Replaced by DLS-E1.

DLS2: See Device Level Select.

DLS3: Data Link Switching (aka DLSw). Technique introduced in the 6611 router early 1993 for
transporting SNA, APPN, and NetBIOS traffic through a multiprotocol

network as efficiently as possible without affecting the end-system applications. Works by

encapsulating data within a TCP/IP datagram. Supported in the 6611, 2210,

and many non-IBM products, and more or less an industry standard.

DLS-E1: Document/DISOSS Library Services – Enhanced. Program offering which provided some
add-on features to DLS1 (more tools, wider access, more administrative

services). Withdrawn June 1998.

DLS-E2: Device Level Selection – Enhanced, aka DLSE. Provides four independent and
simultaneous data transfer paths to a single mainframe DASD string.

DLSw: Data Link Switching. See DLS3.

DLU: Dependent Logical Unit. SNA logical units which require the presence of an SSCP – LU0,
LU1, LU2, LU3. DLUs are the most commonly used type of LU in legacy

networks, and some way of handling them will be necessary when the world switches from Subarea
SNA to APPN.

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DLUS/DLUR: Dependent LU Server/Requestor. A technique for allowing traditional SNA traffic

(including 3270) to be routed in APPN, and to share some of the advantages

of APPN – dynamic multi-hop routing and resource allocation, and simplified host configuration.
Transparent to dependent devices and applications.

DM/VSE: Document Management VSE. A little known product supporting document management in
the VSE environment. Replaced by VSE Office Offering May 1990.

DM1: Distribution Management. The name for the combination of the DSX host and DSNX node
products providing host management for the distribution of software, updates,

listings etc to remote System/3x nodes. Now part of Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager.

DM2: Database Manager. The relational DBMS within OS/2 Extended Edition. Replaced by DB2
Universal Database for OS/2.

DM3: See Dialog Manager2.

DMA: Direct Memory Access. Generic term for a hardware feature for transferring data between
memory and I/O units without processor intervention.

DMAPI: Data Management Application Programming.

DME: Distributed Management Environment. The part of the OSF specification which provides the
architecture for vendor-neutral distributed systems. Includes AIX’s

System Resource Controller, and IBM database technology.

DMI: Desktop Management Interface. A protocol-independent set of APIs produced by the Desktop
Management Task Force (DMTF).

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DMIG: Data Management Interfaces Group. Group of vendors – including IBM, HP, Transarc,
Unisys – set up mid 1993 to define and promote specifications for Unix systems

administration and storage management technologies. Disbanded.

DML: Data Manipulation Language. The part of SQL used for data manipulation.

DMM: Tivoli Data Message Manager. See Tivoli Data Exchange.

DMS/CMS: Display Management System/CMS. Old and much-loved z/VM system for generating
screens. Still available.

DMS1: Development Management System. Defunct 8100/DPPX and mainframe application

development system. Not well-loved and was replaced by CSP – which nobody seems to

like very much either.

DMS2: Delegated Management Services.

DMT: Dictionary Model Transformer. Product for transferring information from the IMS1 Data
Dictionary to Repository Manager/MVS. Defunct.

DMTF: Desktop Management Task Force, Inc. Huge group of vendors and educational institutes
worldwide, which is developing management standards for distributed

desktop, network, enterprise and Internet environments. Board members include IBM, Compaq, HP,
3Com, BMC, Cisco, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, NEC, Novell, Sun and Symantec.

Standards include the Common Information Model (CIM), Desktop Management Interface (DMI),
Directory Enabled Network (DEN), Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM),

Alert Standard Format (ASF).

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DNA1: Digital Network Architecture. DEC’s answer to SNA. Comprises all of DEC’s networking
products – DECnet, DECnet/SNA Gateway, communications servers, etc.

DNA2: Microsoft’s Distributed iNternet Architecture, announced in 1997. The acronym was
contrived to match human DNA. DNA 2000 announced in 1999.

DNA 2000: A revised version of DNA2, announced in 1999.

DNS: Domain Name System. The distributed database system (directory) used to map domain names
to IP addresses.

DOA: Dead on arrival. Popularized by IBM’s early ThinkPads with their high initial failure rate out
of the box.

Doctor DOS: Another name for DR-DOS.

Document Object Model: See DOM.

Document Search/400: Full text retrieval system for the AS/400. Designed to work with ImagePlus
and OfficeVision. Supports WAF. Obsolete.

DOLS: Domino Offline Services.

DOM: Document Object Model. An object hierarchy used by DHTML scripts and supported by
HTML 4.0.

Domain1: An SNA domain is the set of resources owned by a host SSCP, including the PU1s, LUs,
links, link stations, and all the bits and pieces that the SSCP can

control. It is assigned by a system programmer.

Domain2: A group of servers in an OS/2 LAN Server network.

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Dominion Semiconductor: An equally-owned, joint venture between IBM and Toshiba that aimed to
produce advanced microchips for computers and other products. The

Dominion plant in Manassas, Virginia started operations in September 1997 with mass production of
64-megabit DRAMs. Toshiba bought IBM’s 50% share in December 2000.

Domino: Web server technology from Lotus (June 1996), which allows browsers to interact with
Notes and access Notes databases. An important milestone in

groupware/intranet integration, Domino quickly took over the groupware server role from Notes,
which has effectively been relegated to a client system. Products

include Domino Application Server Domino Application Studio Domino Designer Domino Enterprise
Server Domino Extended Search Domino Global Workbench Domino Mail Server

Domino Offline Services Domino Workflow Domino.Doc

Domino.Action: Intranet creation and management tool, from Lotus, powered by the Domino Server.
Includes the SiteCreator and Domino.Applications modules. The modules

are template-based software for the creation of customizable homepages, discussion databases,
whitepaper databases, FAQs, etc. Obsolete.

Domino Designer: A Lotus integrated development environment for Domino applications.

Domino Everyplace: A family of products that provides access to mobile devices, such as PDAs, cell
phones, pagers. Includes Domino Everyplace Access, Domino

Everyplace Enterprise and Domino Everyplace SMS.

Domino Go Webserver: Lotus Domino Go Webserver for OS/390. Web security and e-commerce
software for z/OS. Announced October 1997.

DOR: Data Owning Region in a CICS environment.

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Dormant: Under z/VM, a dormant state occurs when the active pages of a virtual machine have been
paged out.

DOS/VS COBOL: As the name implies, a COBOL compiler originally released in the 1970s, in the
days of DOS/VS. Replaced March 1997 by IBM COBOL for VSE and Language

Environment (LE) for VSE.

DOS1: Historically, DOS/360 was developed in a hurry for smaller System/360 mainframes after
OS/360 developers discovered that they had created a monster too large

for the low-end models. DOS/360 became DOS/VS, DOS/VSE then VSE/ESA, as it remains today. In
the early 1980s, a simplified, though limited, version of DOS/VSE was

known as SSX/VSE, which prompted the reference to VSE, and saw the dropping of DOS, speeded,
no doubt, by the other DOS, from Microsoft. VSE/ESA is still alive and

well today, despite several near-death experiences over the years. See also VSE1.

DOS2: Generic term for PC-DOS, MS-DOS, and Novell-DOS (DR-DOS).

DOS3: Denial of Service. See DDOS.

DOS box: Facility of early OS/2 (also known as the DOS compatibility box) enabling users to run
PC-DOS as an application under OS/2.

DOSF: Distributed Office Support Facility. Defunct 8100/DPCX software which provides shared
facility word processing/office automation (OA) system, with mainframe

communications capability. At one time DOSF with DISOSS was going to see IBM OA users into the
21st century (it didn’t!!).

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Dotted decimal notation: The method of representing an IP address. The 4 bytes of the address are
written as four decimal numbers separated by dots, e.g.,

9.48.33.417.

Double-Byte Character Set: See DBCS.

Down and out: Once popular name for a DP manager who downsizes to a smaller machine and then
outsources his information systems to a facilities management company,

thereby saving his employer money but destroying his career in the process. Down and outs can often
be spotted on park benches and at industry conferences, muttering

about the relative price/performance of mainframes and workstations.

Download: The transfer of data from a computer to a connected device, such as a personal computer
or workstation. cf. upload.

Downsizing: The philosophy of moving a computing task off a big machine and onto a little one
(e.g., from a mainframe to an iSeries 400, Unix or Windows environment).

The benefit is that processor cycles are apparently cheaper on smaller machines; the drawback is that
you almost inevitably reduce data integrity, security, database

access, and all the good things that mainframes and professional DP do so well. Admittedly, the rest
of the world has made some efforts to catch up over the years. See

also Re-hosting.

Downstream: The direction of data flow from the host to the user. Downstream can provide an
indication of the location of devices and lines.

Downstream PU: A remote SNA node supported at the data center by an SNA gateway of some sort.
Mainly used to refer to LAN-attached devices supported by SNA-LAN

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Gateways (e.g., NetWare for SAA).

DPA1: Document Printing Application. An OSI standard which allows electronic documents to be
sent to shared dispersed printers in the distributed open systems

environment.

DPA2: Dynamic Paging Area.

dpAM: DP Accounting Manager. Software which collects chargeback data into an Enterprise
Performance Data Manager/MVS database. Withdrawn December 1997.

DPCX: Distributed Processing Control eXecutive. Defunct 8100 operating system for high-
performance interactive processing and support of text processing (DOSF); a

hangover from the 3790. Based on highly centralized concepts, largely incompatible with, and even
more obsolescent than DPPX.

DPD: Data Processing Division. Many years ago, DPD was the part of IBM responsible for
marketing and supporting IBM mainframe systems and certain other products

(e.g., 8100). DPD, OPD (Office Products Division), and GSD (General Systems Division) each had
responsibility for product development, and this split contributed to

IBM’s overlapping and incompatible product range for which SAA was to be the panacea.

DPL: Distributed Program Link. CICS facility which simplifies the creation of distributed
applications among CICS systems. Allows a CICS client program to call a CICS

server program in another CICS region or system. Can also be used instead of, or to reduce the use of,
MRO/ISC1.

DPMI: DOS Protected Mode Interface. A technique used in MS-DOS to access more memory than
the 640KB it was originally designed around.

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DPN: Destination Program Name.

DPPX: Distributed Processing Programming eXecutive. 8100 operating system optimized for general
purpose transaction processing. Although the 8100 was long gone,

DPPX/370 was not withdrawn until June 1997.

DPPX/370: Version of the DPPX operating system which ran on the 9370 and low-end ES/9000s
(models 120-170). Not a terribly important product – just a way of squeezing

the last drop out of the 8100 user base (Preserving customer investment in IBMspeak). It was still
going in April 1992, when APPC was added. Finally withdrawn June

1997.

DPR: Dynamic Path Reconnect. z/OS feature enabling data transfers to/from DASD to be completed
on the first available path.

DPROP: See Data Propagator.

DPS: Distributed Presentation Services. Obsolete 8100/DPPX screen management product.

DRAM: Dynamic Random Access Memory. A commonly-used memory chip technology that used
capacitors to store electrical charges. Dynamic indicates that the capacitors

eventually lose their charge, and must be regularly refreshed. See also SDRAM, SRAM.

DrawMaster: Venerable line drawing package for VM1/APL/GDDM environments. Withdrawn April
1993.

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DRDA: Distributed Relational Database Architecture. The agglomeration of bits and pieces of
communications supporting distributed databases in the IBM world announced

July 1990. DRDA has since become an Open Group Technical Standard and there is widespread
software support for DRDA in the vendor community. DRDA is the key enabler

for the Information Warehouse. See also DDCS.

DR-DOS: PC-DOS compatible microcomputer operating system from Digital Research. Never did
very well against MS- and PC-DOS, despite being widely considered superior

to the Microsoft-based DOS – it had better memory and disk management, and it usually worked out a
bit cheaper. After Digital Research passed into the hands of Novell

in 1991, DR-DOS received new impetus, particularly as a client in NetWare networks, and became
Novell-DOS. But, all that changed in July 1996 when Caldera acquired it

from Novell as the basis of a law suit against Microsoft. But, then again, it was a Windows world by
then, anyway.

DRM1: See Tivoli Disaster Recovery Manager.

DRM2: Dynamic I/O Reconfiguration Management.

Drop: IBM terminology for the cable in a wiring closet that runs from a faceplate to the distribution
panel.

DRP: See Disaster Recovery Plan.

DS: Dictionary Services. Tool which would have transferred definitions from external libraries (load
library, COBOL copy library) into the Repository Manager’s

information model had the Repository Manager not bitten the dust.

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DSA1: Direct Serial Attach. Architectural feature in which the disk controller is part of the disk
device, and is connected directly to a serial ESCON channel.

DSA2: Digital Signature Algorithm.

DSAT/400: Distributed Systems Administration Tools/400. AS/400 software (February 1992) which
allows remote AS/400s to communicate with a central AS/400 running

CSAT/400. Withdrawn December 1995.

DSB: Dispatcher/Scheduler Block.

DSC: DataStream Compatibility – e.g., 3270 DSC. Usually applied to terminals and printers of LU
type 3, which allow 3270 conventional formatting capabilities

compatible with those permitted under BSC protocols.

DSD: Dedicated Servers for Domino.

DSECT: Dummy control SECTion. An Assembler statement usually used to define a record layout,
control block or other formatted area of memory. But, the trick is, it is

not mapped to memory, allowing it to used repeatedly in an Assembler program for different areas of
memory, or dynamically assigned to an area of memory by the

program. The DSECT statement names the dummy control section, as well as indicating that the
memory definitions that follow are in that dummy control section.

DSF: Device Support Facility. See ICKDSF.

DSL/VS: Dynamic Simulation Language. Mainframe package for simulating continuous systems
describable by differential equations. Ran on VM/CMS and TSO in MVS.

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Announced April 1984 as a Program Offering with support ending June 1987.

DSL1: See Dynamic SQL.

DSL2: Digital Subscriber Line. Digital communication protocol which transforms twisted-pair
copper (telephone) lines into high-speed data channels: initially 1.54Mbps

but much more now. Genealogy derived from AT&T’s video-on-demand protocol. Often known as
xDSL because of all the different variations. It competes well against ISDN,

cable modem and even T1, but most of the connections are in the consumer market, for high speed
Internet. The ADSL variation is especially well suited because it

dedicates most of its bandwidth where it is needed: from the ISP to the customer.

DSLO: Distributed System License Option. Discount for users buying multiple copies of IBM
software. In exchange for the discount, the user agrees to distribute the

software himself rather than letting IBM do it.

DSM1: Distributed Storage Manager. See Tivoli Storage Manager.

DSM2: Distributed Systems Management.

DSM3: See Distributed Security Manager.

DSM4: Data Services Manager. A function in Tivoli NetView for z/OS that provides VSAM services
for data storage and retrieval.

DSMON: See Data Security Monitor.

DSN: Dataset name.

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DSName: Dataset name.

DSNX: Distributed Systems Node Executive. Software which sits in a distributed system to support
unmanned data distribution across a network – essential for effective

distributed processing. The DSNX machine talks to a host machine running the DSX software which
is used to distribute software, updates, etc. The combination of DSX

and DSNX is known as DM. Now part of Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager.

DSOM: Distributed System Object Model. An object-oriented architecture (vintage June 1993)
developed from SOM. Provides a common mechanism (based on DCE2) for

communicating between objects across a network. Obsolete.

DSORG: Data Set Organization. The type of data set (file) being created or referenced if the data set
is usually not cataloged; e.g. DSORG=PS or DSORG=PO (PO-

Partitioned) (PS-Physical Sequential)

DSP: Digital Signal Processors. Specialized processor chips used especially in modems, sound
boards, and serial ports.

DSPT: Display Station Pass Through. Facility on the iSeries 400 enabling workstations on one
machine to log on to applications on another.

DSPU: SNA DownStream Physical Unit. See Downstream PU.

DSR1: DataSet Ready. DSR is sometimes seen on modems, as the label for a status light.

DSR2: Dynamic Storage Reconfiguration.

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DSS1: Decision Support System. Generic name for a class of end-user tools – typically high level
financial and market modeling tools – which allegedly help people to

make decisions, by providing user-friendly tools for ad hoc query, data analysis, one-off report
writing, information presentation, etc. More commonly, they enable

people to postpone decisions by encouraging them to spend hours drawing graphs and diagrams on a
workstation instead of actually making their minds up. IBM DSS

offerings have included OfficeVision, APL and AS1. DSSs are often confused with EISs (Executive
Information Systems) – see EIS2 for an explanation of the difference.

See also PIM, ESS1.

DSS2: Digital Signature Standard.

DSSSL: Document Style Semantics and Specification Language. International Standard ISO 10179
(ISO1994), adopted at the beginning of 1995. It presents a framework for

transforming a structurally marked up document into its final physical form. The standard is primarily
targeted at document handling, but it can also define other

layouts, such as those needed for use with databases.

DSU: Distribution Services Unit. In effect the node in a SNADS network. A DSU may be an
originator, recipient, or an intermediate store-and-forward node.

DSU/CSU: Data Service Unit/Channel Service Unit. See 5821/2.

DSX: Distributed Systems Executive. Venerable product providing central host library support,
program dump, and batch data transmission among mid-range systems (8100,

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Mainframe Terminology

Series/1, and System/3x) connected in an SNA network. DSX on the host communicated with DSNX
on a distributed node. The z/OS version of DSX was replaced by NetView

Distribution Manager in May 1988 but the product lived on in the VSE environment until it was
withdrawn in August 1993. The combination of DSX and DSNX is also known

as DM. Now part of Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager.

DTB: Dynamic Transaction Backout.

DTD: Document Type Definition. This is a specific markup language, written using SGML.

DTE: Data Terminal Equipment. Term describing the subscriber equipment attached to a ITU-T
network (usually packet switched). The DTE serves as a data source, data

link, or both, and provides the protocol support for the link. A 3745 is a typical piece of DTE.

DTI: Display Technologies Inc. See Display Technologies.

DTL: Dialog Tag Language. Language for developing dialog panels, command tables, and messages.

DTMS: Database and Transaction Management Services. Venerable CICS-like 8100/DPPX product
for supporting interactive systems. For its time, it was a quite

sophisticated and complex system, with such facilities as forward recovery, transaction back-out,
multiple indexes, etc. Obsolete.

DTP1: DeskTop Publishing. Generic term for systems which produce typeset quality artwork from a
user workstation (e.g., a PC). The market has traditionally been

dominated by Apple with its Macintosh.

DTP2: Distributed Transaction Processing.

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DTR1: Distribution Tape Reel. Magnetic tape on which IBM distributes software.

DTR2: See Dynamic Transaction Routing.

DTR3: See Dedicated Token Ring.

DUA: Distribution and Usage Authorization (sometimes Agreement). IBM contract, which allows
users to distribute software to host-connected machines. It’s a sort of

site license. Replaces the ATC program.

Dual Boot: Originally, an OS/2 utility enabling users to load OS/2 and DOS from the same disk
drive. Now a generic term used by Microsoft and others. For example,

Windows 2000 has both dual boot and multi-boot capabilities, with other operating systems or just
multiple copies of the same operating system.

Dual Copy: Mirroring facility provided by the 3990 Storage Controller which maintains two identical
copies of important data to give improved recovery. However, note

that both the copies must be on disks downstream of the same controller which somewhat
compromises the resilience since the controller is a single point of potential

failure. Much delayed, and was finally delivered May 1990. Now an obsolete capability and not
offered on the 2105, which replaced the 3990.

Dual porting: PCM name for Device Level Select (DLS).

Dumb head: IBMspeak for a dumb terminal.

Dump: To copy data, at a particular instant, from one storage device to another. Dumping is usually
for the purpose of collecting error information for analysis.

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Dump Viewing Facility: Originally replaced IPCS as the standard tool for reading all VM dumps.
z/VM introduced the VM Dump Tool, but it has replaced the Dump Viewing

Facility only for CP dumps. The Dump Viewing Facility continues to be the supported vehicle for
reading non-CP (e.g., CMS) dumps.

DUOW: See Distributed Unit Of Work.

Duplex: A generic term for a mode of communication. In full duplex, both participants can transmit
at the same time (typically over four wires), and in half duplex,

only one participant can transmit at a time – each participant has to wait for the other to stop before
transmitting.

Duplex pair: A DASD logical volume consisting of two physical devices with all data recorded twice,
once on each volume (as in 3990 Dual copy).

DVD: Digital Video Disk. See DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-ROM, DVD-V.

DVD-R: Digital Video Disk – Recordable. A recordable CD format which allows the storage of
3.95GB on a single high density disk.

DVD-RAM: Digital Video Disk – Random Access Memory. A recordable CD format which allows
the storage of 2.6GB on a single high density disk.

DVD-ROM: Digital Video Disk – Read Only Memory. Another CD format which allows the storage
of several GB (it keeps growing) on a single high density disk.

DVD-V: Digital Video Disk – Video.

DVF: See Dump Viewing Facility.

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DVI1: Digital Video Interactive.

DVI2: Digital Video Interface. An Intel interface (with accompanying products). DVI supports
digital storage and retrieval of audio, computer graphics, and full

motion video. Available for PCs for use in creating interactive video systems. See ActionMedia.

DVT: Destination Vector Table.

DW: See Displaywriter or DisplayWrite.

DWA: See Direct Window Access.

DWS: Dependent WorkStation. A synonym for MFI workstation.

DXT: Data eXTract. Utility for extracting data (one-off or regularly) from a database. Its main use
was to help move IMS and DL/I databases to DB2. Replaced by

DataRefresher in October 1993. Withdrawn September 1995.

Dyadic: A two-way tightly-coupled multiprocessor.

DYNALLOC: Dynamic allocation. The z/OS term for allocating datasets from within a program
without using JCL statements. Very useful, and widely used by TSO.

Dynamic I/O reconfiguration: IBMspeak for the ability to connect and disconnect devices in an
ESCON configuration without having to close everything down. Also known

as hot-plugging.

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Dynamic Link Library: Generic term for a program or a routine that can be loaded by an application
or as part of a program.

Dynamic load balancing: Generic term for a way of automatically distributing the workload around a
multi-processor complex so that the resources available to

individual systems vary continuously according to how much resource is needed and how much is
available. See also JES.

Dynamic memory array: Memory technology introduced on the Summit ES/9000s in September
1991. The dynamic memory array performs pro-active self-diagnosis and

preventive maintenance, so that when a predetermined error threshold is reached, it replaces the failed
chip with a standby.

Dynamic path reconnect: Feature in IBM I/O systems in which a channel can initiate an I/O and then
free itself while the device is actually finding the data. Dynamic

I/Os may be initiated on one channel and completed on another. Available under z/OS and VSE/ESA.

Dynamic resource allocation: An allocation methodology in which the resources assigned for
execution of computer programs are determined by criteria applied at the

moment of need.

Dynamic SQL: Generic term for SQL implementations in which the SQL statements are
compiled/interpreted at run-time. DSL has the advantage over Static SQL of

flexibility, bought usually at the cost of increased resource usage – authorizations, etc must be verified
at run-time. The result is worse performance and security,

and for distributed applications, there’s more network traffic. Also known as DSL.

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Dynamic transaction routing: Facility which allows the user to choose how to distribute transaction
work across multiple CICS regions at execution time. Available

internally within a CICSplex.

E1: The European equivalent of a T1 line. See T1.

E0-E6: E0, E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6. ITSEC certification of software products based on security
assurance levels, EO being inadequate.

EAB: Enterprise Address Book. Obsolete IBM standard for electronic mail.

EAC: Extended Access Control.

Eagle: Code name for aborted project to create an IMS1-DB2 bridge. Also the code name for
Amdahl’s ES/9000 basher, the 5995, and for an OS/2 Warp server project (late

1995).

EAI: Enterprise Application Integration. A generic term applied to a variety of software packages
that aim to co-ordinate independent applications within and outside

an organization. See also WebSphere Business Integrator.

Early Support Program: See ESP1.

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Early Test Program: Scheme which gives third-party software suppliers access to new IBM system
software before it becomes generally available (they get inexpensive

test time, plus documentation and technical support). Used by IBM to promote certain key strategies
where a healthy supply of third-party software is essential for the

promotion of IBM’s own products.

Early Token Release: Technique introduced into the IBM TRN late 1989 to speed up traffic. A
station normally has to wait for its data packet to come back round the

ring before it can release the token for somebody else to use; on 16Mb rings this can be very wasteful.
Early Token Release allows a station to release the token

before its message has come back (thus there will be two tokens on the ring at the same time);
according to IBM, this can increase utilization of the ring by up to

90%.

Easel: See ESL2

EasySync for Notes: Lotus software that provides bi-directional synchronization between Notes and
an IBM WorkPad or 3Com Palm Computing Device.

EBCDIC: Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code. Coded 8-bit character set (giving 256
characters) used in IBM minis and mainframes, and SNA. One of two

character codes used in IBM kit. See also ASCII, Unicode, BCDIC.

e-business: All forms of business conducted electronically across the Internet through Web sites. See
also Business to Business.

EC: Engineering change.

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ECA: Electronic Commerce Association. An independent, UK-based, non-profit-making

organization which provides information regarding electronic commerce. Merged with

the Article Number Association in October 1998. The new organization is known as e center UK,
although the official name is the Association for Standards and Practises

in Electronic Trade – EAN UK Ltd.

ECB: Event Control Block. Control block used for the control of asynchronous processes in IBM
mainframes.

ECC: Error Checking and Correcting. Memory technology with extra bits added for detecting bad
memory and often recovering its contents.

ECC-P: Error Checking and Correcting Parity. Memory technology used in some PS/2s. Now simply
known as ECC memory.

ECF: Enhanced/Extended/Enhancement Connectivity Facilities. Suite of programs – vintage mid

1986 – providing PC to mainframe link. In effect ECF transformed TSO and

VM1 into information servers for PC users (virtual disks, virtual files, virtual print, and file transfer
with application/character format translation) using 3270

datastreams. Makes use of SRPI which provides ECF’s API. OS/2-CMS servers announced May
1990, and OS/2-TSO servers October 1990. Withdrawn March 1997.

ECFORMS/VM: Electronic Forms Management System/VM. Creates forms on-line, and routes them
electronically. Positioned by IBM as a workflow management tool. June 1993

announcements included performance enhancements and integration with OfficeVision/VM.

Withdrawn June 1997.

ECI: See CICS External Call Interface.

ECKD: Extended Count Key Data. See CKD.

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ECL1: Enterprise Communication Link. At one time IBMspeak for an all singing, all dancing, all (or
largely) unspecified local/wide area network.

ECL2: Emitter Coupled Logic. A semiconductor technology once used in the very fast logic circuits
of large IBM computers (cache, processors, etc). High performance

ECL manufacture was a difficult process, and even IBM had trouble getting its production yield up to
the required levels – although it seemed to crack the problem with

the 9121 and 9021 models. Obsolete. CMOS is the sole technology used in mainframe processors
today.

ECLPS: Enhanced Common LISP Production System. See Common LISP.

ECMA: European Computer Manufacturers’ Association, of which IBM is a member. Founded in

May 1961. Renamed in 1994 to European Association for Standardizing

Information and Communication Systems, though the acronym ECMA remains the same.

ECMAScript: A scripting language, based on Netscape’s JavaScript, developed by the ECMA.

ECN: See TCP Explicit Congestion Notification.

e-commerce: A subset of e-business, that deals with the entire process of buying and selling items
over the Web.

ECPS: Extended Control Program Support. Firmware introduced to improve z/VM performance on
medium-sized machines.

ECPS/VSE: Extended Control Program Support/VSE. VSE/ESA implementation of virtual storage

that does not require software to translate virtual into real addresses.

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ECS: Electronic Customer Support. Range of IBM services available electronically, initially over
dial-up and dedicated lines, now mostly over the Internet. Includes

remote diagnostics, marketing, and so on. IBMLink was an early example. There is an ECS service
built into the OS/400 operating system.

ED: See Executive Decisions/VM.

Eden: Project at IBM in Austin, Texas aimed at developing processors using heavily parallel
configurations. The SP1/SP2 and Parallel Transaction Server probably owe

much to the Eden project.

EDI1: Electronic Document/Data Interchange. Generic term for a set of techniques worked out in the
1980s for allowing organizations to electronically exchange

documents without the use of paper, usually over a third party’s network. EDI services are provided
by many network vendors, who also do the protocol conversion,

formatting, incompatibility resolution, etc. IBM supported EDI through VANS such as INS and IN.
Internet-based initiatives, most notably XML, are replacing EDI,

reducing both cost and complexity. IBM EDI Services were rebranded as IBM Interchange Services
for e-business in August 2000. See EDIFACT, expEDIte, SGML.

EDI2: Execution Diagnostic Indicator.

EDIFACT: EDI For Administration Commerce and Trade. International EDI standard developed by
the ISO standards body and agreed with ANSI. Supported by IBM in the

expEDIte products.

EDI Services: Rebranded as IBM Interchange Services for e-business in August 2000.

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EDMSuite: Replaced by Content Manager.

EDP: Electronic Data Processing, now more commonly known as Information Technology, though
Computing is a term that never goes out of fashion.

EDS: Extended DataStream. Additional attribute information provided with each character sent from
a mainframe – color, blinking, underline, etc.

EDT-DistribuTAPE: Extended Data Technology. Software from Gresham Software marketed by

IBM and announced August 2001. Allows multiple TSM2 servers and LAN-free

clients to dynamically share multiple tape drives installed in a StorageTek library environment.

Education Allowance: A discount offered by IBM to qualified educational institutes. For z/VM, for
example, it amounts to 15%.

EDX: Event Driven eXecutive. Operating system for the defunct Series/1 family of minicomputers.

EEP: Early Experience Program. IBMspeak for beta test. See also beta, alpha2, alphaWorks.

EEPROM: Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. A storage device exploiting a
technology similar to EPROM but with the ability to discharge the floating

gate electrically. Usually bytes or words can be erased and reprogrammed individually during system
operation.

EEROM: Electrically Erasable Read-Only Memory. Generic term for a type of ROM which can be
erased although not usually by the user of the device in which the EEROM is

installed.

EF: Extended Function.

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EFM: See Enterprise Firewall Manager.

EFP: See Extended Facilities Product.

EFT: Electronic Funds Transfer. Generic name for systems which transfer cash around between
accounts at the speed of light, thereby preventing people using delays in

cheque clearance to keep themselves solvent.

EGA: Extended Graphics Adapter. Successor to the CGA as the IBM PC graphics standard. Capable
of a maximum resolution of 640x350 pixels in 16 simultaneous colors from

a total of 64 possible colors. Itself succeeded by the VGA standard.

EHLLAPI: Emulator (sometimes Extended) High Level Language Application Program Interface.
Still used (and supported) for 3270 terminal emulation on Windows

workstations.

EIA: Electronic Industries Alliance (originally Association). An organization of electronics

manufacturers, of which IBM is a member, that develops industry

standards.

EIB: Enterprise Information Base. IBM term for a type of Management Information Base (MIB)
which contains planning and long term control information. cf. CIB.

EIDE: Enhanced IDE.

EIF: See Tivoli Event Integration Facility.

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EIO: Early Installation Offering.

EIP: IBM Enterprise Information Portal. Multiplatform client software intended to provide access to
structured and unstructured data across an entire organization.

EIS1: Enterprise Information System. See Enterprise.

EIS2: Executive Information System (also known as ESS – Executive Support System). End-user
systems for really important people. EISs are most widely used to provide

Briefing Book summaries of key statistics in the business, so that senior managers can understand
where the business is at, and so make sensible decisions. EISs are

often confused with DSSs (Decision Support Systems, see DSS1), the key difference being that DSSs
are designed mainly to enable their users to program the system

themselves to support modeling and prediction, whereas EISs are programmed by professional DPers
to create customized information displays for bigwigs. EISs also use a

wide variety of input sources – the corporate database, public databases, line managers’ data, etc.
Executive Decisions/VM was IBM’s first serious attempt at an EIS.

See also DIS2.

EISA: Extended Industry Standard Architecture. Open standard for I/O buses for industry-standard
computers, developed by nine PC vendors, excluding IBM. Comprises an

extension of the AT-compatible 16-bit bus to 32 bits, and was designed to stop IBM’s MCA from
becoming the industry-standard 32-bit interface (although IBM’s failure

to show any real benefits from MCA seems to have done that fairly successfully anyway). EISA has
32-bit address and data bus extensions for memory beyond 16MB, and 32

-bit direct memory access. See also Busmaster, MCDA, ISA.

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EJB: Enterprise JavaBeans. A server-side, transaction-oriented extension to the JavaBeans

component model specification published by Sun. EJB are JavaBeans, but have

no user interface and are designed to run within a special EJB container. In principle, any properly
coded EJB should run within any fully compliant EJB container.

ELA: Enterprise License Agreement. An IBM customer contract.

ELAN: Emulated LAN.

ELC: Extended License Charge. An IBM pricing option based on the capacity of a machine as stated
in MSUs. For example, it is available for z/VM, but not z/OS.

Electronic commerce: Conducting business electronically. The term has come to encompass a
considerable number of technologies, processes and strategies ranging from

traditional EDI to Web-based transactions. Now more commonly known as e-commerce, cf. e-
business. IBM has committed considerable resources to electronic commerce

initiatives. See Energy Network Exchange, Insure-commerce, PetroConnect.

Electronic Customer Support: See ECS.

Electronic purses: Devices which exploit smart card technology to store cash electronically on a
microchip, to produce a pre-payment card which can then be used to

buy a range of goods and services. This theoretically allows the safe transfer of currency to another
electronic purse. In the UK, the Mondex electronic purse trial

started mid 1995.

Element: In z/OS, a base function that can be dropped and replaced by a non-IBM product, but all
z/OS integrated testing results and performance claims are voided

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with such replacement.

ELIAS: Entry-Level Interactive Applications System. Early application generator from IBM.
Obsolete.

ELS: Entry Level System.

e-mail: Electronic mail. Normally refers to messages sent across the Internet or on proprietary
networks like AOL, but also refers to internal systems within

organizations, via Outlook, Notes or OfficeVision.

EmailConnect: E-mail service on the defunct IBM Information Network. See IN.

Embedded Security Subsystem: An IBM security chip and client security software for NetVista, PC
300PL and IntelliStation systems.

EMC: ElectroMagnetic Compatibility. A problem which causes some electrical devices to interfere
with others. This, of course, is terribly anti-social and

inconsiderate. IBM was very proud of the fact that you don’t get EMC problems with the
MicroChannel architecture (it droned on at great length about the fact in its

publicity), because the connectors are properly grounded. Isn’t it great to know that even the largest
corporations have a heart?

EMCS: Enterprise Management Control Series. Set of IBM mainframe programs for project control
based on critical path method. Withdrawn June 1990.

EMCS AFMT: EMCS Advanced Function Management Tools. Part of EMCS. Withdrawn June
1990.

EMEA: The IBM sales region which covers Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

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EMI: ElectroMagnetic Interference. aka RFI.

EMIF: ESCON Multiple Image Facility. June 1992 facility which enables sharing of ESCON
channels among PR/SM logical partitions, allowing users to use fewer channels

to support the same I/O load. Originally available on 9021s only, but extended to 9121s in February
1993. Now a standard hardware function of eserver zSeries 900.

EMO: Extended Maintenance Option. Advanced payment, fixed term maintenance agreement
introduced in June 1988 for PS/2s. Expanded to other hardware, but finally

withdrawn February 1999.

EMS: Expanded Memory Specification. See LIM EMS.

Emulation Program: See EP.

ENA: Extended Network Addressing. Feature of SNA (VTAM and NCP) enabling the construction
of extremely large (up to 8 million LUs and 255 subareas) networks. The

network address is split into an 8 bit subarea, identifying processors and communications controllers,
and a 15 bit element, identifying network resources. One of two

ways of building very large SNA networks, the other being SNI.

Encapsulation: In object-oriented programming, a technique in which data is packaged, usually to

hide the inherent details of an object.

Encina: ENterprise Communication In a New Age. Multi-platform OLTP from IBM subsidiary
Transarc, typically sold as a toolkit. Encina formed the basis of the obsolete

CICS/6000 and CICS/Unix products. Supports DCE. IBM supports Encina in product lines such as
WebSphere and VisualAge.

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Encina for AIX: Replaced by the now obsolete Transaction Server for AIX1 January 1997.

Encina Toolkit Executive: An element of z/OS. See Encina.

Encode: To convert data into a stream of bits so that it can be transmitted over a serial line.

ENCP: End-Node Control Point.

Encrypt: See encryption.

Encryption: An attempt to translate data (plain text) into a form where the only practical way to
reconstruct it is by knowing a specific algorithm (fixed) and a key

(can vary).

Energy Network Exchange: IBM initiative to introduce secure, electronic commerce and information
clearing houses across the Internet for electric utilities. Announced

November 1996 and nothing has been heard about it since. See Insure-commerce, PetroConnect.

eNetwork: An April 1997 branding of IBM products that is now obsolete. The host integration
products were renamed with the SecureWay brand July 1999.

eNetwork Communications Suite for Windows: A suite of software produced by IBM’s Network
Software Division which combines IBM’s Terminal Emulation Software, Lotus

Notes mail client, FTP1 software’s TCP/IP stack and client applications, and the Netscape browser.
Introduced April 1997. Withdrawn April 1999.

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eNetwork Emulator: IBM’s September 1997 rename of the ARTour Emulator. As with eNetwork
Web Express, data from a gateway on the corporate network is compressed for

transmission across the wireless network, then decompressed and displayed on the eNetwork
Emulator or a browser. Bandwidth consumption is reduced through data caching.

Withdrawn December 2001.

eNetwork Firewall: Renamed SecureWay Firewall.

eNetwork Mobile Equalizer: Client/server software that extends Lotus Notes, MQSeries messaging
and Tivoli software distribution to mobile Windows workstations that

are disconnected for long periods of time and only have access to low speed (dial-up) access for short
periods of time. Announced April 1998. Withdrawn December 1998.

eNetwork Web Express: IBM’s September 1997 rename of the ARTour Web Express. It consists of
an Windows NT 4.0 Server or AIX1 gateway on the corporate network and

mobile client OS/2 or Windows software. Data is compressed for transmission across the wireless
network, then decompressed and displayed on the terminal emulator or

browser. Bandwidth consumption is reduced through data caching. Support ended December 2001.

eNetwork Wireless: IBM’s September 1997 rename of the ARTour product line. Three major
products include eNetwork Web Express, eNetwork Emulator and the eNetwork

Wireless Gateway.

eNetwork Wireless Gateway: Both the eNetwork Web Express and the eNetwork Emulator rely on
the AIX-based eNetwork Wireless Gateway server. Replaced by SecureWay

Wireless Gateway for AIX July 2001.

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Enhanced X-Windows Toolkit: A collection of basic tools for developing X-Windows application
environments in AIX.

ENOVIA: e-business Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) for manufacturing companies.

Developed by Dassault Systemes, also responsible for CATIA. Runs on Windows and

AIX, HP-UX, Sun Solaris and SGI IRIX. Where a database is required, DB2 and ORACLE are both
supported.

ENQ: See Enqueue.

Enqueue: The z/OS expression (often abbreviated to ENQ) for requesting resource serialization. ENQ
can be used to put a user-named entry in the system resource queue

in order to prevent another program using a serially usable resource. See also DEQ.

Enterprise: IBMspeak for an organization. Suddenly we didn’t work for companies or firms any more
– we worked for Enterprises; and we don’t do DP, EDP, or MIS any

more – we worked in Enterprise Information Systems. Yet another leap forward for computing,
courtesy of the jolly blue giant.

Enterprise Alliance: Obsolete IBM service in which IBM went into an organization, looked at its
systems, and then tied them all together to present a nice tidy,

coherent system image to all the users. Initial Enterprise Alliance projects were directed at integrating
discrete PS/2 systems.

Enterprise bid: Another name for revenue bid.

Enterprise Extender: IBMspeak for routing HPR over IP1.

Enterprise Firewall Manager: An element of the SecureWay Firewall that facilitates the configuration
and management of multiple firewalls from a central location.

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Enterprise Information Portal: See EIP.

Enterprise Integrator: Lotus Enterprise Integrator. Server-based data distribution software that
exchanges data between Domino and a large number of host and

relational applications, including DB2, Oracle, Sybase, ODBC, EDA/SQL and ERP1 applications.
Formerly NotesPump.

Enterprise JavaBeans: See EJB.

Enterprise Performance Data Manager/MVS: DB2 SystemView software, announced June 1993.
Collects system management and performance data (from DB2, DFP, DFSMS, EREP,

JES2/3, MVS, NetView, RACF, RMF, and VM) in a DB2 database, and generates tabular or
graphical reports. Includes an OS/2 reporting component, and is able to support

connected AS/400s and RS/6000s. Went through several renamings before becoming Tivoli Decision
Support for z/OS.

Enterprise Solution Builder: Lotus development and runtime service for integrating non-Domino
applications with Domino applications.

Enterprise Storage Server: A second-generation Seascape RAID 5 disk storage system that
concurrently supports zSeries 900, iSeries 400, pSeries, NUMA-Q, Sun, Data

General, DEC, HP, Compaq, NetWare, and Windows servers via FICON, Fiber Channel, UltraSCSI
and ESCON connections. Up to 13.9TB capacity. Announced July 1999.

Entity: A user, group or resource defined to RACF.

Entity-relationship: Generic term for a formal technique for modeling business processes and data.
An entity is anything describable by data, and entities have

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Mainframe Terminology

relationships to other entities. The entity-relationship technique is particularly suited to describing

data for use in relational databases, and was supported by IBM

in Repository Manager/MVS before the latter started pushing up the daisies.

Entry/36: The 5363. The last of the System/36 product line – well that’s what IBM said at the time,
but see Advanced 36. Withdrawn October 1992.

Entry Point: A product that links to a Focal Point using SNA protocols, and is able to be controlled
by a Focal Point in a NetView environment. NCP, 3174 controllers,

and 3708 network conversion units are all Entry Points. You can think of the Entry Points as being
subservient nodes in a network management system.

Entry Support License: Software pricing for very low-end processors. Currently available for z/VM,
but not z/OS.

ENVR object: A transportable format for ACEE data that allows the ACEE to be recreated without
referencing the RACF database.

Envy/400: Object-oriented, Smalltalk-based language for the AS/400 developed by Object

Technology International Inc and sold by IBM. Announced mid 1993. Similar to

and replaced by VisualAge in March 1995, which, in turn, was later renamed to VisualAge Smalltalk.

EOCF: Extended Operations Console Facility 2 (EOCF/2). OS/2 software which enables an OS/2
workstation to act as a central or remote TPF console. Also provides

console automation. Announced October 1991.

EOL: End of Life. The EOL date is the IBM term for the effective date of withdrawal from
marketing. cf EoS. See also withdrawn.

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EOS1: Embedded Operating System. A low-end version of the Microkernel designed for handheld
computing devices.

EoS2: End of Service. Date when IBM stops support for a product. cf EOL, withdrawn.

EP: Emulation Program. Pre-SNA IBM control program resident in a channel attached IBM
communication controller (FEP), such as the 3745, that enables it to support

physical management of the network. Emulates the functions of either a 2701 data adapter unit, a
2702 transmission control or a 2703 transmission control. Beginning

with Release 14, announced September 1998, it was no longer necessary to order and install two
separate releases of EP when two separate environments were being run:

PEP (with NCP) and stand-alone (without NCP).

EPDM/MVS: See Enterprise Performance Data Manager/MVS.

EPI: See CICS External Presentation Interface.

EPIC: Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing. Intel architecture used in Itanium.

Epistle: Expert system for spelling, grammar, and style checking. IBM research project. Obsolete.

EPM: Enhanced editor for Presentation Manager. An editor in OS/2 used for creating and editing text
files.

EPROM: Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory. A type of storage device in which the data
is determined by electrical charge stored in an isolated (floating) MOS

transistor gate. The gate can be discharged by applying ultraviolet light to the chip’s surface, erasing
the memory contents and allowing the chip to be reprogrammed.

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EPS1: Electronic Payments System.

EPS2: Encapsulated PostScript. Allegedly portable file format based on Adobe’s PostScript page
description language.

E-R: See Entity-Relationship.

EREP: Environmental Reporting, Editing, and Printing. Seemingly as old as the mainframe itself,
EREP is a free report generator for hardware and some software errors.

IBM mainframe hardware service personnel rely upon it. Runs on z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA. An
element of z/OS, but separately licensed for z/VM.

ERP1: Enterprise Resource Planning.

ERP2: Error Recovery Procedure.

Error log: A dataset or file that contains a record of machine checks on device errors, which are
stored for later analysis.

Error record template: A template in AIX that describes the type of error, its class, description,
probable causes, recommended actions for an error log entry.

ES/64000: Defunct name for the parallel mainframes promised by IBM in October 1993 which
eventually became the 9672 and 9673. See Parallel Transaction Server,

Parallel Query Server.

ES/9000: IBM’s family of processors announced September 1990. Featured high-density packaging,
bipolar and CMOS, and one and four megabit chips. At launch there were

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three physical forms of the ES/9000: air-cooled and rack-mounted àla 9370 (the 9221), air-cooled and
frame-mounted àla 4380 (the 9121), and water-cooled àla 3090 (the

9021). February 1993 announcements included 18 new models, including an 8-way processor,
Asynchronous Data Mover Facility, increased channels, data compression, and 18

new models, bringing the total range up to 46 models. It also saw the emergence of an almost rational
model naming system where the last two digits of the model number

suffix indicate the number of processors and sides – e.g., a 9021-942 is a four processor, two sided
model. Mid 1995 new and more powerful models were announced.

Gradually withdrawn in favor of the System/390 all CMOS machines (9672) that were themselves
replaced by eserver zSeries 900 October 2000. See also Summit, Foothill,

9021, 9121, 9221.

ES1: See Expanded Storage.

ES2: Enterprise Systems.

ESA: Enterprise System Architecture. See MVS/ESA.

ESA/XC: ESA eXtended Configuration. z/VM feature which allows CMS applications to create
dataspaces, and share them between virtual machines. Announced September

1990.

ESAF: External Subsystem Attach Facility. Part of IMS TM. Other products can use it to attach to
IMS TM, then IMS TM application programs can access resources owned

by the attached products. The most common use of ESAF is to allow DB2 to attach so that IMS TM
applications can have access to DB2 data.

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eSAR: electronic Solution Assurance Review. Web-based tool which generates IBM product
implementation recommendations based on customer input. Designed to speed

implementations while mitigating risk.

ESB: Media name for a rumored new IBM operating system to replace MVS/ESA, supporting 64-bit
addressing, expanded storage shared between processors, high-speed fiber

optic LAN linking processors in a sysplex, single level storage, etc. z/OS meets some of those criteria.
See also Saturn.

ESCC: ESCON Connection Converter. See ESCON Converter.

ESCD: ESCON Control Director. See ESCON Director.

ESCE: Expert System Consultation Environment. See ESE.

ESCE/PC: Expert System Consultation Environment. See ESE.

ESCM: See ESCON Manager.

ESCMS: ESCON Monitor System. Dial-up system which enables users to control and monitor the
power supply of devices on an ESCON network – enables you to turn remote

equipment on and off from a central site. ESCMS can detect power loss as well as unauthorized
intrusion, water leaks, smoke, fire and all sorts of hazards; and it can

telephone up the fire brigade or police too!! If you’ve really got things organized, you can turn your
computers on with ESCMS, and then control them using TSCF.

Announced September 1990. Replaced by SystemView SiteManager Services February 1992.

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ESCON: Enterprise System Connectivity. The high-speed fiber optic channel architecture (using a
serial, packet-switched protocol) first available on ES/9000 and 3090

-Js and many peripherals. The original ESCON used LEDs and worked at 10MBps over 3km stretches
(up to 9km total distance with repeaters). September 1991 IBM announced

a laser version (ESCON XDF) capable of working at greater distances. The ESCON architecture also
allows multiple controllers to be connected to one ESCON channel, and

enables I/O devices to be connected and disconnected with the main system running. The standard
fiber optic trunk cable can contain 72 pairs of fibers, giving 72

channel links. June 1992 IBM announced sharing of ESCON channels across PR/SM partitions
(EMIF). Replaced by FICON May 1998, though still available. The last version

of ESCON runs at 17MBps simplex. See also Paradyne.

ESCON Converter: Device (also known as ESCON Connection Converter – ESCC) which enables
ESCON fiber optic channels to work with traditional devices (ESCC model 1 –

the 9034), and ESCON devices to work with traditional channels (ESCC model 2 – the 9035). In
effect it’s a protocol converter between the channels using the bus and

tag parallel architecture and channels using the serial ESCON architecture. Obsolete.

ESCON Director: The 9032/9033 device (also known as the ESCON Control Director or ESCD) to
which all ESCON channels and control units can be attached and which

provides the dynamic switching and reconfiguration – it’s a router or smart switch. ESCON Directors
can be attached to one another as well as to channels and control

units. Console sharing across ESCON Directors was announced September 1991, and redundancy,
concurrent LIC upgrade, dynamic port addition, and extended distance

console support in October 1994. ESCON Director support is an element of z/OS. See also 9032,
9033.

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ESCON EMIF: See EMIF.

ESCON Manager: SystemView facility (also known as ESCM) under z/OS and z/VM enabling host
management of fiber optic connections using ESCON Directors. ESCM monitors

and controls local and remote ESCON Director connections. Replaced by System Automation August
1997.

ESCON Monitor System: See ESCMS.

ESCON XDF: ESCON eXtended Distance Feature. The laser-driven version of ESCON (announced
September 1991) which can work at up to 60km (with repeaters).

ESCS: ESCON Supervisor.

ESD1: Electronic Service/Support Delivery. IBM system for electronic delivery of z/OS and z/VM
fixes.

ESD2: Electronic Software Distribution. Once a generic term, now an IBM term referring to a Lotus
initiative begun as a pilot project in October 1996, where software

products are distributed via the Internet to its channel partners. See also ESD3.

ESD3: Electronic Software Delivery. Some IBM chargeable software can be downloaded from a
Lotus Web site. Both business partners and individual customers can use ESD.

ESDE: Expert System Development Environment. See ESE.

ESDS: Entry Sequenced DataSet. VSAM sequential dataset in which the data is held in the order in
which it was originally entered (i.e., new records are placed on the

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end of the dataset). Can be used as a replacement for BSAM and QSAM in z/OS. But most commonly
used as a replacement for sequential datasets in VSE/ESA. See also

Linear dataset.

ESE: Expert System Environment. Expert system shell for z/VM and z/OS, announced by IBM in
1985. Less powerful than KnowledgeTool, but more suitable for use by non-

professional programmers. ESCE, ESDE and ESCE/PC were associated products, the latter allowing
completed ESE applications to run on a PC. The z/OS and z/VM components

were withdrawn February 1996, with the PC component withdrawn in a sweep of non-Y2K-tested
software in March 1998.

e-security: Security for electronic commerce on the Internet.

eserver: A complete replacement of IBM’s hardware server platforms with four new series: zSeries
900, iSeries 400, pSeries and xSeries. Announced October 3, 2000. The

e actually has a circle around it, like the a does in the @ symbol.

ESF1: Extended Superframe Format. Technique for reduction of error rates on T1 lines.

ESF2: External Source Format. A data format (originally part of AD/Cycle) used to pass data
between tools and CSP1 generators. Functions as a universal target

language for anyone wanting to write applications for supported platforms. Also used in HighPoint.

ESL1: See Entry Support License.

ESL2: Under its original name, Easel, ESL was an OS/2 and DOS screen scraping product designed
to convert dumb terminal applications into CUA1-compliant front-ends

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for the PS/2. In 1989, it was the IBM-recommended tool for developing graphical CUA interfaces. In
1991, IBM announced distributed CICS applications development and

CSP1 support, and pulled back support for Easel. ESL now belongs to EslSyndetic, and is "a visual
development tool for building workstation applications that can

interact with mainframes, servers and databases using a wide variety of protocols."

ESM: See Tivoli Event Services Manager.

ESMS: Enterprise System Managed Storage. The stage beyond SMS in which MVS acts as a super-
server providing data across a network to all and sundry. Initiated by IBM

when it announced the Sun NFS in September 1990, but not spoken of much since.

ESO Hiperspace: Expanded Storage Only Hiperspace.

Esoteric unit name: In z/OS, a single installation-specific name that can apply to multiple, usually
similar, logical or physical I/O devices. Can be used in JCL DD

statements or specified to DFSMShsm to refer to any of a group of devices, reducing contention for a
single device.

ESP1: Early Support Program. The process of giving new products a final run-through on selected
users’ facilities. So-called because you need powers of extra sensory

perception (another type of ESP) to find out what the software’s meant to do. See also EEP, QIP.

ESP2: Extreme Support Personalized. Originally, Extreme Support through Personalization. An IBM
service offering for iSeries 400 customers. It involves a customized

blend of support over the Internet, voice, and on-site support, along with support integrated into the
iSeries 400 itself.

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ESQL: Embedded SQL. SQL statements coded explicitly in an application program.

ESS1: Executive Support System. See EIS2.

ESS2: See Enterprise Storage Server.

ESSA: Extended System Service Amendment. Withdrawn in favor of SSA1 in mid 1990.

ESS eSAR: Enterprise Storage Server electronic Solution Assurance Review. See eSar.

ESSL: Engineering and Scientific Subroutine Library. ESSL Vector and Scalar/370 was introduced
to exploit the vector facility of the 3090 and some ES/9000 mainframes,

but not available for eserver zSeries 900. Withdrawn March 2001. ESSL for AIX and Parallel ESSL
for AIX are still available.

ESSL/6000: Version of ESSL for the RS/6000. Announced in January 1990. Replaced by ESSL for
AIX.

ESS SAPR: Enterprise Storage Server Solution Assurance Product Review.

Establishment controller: What used to be called a Cluster controller.

ESTAE: Extended Specify Task Abnormal Exit. An z/OS Assembler macro instruction that provides
recovery capability and gives functionality to the user-specified exit

routine for processing, diagnosing an abend, or specifying a retry address.

ESTOR: See Expanded Storage.

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ET-1: Industry standard benchmark for OLTP systems. Also known as the Debit-Credit transaction.
Sometimes ET-1 is used to refer to a trimmed down version of Debit-

Credit.

EtherChannel: The Cisco System Network Bandwidth Aggregation and Load Balancing technology,
called EtherChannel, builds upon standard and 802.3 Fast Ethernet to

provide the functionality to aggregate a bandwidth of multiple Ethernet interfaces.

EtherJet: Family of IBM Ethernet adapters first announced November 1995.

Ethernet: A baseband LAN technology, originally created by Xerox, DEC, and Intel. Ethernet is the
base for the IEEE 802.3 LAN standard (although it doesn’t actually

conform fully), and, until the advent of the TRN, was by far the most popular high-speed LAN
product in the market. IBM now provides a high level of support for

Ethernet. See also Gigabit Ethernet, Isochronous Ethernet.

eTill: An electronic equivalent of a cash register that accepts payment for the goods and services
selected for purchase in the IBM Payment Suite. The eTill is used

in conjunction with a payment gateway and a payment management system, to complete the financial
transactions.

ETM: Enterprise Transaction Management. IBMspeak for big operational on-line systems.

ETO: Extended Terminal Option. A separately priced feature of IMS TM that enables workstations to
be added or deleted from a live computer system. Does for IMS TM

what RDO does for CICS. Announced September 1990.

ETP: See Early Test Program.

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ETR1: External Throughput Rate. Performance measure in which throughput is specified as

transactions/jobs per second of elapsed time. Favored as a benchmark by Amdahl

as against ITR which is favored by IBM.

ETR2: External Time Reference. The fiber optic interface from zSeries 900 processors to Sysplex
Timers. A standard feature, having previously been optional on

System/390 processors.

ETSI: European Telecommunications Standards Institute. A standards body created by CEPT in

1988. Headquartered in southern France, ETSI has nearly 800 members from

more than 50 countries, many not in Europe.

euro: The monetary unit of the European Monetary Union (EMU), originally introduced alongside
national currencies on the first of January 1999 by Austria, Belgium,

Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.
euro notes and coins (hard currency) were put into circulation

January 1, 2002, with all national currencies withdrawn by February 28, 2002. The accommodation of
the euro by the IT industry has resulted in changes to both hardware

and software.

EuroReady: IBM considers their products to be EuroReady if the product, when used in accordance
with its associated documentation, is capable of correctly processing

monetary data in the euro denomination and of respecting the euro currency formatting conventions
(including the euro sign). See also euro, EuroSign Support.

EuroSign Support: Support for the special character used as the euro symbol. z/OS has EuroSign
support. See also EuroReady.

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EUSS: IBM End User Solution Services. Software products and services for the travel and
transportation industry.

Everyplace: An IBM brand name for software products that support embedded and mobile clients.
Announced April 2000. See also MQSeries EveryPlace, Everyplace Wireless

Gateway for Multiplatforms.

Everyplace Wireless Gateway for Multiplatforms: A Unix platform (AIX1 or Sun Solaris) intended
to extend existing applications to mobile workers over wireless

networks. Supports both WAP and non-WAP clients running on Windows CE, Palm OS, Windows
9x/Me/NT/2000 and QNX/Neutrino. Announced June 2001 to replace the SecureWay

Wireless Gateway for AIX (withdrawn December 2001).

Exabyte: 1024 petabytes, 2 to the sixtieth, or 1,152,921,504,606,846,976 bytes.

Exchange Server: Client/server messaging product from Microsoft, launched after a prolonged beta-
testing in April 1996. Originally described as a Notes Killer, turned

out to be Microsoft Mail in new clothing. Runs only on Windows NT/200x Server. Despite those
facts, it was caught in the late 1990s rush by organizations to

standardize on a Microsoft Office and Windows NT 4.0 desktop. Exchange Server seemed the logical
choice as a backend to Office’s Outlook. After all, it was made by the

same company.

EXCI: External CICS Interface.

EXCP: EXecute Channel Program. Usually refers to a z/OS, z/VM or VSE/ESA Assembler macro
call to initiate an I/O (more accurately it requests the execution of a

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channel program on a specific device). The number of EXCPs performed gives the count of the actual
number of read/write operations. It can also refer to the type of

I/O being performed, as seen, for example, in output from a sort/merge program.

EXDC: EXternal Data Controller. Within the mainframe extended architecture (on 308x and later
processors), the EXDC is a device which carries out I/Os requested by

the CPU. The EXDC is the channel of a 3090 machine. Obsolete term.

EXEC: See EXEC/EXEC2.

EXEC/EXEC2: VM procedural languages, now stabilized by IBM. Programs written in

EXEC/EXEC2 are known colloquially as EXECs. IBM has been trying for years to persuade

users to migrate from EXEC to REXX.

EXEC2: See EXEC/EXEC2.

ExecJet: See 4072.

ExecJet II: See 4076.

Executive Decisions/VM: EIS tool for very senior executives which provides an easy-to-use interface
to various MIS tools and services (e-mail, calendar, address book,

etc). Uses both z/VM and OS/2 to provide workstation access to mainframe data. Also a version for
z/OS announced December 1989. Both withdrawn June 1992.

Exit: A piece of code that, if executed, stops a program running, typically handing control back to the
operating system for exception handling. Exits are much loved

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by systems programmers who can often be seen on cold winter’s nights huddled around the nostalgic
glow of an eserver zSeries 900, yarning and joshing about great exits

they worked on in the good old days when mainframes ruled the earth.

EXLST: VSAM and VTAM terminology for EXit LiST.

Expanded memory: PC memory conforming to the LIM EMS 4.0 spec. Gives access to more than
640K of memory on Intel processors before the 80386. Used in a number of

Windows-based products. EMM386.EXE is an expanded memory emulator for 80386 and newer
machines. Obsolete.

Expanded storage: Option on the eserver zSeries 900, first introduced on the 3090, providing on-
board cache memory on the processor side of the channel. Data is paged

between main memory and expanded storage in 4096 byte pages synchronously with processor
functions. Note that expanded storage is physically different from main

memory; it uses a much less complex design (no storage protect keys, no execution circuitry, 4K
addressing only) and is 4-6 times more reliable. There seems a distinct

possibility that transfers to and from expanded storage may be done quite autonomously at some time
in the future (perhaps through the ICE1). See also SSD1, SES.

Expedite: The IBM Interchange Services for e-business Expedite family of software which translates
data into standard EDI formats including ANSI/X12, UN/EDIFACT

(including ODETTE), TDCC, and UCS. The first products were announced in April 1989 under the
DataInterchange family name with the unusual capitalization expEDIte.

DataInterchange became part of IBM EDI Services, which was renamed IBM Interchanges Services
for e-business. The DataInterchange name got lost along the way, but

popped up in WebSphere as the name for their EDI gateway. The currently available products are
Expedite Base for PC-DOS, OS/2, Windows, SCO OpenServer, AIX and z/OS,

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Expedite/CICS for z/OS and VSE/ESA, Expedite Notification Manager for PC-DOS, Windows,
iSeries 400 and z/OS, and Expedite for Windows.

Expert systems: Computer systems in which the knowledge of experts can be incorporated into the
system (hence they are also known (loosely) as knowledge-based

systems). An expert system has two parts – a knowledge base, and an inference engine which works
on the knowledge base. Such systems are particularly useful for

dealing with highly complex tasks (e.g., network management, medical diagnosis) in which it is
difficult to make the expertise of specialists sufficiently explicit to

incorporate in a conventional computer program. IBM forays into expert systems have included
CSF1, DEDALE, Epistle, ESCE/PC, ESE, Handy, KnowledgeTool, KEE, TQA,

YES/MVS, TIRS, Integrated Reasoning Shell, GPSI, Neural Network Utility. Unfortunately, expert
systems never really delivered on their promise, and their failure gave

Artificial Intelligence (AI) a black eye in the business world. AI has been quietly used in many
successful software products in the last few years, now that the

processing power exists to actually make it work properly.

Export Language: IBM’s expert system language used in TIRS.

Extended character: A character other than a 7-bit ASCII character.

Extended Facilities Product: z/OS and z/VM software, which IBM says is technically optional (not
required for compatibility or operation), but is essential to unlock

the total potential of the RAMAC Virtual Array Storage. Announced July 1996 and still available,
even though the RAMAC Virtual Array Storage has been replaced by the

2105.

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Extended License Charge: See ELC.

Extended Memory: Memory above the 1MB mark in an 80286/386 machine. Used in OS/2 and
Windows/386 environments. Not much use in a DOS environment. Obsolete.

Extended storage: An earlier term for what is now known as expanded storage.

Extensible Stylesheet Language: See XSL.

Extent: IBMspeak for a continuous space on a DASD volume occupied by a dataset or part of a
dataset.

External Call Interface: See CICS External Call Interface.

External Presentation Interface: See CICS External Presentation Interface.

External Time Reference: See ETR2.

Extranet: A community of trading partners communicating via a controlled business network, using
Internet communication protocols and Web browser technology.

Extreme Support Personalized: See ESP2.

Extreme Support through Personalization: See ESP2.

EZ-Prep: Cross System Product/Application Generation. Feature of CSP1. PC software for

customizing CSP programs to the PC environment. One licensed copy shipped with

CSP/AD. Obsolete.

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EZ-Run: Cross System Product/Application Execution. Feature of CSP1. PC software providing a

CSP run-time environment on the PC. One licensed copy shipped with

CSP/AD. Obsolete. See also CSP/AE.

EZ Setup: Software that walks you through OS/400 installation and customization. Part of iSeries
Client Access Express. Shipped with all orders on the Setup and

Operations CD-ROM.

EZ-VU: PC product derived from mainframe ISPF, and used to provide a dialog development
environment. Long obsolete.

FAA: Financial Application Architecture. An IBM marketecture for the finance/banking sector.

FABPMAIN: FABPMAIN is used for the IMS database to download the segment details.

Facilities Management: The notion of contracting out the entire management of your computer shop
to a third party. IBM has been heavily involved in this market since

its inception.

FAF: IBM SAA ImagePlus Folder Application Facility MVS/ESA. Software supporting image
storage and retrieval under z/OS. Manages the indexing and workflow through an

ImagePlus system. Replaced May 1999 by IBM Content Manager ImagePlus for OS/390.

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Failsoft processing: A RACF state when no datasets in the primary RACF database are available,
RVARY INACTIVE has been specified or a serious system error has

occurred.

Fall over: To crash or abend.

Farm1: A collection of workstations networked together and used as a compute server; often
synonymous with cluster4.

Farm2: See DASD farm.

FAS-90: Financial Applications Support for the 1990s. A one-time IBM project to create SAA-
compatible financial applications systems, which faded away with SAA

itself, long before the 1990s did.

FAST: Federation Against Software Theft. Independent UK body which finds and frequently
prosecutes users of pirated software (mainly on PCs). Set up in 1984 by the

British Computer Society’s Copyright Committee. Its first action was to have software better served
by the British Copyright Act of 1956.

FASTAUTH request: A RACF request using in-storage profiles to check a user’s authorization to a
RACF-protected resource or function via the RACROUTE macro with

REQUEST=FASTAUTH specified.

FastCall: Call management software for integrating telephone functions with Lotus Notes and
SmartSuite PC software. Developed by Aurora System, and announced as a

Lotus product May 1996. Withdrawn October 1999.

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Fastgate: Automated system for accelerating passenger throughput at airport immigration

checkpoints. Based on a system tested at Bermuda International Airport in

1997. Fastgate is an ATM2-like device that compares either passengers’ fingerprints, hand geometry
or voice prints, with those previously placed on file to verify

identity. It then requests on-line confirmation from the border control authority database that no
security alerts have been issued for the traveler. In general, the

process takes less than 15 seconds to clear a traveler through an immigration checkpoint. Developed
by IBM’s Hursley Laboratory in the UK.

Fast Packet: A packet switched technology, invented by Stratacom, and designed for fiber networks,
which offers substantial performance benefits over X.25 and Frame

Relay, by exploiting the greater transmission accuracy of fiber over copper. Fast Packet uses small
fixed length (53byte) packets, and the ATM2 (asynchronous transfer

mode) protocol. Capable of supporting transmission speeds up to 1.2 gigabit/sec.

Fastpath1: IMS feature for high performance on-line systems. Improves transaction rates by reducing
the number of instructions that have to be executed for specific

transactions – by up to 50%.

Fastpath2: Fastpath 9750 and 9770 were FEPs which enabled high-speed file transfers between IBM
mainframes and minicomputers, and LAN-based workstations. Used CETI to

connect to the 9370. They were Intel products sold by IBM. The 9770 replaced the 9750 in September
1988 and was withdrawn August 1992.

FastRef/2: Workstation OS/2 tool which was designed to interact with the now-defunct Repository
Manager/MVS to enable users to evaluate the impact of proposed

software changes without actually making them. Announced September 1991. Withdrawn March
1998.

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Fast Response Cache Architecture: A set of AIX APIs enabling e-business applications to cache data
such as Web content in the Network Buffer Cache (NBC). It can

significantly reduce the path length, providing a performance boost.

FASTService: Failure Analysis and Support Technology Service. IBM Service which was intended
to help users resolve problems in their z/OS application software. Used

proprietary hardware and software on an IBM-run iSeries 400 which monitored probes installed by
users in COBOL, PL/I, or Assembler applications. If the probe was

activated (e.g., by a program error), the program telephoned up the iSeries 400 which used a database
of problems to identify what was wrong, and suggest solutions.

Withdrawn March 1996, with SystemView SiteManager Services suggested as a possible

replacement.

Fast Service Upgrade: IBM software installation service that eases upgrade from one release of
VSE/ESA to another. Includes system software products, like CICS/VSE.

FastSite: Lotus end user tool for easily creating Web pages for Internet, intranet or extranet sites,
from existing files of several different formats, including

Adobe PDF documents. Integrated with Microsoft FrontPage.

Fast Sync Data Mover Facility: Mechanism to tell DB2 that the Move Page instruction on the
processor is just as fast, and should be used instead of, the Asynchronous

Data Mover Facility (ADMF).

FAStT: IBM Fiber Array Storage Technology.

Fast Write: See DASD Fast Write, and Cache Fast Write. When the term Fast Write is used without
qualification, it usually means DASD Fast Write.

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FAT: File Allocation Table. A table in PC-DOS and early Windows operating systems, used to
allocate space on a disk for a file and to locate parts of the file that

may be found on different sectors. Notorious for getting corrupted, especially in early versions of
DOS. Replaced by FAT32, NTFS and HPFS. Also known as FAT16.

FAT32: A 32 bit implementation of FAT16 that overcame many of its shortcomings. First available
in Windows 95 Service Release 2.

Fat DASD: Pre-release nickname for the 3390-9.

Fax: Facsimile. Transmission of a monochrome image of a page across the standard telephone system
by dialing the telephone number of another Fax machine.

International standards exist for several transmission speeds and display resolutions, although IBM
promoted a standard of their own for a while. Rose from obscurity

to universality during the 1980s, replacing the Telex and TWX. But Fax is not new. It had become
quite popular in the 1930s within police departments for transmitting

photographs (mug shots) of criminals.

FaxConcentrator: PS/2 board which allows you to send and receive faxes using group 3 standards. An
API is provided for use in developing applications. Obsolete.

FBA: Fixed Block Architecture. A way of formatting disk drives in which the disk is allocated in
fixed length (e.g., 512 bytes) blocks rather than cylinders.

FBC: Funny Black Connector. Slang terminology for the hermaphrodite connector used for cabling.
See Boa2.

FBSS: Financial Branch System Services. System for banks and the like. Based on a client/server
architecture using PC-DOS, Windows, or OS/2 clients, and AS/400

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servers communicating across a Token Ring network. Replaced by LANDP in June 1992.

FBU: See Field Business Unit.

FCB1: Forms Control Block. Originally a continuous carriage control tape, similar to paper tape,
only wider, for the 1403 printer. Later, on high speed printers such

as the 3800, a hardware buffer controlled by special characters embedded in the printer datastream. In
either case, the FCB controls the vertical format/spacing of the

printer to match the currently mounted paper forms. For example, to avoid printing over the header,
footer and perforation.

FCB2: File Control Block.

FCC: Federal Communications Commission. American authority which regulates and oversees wire
and radio transmissions, and stops PCs and the like emitting noxious

radiation that could interfere with the reception of other noxious radiation such as TV soap operas.

F-Coupler: Frequency Coupler. A device that merges broadband analog signals with digital data
using shielded twisted-pair wiring. This allows the cabling system to

accommodate simultaneous analog video with data traffic on a Token Ring Network.

FCS1: First Customer Ship.

FCS2: Fiber Channel Standard. ANSI standard for 1 gigabit/sec fiber channels that IBM uses in
FICON.

FCT: File Control Table. A CICS table where datasets are defined so they can be used by CICS
applications and other software.

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FD:OCA: Formatted Data Object Content Architecture. An architecture for describing field formatted
data such as database elements. The idea is that the data

description is attached to the data object and carried around with it over networks, so that receiver and
sender share a common understanding of the data. FD:OCA

should save an awful lot of converting and reconciling of data as it passes between systems – albeit at
the expense of more data traffic across the network. FD:OCA is

central to DRDA. Announced July 1990 and first implemented in September 1990.

FDDI: Fiber Distributed Data Interface. An ANSI standard for use of fiber optics to provide networks
up to 100 Megabits/sec and up to 250 km long. Incorporates token

passing and supports circuit-switched voice and packetized data. 3172 FDDI gateway announced
September 1990, RS/6000 adapter in January 1992, and ten different FDDI

adapters in June 1993. At one time FDDI was the hot favorite to become the standard MAN
technology, but ATM2 has lengthened the odds. See also SDDI.

FDM: Frequency Division Multiplexing. A means of sending more than one set of messages down a
single line by using a different carrier frequency for each message. FDM

is the technique used on broadband LANs.

FDP: Field Developed Program. Program developed unofficially – usually by a customer – and
available somewhat grudgingly from IBM. You almost never heard about them

anymore.

FDX: Full DupleX. See Duplex.

FEDI: Financial Electronic Data Interchange. Process for the transmission of both payment
instructions and remittance details from computer to computer using

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international message standards.

FEL: Flexible Exchange Lease. Obsolete IBM lease offering which made it easy for customers to
change to new IBM products as they emerged. Many FELs included

Technology Conversion Options.

Fellow: You get to be an IBM Fellow for sustained technical achievement. The prize is 5 years off
work at your full salary to pursue any research or technical

projects you like so long as it’s related to IBM’s business.

FEP: Front-End Processor. Generic (non IBM-specific) term for a specialized computer linked to the
front end of a DP machine to support a specialized function (e.g.,

communications). IBM’s 3705, 3720, 3725, and 3745 are communications FEPs.

FEPI: Front End Programming Interface. A CICS feature (announced late 1991) which helps users to
integrate unrelated IMS and CICS applications under the CICS

umbrella. Works by enabling CICS applications to look like terminals to other CICS and IMS1
applications. Potentially it enables a wider range of systems to work with

CICS. Not terribly strategic – rather it’s a way of prolonging the life of legacy systems.

FFST: First Failure Support Technology. Technology first introduced in the 3990-6 in May 1993, and
described by IBM as a strategic IBM technology for automated

software problem detection and support. When an error first occurs, FFST captures all the appropriate
diagnostic information to minimize the chances of the error

occurring again. Later implemented in z/OS and z/VM.

FFST/ESA: First Failure Support Technology/Enterprise Systems Architecture. An element of z/OS.

See FFST.

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FFTDCA: Final-Form Text DCA. Version of the DCA architecture for final form documents (i.e.,
with all the formatting and control characters in place). Generally it’s

easier to ship final-form documents around than to ship revisable-form documents where the format
and control characters are not in a fixed form.

FIBB: Fast Internal Bus Buffer. I/O support card in the eserver zSeries 900. Introduced September
1996.

Fiber Channel Connectivity: See FICON.

Fiber optic channel: Channel technology which replaces the copper bus and tag channel cables with
fiber optic links. Fiber optics have lots of advantages – greater

bandwidth, less signal attenuation, lower weight (1/900th that of bus and tag), greater security. First
used, September 1990, in IBM’s System/390 ESCON architecture

which introduced the new serial protocol needed to achieve bandwidths beyond the 4.5MB/sec
practical limit of copper bus and tag. Fiber-optic channels were announced

for the AS/400 in May 1991. FICON was introduced, effectively replacing EICON, in May 1998.
IBM, along with other vendors, has developing standards for fiber channels

for connecting workstations.

Fiber Transport Services: See FTS2.

FICON: FIbre CONnections. An eserver zSeries 900 channel that implements the ANSI FCS2
transport. Each FICON channel can handle over 4,000 I/O operations per second,

equivalent to eight ESCON channels. The FICON channel link speed is 100MBps full duplex,
compared with 17MBps simplex with ESCON links. Announced May 1998.

Field Business Unit: IBM sales and marketing location with profit objectives.

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Field-level access checking: A RACF facility that can be used to control access to segments of a
RACF profile, and fields within those segments.

FIFO: First In, First Out. A queuing method also known as FCFS: first come, first served. Always
process the item that has been in the queue the longest. LIFO, last

in, first out, is the opposite, where the most recent addition to the queue is processed first; also known
as a push-down stack.

File-Aid: File-AID/Express migrates and transforms data, converts data for new DBMS
environments, creates temporary or permanent interfaces between new and existing

applications, and interactively converts subsets of data for testing applications or interfaces.

File Control Table: See FCT.

File striping: IBM technique for very high-speed DASD. Uses the Parallel Input-Output Access
Method (PIOAM) – a set of routines which enable very high-speed access to

data by scattering consecutive fields across multiple devices and data paths, thereby allowing some
degree of I/O parallelism. It’s a special case of disk striping.

PIOAM was announced July 1989 and withdrawn April 1995. It was used from Clustered FORTRAN
under z/OS. And also supported by ftp in z/OS TCP/IP. See also Sequential

data striping.

FIPS: Federal Information Processing Standard. Under the US Information Technology Management
Reform Act, the Secretary of Commerce approves standards and guidelines

that are developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for federal computer
systems. These standards and guidelines are issued by NIST as

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Federal Information Processing Standards for use government-wide. For example, FIPS 140 sets
several security levels for cryptographic hardware. IBM has several

products that meet these standards.

Firewall1: Generic term for security software, often with a stand-alone computer system, that
controls all of an organization’s incoming traffic from the Internet at

one location, most notably unauthorized access attempts, though many larger firewalls also filter for
viruses. So-called hardware firewalls usually use a security-

hardened version of an operating system to overcome the risk of software-only firewalls: direct
attacks on weaknesses in the operating system. See also SecureWay

Firewall.

Firewall2: IBM Firewall. Renamed SecureWay Firewall.

Firewall Technologies: A firewall1 component of z/OS SecureWay Security Server.

Fireworks Partners: IBM venture capital arm set up in January 1993 to foster multimedia
developments for the commercial and consumer markets. Disappeared without a

trace.

Firmware: Software permanently stored within a hardware device as an alternative to hardware

circuitry to make it function. Most devices that have firmware can have

it updated. It may, for example, be stored in EPROM. IBM originally invented diskettes as a medium
for loading firmware on each IML, since early computers did not

permanently store firmware at all. Examples of firmware include the BIOS on a motherboard and
complex mainframe machine instructions like Move Page. Firmware is safer

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than software loaded from an alterable medium and more adaptable to change than pure hardware
circuitry.

First Touch: A programming technique that only builds elements of a large complex structure as they
are needed. IBM uses it for AIX Fast Server Startup where each

attribute table is not created until an entry is added that uses that attribute.

Fix: A botch to repair (fix) a problem.

FLASH algorithm: Fast Look-up Algorithm for Structural Homology. FLASH is a probabilistic
indexed algorithm that is used to carry out extremely fast similarity

matching of objects in a database. The algorithm looks for matches only in those places where it’s
likely to find them and ignores the rest of the database. Because

its performance degrades very slowly as the size of the database increases, it allows very high
scalability. Applications of FLASH include matching new DNA and protein

sequences, matching molecular structures, and identifying fingerprints for civil applications. FLASH
started as a computer vision program developed at IBM’s Thomas J.

Watson Research Center.

FlashCopy: A point-in-time copy feature of Enterprise Storage Server (ESS). Can be used to create a
valid copy of an open database while it is being updated, without

risk of having different parts of the database accurate to different moments in time. For example,
related rows of different tables.

Flash memory: Any type of read-only memory, such as EPROM, that can be updated. Typically
stored in integrated circuits and used for firmware.

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Flat file: Any file (dataset1, mainframe parlance) stored in a file access method without an index,
which, of course, eliminates all DBMS. cf. flat file system, which

refers to the directory that files are stored in, rather than the file itself. There are also non-relational
DBMS known as flat file databases.

Flat file system: A directory system for files that does not have a hierarchy, which means there are no
subdirectories, and each file name is unique.

Flat Workload License Charge: A flat monthly charge for a software product, no matter what size of
eserver zSeries 900 it is being run on.

Flexlease: A leasing deal invented and sold by Atlantic Computers in the UK, and widely considered
to be the cause of Atlantic’s spectacular £ 1500m collapse in early

1990. The customer signed a lease (usually a seven-year lease rather than the more normal five years)
with a finance house. A separate agreement between the leasing

company and the customer contained walk and flex clauses. In the walk clause the leasing company
agreed to take over the lease a year or two before the full term of

the lease, allowing the customer to walk away from the lease with no further obligation; payments still
needed to be made to the finance house, and the leasing company

usually sold the equipment to help service the outstanding lease. The flex clause gave the customer
the option of changing the equipment – in effect the leasing

company arranged a new lease incorporating payments for the old lease and the new equipment. It
was all hunky-dory for as long as the leasing company could keep on

growing the business; when the growth stopped, so did Atlantic.

Floating point: One of several methods of storing numbers on an IBM mainframe and most other
computers. Similar to scientific notation, such as 3.75 times 10 to the

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25th power, only it is 2 or 16 that is taken to some power. For example, short floating point on the
mainframe is a sign bit followed by a 7 bit exponent then 3 bytes

of mantissa. To make matters even more confusing, the exponent is stored in Excess-64 notation. All
of which means you have to subtract 64 from the exponent to get the

power to which 16 must be taken, times the value of the mantissa as if it had a decimal point in front
of it. Not something you want to figure out from a hexadecimal

dump. Especially without a hex calculator.

FLOPS: Floating Point Operations Per Second. Generic term used mainly to specify the performance
of very powerful scientific and mathematical computer systems

(supercomputers).

FlowMark: Object-oriented workflow management platform developed by IBM’s Vienna labs, and
announced September 1993. It’s a generalized set of services which allow

users to define and manage standard business activities. Included interfaces to DataHub, and was
promoted by IBM for designing, implementing, and controlling

distributed CICS applications. Internet add-ons announced February 1996, and links with MQSeries
and Lotus Notes in March 1996. Platform support varied over the years,

but at one time or another included z/OS, Windows (including iSeries 400 IPCS2), AIX, OS/2 and
HP-UX. Replaced by MQSeries Workflow December 1999.

FLPA: Fixed Link Pack Area. Area within z/OS holding programs typically used by many different
address spaces simultaneously.

FLSF: Font Library Service Facility. Font management utility for use with 3800 and 4250 printers.
Obsolete.

FM: See Facilities Management.

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FMCB: Function Management Control Block.

FMDS: Function Management Data Services. Layer 6 in SNA.

FMH: Functional Management Header. An SNA data structure.

FMLC: Fixed Monthly License Charge. See MLC. cf. GMLC, IMLC.

FOCA: Font Object Content Architecture. IBM architecture defining the structure and content of
digitally described fonts. Superset of the font standards of IPDS.

Focal Point: A network node within an ONM network that collects information and makes it
available to network personnel, and to Entry Points and Service Points. From

a network management point of view, the Focal Point is the hub of the network.

Foothill: Term used to describe the members of the ES/9000 range that were derived directly from
the 3090J – i.e., all the water-cooled models at the launch except

the 820 and 900. They’re basically the 3090J internals with new environmentals. They were
superseded in February 1993 with the new 9021s.

Footprint1: Generic term for the measure of floor space required for one or more pieces of hardware.

Footprint2: Canadian company bought by IBM in mid 1995 for its object-oriented bank automation
software.

Fork lift upgrade: IBMspeak for a complete machine swap – i.e., you get a fork-lift truck to take
away your old machine, and put a new one in its place.

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Form factor: A technical term meaning physical size, and widely used by disk specialists to mean
diameter – why they can’t just say diameter is one of life’s little

mysteries.

FormTalk: OS/2 software for creating, routing, approving, and tracking business forms. Works with
Microsoft Mail, Lotus Notes, cc:Mail, and FlowMark. There’s a

Windows version too. Withdrawn February 1996.

Fort Knox: Internal IBM code name for a project to produce a computer which combines the
mainframe and iSeries 400 architecture in the same box. IBM has firmly denied

that such a box will ever appear. It is probable that the project was killed, or at least shelved, in 1984.
See also MVS/400.

FORTRAN: FORmula TRANslation. A programming language best suited for engineering, scientific
and mathematical applications. Historically, it was the first programming

language taught in many universities and colleges. SAA-anointed in the FORTRAN 1977 ANSI
version, but FORTRAN has been withdrawn from most SAA platforms. Currently,

there are three available versions of FORTRAN: VS FORTRAN for z/OS and z/VM, XL Fortran for
AIX and XL High Performance Fortran for AIX. See also Clustered FORTRAN.

FPA: See Function Point Analysis.

FPDIF: Floating Point Data Interchange Facility. A set of FORTRAN subroutines within SCSE for
high-speed transfer of numerical data. Obsolete.

FPoSS: Flexible Point of Sales Services. IBM initiative which provided a flexible need analysis and
insurance product framework. It was a set of tools that provides

dynamic models of customer behavior and dynamic combinations of product offerings. Obsolete.

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FPR: Floating Point Register. The bit of the CPU which does all the difficult sums. The standard
IBM mainframe has four FPRs each of 64 bits and stores floating point

numbers to the base 16. FPRs can be paired to process extended floating point numbers.

FPS II: Information Center product that ended up in IC/1.

FR: See Frame Relay.

FRACHECK: RACF function replaced by the FASTAUTH request.

Fragmentation: When an operating system writes data to disk, or other storage medium, and there is
insufficient contiguous space, the data is then written to

discontiguous sectors. The result is fragmented data. Fragmentation can cause increased data access
times because the operating system must search different tracks for

information. See Defragmentation.

Frame: The unit of transmission in a Token Ring Network. It includes delimiters, control characters,
information, and checking characters.

FrameNode: See 2218.

Frame Relay: High-performance packet-switching network standard, intended to replace X.25 (over
which it claims a six-fold performance improvement because of

reductions in network functions) on ISDN networks. Frame Relay is a particularly strong candidate
for networks which mix different types of traffic (e.g., voice and

data). IBM strongly embraced the technology. A particular attraction of the technique is that it’s a
handy stepping stone on the way to ATM2. See also Fast Packet,

RouteXpander/2.

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Framework: IBMspeak for an abstract edifice that’s not quite as well worked out and complex as an
architecture, but that’s a bit more than just a glint in a

marketer’s eye. Usually a framework will involve a few specifications and lots of strategic alliances
between IBM and third-party vendors who hope to pick up a few

crumbs which fall off the table. The Information Warehouse and SystemView are of this ilk. These
days, frameworks are spoken of in the same breath as WebSphere.

FRCA: See Fast Response Cache Architecture.

Freelance Graphics: Lotus presentation graphics package that competes with Microsoft PowerPoint.
Included in SmartSuite.

Front End Programming Interface: See FEPI.

FRU: Field Replaceable Unit. A unit that is replaced lock, stock, and barrel if it breaks. See CRU.

FS: Future System. IBM project started early 1970s to design a follow-on to the mainframe
architecture. The design turned out to be too revolutionary and was axed in

1975. Spin-offs from FS include the System/38, TCM1s, extended architecture, dynamic channels,
single level storage. The name FS is often revived by pundits to refer

to whatever they think the next mainframe machine architecture will be.

FSF/6000: File Storage Facility/6000. Software which provides a file server function on a networked
pSeries. Keeps important and frequently used files on the client,

and tucks less frequently used files away on the server. Announced May 1994, withdrawn February
1997.

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FSIOP: File Server I/O Processor. Feature (add-in card) introduced on the AS/400 Advanced Server
(see Advanced Series) which provides high-performance file serving

for PC workstations using the AS/400 as a file server. Announced May 1994. Replaced by the
Integrated Netfinity Server February 1999. See also Integrated PC Server

(IPCS).

FSU: See Fast Service Upgrade.

FTAM: File Transfer, Access and Management/Manipulation. OSI-compatible protocol for

distributed data management. A layer 7 Application Service Element intended to be

used for creating, accessing, and moving large structured files between heterogeneous systems. The
FTAM standard considers all data to have a generalized virtual

filestore structure, consisting of named collections of hierarchically organized data. Included in SAA
and supported in OSI/FS.

FTP1: File Transfer Program. General purpose file transfer/update program (IND$FILE) for
transferring files in 3270 format in an SNA environment. Widely used to

transfer files between PCs and mainframe. Withdrawn January 1992. See also NetView File Transfer
Program, FTTERM.

ftp2: File Transfer Protocol. General purpose file transfer protocol for TCP/IP systems, including the
TCP/IP components of IBM Communications Server. Originated on

the Internet. See also AFTP.

FTS1: File Transfer Support. Facility first introduced on the System/36, and now part of OS/400,
enabling files to be sent to and retrieved from remote systems. Much

simpler than DDM, which provides a more generalized mechanism for data transfer.

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FTS2: Fiber Transport Services. An area within IBM Global Services that provides and installs fiber
optic cables.

FTTERM: PC/Host File Transfer and Terminal Emulator Program. PC-DOS 3270/5250 emulator that
also provides 3101 and DEC VT100 terminal emulation. Supports various file

transfer protocols, including IND$FILE for mainframe file transfers. Not withdrawn from marketing
until March 1998, even though support ended in December 1991.

FTX: Version of Unix which ran on the System/88. Obsolete.

FUD: Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. Phrase (generally reckoned to have been coined by Gene
Amdahl) to describe what IBM has often been accused of trying to introduce

into its customers’ minds when it believed that the customer was about to tread a non-IBM path.
Alleged FUD tactics include pre-announcement, OCO policies, black-box

products, and refusal to support PCM or modified IBM products.

Full duplex: See duplex.

Fully-qualified generic profile: A dataset profile defined to RACF as Generic, but with a dataset
name specified, i.e., without any generic characterS.

Functionally stabilize: See Stabilize.

Function Point Analysis: Productivity measure of application development developed by A.J.

Albrecht at IBM in 1977. Became quite popular industry-wide within the next

15 years, but little is heard of it today, though there are still a few fans left. Function point analysis
measures the size and complexity of software in terms of the

number of user functions delivered. It’s independent of the traditional – and very misleading – use of
number of lines of code as a productivity measure. As you might

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guess, it was heavily supported by IBM at one time with education and training, and even a software
product called the Function Point Calculator.

Function shipping: CICS function that allows one CICS application to access data via another CICS
region, perhaps on another processor. Function shipping was

originally used to get round addressing limitations within CICS and MVS, then later to support
distributed TP between mainframes and PCs running OS/2 CICS.

Future System: See FS.

FWLC: See Flat Workload License Charge.

G2G: Green-to-GUI. A cute term for user interface rejuvenation.

GaA: See Gallium arsenide.

Gallium arsenide: Semiconductor fabrication technique which does away with silicon as the substrate
for chip manufacture and uses gallium arsenide (GaA) instead.

However, fabrication is expensive, compared with CMOS, and chip yields are low. This has limited
its use to supercomputer and military applications. See

Silicon/germanium.

GAM/SP: Graphic Access Method/System Product. z/VM facility enabling users to write software
for driving IBM graphics systems (e.g., 6090, 5080, 3250, 2250, 2840).

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Withdrawn June 1997.

Garbage collection: A software technique to free up previously-used, but currently unneeded, storage,
typically memory within the allocated address space for a

program/application/system. Because the result may be a lot of little pieces of non-contiguous

memory, some garbage collection algorithms also include a compaction of

the memory that is still in use. Obviously, garbage collection is only required for software that does
not automatically release memory along the way, when it first

stops being used, though compaction would still be of benefit.

GATE: General Access to X.25 Transport Extension. SNA extension for handling X.25.
Configuration option under NPSI.

Gateway: Equipment on a network that enables a terminal on one network to communicate with a
terminal on another (incompatible) network. The gateway may convert data

formats and protocols as well as physical formats and protocols. Most widely used in the IBM world
to connect LANs and SNA networks, where the gateway (often a card

plus some software in a PC) converts the NetBIOS protocols into SNA protocols. PADs and protocol
converters are typical gateways.

Gb1: See Gigabit.

GB2: See GigaByte.

GbE: See Gigabit Ethernet.

Gb Ethernet: See Gigabit Ethernet.

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Gbit: See Gigabit.

Gbps: Gigabits per second.

Gbyte: See Gigabyte.

GC: See Garbage collection.

GCD: Graphic Codepoint Definition. Part of the IBM office systems architecture which maps internal
character codes onto keyboards and national alphabets. See also

CDRA.

GCLISP: Golden Common LISP. See Golden.

GCS: Group Control System. A component of z/VM, intended for use with SNA products, that
supports multiprogramming and shared memory support to virtual machines. See

VM/SNA.

GDDM: Graphical Data Display Manager. Widely used IBM mainframe package for creating and
displaying graphic data on a terminal. Currently available for z/OS, z/VM and

VSE/ESA.

GDDM-PGF: GDDM Presentation Graphics Facility. Library of business graphics routines (bar/pie
charts, etc) for the GDDM environment. An optional, separately priced

feature of z/OS.

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GDF: Graphics Data Format/File. Either the data format used internally by GDDM, or a file in that
format. May also be used by application programs such as QMF to save

charts.

GDG: Generation Data Group. Collection of (z/OS non-VSAM) datasets (see GDS2) all with the
same logical name (GDG Base Entry); the individual datasets are uniquely

identified by the generation number which is stored as part of the dataset name. The datasets can be
referenced either by the explicit generation number or the

relative generation number. GDGs are useful where datasets are cycled – standard JCL can be used
without having to change the dataset names for each run.

GDLC: Generic/General Data Link Control Interface. Defines a common interface with the same set
of commands for multiple DLCs. DLCs that conform to the GDLC interface

include Token Ring, IEEE 802.3 for Ethernet, Standard Ethernet, SDLC1, QLLC and FDDI.

GDMO: Guidance for Definition of Managed Objects. An ISO standard for object-oriented systems.

GDPS: Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex. A service offering of IBM Global Services that
manages z/OS remote copy configuration and storage subsystems,

automates Parallel Sysplex operational tasks and performs failure recovery from a single point of
control. Comes in two flavors: GDPS/PPRC and GDPS/XRC.

GDPS/PPRC: Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex/Peer to Peer Remote Copy. A hardware-

only GDPS approach that synchronously mirrors data residing on a set of z/OS

disk volumes to a remote site. cf. GDPS/XRC.

GDPS/XRC: Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex/eXtended Remote Copy. A combination of

hardware and z/OS software that performs an asynchronous remote copy.

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Unlike GDPS/PPRC, no dark fiber is required, and there is no 40km distance limit. See also GDPS.

GDQF: Graphical Display and Query Facility. Displays images – typically CADAM – on high
resolution 3270 screens, and/or prepares output for high resolution

printers/plotters. Runs on z/OS and z/VM.

GDS1: General DataStream. Under LU6.2, all data sent between TP programs is sent in GDS
variables. A GDS variable comprises a length field, an identifier, and the

content of the variable.

GDS2: Generation DataSet. One of the dataset1s in a GDG.

GDT: Global Descriptor Table. A set of data structures used in OS/2 to manage memory in a
protected mode environment.

Gearbox: Ruggedized shop floor 25MHz 80386 PS/2 for CIM1 applications – configured much like a
programmable logic controller. Obsolete.

GEM1: Graphics Environment Manager. Obsolete PC GUI from Digital Research.

GEM2: See Tivoli Global Enterprise Manager.

General availability: Perhaps one of IBM’s oldest terms still in use. The time period beginning on the
first scheduled day of shipment of a product to customers not

involved in beta testing or other early release programs. And ending on the Withdrawal date. More
precisely, the Marketing Withdrawal date, as opposed to the end of

support. It is always amusing to find Withdrawal dates that are years behind end of support.

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General Parallel File System: See GPFS.

General Purpose Register: See GPR.

General Register: See GPR.

General resource: In RACF, anything defined in the Class Descriptor Table (CDT).

General resource profile: A profile used by RACF to protect a general resource.

General user: A RACF user with no security administration privileges beyond: logging on, access to
certain resources and control over owned datasets.

Generic character: In RACF, a special pattern-matching characters, such as the asterisk (*), known as
wildcard characters in other operating systems, that are invalid

in dataset names, but are used in generic profiles to specify all dataset names that match the specified
pattern.

Generic Data Link Control Interface: See GDLC.

Generic profile: A resource profile that protects zero or more resources having the same RACF
security requirements.

Generic Security Service Application Programming Interface: See Authentication service.

geoGPG: GEOgraphic Graphics Program Generator. AIX geographic information system (GIS)
based on a network topological model. geoGPG allows automated mapping and

facility management (AM/FM) applications to manage geographically located facilities, assets and
events. Announced February 1991 as IBM AIX geoGPG/6000, then renamed

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IBM geoGPG for AIX December 1995.

Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex: See GDPS.

Geographic Interface for OS/2: See geoInterface.

geoInterface: Geographic Interface. Workstation GIS interface used to visualize, analyze, and update
GFIS data. Announced 1996, first for OS/2 then Windows. The OS/2

version was withdrawn April 2001.

geoManager: IBM geoManager Relational Database System. Provides DB2 support for GFIS in
z/OS, z/VM, AIX and Windows environments, as well as Oracle support for AIX.

The graphic analysis feature allows editing and update of attribute data stored in the database.

GeoPort: Apple standard for real-time telephony on PCs, at one time pursued by Versit as a standard.

GeoRM: See HAGEO/GeoRM.

Gerstner: Lou Gerstner is the man who became Chief Executive of IBM in April 1993 (it just had to
be April the 1st, didn’t it?). His background was in biscuits

(leading to suggestions that he must be crackers) and charge cards. The non-computer background
augured well, since he’s not carrying the burden of a lifetime’s

immersion in the IBM culture.

GF11: IBM supercomputer development project.

GFIS: Geographic Facilities Information System. IBM GIS system. See also geoInterface.

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Gibson Mix: A synthetic workload (benchmark) used by IBM to calculate the effective MIPS ratings
of its large processors. Effectively it measures the average

execution time of a mix of instructions.

GID: Group Identifier. A string of one to eight characters that identifies a RACF group. In AIX1 and
z/OS Unix System Services, a number that uniquely identifies a

specific group name.

GIF: Graphics Interchange Format. A standard for defining raster (bit-mapped) images, whose wide
popularity suddenly dropped after Unisys declared that it would be

asserting its intellectual property rights in it. Largely being replaced by JPEG though you still see a lot
of GIFs on Web pages.

Gigabit: 1,073,741,824 bits. Abbreviated as Gb1.

Gigabit EtherChannel: See EtherChannel.

Gigabit Ethernet: A standard for Ethernet using optical fiber cable to obtain 1Gbps data transfer rates.

Gigabyte: Roughly a billion (American) bytes. Actually it’s 1,073,741,824 bytes – but who’s
counting? Abbreviated as GB.

GigaFLOPS: 1000 million FLOPS. Measure of supercomputer performance.

Giga processor: The name of the eserver pSeries in the media when it was still in the rumor stage.

GIO: Growth Incentive Option/Offer. IBM marketing program. Basically you get a whopping
discount on upgrades if you commit to them early.

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GIOP: General Inter-ORB Protocol, an OMG standard that specifies the transfer syntax and message
formats for communication between ORBs.

GIS: Geographic Information Systems. Systems which manage geographic information for map
making, demography, geology, and the like. It has proved a lucrative market

sector over the last 15 years, and IBM has set up a number of joint ventures to exploit it (e.g., with the
University of California at Santa Barbara, UGC, the geoGPG

product, and the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis).

GKS: Graphical Kernel System. ISO graphics standard. Supported by IBM in GDDM and the
GDDM-GKS interface.

Glasshouse: The mainframe machine room (also known as the Raised floor).

Glass teletype: A generic name for dumb CRTs. More strictly it’s used to mean terminals which
appear to be teletypes as far as other devices are concerned, but which

have a screen rather than a roll of paper as the output medium. Obsolete.

GLISP: Golden Common LISP. See Golden.

Global access checking: A RACF performance feature that allows certain resources to be security
checked against an in-storage table.

Global Financing: IBM Global Financing. The largest lender of money in the Computing world, to
the tune of $20 billion to customers and another $30 billion to

business partners. Operates in 40 countries. Is also behind Capacity Upgrade on Demand, financing
the spare hardware until it is required.

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Globally RACLISTed profiles: In-storage profiles for RACF-defined resources that are shared with
other RACF nodes. See also RACLISTed profile, locally RACLISTed

profiles.

Global Network: A division of IBM which AT&T bought in December 1998 for $5 billion cash. As
part of the deal IBM outsourced a large amount of its global networking

needs to AT&T, which in turn outsourced certain applications processing and data center management
back to IBM.

Global Services: IBM Global Services. IBM’s consulting practice, averaging 50,000 consultants at
work worldwide. Outsourcing is about 40% of the business.

GMF: Graphics Monitor Facility. See NGMF.

GML: Generalized Mark-up Language. The language for specifying output formats in the SCRIPT
system. See also SGML, SCRIPT/VS, DCF.

GMLC: Graduated Monthly License Charge. A monthly charge for mainframe software based on the
power of the processor on which the software is to run. Introduced at the

beginning of 1989, superseding the flat monthly license charge (MLC). Currently available for z/VM,
but not z/OS. See also GOTC, FMLC, IMLC.

GMR: Giant MagnetoResistive head. IBM-developed technology for enhanced hard drive capacity.
First deployed commercially in November 1997, in the Deskstar 16GP, a

16.8-gigabyte drive.

GNM: NetCenter Graphic Network Monitor. See NetCenter.

Go: See Domino Go Webserver.

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Goal mode: A mode of processing within Workload Manager (WLM) where the active service policy
determines system resource management. The alternative is Compatibility

mode where the IEAIPSxx and IEAICSxx parmlib members determine system resource management.
The z/OS Intelligent Resource Director requires that WLM be running in Goal

mode.

GOCA: Graphics Object Content Architecture. Defines the structure and content of graphic image
data. Includes location and content of lines, curves, drawing orders,

etc. Superset of the I/O graphics standards of IPDS.

Godzilla: Slang terminology used by systems programmers for SMS1. Named because the main
module of SMS is called IGDZILLA.

GOLC: Growth Opportunity License Charge. A monthly IBM software fee for the operating system
and systems software introduced September 1999 to support the System/390

Multiprise 3000 line of small mainframes. Initially, GOLC provides a discounted price based on the
size of the previous processor, then continues with a lower price

that recognizes the size (small) of the Multiprise 3000. Includes both z/OS and z/VM.

Golden: Golden Common LISP. LISP learning tool and development environment for PC-DOS from
Gold Hill Computers. Announced December 1985 as an IBM Program Offering.

Withdrawn June 1987. Abbreviated as GCLISP and GLISP.

Golden Screwdriver: In the old days when a customer ordered the smallest mainframe in a range IBM
had the option of shipping a machine with a bigger processor and

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more memory but with software which prevented the extra power and storage being exploited. If the
customer at a later date wanted an upgrade then an engineer would

arrive with his golden screwdriver and erase the code which was slowing down the machine. The
result was a more powerful machine and a huge invoice for the upgrade.

Gopher: An Internet protocol, developed at the University of Minnesota, that provides a menu-driven
interface for accessing files and information on other computers.

The protocol was named Gopher after the Minnesota University mascot, the Golden Gopher. Few
Internet sites use Gopher anymore, as HTTP-based Web sites offer more

flexibility.

GOSIP: Government Open Systems Interconnection Procurement/Profile. A Government standard

for communications based on OSI and TOP developed in the US, UK, Germany,

and France. Obsolete.

GOTC: Graduated One Time Charge. One time charge for IBM software introduced at the beginning
of 1989. Unlike OTC, the GOTC varies according to the processor for

which the software is licensed. At the beginning of 1999, OTC and GOTC options were dropped from
any mainframe software product for which a monthly charge option was

available. See also GMLC.

Governor: See DB2 Governor.

GPFS: General Parallel File System. GPFS for AIX is a shared disk file system for parallel and serial
applications. GPFS for Linux is similar but for Red Hat Linux

running on xSeries.

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GPR: General Purpose Register. Also known as a General Register (GR). 370-architecture machines
have 16 GPRs each of 32 bits. ESA augments the GPRs with a set of

Access Registers.

GPS: General Purpose System. Occasional IBMspeak for small business systems (e.g., iSeries 400).

GPSI: General Purpose System for Inferencing. Expert system used in the RT PC for diagnostic
services. Developed at the University of Illinois with IBM funding.

Obsolete.

GPT: Generalized Path information unit Trace. A record of the flow of path information units (PIUs)
between a network control program and its resources.

GR: General Register. See GPR.

Graduated Monthly License Charge: See GMLC.

Granularity: Although it can refer to level of detail in almost any context, granularity is more
commonly used to refer to the closeness of the incremental power

steps in a manufacturer’s processor range. A highly granular range is one where you can move to a
more powerful processor without having to buy one far too big for

your needs. The IBM mainframe range is pretty granular today, although it hasn’t always been so in
the past, and some of the PCM vendors had a fine old time filling

the gaps in a non-granular (lumpy?) IBM range.

GraphicsView/2: SystemView graphics application on OS/2 EE. Provides an SAA-conformant

graphical interface for displaying network configurations to help the operator

interpret LAN management data. Announced September 1990. Withdrawn September 1997.

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graPHIGS: Support for the ANSI PHIGS standard. Originally in stand-alone products, but now
included in AIX.

Green card: The name given by system programmers for the IBM mainframe reference summary
booklets, no matter what the color. Named because the original System/360

versions were green fan fold cards. At least, the size remains the same: just right for slipped into a
shirt pocket. The problem, of course, is the lack of shirt

pockets in much of today’s attire.

Group: Zero or more users defined with the same security requirements for specified RACF
resources.

Group authority: Which RACF functions a user can perform on a group: USE, CREATE, CONNECT
or JOIN.

Group dataset: A dataset with a qualifier with the same name as a RACF group name. Normally, the
high level qualifier, but installations can choose another qualifier.

Group ID: In RACF, now known as group name.

Grouping profile: A RACF profile in a resource grouping class.

Group name: One to eight characters that uniquely identifies a group to RACF.

Group polling: Enhancement to NCP and 3174 firmware enabling substantial reduction in polling
overhead when a 3174 gateway has a large number of DSPUs.

Group profile: The RACF profile that defines a group.

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Group-related user attribute: Allows a user to control RACF security for a group and its subgroups.

Groupware: Once a popular buzzword for software which provides support for groups of people
working collaboratively on projects. IBM’s principal groupware offering is

the Notes software from its Lotus subsidiary. See also Person to Person.

GRPACC attribute: Gives all RACF users in a group UPDATE authority to any group datasets
created by any user in the group.

GRS: Global Resource Serialization. z/OS subsystem for sharing resources in a multisystem
environment, including a sysplex, to ensure data integrity. See also

Dequeue, Enqueue.

GSAM: Generalized Sequential Access Method. A feature of IMS1.

GSD: General Systems Division. GSD used to be one of the three major product divisions of IBM
(see DPD, OPD). The System/3x products originated in GSD, evolving into

the iSeries 400.

GSE: See GUIDE SHARE Europe.

GSE U.K.: The United Kingdom section of GUIDE SHARE Europe.

GSKit: IBM Global Security Kit. Provides SSL security.

GSS API: Generic Security Service Application Programming Interface. See Authentication service.

GTA: General Trading Architecture. IBM architecture for financial (e.g., stock exchange type)
applications.

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GTF: Generalized Trace Facility. An optional z/OS utility that records system events, which can be
used for problem diagnosis. Events such as supervisor calls and

start I/O operations are recorded. Very resource greedy (up to 20% of processor cycles) but useful for
intractable system problems.

GTMOSI: General Teleprocessing Monitor for OSI. z/OS CICS teleprocessing monitor providing
tools to help users write native OSI applications at layers 6

(presentation) and 7 (application). Offers protocol conversion between OSI and SNA. The
combination of GTMOSI, OSNS, and OTSS is an OSI analog of CICS. IBM pronounced

it Je t’aime OSI, although the words probably stuck in the corporate throat. Replaced by CSFI.

Guest: A second operating system that runs on the user’s primary operating system – e.g., VSE/ESA
running as a guest under z/VM.

GUI: Graphical User Interface. Generic term for the WIMPS type interfaces used in OS/2, Windows,
and the Macintosh. IBM has been involved to varying degrees in any

number of GUIs – see AIXwindows, CUA1, Metaphor, Motif, NeXTStep, OpenLook, Presentation
Manager, Windows, X-Terminal, X-Windows.

GUIDE: Guidance for Users of Integrated Data processing Equipment. For many years, an
international user group for users of large IBM equipment. Main GUIDE interests

were in applications and the commercial world. Depending on the area of the world, either stepped
aside for SHARE or merged with SHARE. See also International User

Group Council.

GUIDE SHARE Europe: An IBM user group serving Europe. Formed by the merging of the local
SHARE and GUIDE chapters. See also GSE U.K.

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GUI Facility: A set of z/VM workstation agents, help files and modules available from the VM
Download Library.

GW: See Gateway.

GW/NCP: Gateway NCP. Version of NCP software used with SNI to enable separate SNA networks
to talk with one another. See also Gateway.

GW/SSCP: Gateway SSCP. An SSCP which acts as a gateway between two independently
administered SNA networks in an SNI environment.

GW/VTAM: Gateway VTAM. Version of VTAM software used with SNI to enable separate SNA
networks to talk with one another. See also Gateway.

H5: System/390 bi-polar chip.

HA: High Availability. See High Availability Services.

Hacker: Anyone purposely attempting unauthorized access to a computer system, without the
organization’s permission. See also firewall1.

HACL: IBM’s Host Access Class Library. Object-oriented, Java API implemented on Host On-
Demand that is now also available as an API on other Web-to-host products,

e.g., Hummingbird’s HostExplorer Web.

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HACMP: High Availability Cluster Multi-Processing software for the pSeries, announced June 1992.
Designed to allow up to 32 pSeries systems to share critical

components to provide high availability without too much redundant hardware. Different modes of
coupling are possible: Mode 1 where one machine sits idle and takes

over if another machine dies; Mode 2 where processors support their own users and applications, and
provide mutual backup; and Mode 3 (loosely coupled multi-

processing) where the machines support the same users and cooperatively run both applications. Mid
1995 it became HACMP for AIX.

HAGEO/GeoRM: High-Availability Geographic Cluster for AIX and Geographic Remote Mirror for
AIX programs. Allows geographically dispersed sites to mirror customer data

in real time using LAN or point-to-point networks. Basically a wide area version of the HACMP
clustering technology.

HALDB: High Availability Large Databases. Enables partitioning of IMS DB databases, supporting
as many as 1,001 partitions. Each partition can be 40GB. Partitions can

be processed in parallel. ISPF panels with help screens are provided for creating and migrating
databases. cf. Partition2. Announced as part of IMS1 Version 7 in

August 1999.

Half duplex: Data communication terminology for the transmission of data in only one direction at a
time. See Duplex.

HANDY: IBM expert system and artificial intelligence research project. Defunct.

Hardcoded: The use of a constant, rather than a variable, for a value in the source code of software. If
there is ever a need to change that value, it is difficult

and error-prone, especially if the value is used in more than one place in a program.

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Hardware Management Console: See HMC.

Hardware monitor: A component of Tivoli NetView for z/OS that helps identify and solve problems
related to physical network elements.

Harmony: See 4391.

Hashing algorithm: A method used to transform a record’s key into a location within a file where the
record will be stored.

HASP: Houston Automatic Spooling Program. Early batch job manager developed by IBM for in-
house use and subsequently released as JES2 (which is why JES2 messages are

always prefaced by HASP).

HA Switchable Resources: High Availability Switchable Resources. A chargeable OS/400 option that
allows resources, typically disk drives, to be physically switched

between systems, such as would be required should a production disk drive fail.

HCD: Hardware Configuration Definition. An element of z/OS that provides the interactive tool
which is used to define the hardware configuration. HCD eliminates batch

I/O gens. See also HCM.

HCF: Host Command Facility. Originally part of 8100 Host Support Services providing central
control and operation of multiple 8100/DPPX systems, and distributed

system management using NCCF facilities. Later a VTAM facility which allows one device to log on
to another as if it is a local user, when it’s very useful for

management of remote IBM and non-IBM devices. Withdrawn March 2001.

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HCM: Hardware Configuration Manager. An optional, separately priced feature of z/OS that provides
a client/server application for driving HCD. Announced June 1995.

HCPLDR: CP Loader.

HCPSADMP: Stand-Alone Dump Utility.

HDA: Head/Disk Assembly. The read/write head and associated bits and pieces that read data from
disks. The implication is also of a sealed unit, at least from the

customer perspective, as opposed to a removable disk pack.HDA

HDAM: Hierarchical Direct Access Method for IMS DB.

HDBV: Host DataBase View. Micro to mainframe link from IBM for business professionals. Allows
access from PCs to certain tools, including QMF, AS, Info Center/1. Also

re-formats data from some PC packages (e.g., Lotus 1-2-3). Obsolete.

HDDI: Host Displaywriter Document Interchange. A venerable program which enabled

Displaywriter users to transfer documents to a host machine. Defunct.

HDL: Host Document Library. The DISOSS library. Obsolete.

HDLC: High-level Data Link Control. A set of ISO standard link protocols for carrying data over a
link with error and flow control. One variant is used by X.25,

another is compatible with SDLC1.

Head of string: DASD sub control unit between a DASD controller and storage devices.

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Heartbeat: Message passed between two processors in a fault-tolerant (e.g., XRF) configuration. The
heartbeat tells the other processor that its colleague is alive

and well.

Heavy metal: Obscure industryspeak for Big iron.

Helical scan: A technique for recording data onto magnetic tape where the data is stored in a series of
diagonal stripes on the tape. Basically it’s a derivative of

VCR technology but highly modified for data recording devices to reduce tape wear, improve
reliability, etc. The technique was originally planned for use in the

Magstar, but IBM engineers could not figure out how to avoid having to replace the tape head every
month, so it was scrapped for good old fashioned parallel tracks

which run along the length of the tape. The technique has long been used in the mid-range and PC
markets (e.g., in the IBM 7208), but only started to come into the

mainframe market with StorageTek’s Redwood device.

Help Desk: A facility, common in many IBM installations, which provides a single focal point for
support services for end-users. At the end of 1989, IBM announced

that it was providing such a service itself through its End-User Support program. In an alliance with
Peregrine Systems, IBM formed an Infrastructure Resource

Management (IRM) practice in August 2001 to provide, among other things, a Help Desk service
offering.

HelpWare: PC service offering introduced by IBM early 1992 in the USA and the UK. You pay your
money and you get a helpline, trade-in program, and a magazine. Aimed

mainly at the stand-alone and small business user, not the corporates. One of IBM’s early attempts to
differentiate itself from the clone vendors (and to avoid the

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hurly-burly of a commodity market) by offering service, rather than low prices. Still being offered for
products such as the NetVista line.

Hercules: An obsolete screen standard for IBM PCs. Monochrome only, but fairly high resolution.

HESC: Higher Education Software Consortium. IBM discount scheme for US schools and colleges.
Members pay a fixed membership fee and no software license fees. The

program was terminated June 30, 2000.

HFGD: High Function Graphic Device (e.g., the 5080).

HFS: Hierarchical File System of z/OS Unix System Services and Unix-based operating systems
such as AIX1.

HIDAM: Hierarchical Indexed Direct Access Method. Access method used in IMS DB.

High-Availability Cluster Multi-Processing: See HACMP.

High-Availability Geographic Mirror: See HAGEO/GeoRM.

High Availability Services: IBM fee-based offerings to assess, implement and support measures to
increase the reliability of eservers.

High Level Assembler: Version of Assembler introduced early 1993 for z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA.
Replaces Assembler H. An element of z/OS. aka HLASM. The HLASM Toolkit is

an optional, separately priced feature of z/OS.

High Performance Optical File System: A replacement for FAT-based file systems within optical
library hardware such as the 3995. It includes redundant control

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structures that help prevent data loss during unscheduled power outages. HPOFS also erases
rewritable media in the background to boost data write performance by 33%.

HighPoint: Code name in the October 1993 Statement of Direction (SoD) for what became
VisualGen, officially announced May 1994. Development tool promised as an

eventual object-oriented, client/server replacement for CSP1 and/or VisualAge. Like CSP it allows
code to be generated in one environment for execution in another.

Generates COBOL, and includes a GUI interface builder.

High Speed Links: iSeries 400 interface to a server, or the loop and cables for the interface, with data
transfer rates of up to 1GBps.

Hiperbatch: z/OS facility announced October 1989 to speed up common batch processing
applications. Hiperbatch reduces disk and channel I/Os by placing sequential

batch data into Hiperspace for the whole of a multi-job batch run. The Move Page facility is then used
to transfer data between expanded and central storage. In batch

processing using sequential files, data can be shared among programs. Improvements in batch
performance of up to 60% are claimed by IBM.

HiPerLink: High Performance Coupling Links. One of five types of CF channels that can be used to
connect a CF to an LPAR.

Hiperpool: DB2 UDB for z/OS facility (announced March 1993) which allows DB2 buffer pools to
use Hiperspaces.

HiperSockets: Network in a box functionality that allows high speed any-to-any connectivity among
operating system images within a zSeries 900 without requiring any

physical cabling. The zSeries 900 does a direct move from one LPAR’s memory to another’s memory
using QDIO.

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Hipersort: See Hipersorting.

Hipersorting: DFSORT’s use of hiperspace to improve sorting performance in z/OS. Introduced in

DFSORT Version 11, announced February 1989.

Hiperspace: HIgh PERformance SPACE. A range of contiguous virtual storage addresses that a z/OS
program can use as a buffer, which can extend up to 2GB. Read and

written exclusively in 4KB blocks. Announced February 1988. See also Hipersorting, Hiperbatch,
Hiperpool.

HIPO: Hierarchy, Input, Process, Output. A development and documentation methodology

commonly used by IBM for system documentation in bygone days.

HIPPI: HIgh-performance Parallel Processor Interface. An ANSI standard for attaching devices to
parallel processing systems. IBM has several HIPPI implementations.

September 1990 it announced a system for connecting two high-end ES/9000 processors together to
create a single-system image (i.e., a single resource). HIPPI is also

used in the SCSE package to support a high-speed disk array. PR/SM support for HIPPI attachment
was announced September 1991. RS/6000 (pSeries) support announced July

1993. A HIPPI Protocol Support Service Program was announced for AIX October 1999. See also
9570.

HLASM: See High Level Assembler.

HLASM Toolkit: High Level ASseMbler Toolkit. See High Level Assembler.

HLL: High-Level Language. A programming language that does not reflect the structure of any
particular operating system or computer machine instruction architecture.

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HLLAPI: High-Level Language Application Programming Interface. An API within all of IBM’s
3270 terminal emulators that allows other programs to call the API to create

3270 format input and interpret 3270 output.

HLM: Heterogeneous LAN Management. Joint project (announced early 1993) between LAN
specialist 3Com and IBM to develop a set of network management specs (based to

some extent on NDIS) for mixed TRN and Ethernet systems. Uses the CMIP1 protocol.

HLMI: High-Level Machine Interface. A layer within the AS/400’s software structure. After mid
1995, the HLMI became the TIMI.

HMC: Hardware Management Console. The operator’s console on the mainframe, such as the 2074
on the eserver zSeries 900.

HMF/VM: See Host Management Facilities.

Hogan: Banking systems specialist. IBM had exclusive rights to market Hogan’s IBA products, but
transferred the rights back to Hogan early 1994.

Hollywood: Presentation graphics product from Publishing Solutions Inc for the PC-DOS Windows
3.0 environment. As from July 1991 Hollywood was sold by IBM. Withdrawn

January 1992.

Holographic storage: Based on the principle that certain inorganic crystals are photo-refractive,
which allows optical information to be written to and read from the

crystal by laser beams. Using two beams, an object beam and a reference beam, to create an
interference pattern, the actual substance of a hologram gets stored as a

page of defined optical characteristics. Although not commercially available, its low cost, random
access and ultra-mass storage characteristics will be a prime

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consideration for commercial development. At one time being developed by StorageTek.

Home page: The introductory page for an Internet Web site. This provides an introduction to the site
and hypertext links to local and non-local resources or pages.

For sites with their own domain names, this is what you get when you type www. followed by the
domain name (e.g., www.ibm.com) into a Web browser.

Hook: A helpful way, built into software or hardware products by the original developers, to allow
others to add custom features or to interface with the product.

Hop: In APPN, a portion of a route that has no intermediate nodes.

Hop count: A reference to the maximum number of nodes through which a frame may pass on the
way to its destination in a Token Ring Network.

Horizontal Capacity Upgrade on Demand: An IBM Global Financing offering that sees additional
processors and storage shipped in advance of actual need, and available

for use as soon as the additional capacity is required. And, of course, not paid for until actually used.

Host: A computer system that is a server and/or serves attached terminals.

Host Access Client Package: The combination of Personal Communications, WebSphere Host On-
Demand and Screen Customizer. Covers workstation-based viewing of 3270, 5250

and DEC VT (e.g., VT100) host terminal sessions through both Windows GUI and Web browser
interfaces, as well as converting host screens into a GUI without any

programming or host source code modifications.

Host integration server: Server-side middleware, with extensive connectivity options to disparate host
systems, for the creation of new e-business applications that

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rely on the manipulation and synthesis of data from multiple, existing mission-critical applications,
e.g., WebSphere Host Publisher.

Host Management Facilities: z/VM SystemView software for automated monitoring and scheduling
of z/VM work. A system programmer’s and operator’s tool. Includes an OS/2

workstation GUI. aka HMF/VM. Announced September 1991. Withdrawn September 2001.

Host On-Demand: An IBM Java applet-based product that performs tn3270, tn5250 and DEC VT100
emulation to enable users to access SNA and DEC applications from a Web

browser. Replaced by Host Access Client Package September 2000.

HostView: Rumored name for what eventually emerged as SystemView.

Hot-plugging: IBMspeak for the ability to connect and disconnect devices in an ESCON or FICON
configuration without having to close everything down. Also known as

dynamic I/O reconfiguration.

HP: Hewlett-Packard Company. Founded in 1939 as an electronics company, its first product was the
HP 200A, a resistance capacity audio oscillator, used to test sound

equipment. In the early 1970s, developed the first hand-held calculators that engineering students
were forced to buy, costing them more than a full year’s tuition.

Today, a huge computer company, though they are still heavily into other electronics. See also HP-
UX.

HPCS: Highly Parallel Computer Systems. IBMspeak for what emerged as the 9672R CMOS
machines.

HPDT: High-Performance Data Transfer services. Functionality in VTAM that increases the
efficiency of large message transfers for VTAM application programs.

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HPDT interface: An API in VTAM that increases the efficiency of bulk data transfers by eliminating
the data copy when data is transferred between an application

program and VTAM.

HPFS: High Performance File System. An OS/2 file system that offers multiple improvements over
FAT, which OS/2 also supports, at the expense of compatibility with

PC-DOS or Windows. No other operating system can read an HPFS-format disk partition, so neither
dual boot or partition sharing is not possible (except between two OS/2

systems). HPFS offers greater reliability, 2 to 10 times performance improvement and support for
larger files. HPFS is compatible with FAT at the API level. cf. NTFS.

HPL: See HiPerLink.

HPO: High Performance Option. See VM/HPO.

HPOFS: See High Performance Optical File System.

HPQS: High Performance Query System. z/OS DB2 database query system which eventually became
the Parallel Query Server.

HPR: High Performance Routing. The first implementation of APPN+. Includes proactive congestion
control (which minimizes re-transmissions), non-disruptive re-routing,

and improved performance over standard APPN.

HPS: High Productivity System. Client/server CASE1 development environment developed by Seer
Technologies and marketed by IBM to selected clients, mainly in the

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financial sector. HPS provides an environment for the development of cooperative applications.
Includes facilities for data modeling, code generation, testing, code

distribution, and software maintenance. Withdrawn July 1996.

HPSS: Highly Parallel Supercomputing Systems. See SP1, SP2.

HPT: Host Print Transform. An OS/400 function that does code translation and formatting to enable
iSeries 400 print output to be spooled to PC printers.

HPTS: High Performance Transaction System. Enhancement of ImagePlus for the z/OS environment,
announced November 1991. It was a joint development between IBM and a

number of major banks, and was designed mainly for cheque processing. In September 1998, HPTS
was sold to Check Solutions Company, a partnership between IBM and First

Tennessee Bank and IBM stopped marketing it soon after.

HPTSS: High-Performance Transmission Subsystem. A high-speed line adapter that connects to the
3745 communication controller.

HP-UX: HP’s version of Unix.

HSA: High-Speed Adapter. Subchannels on an eserver zSeries 900.

HSB: High-Speed Buffer.

HSC: High Speed Channel. ANSI standard for high-speed channels. IBM’s SCSE announcements in
June 1989 included a 100Mbyte HSC, which can be used to link any

processors (IBM or non-IBM) which implement the ANSI standard. When HSC was officially
announced, it had a new name: HIPPI.

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H Series: Pre-announcement code name for the 308x Series.

HSL: See High Speed Links.

HSM: Former name of DFHSM, later renamed DFSMShsm.

HSSI: ANSI standard for WANs giving up to 53Mbps over 24-pair twisted copper. Mainly used for
moving large amounts of data between workstations or between processing

and storage/archiving units.

HSSP: High Speed Sequential Processing. IMS1 feature which reduces contention for data by using
its own buffers for database buffering.

HTF: Host Transaction Facility under DPPX on 8100.

HTML: HyperText Mark-up Language. A set of commands that are used in Web pages to format text
and to establish hypertext links to other Web pages, including those on

other Web sites. These commands are read and interpreted by a browser running on the client
machine. An implementation of SGML, HTML is used universally across the

Web, and HTML generation is widely offered as a feature of word processors, database packages, and
groupware products such as Lotus Notes.

HTTP: HyperText Transfer Protocol. A connectionless, layer 4 protocol used on top of IP1 for data
transfer between Web servers and Web browsers. Which, of course, is

why you will see http:// in front of the URL of a Web page in the address bar of a browser. Just as PC-
DOS character-based terminal emulators (3270, 5250, DEC VT100)

were replaced with Windows GUI-based versions, applet-based versions now offer the option of using
HTTP rather than tn3270, in conjunction with a Web server proxy, as

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a means of easily traversing firewalls using the existing firewall1 definitions for Web server access.

HTTPS: Secure HTTP. Where security in the form of SSL is superimposed on top of HTTP on a
transaction-by-transaction basis. Although the little padlock icon in your

browser is the only reliable indication of SSL security, seeing https:// in the address bar indicates that
a secure SSL connection to the Web page was attempted.

HTTP Server: IBM Web server supported on a number of platforms, including OS/400. It is also an
element of z/OS.

Hub: Generic term for a device that supports the connection of workstations and systems over various
network topologies and media types. Most commonly used to refer

to the central node of a star topology network which manages the network. The 8230, 8240, and 8250
are all hubs.

Hub Management Program: See IHMP.

HUON: Insurance package sold by IBM-HUON Solutions. It was one of the first to receive
ClusterProven status in May 1999.

HWMCA: HardWare Management Console Application. Has several types of APIs for the Hardware
Management Console (HMC), including management APIs and user interface

transition APIs used by System Automation.

Hybrid EDI: Used in situations when only one trading partner is able to use EDI1, while the other
continues to trade using traditional methods such as paper or fax.

Hypertext: A way of presenting information on-line with connections (called hypertext links)
between one piece of information and another. Given that the HT in HTML

stands for hypertext, it is no surprise that Web pages are full of hypertext links.

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I/O: Input/output. Refers to the transmission of data into or out of a processor’s memory. This would
include communication lines and peripherals such as disk drives.

This would not include internal transfers within the processor, such as from one level of cache to
another, or the loading of instructions from memory into the

processor for execution.

i486: Better known as the 486.

IAA: Insurance Application Architecture. An architecture designed by IBM in conjunction with some
major European insurance companies. Defines application specific

features (data models, function models, communications interface, etc) for the European insurance
industry.

IAB: Internet Architecture Board. The technical group that provides high-level guidance to the
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

IAD: See Internet Addiction Disorder.

IAF: See Item Access Facility.

IAFC: See Item Access Facility.

IAG: IBM Application Generator. Once rumored as the new name for CSP1. In fact, CSP was
replaced by VisualAge Generator.

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IAX: Image processing software.

IBA: Integrated Banking Applications. Applications software from Hogan Systems to which IBM
had exclusive marketing rights. Early 1994 the rights were transferred

back to Hogan.

IBF: See Internal Battery Feature.

IBM: International Business Machines.

IBM/COMPLETE: Short-lived IBM packaging of hardware, software, and services (introduced in

February 1993) which aimed to provide a solution to a specific problem. The

novelty was in the pricing; the customer and IBM sat down and worked out the anticipated business
benefit in cash terms. The customer didn’t pay for the products in

the package – the price was based on the business benefit, and the customer paid only when that
benefit was delivered. First offerings were storage and batch window

management.

IBM_Planetwide: Name of the Web search robot IBM used to use to build search engines, back in the
days when it was in that business.

IBM COBOL: The current mainframe COBOL compilers. IBM COBOL for VSE/ESA has remained
constant in name, but IBM COBOL for MVS and VM keeps getting a new name as the

operating systems get new names. IBM COBOL for z/OS & z/VM being the current incarnation.

IBM Firewall: Renamed to SecureWay Firewall.

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IBMLink: An on-line service for customers that was built around product-related information
systems previously used solely by IBM staff. Justified within IBM, and

even offered free in some countries, as a way to reduce the time spent by IBM staff answering
customer marketing and technical questions. And often the justification

within organizations for getting a communications link to IBM. Key areas included a complete set of
announcement letters (going as far back as 1983), education and

publications catalog, and a software service database, including both bug reports and general technical
Q&A. Hardware and software configurators were also added over

the years. In some countries, it could also be used as an e-mail system, both to/from IBM and, if you
knew how, with other customers. Unveiled in the late 1980s as a

z/VM 3270-based system, gradually converted to a Web-based system in the late 1990s. Then, at the
turn of the century, things got confusing for a short time.

ibmlink.com was suddenly occupied by some weird Yahoo! style portal with very little content,
succeeding solely in confusing people looking for the real IBMLink (at

ibmlink.ibm.com). Thankfully, it suffered an early death.

IBM Payment: See Payment.

IBM PC: See PC.

IBS/MIGRATOR: Source code translator from z/OS and VSE/ESA COBOL, CICS, batch, JCL and
SQL to the iSeries 400. There is also a subset called IBS/MIGRATOR-JCL. From

IBS Conversions, Inc. Announced February 1993, but IBM stopped marketing it May 1996.

IBSDM: Integrated Business System Development Method. IBM development methodology (also
known as SDM). Was available in the obsolete Developmate product.

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IBU: Independent Business Unit. IBMspeak for a small unit within an organization that acts as an
autonomous unit.

IC/1: Info Center/1. APL system providing an Information Center environment. Incorporates ADRS
II, APLDI II, FPS II. Replaced September 1990 by the IC/E (Info

Center/Enhanced) feature of AS1. Version 4.2 was supposed to be the last release of AS to include
IC/E. Instead, it was IBM’s last release of the product. It was sold

to ASTRAC in 1999, who seems committed to long term IC/E (or ICE as they like to call it) support
and enhancement.

IC/E: Info Center/Enhanced. See IC/1.

IC1: Industrial Computer.

IC2: See Information Center.

IC-3: Internal Coupling Channel.

IC3: See Internal Channel link.

IC4: Integrated Circuit. A circuit board on a chip. IBM was arguably the first computer company in
the world to use ICs, on the System/360 CPU. Only a few transistors

and associated components, but it was a first.

ICA: Integrated Communication Adapter. A communication adapter that is integrated into a host
processor. Very appealing when it was first introduced in small

mainframes like the 4331, as it meant external communications was suddenly very affordable because
you did not have to buy an FEP. Severely limited, in terms of number

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of ports, and could not be expanded, forcing the purchase of an FEP.

I-CASE: Integrated CASE1.

ICB1: See Inventory Control Block.

ICB2: See Integrated Cluster Bus link.

ICB-3: Internal Cluster Bus-3. See also Integrated Cluster Bus link.

ICC: IBM Credit Corporation. For many years, IBM’s in-house leasing operation. Closely allied to
IBM sales and marketing operations, and was able to offer highly

competitive services – flexible leases, bundled services, discounts, etc. Renamed IBM Global
Financing.

ICCF: Interactive Computing and Control Facility. VSE’s interactive facility. An ISPF/PDF
wannabe. Little-liked; most VSE users preferred to use z/VM’s CMS1 despite

the fact that CMS may require them to install z/VM.

ICE1: Interconnect Communication Element. Originally introduced on top-end ES/9000s, the part of
the CEC which controls data movement between expanded storage, the

channel subsystem, and the SCE – the big thick pipe into the heart of the machine. With the initial
releases of the ES/9000 it was little more than a very fast switch

which takes over some of the SCE’s work, and provided increased parallelism and contention relief.

ICE2: Info Center/Enhanced as ASTRAC likes to abbreviate it. See IC/1.

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Iceberg: Long rumored and much-hyped DASD subsystem from Storage Technology Corp,
consisting of an array of up to 64 disks, complete with its own controller. To the

mainframe, Iceberg looks like a 3990 controller. Formal announcement was in January 1992, but
shipment dates kept slipping, and the first customer beta site went live

mid 1993. Volume shipments started at the beginning of 1994. As from June 1996 IBM took over
marketing of Iceberg under the soubriquet RAMAC Virtual Array Storage.

ICETOOL: Utility included with DFSORT and introduced March 1991. Provides existing DFSORT
functionality in an easier statement format, along with new capabilities.

One operation in ICETOOL replaces several in standard DFSORT.

ICF1: Inter-systems Communications Function. Software on the iSeries 400 providing support for
user communications programs. Supports LU6.2, SNA Upline to CICS/IMS1,

BSC, async. Key to the use of iSeries 400 in a network.

ICF2: Integrated Catalog Facility. Replaced the CVOL and VSAM catalogs as the standard z/OS
place to store attributes of data sets. It has not, however, replaced the

VTOC. Part of DFSMSdfp.

ICF3: Integrity Control Facility. See DBICF, DB2ICF.

ICF4: See Integrated Cryptographic Feature.

ICF5: Interactive CATIA Facility.

ICHEINTY: A macro1 providing a direct interface to the RACF database, to locate or update a
profile.

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ICHRIN03: The RACF started procedures table.

ICKDSF: Device Support Facility. Free IBM utility program for z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA, used for
formatting DASD and for other media maintenance processing. Like EREP,

ordering varies by operating system. DSF is an element of z/OS, but is a separately licensed product
for z/VM.

ICMF: Integrated Coupling Migration Facility link. One of five types of CF channels to connect a CF
to an LPAR.

ICMP: Internet Control Message Protocol. The protocol used to provide reports of problems and
incorrect datagram destinations in the Internet Protocol (IP1) layer.

Icon1: A symbol or representation. Anything or anybody uncritically admired according to the

dictionary. Usually used with the first meaning to refer to the symbols

used in the user interfaces for PCs in which little pictures are used in preference to words (e.g., a
picture of a folder is used to represent a subdirectory). There

is little benefit to the user in this approach since the pictures are usually completely unfathomable;
however, the vendor benefits, because it provides an excuse for

not publishing local language versions of software, which would be necessary if words rather than
icons were used.

Icon2: A public domain multi-platform programming language written and supported at the
University of Arizona by Ralph Griswold, based on his experience as prime

author of the SNOBOL series of languages at Bell Labs. The compiler, interpreter and run-time
system are all written in C, and the language syntax is based on the C

language. But there the similarity ends, as what can take years to write in C can often be done in a
week in Icon. Since development of the language is done on Unix,

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new releases appear there first, but a group of dedicated followers quickly port each new release to
their favorite platform. Unfortunately, the z/OS implementer is no

longer given the time by his vendor employer, so the z/OS implementation, complete with ISPF
services, has not been updated for some years, but still works nicely,

though is not currently available.

ICP: Interconnect Controller Program. The software that runs (on) the 3172 Interconnect Controller.

ICPF: ImagePlus Capture Facility/2. LAN-based client/server extension to ImagePlus for high-
volume document capture and indexing. Withdrawn September 1997.

ICPI: Individual Computer Products International. Company set up by IBM Europe in June 1992, as
a fully-owned subsidiary to sell the Ambra AT clones. ICPI didn’t use

the IBM name for its products, on its letterhead, or in its marketing – a strange approach, since the
only worthwhile selling feature of the ho-hum range of products

was that it was sold by an IBM company. To no-one’s great surprise – apart from IBM’s – ICPI went
belly-up in February 1994. Ambra fared little better, and was gone

worldwide by July 1994.

ICRF: See Integrated CRyptographic Feature.

ICS: IBM Cabling System. See Cabling System.

ICSF: Integrated Cryptographic Service Facility. Software used to drive the Integrated Cryptographic
Feature. Part of z/OS.

ICSS: IBM Continuous Speech Series. See VTAF.

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ICU1: Interactive Chart Utility. The dialog (user) interface to part of GDDM.

ICU2: International Components for Unicode. Option 39 of OS/400. A C and C++ library providing
Unicode support and internationalization utilities for writing global

applications in ILE programming languages.

IDAPI: Integrated Database Application Programming Interface. API developed by Borland and IBM
to help coordinate communication between databases.

IDCAMS: Access Method Services. Multi-purpose batch VSAM utility program under z/OS and
VSE/ESA. Most IDCAMS statements are also TSO commands, though the abbreviation

rules vary slightly.

IDDU: Interactive Data Definition Utility. System/36 facility carried across to the iSeries 400.

IDE: Integrated Drive Electronics. An interface standard that has remained extremely popular for
hard disk drives on workstations, despite competition, most notably

from SCSI. Internal CD-ROM and CD-RW drives also use it. Technically, current technology is
EIDE, but most people still call it IDE.

IDL: Interface Definition Language. A formal language designed for specifying object interfaces and
parameters in a language-neutral format. Various different IDLs

exist; COM, CORBA, and RPC all have their own. CORBA IDL has been accepted as an
international standard by ISO.

IDLC: Integrated Data Link Control. IBM’s implementation of the ITU-T Q.922 standard or link
access procedure extended. It is a full duplex high-level data link

control protocol. IDLC can support point-to-point workstation connections over a full duplex WAN.

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IDNX: Integrated Digital Network Exchange. The 973x family of network management workstations
cum multiplexers, based on PS/2, and produced by IBM in conjunction with

Network Equipment Technologies Inc. Main use is for bandwidth management of T1 lines and other
wide-area backbone networks. Withdrawn December 1997.

IDP: Interchange Document Profile. Effectively the DIA header containing details of the document
(author, subject, data, addressee, etc).

IDRC: Improved Data Recording Capability. IBMspeak for the enhancements to the 3480 (July
1989) which increased capacity up to fivefold and tape subsystem performance

by up to 70%. Works by compressing the data in the tape control unit before writing it to the
cartridge, and decompressing it when it’s read back by the program. This

technique has the advantage over traditional software compression of not using CPU cycles for the
compression. However, it has the disadvantage of transferring the

uncompressed data across the channel, which quite possibly uses as many CPU cycles as would
software compression. IDRC is standard on the 3490 and late 3480s, and is

available as an upgrade on old 3480s. Not available for Magstar.

IDS: Intrusion Detection System. Both a generic term and product name for several security products
that detect, prevent and react to unauthorized network activity,

especially from hackers. For example, IDS is the new name for Cisco NetRanger.

IDS1: Image Distribution System. A defunct product for linking 8815 Scanmasters via a mainframe.
As obsolete as the Scanmaster itself.

IDS2: See Intelligent Decision Server.

IDTF: Interactive Display Text Facility. Obsolete software which enabled use of the 8775 display in
conjunction with the obsolete DPCX/8100 and DOSF.

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IDU: Interactive Database Utilities. System/38 facility. Incorporates SEU, SDA, DFU. Obsolete,
though the utilities themselves (DFU, etc.) are now a part of ADTS in

iSeries 400.

IE1: Microsoft Internet Explorer. Free Web browser. Widely used.

IE2: Information Exchange. Store and retrieve EDI mailbox service provided on the IBM INS
network. Supports ANSI and EDIFACT EDI standards. Obsolete.

IEBCOMPR: z/OS Compare Datasets utility does a logical compare of datasets. Replaced by SuperC
in ISPF/PDF.

IEBCOPY: z/OS Library Copy utility for copying members of a partitioned dataset (PDS), unloading
a PDS into a sequential dataset and back again. Unloading is

especially useful for copying a PDS to tape.

IEBGENER: z/OS Sequential Copy/Generate Dataset utility. Replaced by ICEGENER in DFSORT

and several non-IBM products. In fact, about the slowest way to copy anything

anywhere.

IEBPTPCH: z/OS Print-Punch utility for producing a hard copy of datasets and library members.
Replaced by ISPF/PDF’s hard copy capabilities.

IEBUPDTE: z/OS Update Dataset utility. Can only be used for PDS members and sequential datasets
with fixed length records no greater than 80 bytes in length. The

ISPF/PDF Editor is on-line and much more flexible, so IEBUPDATE is rarely seen in anything
written in the last 20 years.

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IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission. International standards body.

I-EDI: Interactive-EDI.

IEEE: Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers. American professional body with substantial
impact on standards for communications. IEEE’s 802 committee has

set standards for LANs which include IBM’s token passing scheme and the Ethernet-like CSMA/CD
system. See 802.1/2, 802.3, 802.4, 802.5, 802.3z.

IEFBR14: The z/OS Do Nothing utility. Believe it or not, today it is the most popular of all the
original IBM utilities. And it is much more complex than most people

will lead you to believe. More than just a one line Assembler program that branches to the return
address passed it by z/OS in register (GPR) 14, it also, wait for it,

clears register 15 to set a zero return code. And hear, all these years, you had been told it was so
simple, just one line of code. All kidding aside, it is quite

useful, most frequently to write JCL DD2 statements to preallocate or delete a file or something
similar, unrelated to the running of any program. Since the basis of

JCL is a job step, which requires an EXEC statement, IEFBR14 is the perfect thing to execute: a
program that does nothing. It can also be useful when testing DD

statements when you do not wish to run the program they will be used for. You have to wonder if the
author of IEFBR14 gets a monthly royalty cheque based on frequency

of use.

IEHDASDR: Obsolete z/OS dump/restore package superseded by DFSMSdss.

IEHLIST: z/OS List System Data utility for listing a VTOC or the directory of a PDS1. ISPF/PDF is
more widely used for this purpose nowadays.

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IEHMOVE: z/OS Move System Data utility for moving or copying logical collections of operating
system data. Replaced by DFSMSdss. Can be downright dangerous in an

SMS1-managed environment.

IER: Internal/Instruction Execution Rate. A measure of computer performance based on the time
taken to perform a single machine operation. Not a great deal of use

except for comparing two processors with identical repertoires of machine instructions.

IERS: IBM Security Services Internet Emergency Response Service. March 2001, It became the
Managed Security Services group within IBM Business Continuity and Recovery

Services.

IESG: Internet Engineering Steering Group. The executive committee of the IETF, which oversees
the work of the individual IETF working groups.

IETF: Internet Engineering Task Force. An open community of network designers, operators,
vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of the Internet

architecture and the smooth operation of the Internet. It controls the Request for Comment (RFC)
process which can lead to Internet standards.

IFL: See Integrated Facility for Linux.

I format: Information format. A format used for information transfer.

IFP: IMS FastPath1.

I frame: Information frame. A frame in I format used for numbered information transfer.

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IFS1: Interactive File Sharing. Obsolete system that allowed a few VSAM files to be shared under
z/VM.

IFS2: Installable File System. The part of OS/2 which manages the file management system (e.g.,
HPFS).

IFS3: Integrated File System. Feature on the iSeries 400, first announced in June 1995, which allows
data structures other than native iSeries 400 ones (e.g., PC

files) to be stored in a consistent fashion on the iSeries 400.

IGES: Initial Graphics Exchange Specification. NIST standard for transferring engineering data
between CAD/CAM systems. Available for AIX, SGI IRIX, SunOS and Windows

NT. Withdrawn from z/OS and z/VM August 1997.

IHF: Image Handling Facility. Utility for handling images to be incorporated into compound
documents. Runs in z/VM CMS and z/OS TSO environments. Withdrawn July 1995.

IHMP: IBM Hub Management Program. For managing a small LAN of 8250 hubs. Available for
AIX, PC-DOS workstations and for Windows as the Intelligent Hub Manager for

Windows. The PC-DOS implementation was announced February 1994 and replaced August 1995 by
Nways Manager for Windows. IHMP/6000 is the IBM AIX NetView Hub Management

Program/6000. Announced May 1994 and replaced April 1995 by Intelligent Hub Manager for AIX.
See Intelligent Hub Manager for information on the Windows version of

IHMP, as well as the replacement for IHMP/6000.

IIA: Information Interchange Architecture. An architecture (announced mid 1990) supporting

advanced functions for IBM office products. Part of SAA. It’s a functional

superset of ODA incorporating SGML, MO:DCA, GOCA, IOCA and FOCA. Announced March
1990.

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IIN: IBM Information Network. See IN.

IIOP: Internet Inter-ORB Protocol. A OMG standard for CORBA-based object internetworking
across IP-based networks that is supported by all compliant ORBs. IIOP is the

TCP/IP implementation of GIOP; ORBs using IIOP and IORs are able to interoperate. RMI can now
operate on top of IIOP as well as JRMP, allowing RMI and CORBA to

interoperate. IIOP is also required by EJB. IIOP is supported by z/OS CICS TS, AIX1, TPF,
WebSphere Application Server and ENOVIA.

IIS1: Microsoft Internet Information Services. It runs the Web applications on a Web site. Beginning
with Windows 2000 Server, IIS is no longer a separate product,

but a part of the Windows Server operating systems.

IIS2: Interactive Instruction System. An obsolete IBM CBT mainframe product; replaced by CBT
products running on personal computers.

IISR: Integrated Information Storage and Retrieval. z/OS and z/VM software (announced July 1991)
for managing and archiving information from multiple sources. Data is

system independent, may be of any type (text, image, etc), and is stored in the format in which it was
created in the CDF repository. IISR supports indexing, storage,

and retrieval. Withdrawn September 1993.

IKE: Internet Key Exchange. Infrastructure that permits encryption keys to be automatically and
securely created, distributed, and refreshed according to the protocol

requirements of IPSec. Used to provide VPN support in AIX1.

IKJEFT01: TSO/E terminal monitor program. Can be used to invoke TSO commands in batch jobs.

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iKP: Internet Keyed Payment. A family of secure payment protocols that enable secure credit card
payments over the Internet. The work on iKP led to the development of

SET.

ILC: Initial License Charge. A charge made when a product is first licensed. IBM abandoned the
practice when it realized that ILCs are a major disincentive to the

acquisition of a product.

ILE: Integrated Language Environment. Programming architecture cum paradigm for the iSeries 400.
Introduced in April 1993 primarily as a way of providing decent C

support (the first AS/400 C compiler worked by emulating an RPG program). Subsequently, ILEs
have been added for C++, RPG, COBOL, and CL/400.

ILM: IBM License Manager

ILM Management Tool: IBM License Manager Management Tool. Used on z/OS to change license
certificate values, enable/disable priced optional features, discontinue

products, change the serial number or model type of the machine to which a product is licensed, and
increase/decrease a defined capacity (the portion of the machine on

which you want to run a product).

IM: See Instant Messaging.

IM: See Intelligent Miner.

IMA: Inventory Maintenance Assistance. AS/400 utility which maintains details of the system
configuration in order to facilitate the ordering and installation of new

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hardware and software from IBM. Obsolete.

ImagEdit: PC-DOS and early Windows (pre-3.0) program for processing images. Withdrawn March
1991.

ImagePlus: IBM Content Manager ImagePlus for z/OS (CMIP) and Content Manager ImagePlus
Workstation Program (IWPM). High volume document imaging and folder management

middleware, integrated with MQSeries Workflow and Content Manager OnDemand. Includes a
Folder Application Facility (FAF), Object Distribution Manager (IODM) and APIs

for integration with CICS, IMS, Windows and OS/2 applications. z/OS Object Access Method
(OAM) manages the storage of images. It even recognizes hand printing via OCR.

IWPM provides the Windows and OS/2 desktop component for both CMIP and Content Manager for
iSeries 400.

Image processing: See Transaction image processing, ImagePlus, ImagEdit, ImageSystem.

ImageSystem: Transaction image processing system developed by Image Business Systems (IBS)
and sold by IBM. Comprises PC RT or RS/6000 acting as a server on a TRN,

and PCs as workstations. The Sybase RDBMS is a pre-requisite on the server. Obsolete.

IMAP: Internet Mail Access Protocol.

IMD: Interactive Map Definition. Obsolete DPPX product used to define screen and printer layouts.

IML: Initial Microcode (sometimes Machine) Load. The first step in starting up a mainframe, during
which the firmware is automatically copied into the machine.

IMLC: Indexed Monthly License Charge. IBM software pricing based on number of MSUs. See also
MLC, GMLC, FMLC.

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IMLG: IBM Mail LAN Gateway/2.

Impactwriter: See 6252.

IMPL: Initial MicroProgram Load. Same as IML.

IMS/AO: See IMS Automation Option.

IMS/DB: See IMS DB.

IMS/DC: Original name for IMS TM.

IMS/ESA: Information Management System/Extended System Architecture. Renamed to simply

IMS.

IMS/ETO: See ETO.

IMS/Fastpath: See FastPath1.

IMS/FF: IMS Full Function.

IMS/TM: See IMS TM.

IMS/VS: Information Management System/Virtual Storage. Renamed first to IMS/ESA, then simply
IMS1.

IMS1: Information Management System. Composed of two systems: a Database Manager (IMS DB)
and a Transaction Manager (IMS TM).

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IMS2: Internet Management Specification. A standard for managing Internet applications which
SunSoft and IBM’s Tivoli started to draw up early 1996. IMS defines a

standard interface for configuring, monitoring, and controlling access to the Internet.

IMSADF II: Information Management System Application Development Facility Two. Announced
November 1977, an application generator for applications that use IMS DB and

IMS TM. Just because no one has written a new application with it lately does not mean that the need
for IMSADF II has disappeared. Y2K focused attention on it,

selling a lot of copies IBM IMS/ESA ADF Tool Pak for MVS, announced September 1996, and
withdrawn September 2001. But many organizations also used Y2K as an excuse to

rid themselves of IMSADF II completely.

IMSAO: See IMS Automation Option.

IMSASAP II: Information Management System Monitor Summary and Systems Analysis Program
Two. Performance analysis and tuning aid for IMS DB and IMS TM. Replaced by IMS

Performance Analyzer November 1997.

IMS Automation Option: z/OS NetView application, announced August 1991, which controls
multiple local or remote IMS TM regions from a single point. Can be used to

automate such functions as start-up, shut-down, and recovery. Replaced by AOC/MVS IMS Auto
Feature.

IMS Client Server: Windows and OS/2 software which provides a client graphical user interface to
IMS applications from an OS/2 or Windows workstation. Announced as an

OS/2 product September 1991, with Windows support announced in October 1993 and VisualAge in
July 1994. When first announced, the product was known as IMS Client

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Server/2, then renamed IBM IMS Client Server for Windows, despite the fact it still supported OS/2.
See also IMS CS Toolkit.

IMS COMPRESS: See IMS COMPRESSION.

IMS COMPRESSION: Implementation of eserver zSeries 900 hardware data compression to support
IMS DB databases. Announced June 1994 as IMS COMPRESS. Renamed August 1995

IMS COMPRESSION-Extended.

IMS Connect: A separately priced facility for IMS TM that provides access from TCP/IP
connections.

IMS CS/2: See IMS Client Server.

IMS CS Toolkit: IMS Client/Server Toolkit. Set of utilities and application generators written by
MultiSoft and sold by IBM. Allows GUI front-ends to be put on IMS

3270 applications. An add-on to IMS Client Server. IBM support ended February 1996.

IMS Database Manager: See IMS DB.

IMS DataPropagator: See DataPropagator.

IMS DB: Information Management System Database Manager. IBM’s venerable (introduced in
1968) large system hierarchical DBMS. In casual conversation, either IMS1 DB or

IMS TM may be referred to simply as IMS without anyone complaining. Following the introduction
of DB2, it was assumed, both inside and outside IBM, that IMS DB would

die a slow death as DB2’s performance improved to approach that of IMS DB. But, it never
happened, mainly because of the number of major IMS-based applications at

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large organizations worldwide. Once IBM realized this, a major effort was made to keep both IMS
DB and IMS TM up to date with the latest trends, such as Web

enablement, though nobody proposed making it into a relational DBMS. See also HALDB.

IMS External Subsystem Attach Facility: See ESAF.

IMS PA: See IMS Performance Analyzer.

IMSPARS: IMS Performance Analysis Reporting System. Replaced by IMS Performance Analyzer
November 1997.

IMS Performance Analyzer: IMS TM and IMS DB resource and performance management, and
database availability. Part of the Database Performance Management Tools which

are, in turn, part of the IBM Data Management Tools.

IMS TM: Information Management System Transaction Manager. A very powerful and facility-rich
TP monitor available under z/OS, mainly to support applications using the

IMS DB database system, but also supporting VSAM and DB2. For a long time, it looked as if
IMS/DC (IMS TM’s original name) would be relegated to a minor role, and that

CICS was to become the only serious IBM offering in the TP monitor field. However, IBM has now
renamed IMS/DC as IMS TM, which signaled a major effort on IBM’s part to

keep it up to date with the latest trends, such as Web enablement, following the realization that DB2
was not going to put IMS DB and IMS TM out of business.

IMS Transaction Manager: See IMS TM.

IMS Workload Router: See WLR.

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IN: Information Network. IBM’s worldwide VANS. Began in 1978 as a remote time-sharing service,
and grew until it comprised a backbone of very high-speed trunks

offering dial-up access across the world. Widely used for EDI. Part of the IBM Global Network sold
to AT&T in December 1998.

Inbound: Data that is received from the network.

IND$FILE: Mainframe file transfer program. See FTP1.

Independence Series: A range of IBM products that help people with disabilities. Home Page Reader
is a self-voicing Web browser. ViaVoice is speech recognition

software. SpeechViewer III is a speech therapy tool for people with speech, language or hearing
impairments. It converts speech into visual patterns to help people

learn to speak. IBM partners with other companies on these and other products in the Independence
Series that cover Vision, Mobility, Speech/Hearing,

Cognitive/Dyslexia and Education.

Independent LU: An SNA logical unit (LU) whose operation does not depend on an SNA host
system.

Indexed Monthly License Charge: See IMLC.

Industrial computer: A more rugged version of a computer used in harsh environments. The case may
be clad in waterproof rubber and the keyboard sealed to prevent

liquid spills from interfering with the electrical contact that takes place whenever a key is struck.

Industrial Solutions: See CIM Advantage.

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Inferno: A distributed embedded operating system developed at Lucent’s Bell Labs and now owned
by Vita Nuova of York, England. In Inferno, all resources on a network

are represented as files and accessed with basic file operations.

INFO: See Tivoli Information Management for z/OS.

Info/Man: IBM Information/Management. z/OS and z/VM software problem, change and
configuration management software. The z/VM version was withdrawn August 1996. But

the z/OS version was renamed several times before becoming Tivoli Information Management for
z/OS in July 2001.

Info Center/1: See IC/1.

InfoCrafter: AIX1 software used with InfoExplorer to build information bases on the pSeries.
Announced January 1992, withdrawn July 1997.

InfoExplorer: AIX1 hypertext/graphics retrieval tool for accessing on-line information databases.
Used to access the CD-ROM reference documentation for the pSeries.

INFOMAN: See Info/Man.

infoMarket: An Internet information service created by IBM late 1995, providing information
services to its Internet customers. Initially it provided free information

services, but the intention was to develop secure technologies (e.g., the Cryptolope) which would
allow vendors of high-value information services to sell their

products across the Internet. Sadly, it all ended in about a year and infoMarket remains a historical
footnote. See also infoSage.

Infoprint: Beginning in September 1996, all IBM printers got the name InfoPrint. It also spilled over
to a few pieces of printer-related software.

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Infoprint Manager: Software to manage and monitor, locally or remotely, printer workload. Runs on
AIX1 or Windows.

Infoprint Server for iSeries: Software that adapts output to the iSeries 400 environment so that it can
be printed. Such as transforming PostScript, PCL, PDF2, GIF,

TIFF and JPEG data into iSeries formats.

Infoprint Server for z/OS: An optional, separately priced feature of z/OS. Consolidates print
workloads from many servers into a central z/OS print server. Formerly

known as the OS/390 Printer Server.

Information/Management: See Info/Man.

Information/MVS: z/OS system, announced May 1983, which maintains z/OS manuals (held in
Library/MVS) in a machine readable form. Withdrawn December 1997 after IBM

began offering all z/OS unlicensed manuals available on their Web site, initially with a Web-based
BookManager GUI.

Information/System: A collection of IBM technical data wrapped in software that could help find the
relevant piece for the problem at hand in a customer mainframe

site. z/OS version replaced by Info/Man December 1994. The z/VM version was withdrawn August
1996. The VSE/ESA version was withdrawn October 1990.

Information Catalog: Part of DB2 Warehouse Manager. A common repository for metadata about the
objects within the data warehouse that can help users find, understand

and access available data through the Information Catalog Manager. Information Catalog can be
populated through metadata interchange with the DB2 Warehouse Center and

other tools including QMF, Lotus 1-2-3, Brio, Business Objects, Cognos, Excel, Hyperion.

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Information Center: Information Center. A focal point within an organization for supporting end
users. It started life as an IBM marketing ploy for selling lots of

mainframe hardware via the DP department to support professional users on PCs. It evolved to try and
support end-users on any platforms they happen to have. But the

whole concept is ancient history now.

Information Center for iSeries: Online documentation available on a CD-ROM shipped with OS/400.
Provides the starting point for finding iSeries 400 technical

information. Also available on the Web.

Information Management System: see IMS1

Information Technology Association of America: See ITAA.

Information Technology Industry Council: See ITI.

Information Warehouse: IBMspeak for the notion (announced September 1991) of a framework for
accessing data wherever it exists within the enterprise. Part of the idea

is to minimize the number of access methods users have to learn to get at their data – ultimately it
should come down to SQL and not much else. Not as simple as it

seems, since IBM expects the notion to cover data held in DB2 databases, VSAM files, OS/2 and
DOS files, DEC databases, Sybase or Oracle under Unix, and so on. The key

enabler is DRDA. Other components of the Information Warehouse include products, standards, and
tools. Also known as the Data Warehouse. The spec was published in

March 1993. See also DataHub.

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Informix: Database and language software for the Unix environment. In the early 1990s it was sold
by IBM for the pSeries.

infoSage: An IBM on-line news delivery service announced in February 1996. Provided subscribers
with news stories ranging from news and business information to

entertainment and sports. Information was tailored to suit individual needs with a choice in the
method of delivery – via a personalized Web page on the IBM infoSage

Web site, or Internet e-mail. Stopped accepting subscriptions November 27, 1996. According to then
IBM Chairman of the Board Lou Gerstner, because it was competing

with IBM’s own customers. See also infoMarket.

InfoWindow: Host terminals. Support a variety of hosts, including eserver zSeries 900 and iSeries
400. Although a few models of the 3153 are still available to

satisfy customers who are already committed to the InfoWindow family, the InfoWindow and
InfoWindow II workstation families are essentially obsolete. Other models, all

withdrawn, include InfoWindow: 3471 3472 3476 3477 4055 (touch screen); InfoWindow II: 3481
3482 3483 3486 3487 3488 3489. The obsolete InfoWindow Control Program was

PC-DOS software provided an API and language interface that allowed PC-DOS applications to
access the InfoWindow system. See also 315x, 3470.

Infrastructure and Systems Management Services: Part of IBM Global Services that includes four
groups: Infrastructure Resource Management Services; Systems Management

Consulting and Design; Performance Management, Testing and Scalability Services; and Tivoli
Services.

Infrastructure Design: An IBM consulting engagement to design an infrastructure to support a

specific, single Web-based application. Announced July 2001.

Infrastructure Resource Management: See IRM.

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Infrastructure Resource Management Services: Part of IBM Infrastructure and Systems Management
Services. Aims to provide IRM functions including: purchase, install,

track and configure technologies; train and support end users; service and update hardware and
software; and replace and dispose of obsolete equipment.

Initial Program Load: See IPL.

Initial Technology Release: Beta release. In IBM’s words: a release of IBM software that has been
tested but has not yet met IBM product criteria for customer

production environments.

iNotes: Lotus software that provides Web browser access to Domino.

INS: IBM’s EDI1 VANS in the UK. Part of the IBM Global Network sold to AT&T in December
1998.

Insider: A computer security term for anyone authorized to use an organization’s computing
resources.

INSPECT: z/VM and z/OS interactive testing and debugging tool for C and PL/I. Announced
September 1988. Replaced PLITEST. Withdrawn June 1997.

Instant Messaging: Real-time computer-based written interaction between two people. The textual
equivalent of the telephone conversation, as opposed to e-mail (which

is the electronic equivalent of putting a paper letter in the mail).

Institute for Advanced Commerce: An IBM institute designed to explore the impact of emerging
technologies on the future of business and commerce. The Institute began

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operations in January 1998 in IBM’s T J Watson Research Center. Integrated into the Institute is a
business research center that conducts formal studies on the

changing nature of work, industry structure, commerce, and technology.

In-storage: Resident in memory, not in a dataset1 or database.

Insure-commerce: IBM initiative to introduce secure, electronic commerce and information clearing
houses across the Internet for the insurance industry. Announced

November 1996 and nothing has been heard about it since. See also Energy Network Exchange,
PetroConnect.

Integrated Cluster Bus link: One of five types of CF channels to connect a Coupling Facility to an
LPAR.

Integrated Coupling Migration Facility: See ICMF.

Integrated Cryptographic Feature: Feature on water-cooled ES/9000s replaced by cryptographic

coprocessors on the eserver zSeries 900. Hardware is a tamper-proof TCM1

(IBM’s first application-oriented co-processor) and a key entry unit, and software is ICSF. The key
entry unit is used to enter DEA cryptographic keys into the TCM

using a special cable (also tamper-proof). ICRF supports up to 1,000 IMS FastPath transactions per
second, and a single ICRF can support up to seven PR/SM partitions.

ICRF supports the DES, which means that IBM will be heavily restricted as to the people it can sell it
to (DES devices are munitions and hence are subject to US

government export restrictions).

Integrated Facility for Linux: Introduced on the System/390 G5, this optional eserver zSeries 900
facility adds dedicated Linux processing capability to an existing

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system without increasing the system’s size from a software charges point of view.

Integrated File System: See IFS3.

Integrated Netfinity Server: An Intel processor and PC memory packaged as a motherboard that fits
inside an AS/400, allowing it to run Windows Server operating

systems and the applications that run on them. Replaced by the Integrated xSeries Server for iSeries.

Integrated PC Server: A feature of the AS/400 that allowed it to emulate the Intel-based workstation
environment, and run Windows and OS/2. Replaced by the Integrated

Netfinity Server February 1999. See also FSIOP.

Integrated Reasoning Shell: IBM expert system tool for creating knowledge-based applications. See
TIRS.

Integrated System Coherent: an SCE function

Integrated Systems Solutions Corp: See ISSC.

Integrated xSeries Adapter for iSeries: A direct high speed attachment of an eserver xSeries server to
an iSeries 400.

Integrated xSeries Server for iSeries: A PC server inside an iSeries 400, allowing it to run Windows
Server operating systems and the applications that run on them,

along side standard OS/400 applications. Actually a motherboard that fits inside the iSeries 400 and
comes complete with Intel processor, memory, video and LAN

adapters, and USB ports.

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Integrity: Measures whether something, typically data, is intact, with nothing missing; uncorrupted.

Intel: The chip company which designs and makes the chips used in the vast majority of PCs
supported by Microsoft operating systems, which, ironically, is still known

as the IBM standard. Between them, Intel and Microsoft own the PC standard. In the mid 1980s IBM
bought a large lump of Intel (reportedly to ensure continuity of

supplies of PC chips), but sold out most of its interest after a couple of years – in hindsight, not one of
IBM’s better decisions. IBM established an agreement with

Intel in the early 1980s which allowed IBM to clone Intel chips (but not to make more than 20% of its
own requirements). Mid 1993, this cozy arrangement was beginning

to look strained when IBM announced that it was developing clean room versions of the 486 and
Pentium, which it would be using itself and also selling in the merchant

semiconductor market in head-on competition with Intel. But, these days, Intel Inside is as important a
slogan for most IBM PCs as it is for its competitors. See also

Cyrix.

Intelligent Decision Server: LAN-based information analysis software designed for setting up
decision-support applications at the ground-level of an enterprise.

Initially only available for OS/2 but Windows added soon after. Announced October 1996.
Withdrawn February 2000.

Intelligent Hub Manager: Software to manage LANs built with 8250 and 8260 hubs. Intelligent Hub
Manager for AIX was replaced by Nways Campus Manager ATM for AIX March

1996. Intelligent Hub Manager for Windows was announced March 1994 and replaced by Nways
Manager for Windows November 1995.

Intelligent Miner: An intelligent agent-based data mining system that exploits a number of
presentation and modeling techniques, including neural networks, to

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interactively perform pattern analysis on large amounts of data and to highlight patterns and features
of interest. Intelligent Miner is used in IBM’s Personal

Shopping Assistant. Announced April 1996, supporting DB2 and flat files on AIX1, z/OS and OS/400
hosts with AIX, Windows 95 and NT clients. And an Oracle and Sybase

data extract import facility. In September 1999, the z/OS version was renamed IBM DB2 Intelligent
Miner.

Intelligent Resource Director: Introduced as part of z/OS in October 2000. Allows WLM to direct
PR/SM to enable or disable processor capacity for any LPAR within a

cluster, without human intervention, based on workload.

IntelliStation: Family of high-power enterprise workstations from IBM. Support symmetric

multiprocessing and are highly network oriented. Announced March 1997.

Interbold: Joint IBM/Diebold venture formed in 1990 to market ATMs worldwide. See 3624.

Interchange Services: IBM Interchange Services for e-business. The rebranding of IBM EDI Services
in August 2000. Services include commerce engines, business

integration services, outsourcing services, trading community services, education and consulting.

Interconnect Controller Program: See ICP.

InterConnect for Lotus Notes: IBM InterConnect for Lotus Notes. Notes VANS on the IBM Global
Network. Allowed users to use Notes without having to invest in the

infrastructure and personnel required to maintain a private wide area network (WAN). Introduced
June 1996. Disappeared when AT&T acquired the IBM Global Network in

December 1998.

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Interleaf: DTP software vendor. IBM sold several Interleaf software products, including Publisher.
But, by August 1993, it had all been withdrawn from marketing.

Intermix: AIX job submission software announced February 1994. Allows AIX1 and other Unix
systems to submit jobs and access data on z/OS and Unix systems across a

TCP/IP network. Withdrawn December 1996.

Internal Battery Feature: Provides backup power for the eserver zSeries 900.

Internal Channel link: One of five types of CF channels to connect a CF to an LPAR.

International Alliance for AD/Cycle: See AD/Cycle Alliance.

International classes: Technology developed by IBM’s Taligent subsidiary. It is designed to enable

applications to adapt dates, currencies, numbers, and text to fit

respective country formats automatically, so that users see the same application, unchanged, in their
own languages. Available in three versions, C, C++, and Java,

each of which supports 38 languages in 44 countries. Licensed by JavaSoft, Netscape, and Oracle
amongst others.

International Components for Unicode: See ICU2.

International Program License Agreement: See IPLA.

International Technical Support Organization: See ITSO.

International User Group Council: A federation of IBM user groups represented by their Presidents.
It currently includes Australasian SHARE/GUIDE, GUIDE SHARE EUROPE,

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Japan GUIDE/SHARE and SHARE Inc.

Internet: The global network of networks sponsored by the US government that provides a virtual
space for millions of connected users. Mid 1994 it began to move from

the academic/research world into the commercial world. Includes facilities for e-mail, database
browsing and access, and file transfer. Often used synonymously with

information superhighway, although more strictly it’s just an implementation of the superhighway
concept. From early 1995 IBM joined in the hype, and has been Web

enabling ever since. See World Wide Web.

Internet2: Son of Internet. Still just a promise despite many years of research by the Internet2
Consortium. There are more than 185 universities and research labs,

including IBM’s, involved in developing a much faster and better Internet. See also NGI, TEN-34.

Internet Addiction Disorder: A genuine mental disorder characterized by long on-line hours,
withdrawal and unsuccessful efforts to control Internet use. See Center

for On-Line Addition

Internet Explorer: See IE1.

Internet Information Services: See IIS1.

Internet Key Exchange: See IKE.

InterNotes: Web publishing and browsing software from Lotus. The precursor to, and replaced by,
Domino.

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Inter-Personal Computer: Machine promised by Lou Gerstner in late 1995 which would provide a
low-cost, network-oriented terminal – low-price, probably running

Windows, probably floppy-diskless (to prevent users loading games and viruses), and designed purely
as a network terminal for business applications. Eventually emerged

as the Network Station. See also Network Computer.

InterSession: CUA-compliant VTAM session manager marketed at one time by Isogon Corporation.
Works under MVS, VSE, and VM, and includes e-mail, on-line maintenance of

user profiles, automated log-on/log-off, etc.

Inter System Coupling link: One of five types of CF channels to connect a CF to an LPAR.

Interwoven TeamXpress: Interwoven TeamXpress, WebSphere Edition. Manages Web content. Used
together with WebSphere Application Server and WebSphere Personalization,

it can build and deliver personalized Web sites. It is also integrated with Content Manager and
Enterprise Information Portal.

Intranet: A network based on Internet technology, but designed for internal use within a single
organization (normally either physically separate from the Internet or

connected via secure firewalls). According to some sources, intranet business among large companies
is growing faster than Internet applications, particularly in the

US. The real benefit of intranets is that they offer the advantages of Internet software innovations
(Java-style applets, Web-based hypertext links and search

facilities, etc) without the security risks or the obvious drawbacks of providing unrestricted Web
surfing at the desktop. See also Network Computer.

INTRDR: Internal Reader. z/OS logical device which can be used to submit batch jobs without
performing an explicit JES job submission. Also used internally by

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operating system components.

Intrusion detection: To discover unauthorized access to computing resources.

Intrusion Detection System: See IDS.

Inventory Control Block: The first block in a RACF database.

Inventory Scout: AIX tool used to determine the correct components to ship when an MES upgrade is
ordered.

Inventory Scout: AIX tool used to determine the correct components to ship when an MES upgrade is
ordered.

INZUTILB: The utility used to unload from the DB2 table. High performance may unload
ABEND0C4 with possible data loss when unloading from a view which is not

supported by HPU (and therefore must be passed to DB2) and the DB2 variable is set to YES.

IOC: IBM OpenClass in AIX1.

IOCA: Image Object Content Architecture. Defines the structure and content of raster image data,
including the location and setting of pixels, information for

compressing images, etc. Used in ImagePlus and OS/2 Image Support. Supports ITU-T group IV
compression algorithms.

IOCDS: Input/Output Configuration DataSet. The z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA dataset which specifies
the I/O devices that can be connected to a mainframe.

IOCP: Input/Output Configuration Program. The z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA program which
describes the I/O configuration to the channel subsystem.

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IOCS: Input/Output Control System. A group of VSE/ESA routines for handling transfer of data
between memory and storage devices. IOCS has two components: LIOCS

(Logical Input/Output Control System) and PIOCS (Physical Input/Output Control System).

IODF: Input/Output Definition File. The I/O definition file (IODF) is a VSAM linear data set that is
built and maintained by HCD.

IODM: ImagePlus Object Distribution Manager. See ODM.

IOGEN: Input/Output GENeration. The process of describing the I/O configuration to an z/OS I/O
supervisor. To carry out a traditional I/O Gen you used to have to shut

down z/OS, run IOCP, and then re-start the machine. Dynamic I/O reconfiguration got rid of the need
for this. See also HCD.

IOP: Integrated Off-load Processor. Originally, a component of certain ES/9000s which manages data
transfer autonomously of the processor.

IOR: Interoperable Object Reference. A special format for CORBA object references which allows
them to be used for communication between different ORBs.

IOS1: I/O Supervisor. z/OS software responsible for execution of channel programs.

IOS2: Inter-Organizational Systems.

IOS3270: See DIOF.

IOU: IBM Internal Use Only. IOU documents are secret, but have a marked tendency to appear on
the desks of favored users and industry watchers. cf. RIC.

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IP1: Internet Protocol. An Internet protocol that routes data through networks. IP acts as an
intermediary between the higher protocol layers and the physical

network. It does not provide error recovery or flow control. See also TCP/IP.

IP2: Instruction Processor. Pretty much what used to be called the ALU (Arithmetic and Logic Unit).

ip3270: A direct alternative to tn3270(E) that is supported by Microsoft SNA Server and Novell
NetWare for SAA, whereby gateway-specific TCP/IP protocol can be used

for SNA access between the client and the server. One of the key advantages of this approach, as
opposed to tn3270, is that it supports LU6.2-based transactions.

ip5250: A direct alternative to tn5250 that is supported by Microsoft’s SNA Server and Novell’s
NetWare for SAA, whereby gateway-specific TCP/IP protocol can be used

for SNA access between the client and the server. One of the key advantages of this approach, as
opposed to tn5250, is that it supports LU6.2-based transactions.

IPA1: See IP Assist.

IPA2: Interprocedural analysis.

IP address: The numerical Internet Protocol (IP1) address of an Internet computer. Every computer
has a unique numerical IP address.

IP Assist: Internet Protocol Assist. One of the five components of QDIO. Moves IP-related compute-
intensive functions from the eserver zSeries 900 processor to the

OSA-Express feature. This includes Media Access Control (MAC1) handling, the Address Resolution
Protocol (ARP) function, packet filtering, building and maintaining a

table of IP addresses to be used for packet routing, and IP Multicast.

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I-PC: See Inter-Personal Computer.

IPC: InterProcess Communication. The process by which programs synchronize activities and
communicate data between themselves.

IPCC: IBM Personal Computer Co. Company set up in September 1992 to market all IBM-branded
PCs. IPCC, which at least had the brains to use the IBM name (unlike ICPI)

is responsible for the design, manufacturing, and marketing of all IBM personal computer products.
Scrapped in the late 1990s. PCs are now part of the Personal and

Printing Systems Group. See also Ambra, ICPI, ValuePoint.

IPCS1: Interactive Problem Control System. A component of z/VM that facilitates on-line problem
management, interactive problem diagnosis, on-line debugging for

disk-resident CP abend dumps, problem tracking, and problem reporting. Replaced by DVF.

IPCS2: See Integrated PC Server.

IPDS: Intelligent Printer DataStream. An IBM protocol for data sent to APA page printers.
Analogous to the PostScript page description language used by DTP1 products

such as PageMaker. IPDS is part of SAA’s CCS1, and replaces RFTDCA. Also known as AFP/IPDS.
Extended subsets of IPDS are incorporated in IBM’s Object Content

Architectures (OCAs).

IPDT: Integrated Processing of Data and Text. Obsolete system (the functionality was incorporated
into OfficeVision/MVS and ASF1) enabling users to integrate data and

text processing on a single workstation. Designed for clerical staff working with data displays and DP
applications programs. Ran on mainframe machines under z/OS and

VSE/ESA, and 8100/DPPX.

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IPF: Interactive Productivity Facility. Early and largely obsolete version of a z/VM ISPF type
facility.

IPFAF: ImagePlus Folder Application Facility. See FAF.

IPFO: ImagePlus Intelligent Forms Facility/2. OCR and forms recognition and indexing software.
Enhanced May 1996 to recognize hand printing along with the usual forms

and machine-printed text. Withdrawn September 1997.

IP hijacking: See IP splicing.

IPI: Intelligent Peripherals Interface. IBM version of IPI-3 – an international standard for peripheral
interfaces.

IPL: Initial Program Load. The first part of the process of loading an operating system into a
machine. These days IPL is synonymous with IML to all but the ruggedly

pedantic.

IPLA: International Program License Agreement. A specific IBM software contract form.

iPlanet: An alliance between Sun and Netscape, to produce e-commerce software.

iPlanet Server Suite: A March 2000 renaming of the Netscape Servers. Available on AIX. See
iPlanet.

IPMS: InterPersonal Messaging System. X.400 mechanism used to convey messages from one
person to another, and allowing the data to be correctly interpreted at the

destination. Available on IBM EDI1 systems.

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IP Multicast: The ability to send and receive IP packets simultaneously sent to multiple IP addresses.
This is not referring to e-mail sent to a distribution list,

but to a broadcast model for things like audio/video. Huge savings are possible by sending a single
packet to all listeners, rather than the same packet repeatedly to

each listener. The downside is that listeners who miss or receive corrupted packets cannot request a
retransmission. Not to mention the fact that it is a real-time,

rather than an on-demand, approach. Issues surrounding listeners joining and leaving during the
broadcast have been resolved, however. IP Multicast is supported fairly

broadly, including z/VM.

IPO: Installation Productivity Option. IBM’s first successful attempt at packaging system software to
simplify installation and update. The name disappeared about the

time its acronym became popular in the financial world (Initial Public Offering).

IP PrintWay: Internet Protocol PrintWay. Routes JES2 and JES3 print to TCP/IP printers. An
optional, separately priced feature of z/OS that was first announced as a

feature of PSF/MVS in September 1996.

IPRS: Image Processor Recognition System. See 389x.

IPSec: Internet Protocol Security. A network layer (i.e., layer 3) security that can be used to realize
authentication, integrity and data privacy between two IP1

entities. Heavily used to implement VPNs. IBM is developing IPSec compliant products as part of its
deal with RSA Security.

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IPSO: Integrated Product and Services Offering. A combined software and services offering from
IBM (announced in the UK July 1991). In the deathless prose of the IBM

announcement, addresses customer concerns for a successful implementation by IBM sharing much of
the risk and using its skilled resources in delivering the solution.

Disappeared without a trace.

IP splicing: A hacker technique: take over an active, established Internet session.

IP spoofing: A hacker technique: attempt access by impersonating an authorized IP1 address.

IP-switching: A strategic set of methodologies endorsed by IBM, Cisco, and other networking
vendors, for increasing the throughput of IP data transfers by eliminating

the need to route each packet at Layer 3, and instead using pre-established connections at Layer 2 to
expedite packet forwarding.

IP tunnel: A mechanism that facilitates data encapsulation across an IP1 network.

IPv6: The next generation of IP1. Also known as IPng.

IPX: Internetwork Packet Exchange. The network protocol used to connect Novell’s servers with
other workstations. It uses different packet formats and terminology

from IP1.

IR: Industry Remarketer. A company which acts as a VAR for IBM hardware in a specific vertical
market.

IRC: InterRegion Communication. A communication from one CICS region to another.

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IRD: See Intelligent Resource Director.

IRDS: Information Resource Dictionary Systems. 1988 ANSI standard for repository systems. See
also PCTE.

IRLM: IMS/VS Resource Lock Manager, aka Inter Region Lock Manager. z/OS subsystem used by
IMS1 and DB2 to control communications and database locking (it controls

integrity locking in DB2). See also Latch.

IRM: Infrastructure Resource Management. A renaming of Facilities Management, itself a

euphemism for letting someone else manage your data center. Still the most

popular form of Outsourcing.

Ironmonger: IBMspeak (usually derogatory) for a hardware (iron) specialist.

IRRHFSU: A free utility from IBM that unloads and reformats HFS file security information into
RACF IRRDBU00 format.

ISA: Industry Standard Architecture. The AT bus that became a de facto standard interface for PC
cards. Replaced by PCI. See also EISA, PCI.

ISAM1: Information Systems Account Marketing. At one time the organizational segment of IBM
selling computer systems to large accounts. The ISAM/ISM1 organization was

replaced by an organization based on geographical regions.

ISAM2: Indexed Sequential Access Method. Method of file access in which a stored index contains
the address of a group of records. Forever in need of reorganization.

Replaced by VSAM in 1973, but survives in odd backwaters. ISAM datasets cannot reside on SMS-
managed volumes in z/OS.

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ISAPI: The Microsoft equivalent of NSAPI. An interface provided on Microsoft HTTP servers which
allows other processes to be invoked by the browser client as an

alternative to CGI. This has some performance advantages but is not supported by all HTTP servers.

ISC1: Inter-System Communication. A general form of mainframe communication and resource-

sharing between host applications using the LU6 protocols. Under VTAM, ISC is

a facility used with CICS and/or IMS TM for shipping transactions to another CICS or IMS TM
system for execution. Uses LU6.1 under IMS and CICS and LU6.2 under CICS.

ISC allows multiple copies of CICS to run simultaneously to enable multi-engine CECs to be used
effectively.

ISC2: See Inter System Coupling link.

ISC-3: Inter-System Channel.

ISCF: Inter-System Control Facility. NetView application enabling control of a remote system. There
was also a PC version, ISCF/PC. Both were replaced by TSCF April

1991. See also ACA/ISCF.

iSCSI: Internet SCSI. SCSI protocols emulated over an IP1 connection.

ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network. Generic term describing the ITU-T digital circuit
switching services for both voice and data. Available worldwide, but

never really gained the kind of popularity everyone was predicting. And now doomed to die a slow
death at the hands of DSL, cable modem and similar higher speed yet

reasonably-priced technologies. Also known as Narrow-ISDN (N-ISDN) to distinguish it from

Broadband ISDN.

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ISE: Image Symbol Editor. GDDM editor used to produce point-image (non-scalable) symbols.

iSeries: See iSeries 400.

iSeries 400: The eserver series based on, and replacing, the AS/400. According to IBM, the i stands
for intelligent integration. Based on copper and SOI2 technology,

it runs any combination of ported Unix applications, AS/400, Windows, Java, Domino and soon
Linux applications concurrently. Some models are Dedicated Servers for

Domino (DSD).

ISF: Inter-System Facilities. z/VM package which enabled up to four VM/HPO systems to share
mini-disks and spool files. In essence it was a rather crude first go at

providing the ability to create clusters of processors. Announced January 1987. Withdrawn December
1997 because it was not Year 2000-ready.

ISFC: Inter-System Facility for Communications. z/VM facility providing transparent

communications across multiple physical machines. Applications must use APPC/VM,

CPI-C or IUCV to communicate.

ISG: IBM South Africa Group. The IBM distributor in South Africa – formerly known as ISM2.

ISL: Information Solutions Ltd. IBM UK’s outsourcing arm. See also ISSC.

ISM1: Information Systems Marketing. The organizational segment of IBM which sells computers to
small to medium accounts. See ISAM1.

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ISM2: Information Service Management Ltd. IBM’s South African distributor. IBM pulled out of
South Africa itself in 1987, leaving the market to ISM (which was set up

by ex-IBMers). Mid 1994 IBM bought a controlling stake in ISM, which became ISG a year later.

ISM3: See Tivoli Internet Services Manager.

ISM4: Information Systems Management Canada. aka ISMC. A former IBM Canada subsidiary that
concentrated mostly in Outsourcing, often in joint ventures with telephone

companies. Absorbed into IBM Global Services Consulting. The only exception was the Province of
British Columbia joint venture that ended up as part of the local

telephone company (TELUS) rather than IBM.

ISM5: Infrastructure and Systems Management. Part of IBM Global Services Consulting.

ISMA: Information System Management Architecture. A 1979 architecture developed by IBM and
GUIDE which became SystemView 11 years later.

ISMC: IBM Software Manufacturing Company. Absorbed back into the Software Division.

ISMF: Interactive Storage Management Facility. Interactive ISPF-based tool for z/OS storage
administrators which provides facilities to manage Data Classes, Storage

Classes, Management Classes, and Storage Groups. Can also be used by regular folks much as they
would Option 3.4 (Dataset List) of ISPF/PDF; ISMF is more clumsy but

does provide some information and features less readily available in ISPF/PDF. Part of DFSMS.

ISO: International Standards Organization. Geneva-based body responsible for developing

communications standards in conjunction with the ITU-T. Represented in the US

by ANSI. ISO looks after the OSI model.

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Isochronous: Generic term for running in real-time.

Isochronous Ethernet: Version of Ethernet (aka IsoEnet) sponsored by IBM and National
Semiconductor for multimedia communications – voice, video, image and data – at

up to 16Mbps.

IsoEnet: See Isochronous Ethernet.

ISP: Internet Service Provider.

ISPBX: ISDN PBX.

ISPF: Interactive System Productivity Facility. Menu and screen management system that has only
ever been popular on z/OS TSO, but has been offered, at one time or

another, on VSE/ESA ICCF and z/VM CMS1. There have also been both IBM and non-IBM
workstation versions. And even a (non-IBM) Unix version. Though, arguably, they

mainly concentrated on providing the PDF1 component. ISPF first saw the light of day in 1974 as
SPF. Provides facilities for developing and running menu-driven dialog

systems on 3270 terminals and, more recently, workstations. ISPF services can be accessed using
WSP/2. ISPF is an element of z/OS. See also ISPF/PDF.

ISPF/PDF: ISPF/Program Development Facility. ISPF facility providing access to application

development services for end-users and programmers. Incorporates C and REXX

programming support, and some support for programmable workstations. See also LMF, SCLM.

ISQL: Interactive SQL.

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ISSC: Integrated Systems Solutions Corp. Company set up by IBM Corp in May 1991 to run systems
integration and outsourcing contracts, which previously were run by the

Systems Integration Division. Probably set up to meet the conditions of the 1956 anti-trust decree
which said that IBM had to operate any bureau services at arms-

length. With the Consent Decree fading into history and Lou Gerstner’s dislike of subsidiary
companies, ISSC was absorbed into IBM Global Services. See also ISL.

Issuer: In the SET architecture, this is a financial institution that issues payment cards to individuals.

ISV: Independent Software Vendor. A software vendor which isn’t part of and/or doesn’t belong to a
hardware manufacturer.

ITAA: Information Technology Association of America. Formerly known as ADAPSO, ITAA is the
dominant US trade association for the Information Technology (IT) industry:

computers, software, telecommunications products and services, Internet and online services, systems
integration and professional services. Headquartered in Arlington,

Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. area.

Itanium: Intel 64-bit processor that uses EPIC architecture, rather than RISC. Also runs anything a
Pentium can. Announced May 1999 with first Itanium-based systems

delivered in June 2001.

Item Access Facility: z/OS software providing support for high volumes of coded data objects on
optical media or low cost DASD (e.g., the 3390-9). The main target

application is storage of print data, e.g., for archiving. Data is indexed for on-line access and selective
printing. Can also be used to send data normally directed

to COM devices to the 3995 optical disk. Announced January 1991. Withdrawn September 2001.

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ITI: Information Technology Industry Council. A US trade association of which IBM is a member.
Formerly CBEMA.

ITR: Internal Throughput Rate. IBM measure of internal processor performance expressed in terms
of the number of transactions/jobs per second of processor busy time.

Used by IBM to compare the performance of different processors – not as an absolute measure of
performance, cf. MIPS, IER. See also ETR1.

ITRA: Information Technology Resellers Association. The major US computer leasing trade
association. Formerly CDLA.

ITRR: Internal Throughput Rate Ratio. See ITR.

ITSC: International Technical Support Center. Renamed ITSO.

ITSEC: IT Security Evaluation & Certification Scheme (U.K.).

ITSO: International Technical Support Organization. The bit of IBM which publishes those
wonderful manuals, most notably Redbooks. The ITSO is part of the IBM Global

Technical Support organization within IBM Global Sales and Distribution.

ITU: International Telecommunications Union. Founded in 1865 and based in Geneva, Switzerland,
it became an agency of the United Nations in 1947 and has a membership

of 184 countries, as well as a number of industry and government organizations. Its purpose is the
coordination of worldwide communication standards, including

frequency allocation and radio regulations. See also ITU-T.

ITU-T: International Telecommunication Union – Telecommunication Standardization Sector. The

sub-component of the ITU that is responsible for developing

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recommendations for telecommunications formerly handled by the CCITT.

IUCV: Inter-User Communications Vehicle. z/VM facility enabling programs in two virtual
machines to talk to one another, and allowing workloads to be distributed

across physical machines transparently.

IUGC: See International User Group Council.

IVF: Image View Facility. An ancient program product which enabled images digitized by the
Scanmaster to be displayed on suitably featured 3270-type screens. IVF

operated in conjunction with DISOSS/PS and the Graphical Data Display Manager (GDDM). No
longer marketed – replaced by IVU.

IVO: IBM Volume Offering/Orders. Part of the marketing Terms and Conditions of some software
products.

Ivory letter: An IBM customer announcement letter.

IVPA: International Volume Purchase Agreement.

IVU: Image View Utility. Program Product which enabled scanned files created on the 3117-9 or
8815 scanners to be stored in DISOSS and viewed on high resolution

workstations or suitably configured PCs. Replaced IVF. Obsolete.

IW: See Information Warehouse.

IWP/2: IBM SAA ImagePlus Workstation Program for OS/2. See IWPM.

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IWPM: ImagePlus Workstation Program. The PC-DOS, Windows and OS/2 workstation software for
ImagePlus. Allows users to capture, view, manipulate and print large

volumes of documents. The last of it was withdrawn September 1997.

IWS1: Intelligent/Independent Workstation. Former IBMspeak for a networked PC or PS/2. Also

known as Programmable WorkStation (PWS).

IWS2: Intelligent Workstation Support. Feature in VSE/ESA for linking PCs to a mainframe host.

IWS3: International Warranty Service. Allows IBM customers to obtain service for their products
when they travel or move to a different country where IBM service is

available.

IX/370: Interactive eXecutive for the 370. Obsolete IBM-enhanced Unix V implementation for
mainframe machines. Ran as a guest under z/VM. Replaced by AIX/370.

IXF: Integrated eXchange Format. Data interchange format used for import/export by DB2 UDB,
QMF etc. Although the same name is used in different environments, the

formats are not always identical.

IXFP/SnapShot: IBM Extended Facilities Product/SnapShot for VSE/ESA. A priced optional feature
of VSE Central Functions that improves use of RAMAC Virtual Array

Storage. Announced September 1998.

IXS: See Integrated xSeries Server for iSeries.

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J2EE: Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition. The Java Software Development Kit (SDK), tools, APIs,
and the Java runtime (i.e., execution environment) targeted at Java

developers building enterprise-class, server-side applications.

J2SE: Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition. See Java, Java 2, J2EE.

JAAS: Java Authentication and Authorization Service. Provides a security model for the Java
platform, which permits access to Java-controlled resources based on the

identity of the user on whose behalf the Java program is running, rather than the source of the code.

JAD: Joint Application Development/Design. Technique, developed by IBM in the 1970s, for
involving users in application development projects. Involves assembling a

group of users with a business/systems analyst and locking them up in a room until they all agree on
what an application should look like. JAD became fashionable again

in the early 1990s as part of RAD.

JANET: Joint Academic NETwork. The WAN which links UK academic and research institutions.
The hub is the JANET subnetwork, a private X.25 packet-switched network that

interconnects sites, and also links to the Internet.

Japan GUIDE/SHARE: An IBM user group serving Japan. See SHARE and GUIDE.

Java: An object-oriented programming environment developed by Sun towards the end of 1995. Java
creates applets which can be downloaded across the Internet, and which

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will allow clients running, for example, the HotJava browser to interact with objects on the Web and
intranet servers. Sun believed that if Java really took off, fat

PCs would become a thing of the past; users will simply download software (applets) to Network
Computers. Sun makes its Java technology widely available; many vendors,

including IBM, have licensed JavaOS and HotJava. And Java is available on many platforms,
including IBM’s.

Java 2: Umbrella term introduced by Sun in December 1998 to refer, henceforth, to all subsequent
Java initiatives and products.

Java2: See Java 2. See also J2EE.

Java application server: Application server written in Java, and as such platform independent, geared
to facilitate the development and deployment of Java-based

applications, applets, and servlets – e.g., BEA WebLogic.

Java Authentication and Authorization Service: See JAAS.

JavaBeans: A platform-independent, software component technology for building reusable Java

components called Beans. Adopted by IBM, Sun, Netscape and Oracle amongst

others. The JavaBeans component model specifies how to build reusable software components, how
the resulting Beans describe their properties to visual rapid

application development tools and how they communicate with each other. Beans can be combined to
create applications or applets.

Java Communications API: Allows AIX Java applications to access RS232 serial ports and IEEE
1284 parallel ports.

Java Cryptography Extension: See JCE.

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Java Jive: Code name for prototype software from IBM and Sun aimed at giving blind people greater
access to the Internet by reading aloud the information on a

computer screen, along with instructions for using the computer keyboard instead of a mouse. Product
name became Home Page Reader. Part of IBM’s Independence Series.

Java OS for Business: Server operating system. The IBM/Oracle initiative that, with a Java Virtual
Machine at the client side, both companies dreamed would displace

Windows from large organizations.

Java Platform: In essence what used to be called the JDK before Java 2. Consists of a Java Software
Development Kit (SDK), tools, APIs, and a Java runtime.

JavaScript: An interpreted scripting language proprietary to Netscape, embedded in its browser – not
to be confused with Java itself. Originally called LiveScript,

then made more Java-like and re-named. JavaScript statements appear between <SCRIPT> and
</SCRIPT> tags in HTML. The version in early releases of Netscape 2 suffered

from serious security flaws. Microsoft has a similar, but not identical, scripting language called
JScript.

Java Secure Sockets Extension: See JSSE.

JavaSpaces: A mechanism for dynamic communication, co-ordination, and sharing of objects

between Java-based network resources. JavaSpaces is built on top of Jini and

programmed in Java.

Java Virtual Machine: The facility which allows Java applets/source code to run on a computer.
Supported by Web browsers, OS/400 and other platforms.

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JBIG: Joint Bilevel Image Group compression. A late addition to image transmission standards,
which became an international standard in 1993 (ISO/IEC 11544). The JBIG

algorithm is enhanced for bitonal compression such as with text and line drawings.

JBOD: Just a Bunch Of Disks. A RAID system which doesn’t try to be too clever, and thus avoids
the problem of getting into quasi-theological arguments about whether

it’s RAID 0, 1, 5, or 42, how many angels you can get on its HDA, etc.

JCE: Java Cryptography Extension. AIX1 software that provides a framework and implementations
for encryption, key generation and key agreement, and MAC1 algorithms.

Support for encryption includes symmetric, asymmetric, block and stream ciphers. Also supports
secure streams and sealed objects.

jCentral: A tool for Java developers that acts as both a search engine and a repository for Java
resources. It collects, combines and organizes Java information

including applets, JavaBeans, source code, white papers and FAQs. It also allows developers to query
this information by resource type.

JCICS: Java CICS classes. A Java Class library that provides direct access to CICS resources. Used
in object-oriented programming, replacing the CICS Foundation

Classes.

JCL: Job Control Language. The language used to describe the steps of a batch job (files to be used,
programs to be run, etc). A generic term, hijacked by IBM to

refer to the batch control languages for its System/360 operating systems. Then, as now, z/OS and
VSE/ESA JCL is a clumsy and cumbersome system that is hard to learn,

full of inconsistencies, and avoided by anyone with an iota of common sense and access to an
alternative. The only excuse for it comes from one of the original OS/360

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developers: they ran out of time to build a JCL interpreter, so just used the Assembler macro
processor, and built a language (JCL) around it.

JDBC: Java DataBase Connectivity. An API that is designed for use by Java database applications,
and has the same characteristics as Open Database Connectivity

(ODBC). JDBC was primarily developed by Sun Microsystems and provides a clean, simple way for
Java code to access relational databases and other persistent data

resources.

JDK: Java Development Kit. Software development kit from Sun consisting of a Java compiler, a
debugger, standard Java classes, and a Java runtime (i.e., JVM) for

Unix. Replaced, in Java 2, by Java Platform, sometimes referred to as the Java SDK.

JDO: Java Data Objects. A Sun specification for transparent persistence: the ability to provide
transparent mapping and persistence for Java objects via traditional

data stores.

JECL: Job Entry Control Language. The equivalent of JCL for z/OS and VSE/ESA batch processing
subsystems: JES2, JES3, POWER1. No longer commonly used for JESx; JES3

Control Statements is used instead.

JES: See JESx.

JES2: Job Entry Subsystem 2. One of two batch processing subsystems available for z/OS, both
developed in the 1960s, and each with a different heritage, and different

control statements (JECL). JES2 was originally HASP. Each reads batch jobs in, schedules their
execution and spools their output. JES2 is, by far, the most popular,

but JES3 is used in a much smaller number of very large organizations. An element of z/OS.

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JES3: Job Entry Subsystem 3. One of two batch processing subsystems available for z/OS, both
developed in the 1960s, and each with a different heritage, and different

control statements (JECL). Each reads batch jobs in, schedules their execution and spools their output.
JES2 is, by far, the most popular, but JES3 is used in a much

smaller number of very large organizations. JES3 usage declined markedly during the 1990s as
corporations merged their data centers as part of rationalizing an

acquisition of another corporation. Although there were exceptions, JES2 tended to win if each data
center used a different JESx. JES3 is an optional, separately

priced feature of z/OS.

JES reader: The JESx element that receives job input and records them in the job queue and spool
dataset.

JESx: JES2 and JES3. Used when referring to either or both JES2/JES3, in a context where both
provide similar functionality, i.e., where it does not matter which one

is available.

JFS: Journalled File System. AIX file system, replaced by JFS2.

JFS2: Journalled File System 2. A new file system type in AIX 5L, replacing JFS. JFS2 can store 1
Terabyte files. It is the default file system for the 64-bit kernel.

JGS: See Japan GUIDE/SHARE.

Jikes: A free IBM stand-alone, Java source code to JVM byte code compiler for Linux and other
platforms. Certified Open Source Software by OSI.

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Jini: Described as a connection technology from Sun, Jini (which also does not stand for anything) is
simply a way of plugging devices into a network and having them

work right away, without any setups.

JISC: Japanese Industrial Standards Committee.

JIT: Just In Time. An inventory minimization approach developed in the Manufacturing sector. It
focuses on both inventory from suppliers (input) and inventory from

the manufacturing process (output). Suppliers must deliver goods just before they are needed. And
products must be manufactured at just about the same time that they

are ordered by customers.

JMAPI: Java Management Application Programming Interface. A Sun Java specification that defines
a set of APIs for developing integrated system, network, and service

management applications.

JMS: The Java Message Service is a Java API to message oriented middleware (MOM).

JNDI: Java Naming and Directory Interface is a standard extension to the Java platform, which
provides a unified interface to multiple naming and directory services.

Jodax: A high-level Java library to IBM’s DB2 database.

JOIN: Generic term for an SQL function which enables data to be selected from two or more tables.

Journalled File System: See JFS2, JFS.

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JPEG: Joint Photographic Expert Group. A standard for defining and compressing raster (bit-
mapped) images. And the name of the committee, created by two international

standards bodies, that developed the JPEG standard. Very popular, especially on the Web.

JPEG2000: A standard intended to replace the original JPEG image compression technique, from the
same committee. JPEG2000 is based on wavelet compression algorithms

which allow images to be broken down and compressed in a more flexible manner than standard
JPEG. The standard allows the user to choose parts of an image to download,

view, and enlarge without losing resolution. The standard also allows images to be encrypted.

JRE: Java Runtime Environment. A component of the Java Development Kit (JDK) that contains the
Java Virtual Machine, and core classes that constitute the standard

Java platform.

JRMP: Java Remote Method Protocol. The original protocol underlying RMI. Today, RMI can run
over either JRMP or IIOP.

JRP: Joint Requirements Planning. A similar idea to JAD.

JScript: A Microsoft Internet scripting language, originally developed for Internet Explorer (IE1).
The J stands for Java(-like), but JavaScript is a proprietary,

though similar, competitive product from Netscape. JScript now conforms to the European standard
ECMAScript. JScript and VBScript are the two Windows scripting

languages that effectively replace the archaic PC-DOS batch language.

JSP: JavaServer Pages. Uses XML-like tags and scriptlets to encapsulate logic that fills out the
dynamic content of HTML pages. An extension of the servlet

technology, JSP is the Java analog of Microsoft’s ASP5.

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JSSE: Java Secure Sockets Extension. Enables secure Internet communications and implements a
Java version of SSL and TLS protocols in AIX1. JSSE includes

functionality for data encryption, server authentication, message integrity and client authentication.

JTA: Java Transaction Application Programming Interface. Specifies standard Java interfaces (API)
between a transaction manager and the parties involved in a

distributed transaction system: the resource manager, the application server, and the transactional
applications.

JTAG: Joint Test Action Group. The IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan standard, named after the group
that developed it. It solves test access problems introduced by advanced

IC4 packages. Used to test the interconnection between SRAM I/Os and printed circuit board traces or
other components.

JTOpen: The open source version of Toolbox for Java.

JTS: Java Transaction Service. Specifies the implementation of a Transaction Manager which
supports JTA at the high level and implements the Java mapping of the OMG

Object Transaction Service (OTS) specification at the low level. JTS uses the standard CORBA
ORB/TS interfaces and IIOP for transaction context propagation between JTS

Transaction Managers.

Jumbo DASD: Pre-release nickname for the 3390-9.

Jumbo frames: Optional enhancement to Fast/Gigabit Ethernet adapters (e.g., IBM OSA-Express
adapter) to permit 9,000 byte frames, six times the standard frame size,

to be transmitted to expedite data transfers.

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Jupiter: An unannounced storage architecture designed to work with Summit. Eventually most of the
data management products would run on Jupiter hardware, thus freeing

up the Summit for more application processing. Also known as Olé. Jupiter was also used as an early
code name for the original SMS1 project. Little is heard of the

notion today.

JustMail: Subset of OfficeVision/400 which provides entry-level e-mail. Announced November 1993
as JustMail/400. Renamed JustMail for OS/400 and withdrawn February

2000.

JVM: See Java Virtual Machine.

Kaleida: Joint venture company set up by Apple and IBM in October 1991 to develop multimedia
systems. It all came to a sad end in November 1995 when Kaleida was

closed down, and folded back into Apple. See also ScriptX.

Karat: Architecture cum family of products for distributed systems management – first saw the light
of day September 1994. Includes NetView and supports NetView APIs,

so that existing NetView users can continue to use all their NetView systems under the Karat regime.
IBM encouraged third party support, published the APIs, and used

the CORBA object technology to make the thing fairly open. First products appeared for AIX and
OS/2 in April 1995 – SystemView Series. Like SystemView, no one talks

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about Karat anymore, especially now that Tivoli has NetView.

Kb1: See Kilobit.

KB2: See KiloByte.

Kbit: See Kilobit.

Kbps: Kilobits per second.

KBS: See Knowledge Based Systems.

Kbyte: See Kilobyte.

KCA: Key Certification Authority.

KDB: See Kernel Debugger.

KEA: Key Exchange Algorithm.

KEE: Knowledge Engineering Environment. IBM’s z/OS version of Intellicorp’s LISP expert system
(which IBM and Intellicorp co-promoted on the RT PC). IBM withdrew from

the joint marketing agreement in March 1990.

Kerberos: Security system for Unix environments derived from MIT’s Project Athena. Uses a trusted
server to ensure that there are no unwanted systems in the network.

It is not an all-singing, all-dancing security system àla RACF with file and record-level security, etc.
In z/OS, Kerberos support has been modernized and moved from

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Communications Server to z/OS itself.

Kermit: A protocol for file transfers once widely used in public-domain communications software
packages in the PC world. Originated in PC-mainframe file transfer

software from Columbia University.

Kernel: The core of an operating system that performs basic functions such as allocating hardware
resources.

Kernel Debugger: A debug facility for the AIX1 kernel.

Key: Although it has several security-related meanings, not to mention other computing meanings, it
can also refer to an authenticator.

Keykos: A z/VM-compatible operating system developed for internal use within McDonnell Douglas
and launched into a totally indifferent market in the mid 1980s.

Key pair: A private key and its related public key.

Key ring: A named collection of digital certificates.

Kicker: An upgrade, modification, or enhancement to a moribund product to keep it going.

Killer app: An application that creates a mass market for an emerging technology. First used to
describe VisiCalc and Lotus 1-2-3 in the early 1980s after it became

evident that demand for the spreadsheet had been the catalyst for the sale of IBM PCs in the
enterprise. Netscape was once described as the Internet’s killer app.

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Kilobit: 1024 bits, or 2 to the 10th power, when referring to processor storage, real and virtual
storage, and channel volume. However, when referring to disk storage

capacity it is 1000 bits. Abbreviated as Kb.

Kilobyte: 1024 bytes, or 2 to the 10th power, when referring to processor storage, real and virtual
storage, and channel volume. However, when referring to disk

storage capacity it is 1000 bytes. Abbreviated as KB.

Kimono: To open the Kimono is a particularly tacky bit of IBMspeak meaning to reveal some secret
information, usually to customers. A less offensive way of expressing

the same notion was to talk about Glasnost and Perestroika – and look what they led to.

K-map: See Knowledge Map.

KMIGRATE: A free IBM software tool that migrates existing DCE2 and z/OS users to Kerberos.

Know How: Short-lived Consultancy/Services operation set up by IBM UK in mid 1991. 2,000 staff
were diverted from their previous IBM duties into Know How, which sold

consultancy, training, implementation, and so on. Part of IBM’s on-going attempt to change its main
source of revenue from boxes to services. See also MCD.

Knowledge Based Systems: Generic term for systems (also known as KBS) incorporating the
knowledge of a human expert. Used more or less synonymously with expert

systems.

Knowledge Map: See Discovery Server.

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KnowledgeTool: z/OS and z/VM expert system shell. Based on PL/I, it provides strong rule-
processing algorithms for use by professional programmers. Withdrawn February

1996. See also ESE.

Knowledge Utility: KnU is a general purpose hypermedia system offering intelligent information
retrieval and management. To quote IBM: KnU allows groups of users to

weave together all forms of data, connecting knowledge into meaningful patterns which aid users in
retrieving appropriate information. Replaced by KnowledgeX. See

Agent, WBI.

KnowledgeX: See Knowledge Utility.

KnU: See Knowledge Utility.

KPE: Knowledge Processing Environment.

KSDS: Key Sequenced DataSet. One of type of VSAM dataset (file) in which the logical records are
placed in sequence of a key which is held as part of each record

(e.g., invoice number). Usually, each key is unique and is located in the same place in the record.
Replaces ISAM2.

K-station: Lotus Knowledge Station. The tools to provide Web browser access to a broad range of
data, including Web applications, Microsoft Office documents and host

data.

KWIS: Knowledge Worker Information Systems.

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Lakes: IBM architecture, vintage mid 1995, for videoconferencing. Provides a load of APIs for
building applications combining data and videoconferencing. Used in

Person to Person.

LAN: Local Area Network. A generic term for the transport mechanism for a local (e.g., site or
building) network. The thing that makes current LANs special is their

intimacy with the connected machines; effectively the LAN acts as an extension to the internal bus of
the attached system, and allows a single system to be built from

physically dispersed components.

LANACS: LAN Asynchronous Connection Server. Provides LAN access for ASCII terminals to
IBM and ASCII hosts. Supports TRN, PC Network, IEEE 802.3, Ethernet, 3270

emulation, TCP/IP. Withdrawn January 1997.

LANAO/MVS: NetView software, announced December 1991, which provides some degree of
automation for managing multiple distributed TRNs. Works by intercepting messages

from LAN Network Manager and displaying important ones on a central operator’s console. In effect
it’s a LAN version of ANO/MVS. Withdrawn June 1995.

LAN Distance: OS/2 and Windows remote access software. Enables an OS/2 or Windows
workstation to dial in to resources on a remote LAN. Includes security through

encryption and user ID verification. Can also be used to support portable computers as local office
workstations. Replaced by OS/2 Warp Server and OS/2 Warp Connect

April 1996.

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LAN Distributed Platform: See LANDP.

LANDP: LAN Distributed Platform. Software that runs on Windows NT/2000/XP, OS/2 and PC-
DOS, but uses a common API to provide access to a broad range of platforms,

including CICS, IMS TM, DB2 and MQSeries. Evolved from the IBM Financial Branch System
Services (FBSS) products.

LANE: See LAN Emulation.

LAN Emulation: Software provided with ATM2 adapters and some switches that enable ATM to be
used with existing Network Operating Systems (e.g., NetWare) and

applications that were developed for use with traditional LANs as opposed to ATM. Also, an ATM
service of OSA-Express 155 that enables the reuse of the communications

applications that were written to support Ethernet or Token Ring.

LAN File Services: IBM software used to store and share workstation-format files on z/OS and z/VM
systems. Announced June 1993. The z/VM version replaced Workstation

LAN File Services/VM and was withdrawn March 2000. cf. LANRES.

LANfocus/2: Family of LAN network management products announced October 1992. Based on the
DME standard. Defunct.

LAN Gateway: A function in the AnyNet product family that enables workstations residing in
separate LANs to communicate across SNA or IP1 WANs. The AnyNet LAN Gateway

supports both IPX and NetBIOS protocols across WANs.

LanguageAccess: End-user natural language interface for DB2. Works by translating a user request
into SQL, which is passed to QMF, which digs up the data, and shows

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the answer to the eager querier. Written in Prolog, and integrated with QMF and AS1. Runs on OS/2
and interfaces to z/OS and z/VM. Withdrawn January 1993.

Language Environment: Arguably the most valuable long term result of SAA, LE provides a
common runtime environment for major programming languages, especially on z/OS

and z/VM where it is no longer a separate product, but has been absorbed into the operating system
itself. The common library of runtime services includes message

handling, condition handling, storage management routines and time/date functions. Previously, at
least on the mainframe, multi-programming language applications were

very tricky, if not impossible. IBM LE for VSE has its own program number, but is a VSE/ESA Base
Program. On the iSeries 400, LE also became part of the operating

system as ILE.

LANHOP/6000: LAN Home Office Program. Software, announced August 1993, which allows a
remote workstation user to dial in to a pSeries gateway, which will in turn

communicate with the user’s workstation on a LAN, thereby preventing him or her from ever getting
away from work. Supports OS/2, DOS, and AIX remote workstations, and

there’s z/VM and z/OS access too. Withdrawn January 1996, though the then-IBM Global
Information Network offered the equivalent through Dial Services for TCP/IP.

LAN Management Utilities: AIX and OS/2 product for system management of PC LAN and Novell
environments from a NetView management AIX or OS/2 workstation. Provides

central monitoring and problem resolution for systems running IPX, IP1, and NetBIOS protocols.
Both versions withdrawn mid-1997.

LAN Manager1: IBM PC program for collecting problem, status, and diagnostic information from a
Token Ring or PC network – a LAN equivalent of NetView. The OS/2

version was re-named LAN Network Manager September 1990.

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LAN Manager2: OS/2 LAN software from Microsoft developed in conjunction with 3Com. Provides
client/server support for distributed applications across a network.

Facilities include file and printer sharing, security, and network administration. Originally, LAN
Manager was very intimately bound into OS/2 and used all the clever

bits of OS/2 (particularly the inter-process communication) to produce a high-performance, full-

featured LAN operating system. However, when Microsoft reduced its

involvement with OS/2, LAN Manager became a discrete set of services capable of running with any
operating system. It’s not a bad workgroup solution, but not that good

as an enterprise solution, where IBM’s LAN Server (which started life as LAN Manager) is a better
bet. Obsolete, its functionality now being part of Windows Server

operating systems.

LAN NetView: Suite of OS/2 LAN network management software announced October 1993.
Provided remote support of OS/2 LAN software using the CID standards, performance

management, problem determination using both CMIP1 and SNMP, asset management and inventory
control, and links to the mainframe by translating OSI alerts into SNA

alerts. September 1994, LAN NetView became NetView for OS/2, then Tivoli NetView in July 1997.

LAN Network Manager: AIX and OS/2 LAN management tool. It’s a September 1990 re-naming of
IBM’s LAN Manager1. LAN Network Manager collects information about the

physical layer of a LAN – cabling, access units, hubs, bridges, and network adapters, etc. The
software can also collect SNMP information from software (LAN Network

Manager Agents) in bridges to other connected LANs. Features include CUA1 interface, two-way
NetView communications, LAN Station Manager support, and a database of the

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LAN and its workstations. LAN Network Manager Entry is a stripped down version without a local
operator interface – it just relays information from a remote LAN to a

central operator. The AIX1 version became part of SystemView then was replaced by Nways Campus
Manager-LAN for AIX in September 1996. The OS/2 version was withdrawn

September 2000.

LAN Network Manager Agent: Software in a TRN bridge which collects information about a LAN
and relays it back to a LAN Network Manager station. Note that not all

bridges can act as agents, although the IBM bridges can. Obsolete.

LAN Network Manager Entry: See LAN Network Manager.

LAN Requester: Component of OS/2 EE which gives a workstation access to shared network
resources (e.g., a LAN Server). Can work with Ethernet, TRN and PC networks.

LANRES: LAN Resource Extension and Services. z/OS, z/VM and OS/400 software that allows a
mainframe or iSeries 400 to act as a host server for NetWare servers – i.e.,

NetWare clients can access host-attached printers and disk volumes. It also allows NetWare LANs to
be administered from a mainframe. Announced as an RPQ for z/VM in

May 1991 (a program product from September 1991), as an z/OS product in September 1991, and on
the iSeries 4000 late 1993. A significant product for DP managers, since

it offers some prospect of DP proving to all the users of those LAN-based systems that there’s still a
role for the professional data center. cf. LAN File Services.

Obsolete.

LAN Server: When announced in November 1987, a network server providing LAN services for
DOS, Windows, and OS/2 under OS/2. Non-dedicated – i.e., other tasks may run

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in the same LAN Server machine. Facilities include print and file services, centralized network
administration, access to and management of shared resources, and

multiple servers. It was originally based on Microsoft’s LAN Manager2 (which IBM licensed for use
in OS/2 EE) with IBM bells and whistles to suit it for the enterprise

environment. Version 3.0 (October 1992) was a full 32-bit implementation with a few extra functions,
and in September 1994 Entry and Advanced versions were announced.

Replaced by OS/2 Warp Server December 1996. Over the years, LAN Server has been announced for
many other platforms. An OS/400 version. An AIX version was replaced by

AIX Connections in November 1996. A z/OS version was announced in March 1995, enabling the
mainframe to act as a server for OS/2 LAN Servers. And then there was LAN

Server for Macintosh, which was OS/2 software which allows Macintosh users to send files to
Postscript printers on an OS/2 network, and PC users to access printers on

an AppleTalk network; withdrawn August 2000. LAN Server Ultimedia was OS/2 software that
allowed a number of users to simultaneously access full motion video and sound

from a single LAN server; announced November 1993, withdrawn December 1997.

LAN Station Manager: PC-DOS and OS/2 program which collects information about a workstation
(adapter, office number, etc) and transmits it to LAN Network Manager.

Uses the ISO CMIP (see CMIP1). Announced September 1990, withdrawn July 1997.

LAP-D: Protocol used within Frame Relay. It’s a subset of HDLC.

Laptop: Generic term for the first generation of portable computers that were small enough to use on
your lap without cutting off the blood supply to your toes.

Large Program Support: Replaced by Very Large Program Support.

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Latch: Internal DB2 mechanism for locking data. Requires less overhead than IRLM.

Latency: A measure of response time. On a disk drive, how long it takes for the first bit of requested
data to rotate under the head. In a network, the minimum

elapsed time for a message to be transmitted, consisting of the aggregate delay contributed by the
communications links and devices along the way. For a computer, the

time period between the issuing of a command and the beginning of the requested action. At
McDonalds, how long it takes your hamburger to arrive after you order it.

LCAP: Loosely Coupled Array Processors. An IBM parallel processing research system in the late
1980s which linked 3090-400s and -600s into a single system.

LCD: Liquid Crystal Display. Technology used in calculators and, more recently, laptop computers.
Originally monochrome only, but TFT provides a color technology used

in laptops, replacing CRTs in desktop monitors and perhaps televisions in the future.

LDAP: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. An Internet directory management standard that
provides a consistent way to manage user access to network resources, such

as information, applications, and systems.

LDAP Server: The LDAP component of SecureWay Security Server.

LDIF: LDAP Data Interchange Format.

LDN: Lotus Developer Network.

LDS: See Linear DataSet.

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LE: See Language Environment.

Learning Services: The part of IBM that lets them lay claim to being world’s largest computer
training company.

LearningSpace: Lotus Web-based e-learning management and delivery system. Part of IBM
Mindspan Solutions.

Leased line: Generic term for a wide area communications line that is always available to the user –
i.e., it is not shared, and it is not interruptible. Such lines

are usually rented from a PTT – hence the name. See Switched line.

LEC: LAN Emulation Client. See LAN Emulation.

LED: Light-Emitting Diode.

Legacy system: An old system, running on incompatible hardware, and probably unsupportable
because the code is unstructured and the guy who wrote it left to become a

Buddhist priest some years ago. Legacy systems are the bane of the DP manager’s life. IBM
sometimes uses the term in a slightly different way, to mean part of an open

system that belongs neither to the SAA camp nor to Unix (and which is thus thoroughly undesirable).
See also New World system.

Legato: See Legato NetWorker.

Legato NetWorker: AIX software marketed by IBM but dropped in February 1996 to let ADSM
replace it.

LEN: Low Entry Networking. 1986 SNA development which turned into APPN.

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LEN node: Low Entry Networking Node. A type 2.1 node which doesn’t have the APPN extensions
to the LEN architecture. A LEN node can take part in an APPN network but

only as an origin or destination node, not as a network node.

Lessee: A company or individual which uses equipment for which it makes lease payments to a
lessor.

Lessor: The ultimate owner of equipment used by a lessee – e.g., a financial institution or a leasing
company.

Lexmark: The Lexington, Kentucky company (an IBM alliance company) into which IBM put its
keyboard, typewriter, and low-end printer business in 1990. IBM retained 10%

of the equity in Lexmark, which did a lot better after it left IBM than it was doing when it was part of
IBM (it doubled profits in the first two years of

independence). It still supplied lots of machines and consumables to IBM, both under its own name
and as an OEM supplier, until the expiry in March 1996 of a non-

competition agreement. IBM then got into the business in a big way, including a paper line in stores
everywhere. See also Network Printer, Pennant.

LexRes: Printer technology developed by Lexmark and used in the 4029 laser printers.

LFS: See LAN File Services.

LFS/ESA: See LAN File Services.

LI: License Information.

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libpcap: Packet Capture Library. A high-level user interface to the Berkeley Packet Filter (BPF). Plus
an API with the BPF for reading unprocessed network traffic and

writing customized applications that monitor and/or capture the network traffic.

Library/MVS: Set of IBM MVS manuals and other information that can be accessed by the
Information/MVS product. Withdrawn December 1997.

Library for REXX/370: Run-time routines for compiled REXX programs in z/OS and z/VM. See also
Compiler for REXX/370.

Library Management Facilities: See LMF.

Library Readers: BookManager software included on the IBM manual CD-ROMs that allows the
reading of the manuals.

LIC1: Licensed Internal Code. IBMspeak for microcode. When you buy an eserver zSeries 900 or
iSeries 400, you buy a license to use the microcode supplied with the

machine. If you mess about with the microcode IBM can, and sometimes does, descend on you with
lawsuits (see AMI2). See also SLIC.

LIC2: Line Interface Coupler. A circuit that attaches transmission cables to a controller (from DTEs,
DCE2s, or telecomms lines).

Licensed Internal Code: See LIC1.

License Manager: IBM License Manager. z/OS tool used by IBM to implement WLC. It also allows
vendors to enable their products for licensed software management by

customers. ILM is based on Version 2 of the X-Open Software License Manager (XSLM) standard
from The Open Group, which defines a software license use management

system. See also ILM Management Tool.

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LIFO: Last In, First Out. A queuing technique where the most recent addition to the queue is
processed first. Also known as a push-down stack. cf. FIFO.

Light Path Diagnostics: Part of X-architecture on the eserver xSeries. It shows you, with an
illuminated path, where the failing component is in the server.

Lightweight Directory Access Protocol: See LDAP.

LIM EMS: Lotus/Intel/Microsoft Expanded Memory Specification. Technique for overcoming the
original 640KB PC-DOS RAM limitation.

Linda: A groundbreaking mid 1980s research system developed by David Gelernter and others at
Yale University.

Line adapter: In the IBM comms environment, a line adapter is a device that scans and controls the
transmission lines. Line adapters are built into the 3745

controller and are also known as scanners.

Linear Dataset: A VSAM dataset type, similar to an ESDS, but which always has 4096 byte blocks,
and which can be kept permanently in memory for enhanced performance.

Used for Data in Virtual (DIV).

Line of Business: The things a company does to earn its living – e.g., banking, manufacturing, etc.
Also used to refer to an organizational unit within a

decentralized corporate structure. Within IBM, a Line of Business is a group of product divisions.

Line speed: The number of bits that can be sent over a telecommunication line in one second,
expressed in bits per second (bps). Least frequently, expressed in baud.

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Linkage Editor: Program which converts an object code module into an executable load module. It
may also include external subprograms, and perform various operations

on load modules. In z/OS, the Linkage Editor has been replaced by the Program Management Binder.

Link test: A test used in SNA to test the operation of links. Three types of test can be carried out,
differing in the resources deployed, but all are based on one

link station returning unchanged the data received from another link station.

Linkway: Application development language on the PC that allows you to develop applications using
text, pictures, sound, video. Withdrawn October 1997.

LINPAK: A benchmark for scientific systems. Developed by the Argonne National Laboratory in the
USA. Widely quoted by IBM (cf. RAMP-C). LINPAK measures the speed with

which a system solves sets of linear equations.

Linux: A Unix variant that seems to run on everything from workstations, where Microsoft haters
insist it will replace Windows, to mainframes, where IBM has spent

bags of money making it run well. Linux runs on all four eserver families. It can be run native or in an
LPAR on the zSeries 900. xSeries offers an option for

preinstalled Linux distributions. The iSeries 400 supports the native Linux kernel in an OS/400
partition. And pSeries supports native PowerPC Linux distributions.

There are 12 Linux Porting Centers worldwide that provide IBM technical assistance to ISVs and
applications developers that are moving to Linux.

LIOCS: Logical Input/Output Control System. The IOCS component as seen by the application
program doing I/O in VSE/ESA.

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Lion food: IBMspeak for middle management – after a not very funny joke about a lion which hid
near an IBM office and got away with eating an IBM manager every day

for a year, because nobody noticed what it was doing.

Lipstick on a bulldog: A rejuvenated GUI interface (i.e., the lipstick) that hides the dated green-on-
black interface of a host application and tries to disguise the

vintage of the application.

LISC: Limited Instruction Set Computing. Much the same as RISC.

LISP: Development language and application environment for artificial intelligence and expert
systems. Available on z/VM, z/OS, PC, and AIX. Key IBM implementation

was Common LISP which used PCs connected to an z/OS mainframe to provide a full LISP
environment. Long gone, except for an RT PC version of LISP discovered in the Year

2000 efforts, and promptly withdrawn December 1997. See also Golden and LUCID.

Listener: An IBM application that performs the functions of a concurrent server in the TCP/IP
sockets interface for CICS.

LIST request: Builds in-storage profiles for a RACF general resource class via the RACROUTE
macro with REQUEST=LIST specified.

LL2: Link Level 2.

LLA: Library Lookaside Address space. z/OS feature which uses VLF to store commonly used
system data in a dataspace.

LLAPI: Low-Level Language Application Programming Interface. PC Macro Assembler interface.

Allows user written programs to simulate a terminal operator. Note that the

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term is also used generically, and that everybody’s LLAPI is different from everybody else’s.

LLC: Logical Link Control. An IEEE standard for LANs and WANs, implemented and enhanced by
IBM and other vendors, which defines how command packets (protocol data

units) are created and interpreted for supporting logical link functions. Provides a common access
control standard and governs the assembly of data packets between

workstations, regardless of how the packets are transmitted across the LAN (i.e., it doesn’t determine
how the transmission medium is shared).

LMF: Library Management Facility. ISPF/PDF dialog-only product for the administration of
software components contained in program libraries. Replaced by SCLM and

removed from z/OS.

LMT: see Logos Machine Translation

LMU/6000: See LAN Management Utilities.

LoadLeveler: An AIX1 workload management system for serial and parallel batch jobs. Several
methods of scheduling jobs, including the availability of a specified

resource. Uses PSSP Security Services within DCE2.

Load module: A program in a form that can be loaded into memory for immediate execution.

LoB: See Line of Business.

Lobe: The section of cable in a Token Ring Network that attaches a device to an access unit.

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Local loop: Generic term for the connecting piece between a public network (telephone, ISDN or
cable) and the customer’s premises.

Locally RACLISTed profiles: In-Storage profiles for RACF-defined resources that are not shared
with other RACF nodes. See also RACLISTed profile, globally RACLISTed

profiles.

Local mode: An RRSF node operating without a logical connection to any other RRSF node.

Location transparency: Generic term most widely used with reference to distributed database. In a
system which has location transparency, the user cannot tell which

of any connected systems he is communicating with. For example, the response time, user request,
etc, would be the same for remote access as for local access.

Logging: Recording of data about specific events, creating an audit trail.

Logical Partitioning: Way of dividing up a processor’s capacity under PR/SM into LPARs (Logical
PARtitions). Available on eserver zSeries 900 and iSeries 400. New

with the zSeries 900 was the ability of products and programs running in an LPAR to query a unique
identifier and the capacity for the LPAR, giving the LPAR the

properties of a virtual server. This gives ISVs the option of licensing their software to an LPAR, and
thus an additional method of implementing sub-CEC pricing.

Logical String Assist: Firmware first added to the ES/9000 (9021 and some 9121s) to improve
performance of C and other high-level language applications which perform

extensive string manipulation operations.

Logical Volume Manager: The set of AIX operating system commands, library subroutines and other
tools used to map data between a logical view of storage space and the

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actual physical disks. The logical volume device driver (LVDD) is a pseudo-device driver that
manages and processes all I/O.

Logos Machine Translation: Software to assist translation between languages, such as English to
Italian, from Logos Corporation. Marketed by IBM.

Log retention: How long audit trail logs are kept.

Lone Star: The IBM codename for its first copper-based microprocessor, released in September 1998.

Loop adapter: A component of the 43xx processor family that enables a variety of SNA and non-
SNA devices to be attached. A few subsequent but unrelated devices with

the same name have been available over the years.

Lotus: A very independent part of IBM. Originally a PC software company made rich and famous by
1-2-3, which took over from where the first spreadsheet, VisiCalc,

left off. IBM set up a strategic software alliance with Lotus in June 1991, which allowed IBM to
market the cc:Mail electronic mail system and Lotus Notes groupware

product for interactive file and data sharing across a LAN. June 1995 IBM bought out Lotus in a
transaction which started as a contested takeover, and then became

uncontested when IBM offered so much money (a premium of around 100% on the quoted share
price), that the shareholders couldn’t resist. IBM’s aim, according to

observers, was to get its hot, sticky hands on Notes and cc:Mail (which it had been distributing for
four years), and the Notes customer base. Wisely, Lotus corporate

culture was retained and the company flourishes inside IBM. Note: within this glossary, Lotus
products and services are, like IBM’s, listed without Lotus in front of

them.

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Lotus Discovery Server: See Discovery Server.

Lotus Domino: See Domino.

Lotus Notes: See Notes.

Lotus Web Content Management Solution: A combination of products, business consulting and Lotus
Professional Services designed to deliver a customized Web content

management solution. Announced October 2001.

LOVEM: Line Of Visibility Enterprise Modeling. An IBM trademark and methodology to define and
document the activities in a business process, particularly for workflow

solutions. The obsolete Business Process Modeler was built on LOVEM.

Lower CASE: See CASE1.

LPA: Link Pack Area. The z/OS area used for resident programs, e.g., those programs which are
most frequently used and (usually for performance reasons) should not be

loaded by each application program from libraries stored on disk.

LPAR: See Logical PARtitioning.

LPDA-1: The first version of the Link Problem Determination Aid (LPDA2) command set. LPDA-1
is not compatible with LPDA-2.

LPDA1: Link Problem Determination Application. Application software within NCP that gathers
information from IBM modems and other DTEs about the common carrier

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transmissions – noise, carrier drop-outs, etc. A version of LPDA is also available on the iSeries 400
where it supports the use of the iSeries 400 as the middle tier

of a three-tier system.

LPDA-2: The second version of the Link Problem Determination Aid (LPDA2) command set. In
addition to the functionality of LPDA-1; LPDA-2 also supports the following

commands: DCE2 configuration, dial and set transmit speed.

LPDA2: Link Problem Determination Aid. A series of procedures that are used to test the status of
and to control DCE2s, the communication line, and the remote device

interface. See LPDA-1 and LPDA-2.

LPM: Logical Partitioning Mode. The mode an zSeries 900 or iSeries 400 runs in under PR/SM.

LPT: Line PrinTer. Used in the LPT: logical device name on PC-DOS and Windows operating
systems for the default printer.

LRA: Local Registration Authority.

LRU: Least Recently Used. Generic (non-IBM) term referring to the selection of items from a group
based on when they were last accessed. Typically used in archiving

and virtual storage management. For example, when you run out of real memory, it makes sense to
page out the blocks of memory that were least recently used.

LSA: Local Security Authority.

LSFM: Large Scale Function Module. A hardware sub-assembly within an ES/9000 processor.
Typically contains a TCM1, and a power and cooling system – for example the

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vector facility.

LSI: Large Scale Integration. See also IC4, VLSI, TCM1.

LSO: Local System Operator. A facility which provides 3270 support for network management of
OSI systems (implemented using OSI/CS). Provides an alternative to

NetView.

LSPR: Large Systems Performance Reference. An IBM methodology for comparing the performance
of IBM and compatible mainframes. The apparently deliberate leakage of the

LSPR in mid 1991 caused something of a storm in a teacup (it was leaked in England). February
1993, IBM decided to publish the whole lot. It doesn’t seem to have hurt,

since IBM is still using LSPR to rate their mainframes.

LSR: Local Shared Resources. A technique for improving CICS performance by the sharing of a
common buffer pool for VSAM datasets.

LTERM: Logical TERMinal. IMS TM terminology.

LTLW: LAN-to-LAN Wide area network program. OS/2 software for connecting LANs. Supports
NetBIOS, TCP/IP, and IPX. Also runs within the 8250. An entry level version

was announced January 1993. Withdrawn August 1998.

LU: Logical Unit. The user’s port into an SNA network. LU1 is a high performance print stream,
LU2 is a 3270 datastream, LU3 is a 3270 print datastream. LU6 is a

Logical Unit to allow host-to-host data exchange. LU7 is the 5250 datastream. LU6.2 is the most
exciting LU and gets an entry all of its very own in this glossary. See

also BIND1, Independent LU.

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LU6.2: Peer-to-peer datastream cum network operating system for program-to-program

communication (see APPC), which allows machines to talk to one another without the

involvement of the mainframe. LU6.2 also supports asynchronous (store-and-forward) networking.

LU6.2 is IBM’s strategic device-independent, process-to-process

protocol.

LU6.4: Once a rumored new protocol derived from LU6.2 but which incorporates co-processing and
protocol conversion as integral network functions. Never happened.

LUCB: Logical Unit Control Block.

LUCID: Obsolete LISP implementation under AIX.

Luggable Huggable: Sick-making IBM soubriquet for the AS/400 Portable One.

LUM: IBM License Use Management/Manager. An IBM software tool that is sometimes required as
a condition of license for certain IBM software products (e.g., ENOVIA).

Lunatic fringe: IBMspeak for customers who can always be relied upon to take the first release of
new software.

LVDD: Logical Volume Device Driver. See Logical Volume Manager.

LVM: See Logical Volume Manager.

LX: Long wavelength.

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M4K: Another name for the Common Storage Format (see CSF2).

MAAPICS: Alternate spelling, used in the UK, for MAPICS.

MAC1: Media Access Control. Generic term for the way in which workstations gain access to
transmission media. Most widely used in reference to LANs, in which context

IBM uses token passing, and Ethernet uses CSMA/CD.

Mac2: Apple Macintosh computer.

MAC3: Mandatory Access Control.

MAC4: Message Authentication Code algorithm.

MACH: Unix-derivative operating system developed originally by Carnegie-Mellon University. IBM

was consistently rumored to be using it as a kernel able to support

OS/2 and AIX1 (see PowerPC), and within Taligent’s projects.

Machine Translation: IBM’s term for software-assisted translation between languages, such as
English to Italian.

Macintosh: Apple’s PC/workstation which is the only serious non-IBM office workstation. The
Macintosh grew its market share on the strength of its user-friendly GUI

and its strengths in DTP1. IBM and Apple have various R & D agreements (see Apple). Early 1996
IBM took out a license which enabled it to sublicense the Macintosh

operating systems to firms building Macintosh clones based on the PowerPC chip.

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Macro1: A preprocessor (precompiler), and the statements it processes, for Assembler. Generates
Assembler instructions and machine instruction mnemonics as well as

allowing assembly time conditional logic.

Macro2: The assembly language for DEC minicomputers.

Macro-level: The first, now obsolete, method of CICS application programming that used macro calls
to interface between the application and CICS. Macro-level worked

by allowing programmers to directly modify control blocks, which placed very tight restrictions on
the development of CICS. Macro-level CICS programming has been

replaced by command-level CICS, and support for macro-level was finally withdrawn with effect
from CICS Version 3.2. But, for most, the real date was December 1996,

when support ended for CICS/MVS (CICS Version 2.1), because it had been the only supported
version of CICS where macro-level would run. Of course, there were non-IBM

software products that promise(d) to allow macro-level to run forever under newer versions of CICS.

MADMAN: Message And Directory MANagement. An Internet standard.

MAESTRO: An integrated CASE1 environment developed by Softlab and sold originally by Philips.
IBM sold it for the RS/6000 until June 1994.

Magneto-optical: Generic term for an optical storage technology (used in the re-writeable model of
the 3995). In the 3995, a combination of heat and a magnetic field

is used to create changes in the surface of the recording medium; these changes can be read optically.
Re-applying the heat and opposite magnetism reverses the state

of the medium.

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Magneto-Resistive: See MR head.

Magstar: New-generation IBM tape drive announced in April 1995. It’s a generic SCSI device, and
initially came with support for AS/400s, RS/6000s, the SP2 parallel

systems, and Solaris boxes via a Fast and Wide SCSI-2 interface. Within the IBM ambit, it’s used in
the 3590. Key technical features include: serpentine, longitudinal

recording technique that enables data to be recorded and read-verified in both directions; 128 data
tracks across the tape; second generation magneto-resistive heads

which cover 32 tracks at a time and are mounted on a carrier which moves across the width of the tape
guided by a track-following servo; pre-written servo track; and a

user-written volume control region which contains block and file pointers to enable high-speed,
pseudo direct access to blocks or files on the tape. Initially used

10GB cartridges, externally compatible with 3490 cartridges (for use in 3494 and 3495 ATLs) but
cannot be read on older devices. ESCON support introduced in March

1996. A new range of Magstar models, announced Sept 1996, includes a Virtual Tape Server which
provides some pioneering technology for stacking multiple tape volumes

on a single cartridge.

Mail Exchange: Formerly, an IBM public e-mail service on the Information Network (see IN). X.400
support announced November 1991.

Mail LAN Gateway: OS/2 software, known as IMLG/2, which enables incompatible e-mail systems
to exchange files and mail. Supports any-to-any communication among

cc:Mail, OfficeVision, PROFS, and any SNADS-compliant e-mail application. Announced October
1992. Moved to the Soft-Switch division of Lotus November 1996. Lotus has

since completely scrapped Soft-Switch and its products.

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Mainframe: Mainframes used to be defined by their size, and they can still fill a room, cost millions,
and support thousands of users. But now a mainframe can also

run on a laptop and support two users. So today's mainframes are best defined by their operating
systems: Unix and Linux, and IBM's z/OS, OS/390, MVS, VM, and VSE.

Mainframes combine four important features: 1) Reliable single-thread performance, which is

essential for reasonable operations against a database. 2) Maximum I/O

connectivity, which means mainframes excel at providing for huge disk farms. 3) Maximum I/O
bandwidth, so connections between drives and processors have few choke-

points. 4) Reliability--mainframes often allow for "graceful degradation" and service while the system
is running.

Main System: The system designated to received most of the RRSF communications on a
multisystem RRSF node.

malloc: The default memory allocator subsystem in AIX1.

Mammoth-2: 8mm tape drives used in 7334.

MAN: Metropolitan Area Network. Generic term for the logical and physical evolution from LAN
technology. A MAN provides a network in scale somewhere between a LAN and

a WAN. Typically a MAN will cover about 50km, run at 100-200Mbps+, and mix different types of
traffic – voice, data, image, etc. FDDI was a hot favorite to become the

standard MAN technology, but was soon replaced by ATM. Standards for MANs are continually
being developed by the IEEE and ANSI.

Managed System Services: iSeries 400 SystemView software, introduced September 1993, which
allows multiple unattended iSeries 400s to be managed remotely from a

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mainframe (including application of PTFs, remote IPL, etc). The mainframe needs to be running
software which supports SNA/MS2 (e.g., NetView DM). An alternate approach

is to use an iSeries 400 to manage other iSeries 400s. See System Manager for details.

Managed user ID association: Relationship between two user IDs, where the managing ID can run
RACF commands under the authority of the managed ID, but not vice versa.

Management Buyout: See MBO.

Management Central: Part of Operations Navigator which, in turn, is part of OS/400. A GUI for
remotely managing iSeries 400 systems, from a Web browser, PDA with

wireless modem, even from a cell phone.

Management Class: One of the SMS1 storage management classes. Management Class defines the
backup/recovery and migration/recall requirements of a dataset1. In England

the phrase has political significance and should be used with great caution.

ManageWare/400: AS/400 SystemView software, introduced September 1993, which administers the
distribution of software from an AS/400 to PCs and PS/2s. Administrators

can manipulate nodes, register and log package distribution, and manage licenses. Part of IBM’s
strategy of promoting the AS/400 as a server. Withdrawn December 1997.

MAP1: Manufacturing Automation Protocol. General Motors’ standard for factory floor
communications which at one time looked to be heading for industry-standard

status, but is now in the doldrums. It’s an implementation of the ISO OSI seven layer model, which
uses broadband, IEEE 802.4, token-bus LANs. MAP connection to z/VM

was available from IBM, and MAP network management is supported in IBM’s OSI/CS product.
Manufacturing Automation Protocol VM Support was replaced May 1990 by

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OSI/Manufacturing Messaging Services for VM, but it was withdrawn May 1992. There was also an
OS/2 version which was not withdrawn until 1998 in a Y2K roundup, but

support had ended years before.

MAP2: Maintenance Analysis Procedure. Documentation used by IBM service personnel for
hardware maintenance. It has a step-by-step procedure for tracing a symptom to

the cause of a failure.

MAP3: Migration Assist Program. Defunct IBM scheme which helps people move from an old
system to a new one, typically by offering a very good trade-in deal on the old

machine. MAP has been used for two main purposes: first to placate people who’ve bought a machine
which has almost immediately been obsoleted, and secondly to keep up

sales of an about-to-be-superseded line just prior to the introduction of the successor.

MAPI: Messaging/Mail Application Programming Interface. Messaging standard promoted by

Microsoft for joining desktop computing programs to a messaging service.

Supported by IBM in its IBM WorkGroup product.

MAPICS: Manufacturing, Accounting, Production and Control System. MRP system originally
developed for the System/36, then made available on the System/38 and AS/400

for CIM1 applications. In a March 1993 agreement with Marcam Corporation, IBM stopped
marketing MAPICS. Also spelled MAAPICS.

MAQ: Maintenance Agreement Qualification letter. A certificate of quality issued by IBM after a
detailed inspection of a machine. The MAQ states that IBM agrees to

continue to maintain the machine under a new owner, or at a new site. An MAQ lasts for six months
and is very useful for those buying and selling second-user machines.

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In the late 1990s, there were some changes, resulting in two versions becoming available: a General
Maintenance Agreement Qualification, and a Tailored-Maintenance

Agreement Qualification.

Marcam: The company which developed the MAPICS software.

Market basket: IBM discount scheme in which IBM discounts products by offering you a credit of up
to 10% of the product’s value: you can spend this credit on other

IBM products selected from the current market basket. It’s not a bad deal, but you have to make sure
that the products are ones that you would have bought anyway –

what’s in the basket is the stuff IBM wants you to have, rather than the things you’d choose if they
weren’t in the basket. The Market Basket term was dropped when the

generic term Market Basket Analysis came into popular use in the mid-1990s.

Marketecture: A wonderful coinage to describe grand designs whose existence owes more to the
creative intellect of marketers than to the industry of product

developers. IBM is the past master at creating marketectures, outdoing even the people who write
manifestos for politicians. See, for example, ASA, Common

Cryptographic Architecture, CDRA, CSA3, DCA, DIA, ESA, FAA, FBA, FOCA, GOCA, GTA,
IAA, IIA, IOCA, MCA, OCA1, OCA2, OIAA, OSA1, PAA, PTOCA, SAA, SMA, SNA, UIA, etc,

etc, etc.

Markup language: A notation for identifying the elements of a document to enable each element to be
formatted, and displayed. See HTML, XML, SGML.

Master catalog: The z/OS catalog where the search begins for a dataset. cf. User catalog.

Master Primary Dataset: The first dataset activated in the primary RACF database.

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Matsushita: Very large and diversified Japanese industrial company which, among other things, has
been the OEM manufacturer of IBM’s Japanese market PCs, and supplier

of the optical disks in the 3995. It also made some PS/2s for IBM in Taiwan and in the USA. But, best
known by its Panasonic brand name.

MAU: Multi-station Access Unit as in the defunct 8228. Ring wiring concentrator at the center of a
TRN star-wired network. A passive device (a small box with 8 or 16

connectors, and relays acting as by-pass switches) which, among other things, enables a physical star
network to function as a logical ring network (thereby allowing

the wiring from an existing terminal network to be used for the TRN). MAUs can be connected to
create bigger rings with up to 256 devices. The 8228 MAU has minimal

logic supplying some capability for detouring round failed devices (it listens out for the I’m alive
signal from the workstations, and automatically disconnects a dead

workstation using a by-pass relay). See also 8230.

Maximum Strategy Corp: IBM partner in a program to develop HIPPI attachment of disk arrays for
scientific and number-crunching applications.

Maximum Transmission Unit: See MTU.

Mb1: See Megabit.

MB2: See MegaByte.

MBA: Memory Bus Adapter.

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MBCS: Multi-Byte Character Set. Coding system for characters where each character requires more
than one byte to represent it. Required for languages with more than

256 characters that need to be represented. English is just the reverse with only 26 letters, 10 digits
and a small set of punctuation and no accent marks. cf. SBCS,

DBCS.

Mbit: See Megabit.

MBNLQ: Menu-Based Natural Language Query program. PC and PS/2 end-user tool which converts
English language screen prompts into SQL for up-loading to an AS/400 or

System/3x. Obsolete PRPQ2.

MBO: Management BuyOut. Existing management of a company buy it from its owners.

Mbps: Megabits per second.

MBRS: Mobile Business Recovery Services. An IBM foray into disaster recovery. Consisted of an
AS/400 on the back of a truck. Obsolete.

MBS: Maximum Burst Size.

Mbyte: See Megabyte.

MC: See Management Central.

MCA: MicroChannel Architecture (MCA). The peripheral bus introduced with the first PS/2s. The
MCA was a proper channel architecture incorporating lots of the features

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for which add-in cards were necessary on the PC. MCA did not have the immediate impact that IBM
wanted, and the compatible vendors developed an alternative (EISA) in

the hope of gaining control of the standard for PC add-ons. In the end, EISA and SCSI became the
low and high end workstation standard, respectively, for hard disk and

a few other devices. But it was PCI that replaced both MCA and ISA for all other cards in the
workstation. AGP has since become the standard for video cards. And, of

course, there is USB for external devices. MCA was also used, for a time, as the standard channel on
the RS/6000. See also MCDA.

MCCU: Multisystem Channel Communication Unit. Same as MSCU.

MCD: Management Consultancy Division. A division of IBM set up in August 1991 to sell
consultancy services in the market dominated by the likes of McKinsey & Co and

Booz Allen and Hamilton (from whom MCD recruited its head). Naturally, it failed miserably given
the difficulty of persuading prospects that a company which had, at

the time, made such a dog’s breakfast of its own fortunes would be a good company to advise the
prospect’s organization. See also Know How, Global Services.

MCDA: MicroChannel Developers’ Association. Now defunct consortium set up October 1990 by
IBM and various PC manufacturers to promote IBM’s MicroChannel architecture

(MCA). Aimed at reviving the moribund fortunes of the MCA standard whose failure to take off was
partly attributable to the absence of a second source for MCA machines

(at the time that the MCDA was set up, 94% of installed MCA-equipped machines were IBM-made).
See also EISA, PCI.

McDATA: McData Corporation. IBM expanded its reseller agreement with McDATA in March 2001
to include the complete Enterprise-to-Edge family of SAN products.

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MCGA: Multi-Color Graphics Array. The low-end color video monitor adapter for IBM’s early PS/2
series machines.

MCI: MCI Communications Corp (the letters MCI originally stood for Microwave Communications
Inc – but it’s just MCI these days). Major US long-distance communications

carrier of which IBM acquired a large chunk in 1985 in exchange for bits of SBS and three satellites.
During 1988 MCI bought itself back from IBM.

MCM1: MultiChip Module. Standard hardware packaging, including the processor, for eserver
zSeries 900, originally introduced in the G5 System/390.

MCM2: Multichip Ceramic Module. Technology used in some RS/6000s that had interesting
implications, such as the requirement that memory be installed in pairs.

MCS console: A non-SNA device defined to z/OS, used to enter commands and receive messages,
that is locally attached to a z/OS system.

MCU1: Magnetic Card Unit.

MCU2: Modular Cooling Unit. Used on the eserver zSeries 900.

MD2: Hashing algorithms developed by RSA Security to create a 128-bit hash value from a 64-bit
block.

MD4: Hashing algorithms developed by RSA Security to create a 128-bit hash value from a 64-bit
block.

MD5: Hashing algorithms developed by RSA Security to create a 128-bit hash value from a 64-bit
block.

MDp: Message Driven processor. An IBM PRPQ2 originally from Early, Cloud & Company. See
Messaging. Replaced by the MQSI Agent for CICS

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MDQ: Market Driven Quality.

Measured Usage: The method of charging for software based on the monthly usage. Same as Usage
pricing.

Media Access Control: See MAC1.

MediaStreamer: Specialized RS/6000 storage product, and the AIX1 software to run it, for storage
and delivery of multiple video streams from a single copy on a RAID

system. Announced December 1994. Withdrawn June 1998.

Megabit: 1,048,576 bits. Abbreviated as Mb.

Megabyte: Roughly one million bytes – actually 1,048,576 bytes. Abbreviated as MB.

MegaFLOPS: One million FLOPS.

Megaplex: A processor complex formed by connecting together sysplexes, possibly distributed over a
number of sites.

Member: A RACF user belonging to a group.

Member Profile: A RACF profile storing the security level information for, and definition of, a
member.

Member System: Any z/OS system image in an multisystem RRSF node.

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Memory-based computing: The notion that all data and programs should be held in some form of
immediate access semiconductor memory (main store or expanded storage).

Holding data in memory obviates the need for time-consuming channel transfers and gives very
substantial performance benefits. IBM benefits too because you need to buy

large amounts of memory on which to base your computing. DFSMS and ESA were the key initial
architectures designed to make memory-based computing possible. Note that

memory-based computing has the effect of changing the large system from a read-dominated
environment to a write-dominated environment – hence the emphasis in IBM’s

then plans of features such as the 3990 DASD Fast Write.

Merchant server: In the SET architecture this is a Web server that offers catalog shopping.

Mercury: An architecture cum technology (announced March 1994) from Legent and IBM. Used
SNMP standards to allow management of distributed applications from a central

(probably mainframe) platform.

Merge: The combining of two or more sorted files into a single file. One of the two main capabilities
of a sort/merge program. See also DFSORT.

Merlin: OS/2 Warp development to upgrade OS/2’s capabilities, including multimedia, games,
networks, security, speech recognition, Internet capabilities, and Windows

95 compatibility.

Merva/370: Message Entry and Routing for Various Applications. A somewhat obscure bit of
software used for connecting to the European S.W.I.F.T interbank

telecommunications system. Available in various incarnations for the mainframe, PS/2, AS/400, and
RS/6000. Announced June 1988. See www-

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3.ibm.com/software/solutions/finance/merva

MES: Miscellaneous Equipment Specification. An RPQ on-site upgrade.

Message Queue Manager: MQM. See MQSeries.

Messaging: Generic term for a technique (aka Transactional Messaging) for implementing distributed
systems. Messages are sent to a number of different processes in a

distributed system; the processes access queued messages, generate new messages, and carry on until
the application is finished. In effect it’s an architecture for

high-reliability store and forward systems. The technique simplifies the writing of program to
program communications by hiding the underlying protocols (which also

makes it open and system-independent). See also CPI-M, MQI.

Metaphor: US company (a Xerox spin-off) which developed a proprietary WIMP-type workstation

linked to a file/database server accessing mainframe VSAM files and

databases. Metaphor struck up an agreement with IBM mid 1988 to port the interface and database
server to the PS/2 environment – which it did in the Data

Interpretation System (DIS) which IBM marketed. By October 1991 IBM had bought Metaphor lock,
stock, and interface, but the company continued to run under its own name

and management. However, mid 1994, IBM announced that the company would close by the end of
the year and that its staff would be absorbed into the IBM body corporate.

See also Patriot Partners.

MFI: MainFrame Interactive. MFI workstations is IBMspeak for dumb(ish) terminals such as the
3270 and 5520 families. The term died in favor of NPTs (Non Programmable

Terminals) but that too is a distant memory.

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MFLOPS: MegaFLOPS. One MFLOPS is one million floating point operations per second. See
FLOPS.

MFS: Message Format Service. An editing facility found in IMS1 that allows applications to deal
with simple logical messages rather than device-dependent data. This

has the advantage of simplifying application development. IMS TM equivalent of the CICS BMS1.
Famous for having one of the all-time dreadful manuals.

MFT: Multiprogramming Fixed Tasks. Ancient forerunner of z/OS.

MgW: See ManageWare/400.

MHPG: Multiple High Performance Guest. See VM/MHPG.

MHS: Message Handling System/Service. A generic ITU-T term for message communication
services of the store-and-forward variety. Under X.400, MHS enables connections

to be made between fax, telex, teletex, and electronic mail services.

MIB: Management Information Base. Generic term (often used specifically in relation to the SNMP
management protocol) for the database of the objects managed in a

network – usually a LAN. IBM tends to use the term repository to refer to the same thing. See also
CIB, EIB, Resource Object Data Manager.

Michigan Terminal System: See MTS2.

MICR: Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. A technology best known for its use to read those funny
shaped numbers on checks and other bank documents. Supported by IBM

on the 3828, and via a special interface on the 3835. MICR/OCR Support is an element of z/OS.

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Micro CADAM: CAD software sold by IBM’s CADAM subsidiary. Available on a wide range of
workstations including RS/6000 and Sun. CADAM has been merged with CATIA and

the CADAM name has gradually disappeared. See CATIA.

MicroChannel: See MCA.

MicroChannel 370: Desktop mainframe models announced September 1990. Basically re-named
9371s with some extra features, mainly to support remote operation, including

remote installation of firmware, improved system recovery, and more DASD. Not a lot was ever
heard of them apart from the announcement.

Microcode: Although it can have very specific alternative meanings, its most common usage is as a
synonym for firmware.

Micrografx: Company with which IBM set up an alliance in April 1991 after IBM fell out with
Microsoft. Micrografx and IBM worked jointly on developing ways of

improving Presentation Manager, and of making Windows applications run better under OS/2.

Microkernel: Now a generic term for a Unix kernel kept as small as possible by making files systems
and device drivers external processes. But, it once was a core

operating system under development by IBM for use on the PowerPC. It was built on top of the Mach
operating system kernel, and designed in a way which allowed various

personalities to be grafted on top, to create a wide range of different environments. Promised

personalities included Unix, Windows, MS-DOS, OS/2, Macintosh, and

Taligent. Originally known as the Workplace OS and Workplace Microkernel before it became
Microkernel.

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MicroMASTER: 1992 vintage processor card that fitted into the MicroChannel on a PS/2 and
transmogrified it into a brand new high-powered 32-bit machine. Developed by

AOX Corp in conjunction with IBM and sold by IBM. Obsolete.

Microsecond: 1/1,000,000 of a second.

Microsoft: The company which made the shrewd move of persuading IBM to use its DOS operating
system for the IBM PC. Even more amazing is the fact that the fateful

1981 meeting with IBM was intended to discuss Microsoft’s BASIC, when Bill Gates got wind of the
fact that the negotiations with Digital Research for CP/M were not

going well. And he knew of another Seattle developer who had created an operating system by reverse
engineering CP/M and was confident he could acquire the rights. The

rest is history. Microsoft is now huge and influential, and has appeared on many occasions to be able
to dictate IBM’s product strategies in the PC and LAN areas.

Microsoft and IBM were once a happy couple, but the relationship started looking distinctly shaky
mid-1990, when Microsoft started to nurture its own Windows 3.0

offspring, at the expense of their joint child, OS/2. The once happy couple are separated now: IBM
has custody of OS/2 (although it had to pay royalties to Microsoft

until 1998); Microsoft has DOS and Windows; and since September 1993 they no longer share
information about any operating system developments. Microsoft has also taken

over IBM’s role as the computer company you love to hate. And Bill Gates has actually found time
for a wife and children by moving into Microsoft’s Chief Technology

Officer position.

Microsoft Transaction Server: See MTS1.

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MIDA: Message Interchange Distributed Application. European Computer Manufacturers’

Association (ECMA) standard for text interchange.

Middleware: Defies definition, although one slightly jaded view which emanated from the lips of an
IBM executive is Any run-time code which is not yet in the

operating system. For a time, like the client/server that preceded it, a majority of the world’s software
was suddenly middleware. Its primary role is to provide

connectivity services between platforms. There are numerous types: messaging middleware (e.g.,
MQSeries), database middleware (e.g., IBI EDA/SQL).

Migrate: To move from one version of a system to another. Major migrations always used to send a
chill down the spine of the most battle-hardened DP manager, since

the result was almost inevitably two years of total chaos before the new system works as well as the
old. These days, IBM is a lot better at ensuring that migrations

are a lot less painful than they used to be.

MI head: Magneto-Inductive head. Once the standard technology for tape and disk head. See also
MR head.

Millennium: A highly automated distributed system developed by Microsoft’s research group.

Millennium Runtime Windowing: IBM tool used for z/OS short-term Y2K fixes. It is used to assess
Y2K problems at execution time, allowing a predominantly automated fix

to the load modules.

MILNET: The military network that was originally part of ARPAnet. It was partitioned from
ARPANET in 1984.

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MIME: Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. An encoding format which allows e-mail messages
containing a variety of media forms (audio, video, image, and text) to be

sent across the Internet.

Mimix: Hot standby facility on the iSeries 400. Works by mirroring the main database or nominated
files in read-only form on a second system. Bought in by IBM from

Lakeview Technology, NY.

MIMX: See Mimix.

Mindspan: IBM Mindspan Solutions. Works with Lotus LearningSpace and IBM Learning Services
to create a training function within an organization.

Minicomputer: IBMspeak for a machine that’s not a PC, but is small enough to hide in a
departmental budget.

Mini-disk: z/VM storage unit. Each virtual machine running under VM is given space on a real disk
in the form of one or more mini-disks. Each user gets their own

virtual machine when they logon, so that means each user gets their own mini-disk.

MIPS: Million Instructions Per Second, (or Meaningless Indicator of Processor Speed, Many
Important Selling Points, etc). A crude and not very meaningful way of

expressing raw computer power. Not often used by IBM, which prefers to use ITR to express the
power of a machine by comparing it with another machine in the same

range. One of IBM’s rare forays into the world of MIPS gave what it claimed to be audited debit-
credit figures showing that an IBM MIPS is about 3.24 times the size of

a DEC MIPS. Pundits reckon that a mainframe MIPS is worth about 15 Unix MIPS. See also BIPS.

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Mirroring: The technique of constantly maintaining a parallel copy of critical datasets, so that the
duplicate data can be used if there is a problem with the main

data. See Dual copy, Mimix, XRF.

MIS1: Management Information Systems. Systems designed to provide information to management

on an ad hoc basis. Largely replaced by EIS and DSSs; see DSS1, EIS2

MIS2: Management Initiated Separation. IBMspeak for the process of being given the old heave-ho
by the jolly blue giant, which gives the lie to the long-cherished

belief that you can’t be fired for choosing IBM.

MIT: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

MLC: Monthly License Charge. Superseded in most cases by the GMLC. See also FMLC, IMLC.

MLE: Millennium Language Extensions. IBM product for changing COBOL and PL/I applications to
handle year 2000 dates. MLE is integrated into COBOL and PL/I compilers

and automates date century windowing. It does not actually cure the problem but will provide some
extra time for non-critical applications. See Y2K.

MM: MultiMode.

MMF: MultiMode Fiber.

MMR: Modified Modified Read. Proprietary IBM compression algorithm used in its image
processing systems. User pressure forced IBM to edge away from MMR to the ITU-T

Group 4 fax standards, but IBM keeps announcing new products that support both.

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MMX: MultiMedia eXtensions (MMX). A set of instructions Intel added to its iAPX-86 chips in
March 1996. The MMX additions are aimed specifically at speeding up

multimedia and communications applications, and enabling multiple data elements to be processed in
parallel through Single Instruction Multiple Data techniques.

MNP: Compression and error detection algorithm for modems. Invented by Microcom and
implemented as a de facto standard by many manufacturers.

MNPP: Multi-protocol Network Processor Program. The software in the 6611, now called MPNP.

MNPS: MultiNode Persistent Session. An LU-LU session on the mainframe that survives a failure of
VTAM, the operating system or the hardware.

MNS: Managed Network Service. A VANS/VADS provided by IBM UK before it all got sold to
AT&T. See Global Network.

MO: See Magneto-Optical.

MO:DCA: Mixed Object: Document Content Architecture. IBM architecture for mixed documents
(text + image + graphics etc). The replacement for the 3270 datastream for

graphics-oriented terminals. Crucial to OfficeVision and ImagePlus; MO:DCA specifies the interface
to OfficeVision.

MO:DCA-P: MO:DCA – Presentation.

Mobile Notes: Used with Domino Everyplace, provides access to e-mail, calendar, directories and
Domino-based applications from handheld devices like PDAs and WAP

phones.

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Mobile Services for Domino: A server that acts as a proxy and otherwise provides secure
communications from Domino to Mobile Notes. See also proxy server.

Model group: The traditional basis of IBM’s method of charging for software; processors are grouped
according to their power, and the more powerful the processor, the

more you pay IBM for software. It’s grotesquely unfair – a bit like paying more for your electricity if
you live in a big house, even if you only use the same amount

as someone living in a small house. Usage pricing has replaced model group pricing in many
situations. See also User-based pricing.

Modeling: See profile modeling.

Modem: MOdulator-DEModulator. Device which modulates a digital signal into an analog form and
demodulates an analog signal into a digital form (e.g., a 0 into a high

tone, and a 1 into a low tone), usually for transmitting and receiving binary data over telephone lines
and cable television wiring. IBM modems tend to be expensive,

but well endowed with facilities for reporting their activities to IBM network management software.
Known by AT&T as a dataset2.

Modular Switching Hubs: Chassis-based hubs (e.g., IBM 8260 or 8274) that accept multiple types of
switching module such as Token Ring, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, ATM2,

FDDI.

MOF: The OMG’s Meta Object Facility defines a meta-metamodel which is useful for reconciling
different metamodels (such as those of programming languages).

MOLAP: Multi-dimensional On-Line Analytical Processing.

MOM: Message Oriented Middleware. For example, MQSeries.

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MOMA: Message Oriented Middleware Association. An acronym (shared with the altogether more
interesting Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan) for the organization which

promotes MQSeries.

Monthly License Charge: See MLC.

Mosaic: PC software from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of
Illinois that allows users to browse Web servers on the Internet. No

longer commercially available.

MOSP: Multiple Operating System Pricing. Pricing schedule introduced in June 1992 for mainframe
software which marginally reduces the costs of software under PR/SM.

MOSS: Maintenance and Operator SubSystem. Subsystem which monitors the operation of the 37xx
communications controller. See MOSS-E.

MOSS-E: Maintenance and Operator SubSystem Extended. A subsystem of the 3745 Communication
Controller. MOSS-E operates independently of the rest of the controller. It

is used to load and supervise the controller.

Motif: The interface to AIX1/Unix developed by the OSF. It’s an amalgam of the IBM/Microsoft
Presentation Manager, DEC’s DECwindows, and HP’s New Wave, and was built

by a joint DEC/HP team. From the user point of view, it’s the same as Presentation Manager. Consists
of a Style Guide (a similar concept to the SAA CUA1), and a

toolkit which implements the style guide in an X-Windows environment. Used as the basis of
AIXwindows.

MOTIS: Message Oriented Text Interchange System. ISO standard for text transfer.

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Motorola: Semiconductor company which, among a diverse range of products, made the 68000
family of chips used for years in the Apple Macintosh, and the odd IBM

machine. October 1991 Motorola, IBM, and Apple set up a joint project to work on a new chip which
eventually became the PowerPC. Today, the PowerPC runs both the

eserver pSeries and the Mac.

Move Page: Mainframe machine instruction supported by z/OS beginning October 1989. Used to
transfer data between expanded and central storage. Originally implemented

as a new ESA instruction using the DAT facility. Move Page is used by Hiperbatch. Made available
for z/VM in September 1991. A standard feature of the zSeries 900. See

also Page.

MP: MultiProcessor. Mainframe configuration with two or more CPUs, each with its own I/O, but
under the control of a single operating system.

MP3: See MPEG.

MPC1: See MultiPath Channel.

MPC2: AIX Multiprotocol Client.

MPEG: Motion Pictures Experts Group. International standard for digital video and audio
compression for moving images. MPEG-I Audio Layer III is the familiar MP3

format used to compress audio for transmission over the Internet and in portable players that are the
equivalent of the Sony Walkman.

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MPF: Message Processing Facility. A facility in z/OS that controls message display and message
processing, typically to suppress unnecessary system messages. A

faltering step towards automated operations.

MPG: Multiple Preferred Guest. Hardware feature first introduced on the 3090E, which gave support
for up to six preferred guests under VM/XA SP.

MPNP: Multi-Protocol Network Program. The software in the 6611. Updated in February 1994 with
better response times, lower times for data link switching, improved

support for SNA, NetBIOS, APPN network node, and Banyan Vines, and in September 1994 with
DLSw traffic prioritization, and expanded connectivity. March 1996 it

acquired ANR, RTP, and ARB.

MPOA: Multi-Protocol Over ATM2.

MPP1: Message Processing Program. See also IMS TM.

MPP2: Massively Parallel Processing. Although often used as a generic term for parallel processing
systems, more strictly it means systems in which a number of

processors, each with its own memory, are connected together. Applications are able to run across a
number of processors if necessary. MPP systems require special

operating systems and applications software capable of supporting the required parallelism. See also
Symmetric multiprocessing.

MPSX/370: Mathematical Programming System eXtended/370. Linear programming (a

mathematical not computing technique) implementation under z/VM and z/OS. Vector support

is available, but no eserver zSeries 900 supports vector coprocessors or instructions. Still available,
though there has not been a new release since 1990.

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MPTF: Multi-Protocol Transport Feature. IBM’s common transport mechanism that allows multiple
high-level communications protocols to run over a range of lower-level

ones. MPTF was the first implementation of MPTN in VTAM in April 1993. aka AnyNet.

MPTN: Multi-Protocol Transport Networking. The architecture underlying the lower (Common
Transport Semantic layer) levels of the Networking Blueprint. The first MPTN

products (March 1993) supported TCP/IP across SNA and ran on z/OS and OS/2. MPTN was later
adopted by The Open Group as a standard.

MQe: See MQSeries EveryPlace.

MQI: Message Queuing Interface. Standard within the Networking Blueprint for simplifying the
transmission of transactions across a (possibly multi-vendor) network.

The MQI is a high-level API which allows applications to communicate asynchronously via message
queues. Enables programs in a heterogeneous network to communicate

independently of the underlying communications protocols. First implemented in the CICS Message
Queue Manager product in z/OS. See also Messaging, MQSeries.

MQM: Message Queue Manager. See MQSeries.

MQSeries: Messaging and Queuing Series. Set of products and standards (developed jointly by IBM
and Systems Strategies Inc (now Apertus Technologies Inc)), and

announced in March 1993 for the development of client/server-type TP applications based on the
MQI. Provides a queuing infrastructure that sits on various systems in a

client/server environment, and stores and forwards messages independently of the systems at each end
of the communication. It can provide a single interface across a

range of very different systems, including AIX1, z/OS, OS/2 Warp, OS/400, TPF, z/VM, VSE/ESA,
469x OS, Apple MacOS, DYNIX/ptx, Compaq NonStop Kernel, Compaq OpenVMS on

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VAX and Alpha, Compaq Tru64 Unix, Data General DG/UX, PC-DOS, HP-UX, HP 3000 MPE/ix,
Hitachi, Java, Linux on Intel and zSeries 900, Windows 3.1/9x/2000/XP, NT1 on

Intel and Alpha1, NCR (aka AT&T GIS) Unix, Pyramid DC/OSx, Siemens Nixdorf SINIX, SCO
OpenServer, NUMA-Q, SCO UnixWare, SGI, Stratus VOS, Sun Solaris on Sparc and

Intel, Unisys ClearPath OS 2200, Unisys A. See also MOMA.

MQSeries EveryPlace: Intended to provide the security and guaranteed delivery approach of
MQSeries to mobile users and the devices/computers they use. Despite the

fact that they normally connect via an insecure, fragile network. Announced April 2000.

MQSeries Financial Services Edition: See MQSFSE.

MQSeries Integrator: See MQSI.

MQSeries WorkFlow: A workflow management system, replacing FlowMark and based on

MQSeries. A WebSphere Application Accelerator.

MQSFSE: MQSeries Financial Services Edition. Business processes implemented on the MQSeries
platform, focusing on e-business and CRM. A WebSphere Application

Accelerator.

MQSI: MQSeries Integrator. The MQSI Agent for CICS replaces MDp and attempts to minimize the
migration effort. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

MRC: Monthly Rental Charge.

MR head: Magneto-Resistive head. Type of tape/disk read head (used in the 3514, 3590, 3480/3490,
9340, and 3390-9, and several of IBM’s OEM offerings). The advantage

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is that it can tolerate lower signal/noise ratios, and can be made very small for reading very high-
density media. See also MI head.

MRI: Machine-Readable Information. Literally, data that could be input to a computer. Really meant
to signify that electronic information is available for download or

on optical or magnetic media, not on paper.

MRO: Multi-Region Operation. A mechanism by which different CICS address spaces and regions in
the same CEC can communicate and share resources (without using VTAM)

to create a CICSplex. Also enables CICS to be subdivided into more than one address space, with the
consequent easing of restrictions on the amount of virtual storage

available. IBM’s strategic route for multi-CPU exploitation.

MRP: Manufacturing Resource Planning or Materials Requirements Planning. Generic term for
software used to control manufacturing processes. See also CATIA, ENOVIA.

MRQ: Message ReQueuer. IMS TM utility which can be used to select messages from the IMS TM
or system log, and move them to IMS TM message queues. Helps IMS TM

recovery.

MRTD: Machine Readable Travel Document. A joint venture between IBM and Statistica that allows
government agencies to generate, issue, inspect and manage the

visa/passport process domestically, and in foreign embassies and consulates. IBM provides system
and peripheral hardware and software, while Statistica provides its

Statisticard system product and related training/support services. MRTD is a computerized image
system that produces tamper resistant, filmless, identification

documents on-site.

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MRU: Most Recently Used. Generic (non-IBM) term typically used to refer to DASD caching
strategies.

MS: See Microsoft.

MSAU: Another name for the MAU.

MSC1: Multiple Systems Coupling. A feature in IMS TM that allows dispersed IMS TM systems to
communicate.

MSC2: Memory Storage Controller.

MSCU: Multiple-System Coupling Unit. The 3088. Also known as MCCU.

MS-DOS: Microsoft-Disk Operating System. An enormously successful disk operating system (there
were well over 100M MS-DOS licenses at its peak) for microcomputer

systems from which IBM’s PC-DOS was derived. Beginning with Windows 95, Windows became an
operating system, rather than an operating environment that ran on DOS. But

Windows 95, 98 and Me still had a lot of DOS inside them. And it was not until Windows XP that a
clean break was made, and the non-DOS Windows NT/2000 took over.

MSHF: Matrix Switch Host Facility. NetView application program providing central support for the
3728 matrix switch. Replaced by MSHF2, which was withdrawn January

1996.

MSHP: Maintain System History Program. VSE/ESA program, first introduced in 1979, which tracks
all products and services on a system.

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MSMQ: Microsoft Message Queue (originally codenamed Falcon), Microsoft’s MOM product which
is built into Windows. Microsoft MSMQ-MQSeries Bridge provides

interoperability with MQSeries.

MSN1: Multisystems Networking. VTAM or TCAM facility supporting communications sessions

between SNA host nodes (mainframes). New name for MSNF.

MSN2: Microsoft Network. Originally a proprietary network like AOL, but now a Web site at
msn.com. Like AOL, attempting to provide organization in a world of

(Internet Web site) chaos.

MSNF: Multisystem Networking Facility. Now known as MSN1.

MSO: Main Storage Occupancy.

MSS1: Mass Storage System. Hardware subsystem for storing very large amounts of archive data,
typically by using some kind of jukebox mechanism to retrieve discrete

data cartridges. IBM abandoned this market for a long time, preferring to encourage people to keep all
their data on-line on DASD, but re-entered it with the 3495

which has since been replaced by the 3494. See 3851, ATL.

MSS2: See Multiprotocol Switched Services.

MSU: Millions of Service Units.

MS-Windows: Microsoft Windows. See Windows.

MTA: Message Transfer Agent. See X.400 MTA.

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MTBF: Mean Time Between Failures. The average value of the lengths of time between consecutive
failures under stated conditions of a system.

M Technology: The current name for what used to be called MUMPS.

MTO: Master Terminal Operator. Software enabling a terminal to control a subsystem, e.g.,
IMS/MTO, CICS/MTO. The equivalent of the operating system’s Operator’s

Console.

MTS1: Microsoft Transaction Server (originally codenamed Viper) is said to combine the features of
a teleprocessing monitor and an ORB, thus qualifying as an OTM. It

is closely linked to COM. Beginning with Windows 2000, MTS functionality is included in COM+.

MTS2: Michigan Terminal System. A non-IBM 360/370 batch and on-line operating system once
used in a few large post-secondary education institutes in North America and

the U.K. As the name implies, originally developed in 1967 at the University of Michigan for the
System/360 Model 67, as a stop gap until TSS became available from

IBM. When TSS never really came at all, other sites eyeing the Model 67 for its unique virtual storage
capability installed MTS as well. MTS was built with paging in

mind, initially using drums for high speed paging, then fixed head disk. Instead of being sold, each
MTS site committed a certain amount of manpower to continuing

development on the operating system. A lot of MTS concepts ended up in TSO. One unique feature
was a common command language for both on-line and batch. A full screen

editor was added in 1973. A joy to use, but a pig to operate. Disappeared by the 1990s as universities
got rid of their academic mainframes.

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MTTR: Mean Time To Recovery or Repair. The average time required for corrective maintenance.
See MTBF.

MTU: Maximum Transmission Unit. How big a block of data can be. Typically used when
discussing Ethernet.

MULC: Measured Usage License Charge. See Usage pricing.

MULIC: Model Unique Licensed Internal Code – the firmware that controls an iSeries 400. IBM
insists that the firmware must be licensed to a specific processor and

frame, so that if a machine is upgraded by a third party, a new model-unique tape will have to be
obtained from IBM.

Multi-Byte Character Set: See MBCS.

Multichip Ceramic Module: See MCM2.

MultiChip Module: See MCM1.

Multidrop: A communications technique in which a number of devices share a channel, but transmit
on it one at a time.

Multimedia: Systems which use digital technology to mix audio, visual, and other information. July
1990, IBM formed a new Multimedia Division but it disappeared in

the intervening years. See also AVC, CED, Fireworks Partners, Kaleida, M-Motion, Linkway, Person
to Person, ScriptX.

Multimodal user interface: An IBM computer interface that responds to human voice and gesture.
IBM’s ViaVoice speech recognition software interprets vocal commands.

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An embedded camera sends visual information to a machine vision system that tracks movement and
gestures. Special algorithms combine and interpret the user’s actions.

This effectively eliminates the need for keyboards, monitors, mouse, and wires. Announced
September 1997. This is part of an arena called Natural Computing. On its Web

site, IBM calls it Ease of use.

Multinode Persistent Session: See MNPS.

MultiPath Channel: IBM’s highly optimized Layer 2 channel-protocol. Permits multiple sub-
channels, on different channels, to be grouped together in a fashion similar

to traditional SNA Transmission Groups (TGs) to increase channel throughput and provide high-
availability. Initially used to support HPR but now used with TCP/IP.

Multiple-Subsystem Scope: DB2 classes with the subsystem ID as part of the RACF resource name.

Multiplexer: A generic device (also known as a mux) that combines data from two or more devices,
transmits the data as a single datastream over a high-speed

communications medium, and disentangles (de-multiplexes) the data at the other end. See also
Statistical multiplexer.

Multi-point: Communications configuration in which a single primary node communicates with two
or more secondary nodes (which cannot communicate with one another,

except through the primary). Also known as multi-drop.

Multiprise: Multiprise 2000 and 3000. The 2000 was a System/390 mid-range processor family,
announced and delivered September 1996. Aimed primarily at the z/VM and

VSE/ESA community, although it will also run z/OS, and available only as a packaged solution,
under the Entry Server Offering label (which included various planning

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and maintenance services and support for the year 2000). Doesn’t support Parallel Sysplex. Replaced
by the 3000 September 1999, which provided more performance for

less money. The 3000 was replaced by models in the eserver zSeries 900 on October 3, 2000.

Multiprotocol Switched Services: A set of Control Point functions that were added to IBM’s
Networking BroadBand Services (NBBS), in August 1995, through the auspices

of the Switched Virtual Networking (SVN) initiative. The MSS services embrace the notion of
distributed routing, ATM2 LAN Emulation, Broadcast Management, and VLANs.

MSS Services had been available through the IBM 8210 Nways MSS Server until it was withdrawn in
September 2000.

Multisystem node: See multisystem RRSF node.

Multisystem RRSF node: An RRSF node with multiple z/OS system images that share the same
RACF database.

MultiView: A range of AIX products which provided access to a broad range of hosts. Renamed
MultiView Mascot then withdrawn in May 1996.

MUMPS: Massachusetts General Hospital Utility MultiProgramming System (now known as M

Technology). Minicomputer operating system originally written for DEC kit, and

widely used within the health sector. Has been implemented under z/VM as a 20+ user system.
MUMPS/VM is a full implementation of the Micronetics standard MUMPS and was

written jointly by Micronetics and IBM. MUMPS/VM was intended to provide a way of luring users
from their non-IBM (mostly DEC) machines to IBM hardware, where it would

have been easier for IBM to complete the conversion to the mainstream IBM world. Withdrawn
February 1995.

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MUSIC: McGill University System Interactive Computing. Little-known z/VM software combining
applications, bulletin boards, conferencing, text search, compiler

interfaces, utilities, and lots more besides. IBM support ended May 1986.

MUX: See Multiplexer.

MVPG/1: MOVEPAGE Facility.

MVPG/2: Enhanced MOVEPAGE Facility.

MVS: Multiple Virtual Storage. In z/OS’s long history, MVS has the honor of being its name for the
longest period: about two decades. Admittedly, it had many suffixes

during those years: MVS/SP, MVS/370, MVS/XA and MVS/ESA. Many users believed that MVS
stood for Man Versus System.

MVS/370: The name for MVS/SP once MVS/XA was announced.

MVS/400: Once rumored implementation of the Fort Knox concept of combining the mainframe and
iSeries 400 architectures on a single box. See also MVS.

MVS/ASA: Advanced Systems Architecture. Rumored top-end mainframe operating environment.

Depending on which rumors you were listening to, it: (1) became OS/390; (2)

became z/OS; or (3) it never happened.

MVS/BDT: See BDT.

MVS/CNAT: MVS/Central Node Administration Tool. See CNAT1.

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MVS/ESA: MVS Enterprise System Architecture. Version of MVS, first introduced as MVS/SP
Version 3 in February 1988. Replaced by/renamed as OS/390 late 1995.

MVS/ESA OpenEdition: Version of MVS/ESA announced February 1993 with support for POSIX
standards. Included about 1 million new lines of code which provide an API

shell, utilities, and an extended user interface. Works with a hierarchical file system provided by
DFSMS. The shell and utilities are based on Mortice Kerns’

InterOpen products. Independent specialists reckon it is over 80% open systems-compliant – more
than most Unix systems. DCE2 support announced February 1994, and lots

of application development tools in March 1995. Mid 1995 IBM started to stop referring to
OpenEdition as a separate entity, as all the open features became a standard

part of vanilla MVS/ESA. Under OS/390, it became Unix System Services, and has kept that name
under z/OS. See also OpenEdition.

MVS/IS: MVS/Integrated System. At one time a planned compact version of z/OS for the 9370.
However, producing such a beast appeared to be an insoluble problem. See

also VM/IS.

MVS/MS: MVS Migration System. Automated aid for converting from VSE to z/OS originally
developed by Sisro. Translates programs, converts JCL, transfers files,

provides VSE services which don’t have z/OS equivalents, etc. Announced by IBM October 1986.
Little used and withdrawn December 1997 to avoid checking it for Y2K

compatibility.

MVS/OCCF: Multiple Virtual Storage/Operator Communication Control Facility. A facility that

helps network operators to control multiple z/OS systems from a central

site by intercepting messages from the z/OS supervisor. Replaced by NetView January 1996.

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MVS/SP: MVS/System Product. For many years, a name for the z/OS operating system. More
accurately, one of several names. MVS/SP Version 1 meant MVS/370, Version 2

meant MVS/XA and Version 3-5 meant MVS/ESA. Version numbers were often abbreviated, as in
MVS/SP2 for MVS/SP Version 2.

MVS/XA: MVS/Extended Architecture. Version of z/OS, which supported 31-bit addressing.

Available only on the high-end 43xx, and 308x and later ranges. Replaced by

MVS/ESA, then OS/390 and now z/OS. See also AMODE, MVS/370, MVS/SP.

MVS/XB: Media name for the rumored successor to MVS/XA. Finally appeared as MVS/ESA.

MVS System Logger: Despite two name changes (OS/390 and z/OS), the MVS System Logger is still
the current name for this z/OS error logging feature.

MVT: Multiprogramming with a Variable number of Tasks. A forerunner of MVS and z/OS (from a
long, long time ago). Long since dead and buried.

Mwave: Family of signal processing chips.

MWC: Mirror Write Consistency. See Active MWC.

N40: RS/6000 notebook (model 7007) announced March 1994, withdrawn September 1995. Ran
Nomadic AIX.

NALC: New Application License Charges. One of six z/OS Basic License methods.

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Named Pipes: Program-to-program protocol originally developed within Microsoft’s OS/2 LAN
Manager2 and has made its way into Windows Server operating systems. Acts as

an alternative to NetBIOS and extends interprocess communications across the network. The Named
Pipes API supports intra- and inter-machine process-to-process

communications. Supported within IBM’s OS/2 too. See also Pipe.

Nanosecond: 1/1,000,000,000 of a second.

NAS: Network-Attached Storage. Typically, a disk drive subsystem attached via Ethernet to a
network and using IP1 protocol to accept and process requests from

multiple platforms. cf SAN.

NAT: Network Address Translation.

National Language Support: See NLS.

National Language Translation: Files to provide non-English output from IBM software such as
z/VM.

Native mode: An operating system is said to be working in native mode if it is running directly on the
hardware, rather than as a guest of another operating system

(e.g., VM). Also used where software written for one hardware architecture is being run directly on
the hardware, rather than under emulation on another hardware

architecture.

NAU: Network Addressable Unit. Entities within an SNA network – SSCP, PU1, LU – that can send
or receive requests and responses. An SNA network is made up of NAUs and

the underlying path control network.

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Navigator: Netscape Navigator. Formerly the name of Netscape’s web browser software, since
renamed Netscape.

NBBS: Networking BroadBand Services. See Broadband Network Services.

NBC: See Network Buffer Cache.

NBS: National Bureau of Standards. The US standards body now known as the National Institute for
Standards and Technology, or NIST.

NC: See Network Computer.

NCA: Network Configuration (sometimes Configurator) Application. NetView software, announced

September 1991, which provides a menu-driven front end for collecting

network configuration information for Info/Man and/or the Resource Object Data Manager. It can
also display Info/Man data in a graphic form.

NCCF: Network Communications Control Facility. Mainframe resident software (a VTAM

application) providing network operator control facilities in SNA (and BSC)

networks. NCCF provides the environment for other products such as NPDA, NLDM, etc. Allows a
degree of automation of network administration through the use of command

lists. Now part of NetView where it goes under the name of Command Facility.

NCD: See Network Computing Devices.

NCO: Network Conversion Offering. A long forgotten pricing incentive for users converting a non-
IBM or non-SNA network to an SNA 3720, 3725 or 3745 network. Also for

users upgrading from early versions of NCP to the latest version.

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NCP: Network Control Program (ACF/NCP). The operating system of communications controllers
such as the 3745/6. Part of Communications Server. IBM software that

provides communication controller support for single-domain, multiple-domain, and interconnected

networks. Communication with the host is through VTAM via a channel

interface, and communication with the terminals or another FEP is via TP lines. NCP off-loads certain
line protocol and routing functions from the host CPU. See also

SSP2, EP.

NCP Packet Switching Interface: See NPSI.

NCR: Originally the National Cash Register company, and later just NCR. Bought up by AT&T at
the beginning of 1994, and renamed AT&T GIS (Global Information Systems).

The silliness of the renaming (and of the name) took two years to sink in, and in January 1996, NCR
became NCR again.

NCS: See Network Computing System.

NCSA: National Center for Supercomputing Applications, which is part of the University of Illinois.
The NCSA software development team produced the Mosaic browser and

the NCSA server programs.

NCSC: National Computer Security Center, part of the US National Security Agency (NSA). The
NSA is a domestic version of the CIA.

NCU: Network Conversion Unit. IBMspeak for a protocol converter (e.g., the 3708).

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NDIS: Network Driver Interface Specification. Protocol and MAC1-level interface standard
(developed by 3Com and Microsoft) for connecting network operating systems to

various LAN interfaces. Supports multiple protocol stacks concurrently. Opened up the OS/2 LAN
Server to other vendors’ adapters, and is supported by IBM in OS/2

Communications Manager. NDIS has been through several revisions over the years and the current
version is supported in the latest Windows operating system(s). See also

ODI.

NDMP: Network Data Management Protocol. Standard for network-based backup of network-
attached storage.

NDS: Novell (originally NetWare) Directory Services. Novell’s distributable directory system, based
on X.500.

NET: See Network Equipment Technologies.

Net.Commerce: IBM system, announced May 1996, which is designed to enable merchants selling to
consumers to create their own global market over the Internet. Based

around IBM’s DB2 database, but with ODBC drivers, it allows the establishment of store fronts on
the Web. The package includes SET, caching of recent pages, and tax

and shipping charge calculator. Version 2.0 of Net.Commerce was split into three components, aimed
at small, medium and large companies, in September 1997. Replaced by

WebSphere Commerce Suite (WCS) February 2000.

Net.Commerce Consumer: An IBM browser plug-in that is triggered by a wake-up message from a
merchant. Part of the Net.Commerce architecture that was replaced by

WebSphere Commerce Suite (WCS) February 2000.

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Net.Commerce Merchant Server: IBM server which supports consumer purchase, payment
authorization, and collection from banks or credit-card issuers, and consumer-

fulfillment notification. Part of the Net.Commerce architecture that was replaced by WebSphere
Commerce Suite (WCS) February 2000.

Net.Commerce Payment Manager: An IBM software development environment that supports the
development of SET-compliant applications. Delivered as an object framework,

it implements SET payment and certificate message flows for consumer, merchant, and acquirer
applications. Part of the Net.Commerce architecture that was replaced by

WebSphere Commerce Suite (WCS) February 2000.

Net.Commerce Prop: Part of Version 2.0 of Net.Commerce. Designed for large companies.
Announced September 1997. Net.Commerce was replaced by WebSphere Commerce Suite

(WCS) February 2000.

Net.Commerce SmoothStart: Part of Version 2.0 of Net.Commerce. Designed for medium-sized

companies. Announced September 1997. Net.Commerce was replaced by WebSphere

Commerce Suite (WCS) February 2000.

Net.Commerce Start: Part of Version 2.0 of Net.Commerce. Designed for small companies.
Announced September 1997. Net.Commerce was replaced by WebSphere Commerce Suite

(WCS) February 2000.

Net.Data: IBM framework for making DB2 data available on the Internet. Includes Java, ODBC,
Perl, REXX tools. Announced December 1996.

NetBEUI: NetBIOS Extended User Interface. Transport-level protocol of the TCP/IP variety
originally developed by Microsoft. Supported by Microsoft LAN Manager2 and

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Novell NetWare.

NetBIOS: Extension of the PC BIOS which traps calls to the BIOS, and, where necessary, re-routes
them to a LAN. Acts as an API between a program and a LAN adapter.

Developed as the API for the PC Network program, but supported on the TRN (using a special
program), and on a number of non-IBM systems.

NetCenter: NetCenter Graphic Network Monitor. Graphics workstation product which allows users to
monitor SNA and non-SNA terminals and telecommunications from a PC-

DOS graphics workstation. Although not required, it does interface to NetView/PC. Announced
November 1989, after being acquired from telco US West. Much NetCenter

functionality was merged into GMF in September 1991. Became part of the NetView base product
December 1994, losing its identity completely.

NetDA: Network Design and Analysis. Network development and design tool for the design,
analysis, and optimization of SNA subarea, SNA APPN, APPN HPR, and NCP frame

relay networks. A z/VM version was withdrawn December 1988, but the z/OS version is still
available, though the last release, Version 2.2, was first announced February

1991. Both require GDDM. See also NetDA/2 for the OS/2 version.

NetDA/2: Network Design and Analysis/2. NetDA for OS/2 workstations. Also includes a converter
that takes input from NetDA in z/OS, as well as the Routing Table

Generator (RTG). Announced May 1993 with the most recent version, 1.5, still available, though first
announced June 1997.

NetDoor: OS/2 software distribution program (aka Network Door), vintage January 1993. Allows
OS/2 users to load software from LAN servers. Sold as a tool to help with

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LAN software distribution and management. Allows users to replicate and synchronize application
servers and define couplet domains for fault resilience and load

balancing among servers. Withdrawn June 1996.

Netfinity: Currently one of three IBM lines of Intel-based servers. The other two are the eserver
xSeries and NUMA-Q. But the trademarked name began life in November

1993 as NetFinity (note the capital F): OS/2 and Windows software for monitoring and managing
LAN-attached PC assets. Comprised of NetFinity Services and NetFinity

Manager – NetFinity Services are seven applications that reside on each PC/workstation, and
NetFinity Manager comprises four applications that reside on the LAN

administrator’s system, allowing initiation and control of the remote systems. Facilities include:
gathering and reporting all configuration and asset information;

displays of line graphs; real-time monitors for system resources; security management; and storage
and retrieval of system and user data for auditing and asset

management. February 1996, NetFinity was rechristened PC SystemView Manager and Services,
May 1996 it became TME 10 NetFinity Manager and Services, September 1997 IBM

Netfinity Manager and Client Services for Netfinity (note the lower-case f), April 2000 IBM Netfinity
Director with UM Services, and currently, as of January 2001, IBM

Director with UM Services.

Netfinity Director: See Netfinity.

Netiquette: Code of conduct for use on the Internet. Like most things on the Internet, nobody
manages or documents it, so you just have to pick it up as you go along.

One or two well-known items of netiquette: don’t sell anything too overtly (posting ads to hundreds of
newsgroups is definitely frowned upon); don’t type in CAPITAL

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LETTERS – that’s considered shouting; and don’t say anything so controversial or so insulting that
even a smiley emoticon won’t get you out of trouble.

NETPARS: NETwork Performance Analysis and Reporting System. Mainframe batch program for
analyzing performance data collected by NPA or NPM. Withdrawn September 1988.

NetPC: A slimmed down version of the PC from Microsoft, aimed at the same general market as the
Network Computer (NC). Announced October 1996, never sold and

disappeared from general conversation within two years.

NetQuestion: Replaced by Text Search.

NetReview: IBM network consultancy service announced mid 1991. Part of IBM’s drive to diversify
away from straight box-shifting. Quietly disappeared and can only be

found now in IBM’s trademark list.

Netscape: Netscape Communications Corporation and their web browser software formerly known as
Navigator. Formerly Mosaic Communications Corporation. Set up in April

1994 by Dr James Clark and Marc Andreessen (creator of the NCSA Mosaic program) to market their
version of Mosaic, known as Netscape or Mozilla. One of the few

instances in the IT industry when a start-up company successfully challenged the might of an
established industry leader like Microsoft. For a time, anyway. IE1 has

taken over most of the browser market share in recent years. AOL purchased Netscape (the company)
in 1999.

Net Search Extender: A full-text search tool within z/OS DB2 UDB. A member of the DB2 UDB
Extender family, alongside DB2 Text Extender. It searches data without

locking database tables and uses in-memory database technology. See also DB2 Extenders.

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NetServer: See AS/400 NetServer.

NetSP: Network Security Program. AIX1, PC-DOS, OS/2 security software (vintage November
1993) which provides distributed authentication, and key distribution. Works

with RACF and does not use the DES algorithm, which allows IBM to sell it worldwide. IBM touted
the NetSP Secured Network Gateway on an eserver pSeries as enabling

corporate users to set up a firewall1 between the corporate systems and the cyberpirates, propeller
heads, and other socially undesirable types who infest the

Internet. Replaced November 1997 by IBM Global Sign-On for AIX, which went though a couple of
name changes before becoming Tivoli SecureWay Global Sign-On.

NetSpool: AFP software. Announced July 1995 as a feature of PSF/MVS Version 2.2. Today, it is
part of Infoprint Server for z/OS, an optional, separately priced

feature of z/OS. NetSpool put VTAM application output on the JESx spool, allows multiple VTAM
applications to share a single multi-function printer, allows a single

VTAM application to broadcast output with the same or different output formats to multiple
distributed printers, and enables VTAM applications to use AFP without

program changes.

NetTAPE: Network Tape Access and Control System for AIX. Software for managing tape
operations and tape access in networks of eserver pSeries workstations and

servers. A companion product was the NetTAPE Tape Library Connection (TLC). Announced
February 1996 and withdrawn May 1999.

NetView®: SNA network management product. Announced mid 1986. Although it started off life as
a rather half-hearted bundling of various mainframe-centric network

management products (including NCCF, NLDM, NPDA, VNCA, and NMPF), by mid 1995 it had
turned into a fully fledged distributed network management system, with a strong

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focus on distributed Unix boxes as network management workstations. Replaced by Tivoli NetView
and Tivoli NetView for z/OS. Version 2.3 of NetView for VM/ESA,

announced May 1992, is still supported under z/VM and has not been replaced by a Tivoli product.

NetView/6000: Former name of NetView for AIX.

NetView/PC: Multi-tasking personal computer subsystem (software + adapter), which collects and
sends information upstream to the host from TRN, voice networks, and/or

non-SNA systems. In effect it’s a gateway to pass network management between two disparate
networks (typically an SNA network and an OSI network). Withdrawn December

1997.

NetView Access Services: An z/OS and z/VM session manager enabling users to run multiple
sessions and hot-key between them. The name is a bit of a misnomer because

the product has precious little to do with NetView proper. Announced June 1987. Replaced by Tivoli
NetView Access Services.

NetView AS: See Tivoli NetView Access Services.

NetView AutoBridge/MVS: Withdrawn June 1996 and repackaged as a feature of Info/Man.

NetView Bridge: Tool which allows users to write NetView applications for accessing and updating
external databases – notably IBM’s Info/Man database. Part of Tivoli

NetView for z/OS.

NetView Distribution Manager: See NetView DM.

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NetView DM: NetView Distribution Manager. Software on a number of platforms which enables
centralized control of data and software distribution among processors in an

SNA network – change logging, problem tracking, and change scheduling. Its DLU (Download
Utility) component distributes software (including new operating systems) to

networked machines. Originally an MVS and MVS/XA product, but announced for OS/2 in March
1991, and RS/6000 in February 1994. Replaced the DSX product. Replaced by

Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager. See also DCMF, SPMF.

NetView Extra: Set of system integration services (vintage September 1991) for installation and
support of NetView. Particularly useful to people wanting to manage

multi-vendor networks. Withdrawn January 1996.

NetView File Transfer Program: z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA high performance VTAM utility for bulk
data transfer among mainframe and AS/400 systems in an SNA network. A

more sophisticated version of FTP1. Capability of communicating with any system supporting
OSI/FTAM was announced in October 1991. VSE/ESA and z/VM versions withdrawn

December 1997. z/OS, OS/2, AIX and OS/400 versions continued after renaming to Tivoli NetView
File Transfer Program.

NetView for AIX: Version of NetView (announced January 1992 under the name NetView/6000)
which runs on an RS/6000 workstation. Supports TCP/IP and SNMP, has lots of

interfaces to the 6611 Network Processor, and includes support for dynamic network reconfiguration,
and fault and performance management. Enables an AIX1 machine to

run as a generalized network management workstation using SNMP and with a Motif front end.
Renamed Tivoli Netview. See also LAN Management Utilities.

NetView for OS/2: September 1994 re-naming and re-vamp of LAN NetView. Implements SNMP,
and can monitor OS/2, LAN Server, LAN Requester, DOS, NetWare, and Macintosh,

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and provides a single view of LAN resources. Withdrawn July 1997.

NetView for OS/390: Replaced by Tivoli NetView for z/OS.

NetView for VM/ESA: Version 2.3 of NetView for VM/ESA, announced May 1992, is still
supported under z/VM and has not been replaced by a Tivoli product. See NetView.

NetView for Windows: Low-end SNMP network management software announced June 1994.
Provides fault, configuration, and performance management for hubs, bridges,

routers, and switches. Mostly written by Network Managers Inc, not IBM. Replaced and/or renamed
repeatedly: Nways Manager for Windows, Nways Workgroup Manager for

Windows NT, Nways Workgroup Manager and finally Nways Manager for AIX, which was
withdrawn October 2000.

NetView FTP: NetView File Transfer Program.

NetView Graphic Monitor Facility: See GMF.

NetView MultiSystem Manager: NetView z/OS software which provides centralized control of LAN
resources. Announced September 1993. Withdrawn September 2000 after

becoming a part of Tivoli NetView for z/OS.

NetView Network Planner/2: OS/2 network planning software. Provides GUI tools and interfaces to
NetView’s Resource Object Data Manager. Announced December 1993,

withdrawn September 1997.

NetView NP/2: See NetView Network Planner/2.

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NetView Performance Monitor: z/OS and z/VM software (once known as Network Performance
Monitor) which uses VTAM and, where appropriate NCP, to monitor the performance

(data flow, response times, etc) of SNA and TRN networks. Data is transferred to the mainframe for
analysis. Replaced NPA. Replaced by Tivoli NetView Performance

Monitor (NPM). See also Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor for TCP/IP.

NetView Performance Monitor for TCP/IP: Replaced by Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor for
TCP/IP.

NetView PM: See NetView Performance Monitor.

NetView Session Monitor: See NLDM.

NetView Voice Network Design: OS/2 software which helps users design voice networks and
monitor the cost effectiveness of existing configurations. Part of VNAS.

Withdrawn March 1992.

NetVista: IBM’s entire line of desktop workstations. Even Aptiva has been renamed NetVista.
Intellistation and Unix-based workstations remain outside of the NetVista

line.

NetWare: LAN software for PCs from Novell. NetWare is a complete server/client network operating
system for LAN-connected PCs. Originally built for the PC-DOS

environment where it was introduced in 1983, it now consists of a dedicated server which runs native
NetWare, and software in client workstations running under

Windows, PC-DOS or OS/2. NetWare was immensely successful in the PC-DOS environment where
it became a de facto standard. But OS/2 was the first hint of things to come:

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a feeling of being redundant since the standard IBM operating software (notably LAN Server)
provided much of the NetWare functionality. Novell fought back with NetWare

release 4.11 (August 1996) adding essential Internet/intranet support and the well-received NetWare
Directory Services. Unfortunately, in preparation for Year 2000,

many large organizations were standardizing the desktop and everything behind it, which meant
Microsoft everything. What Windows NT 4.0 Server didn’t get, Windows 2000

Server did, especially with its Active Directory, and then came Windows 2002 Server, etc.

Network Authentication Service: The IBM implementation of the MIT Kerberos V5 Release 1.1 in
AIX.

Network Buffer Cache: An area allocated by AIX1 where applications can locally store data such as
Web content to save reloading off the Internet for each reuse. See

also Fast Response Cache Architecture.

Network Computer: Low-cost Web-surfer devices with no disk drives and programs written in Sun’s
Java language. Initiated by Oracle, but IBM, Apple, Sun, and others

have either announced or delivered similar products. The NC was positioned as the thin client, an
antidote to PC-based client/server systems that have run desperately

over budget. NCs, connected to large servers via an intranet, have all the management advantages of
3270 terminals and all the GUI benefits of a PC. Reports of the

consequent death of the PC, however, were exaggerated and by 1998 it was the NC that was
marginalized. See Network Station.

Network Computing Devices: Company to which IBM passed all of its X-Terminal business over in
early 1996. Mid 1996 Network Computing won a contract with IBM to

develop and build IBM’s first essay at a Network Computer.

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Network Computing System: A standards-based set of tools in AIX for distributing computer
processing tasks across resources in either a network or several

interconnected networks. An implementation of the Network Computing Architecture.

Network controller: A concentrator and protocol converter, such as the 3710, that allows the use of
non-SNA devices with an SNA host processor.

Network Door: See NetDoor.

Network dynamics: A rather nebulous concept which IBM used to talk about in relation to SNA
evolution. It seems to comprise APPN, peer-to-peer networking, dynamic

update of network configuration, etc. The Networking Blueprint seems to include most of what was
promised by Network dynamics.

Network Equipment Technologies: US telecomms company specializing in digital network

exchanges. IBM set up a deal with NET in 1987 which allowed IBM to sell NET

products (including its Synchronous Optical NETwork (SONET) products) worldwide to its
mainframe customers, and to use NET’s proprietary protocols. By late 1989 about

25% of NET’s income originated from IBM. See 9378/9, IDNX.

Network File System: See NFS.

Networking Blueprint: IBM’s master plan for networking announced in March 1992. The
announcement formally made APPN the key protocol in SNA networks, and confirmed

that future SNA networks would be able to support a wide variety of IBM, other proprietary, and open
protocols. See also CTS, MPTN.

Networking Services/2: See SAA Networking Services/2.

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Networking Services/DOS: PC-DOS/Windows product which enables applications on PC-DOS

workstations to communicate with other platforms supporting APPC. Supports CPI-C.

Announced March 1992. Replaced September 1994 by APPC Networking Services for Windows,
then eNetwork Personal Communications, SecureWay Personal Communications, and,

most recently, Host Access Client Package for Multiplatform.

Network Interface Takeover: An AIX option allowing the configuration of multiple network
adapters, allowing one or more to be designated as a backup. Supported

adapters include IBM 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PCI adapter, Gigabit Ethernet-SX PCI adapter and
10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet PCI adapter. If any hardware failure (adapter or

cable) occurs, the next alternate adapter immediately takes over. This gives the appearance of one
network interface to the user and continues to keep network traffic

moving with minimal delay.

Network node: An APPN node which provides a full set of APPN functions, such as routing between
sessions, route selection, and directory services. IBM has published

the spec of the network node as part of its attempt to turn APPN into a public standard, and by early
1993, the first non-IBM implementations were available.

Network OLE: The first networked version of OLE/COM, which appeared shortly before DCOM.

Network Operating System: A generic term for software that enables workstations on a LAN to
internetwork, usually via specialized servers, in a (fairly) transparent

way; e.g., to access files, printers, and other resources across a network. The first really successful
LAN operating system within the PC environment was Novell’s

NetWare. Today, Windows Server operating systems include a NOS.

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Network Performance Monitor: Software now called NetView Performance Monitor.

Network Printer: Family of printers introduced June 1996 shortly after IBM’s non-competition
agreement with Lexmark ended. The family comprised several successive

models of 24, 17, and 12 pages per minute black and white printers (4324, 4317, 4312) and one series
of color printers (4303). All have since been withdrawn or

replaced.

Network Print Facility: See NPF.

Network Security Auditor: Software found in SecureWay Firewall that is used to scan a list of hosts
and report potential security vulnerabilities for each system.

Network Server Description: An OS/400 configuration file and software to implement the
configuration, including a set of commands. Used to control guest operating

systems, including Linux partitions. NWSD can start and stop the guest operating system and define
the operating environment, including configuration of iSeries 400

disk and removable media devices.

Network Services for DOS: PC-DOS software which provides LU6.2 on a PC. Only suitable for use
as a requester/client, not a server. Obsolete.

Network Station: IBM’s first crack at the Network Computer (intranet) market. Manufactured jointly
with Network Computing Devices, the machine contains a Java virtual

machine, and is available for multiple servers (zSeries 900, iSeries 400, pSeries, OS/2, Unix,
Windows). Users of the 8361 have personal data control, but no local

data storage. Announced October 1996. See also 8361, 8362, 8363, 8364.

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Network Station Browser: IBM web browser software developed for the Network Computer/Network
Station (thin client) market. Announced March 1997. Replaced by IBM Navio

NC Navigator which was later integrated into NetVista Thin Client Manager.

Network Station Manager: IBM software which allows users to remotely configure any number of
Network Computers from a single location. Announced with the Network

Station October 1996. Replaced by NetVista Thin Client Manager.

Network Storage Manager: See 3466.

Network Tape Access and Control System: See NetTAPE.

Network Trusted Computing Base: See NTCB.

Neural Network Utility: Artificial intelligence software running under OS/400, AIX1, Windows and
OS/2. Can be used to identify patterns and relationships in data –

e.g., to look through an iSeries 400 database to check credit worthiness or some such. Replaced by
Intelligent Miner November 1997.

NewOrg: Standards body, sponsored by HP, IBM, and Sun Microsystems. Set up late 1993 (after the
demise of UII) to establish standards in open systems for middleware

and distributed computing. Little more than a year later, NewOrg was gone, too.

New World: IBMspeak for an application system that uses cooperative processing, client/server
technology, and/or programmable workstations – i.e., just about any

system that isn’t based on good old dumb terminals. See also Legacy System.

Next Generation Internet: See NGI.

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NeXTStep: Graphical workstation interface at one time offered by IBM for use on AIX (where it’s
also known as the AIX Graphic User Environment) and high-end PS/2

workstations. Licensed by IBM from NeXT, the workstation software company set up by Steve Jobs,
the man who started Apple. However, IBM did not promote NeXTStep with

any real enthusiasm or commitment, and by early 1992 publicly admitted that it had dropped the
thing.

NF2: Non First Normal Form. Extension to the relational database architecture which allows for
nested tables. NF2 is claimed to simplify and speed up relational

processing. See AIM1.

NFS: Network File System. Set of Unix protocols (originally developed by Sun Microsystems) for
file sharing across a LAN. Built on top of Ethernet and TCP/IP, and has

become a de facto standard in the Unix environment. IBM has at various times marketed the Sun
implementation for z/OS, z/VM, System/88, RT PC, and eserver pSeries.

AIX1 incorporates NFS support. Most significantly for the mainframe user, IBM announced in
September 1990 that DFSMSdfp would be using NFS to distribute data to

workstations from z/OS mainframes. Today, NFS is part of AIX, Linux, z/OS Unix System Services,
z/VM OpenExtension and, of course, non-IBM Unix implementations.

NFS Client: New to z/VM, NFS Client is integrated into both CMS1 and the priced, optional TCP/IP
Feature of z/VM.

NGI: Next Generation Internet. US government-sponsored program that has completed its work, even
though it failed to provide terabit per second networking. That

failure has been passed on as a goal to the government’s Large Scale Networking (LSN) Coordinating
Group. See also Internet2, TEN-34.

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NGMF: NetView Graphic Performance Facility. Part of Tivoli NetView for z/OS which provides a
SystemView-compliant, object-oriented, OS/2 interface to network

management functions. GMF digests and displays NetView information in a graphical form. For the
traditionalist for whom the user-friendly screens are too difficult,

there’s built-in 3270 emulation. See also NetCenter.

NIA: Network Interface Adapter. Obsolete IBM protocol converter allowing SDLC1 products to
attach through an X.25 network to an SNA host system. Replaced by QLLC.

NIAF/2: NetView Installation and Administration Facility/2. OS/2 facility for administering
NetView. A function within NetView that was withdrawn beginning with

Tivoli NetView for OS/390 Release 3 announced November 1999.

NIB: Node Initialization Block. A control block found in VTAM, used to indicate how
communication requests on a session are to be handled by VTAM.

Nibble: Half a byte – i.e., 4 bits.

NIC1: Numerically Intensive Computing. Poshspeak for number-crunching. See Vector,

Supercomputer.

NIC2: Network Interface Card. An interface card installed in a workstation or server to provide a
connection to a LAN.

NIM: AIX Network Install Manager.

NIS: AIX Network Information Services Server Function.

N-ISDN: Narrow-ISDN (to distinguish it from Broadband ISDN). ISDN by any other name.

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NIST: National Institute for Standards and Technology. US standards body formerly known as the
National Bureau of Standards – NBS.

NIU1: Network Interface Unit.

NIU2: Non-IBM User. IBMspeak for those who have not yet learned the wisdom of buying IBM
equipment, thereby denying themselves, their users, and their IBM salesman

the joys of a more fulfilled way of life.

NJE: Network Job Entry. JES facility enabling multiple hosts to share job queues and system spools.

NLDM: Network Logical Data Manager (aka NetView Session Monitor). NCCF application which
collects SNA session-related information and makes it available to NCCF

operators. Useful in helping operators to detect network faults not explicitly picked up by other
network management tools. Now part of Tivoli NetView for z/OS network

management software, where it’s called Session Monitor.

NLM: NetWare Loadable Module. Software that can be loaded alongside Novell’s NetWare network
operating system, to add function to a network server. Lotus Notes is

available as an NLM, for example.

NLS: National Language Support. Ability of a product to be provide non-English language

interaction with its users, selectable by the customer either during

installation and/or on a per-user basis.

NMF: Network Management Forum. A standards body set up in 1988 to develop standards for Open
Network Management (ONM). IBM is a member. Changed its name to the

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TeleManagement Forum in the late 1990s.

NMP: Network Management Protocol. AT&T’s protocol for the UNMA network management
architecture. Conforms to OSI and specifies layers 4-7.

NMPF: Network Management Productivity Facility. Originally an IBM Program Offering. Became a
component of Tivoli NetView for z/OS in 1986.

NMVT: Network Management Vector Transport. The SNA message type which carries network
management data. Replaces RECFMS.

NNI: Network-to-Network Interface. The interface between switches in an ATM2 network.

NNTP: Network News Transfer Protocol. An Internet protocol for the distribution, retrieval, and
posting of news articles that are stored in a central database known

as a News Server.

NNU: See Neural Network Utility.

Node: See RRSF node.

Nomadic AIX: Version of AIX1 for portable computers such as the N40. Withdrawn May 1996.

Non-automatic profile: A tape volume profile that RACF only deletes when an RDELETE command
is issued. The profile must have been created with an RDEFINE command or

when tape dataset protection was not active.

Nonce: A randomly-generated value to protect against hackers using replay techniques.

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Non-Data Sharing Mode: RACF sysplex communication without using the Coupling Facility.

Non-spinning disk: Another name for SSD1 which started coming into currency early 1995.

Non-trivial: Generic term, widely used in IBMspeak, to mean a wide variety of things, including
serious (z/OS is for non-trivial applications), difficult (we have a

non-trivial problem here), and even heavy (IBM once described a particularly weighty IBM catalog
by saying this is a non-trivial manual).

NOS: See Network Operating System.

NOSP: Network Operations Support Program. Network control program now superseded by NCCF.

NOSS: National Office Support System. The name for IBM UK’s formerly PROFS-based internal
office system.

Notes: Lotus groupware product which IBM took on (June 1991) as an alternative to, and eventually
a replacement for, the much delayed OfficeVision/2 LAN Series

product. An additional (possibly the primary) benefit was that by giving succor to one of Microsoft’s
key rivals, IBM was able to stick the knife firmly into

Microsoft. After IBM bought Lotus, Notes became IBM’s preferred groupware and e-mail system.
Release 4.5 (1996) provided close integration with Windows NT and

Internet. Release 5 (1999) added mobile support. See also Domino.

Notes Designer for Domino: An integrated development environment based on a distributed,

document-oriented database that combines information storage with

communications, collaboration, and workflow. The applications developed are portable across Sun
Solaris, Windows, HP-UX, AIX1, OS/2, and Novell’s NetWare platforms.

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From Lotus. Replaced by Release 5 (R5) of Domino Designer.

Notes InterConnect: See InterConnect for Lotus Notes.

NotesView: Graphical management tool from Lotus for controlling and monitoring Notes networks.
Withdrawn December 1998, with most functionality available through

Domino’s Admin client.

Novell: The company which produces and sells NetWare. Over the years it has spent much of its
resources acquiring, enhancing then getting rid of major technologies,

WordPerfect and Unix being prime examples. See also USL, DR-DOS.

Novell-DOS: Re-naming of DR-DOS.

NPA: Network Performance Analyzer. Performance monitor, now superseded by NPM.

NPDA: Network Problem Determination Application. Mainframe software providing network error
analysis. Collects errors reported by communications controllers, modems,

lines, cluster controllers, control units, and terminals, and organizes and displays error statistics.
NPDA is now part of Tivoli NetView for z/OS, where it’s called

Hardware Monitor.

NPF: TCP/IP Network Print Facility. A feature of z/OS that routes VTAM, JES2, or JES3 printer
output to printers in a TCP/IP network.

NPM: See Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor.

NPM/IP: See Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor for TCP/IP.

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NPSI: X.25 NCP Packet Switching Interface. NCP process providing FEP/mainframe support of
X.25 networks, by converting SNA flows into X.25 frames, thereby allowing

non-SNA applications and devices to interact transparently with SNA hosts. Works with PCNE1,
DATE, GATE and other variants. Operates in 3720 and 3745 communication

controllers, and provides support for SNA and non-SNA devices in the z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA
environments. NPSI performance has been frequently criticized by a less

than enthusiastic user base.

NPT: Non-Programmable Terminal. IBMspeak for dumb(ish) terminals such as the 3270 and 5520
families. IBM also uses the terms dependent workstation, NWS, and MFI with

the same meaning. There is a version of the SAA user interface (CUA1) for NPT workstations.

NQS: Network Queuing System. A Unix batch processing management system. See also NQS/MVS.

NQS/MVS: Network Queuing System/MVS. z/OS implementation of the Unix NQS system. It runs
as a server on an z/OS system, and allows Unix users to submit, monitor, and

control batch applications on z/OS systems. Announced June 1992. Withdrawn November 1997.

NRF: Network Routing Facility. NCP facility allowing LUs in different nodes to converse through an
FEP without a host node LU being involved. Enables users to

consolidate networks without soaking up host CPU cycles.

NRZI: Non-Return to Zero Inverted. A type of data encoding used between SDLC1 modems, and
(sometimes) to record data on tapes and disks.

ns: See Nanosecond.

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NS/2: See SAA Networking Services/2.

NS/DOS: See Network Services for DOS.

NSA: National Security Agency. A US government domestic equivalent of the Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA).

NSAPI: Netscape Server API. An interface provided on Netscape HTTP servers which allows other
processes to be invoked by the browser client. A more efficient (and

proprietary) alternative to CGI.

NSF: Network Supervisory Function. Network management control for X.25 networks using XI.
Provides dynamic control and diagnosis of XI resources.

NSI: Non-SNA Interconnection. FEP (3720, 3745) software enabling BSC terminals to work over an
SNA backbone network.

NT1: See Windows NT.

NT2: Node Type. Synonymous with Physical Unit (PU1).

NTCB: Network Trusted Computing Base. All security components within a network system.

NTFS: NT File System. The most robust file system available on Windows NT/2000/XP. cf. FAT,
FAT32.

NTO: Network Terminal Option. Protocol converter between SNA and ASCII in the 37xx’s NCP.

NTP: New Technology Prototype or New Tape Product. IBM code name for a new magnetic tape
system which IBM started briefing customers about in mid 1994, and which was

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formally announced April 1995 as the 3590 and Magstar.

NTRI: NCP Token Ring Interconnect/Interface. Feature of NCP allowing the FEP to connect to a
TRN LAN. Software component of FEP Token Ring support.

NTSA: Network Technical Support Alliance. Group set up by 17 vendors (including IBM, HP, and
Cisco) to develop methods of problem resolution in multivendor networks.

Merged with TSANet in 1995, adopting the TSANet name.

NTune: Shorthand for NTuneMON/NTuneNCP.

NTuneMON: A software monitor for 37xx communication controllers (FEP). Acts as an NCP on-line
analysis, performance and diagnostic aid, and can accumulate information

from NCP regarding: virtual routes, transmission groups, SNI, Network Names Table, Token Ring
resources, Ethernet subsystems, Internet Protocol (IP1), and NCP buffers

and pool utilization. Beginning June 2000, NTuneMON Version 3.1 includes NTuneNCP as part of
the base product.

NTuneNCP: On-line interactive tuning utility for NCP that also includes a channel I/O trace.
NTuneNCP is now being shipped as an included feature of both NCP and

NTuneMON.

Null modem: A connection that is the equivalent of two modems wired back-to-back. Usually using a
cable where several pins are cross wired from one end to the other,

most notably so that the Send pair on one end of the cable is the Receiver pair on the other.

NUMA: Non-Uniform Memory Architecture.

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NUMA-Q: NUMA-Q 2000. High end Intel-based NUMA server acquired by IBM in its merger with
Sequent that began July 1999. When the eserver xSeries was announced October

3, 2000, it included a NUMA system (xSeries 430) so it is reasonable to assume that all future models
will be part of the xSeries line. Can run ptx, Linux and most

mainframe operating systems.

NuOffice: IBM Windows NT software based on Salutation Manager. Provides local and remote
access to enabled office devices such as copiers, faxes or scanners from a

Domino Server or remotely. Initially launched in May 1997 in Japan only, then announced worldwide
in June 1999.

NvAS: See Tivoli NetView Access Services.

NvDM: See Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager.

NVS: Non-Volatile Storage. Computer memory that retains its contents when the electricity is turned
off. In general used to refer to semiconductor memory with backup

batteries in case of power failures. The 3990-3 controller uses NVS as part of the Fast Write feature.
There once was a time when all computer memory was NVS: it was

called core memory and was made with little magnets with holes in the middle through which wire
was threaded.

N-way performance ratio: Generic term for describing the performance of a Symmetric
multiprocessing (SMP) system. It’s calculated as the performance of the SMP system

divided by the performance of the same system with one engine running the same workload. Thus, if a
6-engine SMP system handles 500 tps and the single processor

handles 100 tps, the N-way performance ratio is 5. The ratio is always less than N, because the
interconnection of the engines causes an overhead which increases

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exponentially with the number of processors. Above ten engines, the overhead is unacceptably high.

Nways: Brand-name of IBM’s family of multiprotocol products first announced June 1994. Includes
WAN switches, wiring concentrator, software to link the 8260 to the

mainframe, the 2210, 2217, and 6611 routers, 8282 concentrator, 8238 and 8260 hubs, and various
other things. There are interfaces for X.25, HDLC, ISDN, Frame Relay,

continuous link for speech and video, and management tools for Windows environments. Most Nways
hardware and software has been withdrawn over the years, but some still

remains.

Nways 950: Communication controller announced July 1995, also known as the 3746-950.
Effectively it’s a stand-alone 3746-900 (see 3745/6) but with a key difference –

it doesn’t need NCP (which means it can’t support SNA properly). Widely slated by critics when it
first emerged for being neither fish nor fowl – it pretended to be an

old fashioned SNA controller, but it couldn’t run subarea SNA, and although it could be used as a
bridge/router, it was priced at SNA controller levels.

Nways Campus Manager: Network management software for campus networks, whether they be
across the grounds of an academic institution or a research park, or multiple

head office buildings of a major corporation. Nways Campus Manager for AIX was announced
September 1996 as a replacement for Nways Campus Manager LAN for AIX,

Intelligent Hub Manager for AIX, Intelligent Hub Manager Entry for AIX, IBM AIX Router and
Bridge Manager/6000, LAN Network Manager for AIX, and all Nways ATM features

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delivered with SystemView. Nways Campus Manager ATM for AIX was replaced October 1997 by
IBM Nways Manager for AIX which was withdrawn October 2000. See Nways.

Nways LAN Remote Monitor: Windows, AIX1 and HP-UX management software for RMON-
compliant agents over Token Ring or Ethernet LANs.

Nways Manager: Network management software. IBM Nways Manager for AIX replaced Nways
Campus Manager ATM for AIX October 1997. withdrawn October 2000. Nways Manager

for Windows was replaced by Nways Workgroup Manager for Windows NT, which was replaced by
the IBM Nways Manager for AIX withdrawn October 2000.

NWS: Non-programmable WorkStation. At one time IBMspeak for dumb terminal. Replaced by
NPT.

NWSD: See Network Server Description.

OAM: Object Access Method. Access method within DFSMS for handling storage, retrieval, and
management of images and digitized data from magnetic, optical, and optical

cartridge systems. Uses a DB2 directory/index of objects. Used by ImagePlus and supported within
DFSMS.

OAT: OSA2 Address Table.

OBE: Office By Example. IBM’s intended sequel for QBE developed in the early 1980s. Although
descriptions were published it appears to have vanished without a trace.

Object: An abstract entity within a data processing system. Sometimes known as case2. Unlike
entities such as paragraphs, charts, files, disks, etc, an object is

independent of any particular implementation, which makes the user’s life much easier when it comes
to changing hardware – object-oriented programs are very modular

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and their components highly reusable. System/38, AS/400 and iSeries 400 are object-oriented
machines. IBM became terribly enthusiastic about objects so just about

everything is object-oriented, in much the same way that everything became virtual in the 1970s. See
also ADE1, C++, DSOM, Envy/400, GDMO, GMF, HighPoint, MO:DCA,

ObjectStore, OCA2, OIDL, OOPS, Smalltalk, SOM, Taligent, VisualAge.

Object Design: US firm which developed the ObjectStore database. IBM bought a large lump ($27m
worth) of Object Design in May 1993, and announced that it would be

using ObjectStore for its future object-based application development, including the development of a
repository for the Information Warehouse. These days, Object

Design looks like a company in trouble and is currently owned by eXcelon Corp.

Object Management Group: See OMG.

Object-oriented: See Object.

Object REXX: An object-oriented version of the REXX programming language that runs on
Windows, AIX, Linux (Intel and mainframe) and OS/2. The Windows version comes in

both Interpreter and Development editions.

Object signing: Support (e.g., in OS/400) for digital signatures for software and other object types.
Used to verify the source and integrity of an object.

ObjectStore: Object-oriented database system developed by Object Design. IBM used ObjectStore as
the focus of its own object-oriented databases and as the repository

in AD Strategy.

Object Technology: Canadian Smalltalk specialist which IBM bought in early 1996.

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OCA1: Open Communication Architecture. A 1986 vintage IBM architecture which now seems to
have faded somewhat from view.

OCA2: Object Content Architecture. Architectures for dealing with the content of objects. IBM’s
object-oriented architectures include MO:DCA, PTOCA, IOCA, GOCA, FOCA,

FD:OCA. Mid 1990 they were all grouped together to become IIA.

OCCF: Operator Communications Control Facility. z/OS and VSE/ESA program product (running
under NCCF) enabling one or more remote systems to be operated from a host

system over an SNA network. In effect OCCF redirects operating system messages from remote sites
to the managing site’s operating console. The z/OS version (see

MVS/OCCF) became a part of NetView in January 1996, while the VSE/ESA version was withdrawn
June 2000.

OCO: Object Code Only. IBM policy of issuing software products as executable code only, without
the source code in either machine-readable or printed form. That

irritated a lot of technical folk. Some, especially in z/VM, had been making changes to IBM code. But
the vast majority of complainants used source code to take over

where the manuals left off: to know exactly how a particular feature works, without trying to come up
with some way to test it thoroughly. The truth was that OCO came

right about the time that many were starting to see the productivity benefits of on-line viewing of
source code as opposed to microfiche. For their part, IBM claims

that OCO reduces the cost of providing support by eliminating the previous possibility of customer-
modified IBM code (see Zap). In the long run, OCO has the merit of

distancing the application from a particular hardware implementation which simplifies conversions.
OCO was a critical (but not always recognized) part of IBM’s SAA

strategy.

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OCR: Optical Character Recognition. OCR software is used to convert scanned documents into
machine-readable text files.

Octet: IEEE term for a byte (a string of eight bits).

ODA: Office/Open Document Architecture. ISO standard for document formats. ODA describes a
standard file structure capable of specifying text, graphics, and other

data types in a single data format. Similar to IBM’s MO:DCA.

ODAM: Open Distributed Application Model. IBM business model (vintage October 1993) for
defining models of client/server business requirements.

ODBC: Open DataBase Connectivity. An API created by Microsoft that allows Windows
applications to access relational databases, such as DB2 and Oracle, and other data

sources using SQL statements.

ODCS: Open Distributed Computing Structure. IBM architecture (vintage October 1993) which was
to provide an infrastructure for distributed and client/server

applications. Initially it was an IBM-internal thing providing interoperability standards and criteria for
IBM product designers. Readers with long memories will

recall that this was how SAA started out, and considering that nothing much is heard of ODCS these
days, it may well have gone the same way as SAA.

ODF: Object Distribution Facility. SNADS-based System/36 and AS/400 software providing
distribution services between a System/36 and another System/3x, or AS/400. It

enabled users to send or receive spooled files, data files, job streams, libraries, etc. More interestingly
it also allowed users to pass through to another system,

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run jobs on that system, and return output to their own system. ODF originated in the late 1980s but is
little heard of today.

ODI: Open Data link Interface. A Novell standard, roughly equivalent to Microsoft’s NDIS. Enables
NetWare servers to support a range of protocols.

ODIF: Office Document Interchange Format. ISO standard for document interchange.

ODM: Object Distribution Manager. Software for managing the flow of image objects among
workstations and MVS/ESA servers. Uses CICS, LU6.2, VTAM, and has hooks into

FAF, OAM, and the ImagePlus workstation software. Repeatedly replaced or renamed, beginning in
April 1991, by IBM SAA ImagePlus Object Distribution Manager MVS/ESA,

ImagePlus Object Distribution Manager for OS/390, IBM Content Manager ImagePlus Object
Distribution Manager for OS/390, with a new name planned for the next release.

ODP: Open Distributed Processing.

OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer. An OEM is a manufacturer who makes a product and sells
it to another company which puts its own badge on it and sells it to the

end user. The term is used as a verb with exactly opposite meanings, as follows: A OEMs B’s
equipment either means that A buys kit from B and puts A’s badge on it, or

that A sells kit to B who puts B’s badge on it. IBM OEMs in both senses.

OFA: See Office Facsimile Application.

Office: The name IBM used internally for OfficeVision until Microsoft named their
Word/Excel/PowerPoint suite Office.

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OFFICE/38: IBM software providing office system support on the System/38. Facilities include
administrative management, text management, and AME (Applications Made

Easy). A product which never stirred great enthusiasm among users. Obsolete.

Office Facsimile Application: z/OS software which can send any RFT text (e.g., OfficeVision/MVS
notes) to fax machines, route fax traffic across an SNA network, and

generally manage computer fax systems. Withdrawn July 1991.

Office Offering: VSE Office Offering. See VSE Office.

OfficeVision: IBM’s family of office products announced May 1989. It was a series of client/server
products; server on OS/2, z/VM, z/OS or OS/400, and

client/requester on OS/2 or PC-DOS (PRPQ2); the servers provided the user with one stop shopping
for a range of useful services – e.g., library, archive, database, and

e-mail. PC LANs pretty much did for it, and Lotus Notes rendered the coup de grace. Although there
have been no new releases for years, OfficeVision/MVS and

OfficeVision/VM are still available. OfficeVision for OS/400 was no longer available beginning with
Version 5 of OS/400, announced April 2001. OV/2 and OV/DOS were

withdrawn May 1994.

OfficeVision/2: OfficeVision/2 LAN Series. LAN server version of OfficeVision. It was originally
designed to provide a range of services to connected workstations,

including e-mail, correspondence processing, address book, file system, telephony, diary, decision
support, electronic filing cabinet, on-line help etc. By June 1992,

IBM admitted that OfficeVision/2 was never going to cut the mustard, stabilized the product, and
made Lotus Notes and cc:Mail its preferred offerings. Finally

withdrawn May 1994.

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OfficeVision/400: Later renamed OfficeVision for OS/400. Version of OfficeVision using an OS/400
system as a server. Derived from AS/400 Office, which was derived

from the office software on the System/3x. Provides document preparation, calendar, e-mail, decision
support, and library services, with integration between the

components. Unlike its System/3x predecessors, there’s also an API to simplify communication with
other systems, and an SAA front end on the workstation. No longer

available beginning with Version 5 of OS/400, announced April 2001. See also Current, JustMail.

OfficeVision/MVS: Version of OfficeVision using an z/OS system as a server. Built around existing
mainframe products (STAIRS, DISOSS, PS/CICS, etc). Provides document

preparation, calendar, e-mail, decision support, library services, and TSO access. Originally described
by IBM as extending the usability of existing office products.

Still available although there have been no new releases for years.

OfficeVision/VM: Version of OfficeVision using a z/VM system as a server. Provides document

preparation, calendar, e-mail, decision support, and library services.

Basically an enhanced version of PROFS with an SAA front end on the workstation. Still available
although there have been no new releases for years. See also Current.

Offload engine: See Co-processor.

OGL: Overlay Generation/Graphics Language. Form creation software for AFP printers which can be
used to create forms with text boxes, graphic areas, etc. Works with

PSF. Announced October 1990, OGL/370 replaced OGL/MVS, OGL/VM and OGL/VSE with one
product that ran on all three platforms: z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA. It is still

available though it has not been updated since its original Version 1.1.0 release.

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OHIO: Open Host Interface Objects. An IBM and Attachmate inspired object-oriented host access
API for software implementing tn3270 and tn5250 protocols. Vendor

neutral and submitted to the IETF in 1998 as an Internet standard. Supported by WebSphere Host On-
Demand.

OIDCARD: See Operator IDentification CARD.

OIDL: Object Interface Definition Language. Target object-oriented language used within SOM, the
OS/2 development environment.

OIF: Office Interconnect Facility. Group of IBM products (announced October 1988) to manage
document interchange with Wang and DEC systems using DEC and Wang

protocols. OIF was ditched by IBM who signed up the products from Soft-Switch instead.

OIIA: Office Information Interchange Architecture. Name for an old 5520 architecture which was
superseded by the combination of DIA and DCA.

Olé: See Jupiter.

OLAP: On-Line Analytical Processing. A term due to database guru Ted Codd and used to refer to
multi-dimensional analysis and reporting applications of the EIS2 and

Information Warehouse ilk. DB2 includes an OLAP Starter Kit. See also ROLAP, and MOLAP.

OLCP: On-Line Complex Processing. Generic term – contrasted with OLTP – for the kind of work
done by large cooperative processing applications. APPC/MVS is the TP

monitor for OLCP.

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OLE: Object Linking and Embedding. Microsoft-sponsored standard for moving and linking data and
other objects between applications and systems in Windows (3.1

onwards), Presentation Manager, and Macintosh environments. Can be used to create compound
documents (text, data, image, etc) on the fly. Used in DDE. By the mid

1990s, OLE had become very much the de facto standard, pretty much putting the kibosh on
Taligent’s OpenDoc. The precursor of today’s COM and COM+. See also ActiveX.

OLE2: A second (and much changed) version of OLE, based for the first time on COM. Renamed
ActiveX.

OLTEP: On-Line Test and Execution Program. IBM engineer’s tool for analysis of hardware
problems.

OLTP: On-Line Transaction Processing. Generic term for high-throughput, very resilient transaction
systems. OLTP tends to be used to refer to systems with some degree

of fault tolerance.

Olympic: Code name for the project that produced the AS/400.

OMG: Object Management Group. A group of vendors responsible for standards for object
management and interoperability including CORBA, UML, MOF and CWM. IBM allowed

itself to be persuaded to join – with seemly reluctance – in June 1991.

OMI: Open Messaging Interface. An e-mail API standard developed by Lotus, IBM, and Apple.
Announced October 1991. Provides directory, transport, and message storage

and retrieval interfaces. See also VIM.

Omnibus: IBM Online Library Omnibus Edition. Manuals in BookManager format on CD-ROM.
With software reader programs.

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OMVS: Open MVS provides access to z/OS USS (Unix system services). All z/OS TCP/IP
applications require access via OMVS. OMVS segments are portions of RACF profiles

that define user IDs for USS. The OMVS command is a TSO/E command that invokes the z/OS Unix
shell. The name OMVS derives from OpenEdition, the original name for z/OS

USS.

ONC: Open Network Computing. A Sun Microsystems standard for Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
and eXternal Data Representation (XDR) interfaces. Supported in z/OS CICS.

OnDemand: IBM Content Manager OnDemand for z/OS, OS/400 and Multiplatforms. A
comprehensive approach to capturing and storing computer-generated output, including

indexing, compression and storage on disk, optical and/or tape for on-line access. The Multiplatforms
version supports servers on AIX1, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, Windows

Server operating systems. All three versions support Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP clients and
administrative clients. Alternatively, OnDemand clients can be run on a Web

server with Web browser clients, including administration. Tivoli is responsible for the z/OS version.
See Content Manager.

ONDS: Open Network Distribution Services. z/OS and z/VM software providing store and forward
distribution in OSI environments. Supports X.400. The z/VM version was

withdrawn March 1995. The z/OS version was withdrawn October 1995, but the technology was
licensed to DANET GmbH of Weiterstadt, Germany, but their replacement has

also been withdrawn.

Onekay: An obscure performance measure originally developed by IBM. It measures a POS

transaction. Not used much (if at all) by IBM these days.

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One-Time Charge: See OTC.

One-time password: A password that can be used only once, to protect against hackers using replay
techniques.

Online Library Omnibus Edition: See Omnibus.

Online Recovery Service: A separately priced facility for IMS1 that provides database recovery
processing in an online IMS environment. Multiple database datasets can

be recovered simultaneously. Image copies, logs, and Change Accumulation datasets are read in
parallel. Announced August 1999.

ONM: Open Network Management. Scheme for creating SNA-managed network environments.

ONMA: Open Network Management Architecture. Network management architecture for OSI.

O-O: Object-Oriented. See Object.

OO: Object-Oriented. See Object.

OOP: Object-Oriented Programming. See Object.

OOPS: Object-Oriented Programming Systems. Techniques of programming built around the notion
of objects.

OPC: See Tivoli Operations Planning and Control.

OPC/A: Operations Planning and Control Advanced. Suite of programs for planning, controlling, and
automating z/OS batch production work. Analyses the status of

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current system workload and submits jobs accordingly. Features include: automatic restart, real-time
monitoring of jobs through the system, and output distribution.

June 1993 release added catalog management, dataset triggering, and open network management.
Replaced June 1995 by the AOC/MVS OPC Auto Feature (OPCAO).

OPC/ESA: Operations Planning and Control/ESA. Replaced by Tivoli Workload Scheduler for z/OS.
SystemView-compliant, ESA version of OPC/A. Offers automatic dependency

control, automatic job recovery, dynamic re-planning, and automatic restart on other processors
within a system using XCF. Other features include audit trail, support

for remote sites, and security through RACF. June 1993 enhancements included production workload
scheduling for AIX1, OS/400, Tandem, Unisys, Unix, and OS/2 LANs.

OPCAO: OPC Automation Option. Replaced by the AOC/MVS OPC Auto Feature in 1996. In July
1997, AOC/MVS was replaced by System Automation.

OPC Automation Option: Replaced by the AOC/MVS OPC Auto Feature in 1996. In July 1997,
AOC/MVS was replaced by System Automation.

OPD: Office Products Division. OPD used to be one of the three major product divisions in IBM (see
GSD, DPD). Products originating in OPD included golf-ball

typewriters, magnetic card typewriters, OS/6, and Displaywriter.

Open: Open is most widely used to denote systems designs built using architectures and standards
which aren’t proprietary – i.e., owned by a hardware or software

vendor, usually IBM. The word’s usually used in the same kind of piously self-righteous way that the
more oppressive governments talk of democracy, freedom, and choice

as they promote each attempt to impose their will on an unwilling populace – i.e., it’s just another
case of hijacking a word with a positive connotation, and using it

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to promote self-interest. Open was originally used to refer to OSI systems which had standards but no
products, but then switched to being used synonymously with

Unix-based systems which have products but no standards – or rather so many standards that there
might as well be none at all. Openness in the sense it’s used in the

computer industry is actually a benefit to vendors, not to users, which, of course, is why vendors
protest so much about what a good thing openness is for users. See

Open Systems.

Open Connect Systems: Company which provided IBM with TCP/IP gateway software to connect
VSE/ESA to heterogeneous networks in February 1993. Since 1996, their focus

has been on the Web-to-Host market.

Open Cryptographic Enhanced Plug-ins: A component of SecureWay Security Server.

Open Cryptographic Services Facility: An element of z/OS and a feature of z/OS Unix System
Services. OCSF Security Level 3 is an optional, separately priced feature

of z/OS.

OpenDoc: Architecture from Taligent for creating multimedia documents by moving and linking data
and other objects among applications. Similar to Microsoft OLE. Can

be used to create compound documents (text, data, image, etc) on the fly. Its future looked decidedly
fragile after the demise of Taligent, but things perked up in

June 1996 when IBM announced the availability of a number of OpenDoc components. Today it has
been pushed aside by JavaBeans but is still being offered as freeware for

developers of advanced C++ applications.

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OpenEdition: Replaced by Unix System Services in z/OS and OpenEdition Shell and Utilities in
z/VM.

OpenEdition/MVS: See MVS/ESA OpenEdition.

OpenEdition DCE User Data Privacy: Curiously retaining the defunct OpenEdition name,
OpenEdition DCE User Data Privacy is a no-charge z/VM feature used for

controlling the export of the DES algorithm. When installed, this feature enables data encryption
using the DES algorithm. Because this feature contains data

encryption, it is therefore subject to special export licensing requirements by the Bureau of Export
Administration of the US Department of Commerce.

OpenEdition Shell and Utilities: Replaced by OpenExtension Shell and Utilities.

OpenExtension: See OpenExtension Shell and Utilities.

OpenExtension Shell and Utilities: An implementation of the Unix within z/VM and part of CMS1.
More accurately, it is those Unix elements that are contained in the

POSIX standard. The OpenEdition Shell and Utilities had been a priced, optional feature of VM/ESA.
It has been renamed in z/VM and is available at no additional

charge.

OpenGL: Open Graphics Library. An API for developing complex 3D graphics applications. It began
life as an initiative by SGI based on its SGI IRIS GL library. There

is even an industry group, the OpenGL Architecture Review Board, that approves changes to the
standard.

Open Group: The Open Group. A vendor- and technology-neutral consortium designed to let its
nearly 200 members share knowledge, integrate open initiatives and certify

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approved products and processes.

Open LAN Manager Council: Group of 24 vendors, including IBM and Microsoft, whose objective
was to ensure compatibility of Microsoft LAN Manager2 and LAN Server. Set

up in April 1991, but little has been heard of it since.

OpenLook: Graphical User Interface (GUI) to Unix promoted by Sun Microsystems and AT&T.
Competes head-on with the OSF- (and hence IBM-) sponsored Motif. Sun abandoned

development in April 1993.

OpenMail: Hewlett-Packard e-mail software. IBM had marketed an AIX version, but withdrew it
December 1995. Lotus Notes was the recommended alternative, though purists

could opt for HP’s version.

Open Systems: Computer systems that provide either interoperability, portability, of freedom from
proprietary standards, depending on your perspective. For years the

term was applied loosely to the many flavors of Unix. Since the emergence of The Open Group’s
Single Unix Specification, any operating system that supports the Unix

APIs (z/OS, for example) can reasonably be classed as an open system.

Open Systems Adapter: See OSA2.

Open Systems Adapter/Support Facility: See OSA/SF.

Open Systems Adapter Support Facility: See OSA/SF.

Open Transaction Manager Access: See OTMA.

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OpenView: Hewlett-Packard network management software for TCP/IP and OSI networks. IBM
licensed bits of it in April 1991 for managing SNMP devices. OpenView licenses

were taken up by a number of other major vendors, and it fast became an industry standard.

OpenVMS: See VMS.

OPERATIONS attribute: A RACF user attribute that gives ALTER authority to any resource that a
user or group has not been given explicit access authority to.

Operations Console: Windows software for all OS/400 platform management applications including
5250 console support, a remote control panel GUI and the Operations

Navigator/Management Central platform management applications. Connectivity choices include null

modem, cable-connected async communications, dial-up async

communications and Ethernet/Token Ring LAN.

Operations Navigator: OS/400 systems management through a GUI including work management
(active jobs, subsystems, job queues, memory pools), backup/recovery (BRMS GUI

plug-in), simple two-node cluster configuration, and LPAR and DASD management, including disk
balancing, compression, and management of disk pools and units.

Integrated with Management Central to provide access to system values, including system comparison
and update, distributed user/group administration, and licensed

program and fix creation, distribution and installation.

Operations Planning and Control: See Tivoli Operations Planning and Control.

Operator identification card: A card with an encoded magnetic stripe used to identify terminal
operators to RACF.

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Optical Removable Media: IBM term for optical storage that includes Magneto-Optical (MO), Write
Once Read Many (WORM1), CD-ROM and DVD-RAM.

Optical storage: Generic term for devices which store data in a form in which it can be read by lasers
or other optical devices. IBM’s principal optical storage

device is the 3995. See also 3363, 3995, 9246/7, magneto-optical, WORM1.

Optional: IBMspeak for a feature which is essential for a product but which costs extra.

Oracle: Relational database software from Oracle Corp. Oracle dominates the Unix database
environment, but mainframe and PC versions are also available. In 1996, the

company introduced a version specifically designed for the Parallel Sysplex. Oracle 8 has brought
object-oriented function.

ORB: Object Request Broker. A specialized object that allows other objects to communicate with
each other to make and receive requests and responses. An Object

Request Broker is needed to operate between machines across a network. Usually, an ORB is an
implementation of CORBA. Also used loosely to refer to object-based

middleware such as COM+.

ORBlet: An ORB, or ORB client, packaged as a Java applet. An ORBlet can be downloaded to a
Web browser by issuing an HTTP request for the corresponding URL.

Thereafter, the client computer can communicate with CORBA servers using IIOP.

Organizer: Lotus claims their venerable PIM is the world’s most popular, with 42 million customers
worldwide. Concentrates on three areas: your contacts, your time

and your information. Runs on Windows, Mac2, OS/2 and a wide range of handheld devices.

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Orphan: IBMspeak for a customer, typically with a mid-range machine, who’s been left in the lurch
when its VAR ceased trading.

ORS: See Online Recovery Service.

OS: Operating System. Historically, an IBM family of operating systems for large size IBM
mainframes that began with OS/360 in mid-1960s. There have been many name

changes over the years, and even a return to the OS name in OS/390, when IBM claimed it stood for
Open Server. But it is z/OS today. MVS enjoys the honor of having the

longest reign as its name, for two decades. Other popular names over the years have been OS/VS1,
OS/VS2, MVS/XA and MVS/ESA.

OS/2: Originally a joint development project between IBM and Microsoft, OS/2 was the operating
system announced by IBM at the same time as the PS/2. Despite being

positioned as IBM’s key SAA workstation environment, IBM failed to capture a significant market
share with the depressingly inadequate Version 1 (there were an

estimated 750,000 licenses by mid 1991 as against 70 million PC-DOS licenses). Version 2.0 (see
OS/2 Version 2.0) was marketed very aggressively by IBM with the clear

intention of winning back the desktop from Windows 3.0. The later Warp version was aimed at
winning the consumer and computer nerd market, which it largely failed to

do – a great shame, since it is widely recognized as being vastly superior to Windows 95. Though
OS/2’s fate was arguably sealed long before, Microsoft’s release of

Windows NT 4.0, especially the Server version, ensured a rapid spiral into oblivion for OS/2. Still,
there were pockets of use for years to come, most notably as

servers in the banking industry. Why did OS/2 fail so miserably? There are many answers, most
centered around how big a machine you needed to run it properly, but one

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that is often overlooked is that its much-publicized stability only existed when used with the HPFS
file system. Most people evaluating it ran OS/2 with the FAT file

system so that they could recover their data, if need be, from Windows and MS-DOS. With FAT, all
but the latest versions of OS/2 failed more often than the legendary

GPFs occurred in Windows 3.0.

OS/2 EE: See OS/2 Extended Edition.

OS/2 ES: See OS/2 Extended Services.

OS/2 Extended Edition: OS/2 Extended Edition – the original full version of OS/2. Provided the
communications interface, multi-tasking, relational database, etc. Note

that OS/2 EE was a real operating system – IBM accepted APARs against it! Replaced by OS/2
Extended Services.

OS/2 Extended Services: Add-on goodies in OS/2 2.0 (launched October 1991 for delivery March
1992). Included enhancements to Communications and Database Managers, and

support for 16- and 32-bit operation. In effect OS/2 with Extended Services was an all new version of
OS/2 EE. Withdrawn August 1996.

OS/2 Image Support: IBM software which captures, manipulates, and prints images using a PS/2 with
the appropriate hardware. Announced May 1989. Support ended December

1992.

OS/2 LAN Server: See LAN Server.

OS/2 Link: A component of z/OS GDDM.

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OS/2 Lite: Stripped down version of OS/2 (Version 1.3) which ran in just 2MB of main memory. Its
exposure to the public by IBM at about the same time as Microsoft

launched Windows 3.0 had more than a touch of petulance about it – indeed Microsoft was so miffed,
it refused to distribute the thing.

OS/2 PM: See Presentation Manager.

OS/2 Version 2.0: The version of OS/2 which appeared in March 1992. It was a complete re-write by
IBM of the original Microsoft OS/2, and offered true multi-tasking

of MS-DOS, PC-DOS, DR-DOS, CP/M, Windows 2 and 3, and 16- and 32-bit applications. It was
chalk and cheese compared to Version 1.3, and is unambiguously designed for

the corporate desktop, cooperative processing, and the like. IBM reckoned that by the end of 1993, it
had shipped four million copies of Versions 2.0 and 2.1, though a

lot of those were given away for free. See also OS/2 Version 2.1.

OS/2 Version 2.1: Version of OS/2 announced in May 1993. Included support for Windows 3.1
applications, new graphics engine, new device drivers, Multimedia

Presentation Manager, and loads of other goodies. See also OS/2 Version 2.2.

OS/2 Version 2.2: Version of OS/2 launched October 1994 as a pre-emptive strike against
Chicago/Windows 95. Available in symmetric multi-processing, server, and

client versions. The client version was a great improvement in terms of resource requirements – it ran
faster than earlier versions but required less memory (it ran on

a 6-8MB system). See also Warp.

OS/2 Warp: See Warp.

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OS/3: At one time a rumored new version of OS/2 from Microsoft which would take advantage of the
80386/486 chip (Microsoft’s OS/2 was designed for the 80286, which,

unfortunately, is not powerful enough to run it properly). In effect OS/3 would have been OS/2
Version 2 with some degree of hardware independence. See also OS/2

Version 2.0.

OS/360: See OS.

OS/390: The replacement for MVS/ESA announced at the end of 1995. It was an attempt to
repackage MVS in a way that allowed IBM to offer attractive pricing at the

lower levels, encourage developers to write applications in a shorter period of time, and generally
improve the image of an operating system that is still largely

identified with big iron and huge IT budgets. It also reduced IBM’s testing costs dramatically because
there was no longer a need to test every combination of

supported releases of what were now components instead of separate system software products. This
approach was first tested with DFSMS three and a half years earlier.

In the longer term, OS/390 shielded MVS behind a layer of middleware that disguised many of the
proprietary functions of MVS and provided users with common services

across all the major IBM platforms. Replaced by z/OS on October 3, 2000, along with the
introduction of eserver, including a complete line of mainframes called zSeries

900. Version 2 Release 10 was the last release of OS/390 and first became available September 29,
2000.

OS/400: The operating system for the iSeries 400, and the AS/400 that it replaced. Basically it’s a
derivative of the System/3x operating system. It provides an

interesting contrast with mainframe operating systems. Although it has improved in recent years, they
have long been a great mass of bolt-ons, add-ons, and disparate

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bits and pieces. OS/400, by contrast, is an integrated whole; indeed the integration is such that charges
of bundling have been raised against IBM.

OS/400 DSNX: OS/400 Distributed Systems Node Executive. See DSNX.

OS/6: Office System 6. IBM’s long-dead first foray into screen-based word processing. Notorious for
its silly little six-line screen offering little more than a thin

window display at vastly more expense. Now of interest only to museum curators, or to those who
take a sadistic delight in seeing how even large corporations can get

it wrong.

OS/VS1: See VS1.

OS/VS: Operating System/Virtual Storage. A group of operating systems that control the obsolete
System/360 and System/370 computing systems. OS/VS includes VS1, VS2,

MVS/370, and MVS/XA.

OS/VS2: See VS2.

OS/VS COBOL: The standard z/OS COBOL compiler for many years. Although VS COBOL II
effectively replaced it, and then, in turn, IBM COBOL, OS/VS COBOL was still

heavily used until Y2K work saw a lot of organizations finally make the change.

OS390ART: Free DB2-based audit software from IBM.

OSA/SF: Open Systems Adapter/Support Facility. Software for customizing and managing the
OSA2, such as changing port parameters, and is required if anything other

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than the default TCP/IP address is desired. Has API and client GUIs for several workstation
platforms.

OSA1: Open Systems Architecture. Once a rumored replacement for SAA.

OSA2: Open Systems Adapter. Processor add-in card announced for the 9021, the Parallel
Transaction Server, and Parallel Database Server in November 1994. Enables

FDDI, TRN, and Ethernet LANs to be directly attached to the mainframe. Includes a channel adapter,
control unit, and LAN adapters. Supports SNA/APPN, TCP/IP, and IPX,

and is described by IBM as being an addition to the IBM family of communications controller
products.

OSA-Express: Network-to-mainframe adapter that can work at full duplex speeds up to 2.66Gbps –
and supports Gigabit Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and 155Mbps ATM2.

OSF: Open Software Foundation. Consortium of vendors (including IBM, DEC, HP) who got
together a version of Unix as an alternative to the official AT&T version. IBM’s

AIX1 is the basis of OSF Unix. It was an attempt to wrest control of Unix away from AT&T,
although in the end AT&T wrested control away from itself by selling Unix

Systems Labs (USL) to Novell. November 1995, the OSF started cozying up to X/Open with the
declared aim of making the two organizations appear as two sister divisions

of a virtual corporation. The Open Group was the result. See also UII, Motif, OSF/1.

OSF/1: The operating system developed and sold by the OSF. IBM has not marketed OSF/1; instead,
it sells AIX1 which is a superset of OSF/1. See also AIX/ESA.

OSI: Open Systems Interconnection. Set of international standard protocols and services for
communications systems; partially overlapping in function but incompatible

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with SNA. Despite IBM’s monotonously regular affirmation of its commitment to OSI, OSI products
have emerged too slowly (from IBM and everybody else), and the

consensus is that OSI as originally conceived is no longer important. The dramatic growth of TCP/IP
has pretty much finished it off.

OSI/CS: OSI Communications Subsystem. Range of products (z/OS, z/VM, OS/400, OS/2) providing
access to OSI. The products provide high-level language APIs (COBOL and

C), data conversion, session layer interface, and network management (via NetView or LSO). It has
been a long time since a new release came out for any of the

platforms, but a few, most notably z/OS, are still available and supported. See also OSI/FS.

OSI/FS: OSI File Services. Mainframe and OS/2 program which provides exchange and management
of files between IBM and non-IBM systems using OSI FTAM protocols. Can

convert z/VM CMS files and z/OS sequential datasets into FTAM document types. Although it has
been a long time since the last release, the z/OS version is still

available and supported. See also OSI/CS.

OSI Layer: A layer within the OSI Reference Model for Open Systems Interconnection. The 7 layers,
their names and functions are: 1 Physical – the physical medium

(wire, fiber optic, etc). 2 Link – moving data reliably along the medium. 3 Network – creating
connections. 4 Transport – ensuring end-to-end data integrity. 5 Session

– session set-up and termination, coordination of interaction between applications. 6 Presentation –

character sets/codes, screen displays. 7 Application – high-level

application or systems functions.

OSI RPI: OSI Remote Programming Interface. VTAM feature enabling z/OS and z/VM systems to
participate in OSI networks. Provides the same communications interface as

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OSI/CS, but saves users having to install OSI/CS on every machine in the network.

OSL: Optimization Subroutine Library. IBM linear programming software, initially for mainframe
and PS/2 machines, callable from C, PL/I, FORTRAN, and APL2 programs.

From April 1993, IBM started selling it for non-IBM environments, including SunOS, Solaris, HP-
UX and Windows NT, and in June 1994 announced a parallel version; see

OSLp for details. All by the mainframe and parallel versions of OSL were replaced by the IBM LP
Solutions announced October 1997 and withdrawn April 2001. Part of the

IBM Optimization Solutions and Library Family of Products. Runs on AIX, HP-UX, SGI IRIX, Sun
Solaris and Windows. Because the mainframe versions were not replaced, OSL

is still available and supported, though there have been no new releases in over a decade. Mainframe
OSL runs on z/OS, z/VM and even AIX/370 and AIX/ESA.

OSLp: IBM Parallel Optimization Subroutine Library. A parallel version of OSL announced June
1994 for eserver pSeries: mathematical subroutines using parallel, rather

than serial, algorithms. Version 1.3 was announced May 1996 and is still available and supported.

OSME: Open Systems Message Exchange. OSI electronic mail application for z/OS and z/VM using
X.400 between OSI environments and IBM mail products (PROFS and DISOSS).

Works directly with VTAM. Replaced by IBM Open Network Distribution Services (ONDS), which
was later withdrawn.

OSN: Office Systems Node.

OSNS: Open Systems Network Support. VTAM application supporting use of the OSI network layer
protocol. Pre-requisite for use of OTSS. Program product for z/OS, z/VM

and VSE/ESA. Withdrawn January 1993.

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OSPF: Open Shortest Path First. Industry standard for routers. Incorporated in the 6611.

OS PL/I: z/OS PL/I compiler, library and interactive test facility. Replaced September 2000 by a
combination of VisualAge PL/I for z/OS and the Language Environment

element of z/OS.

OSS1: Optical Storage Support. AS/Entry software for controlling optical jukeboxes and stand-alone
optical drives.

OSS2: Operations Support Specialist.

OSS3: Open Systems Standards.

OSTA: On-Site Test Allowance. IBMspeak for free trial of equipment. OSTAs are often used by
IBM as a discount scheme to shift difficult to sell hardware (the 9370 was

a particularly notorious example). IBM has also used the expression try it, you’ll like it more or less
synonymously with OSTA. Used within IBM’s BEST marketing

program.

OTC: One Time Charge. An initial license charge. Caused a furor when the concept was introduced,
but people seem to have got used to it now. At the beginning of 1999,

OTC and GOTC options were dropped from any mainframe software product for which a monthly
charge option was available.

OTF: Open Token Foundation. Consortium of vendors of LAN technology which tried to get control
of TRN standards out of IBM’s hands into some kind of public domain.

Not surprisingly, IBM resolutely refused to join the OTF, saying that it was far too busy. Death was
not long in coming.

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OTM: Object Transaction Manager, a hybrid of CORBA and DTPM.

OTMA: IMS1 TCP/IP Open Transaction Manager Access Connection. Replaced by IMS Connect.

OTS: The CORBA Object Transaction Service.

OTSS: Open system Transport and Session Support. Program product for z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA.
Implemented layers 4 and 5 of the OSI model, and provided an access

method interface to the session layer. OSNS was a pre-requisite. Withdrawn January 1993.

Outlook: Microsoft e-mail and PIM software. A component of Microsoft Office. A lite version is
provided for free under the name Outlook Express.

Outside Awareness Port: Humorous IBMspeak for a (glass) window. Coined, no doubt, because
Windows once was a dirty word at IBM.

Outsourcing: The notion of contracting out part or all of your DP function to an outside organization.
Used to be often used synonymously with Facilities management,

although strictly speaking facilities management involves delegating responsibility for the whole
service rather than just part of it. These days, it can refer to

firing the janitor, accepting bids from firms, choosing the lowest bidder, and then blaming the dusty
window sills on the building air conditioning. See also Systems

integration.

OV: See OfficeVision.

Owner: The user or group specified in the owner field of a RACF profile, usually whoever created
the profile.

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P/370: Version of the PC capable of running 370 code and the z/VM CMS1 timesharing system.
Sank without much trace. The concept was resurrected in the 7437 technical

workstation, which went the way of its predecessor. Never one to give up, IBM optimistically
launched the PC Server 500 System/390 in mid 1995.

P/390: See PC Server 500 System/390.

P/DAS: See PPRC Dynamic Address Switching.

P200: IBM color monitor first announced June 1995. Replaced by the P92 August 1998.

P201: IBM color monitor first announced June 1995. Replaced by the P92 August 1998.

P6: The Intel code name for the Pentium Pro when it was in development and for certain architectural
elements within the future Pentium processors.

P70: IBM color monitor first announced June 1995. Replaced August 1998 by the P72.

P72: 6556-03n 43n. IBM color monitor announced April 1998. Replaced December 1999 by the P76.

P76: IBM color monitor announced September 1999.

P92: IBM color monitor announced April 1998 and replaced by the P96 May 2000.

P96: IBM color monitor announced January 2000.

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PAA: Product Attachment Architecture. An architecture for integrating open components – notably
Unix – within SAA.

PABX: Private Automatic Branch eXchange. An in-house (telephone) exchange, usually just for
voice, but increasingly for data too. IBM PABX products included the

1750/3750, Com300, and 8750/97501, but these days, IBM is out of the market.

PacBase: Set of integrated CASE1 products from CGI Informatique. Has its own repository, which
works in mainframe and LAN environments. Includes the PacDesign

requirements analysis and system design tool; the PacBench and Pac/CS generation and maintenance
tools; and the PacRevers reverse engineering tool. Supports a wide

variety of vendor platforms, and can provide a common development tool that can be used to develop
client/server, on-line, and batch applications in multivendor

environments. See VisualAge PacBase.

Pacific: Pre-announcement code name for the System/38.

Pacing: Generic and SNA-specific term for a communications technique in which receiving
equipment controls the rate at which the sending station transmits to ensure

that data is transmitted through a network at a rate (pace) not exceeding the capacity of the receiver to
store or process the data. Adaptive pacing is a facility

available with LU6.2 whereby the system automatically adjusts the rate of flow of data through the
system according to the prevailing conditions.

Packet: The basic transmission unit in packet switching systems. Typically it contains data, together
with control and routing information telling the network where

the data is to be sent. A good analogy is the envelope plus contents in a conventional postal system.

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Packet Capture Library: See libpcap.

Packet major node: A set of minor nodes in VTAM that represent resources and are attached through
an X.25 port.

Packet switching: Generic term for a way of transmitting data through a network. The data is
wrapped up in a packet together with control and routing information

telling the network where the data is to be sent. In a conventional circuit switched system, a
continuous connection is made between sender and recipient; in packet

switched systems, no such connection is needed – the connection need only exist for long enough and
far enough for the packet to get to the next network node which

stores the message, reads the address and forwards the message and address to the next node, and so
on. Because of the way it works, traditional packet-switching is

not very good for voice traffic. For years IBM was somewhat dismissive about packet switching, but
later became fairly enthusiastic. See also Frame Relay, Cell relay,

Fast packet.

PAD: Packet Assembler/Disassembler. Device on the edge of a packet switching network to convert
between packetized and non-packet (e.g., start-stop or BSC)

datastreams. In effect, the PAD collects single characters from the terminal and assembles them into
packets. On delivery the remote PAD or user software reverses the

process.

PADS: Program Access to DataSets. In RACF, defining access to a dataset based on the program
being executed and who is running it.

PAF: See Processor Availability Facility.

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Page: An essential process within virtual storage technology. Fixed sized blocks (typically 4096
bytes) of memory are freed up by writing their contents to a paging

device until any virtual address within that block is referenced. cf. swapping.

Paging: To page.

Paging device: Storage used to store virtual storage pages that cannot currently be accommodated in
real memory. Typically DASD, especially now that DASD controllers

have significant amounts of cache memory, but drums and fixed head disk have been used in the past
to provide the performance required.

PAL: Phase Alternation Line. One of three incompatible analog television display and video tape
recording standards. The other two are NTSC and SECAM. The UK and most

of Western Europe uses PAL, North America and Japan NTSC and France SECAM.

Palladium: A distributed print system developed by MIT’s Project Athena with participation from
IBM, DEC, and HP.

Palm PC: Rumored (mid 1996) IBM PDA with Web browsing capabilities. Eventually materialized
as the WorkPad (8602) in September 1997. Not to be confused with Palm,

Inc., a big player in the PDA market.

PAM: See WebSphere Partner Agreement Manager.

PAN: Personal Area Network. Developed at IBM’s Almaden Research Center, PAN taps into the
human body’s natural electrical conductivity to transmit electronic data.

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People equipped with PAN transmitters can exchange simple data such as business card information
with a handshake. PAN has ramifications for corporate security. When

users equipped with PAN devices walk away from their PCs, the machines could automatically log
them off, then log them on again when they detect the user’s PAN signal:

increasing levels of security without requiring extra steps by users. Yet to come out of the lab.

Panel: IBMspeak for screen layout.

Paradyne: Company bought by AT&T in 1989 which specialized in channel extenders. July 1991,
Paradyne and IBM announced that they were to cooperate on developing

channel extension technology to enable ESCON to work at T3 rates over LANs and WANs. In June
1996 AT&T sold Paradyne for around 75% of what it paid for the company

seven years earlier.

Parallan: Manufacturer of high-end multiprocessor LAN servers. IBM set up a development

agreement with Parallan in 1992, and sold the Parallan machines as

superservers (PS/2 195/295). June 1994, the agreement lapsed.

Parallel ESSL for AIX: See ESSL.

Parallel Optimization Subroutine Library: See OSLp.

Parallel processing: Generic term for systems which have many processors (CPUs) which do loads of
things at once. IBM has lots of laboratory parallel processing

systems (Arbre, Eden, Mach, PPCS, RP3), and some products (Parallel Query Server, Parallel
Transaction Server, Power Visualization System, SP1, SP2, VAST-2). And the

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parallel sysplex began as a way to process as much work with CMOS by using several cheaper CMOS
processors in parallel, rather than one expensive fast bi-polar

processor. Today, bi-polar is dead and CMOS is fast enough, but parallel sysplex is a good idea that
survived. Historically, Amdahl’s first PCMs, in the mid 1970s,

were parallel, using a pipelining technique where up to 10 machine instructions were each in different
stages of execution at any given moment in time. Gene Amdahl

used this approach to give him speed without needing IBM’s R&D budget for the fastest, newest
technology. See also HIPPI, HPCS, HPSS, LCAP, PPCS, Supercomputer,

Virtual coupling.

Parallel Query Server: z/OS DB2 database query system (at one time known as the HPQS – High
Performance Query System), consisting of multiple parallel System/390-

based CMOS microprocessors (the same design as is used in the Parallel Transaction Server) and
query software. Much pre-announced during 1993, and formally launched in

April 1994 as the 9673. Mainly targeted at EIS2 and data mining type operations rather than
production data processing. The PQS was not a great success and was

withdrawn May 1998. See also PPCS.

Parallel sysplex: Architecture cum bundle of products announced April 1994 which allows parallel
transaction processing in an ES/9000 sysplex. Provides resource

sharing, workload balancing and continuous availability. Initially supported up to 32 z/OS systems,
presenting them as a single systems image known as a cluster4.

Major hardware pieces are the Coupling Facility, Sysplex Timer and links to them both. CICS and
IMS TM are just two of the software products that needed changes. More

recent software has been developed with parallel sysplex in mind, including IRD, Coupling Facility
Structure Sizer Tool and the Web-based Parallel Sysplex

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Configuration Assistant that sets up the initial JCL, procedures and parameters for parallel sysplex.
Most parallel sysplexes begin as a single system cluster, with

all the parallel sysplex pieces in place. More recently, the architecture has been expanded into the
Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex (GDPS). See also

CICSplex, ClusterProven.

Parallel Transaction Server: New System/390 architecture pre-announced (in a rather half-hearted
way) October 1993, and formally announced in April 1994 as the 9672.

Comprises multiple CMOS System/390 microprocessors and OS/2 systems connected (within a single
box) via fiber-optic links, sharing a common DASD subsystem, and

presenting a single system image. Frequently accessed data is held in a shared cache with locking
mechanisms to mediate access. Dynamic workload re-balancing occurs

when processors are brought on- or off-line (whether intentionally or because of failure). It’s able to
provide continuous support for CICS, IMS TM, and IMS DB (DB2 is

promised). Extra microprocessors can be added incrementally to give a 40-fold growth capability.
Renamed Parallel Enterprise Server in September 1994 and replaced in

October 2000 by the eserver zSeries 900. See also CICSplex, Coupling, Parallel Query Server,
parallel sysplex.

Parallel Visual Explorer: IBM Parallel Visual Explorer for AIX1. Software (announced December
1994) for the parallel RS/6000s which detects patterns and relationships

in large databases with many variables. Users manipulate polygonal lines representing relationships.
IBM proudly claimed at the launch that it is understood to have no

known competition. Withdrawn March 1998.

PARC: Xerox Palo Alto Research Center.

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Paris: IBM project which uses fast packet switching to support voice, data, and video transmission
across a high-speed network at speeds up to 622Mbps.

Parity: See parity bit.

Parity bit: A binary digit check bit appended to a group of binary digits to make the sum of all the
digits, including the appended binary digit, even or odd,

depending on whether Even or Odd Parity is being used.

Parking lot: IBMspeak for a bureaucratic non-job into which a member of IBM staff has been
shunted. If you get parked after the age of 45, you’ve had it! See also

Cooling house, Cemetery, ROJ.

Parmlib: Parameter Library. A dataset in z/OS containing parameter settings. The most important is
SYS1.PARMLIB which contains parameter settings for z/OS and many

key subsystems.

Parse: The analysis of the operands entered with a command in addition to the creation of a
parameter list for the command processor. It can also refer to the initial

processing of source code by a compiler, when it divides up each program statement into its
component parts, also known as tokens. Hence, the term tokenization.

Parthenon: IBMspeak for the graphic showing the structure of SAA, without which any IBM
presentation between 1987 and 1992 was incomplete. Frankly it bore a much

closer resemblance to the altogether more pagan Stonehenge, except that it wasn’t as well designed,
and didn’t last as long.

Partition1: A set of resources under PR/SM, most commonly referred to as an LPAR.

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Partition2: In DB2, a dataset which makes up part or all of a tablespace or indexspace. Until March
1993, partitions were highly interdependent – if you wanted to do

maintenance work on one partition, all the other partitions of the tablespace were locked out. The
March 1993 announcements changed this, enabling people to work on

lots of partitions at the same time, which improved availability and paved the way for parallel
searching of different partitions within a tablespace.

Partition3: The virtual storage given to a program during execution, i.e., the VSE/ESA equivalent of
a z/OS address space.

Partitioned dataset: See PDS1.

Partitioned environment: A system running multiple LPARs.

PAS1: Primary Address Space. The address space which contains the executable code (and may also
contain data). First used in ESA environments where multiple 2GB

address spaces, the maximum size accessible in 31-bit addressing (see AMODE), are being used in a
single program. Access registers are used to indicate which address

space is being referred to.

PAS2: See Personal Application System.

PASCAL: Programming language, mainly used in academia, though even there it is rarely seen these
days. See also VS Pascal.

PASE: Portable Application Solutions Environment. A Unix runtime within OS/400. A broad set of
AIX1 interfaces that lets many pieces of AIX software run without

modification.

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PASF: PROFS Applications Support Feature.

PASO: Pre-Applied Service Offering. A software release that already has the PUTs applied. See also
PUT2.

Passthrough: A term often used to describe a terminal’s ability to pass through its local host to gain
access to a remote one. See also VM Passthrough.

PassTicket: A dynamically generated, random, one-time-use, password substitute, used in RACF, that
a workstation or other client can use to sign on to the host rather

than sending a RACF password across the network.

Password: A string of characters, intended to be kept secret, that a user enters with his user ID to
confirm his/her identity.

Password cracker: Software used by hackers to rapidly and repeatedly retry a logon sequence by
cycling through possible passwords.

Password substitution: The use of an encrypted form of a user’s password in a session-activation

request in APPC. See also encryption.

Password synchronization: An option during RACF peer user ID association that automatically
changes the password on one ID when the other is changed.

Patch: A code modification, to correct a reported problem, that is sent to software product users after
the release of a product.

Patriot Partners: Joint venture set up September 1990 by IBM and Metaphor to develop an
application development environment across OS/2 and AIX systems. Merged into

Taligent shortly after.

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PAV: Parallel Access Volumes.

pax: AIX archiving utility.

Payment: IBM Payment. A family of products, end-to-end suite in IBM’s words, that implements the
SET protocol. See also Payment Gateway, Payment Registry.

Payment Gateway: Member of the IBM Payment family which implements the SET protocol.
Payment Gateway provides an intelligent router function for SET transactions and

transactions received over the SSL communications link. It is used as a place to tailor messages as
they are being routed so that the receiving transaction system does

not require changes. There are z/OS and AIX1 versions.

Payment Registry: Member of the IBM Payment family which implements the SET protocol.
Payment Registry for AIX1 manages and stores certificates.

Payment Suite: See Payment.

Pb1: See Petabit.

PB2: See PetaByte.

Pbit: See Petabit.

PBX: See PABX.

Pbyte: See PetaByte.

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PC: Personal Computer. IBM’s family of microcomputers. The announcement of the PS/2 in April
1987 appeared at the time to have relegated the PC to obsolescence. The

name re-emerged in October 1994 when IBM rationalized its PC nomenclature. See also PC Server.

PC/3270: Personal Communications/3270. Not be confused with the 3270 PC, PC/3270 is a PC-
DOS, Windows, and OS/2 Communications Manager program (first announced May

1989 with the OfficeVision products). Provides multiple 3270 sessions, emulator HLLAPI, ability to
connect to multiple mainframes as a 3270 terminal or workstation

printer, and to act as a generic LAN gateway. Includes support for IPX/SPX, TCP/IP, and remote
async connection. Replaces the IBM 3270 Emulator Program. 32-bit

implementations announced February 1995. After a long string of replacements and renamings, its
current replacement is IBM Host Access Client Package for

Multiplatform.

PC/370: See P/370.

PC/AT: Model of the PC, announced in September 1984 which used the Intel 80286 processor. The
bus on the PC/AT was the most advanced of the buses on the original PCs,

and is the basis of the ISA and EISA standards. Obsolete.

PC/VM Bond: Two programs (PC Bond and VM Bond) which, together, enable a z/VM host to act as
a PC file server. Withdrawn December 1997.

PC/XT: Obsolete PC.

PC 3270 Emulation Program: Replaced by Personal Communications March 1996.

PC5250: The 5250 emulation component of Client Access.

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PCB: IMS1 Pool Control Block.

PC Cluster: Long-gone cheap and cheerful local area network (LAN) for PCs based on standard coax
in a bus topology.

PC-DOS: Operating system for the IBM PC. A specific (IBM proprietary) implementation of MS-
DOS. Essentially it is MS-DOS’s BDOS with an IBM extended BIOS. To all

intents and purposes, MS- and PC-DOS were identical, until late 1992 when IBM bundled data
compression and memory management features into Version 5.0, making the two

DOSs different. PC DOS 2000 is still available, although support ended January 2001. It is PC-DOS
Version 7 with Year 2000 support. See also DR-DOS.

PCDU: Power and Coolant Distribution Unit.

PCF: Primary Control Field.

PCH: Pre-Compiled Header. z/OS C/C++ compilers no longer support the GENPCH and USEPCH
compiler options for Pre-Compiled Header files.

PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect. Extremely popular PC bus standard originally promoted by
Intel and soon supported by IBM, even though it meant dropping its

beloved MCA. So far, the only defections have been video cards, which have switched to AGP. PCI is
certainly not restricted to PCs. Witness the PCICC in the eserver

zSeries 900.

PCICC: See PCI Cryptographic Coprocessor.

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PCI Cryptographic Coprocessor: Encryption hardware that is an optional feature of the eserver
zSeries 900. See 4758. See also CMOS Cryptographic Coprocessor.

PC Institute: Part of IBM Learning Services.

PCjr: Personal Computer Junior. The obsolete 4863 – IBM’s first and ill-fated attempt to produce a
personal computer for the home market in the mid 1980s. Never got

out of North America.

PCL: HP’s Printer Control Language.

PCL5: Lexmark’s Printer Control Language.

PC LAN Program: IBM PC LAN server system (PCLP) based on Microsoft’s first network product,
MS-Net (1983). Never a great success – it was memory hungry, slow,

difficult to administer, etc. In a greatly enhanced form, PCLP became OS/2 LAN Manager2.

PCLK: A workstation component of z/OS GDDM.

PCLP: See PC LAN Program.

PCM: Plug Compatible Manufacturer. A manufacturer who makes hardware that can just plug into an
IBM configuration. PCMs make mainframe processors, DASD, tapes,

printers, terminals, FEPs, PCs and just about all other equipment that you might find in an IBM
network. Typically the PCMs sell on price/performance. Some sell

technical innovation too (e.g., smaller form-factor DASD, operating system add-ons, etc), but the
need to maintain compatibility severely constrains them in this area.

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PCMs have included Amdahl, Andor, Commercial Data Servers, Comparex, Fujitsu, HDS, Hitachi,
Memorex Telex, Storage Technology Corp, Nixdorf, and Elbit. IBM uses the

term SCV synonymously with PCM. See also VM/MPI for an interesting twist to the PCM tale.

PCMCIA: Personal Computer Memory Card International Association. Industry-standard interface

(not just for memory, but for modems, network interfaces, etc) for laptop

and notebook computers, including the popular IBM ThinkPad. PCMCIA cards sell at a large
premium compared to their desktop, typically PCI, equivalent.

PCM lag: The length of time it takes the mainframe PCM suppliers to implement new IBM features
on their machines. On average it’s about a year – more for difficult

features, but rarely more than 18 months.

PCNE1: Protocol Converter for Non-SNA (sometimes Native) Equipment. FEP feature within NPSI
supporting foreign access to SNA host applications.

PCNE2: PC Node Executive. 3270 Emulation package. Replaced by PCNM.

PC Network: Defunct low cost local area network (LAN) for PCs which used a single CSMA/CD
channel over standard broadband CATV cable. The technology was not IBM-

originated but based on Sytek products. Obsoleted by the TRN. Its protocols live on in the SMB
standard.

PC Network Bridge Program: Similar to Token Ring Bridge Program, but runs only on MCA PS/2s,
and connects PC Network segments to each other or to a TRN. Obsolete.

PCNM: PC Node Manager. A 3270 emulation package. Announced September 1989, withdrawn
April 1995.

PCNP: PC Network Program. Software in networked PCs for supporting TRN. Obsolete

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PCO: PCO, Inc. Formerly a company belonging to Corning Glass, which owned lots of high tech
patents in the opto-electronic field. IBM bought 25% of PCO in January

1989 with the aim of building a new IBM LAN based on the FDDI standard.

PCradio: Ruggedized, A4-size, lightweight PC-DOS PC with options for communicating over
cellular networks. Announced August 1991 on a special bid basis, and became a

product-line product mid 1992. It didn’t seem to strike a chord in the marketplace, it was withdrawn
August 1993, and by April 1994 all rights had been sold to the

Aspen Marine Group in Florida.

PC RT: A common misnomer for the RT PC (6150) which IBM chose to name in a way quite
inconsistent with the way it named its other PCs. Maybe that’s why so few people

bought it. Finally withdrawn May 1991.

PCS: Patient Care System. Family of IBM software for medical systems which run in CICS
environments. Withdrawn August 1990.

PC Server: Family of high-power Intel-based machines for sale to the mid-range server market.
Included the 8638, 8639, 8640, 8641, 8642 and 8650. Replaced by the

eserver xSeries October 3, 2000.

PC Server 500 System/390: PC – aka P/390 – announced mid 1995 which, with the aid of an extra
card, can run a full System/390 system. March 1996, the thing acquired a

raft of 390 features, including support for ECKD, 3390, triple density 3380, 9345, and 3350/3330;
enhanced SDLC1 and bisync communications for z/VM and VSE/ESA; 3172

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SDLC1 Gateway for z/OS; multiple SCSI tape; performance enhancements relating to the execution
of decimal instructions; support of I/O assist in z/VM; and some

shortened I/O ESA path lengths. Withdrawn with effect from August 1996 with a promise of a
replacement sold through business partners. Still software supported with

z/VM listing it in its October 2000 announcement. See also R/390, P/370, NUMA-Q.

PC Support: Package of software on PCs (OS/2, PC-DOS, and Windows) and mid-range machines,
enabling PCs to communicate with a System/3x or AS/400. A well-regarded

package in terms of facilities and functionality. Includes support for APPN, NetWare, AFPDS, and
IPDS. Replaced by Client Access/400 mid 1995.

PC SystemView: See Netfinity.

PC SystemView Manager: See Netfinity.

PCTE: Portable Common Tools Environment. An ECMA standard (interface specifications) for
CASE1 environments. Popular when it first came out in both Unix and AIX1

products, and ECMA has continued to make improvements to it over the years.

PCTF: PC Transfer Facility. An obsolete PRPQ2 that enabled data transfer from a PC to System/36
or System/38 using a relatively user-friendly language (somewhat SQL-

like).

PDA: Personal Digital Assistant. Generic term for hand-held devices that range from electronic
organizers to a PC stand-in, some also serving as cell phones. Matured

around the turn of the century, after spending the 1990s as an even more expensive, and even less
useful, electronic version of the grotesquely overpriced and

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functionally challenged personal organizers without which no yuppie (or IBM salesman) was
complete in the 1980s. Vendors include Palm, IBM, Kyocera, Handspring, Sony,

Compaq, Casio, HP and Xircom. IBM’s major offering is the Palm-compatible WorkPad family
(8602), though the ThinkPad 240 (2609) proved small enough to replace the

WorkPad z50 (2608). See also Simon.

PDF1: Program Development Facility. Re-packaging of the old Structured Programming Facility
(SPF) which now runs under the ISPF Dialog Manager. See ISPF/PDF.

PDF2: Portable Document Format. File definition format used by Acrobat in its Adobe electronic
paper product. Based on Adobe’s PostScript language.

PDH: Plesiosynchronous Digital Hierarchy. Carrier (PTT) network which provides a quick fix way of
marrying ATM2/fiber technology to existing lines. cf. SDH.

PDL: Page Description Language. Generic name for languages used to describe page layout.
Roughly, the process is that the word processor or other software produces a

stream of PDL, which it sends to a smart printer, which then processes the PDL statements to create
the specific commands to drive the print engine. IBM uses

PostScript and IPDS as PDLs.

PDM: Programming Development Manager. List-driven application development environment for

the iSeries 400. Other application development tools are called from PDM

which maintains libraries and navigates through other application development components (SEU,
SDA, DFU). It appears to be a re-birth of the System/36 POP1 (Programmer

and Operator Productivity) PRPQ2 tool, which IBM never liked very much. Now part of ADTS.

PDN: Public Data Network.

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PDO: Product Delivery Offering.

PDS1: Partitioned DataSet. A z/OS dataset1 that is really datasets within a dataset. Each PDS is made
up of zero or more members. Each member has all the

characteristics of a standard sequential dataset, though all members share the same attributes: those
that were defined for the PDS when it was allocated. Each member

has a one to eight character name that follows the same rules as a level of a standard z/OS dataset
name (DSN). Each PDS has a directory of its members, which can also

(optionally) contain other information, known as Statistics, which are maintained by software such as
the ISPF/PDF editor. Last modification date is an example of a

Statistic maintained for each member. Members can be added, deleted or replaced at will, but space is
not automatically recovered. The result of repeated changes to a

single member can result in a very large PDS or even failure if the PDS cannot expand any more.
Individual members can be treated as sequential datasets, but the BPAM

access method is available for direct processing of the PDS and its directory. See also PDSE.

PDS2: Personal Decision Series. Obsolete set of tools for the PC-DOS environment. Includes a
database, application generator, and spreadsheet.

PDS3: Personal Printer DataStream.

PDS4: Personal Dictation System.

PDSE: Partitioned DataSet Extended. Despite being introduced October 3, 1989, in an attempt to
address the limitations of the PDS1, the vast majority of the world’s

PDS are still PDS, not PDSE. PDSE recovers space whenever a member is deleted or
replaced/updated, but it cannot contain load modules and must be located on an DFSMS-

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managed volume. 11 years later, Tivoli Data Exchange seems curiously out of touch by supporting
PDSE and not PDS.

PE: Parallel Environment products.

Peak cell rate: The maximum rate at which an ATM2 system can transmit cells into the network.

Peer system: Any system in a RACF data sharing group to which RACF commands are propagated.

Peer-to-peer: A form of distributed system in which all participating nodes can function as both client
and server. Loosely, refers to systems like SETIathome, in

which PCs act as servers and a large Unix machine is the client.

Peer to Peer Remote Copy: See Remote Copy.

Peer user ID association: Definition of a relationship between two user IDs that allows either ID to
run RACF commands under the authority of the other.

Pegasus1: Symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) version of the RS/6000 announced October 1994.
Pegasus was a joint development with Bull. Obsolete.

Pegasus2: Microsoft’s stripped-down version of Windows 95 for PDAs. Obsolete.

PEL: IBM term for what everybody else in the computer industry calls a pixel, and everybody
outside the computer industry calls a dot.

Penalty Box: A non-job into which an IBMer has been maneuvered. Similar in nature to the Parking
Lot in that there is the possibility to move out after good behavior.

See also Cemetery, Cooling house, ROJ.

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PenDOS: Extension to PC-DOS which let users access programs and operating system functions
using a pen instead of a mouse or keyboard. Included handwriting

recognition, soft keyboard data entry, and mouse emulation. Announced May 1994. Withdrawn
December 1997, but support ended in June 1995. See also Pen for OS/2.

Pen for OS/2: Extension to OS/2 Version 2.1 which let users access programs and operating system
functions using a pen instead of a mouse or keyboard. Included

handwriting recognition and soft keyboard data entry. Announced May 1994. Withdrawn December
1997, but support ended in June 1995. See also PenDOS.

Penguin: IBMspeak for the old-fashioned field support engineer who always used to wear a dark suit
and white shirt, and to carry such a heavy toolkit that he waddled.

Pennant: Company formed during IBM’s massive December 1991 re-organization to handle the high-
end printer market – hardware and software. Like other subsidiary

companies, Lou Gerstner brought Pennant back into IBM shortly after his arrival. See also Lexmark.

PenPoint: System from Go Corp which provided a pen-based operating environment. IBM licensed
the PenPoint technology in 1990, which it favored over Microsoft’s rival

Pen Windows environment.

Pentium: Intel’s successor chip to the 486. Until release, it had been referred to as the 586, and the
Pent in the name reflects that fact. Pent is from the Greek for

Five and is used in words like pentagon in English. Pentium chips started dribbling out onto the
market in May 1993, followed by bulk shipments in the second half of

1993. IBM gave up its right to manufacture Pentiums in February 1994, pinning all its hopes on the
PowerPC, although it provided a wide range of Pentium-based

commercial and SoHo machines using the thing. Replaced by the Pentium II and Pentium Pro.

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Pentium 4: The Intel replacement for the Pentium III, and a retirement of Roman numerals in the
product name. Introduced in 2000 with 1.3-1.8GHz processors and a

system bus that is three times faster: 400MHz compared to 133MHz for the fastest Pentium III. Uses
0.18 micron circuit lines with 42 million transistors on the chip.

Pentium II: Intel’s successor to the original Pentium. Introduced in 1997, it incorporated MMX
technology and dual bus architecture, with one bus linked to the L2

cache and the other dedicated to the main memory. This allowed the processor to access data
simultaneously or in parallel rather than in a single sequential manner.

The Pentium II is actually a version of the earlier Pentium Pro, with support added for 16-bit
applications; the Pentium Pro was designed for Windows NT, which only

supports 32-bit applications. All this required 7.5 million transistors on the chip. Replaced by the
Pentium III.

Pentium III: Intel processor using 0.25 micron technology. The replacement for the Pentium II also
had a low end version called the Celeron. Introduced in 1999 with

9.5 million transistors and 70 new machine instructions. Dropping the Roman numerals, the Pentium
4 replaced the III in 2001, most notably with a system bus that was

three times faster. At the same time, 133MHz memory, the fastest system bus speed offered on
Pentium III, suddenly dropped dramatically in price.

Pentium Pro: An Intel 32-bit processor designed for Windows NT (NT cannot run 16-bit
applications). Introduced in late 1995, the chip contained 5.5 million

transistors. See also Pentium, Pentium II, Pentium III.

PEP: Partitioned Emulation Program. Software resident in the FEP supporting co-existence of EP and
NCP operations in a single processor, thereby enabling a

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communication controller to operate some lines in network control mode, while simultaneously
operating others in emulation mode. Useful in a mixed host environment

where SNA and non-SNA access methods are in use at the same time.

Performance Reporter: IBM Performance Reporter for MVS, TME 10 Performance Reporter for
OS/390, and Tivoli Performance Reporter for OS/390. All names at one time or

another for what is now Tivoli Decision Support for z/OS.

Perimeter-based security: A term borrowed from physical security, defining a network security
method of controlling access to all entry and exit points of the

network.

PERL: Practical Extraction and Reporting Language. A general purpose Unix scripting language
which is popular for writing CGI programs. Its speed and flexibility make

it well suited for form processing and on-the-fly page creation.

Permission bits: Part of z/OS Unix System Services security controls for directories and files stored
in the HFS.

Persistence: Emulation of an end-to-end connection over IP1, as in an SNA session, to ensure

client/server integrity and security in Web-to-host access scenarios (in

particular, browser-to-host schemes) given that HTTP per se is a connectionless protocol.

Persistent verification: A VTAM sign-on/sign-off capability between two LUs that transmits a
password only once, during sign-on, rather than on each attach.

Particularly useful in CICS cooperative processing applications.

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Personal Application System: PS/2 version of the mainframe AS1 system announced October 1988,
and also known as Personal Application System/2, PAS, AS/2, SAA Personal

Application System/2, Personal AS, Personal AS for Windows, or IBM Personal Application
System/DOS for Windows. Bearing in mind mainframe AS’s capacity for bringing

3090s to their knees, Personal AS had to be approached with caution. Withdrawn May 1998.

Personal AS: See Personal Application System.

Personal Communications: A family of IBM software that emulates 3270 and 5250 terminals, and
that runs on several operating systems, such as OS/2, PC-DOS, and

Windows. Replaced by Host Access Client Package September 2000. See PC/3270.

Personal Dictation System: Speech recognition software (November 1993) for OS/2 – the flower of
two decades’ continuous research funding by IBM. Claimed to have a

95%-98% accuracy rate at over 70 words per minute. Appears to be based on the RS/6000 Speech
Server Series. Withdrawn November 1994.

Personal Security Card: IBM card used in conjunction with the badge reader in a 4754 Security
Interface Unit.

Personal Services: Obsolete family of IBM software products on the PC, System/3x, and mainframe
(including DPPX/370) providing e-mail and diary (calendar in some

cases). All Personal Services products were obsoleted by, or subsumed within, OfficeVision.

Personal Shopping Assistant: IBM intelligent agent technology which incorporates Intelligent Miner
to facilitate shopping and purchasing over the Internet.

Personal System/2: IBM’s PS/2 family (85xx) of personal computers announced April 1987. The
name PS/2 disappeared in October 1994, in what IBM called a

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rationalization of its PC product branding.

Personal Typing System: A pair of hardware/software combinations that essentially turned a PS/2
model 30 with a correcting printer into a typewriter. Surely even IBM

couldn’t sell it! Announced September 1989. See also 6900.

Person to Person: Person to Person/2, later renamed Person to Person for OS/2 and Windows.
Multimedia groupware software for the PS/2 (announced October 1991) which

enables users connected across a LAN to see exactly the same screens – WYSIWIS (What You See Is
What I See), in the words of the IBM announcement. Withdrawn November

1996.

Petabit: 1,125,899,906,842,624 bits, or 1024Tb1. Abbreviated as Pb.

Petabyte: 1024 terabytes (TB) – 2 to the fiftieth power, or 1,125,899,906,842,624 bytes. Abbreviated
as PB.

PetroConnect: IBM initiative to introduce secure, electronic commerce and information clearing
houses across the Internet for the petroleum industry. Announced

November 1996 and shut down soon after. See also Energy Network Exchange, Insure-commerce.

PFA: Predictive Failure Analysis. A feature of many of the eserver xSeries.

PF key: Program Function key. One of those irritating keys on the keyboard of your favorite
workstation whose function varies according to the software you’re using –

on System A, PF1 means Save, while on System B, PF1 means Quit. Help came in the shape of
SAA’s CUA1 which banished such things forever. Then came PCs and now the

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confusion is between the use of the F keys in your favorite PC software and what the corresponding
PF key means in a host environment. But, if you want to be truly

confused, check out DEC VAXs. They have both F keys and PF keys, each with a different meaning.

PGA: A rarely used screen standard for IBM PCs.

PGF: See GDDM-PGF.

PGP: Pretty Good Privacy. Encryption technology which uses the public key approach. Messages are
encrypted using a public key, but can only be decoded using a private

key kept by the intended recipient of the message. See also RSA.

PHIGS: Programmers’ Hierarchical Interactive Graphics System. ANSI standard for developing
graphics applications. Supported in CATIA and in AIX1: see graPHIGS.

Phoenix: IBM code name for a 128-node RS/6000.

PhoneMail: Ancient speech distribution system, originated by Rolm. When it bought Rolm, IBM
liberalized PhoneMail (previously it had been available only with Rolm

PABXs) and created links to PROFS and to VTMS. Despite the sale of Rolm years before, IBM did
not withdraw PhoneMail until December 1997.

Physical security: Protection of equipment, real estate, hard copy records and other physical assets
from theft, damage or intrusion.

PICK: Hardware-independent minicomputer operating system for commercial work. Was

implemented on 9370 hardware (but not by IBM). Also available, with IBM’s blessing,

on the RS/6000 (and previously on the RT PC).

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Picosecond: 1/1,000,000,000,000 of a second. A time span during which even IBM would not be able
to put up prices.

PID: Program IDentification.

PIM: Personal Information Management. Personal productivity software such as Sidekick or IBM’s
Current. Not really a separate type of product, just another bit of

marketbabble used by vendors to pretend that their product is a different kind of beast from all the
other similar products on the market.

PIN: Personal Identification Number, normally numeric and usually four digits, such as the password
required when using a magnetic striped card in a banking machine.

PING: Packet INternet Groper. A test of reachability in TCP/IP networks. A PING is a program used
to test the ability to reach destinations by sending the

destinations in question an echo request and waiting for a reply.

Pink: An Apple operating system (a follow-on to the Macintosh) which Apple was working on when
it set up the Taligent joint venture with IBM. It’s probably not

unreasonable to assume that the original Pink became part of TalOS.

PIOAM: Parallel Input-Output Access Method. See File striping, SCSE.

PIOCS: Physical Input/Output Control System. The IOCS component which actually performs the
I/O operation in VSE/ESA.

PIP: Phased Investment Promotion. IBM sales scheme introduced late 1990 in which you pay a large
chunk (typically 60%) of the price of a new box when it’s delivered,

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and then the rest 18 months or so later. It’s mainly being used to cushion the blow when a user is
forced to make a larger upgrade than he really wants because of the

big steps in some upgrade paths. Obsolete.

Pipe: Memory-sharing mechanism within OS/2. Data held within a pipe (an area of real memory) can
be read as a file by many applications. Also used generically to

refer to any communications channel. See also Named Pipes.

PIRP: Post-Installation Return Period.

Pixel: Picture element. See PEL.

PKCS: See Public Key Cryptography Standards.

PKI: See public key infrastructure.

PKISERV: Free sample Web application from IBM that uses RACF digital certificate support to
create and retrieve certificates from a Web browser.

PKIX: See Public Key Infrastructure for X.509.

PL/AS: IBM PL/I-like system programming language sometimes used in lieu of Assembler for IBM
internal development of z/VM code and within other IBM mainframe system

software products. Replacement for PL/S. The PL/AS compiler generates Assembler code, not final
object code. Not available to Joe Public. Replaced by PL/X.

PL/I: Programming Language/One. Also written with an Arabic one: PL/1. Developed along with
IBM's System/360, PL/I was intended to fill many of the same roles then

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served by COBOL, FORTRAN, and ALGOL, as well as much of the system control provided by
Assembler. IBM currently offers VisualAge PL/I for z/OS, VisualAge PL/I

Enterprise for OS/2 and Windows, IBM PL/I for z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA, IBM PL/I Set for AIX
and IBM PL/I Personal for OS/2 and Windows. See also AS/400 PL/I, OS PL/I.

PL/S: Programming Language for Systems. Language used internally by IBM for developing z/VM
and other mainframe systems software. Superseded by PL/AS.

PL/X: A PL/I-like programming language used internally at IBM for parts of mainframe operating
systems and other systems software, including CICS. The successor to

PL/AS.

Plain text: Data that is not encrypted. Typically refers to data while it is being transmitted across a
network.

Plan: The basic information extracted with the bind processor from SQL statements embedded in the
user’s application, and used to determine the access strategy to a

relational database. The plan is stored in the database and linked with its corresponding program. Plan
is also known as application plan or access plan.

Planar: IBMspeak for the main circuit board of a device – what everybody else in the electronics
business calls the motherboard.

Planet: Code name for IBM project to produce a 47-bit operating system – possibly for the Summit.
Also used as a synonym for Summit.

PlantWorks: Application development software to enable production engineers to create customized

application programs to monitor and control production environments.

Joint development by IBM and Measurex. Withdrawn June 2000.

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PLC: Primary License Charge.

Plex: Abbreviation for Sysplex.

PLITEST: PL/I test tool that was an optional feature of the obsolete OS PL/I compiler and library.
Initially replaced by INSPECT, but now replaced by the Debug Tool

in the Full-Function Feature of the IBM PL/I for z/OS and z/VM compiler.

PLM: Product Lifecycle Management. See also ENOVIA.

Plug-in: A program that, when installed, adds function to another program. The term was popularized
by Web browsers, for which hundreds of plug-ins are available for

free on the Internet, usually automatically installed after prompting the user. For example, a plug-in is
required to run Windows Media from within Netscape.

Plug N Go: An all-time low in IBMspeak. Plug‘N’Go is a bundled version of the low end AS/400
introduced August 1991 in the USA, but not until January 1992 in the UK,

presumably to allow Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, n other lovers of the English language to stop
turning in their graves. By May 1993 there were 50 Plug‘N’Go solutions

available, but rapidly withdrawn or renamed soon after. Not to be confused with portable PCs, which
are Lug‘N’Go.

PM: See Presentation Manager.

PM/400e: Performance Management/400. A graphical, personalized tool shipped with every eserver
iSeries 400. Delivers reports about system performance, and flags

potential resource constraints.

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PMA: Preferred Machine Assist. A hardware (see firmware) feature that improves the performance of
VSE/ESA and z/OS when running under z/VM. Enables a guest VSE/ESA or

z/OS operating system to execute almost all its own privileged instructions rather than have them
executed via z/VM. Superseded by PR/SM.

PMB/MVS: IBM Problem Management Bridge/MVS. OS/2 product which automatically takes error
and problem reports out of an Info/Man database and transmits details to IBM

or a vendor. Withdrawn May 1996.

PMF: Print Management Facility. z/OS TSO and z/VM CMS1 interactive print utility for creating
page, form, and font definitions, particularly for 3800/3900 printers.

Withdrawn December 1997 for z/VM, but still available for z/OS.

PMI: Performance Monitor Interface. A VTAM interface that collects information about VTAM’s
performance and resource utilization, which can be used for problem

diagnosis and tuning.

PMO/2: Presentation Manager Office/2. OS/2 EE software (announced October 1991) which
integrated a number of OfficeVision functions – mail, host connection, host file

handling, and address book – in a WIMPS environment. Required Presentation Manager Office
Support software in the z/OS or z/VM host. Support ended March 1994.

PMPS: Problem Management Productivity Services. Based on each customer’s needs, IBM would
customize an OS/2 LAN-based help desk system for service call processing.

Announced October 1991 and then quietly disappeared.

PNA: Programmable Network Access. IBM software, with optional toolkit, used with OS/2 to
enhance communications between SNA and non-SNA systems. Makes use of the

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MicroChannel, and is a quite well thought-out product which IBM’s System Integration Division
would customize for you. Support ended April 1993, but not withdrawn

until December 1997.

PNCP: Peripheral Node Control Point. A distributed control node (similar in function to the SSCP) in
an SNA Type 2.1 network. A PNCP can have a session with another

PNCP without intervention from an SSCP.

PNS: Publication Notification System. A method, from IBM’s web site, to create a profile of
interests, then be notified by e-mail when a publication of interest has

been published or revised. Part of the IBM Publications Center.

POD: See Processor on Demand.

PoE: See Proof of Entitlement.

POF: Programmed Operator Facility. Obsolete 8100/DPPX program product providing reactions to
system-generated and timer-driven messages. Events (e.g., error

conditions, exceptions, etc) can be handled centrally on the mainframe.

POI: Program Operator Interface. A function in VTAM that allows programs to perform VTAM
operator functions.

Point: Usually used in the context of Point tools, which are tools supporting just one single point
within a complex process, rather than forming part of an

integrated solution. Most commonly used by IBM in a derogatory way to refer to tools which support
just one part of the software development life-cycle, as opposed to

AD/Cycle which would have supported the whole life-cycle if it had worked.

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Pointing device: IBMspeak for a mouse, light-pen, or any such thing that can be used to point at
things on a screen.

Point tool: See Point.

Point tools: See Point.

Point to point: A data transmission between two locations which does not use an intermediate
terminal or computer.

Point to Point Control: See PPP2.

Point to Point Protocol: See PPP2.

Pokie: IBMspeak for Poughkeepsie (which is a pretty silly name in its own right, or at least it sounds
rather funny when you say it properly) – the lab where the

mainframe division lives.

Pokieland: The Poughkeepsie area in IBMspeak.

Policy: A set of rules, often with enforcement methods, intended to implement an organization’s
decisions in a given area, such as security policy.

Polling: Generic name for a method for controlling devices (e.g., networked workstations or
terminals), in which a computer calls (polls) each device in turn to see

whether it wants to communicate. Contrast polling with techniques such as CSMA/CD, in which the
device tells the computer when it is ready to send rather than waiting

to be asked. Note that most network management software works by polling connected terminals.

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POMS: Process Operations Management System. Project to build a distributed CIM1 system for
OS/2 EE in which IBM participated with some customers and a company called

Incode. POMS provided a way of tying together AS/400s, mainframes, and non-IBM machines for
CIM applications. October 1990, IBM acquired exclusive marketing rights to

POMS, and in July 1991, bought a share in Incode. IBM quit marketing POMS in October 1996, but it
is still available from Incode, which changed its name to POMS, then

was acquired by Honeywell in 1999, and now operates as Honeywell POMS.

Pooling: Technique for managing DASD (also known as volume or storage pooling). Pooling
consists of categorizing data by factors such as performance, recovery, and

application requirements, and allocating data to pools of DASD volumes according to that
classification. Data types for pooling might be database, interactive

temporary data, large and multi-volume datasets, and system data. Pooling is normally, and
preferably, associated with a data naming convention. DFSMS formalizes this

concept, refines the degree of resolution to dataset rather than volume level, and automates the
process.

POP1: Programmer and Operator Productivity. System/36 PRPQ2, which IBM never liked very
much but the users did. Re-born in the AS/400 as PDM.

POP2: Principles of Operation. The name of the manual that defined the 360 and subsequently the
370 architecture. POP defines the interface to which all PCM vendors

must work. Most notably, for Assembler programmers, it contains detailed descriptions of each
machine instruction at their disposal. IBM has published POP manuals for

some of their non-mainframe systems, as well.

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POPS: Performance Oriented Protocol Stack. Generic networking term used to describe high-speed
bridges and routers.

Port: Generic noun and/or verb. As a noun, it means a point at which data can enter or leave a data
network or individual device; as a verb it means to convert a

piece of software written for one environment so that it runs in another.

Portable: General term for a computer system that can be practically carried by one person.

Portal: An entry point (implemented as a Home page) for accessing Web-based information in an
organized manner, typically in a hierarchical menu-like set of hypertext

links. America Online (AOL), Yahoo and the Open Directory Project (dmoz) are examples of Internet
portals. Search engines are not.

POS1: Point-of-Sale. Point at which a retail sale is consummated. IBM sells POS systems and
terminals. In May 1993, IBM handed over US support of POS to Kodak. See

also 468x, 469x, ADCS, Onekay, UPC.

POS2: Programmable Option Select. System for automatically identifying the type of adapter
installed on a MicroChannel machine.

POSIT: A field of bit flags specifying RACF processing options for each class in the CDT.

POSIX: Portable Operating System Interface Standard. Operating system interface standard from the
IEEE designed as a procurement reference standard for ensuring

source-level application code portability. Part of the basis of the OSF and X/Open standards.
Essentially a definition of what is Unix and what is not. AIX1 became

POSIX-conformant as from Version 3, according to IBM, and POSIX conformance has been
announced for OS/400, eserver pSeries, z/OS (Unix System Services), and z/VM

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(OpenExtension Shell and Utilities).

POST: Power-On Self Test.

Postmaster: A daemon found in Tivoli NetView that directs network management information
between multiple application programs and agents running concurrently.

PostScript: Language/protocol cum page description language (see PDL) developed by Adobe
Systems for driving high-resolution page printers. A de facto standard which

IBM uses in many of its products. IBM’s nearest home-grown equivalent is AFP/IPDS. Infoprint
Server Transforms have replaced the PostScript interpreter previously

available for z/OS which also output PostScript documents to AFP printers, but was clumsy and
needed user intervention. See also LexRes.

Poughkeepsie: The location, in New York state, where IBM does much of its mainframe research and
development. Often referred to as Pokie or Pokieland.

POWER1: Priority Output Writers, Execution processors, and input Readers. VSE/ESA spooler
released in 1968 and still going strong.

POWER2: The third generation RISC technology (successor to RIOS) used in the PowerPC.

POWER2: Performance Optimization With Enhanced RISC. The IBM-invented architecture and chip
introduced in the RS/6000 processor and carried forth into the eserver

pSeries. Despite the exceptionally silly acronym, it’s all clever stuff with three independent functional
units enabling it to perform 4-5 instructions per machine

cycle.

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POWERbench: AIX1 application development workstation environment available in C/C++,

COBOL, and FORTRAN incarnations. The C/C++ version was withdrawn in July 1994;

the others followed in January 1997. Replacement products were XL FORTRAN for AIX, C Set++
for AIX and COBOL Set for AIX.

PowerBrowser: Oracle’s unsuccessful attempt to become a player in the Web browser market.

Powerdisplay: RS/6000 display (monitor) first announced May 1993 for very high quality (e.g.,
CAD) applications. Used with Powerstation.

POWERgraphics: RISC System/6000 7235 POWERgraphics GTO supergraphics processor

subsystem. See 7235.

Power Network Dataserver: See 7501.

PowerOpen: PowerOpen Association. Yet another consortium (vintage March 1993) which included
IBM, Apple, Motorola, and others, and which was sworn to promote and

uphold an application binary interface (ABI) based on AIX1, for machines using the PowerPC. By
September 1993 there were over 50 ISVs signed up, including Microsoft.

Disbanded in the late 1990s.

POWERparallel: An architecture for creating parallel processing systems built around the PowerPC
family of chips. IBM promoted the architecture under the self-

explanatory and poetically recherché slogan Palm tops to teraflops. First implemented in SP1, later in
SP2. Obsolete.

PowerPC: A processor developed jointly by Apple, Motorola, and IBM. It has a micro-kernel based
on MACH on which various operating systems – OS/2, Macintosh, and

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Windows – are superimposed. Apple uses it in the Macintosh, and it was used as the basis of the
PowerOpen standard. The first ones were derivatives of the RS/6000 Rios

chips. The first boxes built around the PowerPC were RS/6000 technical workstations and servers,
announced in September 1993, with AS/400s using the thing in mid 1995.

Motorola still regularly announces new version of the processor. There are even versions of the chip
for embedded applications. See also PReP.

PowerPC Platform: The reference model cum architecture (vintage November, 1995) specified by
IBM, Motorola, and Apple for machines built around the PowerPC chip.

Replaced CHRP and PReP.

Power Platform: IBM’s pretentious name for its 25MHz 80486-based PS/2, first released June 1989
and long a forgotten piece of history, though you might still find one

on eBay.

POWERquery: Set of scalable and flexible building blocks of IBM software, hardware, and
consulting services for building query systems for the RS/6000 SP2 machine.

Announced December 1994. Withdrawn July 1996.

Power Series: See ThinkPad Power Series.

POWERserver: The machines in the RS/6000 family.

POWERstation: The machines in the RS/6000 family.

Power Visualization Server: See POWER Visualization System.

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POWER Visualization System: IBM’s first serious attempt at a commercial massively-parallel

processor system – announced July 1991 as the 7245, for the US only, and

January 1992 for the rest of the world. Uses an RS/6000 front end and up to 30 Intel 80860 processors
to create a server for generating and manipulating complex

images. Mainly designed to process and display supercomputer data. Withdrawn November 1995.

PP: Parallel Print.

PPCS: Parallel Processing Computer Server. IBM prototype system using up to 32 System/370
microprocessors (originally 9370s, later 9221s) all linked via an IBM

channel to an IBM mainframe which keeps the whole thing going. The PPCS research was a
contributor to what eventually became the Parallel Query Server.

PPDS: Personal Printer DataStream.

PPFA: Page Printer Formatting Aid. Batch printer utility for creating form and page definitions for
the 3800/3900. Originally z/OS, z/VM, VSE/ESA software products

and a part of PSF for AIX1. More recently, a feature of Infoprint Manager for Windows
NT/2000/XP/2002.

PPP1: Personal Page Printer. See 4216.

PPP2: Point to Point Protocol. A common method of connecting a single computer to the Internet,
replacing SLIP. Provides router-to-router and host-to-network

connections over synchronous and asynchronous circuits.

PPR/PPD: Page Printer Requester/Page Printer Daemon. IPDS over TCP/IP.

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PPRC: Peer to Peer Remote Copy.

PQS: See Parallel Query Server.

PR/SM: Processor Resource/Systems Manager. Logical partitioning hardware technology that makes
a single system, even if it has only one processor, look like multiple

systems, each of which is a Logical PARtition (LPAR). For example, test and production z/OS
systems, each with their own copy of the operating systems. Or Linux,

VSE/ESA, z/VM and z/OS, each in their own LPAR. Only for eserver zSeries 900, starting with the
3090; iSeries 400 also supports LPARs, though not with PR/SM. Systems

running under PR/SM are said to be running in Logical Partitioning Mode (LPM). Functionally
PR/SM has a similar effect to VM/MHPG but with none of the z/VM overhead.

Similar facilities are provided on PCM processors by Amdahl’s MDF (Multiple Domain Feature), and
HDS’s LPF (Logical Partitioning Facility). The implementations are

different – MDF is a time-sliced system, and PR/SM and LPF are event-driven.

PrDM: IBM SAA AD/Cycle Professional Documentation Manager/MVS & VM. Mainframe
software which supports documentation creation and management. Works in conjunction with

DCF and Bookmaster. Announced June 1992. Withdrawn August 1994.

Precompiler: A program which converts application-oriented statements (e.g., 4GL, CICS Command-
Level, DB2) into statements of a high-level language (e.g., COBOL). The

processed output is compiled in the usual manner. A COBOL program using DB2 for a CICS
environment would have run the output from the DB2 precompiler through the CICS

precompiler, then compiling that output with the COBOL compiler.

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Precompiler Services: A z/OS DB2 API that can be called from the COBOL compiler to run the DB2
precompiler, eliminating the normal precompile job step. It also allows

use of language capabilities that had been restricted by the precompiler, such as nested COBOL
programs.

Predictive Failure Analysis: See PFA.

PReP: Power Reference Platform. An IBM standard architecture for systems built using the PowerPC
chip. Appears to be much the same as CHRP.

PRESCRIBE: A data stream used in Kyocera PRESCRIBE printers. Many IBM Infoprint printers
have a feature (an optional card) that converts PRESCRIBE to PCL, allowing

them to print it. Announced September 2001.

Presentation layer: The layer in the OSI Reference Model that provides for the selection of a common
syntax for representing information.

Presentation Manager: Software, jointly developed by IBM and Microsoft, which created the WIMPS
interface to OS/2 Extended Edition.

Presentation Manager Office/2: See PMO/2.

PRF: Pseudo-Random Function.

Price list: Obsolete marketing tool. Replaced by Customer value pricing.

Primary dataset: A dataset1 in the primary RACF database.

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Primary RACF database: The RACF database specified in the dataset name table (ICHRDSNT) or
specified at IPL time, which contains the RACF profiles to be used for

authorization checking.

Primary session: A session in XRF between the active application subsystem and a terminal.

Printing Systems Manager: IBM print management software for distributed environments based on
MIT’s Palladium print management reference model. Allows network

administrators to manage global networks of distributed printers from a single workstation. PSM for
AIX1 was announced June 1995. Replaced by InfoPrint Manager for AIX

December 1998.

Private area: Area within z/OS which contains the user’s own data/programs.

Private key: A key known only to the sender or receiver of an encrypted message.

Prizma: ATM2 switching chip. Developed by IBM’s Zurich labs, and the basis of most of IBM’s
ATM products.

PRM: Protected-Resource Manager.

Problem: In IBMspeak, there are no problems, only opportunities. Particularly intractable

opportunities are challenges.

Problem Management Bridge: Problem Management Bridge/MVS. OS/2 software that runs
unattended and automatically transfers problem data from Info/Man to any other

problem management system. Extracts data from Info/Man running on z/OS and converts it to
whatever format the other problem management system needs. Announced June

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1992 and withdrawn May 1996.

Problem State: A term used in performance measurement to indicate when the machine is performing
end-user work. The opposite is Supervisor State, when the machine is

spending time generally managing itself.

Procedural security: Security methods relying solely on human action.

ProcessMaster: Front-end z/OS and z/VM software for IBM publishing software. Withdrawn March
1997.

Processor Availability Facility: Feature introduced on the 9021 and 9121 multiprocessors which
provides transparent application recovery, by allowing an executing

program to be moved from a failing processor to one which is still working. Announced April 1991.

Processor on Demand: An IBM upgrade scheme, part of Capacity on Demand, available for some
iSeries 400 models. The system has extra processors built-in, but only

activated when required.

Processor storage: The combination of central and expanded storage. Also known as real storage or,
informally, as memory, to differentiate from other types of

storage, like disk, tape, optical.

Process Services: Process Services/MVS. z/OS software announced April 1992 for systems and
business process management. Used DB2 and was part of the SystemView grand

design. Withdrawn March 1994.

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Prodigy: Joint networking venture between IBM and the Sears retail organization. Provides access to
e-mail, news services, stockbroking (in January 1993 Prodigy

claimed to be the USA’s largest on-line stockbroker), weather forecasts, consumer databases, etc from
PCs. By the beginning of 1996, Prodigy had slumped to number

three in the proprietary network market, and was sold for around $750M less than IBM and Sears had
spent on it.

ProductManager: IBM CIM1 software, announced October 1989 for the z/OS TSO environment.
Manages product and process information from the first glimmering in the

inventor’s mind all the way to manufacturing. Member of the CIM Advantage family. Over the years
AIX and non-IBM platform versions were announced, and in June 1996,

the z/OS version was withdrawn. Since then ProductManager has been renamed ENOVIAPM
(ENOVIA ProductManager) and currently runs on AIX1, HP-UX, Sun Solaris and SGI OS.

Professional CADAM: See CADAM.

Professional Work Manager: Obscure PC/mainframe system mainly directed at program developers.
Withdrawn October 1990.

Profile: RACF’s information about a user, group or computer resource, stored in a base segment and
zero or more other segments.

Profile list: A RACF in-storage index of dataset profiles (sorted by name) or general resources
(sorted by class).

Profile modeling: Any definition of a new profile where RACF copies attributes from another profile.

PROFS: PRofessional OFfice System. z/VM office system aimed at the professional, technical,
managerial user. Provided text management, diary, messaging, etc. Most

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parts of PROFS were highly regarded by users. The end of PROFS was presaged by the
announcement of OfficeVision/VM, and it was finally withdrawn from marketing in June

1991.

PROFS/PC2: See PROFS/PCS.

PROFS/PCS: Package allowing PCs (emulating 3270s) to get messages from PROFS, edit them, and
send them back to PROFS for distribution. Used to be called PROFS/PC2.

Withdrawn December 1995.

Program: Computer program.

Program Access to DataSets: See PADS.

Program control: In RACF, defining who can run a program.

Program Management Binder: z/OS DFSMS component that replaced the Linkage Editor, as a way to
make compiled object code into an executable program. Includes an API so

that it can be called by programs wanting its services. See also Program Management Loader.

Program Management Loader: z/OS DFSMS component that reads both program objects and load
modules into virtual storage and prepares them for execution. See also

Program Management Binder.

Program offering: Software available from IBM which does not enjoy the same level of support as a
program product. Includes old programs, user developed programs,

etc.

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Program product: Fully-supported software available from IBM. See Program offering.

Program Temporary Fix: See PTF.

PROLOG: PROgramming in LOGic. Language mainly used for developing artificial intelligence and
expert systems. Available from IBM on z/OS, z/VM, OS/2 and, in Europe,

AIX, but by February 1996 it had all been withdrawn. There are, however, many non-IBM compilers
available as both supported products and freeware, especially in the

Unix environment.

Proof of Entitlement: An IBM-issued legal document given to a customer for a specific piece of
software. It provides evidence of your authorization to use this

Program and of your eligibility for warranty services, future upgrade program prices (if announced),
and potential special or promotional opportunities.

PROP: PRogrammable OPerator. A facility in z/VM that allows remote control of a virtual machine,
enabling limited automation of routine operator activities.

Proprietary: Proprietary is used to refer to architectures and standards owned by a hardware or

software vendor (usually IBM). The word’s usually used in opposition

to open, with quasi-moralistic overtones – proprietary is bad, open is good. The theory goes that
proprietary systems (z/OS, SNA, SAA, etc) lock the user in, and

remove freedom and choice. This is, of course, utter codswallop; z/OS or SNA users have as much, if
not more, choice of hardware and software than users of allegedly

open Unix boxes. An z/OS user who gets fed up with IBM has far less trouble moving his work to an
Amdahl box than an HP Unix user would have moving to another vendor’s

Unix implementation.

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Proprinter: Name for a number of IBM PC matrix printers (including 4201/2/7/8/12).

Protected mode: A mode of Intel processors, beginning with the 286, which provides hardware
memory protection. Important for multitasking systems, and, historically,

for breaching the 640KB barrier in PC-DOS.

Protected resource: Any resource for which RACF controls access.

Protected user ID: A RACF user ID that cannot be revoked, but can only be used to start a z/OS task,
or other situation where a password is not required. See also

REVOKE attribute, revoked user ID.

Proteon: Router vendor which set up a cooperative deal with IBM early 1994 to develop low-end
routers.

Protocol: A set of standards for the format and control of data being communicated within a system.
Typically across a network, the definition of the communications

between two pieces of hardware or software: format of each transmission, allowable responses and
perhaps even timing.

Protocol boundary: SNAspeak for the point in a network at which a message protocol changes as it
passes from one network layer to the next. The boundary protocol

insulates one area of a network from another, so that neither needs to know the details of the physical
devices in the other. The NCP in an IBM FEP acts as a hardware

protocol boundary, and APIs, such as the LU6.2 API, define the software protocol boundary. See also
Bridge, Gateway.

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Protocol converter: A device for converting data from one protocol (communications standard) to
another. At one time protocol converters were widely used in the IBM

world to make very cheap async terminals appear to IBM kit as more expensive 3270- or 5250-type
terminals.

Proxy server: A server that receives and fulfils requests intended for another server.

PRPQ1: Programming Request for Price Quotation. IBM terminology for a customer request for a
price quotation on alterations or additions to the functional

capabilities of system control programming or licensed programs.

PRPQ2: Product Request Price Quotation. Product from IBM which is not on the price list – you
have to go cap in hand to your IBM sales office to ask them to quote you

a price. The PRPQ is a mechanism for controlling the spread of products which IBM is unenthusiastic
about selling or supporting.

PS/1: Low-end PC family launched June 1990, initially as a home model. With the hiving off of PCs
into the IBM PC Company in September 1992, PS/1 became the name of

IBM’s cheaper PC models for home or business. In October 1994 the name disappeared altogether to
be replaced by Aptiva. See also ValuePoint, Ambra.

PS/2: See Personal System/2.

PS/3701: See Personal Services/370.

PS/3702: Personal System/370. Rumored product version of the 7437 workstation, which never
appeared. See also P/370, P/390.

PS/CICS: The mainframe version of Personal Services. Replaced by OfficeVision. PS/CICS for VSE
was withdrawn December 1996.

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PS/VP: PS/ValuePoint.

ps1: See Picosecond.

PS2: Personal Services. Sometimes Personal System (as in Personal System/2).

PSAF: Print Services Access Facility. z/OS and z/VM software that provides menu-driven selection
of formatting and printing options to print line-mode data and page-

mode data on the 3800 and subsequent families of page printers. The z/VM version was withdrawn
December 1997.

PSCA: Personal System Communications Adapter. An obsolete adapter card that was once used to
connect a microchannel-based PC to a mainframe parallel channel.

PSCP: Presentation Services Command Processor. A facility found in Tivoli NetView for z/OS, for
formatting displays to be presented at a terminal and processing

requests from a terminal.

PSDN: Packet Switching Data Network. A network that uses packet switching as the basis of
transmitting data.

pSeries: The eserver pSeries replaced the RS/6000 October 3, 2000. It is IBM’s AIX1 platform
covering the range from simple workstations to host systems, including

64-bit hardware for processor-intensive applications in areas such as engineering. NUMA-Q, acquired
from the merger with Stratus, has also been absorbed into the

pSeries line.

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Pseudo-conversational: The term is typically used in CICS, to describe the strongly recommended
approach: a type of transaction program which simulates a continuous

dialog, but which in reality releases its resources at the end of each terminal interaction.

Pseudo-files: Memory-buffered files in AIX1.

PSF: Print Services Facility. On the mainframe, z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA versions provide the
printing system that communicates between the spool subsystem and printers

to provide access to AFP formatting and output capabilities. PSF/400 provides similar capabilities in
the OS/400 environment. Versions for AIX1 and OS/2 have been

replaced by Infoprint Manager, although OS/2 users would have to convert to Windows to use it.

PSLC: Parallel Sysplex License Charge. One of six z/OS Basic License methods.

PSLCE: Parallel Sysplex License Charge Entry.

PSM1: See Printing Systems Manager.

PSM2: See Tivoli Personalized Services Manager.

PSnS: Personally Safe‘n’Sound. PC utility that stores files on a variety of backup devices either
stand-alone or on a network. Withdrawn December 1997.

PSRR: Product Support Requirement Request. This appears to be a variant of the PRPQ2 – often by
way of asking for a bug fix.

PSS1: Packet SwitchStream (aka Packet Switched Service). Formerly, a UK public data network run
by British Telecom (BT).

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PSS2: Programmable Store System.

PSSP: Parallel System Support Programs for AIX1. Software for installation, operation, management
and administration of the pSeries, attached servers and PSSP cluster

configurations from a single point of control.

PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network.

PSW: Program Status Word. A hardware register (double word) in the mainframe much loved by
systems programmers. The PSW contains the address of the next instruction

to be executed and, when an application or system software error occurs, why it happened and other
status information.

PT/400: Performance Tools for iSeries 400.

PTF: Program Temporary Fix. An official IBM temporary patch to a program. Most are less
temporary than IBM and its users would wish. PTFs are distributed on PUTs.

Sometimes the term APAR is used instead of PTF. See also PUT2.

PTM: Packet Transfer Mode. Mechanism for high-speed communications based on variable-length
packets (as demonstrated by Frame Relay) rather than fixed-length cells

(the ATM2 method). Each approach raises its own performance and compatibility issues. IBM’s high-
speed networking strategy involves a mixture of ATM and PTM: the idea

is that Frame Relay will be used extensively within IBM networks, and ATM interfaces will be
provided to the outside world. See also TNN.

PTO: Public Telecommunications Operator. Synonymous with PTT.

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PTOCA: Presentation Text Object Content Architecture. Architecture defining the presentation
characteristics of text data, including location of characters, line

direction, formatting etc. PTOCA is a superset of the text format standards of IPDS.

PtP: Peer to Peer.

PTS: See Parallel Transaction Server.

PTT: Poste, Télégraphe, et Téléphone. Generic name for national bodies responsible for
telecommunications within a country, e.g., British Telecom, Deutsche

Bundespost, Nippon Telephone, and Telegraph Public Corporation.

ptx: Operating System for Intel-based NUMA systems, including models of the IBM eserver xSeries
that replaced the NUMA-Q acquired from the merger with Stratus. Can

run Linux, ptx, z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA applications simultaneously.

PU1: Physical Unit type within SNA (also known as Node Type or NT). The software in an SNA
node controlling the node’s communications hardware. In general, the higher

the number of the PU, the greater the intelligence in the PU. For practical purposes, PU1s are dumb
controllers or terminals, PU2s are intelligent cluster controllers

or terminals, PU4s are communications controllers, and PU5s are mainframes. Synonymous with
node type within SNA. The type 2.1 node allows local user ports to

communicate without going through a host node’s SSCP services. The type 2.1 node + LU6.2 bought
democracy to autocratic, host-dominated SNA.

PU2: Processor Unit.

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Publication Ordering System: IBM’s customer-accessible application for buying manuals and other
documentation.

Public key: A published key value used as one of the two keys in public key encryption.

Public Key Cryptography Standards: Public key encryption procedures, including signing data,
exchanging keys, requesting certificates and, of course, actually

encrypting and decrypting the data.

Public key encryption: Encryption using an asymmetric algorithm with one key for encryption and
another for decryption. One is a public key and the other a private

key.

Public Key Infrastructure: A combination of hardware, software, policy and procedures to create
secure communications using digital certificates.

Public Key Infrastructure for X.509: A PKI based on the X.509v3 (Version 3) digital certificate
standard.

PU Concentrator: Type of SNA-LAN Gateway that aggregates the LUs in multiple SNA nodes (e.g.,
PCs) into a single virtual node, with up to 254 LUs, so that a mainframe

does not have to support as many DSPUs. PU Concentrator capability is available with OS/2,
NetWare for SAA, etc.

PUP: Per-User Pricing. See User-based pricing.

PU Passthrough: Technique for allowing a TRN terminal to talk across an SNA network to a host
VTAM despite the incompatibility of the SNA and TRN protocols. Basically

it’s a protocol converter. Implemented in IBM FEPs, cluster controllers (3174), and integrated
communications adapters (ICA) on small mainframes.

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Purple wire: IBMspeak for wire installed by IBM field engineers to circumvent problems discovered
during testing or debugging. These purple wires are, however, often

yellow. See also blue wire, red wire, yellow wire.

PUT1: Physical Unit Type. The same as PU1, except that it’s spelled differently.

PUT2: Program Update Tape. A tape containing software updates including PTFs.

PV: See persistent verification.

PVC: Permanent Virtual Circuit. See Virtual Circuit.

PVM: Passthrough Virtual Machine; synonymous with VM Passthrough.

PVS: POWER Visualization System, later Power Visualization Server.

PWM: Professional Work Manager. Embryonic CASE1 environment which used EZ-VU and
HLLAPI to provide an infrastructure for the creation of a programmer’s workbench on a

PC or PS/2. WASE was a tailored version of PWM. Withdrawn October 1990.

PWS: Programmable WorkStation. IBMspeak for a networked PC. Synonymous with the passé
IWS1.

PWSCF: VM Personal Workstation Communication Facility. PRPQ2 software announced in 1990

which uses APPC to enable PWSs to talk to z/VM CMS1, and thus provides

transparent access to host z/VM resources from workstations.

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PWSCS: Programmable Workstation Communications Services. z/VM software product supporting

PC to z/VM communications. Can use, but does not require PWSCF. Withdrawn

November 1994.

QAB: Queue Anchor Block.

QBE: Query By Example. The user-friendly interface to QMF.

QBIC: Query By Image Content. An IBM image search and indexing application announced June
1995. Interrogates image databases for properties such as color percentages,

texture, and color layout. Now part of Content Manager. Also a DB2 Image Extender.

QDIO: Queued Direct Input/Output. IBM’s turbo-charged network-to-mainframe memory transfer

protocol that works between OSA-Express and Communications Server, using

host system memory queues and a signaling protocol. Supported by z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA.

QET: Quantum Effect Transistor. Semiconductor fabrication technique: data is stored in vacuum
pockets on silicon. Once rumored to be IBM research as an alternative

gallium arsenide, which everyone said would replace silicon, and never did.

QIP: Quality Introduction Program. To all intents and purposes the same as the ESP1.

QISAM: Queued Index Sequential Access Method. Obsolete System/360 access method replaced by
VSAM KSDS.

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QLLC: Qualified Logical Link Control. A facility which translates SDLC1 datastreams into X.25
data packets to provide SNA over an X.25 network. NPSI does a similar

thing for mainframe networks. QLLC replaces NIA.

QMF: Query Management Facility. Query and report-writing system for DB2 with some analysis and
graphics features. Runs on z/OS, z/VM, VSE/ESA, OS/400 and Windows. It

is sold primarily as an end-user tool, but is more powerful and difficult to use than IBM would have
us believe. See also QMF for Windows.

QMF for Windows: A feature of QMF that provides a Windows-based GUI and Java-based query
capability for host-based QMF. Connection via SNA, TCP/IP or CLI1. Includes

an API.

QMF HPO: The High Performance Option feature of QMF.

QoS: Quality of Service.

QPP: Quality Partner Program. In effect the QPP replaced the ESP1 and beta-test site process as
IBM’s method of getting its customers to do the final quality control

on new products. But even QPP is not talked about much anymore.

QSAM: Queued Sequential Access Method. One of the original OS/360 file access methods still used
today in z/OS for reading and writing sequential datasets. BSAM is a

less commonly used alternative.

QTAM: Queued Telecommunications Access Method. Obsolete telecommunications access method

replaced by TCAM.

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Qualifier: The one to eight character names separated by dots (periods) in z/OS dataset names. The
first name is known as the high level qualifier (HLQ) and usually

is associated with a RACF user ID.

Query/6000: Name used during the beta test of IBM Visualizer Query for AIX/6000 announced
March 1993 along with DB2/6000. AIX1 database query system that includes

DRDA support via DDCS. Withdrawn July 1998.

Query Management Facility: See QMF.

Queued Direct Input/Output: See QDIO.

Quick Launch: Quick Launch for e-business Ventures. IBM Global Financing-backed offering of
IBM hardware, software, storage, education and support.

Quick Mix: Preconfigured IBM hardware/software and set of services that integrates business
processes, including legacy data and applications, with the Web. Four

options are available: zSeries 900 as both the Web application server and the back-end database and
transaction processor; xSeries and a Linux LPAR running on zSeries

900 as both the Web application server and the back-end database and transaction processor; pSeries
as the Web application server and zSeries 900 as the back-end

database and transaction processor; and xSeries as the Web application server and zSeries 900 as the
back-end database and transaction processor.

QuickPlace: Lotus self-service Web tool for team collaboration. Instantly creates a team workspace
on the Web.

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QuickTime: Apple technology for storing and playing synchronized graphics, sound, video, text, and
music. Supported, among other places, by IBM Content Manager

VideoCharger for Multiplatforms.

Quickwriter: The 5204.

Quietwriter: The 5202.

R/390: Hybrid RS/6000 cum mainframe system announced in April 1996. Consists of an RS/6000
with an integrated mainframe processor card. Provides full mainframe and

Unix capabilities, and supports AIX and all mainframe operating systems and applications. Obsolete.
See also P/390, P/370, ptx.

R/DARS: IBM Report/Data Archive and Retrieval System for OS/400. iSeries 400 archiving
software replaced by OnDemand January 2001.

RAC: A free IBM utility from that executes RACF commands in a z/OS Unix System Services
environment.

RACF: Resource Access Control Facility. Security and access control system under z/OS and z/VM.
The z/OS version is a component of SecureWay Security Server, but is

also available as a stand-alone product. RACF authorizes access to resources (datasets, mini-disks,
TSO/CMS/CICS/IMS TM log-on, etc) and logs unauthorized access

attempts and accesses to protected datasets.

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RACF/DB2 external security module: A RACF exit point that receives control from the DB2 access
control authorization exit point (DSNX@XAC) to handle DB2 authorization

checks. See also authorization checking.

RACF database: RACF’s security information repository.

RACF dataset: One of up to 90 datasets in the RACF database. See also dataset1.

RACF data sharing group: Multiple instances of RACF, each sysplex-defined to XCF.

RACFDB2: A free IBM utility that helps migrate DB2 access control to RACF.

RACFICE: Free IBM analysis software that uses DFSORT ICETOOL to process output from the
RACF DataBase Unload Utility and RACF SMF Data Unload Utility.

RACF-indicated: An attribute of a dataset1 with the RACF indicator on. The dataset can only be used
if RACF is installed and either a RACF profile or entry in the

global access checking table exists for the dataset.

RACF manager: The routines within RACF that provide access to the RACF database.

RACF-protected: A RACF profile applies to this resource; datasets must also be RACF-indicated.

RACF remote sharing facility: See RRSF.

RACF remove ID utility: A program supplied with RACF that generates RACF commands to remove
all references to deleted user IDs and group names. Alternatively, it can

generate commands to remove all references to a specified user ID or group name.

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RACF Report Writer: Though still provided for compatibility with previous RACF versions, replaced
by the RACF SMF Data Unload Utility (IRRADU00).

RACFRW: See RACF Report Writer.

RACF secured sign-on: A RACF function that enables workstations and other clients to sign on to the
host and communicate in a secure way without having to send RACF

passwords across the network.

RACF segment: The former name for a RACF base segment.

RACF SMF Data Unload Utility: A program (IRRADU00) supplied with RACF that creates a
sequential file of the SMF RACF records. Replaced the RACF Report Writer.

Rack mount: A space efficient method of installing computer and electronics hardware. Rather than
sitting on the floor or loosely on a shelf, a specially designed

case fits into, and is securely fastened in, a standard sized shelving unit known as a rack.

RACLISTed profile: An in-storage profile for a RACF-defined resource created by LIST requests.

RACROUTE macro: An Assembler macro1 used to call RACF for security functions.

RACTRACE: Free IBM software that traces calls made to RACF through the SAF2 interface.

RAD: Rapid Application Development. A generic term, which became fashionable in 1992, for a
way of developing applications quickly. There’s no formal definition of

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RAD, but most RAD projects are built around the use of iterative or evolutionary prototyping using a
4GL. They also tend to involve SWAT teams to produce the code,

JAD/JRP sessions to identify the real user requirements, and time-boxing as a pervasive management
discipline.

Radio Shack: Arguably the first manufacturer to sell really big numbers of personal computers to
consumers. Unfortunately, to reach a price point where people would

buy, their early models were pretty awful, gaining the nickname Trash 80 for the TRS-80. For
example, keyboard bounce was so bad that the keyboard device driver had

code in it to remove two or more occurrences of the same character in quick succession. Buy, hey,
that was 1977. The TRS in the TRS-80 is Tandy Radio Shack, reflecting

the fact that Tandy had purchased Radio Shack in 1963.

RADSL: Rate Adaptive Digital Subscriber Line. A derivative of DSL2 technology.

RAID: Set of redundancy standards for disk subsystems (RAID 0-6), developed by the University of
Berkeley and adopted by the RAID Advisory Board. RAID is set to be

superseded by a more up-to-date set of standards (FRDS, FTDS, and DTDS). See also RAID 0, RAID
1, RAID 2, RAID 3, RAID 4, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 7.

RAID 0: Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks – non-redundant striped array. Technically there is
no redundancy at this level, but it does provide for speed

advantages, compared with a single disk drive, by striping data in parallel sectors across multiple disk
drives. The I/O transfer speed is increased for this

architecture, however, a single drive element failure can result in an irrecoverable data loss. See also
RAID.

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RAID 1: Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks – mirrored array. Independent data paths allow for
complete disk duplication or data mirroring in this architecture. This

level introduces redundancy in the sense that there are two copies of all data; this complete
duplication also doubles the cost per megabyte. The speed of transfers is

faster than a single drive because of the overlapping of reads and parallel writes. Access time can also
be improved through accessing either copy of the data.

Additional costs also derive from custom controllers and/or operating system changes. See also
RAID.

RAID 2: Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks – parallel array with ECC. Level 2 introduces
hamming code error checking across the disks. This introduces the

possibility of data recovery without a complete duplication of data, although it does require several
check disks. This also requires that all disks in a group be

accessed, even for small transfers, and the process has to wait for the slowest to finish before the
transfer is complete. See also RAID.

RAID 3: Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks – parallel array with parity. The distinguishing
feature of level 3 is a single parity drive to accomplish redundancy.

This is achieved by interleaving the parity information at the byte level. Typically, the drive spindles
are synchronized. It still requires that all disks in a group

be accessed, even for small transfers, with the wait for the slowest to finish before the transfer is
complete. Spindle synchronization is expensive and often limits

the choice of disk elements. See also RAID.

RAID 4: Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks – striped array with parity. Level 4 introduces the
concept of interleaving parity at the sector or transfer level. This

permits faster individual disk reads for small transfers, and writes require accessing two disks. The
parity check disk becomes a throughput bottleneck. See also RAID.

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RAID 5: Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks – striped array with rotating parity. Parity
information is spiraled across all data drives in level 5, which attacks the

problem of the parity disk bottleneck. This distributed parity increases write performance, but
introduces high overhead to track the location of parity addresses. See

also RAID.

RAID 6: Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. Level 6 provides a dedicated, cached, asynchronous
parity drive. The single architectural difference between levels 4

and 5 is that level 5 distributes parity check information over all the disks in lieu of relegating it to a
single disk. With level 6, the dedicated parity drive

enjoys independent data and control paths, and can receive cached transfers via an independent
asynchronous parity bus, a cache bus, or an external bus. Level 6

architecture should extend the dedicated cache, and the independent and asynchronous control/data
paths to each disk in the array. See also RAID.

RAID 7: From Storage Computer Corporation (i.e., not a public RAID standard). Provides complete
I/O independence and asynchrony. This is achieved by each I/O

device/interface – including host interface device(s) – having a separate device cache, as well as
independent control and data paths. Each device/interface is

connected to a high speed data bus which has a central cache store capable of supporting multiple host
I/O paths. A real time process oriented operating system is

embedded into this disk array architecture. See also RAID.

RAIDiant: The 7135 disk array.

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RAIL: Redundant Arrays of Intelligent Libraries. An example of tape arrays exploiting the RAID
concept. Tape arrays allow enhanced data reconstruction and enhanced

integrity for archival data. Tape arrays may consist of a single automated tape library with data striped
across connected drives to provide parallel data transfer

across the drives. Another implementation builds on this concept by striping data across drives and
tape libraries to permit tape mounting to occur in parallel. A

third approach allows data to be striped on the tape and mounted on manual (non-automated) drives.
See RAIT.

Raised floor: The machine room (also known as the Glasshouse). So named for the fact that you are
walk on tiles that can be removed to gain access to the cabling that

runs below your feet. The area below your feet is also the air conditioning duct to simplify cooling of
all the hardware in the room. The irony of it all is that most

raised floor machine rooms these days are built for ISP and corporate LAN servers, run by the same
people who decried them during the PC Revolution.

RAIT: Redundant Arrays of Intelligent Tape. See RAIL.

RAM: Random Access Memory, also known as system memory, is that amount of physical memory
that is addressable by and directly accessible to the processor chips on the

motherboard or, much less frequently these days, on an add-on board on the bus.

RAMAC1: The IBM 350 RAMAC (vintage 1956) was the world’s first computer disk storage
system.

RAMAC2: Mainframe RAID announced in June 1994. It’s a RAID 5 implementation, originally built
around the Allicat 3.5 inch disks, and using 3380, 3390, or 9340

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formats. Supports the 3990 extended functions (fast write, dual copy, concurrent copy, etc) as well as
offering RAID 5 fault-tolerance. Available in two versions: the

RAMAC Array DASD (9391), which attaches to a 3990, and the RAMAC Array Subsystem
(9394/9395) with its own integrated controller, which attaches directly to channels.

Promoted primarily on the basis of very high availability, rather than performance. Higher-capacity
models (RAMAC 2) built around the 4GB UltraStar drives were

announced in June 1995, with more RAID 5 features, and extended Remote copy. March 1996
ESCON connection and 3380-K format (four volumes per drawer) were added.

September 1996, RAMAC 3 (9390) was introduced, based on the Ultrastar 9.1GB drive. Replaced by
the 2105 August 2000.

RAMAC Electronic Array: IBM-sold version of StorageTek’s Arctic Fox. See also 9397.

RAMAC Scalable Array: IBM-sold version of StorageTek’s Kodiak. See also 9396.

RAMAC Virtual Array Storage: The IBM-marketed version of Iceberg. See also 9393.

RAMP-C: Registered Approach for Measurement Performance-COBOL, or Rochester [an IBM lab]
Approximation of Machine Performance-COBOL (official IBM sources use both

expansions of RAMP-C). An IBM commercial transaction benchmark. Written in COBOL, RAMP-C

is probably a reasonable characterization of a small business machine

workload, but not appropriate for database, ad hoc enquiries, etc. Comprises four types of interactive
transaction from simple (equivalent to 70 lines of COBOL) to

very complex (equivalent to 625 lines of COBOL). RAMP-C has attracted much criticism because
IBM refuses to release the source code (although it does release a

description of what the source code does), and competitors are unable to run it on their own machines
(although many claim that they do). As a partial answer to the

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barrage of complaints about RAMP-C, IBM has had an independent audit done which seems to
confirm many of IBM’s claims.

Rapid Network Reconnect: RNR utilizes the facilities of VTAM’s Multinode Persistent Session
Services (MNPS) to improve system availability by allowing IMS TM to

automatically reconnect terminal sessions following any kind of IMS1 failure and subsequent restart.
RNR reduces network reconnect time after an IMS, z/OS, VTAM or CPC

failure in a Sysplex environment.

Rapid Transport Protocol: Connection-oriented, full duplex, end-to-end protocol, with non-disruptive
rerouting capability, used by HPR on top of ANR.

RAS: Reliability, Availability, Serviceability. Highly desirable attributes of computer systems. IBM
uses RAS as the touchstone of technical excellence for mainframe

systems.

Raster: A predetermined pattern of lines that provides uniform coverage of a display area.

RAWT: Remote Abstract Windowing Toolkit. An implementation of Abstract Windowing Toolkit

(AWT) for Java that allows Java applications on a z/OS or OS/400 host to

display GUI data to and receive GUI data from a remote workstation. Java applications display and
interact with GUI interfaces by using AWT APIs which are part of

Sun’s JDK class library.

RC/4: See RC4.

RC4: A royalty-based, RSA encryption algorithm (originally developed by a company called Rivest)
that is widely used with SSL for Web-to-host security. For example,

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it’s one of the encryption algorithms supported by Host Access Client Package.

RCDS: Recovery Control Dataset.

RCF: Remote Console Facility.

RCMF/XRC: Remote Copy Management Facility/Extended Remote Copy. Automation code

manages the remote copy configuration and storage subsystem(s), and provides

protection against loss of data due to primary site outages. See also Remote copy, XRC.

RCS: Reloadable Control Storage. The main firmware area in the IBM mainframe architecture.

RCT: Resource Control Table. CICS attachment facility.

RDA: Remote Data Access. An ISO standard for distributed databases based on SQL. IBM has its
own standard. See ASP2.

RDBMS: Relational DataBase Management System. Generic term. DB2 is IBM’s RDBMS for
almost every conceivable platform. Previously, IBM offered the Oracle RDBMS for the

RT PC and RS/6000, and the Ingres RDBMS for the RT PC, RS/6000, and PS/2.

RDO: Resource Definition Online. Facility introduced in CICS Version 1.6 which enables some
CICS tables to be updated on the fly. CICS/ESA Version 3.1.1 introduced

the same facility for data tables.

RDS: Remote Data Services. OS/2 facility which uses the LU6.2-based Communications Manager in
OS/2 to give PC users access to data on other PCs across a local area

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network (LAN). Works by intercepting SQL database calls (not just data requests) and directing them
to the appropriate networked PC.

RDT: See Relational Design Tool.

READ/MVS: BookManager product which enables z/OS users to read softcopy documents.

Read-only mode: A recovery mode of operation when RACF is enabled for sysplex communication
that does not allow updates (except certain statistics) to the RACF

database.

Real storage: The combination of central and expanded storage. Also known as processor storage.

Realtime Monitor: See RTM3.

RECFMS: Record Formatted Maintenance Statistics. A predecessor of NMVT widely used in IBM
products.

Recommended Service Upgrade: See RSU.

Recommended System Layout: A documented configuration of z/OS, including DASD volume

naming and the datasets to be stored on each volume, as detailed in the manual

z/OS Planning for Installation.

Record Purpose Only: A change to the record of what is installed on a system, for IBM’s records
only. No charges are involved.

Redbook: IBM manuals written less formally, by the ITSO, detailing a project they performed,
including sample source code. More recently, redbooks have appeared that

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rival the text books you would find in a computer bookstore.

Redbook Portals: Part of the IBM Redbooks Web site. Subject areas, from where you can list all the
red books on one page, most recent first, or just the 15 most

popular.

ReDiscovery: OS/2 and z/OS software, announced October 1993, which enables a user to create
catalogs of bits of code. The software will seek out suitable code on the

OS/2 workstation, in z/OS datasets, and in some z/OS libraries. IBM presents it as an infrastructure
which will help organizations to reuse code. Replaced by

SearchManager in September 1996.

Redpapers: Redbooks that do not qualify as redbooks for one reason or another, and are only
available on-line.

Redpieces: Redbooks in progress

Red wire: IBMspeak for hardware patch wires installed by programmers. See also blue wire, yellow
wire, purple wire.

Redwood: 972x digital PABX sold by Rolm during its brief marriage to IBM.

Referential Integrity: The ability of relational databases to automatically ensure certain types of
consistency within the database, e.g., when a row is deleted in

one table, all related rows in all other tables are also deleted. Supported in DB2.

Refresh: IBMspeak for a release of software which incorporates corrective maintenance and other
fixes needed since the previous release.

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Registered network ID: An 8-byte name included in an IBM-maintained registry that is assigned to a
particular IBM customer to identify a specific network.

Re-hosting: The frightfully trendy name that replaced downsizing, as people realized that downsizing
was no longer the fashionable thing to be seen doing – my dear, I

wouldn’t be caught dead downsizing – it’s just too, too vieux jeu. Re-hosting involves getting rid of a
big mainframe and replacing it with one or more centralized

machines, usually minicomputers.

Rejuvenation: Revitalizing host applications by providing them with a contemporary point-and-click

graphical user interface (GUI) in place of their original, harsh,

mainly textual, green-on-black screens.

Relational database: A type of database which allows information in one set of database tables to be
connected to information in another set of tables without

requiring duplication of information. See DB2.

Relational Design Tool: z/VM and VSE/ESA DB2 (SQL/DS in those days) design tool for DBAs.
Program Offering announced June 1984. Withdrawn July 1994 though support had

ended July 1986.

REM: Ring Error Monitor. TRN function which collects error information and passes it to LAN
Network Manager or NetView.

Remote Assistance: A feature introduced in Windows XP that allows a user to contact someone else
who can remotely attach to the workstation and assist the user with

their problem.

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Remote Copy: Facility introduced on the 3990-6 in March 1994. Links data between primary and
secondary sites (up to 40km apart), reducing the time required to recover

from loss of the primary system – data volumes can be switched over from the remote copy and do
not have to be restored to DASD from tape. Comes in two forms: peer-

to-peer remote copy between two ESCON-connected systems; and extended remote copy (XRC)
across a telephone link. Extended remote copy uses CNT’s CHANNELink system. See

also RCMF/XRC.

Remote Procedure Call: Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is a generic term for a procedure call between
two systems. Although the two systems may be on the same machine,

RPC usually refers to procedure calls across a network – one machine makes a procedure call, and the
system bundles the call together with all the necessary

communications code and sends it to another machine on the network for execution. The idea is to
provide a simple mechanism for creating cooperative processing

applications. There is no true RPC mechanism within SNA, although APPC provides all the technical
infrastructure to build one. The IBM-backed OSF has attempted to

create a standard for RPCs in the Unix environment, and it’s distinctly possible that this will be used
as a model for other standards. See also APPC/MVS.

Remote Service Capability: Provides remote monitoring of system capacity, usage, and performance.
IBM server or operating system fixes can be downloaded.

Remote Unit Of Work: A remote unit of work is a group of SQL statements which would need to be
rolled back as a group if any single statement in the group could not

be executed. The RUOW is the basic recovery unit where SQL originated on one machine accesses a
database on another machine; for this reason, the RUOW is a critical

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function within a distributed database. Note that the RUOW concept allows updating on one other
machine only (cf. Distributed Unit Of Work). Supported in DB2 and QMF.

See also Atomic transaction.

Rent: Most of IBM’s business up to the mid 1960s was rental. Thereafter you had to buy your boxes.
However, beginning in the early 1980s IBM started to return to a

mainly rent policy, and now, via IBM Global Financing, is very strongly committed to rent (albeit
under the guise of leasing).

Repeater: Generic term for a device inserted in a circuit to clean up and boost signals on digital
circuits. The IBM 8219 is a typical repeater.

Report Management and Distribution System: See RMDS.

Repository: Generic term for a generalized data dictionary cum database system which acts as a
central store for information about systems. IBM leaked stories about

its own repository for years but the project ran up against apparently endless problems. The first
announcement of a repository product came in September 1989 with the

late unlamented Repository Manager/MVS, and was followed by SystemView (September 1990)
which also has its own repository (see Resource Object Data Manager). IBM still

soldiers on with the concept, most recently with ObjectStore and TeamConnection.

Repository Manager/MVS: The very first tentative step (announced September 1989) towards a
repository for application developers. Ran under DB2 in MVS/XA and ESA

environments, and was intended to serve as the focal point for all shared application development
within the AD/Cycle environment. Notwithstanding loads of

announcements and marketing hype, Repository Manager/MVS was not an overnight success – more
of an overnight disaster. By mid 1992 with a user base of just 30, IBM

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functionally stabilized it, not formally withdrawing it until July 1998.

Repository Manager Workstation: OS/2 interface to a subset of the functions in the late Repository
Manager/MVS. Included as the PWS feature in Repository Manager/MVS.

Requester: See Client/server.

Request For Comment: See RFC.

RES: See Tivoli Remote Execution Service.

Research: IBM Research has more than 3000 scientists and engineers at eight labs in six countries
worldwide: the Thomas J Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights,

New York; the Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California; the Zurich Research Laboratory in
Ruschlikon, Switzerland; the Tokyo Research Laboratory in Yamato,

Japan; the Haifa Research Laboratory in Haifa, Israel; the China Research Laboratory in Beijing,
China; the India Research Laboratory in Delhi, India; and the Austin

Research Laboratory in Austin, Texas. The major areas of research are computer systems, computer
applications and solutions, systems technology, physical sciences,

mathematical sciences, data storage, and communications.

Residual authority: References in the RACF database to deleted user IDs and group names.

Residual group name: References in the RACF database to a deleted group name.

Residual user ID: References in the RACF database to a deleted user ID.

Resource Access Control Facility: See RACF.

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Resource grouping class: A RACF class in which resource group profiles can be defined.

Resource group profile: A RACF general resource profile in a resource grouping class.

Resource Object Data Manager: The software (announced September 1991) providing Tivoli
NetView for z/OS’s underlying repository of information. RODM provides the

real-time data for the NetView Graphics Monitor Facility (see GMF). Also used to support
automation. See also MIB, Repository.

Resource profile: RACF profiles other than USER, GROUP and CONNECT, protecting one or more
resources.

Resource Recovery Interface: The part of the SAA CPI which defines two-phase commit.

Resource Reservation Protocol: An OS/400 Network Quality of Service (QoS) function for TCP/IP
traffic. Includes an iSeries RSVP agent and X/Open standard APIs for

applications. RSVP flow begins with the sender transmitting a PATH test to receiver; receiver
transmits RESV message to sender; resources are reserved in routers along

the path; data follows same route as PATH and RESV messages.

RESTRICTED attribute: A RACF user attribute that prevents the user ID from gaining access to
protected resources that would otherwise be accessible through global

access checking, UACC or an ID(*) entry in the access list.

Retail Workbench/2: OS/2 development environment for the 4680 Store System. Includes support for
4680 BASIC. Announced August 1992. See also 468x.

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RETAIN: REmote Technical Assistance and Information Network. System allowing customers and
IBM access to a database of problems and fixes on IBM kit. RETAIN’s SSF

(Service Support Facility) enables iSeries 400 systems to report problems and get fixes without user
intervention; SSF is also available for other platforms.

Revenue bid: A bid (also known as an enterprise bid) based on a commitment by the customer to
spend a particular amount of money with IBM over a particular period.

The technique has recently found favor with IBM, and it can be quite a good deal for the customer,
since IBM often throws in OSTAs and discounts as part of the deal.

See also BEST.

Reverse multiplexing: Aggregating the bandwidth of multiple low-speed links (e.g., 56Kbps) to
realize a high-bandwidth channel (e.g., 256Kbps). Kind of like an SNA

TG.

Reverse Protocol Conversion: SNA/3270 to async terminal protocol conversion that permits 3270
terminals or PCs running 3270 emulation to access non-SNA applications,

in particular Unix applications.

REVOKE attribute: A user attribute that does not allow the user ID any access to RACF-protected
resources.

Revoked user ID: A user ID with the RACF REVOKE attribute set.

REX: Route EXtension.

REXX: Restructured EXtended eXecutor language. A command procedure cum programming

language which was initially available on z/VM only, replacing EXEC and EXEC2, but

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later became an SAA standard. Although SAA is a distant memory, REXX availability in z/OS TSO
has seen it replace CLIST as the tool of choice, especially given the

fact that TSO, and therefore REXX, can be run in batch. REXX is an effective programming language
in its own right with powerful string processing facilities and is

used to drive certain program products, notably GDDM. REXX is also available in VSE/ESA, AIX1,
OS/2, Linux and Windows. Although normally interpretive, a REXX compiler

and library is available for z/OS and z/VM. REXX for CICS is available for z/OS and VSE/ESA; it
consists of REXX Development System and REXX Development System. Object

REXX is available for Windows, OS/2, AIX, and Linux for Intel and zSeries 900. See also REXX
Language Support.

REXX Language Support: A feature of z/OS DB2. Allows REXX programs to access DB2 data.

RFC: Request For Comment. The process used by the IETF to evaluate and formulate
internetworking related standards. Now the de facto standard scheme for Internet,

intranet and multiprotocol networking.

RFC 1490: The standard that specifies how multiprotocol traffic can be encapsulated within Frame
Relay. Often used as a short-hand term to refer native (i.e., minimum

overhead) encapsulation of SNA/APPN within Frame Relay, even though the SNA/APPN
encapsulation is defined by an addendum to this RFC known as the Frame Relay Forum

FRF.3.1 specification.

RFI: Radio Frequency Interference. aka EMI. A measure of how much electrical noise is generated,
and on what frequencies, by any kind of electronic equipment, not

just computers. In the US, the FCC requires a sticker indicating their approval for all electronic
equipment, based on standard tests for RFI.

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RFTDCA: Revisable Form Text DCA. Type of DCA in which the control and format characters are
held in a form which has not yet been turned into printable characters.

Replaced by IPDS.

RI: See Referential Integrity.

RIC: Registered IBM Confidential. RICs are top-secret IBM documents; individually numbered
copies of RIC documents are kept locked up in safes. Should such a document

find its way out of IBM, its custodian is in big, big trouble, and could find him/herself in a Cemetery,
Parking lot, Penalty box, or Cooling house.

RiceMail: E-mail package from Rice University.

RIF: See Routing Information Field.

RIFF: Resource Interchange File Format. Standard for storage of multimedia data, including audio,
photo-quality images, and animation.

Rights: RACF access authority.

Rightsizing: A rather self-righteous name for downsizing.

Rios: IBM project which finally, in February 1990, produced the RS/6000, now part of eserver
pSeries. Also used to refer to the architecture and the processor chip

used in the RS/6000.

RIPPS: Retail Industry Programming Support Services.

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RISC: Reduced Instruction Set Computer. Computer architecture using a very small set of
instructions at the hardware level. The idea is to find the small set of

instructions that are used most frequently, and then to design a chip that implements just these
instructions, and executes them extremely quickly. More complex

instructions are implemented in firmware and/or compilers. IBM invented the RISC concept, first
used it in the RT PC, and then in the RS/6000. It also licenses the

technology to third parties, including Sun Microsystems, which makes the Sparc RISC chip. RISCs
are also used as auxiliary (channel, firmware) processors in the

mainframe. There are good reasons to believe that the ultimate (literally) IBM architecture will be a
parallel CEC using from one to thousands of RISC chips depending

on how big a machine you want. Don’t believe that reduced means fewer – the RISC chip used in the
RS/6000 has more instructions than the 370 had. See also VLIW.

RISC System/6000: RISC System/6000 is the official IBM name for what everybody else in the
world calls the RS/6000. Rumor has it that Tandy has the right to the RS

name, as in its Radio Shack subsidiary, and that IBM is too mean to buy it.

Risk management: Risk analysis, risk assessment and actually dealing with the threat, be it reactive,
proactive or preventative action.

RJE: Remote Job Entry. Dedicated RJE terminals include 2780/3780 or 3770.

RJEF: RJE Facility. System/38 and AS/400 software allowing System/38 or AS/400 to function as an
RJE station to a mainframe. Withdrawn May 1996.

RLC: Recurring License Charge.

RLF: Resource Limit Facility. See DB2 Governor.

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RM/MVS: See Repository Manager/MVS.

RMDS: Report Management and Distribution System. Tivoli z/OS JESx system for managing printer
output. Includes report distribution facilities, such as bundling and

selective printing, and viewing facilities such as scroll back and search. Terminal access can be
through VTAM, TSO, CICS and IMS TM, security is provided through

RACF, and the package includes an on-line help facility. Can be used to manage SYSOUT under
VSAM and QSAM. Originally developed for internal use within IBM, but

foisted on an unenthusiastic user base, faute de mieux.

RMF: Resource Measurement Facility. On-line performance and resource monitor for z/OS. Also
includes a formatter for printing performance reports. An optional,

separately priced feature of z/OS.

RMI: Remote Method Invocation. Distributed object invocation that enables Java applications to
remotely invoke the methods of remote Java objects even if they are on

a different host. RMI can run over either JRMP or IIOP. The Java equivalent of RPC.

RMM: See DFSMSrmm.

RMON: Remote Monitoring. Standard for remote monitoring of network devices using the SNMP
management protocol. Supported by IBM in a number of network products,

especially in the LAN arena.

RNR: See Rapid Network Reconnect.

ROCF: Remote Operator Console Facility. 43xx feature enabling a remote operator to IML, IPL, and
execute mainframe control functions. Obsolete.

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RODM: See Resource Object Data Manager.

Rogue program: Software intended to damage programs or data. Trojan horses are one example.

ROI: Return On Investment.

ROJ: Retired On the Job. IBMspeak for an employee who is just marking time rather than doing his
job.

ROLAP: Relational On-Line Analytical Processing.

Role: In Tivoli products, a functional grouping of user authorizations.

Rollback: cf. Commit

Rolm: Company specializing in telephone and voice equipment. Taken over by IBM in 1984. IBM
had trouble getting Rolm to perform (Rolm was rumored to be costing IBM

$100M per year), and in December 1988 IBM set up a 50/50 company with Siemens to sell Rolm
products in the US and sold the manufacturing and product development of

Rolm kit to Siemens. IBM sold out completely to Siemens in May 1992.

ROMP II: The original nine-chip processor used in the early RS/6000s.

ROPS: Remote Operation Service. ROPS (pronounced ropes) allows users to execute code on a
remote machine directly, using Tivoli NetView for z/OS.

ROR: Resource Owning Region.

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Router: A generic term for a device for connecting two networks which makes interconnected
networks (usually LANs) appear as a single network to attached devices. A

router performs a similar function to a bridge, but functions at the network layer (layer 3 of the OSI
model), and routes traffic using a network address. Routers

generally support a much wider range of network management functions than bridges, including load
balancing, partitioning of the network, statistics collection,

diagnostics and repair, etc. Routers are more appropriate than bridges for large, inter-enterprise
networks with high security requirements. IBM’s first effort was the

6611, announced in January 1992. See also 2210.

RouteXpander/2: PS/2-based router gateway for smallish locations, announced September 1992.
Provides Frame Relay support, and can act as a feeder to a 6611 router or

3745 communications processor. Replaced in March 1994 by a family of enhanced RouteXpander/2

products and the X.25 Xpander/2. Withdrawn July 1998, though support had

already ended in December 1995.

Routing Information Field: A field in the Layer-2 802.5 MAC1 header used by Source Route
Bridging (SRB) to specify the LAN-to-LAN route that should be traversed by

packets forwarded from one LAN to another.

Routing Table Generator: See RTG.

RP3: Research Parallel Processor Project. Early IBM research project to build a parallel CEC using
RISC engines (up to 512 at once) and the Mach operating system. The

system went live in September 1988.

RPC: See Remote Procedure Call.

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RPG: Report Program Generator. Programming language widely used on the eserver iSeries 400 and
its predecessors: AS/400 and System/3x. Coding is column-dependent

fill-in-the-blanks forms. As its name implies, best used for report generation, and very strong
sort/merge facilities, where it can be used completely non-

procedurally. IBM created RPG in 1965. RPG/370 was the mainframe SAA CPI version announced
February 1991 and withdrawn August 1993. It ran on z/OS and z/VM. For

VSE/ESA, there is DOS/VS RPG II, still available, but it has been more than two decades since the
last release. OS/VS RPG II, for z/OS, is even older. Hopefully,

someone checked them both for Y2K compatibility. RPG’s major popularity on the mainframe came
at the low end, as it was the only programming language that ran very

well on the System/360 Model 20. For the iSeries 400, where virtually all of the RPG use occurs
today, WebSphere Development Studio for iSeries includes ILE RPG (RPG

IV), VisualAge RPG and CODE/400, the tools of choice for RPG programmers. They run on OS/400
and Windows.

RPG/370: See RPG.

RPG/400: See RPG.

RPG II: See RPG.

RPG III: See RPG.

RPG IV: See RPG.

RPL1: Remote Program Load.

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RPL2: Request Parameter List. A VTAM control block that contains the parameters necessary for
processing a request for data transfer. Likewise for VSAM, both the

Assembler macro1 and the control block for an I/O request.

RPMark: Benchmark developed by IBM for measuring eserver iSeries 400 performance in
client/server environments.

RPMIS: Real-Time Plant Management Integration System. Defunct 9370 production control software
for the process industries. Used a Series/1 for communications.

RPO: See Record Purpose Only.

RPP: Relative Processor Power/Performance. More or less the same as RPV.

RPQ: Request Price Quotation. Same as PRPQ2.

RPS1: Real-time Programming System. An operating system for the Series/1 family of
minicomputers.

RPS2: Rotational Position Sensing. A hardware technique for allegedly increasing disk performance
by connecting to the disk only during the period when the

appropriate part of the disk is under the read/write head; that way the channel can be freed to do other
work instead of having to wait for the disk to rotate. First

used by IBM in the 3330 DASD.

RPV: Relative Processing Value. An obscure IBM measure of machine performance. Quite possibly
one unit of RPV is about the same as one MIPS.

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RRAS1: Remote Relational Access Support. A z/VM facility that was built on TSAF for distributed
data management. Enabled databases to be marked as shared system

resources so that DB2 data could be accessed by a remote DB2 machine.

RRAS2: Routing and Remote Access Service. Feature of Windows Server operating systems.

RRDS: Relative Record DataSet. VSAM file type – can be used as a replacement for BDAM. Each
record can be accessed directly by its record number.

RRI: See Resource Recovery Interface.

RR packet: Receive ready packet. A packet used by a data terminal equipment (DTE) or by a data
circuit-terminating equipment (DCE2) to indicate that it is ready to

receive data packets within the window.

RRSF: RACF Remote Sharing Facility. RACF’s ability to communicate with other RRSF nodes.

RRSF logical node connection: A state where two RRSF nodes can communicate with each other.

RRSF network: Two or more RRSF nodes communicating with each other via a RRSF logical node
connection.

RRSF node: One or more z/OS system images sharing a RACF database, defined to RACF with a
TARGET command.

RS/5000: Once rumored low-end, possibly diskless, version of the RS/6000 for the workstation
market. Never materialized.

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RS/6000: IBM’s principal challenger in the Unix workstation and mid-range market, which finally
emerged in February 1990 after a long, difficult, and delayed birth.

The initial IBM posture was that the box was to be sold into the engineering and scientific market, but
subsequently it turned into a generic Unix machine for all

markets. October 1994 symmetric multiprocessing versions were announced. Replaced by the eserver
pSeries October 3, 2000, which also absorbed the NUMA-Q acquired

through an IBM merger with Stratus. Runs IBM’s Unix derivative: AIX1. See Pegasus1.

RS/6000 SP: See SP2.

RS-232-C: An ANSI interface standard. The most commonly applied standard for the interconnection
of asynchronous devices. RS-232-C uses the ubiquitous 25-pin D-

plug/socket with ribbon cable, although you may come across pins/sockets with only 9 pins. There is
a closely defined specification of the functions of each pin,

including voltage levels etc, although for most applications four or five pins are sufficient. Used by
the mini and micro manufacturers for local connection of screens

and (serially) printers. Also used by robots and programmable controllers. Even IBM has been known
to use it. RS-232-C is roughly equivalent to ITU-T V24.

RSA: A commercial public key encryption technology, owned by RSA Security Inc. PGP another
common public key encryption technology is also patented by RSA, hence it

cannot be used in commercial applications.

RSA encryption: Using the encryption algorithm invented by and named after Ron Rivest, Adi
Shamir and Leonard Adleman, founders of RSA Security.

RSA Security: Company, specializing in cryptographic software, with which IBM set up a venture in
January 1996 to jointly develop products for secure electronic

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commerce.

RSC: Remote Service Console. Function on the eserver iSeries 400 enabling remote diagnosis of
faults. Enables any iSeries 400 display to act as the operating console

for a remote machine.

RSCS: Remote Spooling Communications Subsystem. A multi-host networking file transfer system,
similar in some respects to JES2 Remote Telecommunications Access Method

(RTAM). Allows users on one z/VM system to send messages, files, commands, and jobs to users,
workstations, and printers on other systems. Runs under z/VM and is

compatible with z/OS JESx subsystems and VSE/ESA POWER1. Supports remote printers and
readers, and links to other RTAMs for z/VM. Based on an IBM internal product

called VNET. Supports VTAM with CPU-to-CPU working.

RSF1: Remote Support Facility. System allowing the use of IBMLink to obtain remote service on the
eserver iSeries 400. RSF includes direct link to RETAIN.

RSF2: Remote Service Facility. Option on the 3720 FEP enabling remote operation.

RSM: Real Storage Manager. The part of z/OS which controls real memory.

RST: Remote modem Self-Test. A remote check on hardware in the field to identify whether a unit is
failing.

R-Star: See Starburst.

RSU: See Recommended Service Upgrade. IBM-recommended PTFs supplied as part of monthly
z/OS service support.

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RSVP: See Resource Reservation Protocol.

RTAM: Remote Telecommunications Access Method. The pre-SNA support for JES2 and JES3 that
allowed communications between JESx and remote terminals.

RT CATIA: Subset of host CATIA for design and drafting in two and three dimensions on the RT
PC. Obsolete.

RTG: Routing Table Generator. IBM software that generates path tables for SNA networks.
Announced June 1985. Support ended August 1991. Withdrawn December 1997

because of Y2K concerns. See also NETDA/2.

RTM1: Response Time Monitor. An optional hardware facility on some IBM terminal control units
that collects ranges of response times for each device, and can transmit

the data to the host – normally to NLDM.

RTM2: Recovery Termination Manager. z/OS component which controls normal and abnormal task
completion. The application programmer can supply his own exits to process

certain error conditions rather than letting the operating system do it.

RTM3: RealTime Monitor. Monitor and diagnostic tool for performance monitoring, analysis and
problem solving in z/VM. Also known as SMART.

RTOKEN: The RACF resource security token.

RTP: See Rapid Transport Protocol.

RT PC: RISC Technology Personal Computer. The multi-user workstation, announced early 1986.
Used a 32-bit RISC processor, running under AIX. Was never a great success

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(it’s estimated that the RT PC took under 2% of the worldwide Unix market) and was replaced by the
RS/6000 in February 1990. See also 6150, 6151, 6152.

RU: Request/Response Unit. SNA term for message units within the network.

RUG: RACF User Group.

RUN disk: The virtual disk in z/VM that contains the VTAM, NetView, and VM/SNA console
support load libraries, as well as program temporary fixes and user-written

modifications from the ZAP disk.

RUOW: See Remote Unit Of Work.

Rusty memory: Industry speak for data storage that uses iron-oxide-based magnetic media such as
tape, as well as antique removable disk packs.

RVA: See RAMAC Virtual Array Storage.

RVARY: The command an z/OS system console operator would use to communicate with RACF.

RWC: Ring Wiring Concentrator. The patch panel within the TRN.

RXSQL: Interpreter Interface to SQL/DS. z/VM IBM program offering which provides an interface
between REXX and DB2 (formerly known as SQL/DS in z/VM). Withdrawn

December 1997 though support had ended May 1988.

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S**3: See Shared Stand-alone Storage.

S.M.A.R.T.: See SMART2.

S/390: See System/390.

S/3x0: Any or all of the System/390, 370 and 360 series. The complete set of IBM mainframes before
the eserver zSeries 900 was announced October 3, 2000.

SA: IBM System Automation for OS/390. See System Automation.

SAA: Systems Application Architecture. Yet another architectural edifice from IBM – vintage March
1987. This one was designed to provide consistent interfaces across

the products which conform to it. At its simplest, it meant that programs written to the SAA standards
would run virtually unchanged on the mainframe, AS/400, and

PS2/2. However, the real function of SAA was to provide an infrastructure for distributed and
cooperative processing, and for presenting the most complex system as a

single system image. The four pillars of SAA are CPI (Common Programming Interface), CUA1
(Common User Access), CCS1 (Common Communications Support), and Common

Applications. It did a lot of good in helping IBM and the mainframe industry rationalize its product
lines and standards, and has now been allowed to gently expire.

Bringing REXX to z/OS was also a big benefit to anyone who ever had to use CLIST for anything
beyond saving a set of TSO commands.

SAA-compliant: Products which can internetwork with SAA applications are SAA-compliant. SAA-
compliant products include IMS DB, CICS, VSE/ESA. According to IBM (June

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1989) an SAA compliant product must: run in SAA environments; conform with the CUA1; use the
CPI; use the CCS1; be structured for cooperative processing. However, the

concept became very much watered down, and was often used (although not by IBM) to mean runs on
an IBM mainframe or has a CUA front-end. See also SAA-conformant.

SAA-conformant: Products whose internals are built according to SAA specifications are SAA-
conformant. SAA-conformant products include DB2, CSP1, COBOL, C, RPG/400,

FORTRAN. See also SAA-compliant.

SAA Delivery Manager: See Delivery Manager.

SAA Networking Services/2: IBM’s implementation of APPN for OS/2 environments – announced
March 1991. Provides APPN network node (routing) and end-node (user)

support. Withdrawn April 1993.

SAA Office: A widely used term for IBM’s set of office applications written around the SAA
standards, which were designed to replace the mish-mash of ill-coordinated

office facilities with a whole range of consistent, coherent, walk-up-and-use products. Announced in
May 1989 as OfficeVision.

SAA Personal Application System/2: See Personal Application System.

SAD: System Activity Display. Special display on mainframe system consoles providing dynamic
details of processor activity.

SAF1: Security Access Facility (sometimes System Authorization Facility). IBM’s security interface
within SAA. Used by various subsystems, including CICS.

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SAF2: System Authorization Facility. A z/OS access control interface that that software can call to
use system authorization services in order to protect access to

resources without having to know which security software (RACF or a non-IBM product) is installed.

Salmon: The code name for the IBM PC/AT.

Salutation: Consortium (originally called SmartOffice) set up by IBM at the beginning of 1995 to
develop and promote standards for connecting office equipment. The

Salutation Specification (formerly known as the Smartlink architecture) is the consortium’s

architecture (APIs and exchange protocols) for connecting photocopiers,

PDAs, computers, fax machines, and the like.

SAM1: Sequential Access Method. Method of reading sequential datasets – from the beginning to the
required record. Originally a collective term for QSAM and BSAM,

when the situation applied to both. But SAM grew to include SAM-E in 1983 with the announcement
of DFP1, now DFSMSdfp. See also ESDS.

SAM2: Software Asset Management.

SAM-E: Sequential Access Method–Extended. Souped-up version of the original SAM sequential
access method. The main innovation is that it supports sequential data

striping. Until 1983, SAM-E was a separate software product. After being incorporated into DFP1
(now DFSMSdfp), SAM-E lost its name and became simply SAM. See also

SAM1.

Sametime: Lotus software supporting extended teams with instant messaging.

Sametime Everyplace: Sametime for mobile devices.

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SAMON: SNA Application MONitor. z/OS system which enables a terminal to monitor the status of
all VTAM applications within a network. Announced January 1987. Replaced

December 1997 with NetView Access Services as the recommended replacement.

SAN: Storage Area Network. Typically, a disk drive subsystem attached via fiber to a network,
accepting and processing requests from multiple platforms. cf NAS.

Sandbox: This term is usually used in the expression system programmers’ sandbox to refer to a
machine dedicated to systems development. It is unclear whether it is

meant to refer to a child’s sandpit, or a cat’s sanitary facilities.

San Francisco: See SanFrancisco.

SanFrancisco: Cross-system, client/server object-based application development environment,

delivered by IBM in August 1996, with a lot of help from business partners

such as JBA in the UK and IBS in Sweden. Includes re-usable frameworks together with tools such as
IBM’s VisualAge, plus third party offerings and PC-based tools to

build business applications in the areas of logistics, finance, distribution, and manufacturing. Much of
the development work for San Francisco was done by IBM and

third parties with OS/400 expertise, but it currently runs in AIX1, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, Siemens
Reliant Unix, OS/400 and Windows Server operating systems. The promised

mainframe version has yet to materialize. It’s apparently called SanFrancisco (SF) because it’s about
Shareable Frameworks (SF). The underlying model is CORBA-

compliant. Java-based. There are application-specific packages including Ledgers and Supply Chain.
Part of the IBM Framework for e-business and a member of the

WebSphere Business Components family. Originally San Francisco, but the blank was removed
beginning with Version 1 Release 3.

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SAP1: System Assist Processor.

SAP2: A software company formed in Germany in 1972 by five former IBM SEs. Leader in the
ERP1 market. SAP stands for Systems Applications and Products.

SAPR: Solution Assurance Product Review.

SAR: Solution Assurance Review.

SAT/400: Systems Administration Tools/400.

Satellite: Yet another code name for the machine variously called Summit and Planet. According to
IBM, Satellite was introduced to put analysts off the track about

the development.

SATT: Software Analysis Test Tool. OS/2 tool providing test, measurement, and analysis for
developers of application software for z/OS, z/VM, VSE/ESA, and OS/400

environments. Announced in September 1989 as part of AD/Cycle. Withdrawn March 1994.

Saturn: At one time, a rumored 47-bit operating environment on top-end mainframe machines.
Instead, z/OS was announced October 3, 2000, supporting 64-bit addressing.

See also AMODE, ESB.

SAX: Simple API for XML.

SBCS: Single-Byte Character Set. A character set in which a character is represented by a single byte
(i.e., the character set has a maximum of 256 entries). ASCII

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and EBCDIC are SBCSs. cf. DBCS, MBCS.

SBS: Satellite Business Systems. IBM’s joint venture, originally with Aetna Life and Comsat, to
provide a wide bandwidth, digital transport service for voice and

data. Subsequently SBS was largely acquired by MCI, which was partly acquired by IBM. By July
1989 IBM had got rid of most of its interests in SBS when it sold its

last three satellites to Hughes Communications, a GM subsidiary. (Times must be really hard when
you have to sell your last three satellites to keep the wolf from the

door.)

SCADA: Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. Generic term for software that collects data
from industrial shop floors, and uses it for applications such as simple

control, monitoring, trend identification, and transfer of data to other systems. MQSeries Integrator
(MQSI) allows SCADA devices to be connected into an MQSeries

environment.

Scalability: The ability of an architecture to run across a number of different size processors. Unix is
usually held up as being the most scalable architecture with

its ability to run on small PCs/workstations and top-end mainframes. IBM’s z/Architecture doesn’t do
so badly – it can run on mainframes across more than a 100-fold

power range, including systems that are essential a PC with a low power z/Architecture processor card
added. In fact, go back a few years and mainframes were slower

than today’s home PCs. Scalability is a requirement for POSIX compliance.

Scalar: Within most programming languages a scalar is a number, or a variable which holds a
number. Within IBM’s SQL, a scalar is a function which can be used to

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extract data from strings in a database. Scalar is also used to refer to computers which carry out a
single arithmetic operation per computer instruction (cf. Vector).

Scanmaster: See 8815.

Scanner1: In the communications environment, a scanner is a device, normally within a FEP, which
scans and controls the transmission lines. Also known as a line

adapter.

Scanner2: A device for capturing a graphical image in digital form. See Scanmaster, 3117-9, 2456.

Scanner3: Bar code reader. For reading the UPC on retail products, typically at a cash register in a
store. The 4686, 4687, 4697 and 4698 are IBM Point-of-Sale

Scanners. See also 468x, 469x.

SCB: Subsystem Control Block architecture. MCA standard for bus interfaces. Announced by IBM
October 1989 to encourage third-party vendors to produce MCA compatible

boards.

SCD: SemiConductor Disk. Same as SSD1 (Solid State Disk).

SCDS: Source Control DataSet. The file which contains the SMS1 rules.

SCE: System Controller Element. The part of the CEC which controls data movement between the
processors and central storage, and to and from the ICE1. All data passes

though the SCE, and the efficiency of the SCE at handling data transfers is what determines how well
the processor complex handles multiprocessing. Built around an

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IBM-proprietary RISC processor, it has its own buffers, is highly intelligent and will probably play a
major part in the automatic movement of data around the CEC. The

SCE board may also have some main storage on it. cf. ICE1.

SCIF: Single User Console Facility.

SCLM: Software Configuration and Library Manager. Long a part of z/OS ISPF, SCLM includes a
library manager and a configuration manager, and also provides change

management and impact analysis. There is also an API for integration with other software, as well as
user exits. Also a part of the IBM z/OS SCLM Suite. Integrated

with Tivoli Information Management for z/OS (Info/Man) and WebSphere Studio Asset Analyzer for
z/OS. See also Cloud 9 for SCLM for z/OS and Breeze for SCLM for z/OS.

SCM: Software Configuration Management. SCLM is an IBM SCM product.

SCO1: Santa Cruz Operation. Software house which develops Unix systems for Intel-based PCs.

SCO2: Special Conversion Offering. Yet another IBM name for a discount scheme. The SCO gives a
special discount to people making a specific conversion, for example,

from a non-System/3x machine to an AS/400. The latter SCO was made and then hastily withdrawn in
mid 1990, apparently because too many 9370 users used it to trade

their unloved 9370s for shiny bright AS/400s.

Scorfire: Hard drives used in some 7133 and 7131 models.

Scorpion: Hard drives used in some 7133 and 7131 models.

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SCP: System Control Program. The core component of an operating system. Used frequently when
discussing z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA.

SCR: Sustainable Cell Rate. The maximum average rate at which an ATM2 end system can transmit
cells into the network.

ScreenCam: Lotus PC screen recording software. Typically used to demonstrate a(nother) software
product in action. The recording is known as a movie.

Screen Customizer: IBM SecureWay Screen Customizer for Host Integration. Creates GUIs for host-
based 3270 and 5250 applications, without touching the host

application: no source code changes, no recompiles, and no rebind of the load module. Replaced by
Host Access Client Package September 2000.

Screenmail: E-mail service provided by INS and the Personal Services and PROFS products. Also
provided access to database services. Disappeared when AT&T took over

INS.

Screen Reader: Software enabling a PC to read text aloud (through a suitable synthesizer). Designed
to help blind people use the PC. Obsolete. See Independence

Series.

Screen scraping: A programming technique for interacting with on-line host applications that
generate text-only display output. The display output is read (scraped)

right off a virtual screen by the workstation-based software and input generated on a virtual keyboard.
What the user sees is quite different, and usually includes a

GUI. It can be very effective in giving an application a new look. With enough analysis, it can also
eliminate a lot of tedious interaction, assuming the host

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application had to some eliminate, of course. It’s a quick and dirty way of providing GUI solutions
without re-writing the original TP program, but not recommended as

a long-term strategy – it typically doubles the screen maintenance overhead. Easel and Mozart can be
used to do this sort of thing. See also ECI.

ScreenView: The graphical interface to SystemView – announced September 1991. Supported

connectivity to z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA, plus facilities for defining and

manipulating icons and the like. Died with SystemView.

SCRIPT/VS: The formatting component of the DCF system. Also the name of the PC-DOS version
of DCF in the 1980s. See DCF.

ScriptX: The much-delayed, hardware-independent, multimedia scripting language that had been
under development by Kaleida. Version 1 was finally released in 1995 just

as it and Kaleida were folded back into Apple. And neither have been heard from since.

Scrollable cursors: A DB2 cursor allows a program to remember where it is in a query result table,
and to get back there at some future point. Scrolling allows the

cursor to be moved, such as to the next row. Without scrollable cursors, applications have to cache all
of the required data for later use, or reinvoke the query to

reposition within the result table.

SCRT: Softcopy Receiver Tool.

Scrubbing: Storage background scrubbing. Constant reading and rewriting of unused central and
expanded storage (memory), and monitoring for errors, even soft errors

where the data was successfully recovered, to ensure early detection of failures. A feature of eserver
zSeries 900 storage arrays.

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SCS: SNA Character String. A sequence of control commands that allows sophisticated operation of
printers and other devices. Makes up for the limitations of the 3270

DSC.

SCSE: SuperComputing Systems Extensions. Package for users of MVS/XA and MVS/ESA on 3090
and ES/9000 vector machines introduced May 1989. Included high-speed channel,

Clustered FORTRAN and a new access method for high-speed I/O. See also Supercomputer, Virtual
coupling, Wizard Adapter, HIPPI, SVE. Obsolete.

SCSI: Small Computer Systems Interface. A non-proprietary interface for microcomputers and their
devices. Very fast parallel interface used for hard disks, backup

tapes, etc. Typically used on servers and some client workstations in organizations, but EIDE has
remained the interface of choice for the home and office Intel-based

workstation. SCSI is standard for Apple’s Macintosh. See also Serial Storage Architecture.

SCU1: System Control Unit. The unit of the IBM mainframe hardware which executes the
instructions.

SCU2: Storage Control Unit. Another name for a disk/tape controller.

SCV: Software Compatible Vendor. IBMspeak for a PCM CPU vendor. Also known within IBM as a
parasite. See also CCV.

SDA: Screen Design Aid. Utility on the System/38, AS/400 and iSeries 400 for creating and
maintaining screen and menu designs. Part of ADTS.

SDB: Storage Descriptor Block.

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SDDI: Shielded twisted pair Distributed Data Interface. A version of the FDDI standard that runs on
shielded twisted pair (STP) cable. Since most companies already

have miles of STP, SDDI is a very attractive option as it provides 100Mbps data rates without re-
cabling. In June 1992, 11 vendors, including IBM, announced that they

would support SDDI.

SDE1: System Delivered Education. A set of on-line tutorials in OS/400.

SDE2: Software Development Environment. IBM’s open CASE1 environment for AIX1 and the
pSeries, announced January 1992. SDE uses technology licensed from HP (BMS).

Replaced by C Set++ for AIX in January 1997.

SDF1: Screen Definition Facility. Began life as SDF/CICS: an application programmers’ tool for
developing and maintaining CICS screen and printer formats. SDF II

changed all that, becoming a versatile user interface (screens, maps, formats) tool covering the
creation and maintenance of CSP1, VisualGen, IMS TM MFS, CICS BMS1,

GDDM-IMD and ISPF panels. It can even convert from one to another. Programming languages
supported include COBOL, PL/I, Assembler, C and RPG. Versions are available

for z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA, though each is at a different release level, some older than others, and
may not support all of the screen formats and programming

languages listed above.

SDF2: System Data Format. A fixed length ASCII database format supported by dBase and other PC-
based databases. Fields are filled with trailing blanks so that each

column starts in the same character position for each row in a database table. Much as fields are stored
in VSAM and other files used by mainframe applications. SDF is

used as a data interchange format.

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SDF3: Serial Data Field.

SDF4: See Software Delivery and Fulfillment.

SDH: Synchronous Digital Hierarchy. European standard for fiber networks which has been put
together specifically for technologies such as ATM2. Above 155Mbits/s it’s

the same as the American SONET. cf. PDH.

SDK: Software Developer’s Kit.

SDLC1: Synchronous Data Link Control. IBM data communications protocol, used in SNA and
covering the physical and link control levels. SDLC is, to a large extent,

compatible with the HDLC international standard. SDLC is typically used over telephone lines
(leased line or dial-up) and may include a multi-drop connection to

several different devices.

SDLC2: System Development Life Cycle. A generic term for any organized way of planning and
building a computer-based solution.

SDM: See IBSDM.

SDN: Subject’s Distinguished Name. The X.509-defined name of the owner in a digital certificate.

SDO: System Delivery Offering. Pre-packaged software, usually an operating system. For example,
the z/VM SDO includes the z/VM operating system and other systems

software products, all with current maintenance (fixes) applied. See also VM/ESA SDO.

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SDRAM: Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. So named because it synchronizes itself
with the clock speed of the microprocessor’s data bus (aka system bus). Used

in PCs.

SDSF: System Display and Search Facility. On-line tool for programmers and operators monitoring
jobs awaiting execution in the JES2 input spool queues and, most

commonly, viewing the printed output of batch jobs in the Held output spool queues, to save printing
it on paper. Most users can only view their own jobs, but systems

programmers and operators are normally allowed to view everything, making SDSF especially useful
for monitoring jobs currently executing, or the rest of the output of

that seemingly endless print job. Runs in ISPF or directly in TSO without ISPF. An optional,
separately priced feature of z/OS.

SDSS: Software Diagnosis Support System. IBM expert system research project.

SDT: Start Data Traffic.

SDVT: Skeleton Destination Vector Table.

SDWA: System Diagnostic Work Area.

SE1: System Engineer. An IBM support person. Many users believe that the SE is extinct, but
specimens are occasionally sighted on large sites. A good way of verifying

whether they still exist in your area is to let your IBM salesman know that you’re inviting a PCM to
tender for a new processor or that you’re planning to downsize,

when they appear in droves – like lawyers round a Washington traffic accident.

SE2: See Support Element.

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SearchManager: Full-text storage and retrieval product based on STAIRS (for which it is a
replacement). The z/OS CICS and z/VM CMS1 versions have interfaces to

OfficeVision. There is also a Windows client. An AIX1 version, SearchManager/6000, was

announced in May 1994 and withdrawn less than two years later.

SearchVision: Text management and contextual search software announced as an optional add-on for
OfficeVision. By January 1991 SearchVision had become fully

integrated into OfficeVision and lost its separate identity.

SEAS: Share European Association. Replaced by GUIDE SHARE Europe.

Seascape: Storage architecture based on the Serial Storage Architecture interface. Covers disk, tape
and optical storage. Supports the range of eserver lines, from

xSeries to zSeries 900. First spotted mid 1995, but not formally announced for another two years.
Seascape implementations include Versatile Storage Server, Network

Storage Manager (3466), Virtual Tape Server and Cross Platform Extension.

SeaStar: Code name for what became the 2105 Enterprise Storage Server family. Most notably a
DASD controller replacing the 3990, which can be used to build fault-

tolerant RAMAC clusters based on a ring architecture. The clusters promised to implement disk
storage pools with multiple controllers which would off-load some

processing from host systems and back each other up in the event of failures.

Seat: A slang term that refers to the number of licensed users of a software product, which is the
same as the number of installations of the product.

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Second-level cache: Type of memory which resides between high speed buffers and main memory.
First appeared on the top ES/9000s. A similar feature was used on the top

Hitachi EX processors where it was called Dynamic Working Storage. See DWS.

Second-level high-speed buffer: Another name for second-level cache.

Secured Network Gateway: AIX firewall1 software (vintage late 1994) which isolates an internal
network from the Internet.

Secured signon: A RACF function that provides an alternative to a password.

Secure Electronic Transaction: Developed by VISA and MasterCard in conjunction with IBM and
others. SET provides a secure means for transmitting credit card

information from customers, via a Web browser, to a merchant’s application and then on to a financial
institution for processing. There are three important security

benefits: a credit card number is never revealed to the merchant, a SET ID number is linked to the
access software, and a second number is required to decrypt the

information.

Secure Sockets Layer: See SSL.

SecureWay: A common brand for IBM’s broad portfolio of security offerings announced January
1995 – no new products, just a new name. Mid 1996, a Single Sign-On and

Internet firewall were added. After IBM acquired Tivoli, it became Tivoli SecureWay. There are a
few exceptions, including IBM SecureWay Boundary Server, IBM SecureWay

Directory, IBM SecureWay Firewall,

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SecureWay Boundary Server: A package including SecureWay Firewall with ACE/Server (Security
Dynamics), MIMEsweeper for SecureWay (Content Technologies) and SurfinGate

(Finjan). Part of SecureWay FirstSecure. Withdrawn July 2001.

SecureWay Directory: IBM SecureWay Directory. LDAP cross-platform directory server intended to
provided a common directory for all applications. Runs on AIX1, z/OS,

OS/400, Sun Solaris and Windows servers.

SecureWay Firewall: IBM SecureWay Firewall1. Software that runs on AIX and Windows servers.
Includes filtering, proxy and circuit level gateway. Based on technology

introduced by IBM Research in 1985.

SecureWay FirstSecure: A framework for secure e-business by medium to large companies. Includes
SecureWay Policy Director, SecureWay Boundary Server, SecureWay Trust

Authority, SecureWay Toolbox. Withdrawn July 2001.

SecureWay Global Sign-On: Replaced by Tivoli SecureWay Global Sign-On.

SecureWay Policy Director: Replaced by Tivoli SecureWay Policy Director.

SecureWay Privacy Manager: Replaced by Tivoli SecureWay Privacy Manager.

SecureWay Public Key Infrastructure: Replaced by Tivoli SecureWay Public Key Infrastructure.

SecureWay Risk Manager: Replaced by Tivoli SecureWay Risk Manager.

SecureWay Security Manager: Replaced by Tivoli SecureWay Security Manager.

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SecureWay Security Server: IBM SecureWay Security Server for z/OS. An optional, separately
priced feature of z/OS. Security software that includes RACF, DCE Security

Server, z/OS Firewall Technologies and LDAP Server.

SecureWay Server: See SecureWay Security Server.

SecureWay Toolbox: Seecurity and encryption tools for developers. Part of the obsolete SecureWay
FirstSecure.

SecureWay User Administration: Replaced by Tivoli SecureWay User Administration.

SecureWay Wireless Gateway: AIX1 software that extends 5250 and 3270 Web-based client
applications to mobile and wireless users. Replaced eNetwork Wireless Gateway

and replaced by Everyplace Wireless Gateway for Multiplatforms December 2001.

Security APARs: A special type of APAR for reporting problems in existing security mechanisms
where the problem descriptions do not meet the precise definition of

system integrity, but which do constitute an exposure to the security of the system as a whole or to an
IBM product which runs on the system. Security APARs are

accepted for z/OS.

Security category: The name defined to RACF for a department or area within an organization whose
members have similar security requirements.

Security classification: Use of a security category or security level within RACF to increase
protection of sensitive resources.

Security label: The name defined to RACF for a security level containing zero or more security
categories. See also security category.

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Security level: The name defined to RACF for a numeric security level, where the larger the number,
the higher the security level.

Security Server: See SecureWay Security Server.

Security token: A collection of identification and security information.

Segment: The portion of a RACF profile defined by one template.

Select: Select/MVS, Select/VM, Select/VSE, and Select/VM with VSE were pre-bundled packages of
software which IBM introduced in April 1992 to try to inveigle users

into the wonderful world of ESA. For the first year, you got the software and lots of help free.

SelectaDock System: A docking system for ThinkPads announced April 1996. Docking systems
make it easier to use a laptop system at a desk by providing connections to a

desktop style keyboard, mouse and monitor, as well as to a LAN.

Selector channel: An I/O channel that operates with only one I/O device at a time. Once an I/O
device is selected, a complete record is transferred, one byte at a

time. cf. Byte multiplexer, Block multiplexer.

Self service portal: A portal that permits Web browser users to easily perform their own inquiries and
transactions, on-line, without having to interact with a

telephone-based call center.

Self-Timed Interface: A zSeries 900 high speed connection between I/O subsystem and the
processors and memory. The Internal Bus (IB) was used for this purpose prior

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to the System/390 G3, but became a bottleneck.

Self-Voicing Kit: IBM software that provides speech output for Java applications.

SEMPER: Secure Electronic Marketplace for Europe. European Commission (EC) consortium
(vintage November 1995) headed by IBM, which aims to develop protocols and

standards to deliver secure Internet commerce. Part of the EC’s Advanced Communications
Technologies and Services (ACTS) program.

Sequent: A so-called (for tax reasons) merger with IBM that began July 1999 brought the NUMA-Q
into the IBM product line. The announcement of eserver on October 3,

2000, included a NUMA-Q in the xSeries line (Model 430).

Sequential data striping: Technique for distributing a single sequential file across a number of devices
to eliminate bottlenecks. Implemented in SAM-E. See also Data

striping, File striping.

Sequential detect: A feature introduced mid-1996 in the 3990-6 DASD controller that automatically
distinguishes applications which process sequential records from

applications which process randomly selected records, and optimizes processing for the structure of
the data.

Serial Line Internet Protocol: See SLIP.

Serial number: Term used to denote the machine which you own today, which may be very different
from the one you originally bought – in the 3090 range every single

bit of technology was changed between the first 3090 and the final J model; if you upgraded it in a
piecemeal fashion, you could end up with a computer with the same

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serial number as the one you originally bought but with nothing else in common. Preserving a serial
number in this way may offer tax advantages (i.e., what, in effect,

is capital expenditure may be treated as revenue expenditure for tax purposes), and can be helpful in
certain very bureaucratic environments where buying a new box may

be a very difficult procurement process compared to just upgrading an existing machine. See also
Velcro Serial Number, VPD.

Serial Storage Architecture: IBM dual-port, full duplex architecture (vintage 1994) for connecting
storage devices. Originally promoted by IBM in opposition to the

parallel SCSI architecture, which it claims is not as fast, and is more complex to cable (SCSI cables
have 50- and 68-wires, whereas SSA cables have just four). And

successfully made into ANSI standard X3T10.1. Adapter cards for SSA became available early 1995,
and the first fully-fledged SSA system (the 7133) in July 1995. Part

of the Seascape architecture.

Series/1: IBM minicomputer widely used for special purpose communications. It’s now too late to
buy one – they were withdrawn from February 1991, although IBM

maintained them up to 1996. The withdrawal notice said there are no direct replacements... however,
the IBM 9370, AS/400, RS/6000, and the PS/2 families of products

offer highly effective alternatives for most Series/1 users which seems to confirm that the Series/1
was all things to all men, and nothing to anybody.

Series 2200: See 8363.

Server: See Client/server.

Server farm: Same concept as a DASD farm.

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Server footprint: See footprint1.

ServerPac: Customized installation materials for operating systems including z/OS. Part of the
CustomPac family.

ServiceElect: A combination of hardware maintenance with other support services that generates a
single monthly invoice from IBM.

Service Level Agreement: Generic term for an agreement between a user and the people providing a
computer service. The SLA specifies such things as response time,

availability, etc.

ServicePlan: Service contract introduced in the US January 1989 to replace all previous IBM service
contracts. Basically the user picked a range of services from a

limited selection to cover a specified amount of kit. The charge stayed constant unless the amount of
kit increased above an agreed threshold. Not a bad idea – it

simplified billing and budgeting, but at the expense of giving IBM increased account control.
Unfortunately, about the only place you will see ServicePlan these days

is in IBM trademark lists; ServicePlan Estimated Billing (EB) was withdrawn October 1999.

Service Point: A product at a node in a Tivoli NetView for z/OS network management system which
acts as an interface between an upstream Focal Point and downstream

devices which are not necessarily addressable directly from the Focal Point – e.g., they’re probably
not SNA devices. Basically it’s the network management interface

between an SNA network and a non-SNA network.

Service Unit: The basic charging unit in Usage pricing. An IBM SU is roughly equivalent to a MIPS.

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Service Update Facility: An Internet-based method for ordering and receiving z/OS, z/VM and
VSE/ESA software service from IBM.

Servlet: A Java applet, without a user interface, that is executed on a Web server. Often used to
replace CGI routines, because they support dynamic HTTP requests.

SES: Shared Expanded Storage. Technique of sharing Expanded Storage among the systems in a
sysplex.

SESSEND: Session ended.

Session1: SNA term for a relationship (a logical connection) between two devices. A session is
usually set up by the issuing of a BIND1 request by one NAU to another

NAU.

Session2: Multiple transmissions protected by the same encryption key(s).

Session manager: A mainframe utility (usually in VTAM) which allows a user on a terminal to
switch between mainframe applications without logging off and on again.

The session manager typically gives the terminal user a log-on screen which does all the sign-on
authorizations. Thereafter, the session manager provides full-screen,

menu, and/or command line interfaces which allow the user to specify switches between the
applications. Most session managers provide security support, and many

include the ability to take the sessions from one physical terminal to another, and for Help Desk staff
to monitor terminal activity. There are many session managers;

two of IBM’s offerings are Tivoli NetView Access Services and NLDM.

Session monitor: NetView Session Monitor. See NLDM.

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Session stealing: IP splicing.

SESSST: Session started.

SET: See Secure Electronic Transaction.

SETROPTS RACLISTed profiles: Globally RACLISTed profiles.

SEU: Source Entry Utility. Full-screen syntax checking editor for program development on the
System/38, AS/400 and iSeries 400. Powerful tool which uses the syntax

checkers from the languages. Includes facilities for on-screen formatting appropriate to each
language, copy, move, delete, scrolling, etc. Now part of ADTS.

Seven Dwarves: In the 1960s the computer industry was dominated by IBM and seven other
companies, the so called Seven Dwarves. These were Burroughs, Control Data,

General Electric, Honeywell, NCR, RCA, and Univac. However, the attrition of IBM’s little friends
was heavy. GE sold out, and RCA merged with Univac. The remnants of

the Seven Dwarves became the BUNCH.

SFS: Shared File System. Component of z/VM allowing file-sharing at the file level rather than at the
mini-disk level. SFS files are held in pools and managed by a

file server machine. Considered by z/VM buffs to be a great leap forward in storage management.

SGML: Standard Generalized Mark-up Language. The canonical markup language from which
HTML and XML are derived. International standard for page make-up for electronic

publishing systems derived from the IBM GML language, and fulfilling roughly the same functions as
DCA. SGML is used in the US government CALS initiatives, and was at

one time promoted by a number of companies, including IBM, as a standard for EDI1.

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SGMP: Simple Gateway Monitoring Protocol. A network management protocol for TCP/IP
networks.

SHARE: IBM users association covering a lot of interest areas, but especially strong in z/OS systems
programming. Began with five members in Santa Monica, California

in 1955. Conferences have had as many as 6500 attendees. Has spread worldwide in one form or
another under the auspices of the International User Group Council. See

also GUIDE.

Shared Expanded Storage: See SES.

Shared stand-alone storage: A rumored enhancement to the System/390 architecture which separates
the memory from a specific processor and makes it shareable among all

the processors in a sysplex via the ICE1. The ICE is a key enabler for shared stand-alone storage, and
should enable data to go from DASD directly into expanded

storage without processor intervention, and without channel transfers. Shared stand-alone storage is
also known as S**3 and SSS.

SHARE OPTION 4: A file sharing setting for VSAM files.

shdaemon: An AIX1 command function that provides a SMIT-configurable mechanism to detect

system hangs and initiate the configured action. Actions include an error

message (logged and/or displayed), high priority login for the system administrator, specific
commands or a reboot. See also daemon.

Shell: Generic term with a lot of different meanings. Early Internet service often involved an
interface, called a Shell, on a host computer, rather than a direct

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connection to the Internet. And there was the IBM DOS Shell, a menu driven interface to basic PC-
DOS functionality. Shell is also widely used in the expert systems and

Unix communities, to mean software providing a skeleton which can be customized to produce a
specific application. For example, IBM’s The Integrated Reasoning Shell

(see TIRS) provides a generalized problem solving tool, which users can modify to create an expert
system to solve a specific problem.

Shop Application Edition: IBM SCADA software developed jointly by IBM and Cincinatti-Milacron.
Obsolete.

Short wavelength: One of two types of optical transceiver used for 1 Gbps Ethernet LAN. SX is the
other.

Shrink-wrapped: IBMspeak for a stand-alone product. The rest of the world uses it to describe retail
software products, because they are sealed in plastic to prevent

consumer purchase, copy and return scams.

SI: See Systems Integration.

SIC: Serial Interface Chip.

SID: Systems Integration Division. Set up by IBM in 1988 to sell systems integration services, and
dismembered two years later and replaced by ISSC.

SIE: Start Interpretive Execution. Firmware machine command originally introduced for use by
VM/XA SP to initiate the execution of a guest system (to make it work,

not start killing it). Makes some advanced facilities available and improves performance.

Sierra: Internal IBM code name for the replacement for the 308x. Sierra appeared as the 3090 in
1985.

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SiGe: See Silicon/germanium.

Sight and Sound: 17 inch monitor with flat square tube, integrated stereo speakers, and camera
enablement. The 7091-7S1 was announced October 1994 and withdrawn April

1996.

Signature: Word processing package developed by XyQuest for PC-DOS, Windows, and OS/2. IBM
acquired exclusive worldwide rights in March 1991, making it the heir

apparent to DisplayWrite. IBM set up a Signatoires program to encourage independent software

vendors to write Signature-compatible software, but it all ground to a

halt later in 1991, when IBM took up with Lotus, and assigned the marketing and distribution rights
for Signature back to XyQuest.

Signature files: Stored information on known viruses used by anti-virus software.

Signed-on-from list: Used for persistent verification, a list of users with a session in progress between
two LUs.

Silicon/germanium: Semiconductor fabrication technique which employs silicon and germanium

(SiGe). Benefits include considerable speed increases compared with current

generation silicon, higher densities than gallium arsenide, and the ability to use current silicon
fabrication facilities for cost-effective production. To date, SiGe

has been used mainly in embedded processors, especially for cell phones. Ironically, germanium was
used in the 1960s as a cheaper alternative to silicon for

semiconductors. Audio equipment using it had a characteristic white noise.

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Silicon-On-Insulator: A processor technology that prevents electrical leakage from the processor
chips. Copper and SOI account for the 20-35% processor performance

improvement of pSeries 680 over RS/6000 S-series and iSeries 400 over AS/400e.

Silicon Valley Lab: The home of, among others, a z/OS DB2 UDB services team that delivers fee-
based services to IBM customers.

Silo: See ATL.

Silverlake: Common term for the project that produced the AS/400. IBM denies that Silverlake was
ever an official code name, but admits that it’s the name of a man-

made lake just outside the Rochester plant where the AS/400 was developed.

Silverstone: Code name for the hybrid 9370 + PS/2 which eventually appeared in January 1990 as the
9371.

SIM1: Service Information Message.

SIM2: Strategic Investment Methodology. IBM technique for linking business objectives to a
corporate business plan. Consists of structured meetings which produce a

report advising the customer about its IT strategy.

Simon: IBM’s first foray into the PDA market, released in August 1994. It was a digital telephone
with a few extra bits on, rather than a very small personal

computer. Initially it was sold by BellSouth Corp, and not by IBM. Obsolete. See WorkPad.

Simply Speaking: See VoiceType.

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Single-Byte Character Set: See SBCS.

Single Pallet Delivery: Consolidates pSeries hardware, the AIX1 operating system and selected AIX
software installation materials into a single delivery.

Single subsystem scope: DB2 classes with the subsystem ID as part of the class name.

Single system node: See single system RRSF node.

Single system RRSF node: An RRSF node consisting of one z/OS system image.

Single Version Charging: See SVC1.

SIO1: Start I/O. Mainframe machine-level instruction which tells a channel to begin running a
channel program.

SIO2: Special Installation Offering. IBM marketing program which IBM uses either to knock out old
boxes cheap, or to dig itself out of a hole when it can’t supply the

boxes people want. For example, IBM introduced an SIO in which it offered to lend customers an
interim model of the AS/400 until the model they really wanted became

available.

SIT: System Initialization Table. A table which defines general system options for CICS.

Site certificate: A RACF-managed digital certificate associated with a server, or network entity.

SiteManager: SystemView SiteManager Services.

SLA: See Service Level Agreement.

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SLED: Single Large Expensive Disk. An acronym much used by proponents of RAID to pour
contempt and contumely on large disks such as IBM’s 3380/3390 families.

SLIC: System Licensed Internal Code – a new name for LIC1, vintage mid 1995.

SLIP: Serial Line Internet Protocol. Defines the transport of data packets through an asynchronous
telephone line. The original protocol used for dial-up access to

the Internet.

SLP: Server Location Protocol. An IETF standard written by IBM and Zephyr to facilitate optimum
load balancing between tn3270(E)/tn5250 servers.

SLR: Service Level Reporter. z/OS report generator cum job accounting package that works on
system performance data. Although it’s an z/OS product, SLR can report on

datasets created by z/VM and many individual pieces of system software, and seemed destined for
loftier things when it was included in SystemView. Replaced by Tivoli

Decision Support for z/OS December 1998.

SLU: Service Level Update. Installation materials for a software product with all current maintenance
fixes applied. Each SLU has a number indicating how recent the

included maintenance is.

SLUP: Secondary Logical Unit Program.

SM/400: System Manager for iSeries 400. See System Manager.

SMA: System Management Architecture. A name for the architecture which appears to underlie
SystemView.

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SMAF: System Migration Assist Feature. Feature under PR/SM which allowed a mainframe to
emulate a Fujitsu or Hitachi processor. Available only in the Japanese market.

See also VM/MPI, VM/MPII.

Smalltalk: Object-oriented programming system from Digitalk. Smalltalk/V is one of the enabling
technologies for CUA 91, and has been used heavily within IBM for its

own developments. There was a Smalltalk-based language for the iSeries 400 known as Envy/400 but
it was replaced by VisualAge in March 1995. Today, VisualAge has been

renamed to VisualAge Smalltalk and is available for AIX1, HP-UX, z/OS, OS/2, Sun Solaris, UNIX
and Windows. It also supports Java platforms. See also CUA 91, Object.

SMAO: SystemView System Management Automation Offerings. SystemView software, announced

August 1993, which allowed a focal point on a z/OS host to manage a network of

pSeries or iSeries 400 systems. Withdrawn July 1995.

SMART1: See RTM3.

SMART2: Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technique. Standard for monitoring the
performance of SCSI hard disks. Supported by IBM, and implemented in the

UltraStar family of drives. Also spelled S.M.A.R.T.

SmartBatch: SmartBatch for OS/390. See BatchPipes, which it replaced, then was replaced by.

Smart cache: IBM improvement to conventional applet caching, pioneered with Host On-Demand
5.0, where the older version of an applet is activated while a newer

version of it is being downloaded in the background.

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Smart Card: Credit card-sized authenticator.

SmartCard Security Kit: Security hardware/software that prevents unauthorized access to a

workstation. There was a desktop and notebook version. Announced September

1999 and withdrawn September 2000 (desktop) and January 2001 (notebook).

SmartCenter: Lotus software that provides access to major Web sites within software such as
Microsoft Office, without starting up a Web browser.

SmartLink: See Salutation.

SmartOffice: See Salutation.

SmartSuite: Suite of desktop products from Lotus.

SMB: Server Message Block. Part of the obsolete PC Network system. Was a de facto standard in its
time. An enhanced version of SMB is used in OS/2 LAN Server.

SME: Small to Medium Enterprise.

SMF: System Management Facilities. Function within z/OS which collects data on all system
activities for use in accounting, performance monitoring, capacity planning,

etc. SMF creates log entries (SMF records) of this data.

SMFF: SCRIPT Mathematical Formula Formatter.

SMI1: Server Management Interface. Server management standard developed under the auspices of
DMTF.

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SMI2: Synchronous Memory Interface.

SMI3: Structure of Management Information. See SNMP.

SMIT: System Management Interface Tool. A component of AIX.

SmoothStart: SmoothStart Services. On-site implementation (installation, configuration,

customization and integration) and training startup. Provided by IBM Global

Services for a number of platforms, including z/OS and even some non-IBM systems, but not z/VM.
Announced March 1996.

SMP/E: System Modification Program Extended. An element of z/OS that is used to install most
software products. Applies the relevant parts of Change Management to the

installation and maintenance of software delivered in executable (OCO) format, with no source code.
Most notably, the ability to test a new version of software (or

maintenance to an old one) on a production system while the old version is simultaneously being used
by production applications.

SMP1: System Modification Program. See SMP/E.

SMP2: Simple Management Protocol. A re-naming of SNMP.

SMP3: See Symmetric multiprocessing.

SMPO: See Software Migration Project Office.

SMS1: System Managed Storage. The philosophy of letting the computer system manage the storage
of data rather than having it done by a human data administrator. The

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key benefit is that it provides device transparency – i.e., it removes the need for the data user to know
where or how the data is stored. IBM promised SMS for years

but delivered little more than promises until DFSMS, which was a good deal more solid than earlier
vagaries. Today, it is almost universally used in z/OS environments

and some software will not work without it.

SMS2: Storage Management Services. A Novell standard for file backup across the LAN.

SMS3: Microsoft Systems Management Server. Software distribution for Windows Server operating
systems ala Tivoli Storage Manager.

SMSDSA: System Managed Storage DASD Space Analyzer. Software that was used mainly by IBM
SE1s to sell DFSMShsm but also freely available to customers. When run on a

z/OS system, it would calculate how much DASD space would be saved by running hsm. Obsolete.

SMSSMA: System Managed Storage Storage Management Assessment. Software that was used
mainly by IBM SE1s to sell SMS1 but also freely available to customers. When run

on a non-SMS z/OS system, it would calculate the benefits of moving to SMS. Obsolete.

SMSVMA: System Managed Storage Volume Mount Analyzer. Software that was used mainly by
IBM SE1s but also freely available to customers. When run on a z/OS system, it

would calculate the benefits of storing smaller tape datasets on DASD. Obsolete.

SMT1: Surface Mount Technology. A technique (used inter alia in some PS/2s, and in the
InfoWindow displays) for fitting components onto boards. Lends itself well to

automated assembly lines.

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SMT2: Station Management. A protocol for FDDI networks. SMT was the last part of the FDDI to be
specified by the US standards people, and IBM lent its weight to their

efforts.

SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The protocol which allows the transmission of e-mail
messages across the Internet.

SMU: System Management Utilities. iSeries 400 software (announced September 1990) which
enables an iSeries 400 to control a network of other iSeries 400s, and also to

act as a single focal point for the distribution of PTFs and the like. Replaced December 1991 by SAA
SystemView System Manager/400, which, in turn, was replaced by the

SystemView Operations Control Center for OS/400 withdrawn December 1998.

SNA: Systems Network Architecture. IBM’s data communications architecture defining levels of
protocols for communications between terminals and applications, and

between programs. For most of its life, which began in 1974, SNA was strictly host-based with
VTAM providing all the network management functions except for path

control which was provided by NCP in the communications FEP. More recently SNA has become less
autocratic with control being distributed around the network nodes.

SNA/APPN Services: The component of z/OS Communications Server that includes VTAM.

SNA/DS: See SNADS.

SNA/FS: SNA File Services. Subsystem within Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager which supports
movement of files across a network. Operates on a store-and-forward

principle so that the receiver and transmitter don’t have to be on-line simultaneously.

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SNA/MS1: SNA Management Services. IBM’s grand scheme for data distribution around a network.
Incorporates SNADS and SNA/FS. Supports configuration, problem

determination, statistics, and accounting.

SNA/MS2: SNA change Management System. Subsystem within Tivoli NetView Distribution
Manager that supports change management, including planning, scheduling, and

tracking of changes to remote/unattended SNA nodes.

SNADS: SNA Distribution Services. An architecture which provides a general, de-synchronized

(delayed delivery) data distribution facility for SNA LU6.2 systems.

Originally developed for document exchange, but extended to cover data, image, and voice. Not a
separate product as such – consists of software residing in SNA nodes.

IBM seems to prefer to spell it SNA/DS these days.

SNA Gateway: Synonymous with SNI.

SNAMCS: SNA Master Console Support.

SNAPP: System Networking, Analysis, and Performance Pilot. Provides a hand-held Personal Digital
Assistant (PDA) menu-driven interface for performing AIX1

administration tasks.

Snapshot1: System Network Analysis Program Simulated Host Overview Technique. A proprietary
IBM network simulator for optimizing network design. Not available as a

product, but IBM will sometimes lend it to you if you ask nicely or promise to buy something.

SnapShot2: High-speed data duplication software for the RAMAC Virtual Array Storage.

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SNA Server for AIX: Software (launched at the end of 1994) which enabled an RS/6000 to function
as a high-end SNA server. September 1995 upgrade provided SMP3 support

and better performance. Replaced by Communications Server for AIX1 June 1996.

SNASwitch: Cisco marketing-speak for IBM’s Enterprise Extender.

SNA Upline: Facility on OS/400 allowing OS/400 to start CICS transactions and to exchange data
between OS/400 and CICS systems. An alternative to APPC.

SNCP: Single Node Control Point. In effect the network control element within a type 2.1 node.
Provides some SSCP-type functions for type 2.1 peer-to-peer coupled

sessions.

SNI: System Network Interconnection. SNA software in NCP and VTAM enabling dissimilar SNA
networks to exchange information. One of two ways of building very large SNA

networks, the other being ENA.

SNM: See Tivoli Storage Network Manager.

SNMP: Simple Network Management Protocol (there appear to be moves afoot to drop the Network
from its name, and turn it into the Simple Management Protocol). Unix

protocol originally developed for management of TCP/IP networks, but now used for a variety of
network types, including Ethernet, TRN, and OSI. SNMP has three

elements: structure of management information (SMI); management information base (MIB); and the
protocol itself, which carries the SMI to and from the MIB. SNMP

provides a similar range of functions to CMIP1/CMIS, but is less resource-hungry. Supported by IBM
passim.

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SOAP: Simple Object Access Protocol. A lightweight form of middleware for accessing services,
objects, and servers in a platform-independent manner. Carries a payload

of XML on top of HTTP or some other protocol. A W3C standard originally developed by Microsoft
and endorsed by IBM.

Social engineering: A hacker’s technique of impersonating a staff member in an attempt to deceive

other staff, to gain access to an organization’s computing

resources.

Sockets: Software interfaces that allow two Unix application programs to talk to one another using
TCP/IP protocols.

SoD: Statement of Direction. An official promise by IBM. An SoD comes with a (fairly) firm
commitment that it will be implemented (or retracted) within two years. See

SoI1.

SOEMI: Serial OEM Interface. Interface on the 9370 to allow connection of equipment from OEMs.

Soft.Switch: See Soft-Switch.

Soft5080 for AIX: Emulates the 5080 graphics system on the eserver pSeries. Announced June 1995.
Withdrawn July 2001.

SoftBench: A Unix development environment from HP, which became a de facto standard in the
Unix world.

SoftCopy: IBM documentation (manuals) on CD-ROM, DVD and the Internet, and the software tools
to use it.

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Soft Switch: See Soft-Switch.

Soft-Switch: At one time, an independent software vendor specializing in communications between

office systems. IBM sold Soft.Switch’s z/OS and z/VM software to users

wishing to communicate between OfficeVision and non-IBM systems, as a replacement for the OIF
software which IBM announced but which was never shipped. The formal

marketing agreement terminated in February 1993. Lotus bought Soft-Switch in June 1994, then
disbanded the product line, with support ending April 2002.

SoftSwitch: See Soft-Switch.

Software Analysis Test Tool: See SATT.

Software Delivery and Fulfillment: An area within IBM US that accepts and fulfills orders for
software.

Software Inventory Utility: OS/400 software that autosenses what release it is being run on, outputs a
report showing what software is currently installed and

displays the software in different categories which indicate how it can be ordered.

Software Mall: Facility on IBM’s IN service, announced November 1991 for the US only, which
enabled software vendors to run a range of support and sales services for

users to dial in to. Obsolete.

Software Migration Project Office: IBM group formed in 1993 to help migrate customers from
utilities software vendors (USVs) to IBM and Tivoli products. The Tivoli

Migration Team specializes in z/OS. The DB2 Migration Team covers all platforms. The Software
Portfolio Strategies Group (SPS) also focuses on the mainframe.

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Software Publishing Certificate: A PKCS #7 signed-data object containing X.509 digital certificates.

Software Server: Family of seven software bundles announced March 1996: Lotus Notes, Internet
Connection Server, Database Server, Communications Server, Directory &

Security Server, Systems Management Server, and Transaction Server. Available (but not necessarily
all seven) for AIX, OS/2, and Windows NT platforms.

Software Subscription: Name for various, most notably OS/400 and AIX, flat rate fee offerings that
provide the latest version/release of software without additional

charge. See also Software Upgrade Assistant.

Software Upgrade Assistant: A Web-based tool that allows Software Subscription customers to
directly order release upgrades based on the software subscription they

have and the products they want upgraded. Requires registration through IBM Electronic Services.

SoftwareXcel: IBM software services program announced in the USA December 1989. The customer
pays for a chosen level of support – Basic, Extended, Custom – ranging

from remote database access up to permanent in-house IBMer. A key innovation is that it may include
support of non-IBM products, although cynical observers have

suggested that this aspect of SoftwareXcel is IBM’s method of getting customers to pay for its
research into competitive suppliers. SoftwareXcel presages the end of

IBM’s policy of bundled software support for mainframe users. August 1991 the program was
extended to include installation of mainframe operating systems.

SoHo: Small office Home office. Generic term for the low end of the small business market. Even
housing contractors use the term.

SoI1: Statement of Intent. An official half-promise by IBM. An SoI does not appear to have a
timescale attached to it (cf. SoD).

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SOI2: See Silicon-On-Insulator.

Solid State Disk: See SSD1.

Solution Assurance eSAR: See eSAR.

SolutionPac: Bundle of software and/or hardware providing (fairly) complete solutions for a specific
application. Some of the SolutionPacs add value to their

component products by providing some interfaces, and creating consistency, but otherwise the
SolutionPac is just a bit of IBM marketing puff. Obsolete.

Solution Repository: Accessible via the Web, a consolidated inventory of eserver solutions and links
to testing and integration centers, solution assurance processes,

service offerings, and reports based on IBM, customer experience, and other sources.

SOM: System Object Model. Standard implemented first in OS/2 Version 2.0, designed to help users
develop class libraries and object-oriented programs. Supports the

CORBA standards. A distributed version, DSOM, was announced mid 1993, and an z/OS
implementation (SOMobjects) in October 1994. AIX1 and Windows NT 4.0 versions were

added later. The OS/2, AIX and Windows versions have since been functionally stabilized and no
longer supported but are still available for free download.

SOMobjects: October 1994 z/OS object-oriented software which defines and manages binary object
class libraries. Runs in the TSO, APPC, and batch environments, and

there are developers’ toolkits for OS/2, AIX1, and Windows. Withdrawn September 2000.

SONET: Synchronous Optical Network. US standard for fiber networks. Above 155Mbits/s it’s the
same as the European SDH.

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Sort/merge: See DFSORT.

Source routing: LAN bridging standard used by IBM for TRN bridges which describes how data
frames are routed within complex TRN networks. Although it has the plus

point of allowing workstations to be moved from one place to another without hardware or software
changes, IBM’s source routing is somewhat intolerant of non-IBM

devices, and there is a distinct possibility that IBM will ditch it in favor of a transparent bridging,
spanning-tree approach.

Source user ID: The first of a pair of user IDs in functions such as password synchronization, where
RACF changes the password of the target user ID whenever the

source user ID’s password changes.

SP1: Modestly parallel RS/6000, announced February 1993 – the first POWERparallel machine.
Originally used 8 to 64 Rios RISC processors, and ran at up to 8 GigaFLOPS

(64 processor version). Each processor ran its own AIX1, and there was a high-performance switch to
coordinate tasks. It did rather well; it’s estimated that in 1993

IBM sold $338M worth, making it number 2 in the market after Cray Research. Replaced by the SP2.

SP2: POWERparallel machines, unveiled early 1994. Computing power for the first machines was
twice the SP1’s, with four times the bandwidth, and eight times the

memory. Connectivity includes ESCON, Token Ring, HIPPI, and differential high performance
external input-output controllers via new MicroChannel adapters. System

software includes enhanced systems management, full versions of AIX1 on each node, a parallel
development environment, and various applications. IBM is keen to promote

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it for the commercial environment, rather than for the scientific market in which the predecessor SP1
flourished. Entry-level two-node system announced in October

1994, and improved floating point and price performance early 1995. Early 1996 IBM sold its most
powerful parallel computer ever in the shape of a 472-processor SP2.

Mid 1996, IBM decreed that the SP2 no longer existed, and was in future to be known as the RS/6000
SP – sans number.

SPAG: Standards Promotion and Applications Group. Predominantly European Organization set up
in 1986 to help specify OSI standards, and carry out OSI conformance

testing – similar to COS1 in the US. IBM was a member. Disbanded in 1994.

Spam: Although the term is open to interpretation by the person viewing it, it generally refers to
advertising in news groups and, more commonly, any unwanted mass-

mailed e-mail.

Sparc: Scalable Processor Architecture. RISC architecture developed by SUN systems, and made by
various semiconductor foundries.

SPC: See Software Publishing Certificate.

SPDL: Standard Page Description Language. International standard (ISO/IEC 10180) that defines a
formalism for the description of documents in their final, completely

typeset, unrevisable form.

SPE: Small Programming Enhancement. Typically an APAR which adds new functionality rather
than just corrects a bug.

SPEC: Systems Performance Evaluation Corporation (formerly Cooperative). A group of vendors,

including HP, Sun, DG, DEC, MIPS, Motorola, set up in November 1988 to

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establish a set of benchmarks for performance of advanced computer systems – particularly

workstations. SPECmarks (SPEC benchmarks) are widely used for comparing Unix

systems. IBM joined SPEC in May 1989. See also TPC.

SPEC 1170: A unified specification for the APIs for Unix. If you want to call your product Unix,
then you have to conform to SPEC 1170, which is so called because it

defines 1,170 APIs. See also SUS.

SPECIAL attribute: A RACF user attribute providing full control over all of the profiles in the RACF
database and allows use of all commands, except auditing.

Special bid: IBMspeak for a confidential agreement in which a customer manages to cajole, beg, or
bully a discount out of IBM; typically a special bid will include

non-standard terms/conditions, very large volumes, products not included in standard VPAs, VWAs,
etc.

Speech: IBM has long been involved in speech processing of one kind or another and was a pioneer
in electronic PABXs (although not in the USA). After the setbacks of

its relationship with Rolm, IBM introduced some innovative products around its CallPath architecture.
See also 1750/3750, 9270/4, 7652, ADS2, AVC, CallPath,

DirectTalk, Personal Dictation System, PhoneMail, Rolm, Speech Server Series, VCO, VoiceType,
VTMS.

Speechfile: Series/1 speech processing system which eventually became ADS2.

Speech Server Series: RS/6000 speech recognition product (vintage November 1992) based on an
RS/6000 server and RS/6000 or OS/2 workstations. Has a vocabulary of over

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20,000 words and supports free-text dictionary and command entry in French, German, Italian, and
UK and US English. Includes special adapter card for speech decoding.

IBM claims that a properly trained Speech Server can take dictation at up to 70 words a minute
(provided you pause between words). May 1993 a PS/2 desktop version was

demonstrated, which became the Personal Dictation System in November 1993. The Speech Server
Series was withdrawn in December 1996.

SpeechViewer: Software for PC-DOS and OS/2, which stores and analyses speech to help speech
pathologists, teachers, speech therapists, and the like in their work.

Windows 95 support was announced September 1996. A member of the Independence Series family.

SPF: Structured Programming Facility. The predecessor to the Dialog Manager component of ISPF,
but still frequently used to refer to ISPF/PDF.

SPI: Systems Programmer Interface. Low-level interface available for a number of products – the
system software equivalent of the API. The SPI is usually invoked with

a function code rather than by using the individual named entry points. The name notwithstanding,
SPIs are also used by mere mortals.

Spitfire: Obsolete family of SCSI PC hard drives.

SPK: Storage Protect Key.

Split database: A RACF database stored in more than one RACF dataset.

SPM/2: System Performance Monitor/2. Announced October 1992. Withdrawn July 1997.

SPMF: Software Profile Management Facility. Add-on facility for Tivoli NetView Distribution
Manager which manages workstation software by profiles.

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SPO: System Program Order.

Spoofing: IP spoofing, or, alternatively, processing by an intermediate network node on behalf of the
final destination node.

Spool: Simultaneous/Shared Peripheral Operation On-Line. DASD storage used as a temporary

storage area between devices – e.g., printer and processor. See also HASP,

JES2, JES3, POWER1.

SPS: Software Portfolio Strategies Group. Part of the IBM Software Migration Project Office.

SPUFI: SQL Processor Using File Input. z/OS DB2 Facility which allows ad hoc SQL access to DB2
objects via ISPF. A DP professional’s tool. Especially useful for

testing SQL before coding it into a program.

SQA: System Queue Area. Storage area in z/OS.

SQL: Structured Query Language. IBM and ANSI standard (they diverge and converge regularly
with the passage of time) for access to relational databases. Relational

data language using English-like, keyword-oriented facilities for data definition, query, data
manipulation, and data control. Supported by IBM in its DB2 family of

products.

SQL/400: The original OS/400 DB2 implementation. Renamed DB2/400 then DB2 Universal
Database.

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SQL/DS: Structured Query Language/Data System. Relational database system for z/VM and
VSE/ESA environments. SQL/DS and DB2 presented a similar external view to the

user, although there are significant differences in areas such as space management, logging, and
recovery. Despite being treated like younger brothers to z/OS, always

getting hand me downs, SQL/DS marked a departure from that trend, becoming the first IBM
relational database, long before DB2. The two versions of SQL/DS were first

re-named DB2/VM and DB2/VSE then DB2 Server for VSE and VM.

SQLJ: A set of extensions that allow developers to embed SQL statements in Java code. Advocated
by IBM, Oracle and others as an improvement on JDBC. JDO, from Sun,

eliminates the need for SQLJ.

SQL Master/VM: Program offering announced June 1990 for z/VM and March 1996 for VSE/ESA,
containing tools for database administrators (DBA) working with DB2.

Developed by internal IBM end-users and then productized by IBM. Withdrawn April 2000.

SQL Server: Multi-user relational database system jointly developed by Microsoft, Sybase, and
Ashton Tate, originally for the Microsoft version of OS/2, and

subsequently sold for a number of platforms. Early 1994 Microsoft and Sybase went their separate
ways. And Microsoft has been turning out new versions ever since.

Mainly for Windows server operating systems, but also for Windows CE. Microsoft Access, a
component of Office, is relatively compatible and often used as a user

interface and sometimes as a development platform.

SQL transparency: The ability to process DL/I data through application SQL calls. SQL transparency
enables new or changed applications to be run using an existing

DL/I database. Compare DL/I transparency.

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SQLXML: XML for Microsoft SQL Server.

SQM: See Tivoli Service Quality Manager.

Squadron box: IBMspeak for the 9672 family of parallel CMOS machines.

SRAM: Static Random Access Memory. Memory technology that is faster and more expensive than
DRAM. SRAM also does not require the constant (several hundred times a

second) refreshing of its current value by the processor that DRAM does. See also SDRAM.

SRB: Source Route Bridging. See Routing Information Field.

SRM: System Resources Manager. Ineffable z/OS and z/VM software which is meant to optimize
throughput by optimizing the use of system resources.

SRPI: Server-Requester Protocol (sometimes Programming) Interface. IBM architecture supporting

interactive access between workstations and servers – for example

allowing a mainframe to appear as a file server to a PC-DOS network. Works by allowing a PC

program to exchange buffers with a z/OS TSO or z/VM CMS1 program. SRPI was

the basis of and pre-requisite for the obsolete ECF, for which it provided the API. Today, it is
supported by Host Access Client Package.

SRT1: Source Routing Transparent. A Token Ring bridging standard jointly sponsored by IBM and
the IEEE.

SRT2: Symbol Resolution Table.

SRTD: Symbol Resolution Table Directory.

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SRTE: Symbol Resolution Table Entry.

SSA1: System Service Amendment (or Agreement). Warranty and service agreement which replaces
the previous Extended SSA (ESSA). IBM being IBM, the SSA has more things

in it than the Extended SSA. Available at time of purchase only for one-time payment (or more
commonly as part of a lease deal).

SSA2: See Serial Storage Architecture.

SSCP: System Services Control Point. SNA software within VTAM which handles network
name/address conversion, device configuration, network diagnostics, and recovery.

The SSCP is an NAU located on a host node in the network, and typically provides support for LUs
and PUs with less capability. See also PU1.

SSD1: Solid State Disk (also known as SCD – SemiConductor Disk). Generic term for non-volatile
(usually through battery backup) storage devices which emulate rotating

DASD using stationary electronics. Historically used as fast paging devices, but now used to provide
faster (but more expensive) equivalent of rotating DASD for any

performance-critical datasets. Versions are available from a number of IBM plug-compatible vendors.
IBM has spurned the technology, and prefers DASD Fast Write or

expanded storage. The Fast Write feature of the IBM 2105 DASD controller may well be a more cost-
effective solution for certain circumstances (notably applications

which make intensive use of sequential and/or unformatted writes). Note that SSD, unlike expanded
storage, is downstream of the channel, and still requires a channel

operation to access data; expanded storage offers huge performance increases, since it does away with
channel I/Os entirely, but it’s a lot more expensive than SSD.

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SSD2: Storage Systems Division. See also AdStar.

SSI1: Single System Image. The idea that a system will appear to the user as if it is one system, even
though it may be spread across a multiplicity of processors

(e.g., a CICSplex). SSI was also used to describe MP configurations which saved license fees by
using a single copy of z/OS on a MP configuration rather than multiple

copies on discrete processors.

SSI2: Supercomputer Systems Inc. Company started up by supercomputer guru Steve Chen (he used
to design Cray’s machines). IBM had a stake in SSI and stated that it

intended to market Chen’s product, probably with its own AIX1 operating software. In January 1993
SSI went belly up.

SSI3: SubSystem Interface. z/OS interface to subsystems such as DB2, VTAM, and JESx which
operate independently of the host operating system. Foolhardy users

sometimes employ SSI to write their own subsystems.

SSI4: See Systems Strategies Inc.

SSL: Secure Sockets Layer. A security protocol, developed by Netscape and RSA Security, that
allows the client to authenticate the server and all data and requests to

be encrypted. In Web browsers, the use of SSL is indicated by a padlock icon in the status bar. URLs
beginning https:// indicate an SSL request, but the padlock

indicates it was successful.

SSL API: Secure Sockets Layer Application Programming Interface. A feature of TCP/IP in
VSE/ESA and z/OS that is compatible between the two environments. In VSE/ESA,

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the SSL feature, like TCP/IP itself, has been licensed by IBM from Connectivity Systems
Incorporated. See also SSL, API.

SSO: Software and Services Organization.

SSP1: System Support Program. The operating software for the obsolete System/36.

SSP2: System Support Program (ACF/SSP). Software providing generation and utility functions
under the host operating system for users of NCP and EP.

SSP3: See Subsystem Storage Protection.

SSPD: IBM’s former Storage Systems Product Division.

SSS: See Shared Stand-alone Storage.

SSSP: See SubSystem Storage Protection.

SST: Self-Service Terminal. See also Tivoli Self-Service Terminal Manager.

SSX: In the early 1980s, a short-lived entry-level version of VSE/ESA (then known as DOS/VSE)
supplied for low-end 43xxs. Inexpensive, especially with the OTC option

that completely eliminated MLC and a big improvement in ease of installation and maintenance. In
those days, DOS/VSE still required a SYSGEN with its error-prone

coding of hundreds of Assembler macro1 parameters. Instead, SSX came pregenerated, with
parameters files than could be easily changed as required. But, with serious

limitations on size, presumably to prevent mass defections from DOS/VSE pricing. Software vendors
were expected to create special format installation tapes, but not

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even IBM offered many of its own products that way. Thankfully, it was still possible to install them
the standard DOS/VSE way. Although SSX was a flop, especially in

convincing potential customers that the mainframe was technically easy, it did have at least two long-
lasting results seen in VSE/SP: a change in name from DOS to VSE;

and movement from SYSGEN to pregeneration and parameter files.

SSX/VSE: See SSX.

ST&A: Systems Technology and Architecture. Division of IBM created mid 1994 based in Austin,
Texas to rationalize development across all IBM platforms. Veterans of

the SAA era will have a déja-vu experience when they contemplate ST&A. Especially considering the
fact that it didn’t even last as long than SAA.

Stabilize: IBMspeak for despatch to the knacker’s yard – e.g., The 8100 has been stabilized really
means We’re not going to do any more development work on the 8100

software, we ain’t making any more boxes, and pretty soon we won’t be providing fixes either! Also
known as functionally stabilize.

Stack: Slang terminology for the TCP/IP protocol set.

Stacking: Technique for automatically packing lots of small tape or cartridge volumes on to a single
tape or cartridge to improve utilization and reduce the number of

tapes or cartridges in use. Then, of course, you suddenly create the confusing terminology of logical
volume and physical volume.

STAIRS: STorage And Information Retrieval System. Family of z/OS and z/VM products using full
text indexing for storage and on-line retrieval of text. Long-

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established product, originally announced in August 1973, used mainly for information retrieval from
a text database. Primarily for use by trained specialists – not

the casual office automation user. STAIRS spent many years in the wilderness (there were no updates
between 1985 and May 1989), tottering on the brink of stabilization

– but it was given a new lease of life with lots of new APIs for use with OfficeVision, only to be
replaced by SearchManager in March 1992.

Stand-alone dump: A display of all used memory locations, typically stored on DASD or tape,
created with a program that does not required the operating system to be

functioning normally. z/VM has a Stand-Alone Dump Utility for this purpose.

Standard access list: The portion of a RACF resource profile that specifies the users and groups that
may access the resource and, for each, the level of access.

Starburst: Starburst (also known as R-Star in a slightly different permutation) is IBM’s prototype
distributed database manager. Developed at IBM’s Almaden Research

Center in San Jose, California, between 1984 and 1992, Starburst is an off-shoot of the same project
that led to the release of DB2. Starburst is particularly strong

in global optimization (selecting the most efficient location in the network for storing data). The
optimizer from Starburst appeared in DB2 Common Server mid 1995.

Starburst principal architect Bruce Lindsay dreamed up what became DB2 Extenders during the
project. See also Net Search Extender, System/R.

Starfire: Family of high-performance, high-capacity 95mm disk HDAs available from 1994 on. Used
in some models of 7133 and 7131.

Star join: A type of DB2 join used in star schema. z/OS DB2 UDB supports it.

StarLAN: AT&T’s method of running Ethernet-style networks over twisted pair wiring.

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Started procedures table: ICHRIN03. In RACF, a list of started procedure names and the user ID or
group that RACF assigns to each, as well as a generic entry

indicating what to assign to started procedures not listed in the table.

Started task: An z/OS task (program) that is automatically started (or started by the operator), and
remains active waiting for work to do (e.g., CICS).

Start-stop: IBM’s word for asynchronous transmission, with each character delimited by start and
stop bits. Not surprisingly it’s dreadfully slow and has largely been

superseded by block-mode protocols such as BSC and SDLC1.

STAT: STorage Analysis Transaction. Storage analysis program in CICS which produces a report
similar to that produced from IPCS1 for the dispatcher and storage

manager domains, but also includes an overview of the z/OS storage in use. The real advantage is that
the report is produced from a running system.

Statd: AIX1 status monitor. Provides a general framework for collecting network status information.
Implemented as a daemon that runs on all NFS configured machines,

the status monitor provides a protocol that allows applications to monitor the status of other machines.

Static SQL: Generic term for SQL implementations in which the SQL is compiled and then called
directly from the application. The advantage of Static SQL over Dynamic

SQL is that the compiler can construct the best possible access plan before the SQL is executed. The
result is better performance and security, and for distributed

applications, there’s less network traffic.

Statistical multiplexer: A multiplexer – also known as a stat mux – which allocates transmission
capacity on the basis of how busy different transmitters are.

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STAT request: Checks if RACF is active or if a specific resource class is defined to RACF and
active, via the RACROUTE macro with REQUEST=STAT specified.

STC: See Started Task.

STI: See Self-Timed Interface.

STL: Structured Translator Language. REXX-like scripting language for TPNS.

STOKEN: A RACF UTOKEN associated with a user who has submitted work.

Storage Capacity Upgrade on Demand: A Capacity Upgrade on Demand approach for disk storage
for eserver zSeries 900 systems.

Storage Class: One of the SMS1 storage characteristics. Storage Class specifies the storage services
applicable to a dataset1, including the fact that it is system-

managed.

Storage Group: SMS1 term. Storage Group defines a volume pool and specifies connectivity. See
Pooling.

Storage pooling: See Pooling.

Store and forward: Communications technique in which data is sent to a node in a network, where it
is held and then forwarded to the next node. Widely used in

communications networks, because it allows connectionless communication. See also Asynchronous,

Cut-through routing, DSU, LU6.2, Messaging, MHS, ONDS, SNA/FS, Teletex.

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StorePlace: A pair of software package for the 468x and 469x family of POS1 terminals. Announced
October 1994. With the release of Version 2 in June 2001, the pair

was renamed Distributed Data Services (DDS) and 4690 Controller Services Feature (CSF) for
Windows. Runs on Windows NT/200x/XP and only supports 469x.

Storyboard: PC-DOS software for creating presentations. Storyboard Plus was withdrawn April 1993.
See also Storyboard Live.

Storyboard Live: Storyboard Live! Multimedia version of Storyboard. Withdrawn February 1995.

STP: Shielded Twisted Pair. Type of cable originally thought to be suitable only for low data rate
networks, but these days used for fairly high speed (up to 100Mbps)

transmission too. Recommended by IBM for 4 and 16Mbps TRN. Shielded refers to the fact that the
cable has its insulated wires (conductors) completely surrounded by

braided uninsulated very thin wire that is grounded to prevent external interference (RFI). See also
SDDI, UTP.

Strategic: IBMspeak for a product, architecture, theory, or concept that is currently in vogue, and
seems likely to stay in vogue for a while yet. The reasons for a

product being in vogue vary: it may be because IBM’s got a warehouseful of them and needs to shift
them; because it thinks that a product will make lots of money; or

because it actually thinks that a product is rather good. In the past, the effect of making a product
strategic has been to create massive demand; the magic seemed to

be wearing off throughout the early 1990s, and IBM was trying various other words (notably open) to
see if they shared the mystical potency of strategic.

Strategic Framework: IBMspeak for the infrastructure for OfficeVision.

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Stratus: Vendor of fault-tolerant minicomputers. In 1985, IBM started re-branding Stratus machines,
which it sold under the soubriquet System/88.

StreamCam: A Lotus web-based streaming technology for ScreenCam movies, including a streaming
video server and Web browser plug-in.

Stream cipher: Algorithms that encrypt data as a continuous stream of bits.

Stream I/O: A Unix, AIX1 and OS/400 file access method for byte stream files.

Stretch: 1950s IBM project (in conjunction with the US government’s Los Alamos Labs) to build a
parallel supercomputer.

String: A group of DASD units (typically 2-8) attached to a head of string device.

Structure1: IBMspeak for an architecture that isn’t quite finished.

Structure2: See cache structure.

SU: See Service unit.

SUA: See Software Upgrade Assistant.

Subarea: The traditional, hierarchical portion of an SNA network in which the host provides services
for the peripheral nodes. In subarea SNA, each SSCP/NCP

combination in a network is assigned a unique subarea number which is used as part of the address of
any Network Addressable Unit (NAU).

Subspace Group Facility: Facility announced April 1994, initially for large ES/9000s, which provides
storage protection at the CICS transaction application level.

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Subsystem Storage Protection: Feature announced September 1991, initially on ES/9000s, which can
prevent CICS applications from overwriting system software and

control blocks, and thus prevent a crashing CICS application from bringing the whole system down.

SUF: See Service Update Facility.

SuiteSpot: Netscape integrated server suite and the Netscape Web browser client software. Designed
for the corporate intranet market with e-mail and groupware

functions. Disappeared when Sun and Netscape created iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions as a one-stop
shop for Net-enabling software which inherited SuiteSpot.

Summit: Internal IBM code name for what was going to be the successor to the 370 family of
processors. The idea was to build a multiprocessor design (up to eight

processors connected through an enhanced channel architecture), some degree of parallel processing,
47-bit addressing, single-level storage (supported by Jupiter),

etc. The top ES/9000 models were to eventually differentiate themselves from the ES/9000 and turn
themselves into true Summits. The process started mid 1992 with EMIF,

Asynchronous Pageout Facility (APF2), and string assists, and continued in February 1993 with the
data compression feature. The advent of the 9672 family of CMOS

processors presumably spelled an end to this particular development, and IBM invented summit else:
the 64-bit z/Architecture of the eserver zSeries 900. See also

AMODE.

SUP: Service Update Package. A collection of fixes and supporting documentation, etc.

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Supercomputer: Generic name for very high-performance computers, usually based on highly parallel
architectures, and optimized to carry out complex mathematical

calculations. IBM has typically based its supercomputer offerings on the big mainframes, although
more recently, it made more of a song and dance about highly parallel

systems built on the RS/6000, and now eserver pSeries, chip (see HPSS). See also Clustered
FORTRAN, GF11, OSL, PPCS, RP3, SCSE, SP1, SP2, Virtual Coupling.

SuperJANET: Initiated in 1989, by the UK Computer Board, as a national broadband network to

support UK higher education and research. The network has two parts, an IP

data network and an ATM network. See JANET.

Superuser: A user ID with minimal security restrictions.

Supervisor State: A term used in performance measurement to indicate when the machine is spending
time generally managing itself. The opposite is Problem State, when

the machine is performing end-user work.

Support Element: The eserver zSeries 900 has a pair of integrated Support Elements (SEs). One is
primary and the other is a mirrored copy that can assume the role of

the primary. The primary SE controls and monitors the operation of the rest of the zSeries 900 system.
It sends status hardware messages and operating system messages

to the HMCs for consolidation and exception processing. The SE&146;s GUI provides access to
exception-based real-time system status reporting, hardware messages,

operating system messages, service support and full operation of the zSeries 900 system.

Support Line: A single source remote defect, usage and installation support for more than 5000 IBM
and OEM software products. Provides voice and electronic access

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into the IBM support organization. For zSeries 900 software, it helps answer questions pertaining to
usage, how to, and suspected software defects for eligible

products. An offering of Integrated Technology Services within IBM Global Services Consulting.

Sure Point: See 4612.

SUS: Single Unix Specification. The replacement for SPEC 1170. Defines a range of APIs which, if
incorporated into your system, will allow you to port and

interoperate code with another SUS-compatible operating system. Like SPEC 1170, SUS has 1,170
APIs.

SVA: Shared Virtual Area. Common area shared by all VSE/ESA partitions. See also Partition3.

SVC1: Single Version Charging. IBM pricing structure introduced July 1989 in which users only
have to pay one license fee for multiple versions of the same software

running on the same machine – i.e., you only pay one charge when you’re parallel-running a current
and new version of the software. The charge is based on the cost of

the most recent, which is usually – no doubt coincidentally – the most expensive version.

SVC2: Switched Virtual Circuit. See Virtual circuit.

SVC3: SuperVisor Call. An interface to operating system functions that is used to protect the
operating system from inappropriate user entry. It can also refer to the

SVC Assembler mnemonic or machine language instruction it represents.

SVE: Supercomputing Visualization Enhancement. Feature (announced November 1990) within

SCSE which supports real-time animation and rapid inspection of large images.

See also POWER Visualization System.

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SVGA: Super Video Graphics Array. See VGA.

SVK: See Self-Voicing Kit.

SVM: Service Virtual Machine.

SVN: See Switched Virtual Networking.

SVR4: Unix Software International System 5 Release 4. The Unix standard that IBM doesn’t
conform to. cf. AIX1, OSF/1.

Swap: See swapping.

Swapping: The process of transferring a complete program between main memory and auxiliary
storage (usually disk). cf. Page.

SWAT: Skilled With Advanced Tools. Generic term, invented by James Martin, to refer to people
who design and write code in RAD environments. The term is presumably

meant to add a touch of glamour and excitement to what must be one of the dullest jobs in creation.

Switched line: Generic term for a wide area (WAN) communications line that is created when it is
required – i.e., it is shared, and it is interruptible. Usually a

switched connection will be dialed, hence its other name – dial-up line. cf. Leased line.

Switched Virtual Networking: IBM’s industry leading desktop-to-WAN model for switch-centric
networks announced September 1995. Allows virtual workgroups to be created

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and lets administrators set up associations between users independently of geographical location.
Presented by IBM as a way to move router- and host-based networks to

end-to-end ATM2.

SwitchServer/2: CallPath component for OS/2 (March 1991). Replaced September 1999 by
Corepoint Telephony.

SX1: The 80386SX chip. See 80386.

SX2: See short wavelength.

Sybase: Non-IBM relational database system and related products which have been widely used for
OLTP systems.

SYLK: Data format used by MULTIPLAN. Used as a data interchange format for PCs.

Symmetric algorithm: An encryption method that uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt.

Symmetric multiprocessing: A technique used for building multiprocessor systems. Basically you
connect several identical engines to a common main memory, and allow

each engine to access DASD and other high performance devices. Communication between the
engines is done via the common main memory (which is why it’s sometimes called

a shared memory design). A single copy of the operating system controls all the engines. Although the
term only came into usage in the early 1990s in the Unix world,

IBM has been building SMPs for years – notably the System/390s (including the 9672 CMOS boxes).
IBM reckons that it’s a very limited technique and doesn’t scale above

ten processors, when the overhead of managing the systems becomes unacceptable (see N-way
performance ratio). Above ten processors, you need to break individual tasks

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up and run them in parallel. Symmetric multiprocessing systems tend to score very well on TPC-A
benchmarks. IBM announced symmetric multiprocessing RS/6000s in October

1994.

Synchronous: A synchronous communications system is one in which there is a constant time interval
between the events in the system. The time interval tells you when

you’ve got to the end of the character (cf. asynchronous transmission in which start and stop bits mark
the beginning and end of each character). In synchronous

systems, timing bits are sent first to synchronize the receiving and transmitting nodes. In a
synchronous call, the calling program is placed into a wait state by the

operating system. Control is not returned until the result (or an error condition) is returned.

Syncpoint: A point in a transaction’s life when updates are committed. In a distributed environment,
where the transactions may be across several databases, the

syncpoint enables the commit to be delayed until all the participants can commit simultaneously.
Syncpoint processing is supported by MQSeries.

SYS1.PARMLIB: See PARMLIB.

SYSGEN: System Generation. The process of creating a customized version of an operating system.
In the IBM environment this is a complex, error-prone and time-

consuming process.

SYSOUT: z/OS output intended for a printer. The name comes from the JCL DD parameter
SYSOUT, where SYSOUT=A means send the output to the JESx Class A spool queue.

Sysplex: System complex. A processor complex formed by loosely coupling System/390 processors
together into a single unit (using channel-to-channel adapters or

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ESCON / FICON fiber optic links); the processors are synchronized using the Sysplex Timer , and
can be managed as a single system image ( SSI 1 ). Storage (main and

Expanded) may be shared among the processors in the sysplex. GRS and XCF are pre-requisites. Note
that a sysplex is not primarily a way of building more powerful

processors – it’s a way of building more manageable and resilient processor configurations; initially
the main uses of the sysplex were for hot standby, and batch

workload balancing. See Virtual coupling , Megaplex .

Sysplex Distributor: A TCP/IP stack configuration that re-directs inbound TCP traffic to other
addresses within the sysplex, typically, but not necessarily,

addresses at other stacks and systems. Those other addresses are the targets of the distributor. Sysplex
distributors reside at their specified dynamic VIPA (DVIPA)

addresses. DVIPAs move from one stack to another in a sysplex as needed. Typically, the primary
stack handles traffic addressed to a given DVIPA. If that stack fails

for some reason, the failure is advertised through the sysplex, and a backup stack assumes
responsibility for the address. Thus distributed dynamic virtual IP

addresses (DDVIPAs) provide multiple stacks and application instances to serve a single address.
They distribute the work load among the targets, and they provide

redundant backups to distribute requests. Sysplex distributors and dynamic VIPAs are created in
TCP/IP stack configuration, with statements named VIPADYNAMIC,

VIPADISTRIBUTE, VIPADEFINE, and VIPABACKUP. For further information, see

"VIPADYNAMIC" in the z/OS V1R8.0 Communications Server, IP Configuration Reference.

Sysplex Timer: In order to make a sysplex work effectively, it is essential that all the systems have
their clocks synchronized, which is what the Sysplex Timer does.

See 9037.

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System/23: Outdated and long-discontinued small business system from the now defunct General
Systems Division.

System/3: Outdated and discontinued (at the end of the 1970s) small business system from the now
defunct General Systems Division.

System/32: Outdated and discontinued small business system from the now defunct General Systems
Division.

System/34: Outdated and discontinued small business system from the now defunct General Systems
Division. Very successful, with a huge worldwide customer base.

Superseded by the System/36.

System/36: IBM system which took the small business system market by storm. The System/36 was
the long awaited replacement and/or growth path for the System/34 user.

Developed by an IBM laboratory with office systems expertise, the System/36 was promoted by IBM
as its key departmental machine for sales to the mainframe user base

where it was a sales disaster (as was the 9370, IBM’s next attempt). Although it was superseded by
the low-end AS/400, in the IBM product line, IBM had great

difficulty migrating System/36 users to the AS/400. Early 1993, there were rumors that there was a
cunning plan to create a new System/36 using the PowerPC RISC, and

the thing materialized as the AS/400 Advanced 36 in September 1994. See also 536x, AS/Entry.

System/360: See 360.

System/36 PC: Combination of a slimmed down System/36 and directly attached PC. Able to run
some standard System/36 software without re-compilation. Obsolete.

System/370: See 370.

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System/38: The largest business system from the now defunct General Systems Division. Used a very
advanced, non-370 architecture, and was regularly rumored to point

to the direction of future IBM architectures. Superseded by the high-end AS/400.

System/390: Once a name for the IBM mainframe architecture, replacing System/360 and
System/370 (whatever happened to the 380?). It was unclear at the launch of the

System/390 that it was anything very different from the 370 architecture. The February 1993
announcement of the data compression engine was the first sign of a real

departure from the 370. Replaced by the z/Architecture of the eserver zSeries 900.

System/3x: IBM term used as a means of pretending that there is more than a trivial relationship
between the System/36 and the System/38 – collectively known as

System/3x.

System/88: Minicomputer size fault-tolerant system at one time sold by IBM. Based on the Stratus-
32 machines, and targeted at applications such as bank dealing rooms,

retail POS1, continuous flow manufacturing, etc. Announced as an IBM product in 1985. Mid 1993,
IBM announced that the System/88 would no longer be sold as an IBM

product, but that local IBM offices would be happy to sell the Stratus machines to eager prospects.
See 457x, 459x, FTX.

System/9000: IBM workstation using the 68000 chip. Launched mid 1984, lasted slightly longer than
the Titanic but made rather less impact. Any potential it may have

had evaporated when the RT PC was announced – and that wasn’t exactly an overwhelming success
either.

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System/R: IBM DBMS research project which eventually led to first SQL/DS then DB2. See also
Starburst.

System 80: See Displaywriter.

System Automation: IBM System Automation for OS/390 (SA). Provides centralized control and
automation in a parallel sysplex environment, promising to make operation

of a parallel sysplex no more difficult than a single system. Announced September 1996, replacing
AOC/MVS, TSCF and ESCON Manager. Exploits Tivoli’s z/OS event

integration and can provide data for Tivoli Business Systems Manager.

System C/400: PRPQ2 that provided access to machine interface instructions on the AS/400 that
were not accessible through standard C/400. Replaced in the mid-1990s by

ILE C.

SystemGuard: Service processor introduced for some RS/6000s in October 1994. Disappeared shortly
after. Claimed to troubleshoot most problems without human

intervention.

System management: The umbrella term that encompasses the discipline of maintaining computer
and communication systems. This covers performance analysis, change

management, fault analysis, securing access, and accounting for resource usage. IBM has a strong
presence in this arena with many of Tivoli’s software products.

System Manager: System Manager for iSeries 400. OS/400 software that provides remote operations
or commands, change management, centralized problem management and

ECS, and ISV software packaging and PTF support. The companion agent package, which runs on the
systems being managed from the central site, is Managed System

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Services.

SystemPac: Packaged load and go version of z/OS available in either full-volume dump/restore
format or dataset copy format. Includes IBM and third-party products.

Installation is done via pack restore using DFSMSdss or FDR. Selective follow-on service tapes can
be shipped at specified intervals and frequencies.

System Performance Monitor/2: See SPM/2.

Systems integration: The business of selling a total solution (typically a hardware and software
package, but possibly management and manning too – when it becomes

facilities management). It’s been done for years in the mini and micro markets, but took a little longer
to become popular in the mainframe sector. IBM identified

system integration as a key area for growth and even created a Division to handle it. See also
Outsourcing, Facilities management.

Systems Services: IBM facilities management operation – announced in the US January 1989. Lost
its name and eventually ended up in IBM Global Services.

Systems Strategies Inc: Software vendor, and co-developer with IBM of the MQSeries software.
Taken over by Apertus Technologies.

SystemView: Structure1 for management of the enterprise computing environment. SystemView

included functions to manage six disciplines: inventory/resource, change,

configuration, operations, performance, and problem. Used an SQL Repository plus software to
provide a single point of control for the computing complex(es) and the

network. The specifications are public (and include open and IBM proprietary architectures), and IBM
had enlisted the support of third-party vendors to help provide a

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wide range of facilities. SystemView appeared to implement SMA. April 1996 IBM announced that
SystemView was to be integrated with the Tivoli Management Environment

(TME), after which the SystemView disappeared.

SystemView Series: An attempt, vintage May 1995, to revitalize the SystemView concept by
assembling some system management products together into a series. The

initial set of products consisted of various network and distributed system management utilities
gathered together under a common launch panel on an RS/6000 or OS/2

system. Obsolete. Widely considered to be the first implementation of Karat.

SystemXtra: Two different IBM programs over the years (why let a perfectly good trademark go to
waste?). Currently a combination of support services, software,

training and financing for PCs. Originally, an IBM service program (announced December 1990) for
first time users of RS/6000 and AS/400. Provided a total system

solution for on-site maintenance, including single-point telephone support for hardware and software,
project manager assigned to the account, and IBM coordination of

multiple vendors. The AS/400 version was withdrawn June 1991 and the RS/6000 disappeared soon
after.

T1: Digital transmission system developed by AT&T. T1 is a 1.544Mbps digital trunk based on 24-
channel PCM, which customers can use transparently to AT&T. Provided as

a leased line or privately owned service on satellite, microwave, fiber, or copper wire. A newer range
of services with higher transmission rates is emerging: T1C

(3.152Mbps), T2 (6.312Mbps), T3 (44.736Mbps), T4 (274.176Mbps).

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T2: See T1.

T3: See T1.

T4: See T1.

TADE: See Tivoli Application Development Environment.

TAEF: See Tivoli Application Extension Facility.

TAF: Terminal Access Facility, a facility allowing CICS and NCCF terminals to be monitored from
the same network control terminal.

Tag Language: Dialog Tag Language. See DTL.

TalAE: Taligent Application Environment. Renamed and made part of the IBM CommonPoint
family.

TalDE: Taligent Development Environment. Renamed and made part of the IBM CommonPoint
family.

Taligent: The joint company set up by Apple and IBM in late 1991 to develop object-oriented
systems, including the Pink operating system (also known eponymously as

Taligent). In March 1992, Sun Microsystems joined the party, and in January 1994 HP bought a piece
of the action. December 1995, Taligent was folded back into IBM

where it became the Taligent Object Technology Center. See also CommonPoint, TalAE, TalDE,
TalOS.

TalOS: Taligent Object Services. The operating system developed by Taligent.

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Tandem: Hardware/software vendor which sells systems into the OLTP market. Tandem systems are
built using interconnected minis, an architecture which offers modular

growth, and the ability to construct very reliable and resilient systems. Tandem has been very
successful in selling its products into the IBM sector particularly as

front-end processors for large OLTP systems. Bought by Compaq mid 1997.

TAP: Trace Analysis Program.

Tape ring: The round piece of plastic that fits into the hub of open reel computer tape. Its presence
indicates that the tape can be written on. Also known as write

ring.

Tape silo: See ATL.

Tape Volume Cache: See TVC.

TAPI: Telephony Applications Programming Interface. Microsoft’s API for interfacing Windows-
based CTI applications to telephone systems.

TAPM: See Tivoli Application Performance Management.

TAR: Tape Archival and Retrieval format. Used extensively during the reign of the mainframes, it
served to place files on tapes that could be retrieved by computers

with a different operating system.

TARA: Threshold Analysis and Remote Access. Extension of NPDA for 3600 and 4700 finance
communication systems.

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Target node: The RRSF node that a given RRSF node is connected to via the TARGET command.

Target user ID: The second of a pair of user IDs in functions such as password synchronization,
where RACF changes the password of the target user ID whenever the

source user ID’s password changes.

Tarpon: IBM code name during development for the Versatile Storage Server.

TAS: Telephony Application Services. AS/400 program product integrating AS/400 applications
with 972x and other PABXs. Withdrawn January 1992.

TASI: Time-Assigned Speech Interpolation. A technique for allowing two telephone conversations to
share the same line simultaneously.

Task control: A component of CICS that prioritizes task activity. This allows high priority tasks to be
processed first.

TaskPads: An user interface extension to Operations Navigator that allows easy access to key OS/400
administrative tasks.

Tazza: An IBM tool for linking and embedding Java applets which first emerged mid 1996. Later
renamed CAT.

Tb1: See Terabit.

TB2: See TeraByte.

Tbit: See Terabit.

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TBSM: See Tivoli Business Systems Manager.

Tbyte: See Terabyte.

TCAM: Telecommunications Access Method. SNA and pre-SNA software resident in the mainframe
which enables applications to access devices as if they were sequential

files. Now largely superseded by VTAM. Withdrawn March 2000. Support ended March 2002.

TCAS: Terminal Control Address Space. The component of TSO/VTAM that accepts logons and
creates a TSO address space for each user.

TCB1: Task Control Block.

TCB2: See Trusted Computing Base.

TCDSM: See Tivoli Cable Data Services Manager.

TCF: Transparent Computing Facility. Unix/AIX1 facility for distributing data and workloads among
clustered processors. Enables a cluster of AIX machines to present

the user with a single system image.

TCM1: Thermal Conduction Module. The basic building block of many IBM water-cooled
mainframes. Consists of LSI chips assembled into a sealed liquid-cooled unit. There

are also special TCMs for specific tasks such as vector processing, cryptography, and data
compression.

TCM2: Triggered Cache Manager. A mechanism to cache dynamically-generated Web pages. Can
improve the performance of a Web site because it allows a Web designer to

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build dynamic pages and will only update the cache when the underlying data changes.

TCM3: Thin Client Manager. Also known as NetVista Thin Client Manager.

TCNAT: See Tivoli Comprehensive Network Address Translator.

TCO1: See Technology Conversion Option.

TCO2: Total Cost of Ownership. The complete cost of system ownership during its life-cycle. TCO
factors include hardware and software configuration in addition to

maintenance.

TCP: Transmission Control Protocol. A host-to-host protocol for use between hosts in packet-
switched communications networks and in interconnected systems of such

networks. It exploits the Internet Protocol (IP) as the underlying protocol. See TCP/IP. TCP is also the
name of a feature in z/VM.

TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. Set of protocols for the network and
transport layers of a packet switched data network, most notably the

Internet. Developed in the US for the Department of Defense ARPAnet system and has become a de
facto standard used by many vendors – particularly on top of Ethernet,

and/or in Unix systems. Supported right across the IBM ranges. TCP/IP was for many years
considered to be a stop-gap which would be killed when OSI systems became

available – however the reverse appears to have happened. See also SGMP, SMTP, SNMP.

TCP/IP 5-tuple: Source IP address, Destination IP address, Source Port, Destination Port and
Protocol.

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TCP/IP Check Sum Assist: A standard feature of eserver zSeries 900 that performs the TCP/IP error
check calculation (checksum) as a single machine instruction

implemented with firmware/microcode. See also Assist.

TCP/IP Configuration Assistant: Web-based wizard for z/OS TCP/IP that walks you through a set of
questions and then provides you with customized output to help you

accomplish the task.

TCP/IP Network Print Facility: See NPF.

TCP Explicit Congestion Notification: Proactive data packet management during high network traffic
conditions. If a router detects congestion, and the explicit

congestion notification feature is enabled, the AIX sending host is notified to undertake appropriate
action to reduce the data transmission rate.

TCP Splicing: Helps push the data-relaying function of a proxy application (from server side socket
to the client side socket or vice versa) into the AIX kernel.

Performance of proxy applications is improved by reducing the pathway length through which data
must travel.

TCSEC: B1 Trusted Computer Systems Evaluation Criteria.

TCT: Terminal Control Table. Table in CICS which holds all the network descriptions.

TCU1: Transmission Control Unit. An obsolete communication control unit, such as the IBM 2702
and 2703 Transmission Controls, whose operations were controlled solely

by programmed instructions from the computing system to which the unit was attached. No program
was stored or executed in the unit.

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TCU2: Terminal Control Unit.

TDE: See Tivoli Data Exchange.

TDES: See Triple DES.

TDImage: Three Dimensional Imaging system for the RS/6000. Developed by Thomson Data Images
SA (49% owned by IBM) in France. Withdrawn December 1997.

TDK: See Tivoli Developer Kit.

TDM1: Time Division Multiplexing. A means of sending more than one set of messages down a
single line by giving each set a predetermined slice of time. cf. FDM.

TDM2: Tivoli Device Manager for Palm Computing Platform. Replaced by Tivoli Smart Handheld
Device Manager.

TDM3: See Tivoli Distributed Monitoring.

TDMM: Tivoli Data Message Manager. See Tivoli Data Exchange.

TDP: See Tivoli Data Protection.

TDRM: See Tivoli Disaster Recovery Manager.

TDS: See Tivoli Decision Support.

TeamConnection: An OS/2/Windows development environment built around the ObjectStore

database/repository. Includes facilities for software configuration management,

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information sharing, and application build/deployment. In February 2000, IBM entered into a strategic
alliance with Rational Software, and in October 2000 withdrew

VisualAge TeamConnection Enterprise Server, the only remaining TeamConnection product left,
suggesting Rational ClearCase and ClearQuest as replacements.

TeamConnection DataAtlas had previously been renamed VisualAge DataAtlas, which was later
withdrawn.

TEC: See Tivoli Enterprise Console.

Technical Support Portal: Personalized eserver Web-based technical information. Navigate and
access related Web sites to find technical support libraries, user-to-

user collaboration, installation planning and access to the closest IBM support team relevant to a
particular problem area.

Technology Conversion Option: Once a built-in feature in some ICC leases which gave the lessee a
pre-defined right to upgrade to a new machine. It was used by IBM to

keep people buying machines when they knew that something better is just around the corner. It was
introduced for the System/3x when rumors of the AS/400 were rife,

and was also offered for the RT PC at the end of 1989 when the RS/6000 was in the offing. Obsolete.

TEIF: See Tivoli Event Integration Facility.

Telco: Telephone company. See PTT.

TeleManagement Forum: Originally the Network Management Forum (NMF), a standards body set
up in 1988. Now with nearly 400 industry members, including IBM. Focus is on

open standards-based solutions for telecom operations.

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Teletex: A once highly-regarded super telex standard with upper and lower case, error correction, etc.
Fatally flawed by the absence of store and forward facilities –

in other words, if your machine wasn’t switched on you got nothing. Germany was the only country
where teletex made any progress; elsewhere, the success of fax more or

less wiped it out.

Teletype: See Telex.

Telex: An international public dial network based on the teletype standard with its frightfully slow
110bps transmission. Replaced by Fax in the 1980s. TWX was a less

popular competitor that actually used the standard telephone network, complete with valid phone
numbers. Telex was also a company (as was Teletype) that later merged

with Memorex.

telnet: The remote, or virtual, terminal protocol for the Internet. Allows users to log-in to their home
machine from any other machine, or vice versa. Supported in

most IBM TCP/IP implementations. tn3270, tn3270e and tn5250 are specialized versions of telnet for
3270 and 5250 terminal emulation.

TeMM: See Tivoli e-Marketplace Manager.

Template: Defines the format of profiles in the RACF database.

Temporary Activation Option: Available on iSeries 400. All of the processors on the server will be
activated for up to 14 days. No IPL is required, unless LPAR is

used on the server and processors need to be moved between partitions. The 14-day clock counts the
elapsed hours while the server is powered up.

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TEN-34: European Union-funded network developed by a consortium of European research networks

mid 1997. Initial transmission rates of 34 Mbits/s provide the name. See

Internet2.

TEO: Technology Exchange Option. IBM scheme introduced in 1987 during the run-up to the launch
of the AS/400. It included the right to a pre-defined conversion as

part of a lease on the System/3x. The FEL took over from the TEO in 1988.

Terabit: 1,099,511,627,776 bits. Abbreviated as Tb.

Terabyte: 1024 gigabytes, 2 to the fortieth, or 1,099,511,627,776 bytes. Abbreviated as TB.

TeraFLOPS: 1000 GigaFLOPS, a measure of supercomputer performance. This was first achieved by
Intel in December 1996, with its $50 million supercomputer for the US

Department of Energy which integrated 9,624 Pentium Pro chips.

Teraspace: A temporary storage area providing a single OS/400 process with up to 1TB2 of private
storage. Supports memory mapping.

TESM: See Tivoli Event Services Manager.

TEST: TSO command only available in line mode. It cannot be used from within ISPF. Although no
longer popular, it does provide a useful way of debugging Assembler

programs written to run in the TSO environment, and, with some effort, batch programs, too. Includes
its own set of line mode subcommands, mostly used for setting

breakpoints and displaying/modifying storage locations. Used in place of the TSO CALL command to
load a program for debugging.

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TESTCOB: Obsolete COBOL test tool – replaced by COBTEST.

Testing Period: How long before you start getting charged for an IBM software product. For z/VM, it
is two months.

Text Extender: Adds text search capabilities to the SQL language of z/OS DB2 UDB. These can be
used inside SQL statements like the built-in SQL functions, such as

length or concat. Provides proximity search (word aa in the same sentence or paragraph as word bb),
XML document support, thesaurus support, and integrated multimedia

searches (images). A member of the DB2 UDB Extender family, alongside Net Search Extender. See
also DB2 Extenders.

Textpack: Software developed for the defunct Displaywriter.

Textreader: Optical character reading (OCR) software for the PS/2. Withdrawn January 1992.

Text Search: An element of z/OS. See also Text Extender.

TextWrite: OS/2 product for creating SGML files. Withdrawn April 1993.

TFA: Transparent File Access.

TFT: Thin Film Transistor. The technology used for color LCD computer monitors. The name
derives from the fact that each pixel on the screen is controlled by its own

transistor.

TGs: See Transmission Groups.

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Thesaurus Management System: OS/2 software for creating, managing, and using
thesauruses/thesauri. Works with SearchManager and TranslationManager. The Thesaurus

Management System consists of two products: Thesaurus Administrator/2 and Thesaurus End User
System Toolkit/2. Announced June 1993. Withdrawn December 1997.

Thesaurus Manager: See Thesaurus Management System.

Thin Client: Nutritionally challenged PC. See Network Computer.

THINKable/2: OS/2 software for clinical and special education specialists who work with people
with memory and attention problems. Announced December 1992, withdrawn

May 1995.

ThinkPad: IBM laptop PCs first announced October 1992. The name derives from what is arguably
IBM’s most famous slogan (Think) and Notepad, the previous name for

laptops Consistently well-rated in a very competitive sector.

ThinkPad Power Series: Obsolete PowerPC-based laptops which ran a vast number of operating
systems, including various Unixes.

Three-phase key-exchange protocol: A protocol that creates an authenticated encrypted connection

across a non-secure network. See authentication, encryption.

Three-tier environment: A client/server model where the client is Tier 1, perhaps a Web browser.
Tier 2 is the application server and Tier 3 is the database. Tier 2

and 3 may even be on different platforms. An IBM example would be WebSphere as Tier 2 on a
Windows server operating system and Tier 3 being VSE/ESA running DB2.

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Thunk: A verb meaning: to create an interface to process functions developed for another system on a
host system, e.g., 16-bit APIs on a 32-bit flat-memory model

OS/2. A thunking interface avoids having to rewrite the original programs (at least in the short-term),
and enables application programs to run in various

environments.

TIC: Token Ring Interface Coupler. Firmware/card within the 3745 to provide a gateway between
TRN and mainframe.

Tier 1: See Three-tier environment.

Tier: A set of computers performing a common role. In two-tier client/server, the client tier (usually
PCs) handle presentation and some program logic, while the

server tier (large PCs or Unix boxes) take care of database management and the rest of the program
logic. Three-tier client/server inserts a middle tier of application

servers between the clients and the database servers. See also three-tier environment.

Tier 2: See Three-tier environment.

Tier 3: See Three-tier environment.

TIFF: Tag(ged) Image File Format. De facto industry standard for storing and transmitting bit-
mapped images. Created by Aldus and Apple, and widely used by PC

software, including IBM’s own Content Manager family.

TIIF: Time-Initiated Input Facility. IMS TM facility for automatically generating transactions at
specified times.

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TIM: See Tivoli Intrusion Manager.

Time and Place/2: OS/2 LAN-based time management program which provides bi-directional
calendar functions between OfficeVision/VM, OfficeVision/MVS, Time and Place/2,

and PROFS calendars. Originally announced February 1993 as being of special interest to customers
moving from OfficeVision/VM and PROFS to Lotus Notes and cc:Mail. Can

be used as a stand-alone personal diary, or as a groupware system for integrating individual calendar
systems across a LAN. Supports the VIM interface. Finally

withdrawn December 1997.

TIMI: Technology Independent Machine Interface. The layer of the iSeries 400’s software structure
which defines the machine’s architecture to user applications. The

idea is that it protects user applications from changes in hardware technology. Formerly known as
HLMI.

TIOC: Terminal I/O Controller. A z/OS software element that provides console services and TSO/E
communication with the terminal hardware.

Tired iron: IBMspeak for hardware that is functional but has been superseded by new products, hence
is perceived as out-dated. See Big iron.

TIRS: The Integrated Reasoning Shell. IBM expert system for OS/2, OS/400, AIX1, z/OS, and z/VM
environments. Initially you develop the application on a PC or AIX box,

generate an Export Language version of it, and then compile and run it on your preferred SAA
platform. TIRS went some way to improve IBM’s indifferent performance in

the expert systems market, but by 1996 the last of the TIRS products had been withdrawn.

TIS: Tools Interface Standard. A mid 1990s standard for 32-bit development tools, developed by a
group of vendors including IBM, Borland, Intel, Microsoft, and Lotus.

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TISM: See Tivoli Internet Services Manager.

Tivoli: A relatively independent IBM-owned company creating and selling software that helps
centrally manage networked PCs and distributed systems, including

mainframes. Founded in August 1989 by four former IBM employees. By the mid 1990s, well known
for its TME system management software that seemed to interface to

everything. IBM bought Tivoli for $743 million in March 1996. Before long, Tivoli had inherited a lot
of IBM products. The first to go were the SystemView and NetView

product lines. It took a few years to rationalize it all into the Tivoli product line, often going through
repeated renamings, even, as with Info/Man, abandoning the

original name then returning to it.

Tivoli Application Development Environment: A Tivoli toolkit which contains the complete API for
the Tivoli Management Framework. This allows customers and vendors to

develop their own applications for the Tivoli environment. Withdrawn and support ended May 2001.

Tivoli Application Extension Facility: A Tivoli toolkit that enables users to customize Tivoli
applications. Withdrawn and support ended May 2001.

Tivoli Application Performance Management: Provides three methods for measuring an application’s
response time as experienced by the end user. Client Capture runs on

the desktop and measures the time from last user key stroke to screen refresh at the end of the
transaction. Application Instrumentation provides a standard (Open

Group) API that the application calls to measure response time. Transaction Simulation runs real
transactions on any PC by a synthetic user. APM also reports on who is

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using an application, how much they are using it and whether their transactions are completing
successfully. Runs on AIX1, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, Windows servers.

Supported databases include DB2, Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server and Informix. Requires
Tivoli Framework and Tivoli Decision Support.

Tivoli Business Systems Manager: Distributed systems management software that provides a single
point of control for all messages and events associated with one or

more business systems and processes, even if multiple platforms, networks and systems software
products are involved. Supported platforms include z/OS, OS/400, AIX1,

HP-UX, Sun Solaris and Windows server operating systems. Replaced Tivoli Global Enterprise
Manager and Tivoli Manager for OS/390.

Tivoli Cable Data Services Manager: System management for the cable (CATV) industry.
Announced May 2000. Began by focusing on high speed Internet, centrally managing

the deployment from a single console. Requires Tivoli Framework, Tivoli Core Apps, Tivoli Device
Manager, Tivoli NetView and Tivoli Subscription Manager.

Tivoli Comprehensive Network Address Translator: AIX1 software that extends Network Address
Translation (NAT) concepts into SNMP and ICMP messages, transparently

mapping all IP addresses into unique addresses for the tools responsible for network management.

Tivoli Data Exchange: Any-to-any transfer of data between the following platforms: z/OS, TPF,
OS/400, Windows, AIX1, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, OS/2 Warp, 469x. Requires

MQSeries or Tivoli Data Message Manager.

Tivoli Data Message Manager: See Tivoli Data Exchange.

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Tivoli Data Protection: A series of products that optimize the backup process provided through Tivoli
Storage Manager (a prerequisite) for specific environments. A

product is provided for each of the following: EMC Symmetrix, IBM Enterprise Storage Server,
Informix, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SQL Server,

Oracle, SAP2 R/3.

Tivoli Decision Support: Decision support for the IT function. The data is the hardware and software
assets of the organization. Tivoli Decision Support Discovery

Guides is a companion product that analyzes the data based on industry best practices. Uses OLAP
technology and runs on Windows workstations. See also Tivoli Decision

Support for z/OS, Tivoli Decision Support for Storage Management Analysis.

Tivoli Decision Support for Storage Management Analysis: Provides event, performance, general
health reporting and analysis on Tivoli Storage Management deployments.

Provides tools to analyze historical trending data. Integrated into the base Tivoli Storage Manager
product.

Tivoli Decision Support for z/OS: Provides a central repository in a DB2 database for historical
utilization and service level statistics from all platforms, then

provides reporting tools for analyzing it. As well as the base product, there are also seven features:
System Performance, Network Performance, iSeries 400 System

Performance, CICS Performance, IMS Performance, Distributed System, and Accounting. An

Accounting Workstation Option runs on Windows. Began life as the IBM SystemView

Enterprise Performance Data Manager/MVS (EPDM) announced June 1993, then became IBM
Performance Reporter for MVS, TME 10 Performance Reporter for OS/390, and Tivoli

Performance Reporter for OS/390 before assuming its current name. See also Tivoli Decision
Support.

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Tivoli Developer Kit: Replaced by Tivoli Module Designer.

Tivoli Device Manager for Palm Computing Platform: Replaced by Tivoli Smart Handheld Device
Manager.

Tivoli Disaster Recovery Manager: Assists with disaster recovery of the Tivoli Storage Manager
server and its clients. Automatically generates a customized server

disaster recovery plan, provides off-site recovery media management, and electronically vaults
storage pool and database backups. Runs on z/OS, OS/400, AIX1, Sun

Solaris, HP-UX and Windows server operating systems. Requires Tivoli Storage Manager.

Tivoli Distributed Monitoring: Monitors system resources, takes any necessary preventative and
corrective actions, and informs administrators of possible problems.

Includes policy-based resource monitors and actions. Comes with 1500 predefined monitors and
responses. Monitors z/OS, OS/400, OS/2, AIX1, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, SunOS

and other Unix platforms, as well as Windows server operating systems. Plug-ins available for DB2,
Sybase, Oracle, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange

Server, SAP2 R/3, Lotus Domino, MQSeries and PeopleSoft. Runs on z/OS, AIX, HP-UX, Sun
Solaris, SunOS and other Unix platforms, as well as Windows server operating

systems.

Tivoli e-Marketplace Manager: Service availability, performance and security for Web-based
ordering. Handles membership services, policy-based security management,

problem/event management, performance measurement from the customer’s perspective, risk

assessment and quality of service reporting. Runs on AIX1, Sun Solaris and

Windows server operating systems. Requires DB2 or Oracle, and Apache server, WebSphere
Application Server, HTTP Server and Netscape Enterprise Server. The desktop

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client runs on Windows with Internet Explorer or Netscape as a Web browser. Handles event
management for OS/400, Unix log files, Windows server operating system logs,

Novell NetWare, SNMP, HP OpenView, Tivoli NetView, Sun Solstice, Cabletron Spectrum, Tivoli
NetView for z/OS, Tandem, WebSphere, i2 Technologies and Ariba.

Tivoli Enterprise: The complete suite of Tivoli products for systems management. This used to be
called TME 10. Discontinued after the Tivoli product line became so

large, both with new products of their own and the many they inherited from IBM.

Tivoli Enterprise Console: Provides a global view of the network computing environment. It achieves
this by using distributed event monitors to collect information,

which is sent to a central event server, processed, and presented to system administrators. Business
process views can also be created, focusing on one or more

critical applications. Supported platforms: AIX1, Data General DG-UX, HP-UX, Red Hat Linux,
Motorola SVR4, Sun Solaris, SunOS and Windows server operating systems.

Integrated with OS/400, Unix log files, Windows log files, Novell NetWare, SNMP, HP OpenView,
Tivoli NetView, Sun Solstice, Cabletron Spectrum, Tivoli NetView for z/OS

and Tandem.

Tivoli Event Integration Facility: Toolkit that provides a simple API to enable vendors and customers
to develop new event adapters that can generate and forward

events to the Tivoli Enterprise Console.

Tivoli Event Services Manager: Intranet and Internet event and problem management software.
Previewed November 2000, announced April 2001 and withdrawn August 2001.

Tivoli GEM: See Tivoli Global Enterprise Manager.

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Tivoli GEM module: Tivoli Global Enterprise Manager module. A Tivoli management module that
allows an application to be managed by the Tivoli Global Enterprise

Manager.

Tivoli Global Enterprise Manager: Software for graphically monitoring, and configuring applications
in distributed and zSeries 900 environments. Replaced by Tivoli

Business Systems Manager.

Tivoli Identity Director: Provides a single interface to manage user identities across multiple
platforms. Runs on AIX1, NT1 4.0 and Sun Solaris. Announced October

2001.

Tivoli Information Management for z/OS: Originally IBM Info/Man then Tivoli Service Desk for
OS/390, before reverting to its original name. An integrated database

containing problem, change, asset/configuration information, accessible from 3270, Windows

desktop, Web browser, from within applications and other tools. Application

access is provided through APIs that are available from CICS, Unix System Services, OS/2, AIX1,
HP-UX, Sun Solaris and Windows server operating systems. A dynamic

self-defining data model architecture means that database field definitions can be changed without
reorganizing the database. Integrated with other Tivoli products.

Tivoli Internet Services Manager: Provides an integrated subscription and service management
system for Web sites offering premium Internet services. Runs on AIX1 and

Sun Solaris and requires WebSphere Application Server, HTTP Server, VisualAge C++, and DB2 or
Oracle.

Tivoli Intrusion Manager: An entry level security product aimed at midsize companies. A single
event and problem management console can be used to monitor events and

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respond to security attacks.

Tivoli Inventory: Automatically scans for and collects hardware and software configuration
information from computer systems within an organization.

Tivoli IT Director: A systems management product designed for the small or medium enterprise.
Withdrawn January 2001.

Tivoli Job Scheduling Console: Java-based GUI for Tivoli Workload Scheduler and Tivoli Workload
Scheduler for z/OS. Runs on AIX1, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, NT1 4.0, Windows

2000 Professional and Server, Windows 98/Me and Linux Red Hat.

Tivoli LAN Access: Software that allows system administrators to integrate LAN management tools
with the Tivoli suite of products. Deemed to have grown superfluous

and withdrawn June 2000.

Tivoli Management Agent: Allows Tivoli to manage any device it resides on. Widely used from
PDAs and NICs (see NIC2) to mainframes where TMA is an element of z/OS.

Tivoli Management Framework: The underlying software infrastructure (foundation or framework)

that is required to run most Tivoli products. The Tivoli Management

Framework for z/OS is an element of z/OS.

Tivoli Management Solution for Domino: Centralized Lotus Domino system management software.
Provides client software distribution, proactive server health monitoring,

service level reporting, storage management, client performance measurement, server auto-detection
and role-based configuration of Domino servers. Announced October

2001, replacing Tivoli Manager for Domino.

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Tivoli Management Solution for Exchange: Provides centralized control of Microsoft Exchange
Server: configure and control Exchange, detect and respond to problems,

and more efficiently handle complex time-consuming operations. Includes a set of predefined rules
that detect and correct problems with applications, systems and

networks through real-time staff notification at a single location or through automatic corrective
action. Formerly the Tivoli Manager for Microsoft Exchange.

Tivoli Manager: A series of system management products that includes Tivoli Manager for DB2,
Tivoli Manager for Domino, Tivoli Manager for Informix, Tivoli Manager

for Microsoft SQL Server, Tivoli Manager for Network Hardware, Tivoli Manager for Oracle, Tivoli
Manager for R/3, Tivoli Manager for Sybase, Tivoli Manager for

WebSphere Application Server.

Tivoli Manager for DB2: Centralized DB2 system management software. Monitors DB2 servers,
schedules tasks and automates task execution. Supports DB2 on AIX1, OS/2,

HP-UX, Sun Solaris and Windows server operating systems.

Tivoli Manager for Domino: Replaced by Tivoli Management Solution for Domino October 2001.

Tivoli Manager for Informix: Centralized management of Informix servers. Provides monitoring and
automated task execution.

Tivoli Manager for MCIS: System management for Microsoft Commercial Internet System (MCIS).
Withdrawn April 2001.

Tivoli Manager for Microsoft Exchange: Replaced by Tivoli Management Solution for Exchange.

Tivoli Manager for Microsoft SQL Server: Provides monitoring and automated task execution for
Microsoft SQL Server.

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Tivoli Manager for MQSeries: Deploys software components, configures MQSeries objects, monitors
processes, manages events and automates routine tasks.

Tivoli Manager for MQSeries Integrator: Provides availability, configuration, performance and
operations management for MQSeries Integrator (MQSI).

Tivoli Manager for Network Hardware: Stores network inventory data in a central location, for
access through Tivoli Inventory.

Tivoli Manager for Oracle: Centralized system management of all Oracle servers from one console.
Provides monitoring and automated task execution.

Tivoli Manager for OS/390: Replaced by Tivoli Business Systems Manager.

Tivoli Manager for R/3: Provides centralized management of multiple remote SAP2 R/3 sites and
reduces daily administrative management tasks.

Tivoli Manager for Retail: Replaced by Tivoli Point-of-Sale Manager.

Tivoli Manager for Sybase: Centralized system management of all Sybase servers from one console.
Provides monitoring and automated task execution.

Tivoli Manager for WebSphere Application Server: Provides a single point of control for the entire
WebSphere Application Server environment in an organization. A tool

for administrators to isolate problems, define monitoring thresholds and alerts, automate routine
administrative tasks, and understand the impact of WebSphere-

generated and user-defined events.

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Tivoli Module Builder: A tool that enables developers and system administrators to make their
custom and commercial applications management-ready for the Tivoli

Enterprise environment. Creates management modules, such as a Tivoli GEM module.

Tivoli Module Designer: A replacement for the Tivoli Developer Kit. Enables developers to describe
the management characteristics of an application or business

system. It also generates the application description files that the Tivoli management software uses to
manage applications and business systems.

Tivoli NetView: Tivoli software that facilitates distributed network management across multiple
operating systems and protocols. Runs on AIX, Sun Solaris, Tru64 UNIX

and Windows server operating systems on both Intel and Alpha processors. The Tivoli NetView Mid-
Level Manager (MLM) component distributes management functions to

remote locations that cannot support full-scale management. See also Tivoli NetView for z/OS.

Tivoli NetView Access Services: Session manager that provides both menu access to, and hot-key
swapping between, multiple z/OS on-line applications. Neither IBM nor

Tivoli has ever demonstrated any tangible connection between this product and NetView.

Tivoli NetView Distribution Manager: z/OS software that automates the distribution of software and
data to a broad range of other platforms. Provides centralized

tracking, automated error recovery and efficient utilization of the network during the distribution
process. Also provides a history of the distribution process.

Tivoli NetView File Transfer Program: Data exchange between z/OS, AIX and OS/400 systems. Not
based on the Internet ftp2 standard, it uses a direct fetch-and-store

capability, peer-to-peer support, data compression, checkpoint/restart and file type conversion.

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Tivoli NetView for z/OS: The original IBM NetView product that changed IBM from a nobody in
network software to market leader in a few short years in the late 1980s.

Began with integrated management of SNA resources, then expanded to TCP/IP networks, SNMP-
based devices, TCP/IP clients accessing mainframe applications and

integration of third party network- and element-management vendors. There is also Web browser
access to NetView information. There are several NetView packages

available: Unattended Option, Procedural Option, and Graphical Enterprise Option.

Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor: A z/OS VTAM application that monitors, records and
interactively reports performance and utilization. Analyzes traffic flow,

transit times and other data needed for network tuning and problem determination. Sends alerts to and
receives commands from Tivoli NetView for z/OS.

Tivoli NetView Performance Monitor for TCP/IP: TCP/IP-only version of Tivoli NetView
Performance Monitor that also runs on z/OS.

Tivoli Operations Planning and Control: Renamed Tivoli Workload Scheduler for z/OS. Automates,
monitors and controls the flow of work through all local and remote

systems, not just mainframes. Runs on z/OS. A common GUI, the Job Scheduling Console, controls
both OPC and Tivoli Workload Scheduler.

Tivoli Output Manager: Output distribution system, intercepting output from printers, fax machines,
disk storage systems, e-mail addresses, corporate intranets and

the Web. Runs on AIX1, HP-UX, Sun Solaris and Windows server operating systems, but can also
manage output from other environments.

Tivoli Performance Reporter for OS/390: Replaced by Tivoli Decision Support for z/OS.

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Tivoli Personalized Services Manager: Allows service providers to tailor Internet services to each
customer’s PDA, cell phone or other pervasive devices. Combines

subscription management, provisioning management, personalization services management and

pervasive device management. Runs on AIX1 and Sun Solaris with DB2 or Oracle,

VisualAge C++, WebSphere Application Server and HTTP Server.

Tivoli Point-of-Sale Manager: Proactive availability management for IBM 469x terminals (cash
registers) in a retail environment. Runs on AIX1, Sun Solaris and Windows

server operating systems.

Tivoli POS Manager: See Tivoli Point-of-Sale Manager.

Tivoli Ready: A product that is certified by Tivoli as having turnkey integration with its system
management software.

Tivoli Remote Control: Software that allows help desk staff to operate workstations and servers at a
distance, effectively taking over the keyboard and mouse. Runs

on, and controls workstations running, OS/2 and Windows.

Tivoli Remote Execution Service: A service that enables a Tivoli environment to perform remote
operations on machines such as the remote installation of clients and

the connection of Tivoli Management Regions (TMRs).

Tivoli Risk Manager: Software that monitors for computer-based security threats across an
organization, provides detailed information and centrally manages the

response.

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Tivoli SANergy: Transparently enables multiple computers to share single disk volumes on the SAN
storage. Even the same file can be shared across platforms if the

applications using the files allow it. Supports AIX1, Apple MacOS, Sun Solaris, Tru64 UNIX, Red
Hat Linux, Data General DG/UX and Windows server operating systems.

Tivoli SecureWay: A brand name shared by Tivoli and IBM aimed at a secure communications
infrastructure. See SecureWay.

Tivoli SecureWay FirstSecure: Security hardware/software consisting of Tivoli SecureWay Policy

Director, IBM SecureWay Boundary Server, Tivoli SecureWay Public Key

Infrastructure, Symantec Norton AntiVirus and IBM SecureWay Toolbox. Withdrawn July 2001.

Tivoli SecureWay Global Sign-On: Security software that provides one ID and password across
multiple platforms. The sign-on client runs on Windows, the server on

AIX1, Sun Solaris and Windows server operating systems, and together they can log users on to 3270
mainframe applications, 5250 OS/400 applications, Novell NetWare,

Windows server operating systems, LAN Server/Warp Server, Lotus Notes, Unix systems and other
systems and applications using CLI1, API or window-watching extensions.

Tivoli SecureWay Policy Director: Security software that provides consistent access control across
Web, TCP/IP and other applications. Runs on AIX1, Sun Solaris, HP-

UX and Windows server operating systems. See also Tivoli SecureWay Policy Director for
MQSeries, Tivoli SecureWay Privacy Manager.

Tivoli SecureWay Policy Director for MQSeries: MQSeries access control software. Runs on AIX1,
Sun Solaris and Windows server operating systems. See also Tivoli

SecureWay Policy Director.

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Tivoli SecureWay Privacy Manager: Security software that extends Tivoli SecureWay Policy
Director to protect confidential customer information in e-Business

applications.

Tivoli SecureWay Public Key Infrastructure: Software that uses digital certificates to secure Web
applications.

Tivoli SecureWay Risk Manager: Renamed Tivoli Risk Manager.

Tivoli SecureWay Security Manager: Security software that centralizes management of access
control policy and enforces a security policy in a network computing

environment.

Tivoli SecureWay User Administration: A graphical user interface (GUI) that supports the
centralized management of user and group accounts across multiple platforms:

z/OS, OS/400, Novell NetWare, Sun Solaris, HP-UX, AIX1, Red Hat Linux on Intel processors, OS/2
Warp, Windows server operating systems, Oracle, Lotus Notes, Tivoli

SecureWay Policy Director, Tivoli SecureWay Global Sign-On, and other systems and applications
via Application Management Toolkit. Runs on AIX, HP-UX, Sun Solaris and

Windows server operating systems.

Tivoli Security Management: Renamed Tivoli SecureWay Security Manager.

Tivoli Self-Service Terminal Manager: System management software for ATM1, self-service
terminal (SST) and kiosk networks. Automates deployment of new features to

these networks. Asset tracking feature requires Tivoli Inventory. Monitoring function requires Tivoli
Distributed Monitoring. Runs on AIX1, Sun Solaris and Windows

server operating systems.

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Tivoli Service Desk: Integrated request management, asset management, change management and
network/systems management operations. Acquired by Peregrine Systems in

December 2000.

Tivoli Service Desk for OS/390: For a short period of time, the name of Info/Man. But is now Tivoli
Information Management for z/OS.

Tivoli Service Quality Manager: Provided monitoring and proactive identification of failing
components in a service provider’s infrastructure in an attempt to avoid

SLA violations. Withdrawn August 2001.

Tivoli Smart Handheld Device Manager: Extends the Tivoli management environment to handheld
devices. Identifies their existence (centralized discovery), installs and

removes applications, receives real-time inventory information, maintains high availability and
performs various configuration management functions. Formerly Tivoli

Device Manager for Palm Computing Platform.

Tivoli Software Distribution: Software that automates software distribution to clients and servers in a
network computing environment. Source servers include AIX1,

Windows server operating systems, HP-UX, Sun Solaris, SunOS, SuSE Linux, Red Hat Linux,
TurboLinux on Intel, SuSE Linux for S/390 and many other Unix platforms.

Distribution clients can be Windows, Novell NetWare, OS/2, OS/400, AIX, HP-UX, Sun Solaris,
SunOS, SuSE Linux, Red Hat Linux, TurboLinux on Intel, SuSE Linux for S/390

and many other Unix platforms.

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Tivoli Space Manager: Hierarchical Storage Management similar to DFSMShsm. Automatically and
transparently migrates rarely accessed files to Tivoli Storage Manager

storage. Runs on AIX and Sun Solaris. Requires Tivoli Storage Manager.

Tivoli Storage Manager: Originally, a z/VM-only product known as WDSF, intended to centrally
backup and manage disk storage across every conceivable platform within

an organization. Renamed to DFDSM in May 1992, supporting z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA as a data
server for workstations. Became ADSM in mid 1993. The mainframe versions

expanded to other server platforms, including OS/2, OS/400, AIX1, HP-UX, and Sun Solaris. IBM
transferred ADSM to Tivoli in January 1999 and, after some thought, it

was given its current name. Currently, supported server environments include HP-UX, AIX, Windows
server operating systems, Sun Solaris, z/OS, z/VM and iSeries 400.

Over the years, the number of environments managed (clients) has grown to include Apple
Macintosh, DEC OpenVMS, HP-UX, AIX, iSeries 400, z/OS (including Unix System

Services), OS/2, Linux for Intel, Linux for zSeries, Windows on DEC Alpha1, Novell NetWare,
NUMA-Q, SCO UnixWare, Silicon Graphics IRIX, Sun Solaris, Tandem Guardian,

TRU64 Unix, Windows, DYNIX/ptx.

Tivoli Storage Network Manager: Discovers, monitors and manages SAN components. And allocates
and automates attached disk storage resources. Meets ANSI SAN standards.

Runs on Windows 200x Advanced Server and manages hosts running AIX1, Sun and Windows server
operating systems. See also Discovery.

Tivoli TME 10: See TME 10.

Tivoli User Administration: Renamed Tivoli SecureWay User Administration.

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Tivoli Virtual Private Network Manager: Software that automates the deployment of VPN. To date, it
has only been previewed (November 2000) by Tivoli, not yet

officially released.

Tivoli Web Component Manager: Provides performance and availability information on e-business
components running outside the firewall (DMZ).

Tivoli Web Services Analyzer: Consolidates Web server logs files into a single data warehouse.
Tivoli Decision Support can then be used, with its OLAP technology, to

report on it. Runs on AIX1, Red Hat Linux, Sun Solaris and Windows server operating systems.

Tivoli Web Services Manager: Monitors the availability and performance of the Web infrastructure,
measuring customer response times, regularly running test

transactions and scanning the Web site for potential problems. Runs on AIX1, Red Hat Linux, Sun
Solaris and Windows server operating systems. Requires DB2 or Oracle.

Tivoli Workload Scheduler: Production automation for distributed computed environments.

Integrated with Tivoli Operations Planning and Control. Provides special

support for ERP1 systems including SAP2 R/3, Oracle Applications, PeopleSoft and Baan. Formerly
known as Maestro. See also Tivoli Workload Scheduler for z/OS.

Tivoli Workload Scheduler for z/OS: Production management system that manages all work running
on z/OS and other platforms. It helps plan, manage and automate the

production workload. Formerly known as Tivoli Operations Planning and Control. See also Tivoli
Workload Scheduler.

TLCC: Three Line Communication Controller. Communications controller for the iSeries 400 for
attaching lines (three, believe it or not!!).

TLCS: Tape management system which became DFSMSrmm.

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TLS: Transport Layer Security protocol. The IETF variant of SSL which may eventually replace
SSL. TLS is backward compatible with SSL 3.0.

TM/2: See Translation Manager/2.

TMA: See Tivoli Management Agent.

TMB: See Tivoli Module Builder.

TMD: See Tivoli Module Designer.

TME: Tivoli Management Environment – the Tivoli architecture for system management, which
became Tivoli Enterprise and then disappeared altogether. See Tivoli

Enterprise for details.

TME 10: When IBM bought Tivoli in 1996, Tivoli products all began with TME 10. The 10 refers to
Release 10 of TME. See TME.

TME 10 Inventory: The original name for Tivoli Inventory. Announced September 1996.

TME 10 NetFinity: Now known as IBM Director with UM Services. For details of its entire history
of names, see NetFinity, since IBM NetFinity was its original name.

TMF: See Tivoli Management Framework.

TMM: Tape Mount Management. DFSMS feature which collects small files which would be written
to tape on disk. The idea is to avoid the waste of tape that you get when

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each tape reel/cartridge contains just a small amount of data. See Virtual Tape Server for the logical
expansion of this concept with tape volume stacking – filling

tapes with multiple logical tape volumes. See also SMSVMA.

TMP: Terminal Monitor Program. In the TSO environment, the installation-written program that
accepts and interprets commands. The TMP passes those commands it cannot

process to the appropriate command processor for execution.

TMR: Tivoli Management Region. A Tivoli server and the group of clients that it serves.

TMS: Text Management System. Generic name for systems which manage large text databases. IBM
offerings over the years have included TMS/36, STAIRS, SearchVision and

SearchManager.

tn: Refers to tn3270, tn3270e and tn5250 collectively or interchangeably.

tn3270: Specialized TCP/IP telnet protocol which provides compatibility with a 3270 datastream by
emulation of the screen buffer. Used for mainframe host access

across the Internet and internally, within organizations, to replace SNA terminal-to-host access with
TCP/IP. An official Internet protocol approved by the IETF. See

also tn3270e.

tn3270e: Improved version of tn3270 that supports color, the 3270 System Request key and other
capabilities not present in tn3270. An official Internet protocol

approved by the IETF.

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TN3270E Server: A component of the IBM Communications Server that allows a TCP/IP client
workstation to communicate with a host processor. The TN3270E Server accepts

SNA traffic from the host processor and converts it into tn3270e format for the client workstation. It
also accepts tn3270e traffic from the client workstation and

converts it into SNA format for the host processor.

tn5250: Specialized TCP/IP telnet protocol which provides compatibility with a 5250 datastream by
emulation of the screen buffer. An official Internet protocol

approved by the IETF.

TNL: Technical NewsLetter. Update pages for IBM manuals.

TNM: Transmission Network Manager. NetView-compatible PS/2 network management tool for
monitoring and controlling IDNX networks. Replaced January 1992 by AIX

Transmission Network Manager/6000, itself withdrawn December 1997.

TNN: Transport Network Node. A type of communications node that was under development by
IBM in the mid 1990s as part of the Broadband Network Services. The TNN was

planned to support ATM2 and PTM/Frame Relay, allowing users to build hybrid networks
incorporating both high-speed technologies.

Token: See authenticator.

Token passing: A LAN access method (used in IBM’s Token Ring Network). Stations on the network
have to wait until a token – a specific electrical signal – reaches

them before they transmit. The mechanism allows access priority to the LAN to be controlled by the
network manager. cf. CSMA/CD.

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Token Ring: See Token Ring Network.

Token Ring Adapter: Line adapter for the TRN. Consists of a Token Ring multiplexer and two Token
Ring interface couplers (TICs).

Token Ring Bridge: Software enabling a PC to provide a local (and later a remote) bridge between
combinations of 4 and 16Mbps TRNs. This is the obvious method for

using a 16Mbps backbone, or even a dual backbone to give network resilience – the Bridge Program
carries out load balancing on dual bridges. IBM Token-Ring Network

Bridge Program was announced April 1987 and withdrawn September 1993, though support had
already ended April 1992. Replaced by Local Token-Ring Bridge Program/DOS and

Remote Token-Ring Bridge Program/DOS. Both were withdrawn January 1997 when they were
replaced by the 8229 and 8281 hardware bridges.

Token Ring Network: Generic term for a type of network of which IBM’s October 1985 announced
product is an example. Initial releases of the IBM products supported PCs

only, but connectivity for just about all IBM boxes has been announced, together with bridges and
gateways. IBM made the specs for its implementation publicly

available to encourage third-party vendors to help establish it as a standard.

Tokenway: 3174 Model 90R controller announced March 1990. Provided a means of connecting a
4/16Mbps TRN (up to 40 devices) and a host over a single line. Fits into

the standard 19 inch rack. The Tokenway name was dropped almost immediately, but the controller
lived on until April 1997 when it was replaced by the 3174 Model 11R.

Toolbox for Java: A library of Java classes that provide access to iSeries 400 data and resources.

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TOP: Technical Office Protocol. A specification for a multi-vendor data communications architecture
for use in technical and office automation systems. No longer the

star that it once thought it was going to be. Championed by Boeing Computer Services. See also
GOSIP.

TOPAS1: Topology Overview Pricing Analysis System. IBM SE1 network design tool that provides
estimates of network costs and performance data, and a configuration of

all the boundary communication links. The data can be input to NETDA to design the backbone of the
network.

topas2: An AIX1 tool that utilizes the Performance Toolbox System Performance Measurement
Interface to sample and report local system statistics, including event,

file, disk, memory, network, paging, process and queue information.

TOR: Terminal Owning Region. An area within a CICS environment which controls traffic to
terminals.

TotalStorage: IBM February 2001 branding of a broad range of disk and tape products, including
ESS2 and VTS. Plus more than 100 TotalStorage Solution Centers

worldwide, run by IBM Business Partners.

TouchMobile: Wireless data collection and communication system with a portable terminal,
announced February 1993. You collect the data on the portable terminal, which

you later place in your TouchMobile Stationary (or Vehicle) Docking Station, which collects the data,
recharges the batteries, and generally spruces it up ready for

another busy day’s work collecting data for the greater good of mankind. Obsolete.

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TouchSelect: Feature, announced October 1991, which can be added to certain PS/2 displays to turn
them into touch screens. TouchSelect software works with DOS,

Windows, and OS/2. Obsolete.

TP-1: A subset of the Debit-Credit benchmark. TP-1 isolates the database software and makes
comparison between the various components more straightforward. In effect

it’s a batch version of Debit-Credit – i.e., it doesn’t have the terminal network overhead.

TP: Teleprocessing/Transaction Processing/Program. Generic term for applications based on terminal

networks.

TPC: Transaction-processing Performance Council. Group of hardware/software vendors (including

IBM) which has developed some standards for benchmarking and

performance measurement. These include TPC-A for OLTP, TPC-B for database, TPC-C which is a
more realistic measure of TP than the A and B variants, and TPC-D for

decision support systems.

TPDDI: Twisted Pair Distributed Data Interface. See CDDI.

TPF: Transaction Processing Facility. A low-function but high-performance TP monitor for very
large data communications systems. Derived from ACP (Airline Control

Program), which was derived from PARS (Programmed Airline Reservation System). Runs on
eserver zSeries 900 in SNA and non-SNA environments. Despite having no more than

300 users, TPF has been given strategic status. After Version 3 (early 1989) TPF ran native (i.e.,
didn’t need a host operating system).

TPF/DDA: TPF Distributed Data Access. TPF facility which allows the user to propagate TPF data
selectively to a DB2 database. See also DPROP.

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TPF/MVS: See Airline Control System.

TPF2: Same as TPF.

TPFAR: TPF Application Requester. DRDA support for TPF.

TPFDF: TPF Database Facility. A database system which runs under TPF. Developed by Swissair,
and marketed by IBM from early 1991. Also known as ACPDB.

TPF Operations Server: TPF Operations Server for Windows 2000. Sends 3215 datastream
operations messages from TPF to a console workstation. Connects to a TPF host

using an ESCON channel card, receives messages from the TPF host, then sends them via TCP/IP
over a LAN to a remote console workstation.

TPM: Third Party Maintenance. Maintenance of your hardware by someone other than IBM. TPM
will normally save you some money; maintenance is a major money spinner for

IBM (up to 17% of revenues according to some authorities) and shopping around is well worthwhile.

tpmC: Transactions per minute (tpmC) on the TPC-C benchmark.

TPNS: Telecommunications Processing Network Simulator. z/OS and z/VM software for simulating
networks of terminals, mainframes, FEPs, etc. Used in conjunction with

NPM. Uses a REXX-like scripting language called STL (Structured Translator Language).

TPPC: The TPC.

TPS1: Transactions Per Second.

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TPS2: Two-Processor Switch. Facility which allows a 3745 channel adapter to be attached to two
channel interfaces.

TPSM: See Tivoli Personalized Services Manager.

TQA: Transactional Question Answering system. IBM expert system research project. Natural
language processing database query system.

TRA: See Token Ring Adapter.

Trace: A record of the execution sequence of a computer program. A trace applied to data links is a
record of the frames and bytes transmitted or received.

Trail Boss: IBM code name for the 2105 model that was the successor to the 3990 disk controller.

Tranquillity: Keeping a security classification constant while in use.

Transactional messaging: See Messaging.

Transaction image processing: IBMspeak for systems in which image storage and retrieval is
integrated with conventional DP (e.g., documents are captured as images and

can be displayed alongside information from the DBMS). See also ImagePlus.

Transaction program: Generic term for a program which processes the services that make up a
transaction. A transaction may require services from several systems, and

in such cases the transaction program will be executed on each system. In the SNA world, transaction
programs are initiated by and utilize LU6.2.

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Transaction Server: IBM Transaction Server (TS). Available for several platforms during the late
1990s. CICS was a component. All versions of TS were either withdrawn

or replaced by TXSeries.

Transarc: Firm specializing in Unix systems software for LANs and WANs, which IBM acquired to
get help with its AIX1 program, notably the CICS/6000 product.

TranslationManager: OS/2 and Windows software designed specifically to provide machine-assisted

language translation for professional translators, particularly those

working on technical documents. Includes on-line dictionaries and text editors. Still available, though
service ended December 1997.

Translation Manager/2: Renamed TranslationManager.

TransLexis: A terminology management system for organizations operating in more than one
language. Includes an API, GUI, import/export components and a Web browser

interface. Runs on OS/2 and Windows and requires DB2.

Transmission Groups: Powerful bandwidth enhancing and fault-masking SNA feature from 1978 that
permits connections between SNA Subareas to consist of multiple,

parallel physical links. These are grouped together to form a single logical link that aggregates the
bandwidth of all of the underlying links and protects the

connection from individual link failures.

Transportable: IBM term for the early, now thankfully obsolete, portable computer system that
weighed 15 lbs or more, normally used AC power, and wouldn’t fit in a

briefcase.

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Transport layer: The network layer responsible for quality of service and accurate delivery of
information, i.e., error detection/correction occurs here.

Trap door: A hidden method of avoiding security within an application.

TravelStar: Version of the UltraStar disk drive for use in laptops.

TRC: See Tivoli Remote Control.

Tree hugger: IBMspeak for a member of staff who resists change. cf. Wall follower.

TRES: See Tivoli Remote Execution Service.

Triadic: Three way tightly-coupled multiprocessor.

Triggered Cache Manager: See TCM2.

Trigram model: The language model which supports IBM’s VoiceType software. It employs a table
of statistics to assess the word just dictated and the context of the

two words on either side.

Triple DES: A block cipher symmetric algorithm that encrypts data three times, with three keys.
Public-domain, 168-bit version of DES where the key is dynamically

changed between steps (or transactions).

Triumph: Triumph! PC-DOS security software originating from Micronyx and sold by IBM.
Replaced by Secured Workstation Manager/DOS in September 1991.

TRM1: Transmission Resource Manager. IBMspeak for control nodes in an IDNX network.

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TRM2: Token Ring Multiplexer.

TRN: Token Ring Network.

TRN Remote Bridge: See Token Ring Bridge.

Trojan horse: Hiding malicious code inside a useful program.

TRON: The Real-time Operating system Nucleus. A Japanese operating system standard which at
one time was being pushed as an international standard. IBM, in

association with Matsushita (which made IBM’s Japanese PCs), produced a prototype TRON system,
and was affiliated in its own name to the TRON association. These days,

little is heard of the thing.

Trouble Ticket for AIX: AIX1 software which tracks network problems from discovery to resolution.
Withdrawn July 1996. Several Web-based alternatives on the Internet

are offered as replacements.

TRPC: Transaction Remote Procedure call. An X/Open standard.

TRSS: Token Ring Sub-System. Hardware component of TRN support on IBM FEPs. Software
component is NTRI.

Tru64: See Tru64 UNIX.

Tru64 UNIX: Compaq Unix for Alpha1.

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TRUE: Task-Related User Exit. A module in CICS used for invoking resource managers that are
outside of CICS.

Trusted Computing Base: Any hardware, microcode and/or software that supports the security policy
of the system. In AIX, TCB also checks the security integrity of the

AIX operating environment every time a change is made.

Trust provider: Software that decides whether to accept a file based on the digital certificate attached
to it.

Try and Buy: Generically, the concept behind Shareware. IBM and other software vendors have
supported the concept for years with time-limited free trials. But IBM has

also used the Try and Buy term itself, typically with DB2-related products such as QMF, but for such
unrelated products as Lotus Domino Go Webserver.

TSA: Novell Technical Support Alliance. Spun off from Novell in September 1993 as the vendor-
neutral TSANet.

TSAF: Transparent Service Access Facility. Peer-to-peer network software announced at the same
time as the 9370. Ran under APPC/VM and provided transparent user

access to multiple mainframes without SNA. Remote access was via CTCAs or BSC. Unkind
commentators have suggested that TSAF stood for Temporary Stop-gap Access

Facility.

Ts and Cs: Terms and Conditions.

TSANet: Technical Support Alliance Network. Formed in September 1993 to create a vendor-neutral
version of Novell TSA, which had become a burden for Novell. Began

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with 19 initial sponsor companies. Merged with NTSA in 1995 but retained its TSANet name.
Currently has over 100 members worldwide, though primary emphasis is in the

US and Europe. As the name implies, the focus is on the delivery of customer technical support in a
multivendor environment.

TSAPI: Telephony Services Applications Programming Interface. API developed by Novell and
AT&T for interfacing Novell networks to telephone switches.

TSCF: Target System Control Facility. NetView-based automated operations facility enabling control
and monitoring of multiple systems from a central controlling

system. Enables the remote operator to IPL, IML, set the time-of-day clock, initialize the system, and
detect wait states. Replaced ISCF in May 1991. Replaced by

System Automation in July 1997.

Tscript: IBM’s subset of ECMAScript.

TSD1: See Tivoli Service Desk.

TSD2: See Tivoli Software Distribution.

TSHDM: See Tivoli Smart Handheld Device Manager.

TSL: Total System/Solution Lease. Defunct lease package from the former IBM Credit Corp. (ICC)
Consists of lease (3-5 years) covering all products and services

(hardware, software, maintenance). First offered in the small systems (e.g., entry level AS/400)
market, and mid 1995 ICC offered a TSL for the then new parallel

mainframes.

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TSM1: Technical Services Management. Obsolete IBM service for coordinating and managing IBM
and non-IBM hardware; introduced 1988. Under TSM IBM manages external

suppliers of maintenance services on behalf of the customer. Designed to fulfill two long-term aims of
IBM – to regain account control, and to provide new

products/services. TSNS had similar objectives.

TSM2: Tivoli Security Management. Renamed Tivoli SecureWay Security Manager.

TSM3: See Tivoli Space Manager.

TSM4: See Tivoli Storage Manager.

TSNM: See Tivoli Storage Network Manager.

TSNS: Telecommunications Services Network Support. Obsolete IBM offering in the US providing
full network management of multi-vendor networks. Covers both voice and

data. See also TSM1.

TSO: Time Sharing Option. These days, everyone just says TSO when they mean TSO/E. Back in the
1980s, TSO was included with MVS/XA and you had to pay extra for TSO/E.

Well worth the money given that TSO left you stranded below the 16MB line.

TSO/E: Time Sharing Option/Extensions. An element of z/OS that provides an on-line interactive
environment for programmers and users. Best known for the ISPF/PDF

environment that runs on TSO/E. Can also be used to test batch programs. See also IKJEFT01, TSO.

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TSO/VTAM: Time Sharing Option for the Virtual Telecommunications Access Method. A standard
feature of z/OS that initiates a TSO session, including logon, for a user

at a terminal requesting it from VTAM, typically through a VTAM command like LOGON or TSO.
Does not require RACF or other access control product, but works with one if

present. TCAS and VTIOC are components of TSO/VTAM.

TSP: Total System Package/Price. A pre-packaged system configuration, comprising hardware,

software, supplies, publications, etc; the customer gets just one delivery

(at a discount over the price of the individual components) and can get the machine up and running
straight away. Introduced on the System/36 and later used on AS/400.

Obsolete. See also Plug N Go.

TSQM: See Tivoli Service Quality Manager.

TSR: Terminate and Stay Resident. A TSR program is one (usually on a PC) which stops running but
leaves a little bit of itself behind in the PC ready to spring into

action as required. The best known and most widely used TSR for PC-DOS was Sidekick. Most
networking and communications programs are of the TSR ilk. Now that Windows

is a series of operating systems, rather than an operating environment running on top of PC-DOS, the
TSR term has disappeared, though arguably not the concept.

TSS: Tutorial Support System. On-line education system built into OS/400. Designed to enable users
to teach themselves how to carry out basic system functions.

TTM: Time To Market.

TTY: See Teletype.

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TUA: Tivoli User Administration. Renamed Tivoli SecureWay User Administration.

Tube jockey: IBMspeak for a PC/terminal junky. Tube jockeys typically spend most of their time
irritating everybody else in the organization by sending thousands of

trivial notes through the corporate e-mail system. The Internet is a particularly fertile breeding
grounds for these pests.

TURBOWAYS 100: 100Mbps ATM2 adapter. Announced for the RS/6000 March 1994. A version
for the 3172 was announced June 1995, along with MCA versions for PCs running

OS/2 or NetWare in a LAN environment. Replaced by the TURBOWAYS 155 December 1996.

TURBOWAYS 155: 155Mbps MCA ATM2 adapter, based on the TURBOWAYS 100, announced
June 1995. Added support for UTP5 and STP wiring April 1996. By October 1998, all

models had been withdrawn.

TURBOWAYS 25: Obsolete 25Mbps ISA, MCA and PCI ATM2 adapters.

TURBOWAYS 622: 622Mbps PCI MMF ATM2 adapter. A 64 bit full duplex Universal PCI adapter
for eserver pSeries announced October 2000.

TURBOWAYS 8282: See 8282.

Tuxedo: TP monitor for Unix environments originally from Unix System Labs (USL). September
1992, IBM commissioned Unix System Labs to do a version of Tuxedo for its

mainframe Unix environment, although little ever came of it. Novell acquired Tuxedo when it bought
USL, and then sold Tuxedo in January 1996 to a Palo Alto start-up

company called BEA Systems that has since grown very large.

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TVC: Tape Volume Cache. A disk buffer in VTS.

TVPN: See Tivoli Virtual Private Network Manager.

TVTOC: Tape Volume Table Of Contents. Dataset1 names and other information for each tape file
stored by RACF in the tape volume profile.

Twinax: Twinaxial cable. The cable medium used for the 5250 family of terminals used on the
iSeries 400.

Twisted pair: Type of wire consisting of sets of two insulated copper wires twisted together (the
wires are twisted to reduce induction and interference from one wire

to the other). The individual twisted pairs may themselves be combined to form a multi-wire cable in
a single sheath. Twisted pair is the most widely used cable type

for attaching devices to PABXs. Usually unshielded, and hence fairly cheap but with limited
bandwidth. See also UTP.

Two-factor authentication: Access based on something a user knows and something a user has.

Two-phase commit: A TP protocol in which a transaction is either accepted in its entirety or aborted
in its entirety. Used in distributed database systems to manage

replicated data, where you need either to update all multiple resources simultaneously, or not update
any.

TWS: See Tivoli Workload Scheduler.

TWSA: See Tivoli Web Services Analyzer.

TWSM: See Tivoli Web Services Manager.

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TWX: See Telex.

TXSeries: A merging of CICS, Encina and IBM Transaction Server. Available for AIX1, Windows
NT 4.0, HP-UX and Sun Solaris. Announced January 1998. All but the HP-UX

version were replaced December 1999 by WebSphere Application Server.

UACC: Universal Access Authority. The RACF default access authority to a resource when a user or
group has not been given explicit access authority to that resource.

UACC is overridden by the OPERATIONS and RESTRICTED user attributes. See also
OPERATIONS attribute, RESTRICTED attribute.

UADS: User Attribute DataSet. TSO/E’s access control file: a PDS1 with a member for each user.

UCS: Universal Character Set.

UDB: Universal DataBase. See DB2 Universal Database.

UDDI: Universal Description, Discovery and Integration. An emerging standard originally from
IBM, Microsoft, and e-business heavyweight Ariba to create a shared

business registry on the Web to expedite and streamline B2B e-business processes. Supported by
WebSphere Application Server. See also WS-Inspection.

UDF1: User Defined Function. DB2 feature that allows new SQL functions to be defined.

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UDF2: Universal Disk Format. A file system format used on DVD and CD, including packet writing
on CD-R and CD-RW.

UDFS: User Defined File System. OS/400 file system similar to the Windows hierarchical file
system. Created and managed by users.

UDP: User Datagram Protocol. An Internet protocol that provides unreliable, connectionless
datagram service. Its only advantage over TCP is lower overhead.

UDT: User Defined Data Type. DB2 feature that allows new DB2 data types to be defined, based on
existing ones.

UFC: Universal Feature Card. UFCs let customers tailor certain IBM switches and other network
hardware by changing the UFC only, not the entire switch.

UGC: Utility Graphics Consultants – a Colorado-based company specializing in GIS. IBM bought a
stake in UGC in November 1990.

UI: User Interface.

UIA: User Interface Architecture. IBM term for a set of standards aimed at providing a consistent
syntactic and semantic environment for user interaction – screens,

keyboards etc. Effectively superseded by SAA’s CUA1, which was much the same thing.

UID: z/OS Unix System Services user identification.

UII: Unix International Inc. Group of vendors set up in 1988 to promote Unix. Supported by AT&T
in opposition to the OSF. Acted as a user group made up entirely of

vendors. It became somewhat redundant when X/Open won the Unix standard, and by the end of 1993
it had lost all enthusiasm for life and committed corporate hara-kiri.

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See also NewOrg.

UIT: Union Internationale des Télécommunications. Formerly a UN agency concerned with

telecommunications, of which the CCITT was a part. Reorganized and renamed ITU.

UltiMail: IBM e-mail client products for OS/2 announced mid 1994. Work with the AnyMail e-mail
servers. Replaced by IBM WorkGroup May 1995.

Ultimedia: This, according to IBM’s October 1991 press release, is the new brand that will identify
all of IBM’s multimedia products and services... and express IBM’s

dedication to deliver uncompromising multimedia technology, customer solutions, and creator

support. It’s a mixture of software and hardware gizmos, including PCs,

OS/2 software, etc. Very little of it remains today.

UltraStar: Family of high-performance, high-capacity (2GB and 4GB in first models) 95mm disk
HDAs available from 1995 on. Highly reliable – IBM claims 1,000,000 hours

MTBF. Used in the 7133 and RAMAC2 2 and 3, and sold into the OEM market. See also TravelStar.

Ultrix: DEC’s version of Unix. Renamed Tru64 UNIX.

UML: Unified Modeling Language, the industry standard notation for object-oriented analysis and
design. An OMG specification.

Unbundling: The practice of selling hardware and/or software in separate packages, so that users only
pay for what they want. IBM unbundled its software and hardware

as a result of anti-trust pressure in the US (see Consent decree). But seems to be reversing the trend in
recent years.

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Uncataloged: z/OS datasets that are not listed in the Master catalog or any of the user catalogs listed
in the Master catalog. But is listed in a VTOC. Since there is

a VTOC for each disk volume, there can be multiple uncataloged datasets with the same name, which
is why the VOLSER of the volume must be specified. Uncataloged

datasets cannot exist on SMS1-managed disk volumes.

Unformatted System Services: SNA terminology for a system services control point facility that
translates a character-coded request, such as a logon or logoff

request, into a field-formatted request for processing by formatted system services; and that translates
field-formatted replies and responses into character-coded

requests for processing by a logical unit (LU).

UNI: User-to-Network Interface. The interface between an ATM2 user and the ATM network.

Unicode: A character set coding scheme, just as ASCII and EBCDIC are, but with the ability to
represent all written human languages. The character code is 16 bits

wide which yields up to 65,536 characters (compared to EBCDIC’s 256). The Unicode committee
was set up in 1989, and included IBM, Apple, and Microsoft among its

number.

Uninterruptible power supply: A buffer between utility power, or other power source, and a system
that requires a consistent power source that is both uninterrupted,

of a predefined quality, and without surges.

Uniplex: Integrated office computing suite for Unix. Developed by the UK Uniplex company, and
sold by IBM as an AIX1 product. Withdrawn by IBM December 1994, but

still available through Uniplex.

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Unit of work: The statements executed between one commit point and the next – usually a group of
SQL statements which would need to be rolled back as a group if any

single statement in the group could not be executed. It’s the basic recovery unit. See also Remote Unit
Of Work.

Unitree: AIX storage management product – a sort of AIX1 equivalent of DFSMShsm. Manages a
storage hierarchy, and provides automatic file migration. Announced October

1992. Withdrawn August 1995.

Universal Access Authority: See UACC.

Universal Connection: Reports inventories of software and hardware on your machine to IBM to help
them personalize electronic support based on your system data.

Announced in 2000 for OS/400.

Universal Disk Format: See UDF2.

Unix: A misspelling of UNICS (UNiplexed Information and Computing Service). A hardware-

independent operating system originally for minicomputers and now PCs, too.

Once described as a catch-all term for many operating systems that share some features and a
common parentage. Unix was developed by AT&T and owned by USL, which

passed from AT&T to Novell at the end of 1992. Widely promulgated as a standard operating system,
but still has not been as widely accepted as Unix buffs keep

expecting it to. After all, it was designed to provide a program development environment. Unix keeps
coming in waves: to replace mainframes, as a Web server and to

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replace Windows on the workstation. Each wave begins with a concept, its shortcomings revealed as
it is implemented, and competitive technologies having time to catch

up as the shortcomings are addressed. IBM had at various times offered eight different versions of
Unix, but showed little real enthusiasm for the subject, until

September 1991 when it suddenly became an ingredient in the flavor of the year – openness. And
IBM AIX1 was born. The IBM-supported OSF has developed an independent

version of Unix. October 1993, control of Unix fell into the hands of X/Open who trademarked only
the capitalized version UNIX. Currently it is Linux that is receiving

the vast majority of Unix attention, both in the marketplace and by IBM. See also POSIX.

Unix International Inc: See UII.

Unix System Services: A full function Unix implementation under z/OS that complies with the
POSIX standard. Implemented as an operating environment that you switch to

within z/OS, much as you started up Windows 3.x in PC-DOS. Originally introduced as OpenEdition.

UnixWare: A version of the Unix operating system. Caldera bought Santa Cruz Operation (SCO)
who acquired UnixWare from Novell who renamed the original Unix they

acquired from AT&T.

UNMA: Unified Network Management Architecture. AT&T’s blueprint for end-to-end control of
voice/data networks at the physical level. On the surface UNMA looks like

it’s competitive with IBM’s NetView, but the reality is that UNMA controls the physical network on
which the SNA network resides, whereas NetView controls the SNA

network itself.

UP: Uniprocessor.

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UPC: Universal/Uniform Product Code. The bar code technology behind those appalling little stripes
that are used to conceal the price of things until you get to the

check-out when you discover that the thing you’ve chosen costs far more than it’s worth, at which
point you’re too embarrassed and pressured to put the item back on

the shelves so you end up buying things which you never would have bought if they’d been properly
labeled on the shelf in the first place. A massive retrograde step

for the consumer, but a great leap forward for retailers and vendors of UPC technology. IBM supports
UPC in its POS1 systems, and – would you believe – even has an

architecture for the whole ghastly farrago (see BCOCA).

Upgrade: A change to a new version/release of a product. In IBM terms, a CPU upgrade (as opposed
to a new machine) is a change to a configuration that preserves the

serial number of the original machine. For a processor change to be an upgrade rather than a new
CPU, some portion of the value of the old machine has to be retained.

This principal first became enshrined in the ES/9000 range, where the machine was designed with a
basic range of infrastructure support – power supplies, cooling, etc

– which are preserved between upgrades of memory, processors etc. See also Fork lift upgrade.

Upload: To transfer files from a workstation to a host. For example, graphics or media files for a Web
page from workstation to Web server. cf. Download.

Upper CASE: See CASE1.

UPS: See Uninterruptible Power Supply.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator. The addressing method used for Web pages. Typically takes the
form http://www.xxx.com.

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Usage pricing: The principle of charging for software on the basis of the amount of work done – e.g.,
the number of transactions, amount of batch data processed, etc.

Also known as Measured Usage Pricing. The intention is to establish a closer price to value
relationship. Several ISVs do this, and April 1994, IBM introduced it. See

also Customer value pricing, Model group, MSU, SU, User-based pricing.

USB: Universal Serial Bus. Hot-pluggable ports that first appeared on laptops, then desktop PCs, that
allow easy connection and disconnection without a screwdriver or

having to open the machine case.

User ASP: Grouping some iSeries 400 disk drives together and assigning the group an Auxiliary
Storage Pool (ASP).

User attribute: Special RACF privileges assigned to a user.

User Attribute DataSet: See UADS.

User-based pricing: The principle of charging for software based on the number of users (e.g.,
connected workstations). Available on a number of office systems

products. See also Model group, Usage pricing. Also known as PUP (per user pricing).

User catalog: In z/OS, an ICF catalog created to reduce the number of entries in the Master Catalog,
thereby improving performance. See also ICF2.

User certificate: A digital certificate associated with a RACF user ID that authenticates the user’s
identity.

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User dataset: Any dataset1 named with a RACF user ID as a high level qualifier, though an
installation can choose another qualifier level.

User Defined File System: See UDFS.

User ID: RACF’s identification for a person using computer resources, usually no more than seven
characters in length (a TSO restriction), beginning with a letter or

#, $ or @.

User ID association: A relationship between two user IDs defined by the RACLINK command.

User identification: See user ID.

User identification and verification: Securely associating a user with a process, e.g., identification
during logon or batch job initiation by looking up the user ID;

verification by checking the password.

User name: The 1-20 character name that RACF stores for each user ID, typically including the
surname of the user.

User profile: Where RACF stores information specific to a single user ID.

User Profile Management: No, it’s not a threat of physical assault to people who don’t buy IBM
products. As a generic term, refers to the use of software to change

attributes associated with user IDs, as well as add and delete user IDs. Also a feature of OS/2 which
permits access to OS/2 and LAN functions through a single user ID

and password.

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USI: Unix Software International. Prior to its sale to Novell, the AT&T subsidiary that owned Unix
System V.

USL: Unix Systems Laboratories. The company set up by AT&T to look after Unix. About 22% of
USL was sold to other vendors (not including IBM) in May 1991, and by mid

1993 AT&T had relinquished control by selling 75% of USL to Novell.

US Memories: Company conceived mid 1989 by a number of vendors, including IBM, DEC, Intel,
and HP, to manufacture dynamic memories (DRAM) using IBM technology. The

company was an attempt to make sure that the Japanese wouldn’t be able to corner the market in
DRAMs again in the way they did in the mid 1980s, when they were

perceived as causing a great deal of damage to the US computer industry. Unfortunately the company
was stillborn in January 1990.

USS1: See Unix System Services.

USS2: See Unformatted System Services.

UTOKEN: The RACF user security token.

UTP: Unshielded Twisted Pair. Type of cable very similar to that used by standard internal telephone
systems. Recommended by IBM for 4Mbps TRN and, with a few

caveats, for 16Mbps. More recently, used for 100Mbps Fast Ethernet and FDDI. UTP is about one
tenth to one fifth the cost of fiber, and one quarter the cost of

shielded twisted pair (STP).

UVM: Universal Virtual Machine. Proposed IBM product which will allow developers to use
languages other than Java to build platform independent applications. First

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announced June 1997 but not mentioned since in anything but IBM trademark lists.

V24: A public (i.e., non IBM-proprietary) standard for connection of equipment. V24 is the European
version of RS-232-C.

VADS: Value-Added Data Service. Sometimes used as a much trendier name for VANS. IN, INS,
and MNS are IBM VADS.

VAE: Virtual Address Extensions. Feature available in VSE/ESA which enables common code to be
shared among partitions. When originally introduced, the effect was to

remove some of the addressing limitations of VSE/SP. See also partition3.

ValuePoint: IBM family of PCs (aka PS/VP) announced in October 1992 with the launch of IPCC.
Basically they were cheerful and fairly cheap boxes designed to enable

IBM to compete on price in all sectors of the market. The boxes announced mid 1993 were very low
priced indeed, confirming that IBM was willing to mix it with the

mega-cheap clone vendors – although there are doubts that ValuePoint made a profit. January 1994
IBM announced that the ValuePoint and PS/2 lines would be merged into

a single marketing unit. In October 1994, the name ValuePoint disappeared altogether.

Vanilla: Industry jargon for plain, ordinary, base, bland, minimal, unadorned. For example, a vanilla
PC would be a base machine without sound card, speakers, NIC2 or

other add-ons.

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VANS: Value-Added Network Service. Generic term for networking facilities where a supplier buys
networking capacity (usually from a PTT), adds value to it (originally

by adding packet switching) and sells the service on. VANS is often used to refer to any data transport
mechanism with enhanced facilities. See IN, Advantis, Prodigy.

Vaporware: Industryspeak for products announced considerably in advance of any release, which as a
result may or may not materialize. This is a concept closely allied

to brochureware.

VAR: Value-Added Reseller/Remarketer. Someone who buys a vendor’s kit, normally at a discount,
adds value (typically tailored software), and re-sells it.

Variable Workload License Charge: One of six z/OS Basic License methods and one of two
categories of z/OS software product licensing supported under WLC: lets you

license a product for a capacity less than the total capacity of your system.

VAST-2: VS FORTRAN pre-processors which convert ordinary FORTRAN programs into a form in
which they can be run in parallel and vector mode. Withdrawn February 1997.

See also parallel processing, vector facility.

VAX: Virtual Address eXtension. Once DEC’s main family of processors. VAX machines were
competitive with AS/400, and low-end and mid-range mainframes, and were in

general stronger in scientific than commercial work compared to the equivalent IBM boxes. They had
less sophisticated I/O systems than mainframe or AS/400 machines,

but their main failing during their formative years was the lack of business software available for the
platform. See also VMS.

VAX/VMS: See VMS.

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VB: See Visual Basic.

VBScript: Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition. An interpreter for a subset of Visual Basic. Used
in Web browsers and other applications that use ActiveX

Controls, Automation servers and Java applets.

VCI: Virtual Channel Identifier. ATM2 terminology for the unique numeric tag in the ATM cell
header that is used to identify a virtual channel connection within a

virtual path connection.

VCNA: VTAM Communication Network Application. Program which provides access to z/VM
applications from SNA terminals. Available only where z/VM is being used in

conjunction with a VSE/ESA or z/OS guest operating system. Re-packaged as VSCS.

VCNS: VTAM Common Network Services. The ability of VTAM to support shared physical
connectivity between SNA networks and specific non-SNA networks.

VCO: Voice Communications Option. PC/System/3x facility for handling voice. A flop!! See also
speech.

VCP/370: Videotex Control Program. z/OS and z/VM program announced May 1991 which provides
support for videotex. Executes under CSFI.

VE: See Visual Explain.

VEA: Voice Enhanced Application.

Vector: Vector processing is used to refer to computers which carry out more than one arithmetic
operation per computer instruction (cf. Scalar). The technique is

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widely used in numerically intensive computing, but, despite many claims to the effect, is not
particularly helpful for database processing. Most supercomputers use

vector processing. IBM offered vector processing as standard on most ES/9000s (including some air-
cooled models), but it is not supported on eserver zSeries 900.

Vector Facility: Add-on goody for the 3090 series. Improves performance 1.5 to 3 times for compute-
intensive applications – up to a peak of over 450 megaFLOPS. The

ES/9000s (9021 and 9121s) have an integrated vector facility. But the eserver zSeries 900 does not
support vector coprocessors or instructions.

Velcro Serial Number: A serial number which can be moved from machine to machine, perhaps even
across a Fork lift upgrade.

Verb: The communications commands which define the way an SNA session is to take place. Verbs
are independent of any particular implementation language, and are an

essential part of the SAA CPI-C.

Verification: See user identification and verification.

Versata Logic Server: Versata Inc.’s Rapid Application Development (RAD) tools for WebSphere
Application Server. Marketed by IBM. Formerly an IBM product called

VisualAge Application Rules Engine. See also Versata Studio.

Versata Studio: A Versata Inc. development workbench to define and refine business rules. Marketed
by IBM. Formerly IBM VisualAge Application Rules. See also Versata

Logic Server.

Versatile Storage Server: Centralized shared disk storage for concurrently attached UNIX, iSeries
400 and Windows servers. Based on the 7133 Serial Disk System and

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Seascape architecture. Originally code-named Tarpon.

Versit: Standards effort between Apple, IBM, AT&T, and Siemens set up in November 1994 to
develop ways of allowing PDAs, PCs, telephones and the like to interchange

data. Disbanded at the end of 1996 after handing over control of vCard and vCalendar technology to
the Internet Mail Consortium (IMC).

Vertical Capacity Upgrade on Demand: The ability to have extra processor capacity delivered, but
not paid for until activated. Available for eserver zSeries 900 and

some models of iSeries 400 and pSeries. Activation is fast and non-disruptive. See also Capacity
Upgrade on Demand, Horizontal Capacity Upgrade on Demand, Storage

Capacity Upgrade on Demand.

Vertical market: Generic term for a particular market segment in which all the companies are in the
same industry e.g., health care, manufacturing, insurance etc.

Unlike other major computer manufacturers, IBM has rarely been organized along vertical industry
lines, and has preferred to focus its efforts on the horizontal market

of data processing. See also LoB.

Vertical recording: A technology for recording on magnetic media (DASD, tape) in which the line of
the north-south poles of the magnetization is vertical to the

surface of the medium; each bit takes up less surface area than it does with conventional horizontal
recording where the line of the north-south poles is parallel to

the surface of the medium.

VESA: Video Electronic Standards Association. An industry group created to produce what they
called a non-proprietary response to IBM’s MicroChannel Architecture.

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This took the form of the VESA Local Bus architecture – a 32-bit bus, with a maximum bandwidth of
132MB per second, designed to aid high-speed video devices. The power

in the Pentium architecture and the PCI bus have reduced the need for the VESA LB. Long obsolete
and forgotten.

VF: See Vector Facility.

VGA: Video Graphics Array. A color graphics bit-mapped support system developed by IBM and
introduced on the PS/2. 256 colors, 640 pixels horizontally and 480 lines

vertically. VGA is often incorrectly called Video Graphics Adapter probably because its predecessors,
CGA and EGA, were called Color Graphics Adapter and Enhanced

Graphics Adapter. VGA circuitry is compatible with CGA, MGA (Monochrome Display Adapter)
and EGA. A Super VGA (SVGA) is also available. See also XGA.

VGR: VTAM Generic Resource.

VHSIC: Very High Speed Integrated Circuit.

Viaduct: See AIX Viaduct.

ViaVoice: ViaVoice for Windows and ViaVoice for Macintosh OS X. The latest of IBM’s legacy of
voice recognition software, ViaVoice is able to track continuous speech,

without requiring the speaker to pause between each word. Launched June 1997. See VoiceType.

Videotex: A technique, developed mainly in Europe (where it’s known as Viewdata), for providing
cheap and cheerful public databases across the public telephone

network. The public database service never took off to the extent that videotex enthusiasts hoped, but
the technique is useful for consumer applications. IBM has at

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various times had offerings on the Series/1 (of fond memory) and z/OS, and there are third-party
systems for the mainframe. See also Prodigy, VCP/370.

Viewdata: See Videotex.

VIF: Virtual Image Facility for LINUX.

VIM: Vendor Independent Messaging. An API that allows e-mail software from different vendors to
exchange mail with each other. Developed by a consortium of vendors

that did not include Microsoft which has its own equivalent: MAPI. A VIM to MAPI DLL makes it
possible for the two to exchange messages. Lotus cc:Mail and Notes

support VIM. The Lotus VIM Developer’s Toolkit can be used to add e-mail capabilities to
applications. See also OMI.

ViMP: Virtual MarketPlace. Developed at the IBM Zurich (Switzerland) Research Laboratory.
Combined with CRM software from Siebel Systems, it provides competitive

insurance quotes on the Internet.

VINES: VIrtual NEtworking System. Once a popular network operating system and network
software from Banyan Systems, Inc. In a VINES network, virtual linking allows

all devices and services to appear to be directly connected to each other. October 1999 Banyan
announced it was leaving the product business entirely. April 2000,

Banyan changed its name to epresence.

VIO: Virtual I/O. Hyper-efficient z/OS paging technique. Simulates DASD using real storage and so
avoids the overhead of channel activity.

VIPA: Virtual IP Addressing. A means of correlating multiple virtual IP1 addresses with a real IP-
address to facilitate fault-tolerance via transparent fail-over.

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Virtual circuit: Generic term for a circuit in which there is no fixed end-to-end connection between
the transmitter and receiver. Instead, the communications system

gives the illusion that such a circuit exists, by dynamically creating and uncreating a connection to
share the real circuits among all the network users. Packet

switching circuits are the best known type of virtual circuit. The benefit is that you can pack far more
traffic onto a network than you can if you provide fixed point

to point links for the duration of a communications session. Also known as Switched Virtual Circuits
– SVCs.

Virtual coupling: A technique for expanding machine capacity and resilience by joining multiple
3090s together and pooling the expanded storage to form a sysplex.

Enables a job to be executed in parallel across a number of processors (up to 12 initially). Introduced
as part of SCSE in May 1989 and available in Clustered FORTRAN

and in TPF. The forerunner of parallel sysplex with eserver zSeries 900.

Virtual Image Facility: Virtual Image Facility for LINUX.

Virtual LAN: A means of logically segregating LAN users on switched or bridge networks to permit
broadcast and data traffic to be restricted to predefined sets of LAN

segments. The ultimate goal of VLANs is to permit LAN users to be logically grouped together, based
on their departmental or functional responsibilities, irrespective

of their geographic location.

Virtual Private Network: See VPN.

Virtual processor: A representation of a processor in z/VM, that is dispatched by the Control Program
(CP) on a real processor.

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Virtual route pacing: An SNA flow control technique.

Virtual storage: A technique for giving programs the illusion that they have massive quantities of
main storage to themselves. The technique works by allowing

programs to address lots of virtual memory, but making the operating system page the required data in
and out of real main store and to and from a paging device at the

appropriate time. The technique enables cheap DASD to be used instead of expensive main storage.

Virtual Storage Constraint Relief: See VSCR.

Virtual store: A certificate store that is a logical collection of other certificate stores.

Virtual Tape Server: IBM TotalStorage Virtual Tape Server. Combines several technologies to
provide a high performance alternative to standard tape drives or even

robotic tape libraries. Volume stacking fills Magstar 3590 tape cartridges with as many logical tape
volumes as will fit on each. Disk caching uses a RAID 5 disk array

for a buffer known as the Tape Volume Cache (TVC), which stores a compressed virtual tape
volumes for as long as possible in case it is re-referenced during that time

period. Hundreds of virtual drives can be configured to eliminate the usual tape drive contention.
Based on Seascape architecture. Supported for z/OS, z/VM, TPF, AIX1,

HP-UX, Sun Solaris, Windows server operating systems. VSE/ESA is only supported as a z/VM
guest.

Virus: Any unauthorized code that propagates itself to (infect) other computers.

VIS/TP: CICS clone for Unix/AIX1. Built by VISystems Inc, and at one time sold by IBM for AIX
and OS/2.

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VisualAge: OS/2 and Windows (later AIX1) object-oriented programming environment originally
based on SmallTalk, announced October 1993, but since greatly expanded to

become IBM’s application development environment for most programming languages. Provides a
visual programming environment in which pre-fabricated software components

(which can also be created using Smalltalk or SOMobjects) can be joined together using visual tools.
Includes access mechanisms to IBM and non-IBM databases, multi-

media facilities, and team support, and is targeted at builders of client/server systems. Part of the
Information Warehouse architecture. C++ and SmallTalk versions

for Windows NT and 95 were announced in March 1996. Java support was announced in May 1996.
Today, the product line includes VisualAge C++, VisualAge for COBOL,

VisualAge Enterprise Suite, VisualAge Generator, VisualAge for Java, VisualAge Micro Edition,
VisualAge Pacbase, VisualAge PL/I, VisualAge RPG and CODE/400, VisualAge

Smalltalk, VisualAge TPF. See also HighPoint, Envy/400, VisualGen.

VisualAge Application Rules: See Versata Studio.

VisualAge Application Rules Engine: See Versata Logic Server.

VisualAge C++: VisualAge C++ Professional for AIX1 is the only remaining VisualAge C++
product; OS/400, OS/2 and Windows NT versions have been withdrawn. Both C and

C++ applications can be created with it. It runs on AIX and creates AIX applications.

VisualAge Enterprise Suite: A bundling of VisualAge for Java Enterprise Edition, WebSphere Studio
Professional Edition, VisualAge Generator Developer, VisualAge for

COBOL and VisualAge PL/I. Runs on Windows NT/2000/XP.

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VisualAge for Cobol: A cooperative workstation and host COBOL development environment. Runs
on Windows NT/2000/XP to create z/OS and Windows applications. The

Distributed Debugger component works in conjunction with the host IBM Debug Tool for source-
level debugging.

VisualAge for Java: A Windows application development environment for Java applets, servlets and
Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) components. Supports deployment in a

number of different environments including z/OS and iSeries 400. Replaced late 2001 by WebSphere
Studio Application Developer (WSAD); WebSphere Studio Site Developer

also contains most of the components of VisualAge for Java. See also VisualAge Generator.

VisualAge for Smalltalk: Renamed VisualAge Smalltalk June 1998.

VisualAge Generator: Provides an integrated VisualAge for Java-based development and test
environment for the creation of Java clients and transactional server

programs. Generates Java for Microsoft Windows server operating systems, and session Enterprise
JavaBeans (EJB) components for z/OS, z/VM, VSE/ESA, OS/400, AIX1, HP-UX

and Sun Solaris. Includes middleware support for APPC, TCP/IP, DCE2, Client Access/400, IMS
TM, CICS and MQSeries. And support for DB2 on all platforms, IMS DB, DL/I,

VSAM, Oracle. There is also DataJoiner and ODBC access to other non-IBM relational data.

VisualAge Interspace: A bridge between application development tools and middleware applications.
Withdrawn July 2001. Formerly Planetworks Interspace.

VisualAge Micro Edition: Embedded Java applications development environment includes runtime
simulation environments of the target environment on the development

environment. Supported target environments include AIX1, Hard Hat Linux, ITRON, OSE, Palm OS,
Pocket PC, QNX, Sun Solaris, Windows and Windows CE. Provides development

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environments in Windows and Red Hat Linux. See also PDA.

VisualAge Pacbase: Repository-based model-driven visual programming application development.

Runs on z/OS CICS, IMS TM, VSE/ESA, Windows, AIX1, Linux, OS/2, OS/400,

OpenVMS VAX and Alpha1, Escala AIX, GCOS, HP-UX, IRIX, Sun Solaris, Tandem Guardian,
Tandem Integrity-IRIX, Unisys 2200 and A Series, VME, Tru64 UNIX and some other

flavors of Unix.

VisualAge PL/I: IBM VisualAge PL/I for z/OS replaces IBM PL/I for MVS & VM on the z/OS
platform. It includes a PL/I compiler and executes on z/OS. It includes support

for creating applications that interface with DB2, CICS, IMS1, USS1 and other environments. An
interactive debug tool is optional. IBM VisualAge PL/I Enterprise for

OS/2 and Windows can also be used to build z/OS PL/I applications, but the development is done on
the OS/2 or Windows workstation. It can also be used to build OS/2

and Windows PL/I applications. See also VisualAge.

VisualAge Requirements Tool: OS/2 software to graphically depict business processes. Announced
April 1996, withdrawn March 1998.

VisualAge RPG: VisualAge RPG and CODE/400. Only available as part of WebSphere
Development Tools for iSeries, which contains only the workstation tools. Host

components are provided in WebSphere Development Studio for iSeries.

VisualAge Smalltalk: Supports the development and maintenance of Smalltalk applications on an

ever-growing number of platforms, including AIX1, HP-UX, z/OS, OS/2, Sun

Solaris, UNIX, Linux and Windows. Plus a number of Java platforms.

VisualAge TeamConnection: Withdrawn October 2000. See TeamConnection for details.

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VisualAge TPF: A Windows workstation team development environment for TPF Assembler, C and
C++ programs.

VisualAge WebRunner: A complementary toolkit to VisualAge for Java that includes class libraries,
utilities, examples, and reference materials that enable the

creation of JavaBeans for clients and servers. Also included is a JavaBeans Migration Assistant for
ActiveX which converts ActiveX components to functionally

equivalent JavaBeans. Became part of VisualAge Developer Domain Subscription for Java in May
1998, which was replaced by the WebSphere Developer Domain in 2001.

Visual Basic: Microsoft implementation of BASIC which has been a great success among those
wishing to write applications for client/server systems, particularly

Windows workstations. It’s attracted a great deal of attention and support from a number of tool
vendors, and Microsoft would have us believe that VB is a 4GL suitable

for any applications, including TP, although others dispute this. Its main use seems to be as a less
arcane PC programming language than C++.

Visual Document Library: Electronic document library and retrieval system for OS/2 LANs.
Withdrawn July 1997.

Visual Explain: A GUI-based explain tool for DB2 CS.

VisualGen: Workstation application generator cum integrated set of RAD tools announced March
1994. Workstation-based, client/server development environment that can

produce server (z/OS or VSE/ESA) and client software at the same time. Initially OS/2 and Windows
clients were supported, along with CICS (z/OS, VSE/ESA, and OS/2)

servers. Supports APPC, TCP/IP, and Named Pipes. The VisualGen Team Suite was an integrated
LAN-based development environment which combined VisualGen with a LAN

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library and repository, data dictionary, modeling tools, and other bits and pieces. Any VisualGen
products that were not withdrawn over the years have been renamed

VisualAge Generator.

VisualInfo: Client/server, multimedia, document management system, announced February 1994.

Converts paper documents into electronic form, and manages storage,

retrieval, and routing of the documents along with associated spreadsheets, graphics, audio, etc.
Originally available on OS/2 and z/OS servers, and on OS/2 clients.

Part of ImagePlus, which has more recently become part of IBM Content Manager, and added more
platforms.

Visualizer: AIX1 and OS/2 family of products for data access, query, analysis, and visual
presentation. Has support for DB2 databases from AIX and OS/2, and for DB2,

Oracle, Sybase and other databases from OS/2. The last Visualizer product was withdrawn in July
1998.

VisualLift: Screen scraper for z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA applications announced in September 1994.
Adds OS/2 or Windows buttons, boxes, and mice to host 3270

applications. Withdrawn September 2000. See also Screen scraping.

Visual RPG: See VRPG.

VisualSet: 32-bit, SOM-based, COBOL visual development environment (full name COBOL
VisualSet for OS/2) announced for OS/2 in January 1995. Includes a visual GUI

builder for COBOL client/server applications, a programmable COBOL editor, a graphical debugger,
and an execution analyzer. Complements CODE/370, since both products

have WorkFrame/2 as their development environments and use the same language-sensitive debugger.
By the end of 1995, the VisualSet name disappeared when it became a

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part of VisualGen.

Visual Warehouse: Bundle of IBM products announced mid 1995. Built around DB2 as a database
server with DataGuide, and DataJoiner for the warehousing functions. Third

party products have since been added. Replaced by DB2 Warehouse Manager February 2001.

VIT: VTAM Internal Trace. A VTAM trace used for the collection of data on channel I/O, locks, and
storage management services.

VLA: Volume License Agreement. IBMspeak for a discount scheme for software licensing.

VLAN: See Virtual LAN.

VLANS: Virtual LANs. See Virtual LAN.

VLDB: Very Large DataBase.

VLF: Virtual Lookaside Facility. z/OS subsystem that holds objects in a dataspace1. Reduces the
number of I/Os required by reading the data into the dataspace just

once and allowing programs to access it from the dataspace rather than from DASD. See also LLA.

VLIW: Very Long Instruction Words. An instruction level parallel architecture, which enables
instructions with many bits (hence the long word) to run on one clock

cycle on multiple execution units. The theory is that VLIW chip design will be simpler than CISC or
RISC because complexity will be transferred to the software. IBM

research began in 1986. While there has been lots of talk about VLIW as the next hot technology,
Transmeta Corporation is one of the few who have actually started

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selling a VLIW product, announcing its Crusoe line based on 128-bit VLIW hardware in January
2000.

VLS: See Versata Logic Server.

VLSI: Very Large Scale Integration. Generic term for the technique of putting lots of components
onto a very small bit of base material. See also LSI, IC4.

VM/DSNX: VM Distributed Node Executive. See DSNX.

VM/ESA: Version of VM1 announced September 1990. Consolidated VM/XA, VM/HPO and
VM/SP, and added various features including workstation synergy, data in memory,

improved systems management, more real and virtual storage, and better OLTP. The announcement
stressed the workstation connectivity, suggesting that VM was being

positioned for end-user rather than production systems. Replaced by z/VM October 3, 2000.

VM/ESA SDO: VM/ESA System Delivery Offering. Obsolete package of VM/ESA software which
provided – in a single deliverable – VM/ESA itself and a group of related

programs. Replaced VM/IS.

VM/HPO: VM High Performance Option. Version of VM1 designed to provide more efficient guest
support on large processors. Superseded first by VM/ESA then z/VM.

VM/IS: VM/Integrated System. Packaged version of VM1 (load-and-go) announced with the 9370
Series. Superseded by VM/ESA SDO in September 1990, and withdrawn in

December 1991.

VM/ISF: VM Inter-System Facility. See ISF.

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VM/MHPG: VM Multiple High Performance Guest. Obsolete multi-domain feature running under
VM/XA which purported to allow near native performance for up to four guest

operating systems. Is now incorporated in PR/SM. Used the SIE mechanism.

VM/MPI: Obsolete facility under VM1 which enabled 3090s and 4381s to emulate Hitachi (VM/PI)
software. See also SMAF, VM/MPII.

VM/MPII: Obsolete facility under VM1 which enabled 3090s and 4381s to emulate Fujitsu (VM/PII)
software. See also SMAF, VM/MPI.

VM/PRF: See VM Performance Reporting Facility.

VM/RSPS: VM Remote System Programming Support. Obsolete fee-based remote support service
provided by IBM for VM/IS installation.

VM/RTM: See RTM3.

VM/SNA: Product which provided native support for SNA from z/VM systems. In effect VM/SNA
consisted of a subset of z/OS facilities (GCS) to enable VTAM to run as a

guest operating system of z/VM. Replaced by VSCS.

VM/SP: VM/System Product. Vanilla VM1 optimized for mid-range machines. HPO version
announced with Release 6 in June 1989. Superseded by VM/ESA, then z/VM.

VM/VCNA: See VCNA.

VM/XA: See VM/XA SF and VM/XA SP.

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VM/XA SF: VM eXtended Architecture System Facility. Version of VM1 allowing MVS/XA to run
as a guest. Note that VM/XA SF requires a second version of VM as a guest to

give access to the native VM facilities (CMS1 etc). Superseded by VM/ESA, then z/VM. See also
VM/XA SP.

VM/XA SP: VM eXtended Architecture System Product. 31-bit version of VM1. Superseded by
VM/ESA, then z/VM. See also VM/XA SF.

VM1: Virtual Machine. Now z/VM, but generically applied to all versions of z/VM and the operating
systems it replaced.

VM2: Java Virtual Machine.

VMA: Virtual Machine Assist. Firmware assist (the very first on the 370) for handling privileged
instructions. Claimed to improve performance.

VM Bond: See PC/VM Bond.

VMCF: Virtual Machine Communication Facility. An outmoded facility enabling communications

among virtual machines in a VM1 environment.

VM Dump Tool: Introduced with z/VM. Only replaces the Dump Viewing Facility for reading CP
abend, stand-alone or virtual machine dumps. The Dump Viewing Facility

continues to be the supported vehicle for reading non-CP (e.g., CMS1) dumps.

VMMAP: Virtual Machine Monitor Analysis Program. Batch performance monitor for VM1.
Withdrawn December 1997 for Y2K reasons.

VMPAF: IBM Performance Analysis Facility/VM. Program (announced September 1990) which
provides interactive graphics and statistical tools for analyzing z/VM

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performance data. Interfaces to most z/VM reporting tools, including VMPRF.

VM Passthrough: Mainframe software which allows z/VM users connected on local or remote 3270s
to access host applications on another operating system. Enables a VM

Passthrough host to act as a terminal/line concentrator. Also known as PVM.

VM Performance Reporting Facility: Analyzes z/VM system monitor data, producing performance
reports and history files. Provides information about resource usage,

response time, throughput, etc.

VMPPF: VM Performance Planning Facility. Performance modeling tool for VM1 systems.
Withdrawn August 1992.

VMPRF: See VM Performance Reporting Facility.

VMS: Originally, the only operating system for the now defunct DEC VAX. Renamed OpenVMS.

VM SE: VM Software Engineering. z/VM-based facility that manages source and object code,
documentation, and other such things during software development. Replaced by

the z/VM version of ISPF/PDF.

VMSES: VM Serviceability Enhancement Support. Software for automating VM1 maintenance,

particularly updating buggy bits of operating system code. It was slow and

difficult to use and sometimes produced unexpected results. Replaced by VMSES/E.

VMSES/E: VM Serviceability Enhancement Support/Extended. The replacement for VMSES and

still used in z/VM. Designed to do all the things VMSES tried to do, but more

easily and better. SMP/E is the equivalent for the z/OS environment.

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VNAS: Voice Network Application Services. An obsolete range of services under the NetView
banner for designers and implementers of voice networks. See also NetView

Voice Network Design.

VNCA: VTAM Node Control Application. Network management software whose functions are now
part of NetView.

VNET: See RSCS.

Voice: See Speech.

VoicePad: The internal word processor for IBM’s VoiceType software.

VoiceType: Speech recognition software for PC-DOS, OS/2, and Windows environments. Had a
vocabulary of 80,000 words, and can be used as an alternative to keyboard

input for text entry or control of PC applications. Arabic version announced early 1995. Simply
Speaking was the low-end version of IBM’s discrete speech recognition

software. Replaced by ViaVoice.

VoiceType Connection: The extension of IBM’s VoiceType software to the Internet. The application
adds speech support to Netscape Navigator 3.0, allowing people to use

their voice to surf the Internet. Announced March 1997. Became obsolete when VoiceType was
replaced by ViaVoice.

Volatile storage: A storage device whose contents are lost when power is cut off. This would include
today’s RAM but not yesterday’s magnetic core memory.

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VOLSER: Volume Serial Number. The key identifying a tape or other storage volume. Maximum six
characters. Most z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA installations use a six digit

VOLSER for in-house tapes to easily differentiate them from DASD volumes.

Volume: The unit of physical storage. Originally the volume equated to a single disk or tape, but
logical volumes are more the norm today, especially with most

current DASD devices emulating previous products and VTS doing volume stacking on tape.

Volume pooling: See Pooling.

VPA: Volume Purchase Agreement (sometimes Volume Procurement Amendment). IBMspeak for
discount scheme in which you agree to buy lots of boxes or software licenses,

and IBM sells them to you cheap (for software you need an awful lot of copies, and the VPA is rarely
invoked). The original intention was to give users a discount when

they bought many copies of the same software or many similar boxes, but it all got rather silly in early
1991 when IBM made an offer on the AS/400 which meant that you

got a VPA discount on one AS/400 system provided it was big enough. See also Special bid, VWA.

VPCA: VTAM Protocol Conversion Application. See VTAM PCA.

VPD: Vital Product Data. Non-volatile data that uniquely identifies a hardware component
(configuration data, serial number, EC level, etc).

VPG: Visual Program Generator.

VPN: Virtual Private Network. A network composed of secure IP tunnels connecting networks.

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VRID: Virtual Route IDentifier. SNA terminology for the combination of a virtual route number and
a transmission priority number that identify a virtual route.

VRM: Version Release Modification Level. The way that IBM indicates the currency of a non-PC
software product, abbreviated V1.2.1 or just 1.2.1 after the product

name, often with the modification level omitted. Note that, unlike PC software, the first release of
software is numbered one, not zero, e.g., V1.1, not 1.0.

VRML: Virtual Reality Modeling Language.

VRNA: VTAM RSCS Network Application (if you want it in full, it’s Virtual Telecommunication
Access Method Remote Spooling (Simultaneous/Shared Peripheral Operation

On-Line) Communications Subsystem Network Application – a three-level acronym). Supplement to

RSCS allowing data to be routed to applications under non-VM1 operating

systems.

VRPG: OS/400 programming environment announced May 1994. It was a visual GUI development
for creating RPG for client/server applications and traditional interactive

applications. Replaced by Application Development Toolset Client Server (ADTS CS) for AS/400
May 1997.

VRU: Voice Response Unit – see 9270/4.

VS1: OS/VS1. Obsolete member of the OS family of mainframe operating systems that predated
z/OS, OS/390 and MVS. It is an extension of OS/MFT. See OS/VS.

VS: See Virtual Storage.

VS2: OS/VS2. An obsolete member of the OS family of mainframe operating systems that predated
z/OS, OS/390 and MVS. It is an extension of OS/MVT. See OS/VS.

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VSAM: Virtual Storage Access Method (aka Very Slow And Mysterious). IBM mainframe
proprietary software for direct (by key or by record number) or sequential

processing of fixed and variable length records on DASD. According to IBM, VSAM gives device
independence of data storage and eases migration of data to new devices.

VSAM is a very powerful system: if it had record locking it would almost be a database. However,
according to the third-party vendors who make a living selling VSAM

software, VSAM software (notably IDCAMS) is a pig to use, and users need all the help they can get.
See also KSDS, RRDS, ESDS.

VSCE: Virtual Storage Constraint Elimination. The logical result of VSCR.

VS COBOL II: The SAA-anointed version of COBOL provided for the mainframe environment – see
COBOL. Contains the SAA CPI commands. Replaced by IBM COBOL in June 1997.

VSCR: Virtual Storage Constraint Relief – a good thing. Pre-XA1 systems, for example, suffered
from a limitation on virtual storage of 16MB; XA raised this to 2GB

thus affording its users loads of VSCR. ESA provided access registers so that multiple 2GB2 address
spaces could be used simultaneously. And z/OS provides 64-bit

addressing for even bigger address spaces.

VSCS: VM1 SNA Console Support. A re-packaging of VCNA.

VSE/Advanced Functions: Version 4 and later of VSE. The base operating system support needed for
a VSE-controlled installation.

VSE/AF: See VSE/Advanced Functions.

VSE/DSNX: See DSNX.

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VSE/ESA: Version of VSE announced with the ES/9000 in September 1990. Supported address
spaces up to 16MB, real storage up to 384MB, and virtual storage up to 256MB;

VTAM and POWER1 were enhanced to free up some address space for user software. September
1991 announcements included enhanced ESCON support and C/370 compiler, and

June 1992 announcements brought full 31-bit addressing, including 2GB2 address spaces. February
1993 announcements included support for high-end ES/9000s, and optical

storage, TCP/IP, REXX, and improved client/server and DRDA support. September 1994 support for
9672-R, RAMAC2 disk arrays, and various other improvements were

announced. April 1996 Release 2.2 promised lots of help with Year 2000 problems. October 2000 saw
VSE/ESA support for the eserver zSeries 900, but no plans for 64-bit

addressing. Or the expected z/VSE renaming.

VSE/OCCF: Virtual Storage Extended/Operator Communication Control Facility. A facility that

intercepts messages from the VSE/ESA supervisor and helps control multiple

VSE/ESA systems from a central site. Withdrawn June 2000. See also OCCF.

VSE/PT: VSE Performance Tool. Software monitor for measuring and evaluating performance of
VSE/ESA systems. Produces detailed reports that can be used to locate

bottlenecks and other system problems. Withdrawn March 1995.

VSE/SIC: VSE Software Inventory Control. Package for identifying and locating source code, files,
jobs, and procedures. Withdrawn December 1992.

VSE/SSX: See SSX.

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VSE1: Virtual Storage Extended. IBM’s principal operating system for medium-size mainframes.
IBM spent a large amount of time and effort trying to coerce VSE users

onto the more resource-hungry MVS family of operating systems, but, thanks to user pressure and the
apparent impracticality of an entry-level MVS, IBM has repositioned

VSE as a strategic transaction processing environment for mid-range 370. The announcement of
VSE/ESA safeguarded VSE’s future for the time being.

VSE2: Vector Symbol Editor. GDDM editor used to produce scalable symbols.

VSE Office: VSE Office Offering. Family of office products for the VSE1 environment announced
somewhat secretively in mid-April 1988. July 1989 shortly after the

OfficeVision announcement, IBM appeared to re-announce VSE Office and added the VSE
Productivity Facility which provides dialogs for installation and customization,

and one or two enhancements to the user interface. In May 1990, DM/VSE was withdrawn with VSE
Office listed as its replacement. Then VSE Office was withdrawn in May

1991 with no replacement. Frankly, it was all very confusing.

VSE Performance Tool: See VSE/PT.

VS FORTRAN: A FORTRAN compiler, library and interactive debug facility for z/OS and z/VM
that provides support for vector and parallel processing. Despite being

announced October 1993, the last release is still available and supported. Compliant with the
FORTRAN ANSI 77 (1977) language standard. And with XL Fortran.

VSM: VTAM service machine.

VSN: See Velcro Serial Number.

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VS Pascal: Run-time library and optional compiler for the Pascal programming language. The last
version was announced September 1988, but it is still available and

supported. A superset of ANSI Pascal that runs in z/OS and z/VM. Even into the late 1990s, the VS
Pascal run-time library was required by TCP/IP for management of host

names. Earlier, many IBM expert systems products were written in Pascal.

VSPC: Virtual Storage Personal Computing. Defunct timesharing system under MVS or VS1 for
personal computing users. Functionally stabilized in 1983.

VT100: Extremely popular DEC ASCII video terminal introduced in 1976, replacing the VT52.
DEC's 3270 wannabe. In the days of dial-up bulletin boards (BBS), VT100 was

the standard emulation used by PCs to communicate as host terminals. There were a long line of
VTxxx terminals to follow.

VTAF: VoiceType Application Factory. A continuous speech, speaker-independent, software-based

speech recognition engine for the PC. Replaced by ViaVoice. Formerly

known as the IBM Continuous Speech Series (ICSS).

VTAM: Virtual Telecommunication Access Method. The main SNA subsystem resident in the
mainframe, which manages session establishment and data flow between terminals

and application programs, or between application programs. VTAM also contains the SSCP logic, and
supports the execution of concurrent multiple teleprocessing

applications, giving each application a logically direct connection with terminals. ACF/VTAM and
the defunct ACF/VTAME were extended versions of VTAM for multi-host

networks. In March 1992, IBM announced APPN for VTAM (Version 4.1), effectively sealing the lid
on the coffin of subarea SNA. Multiprotocol support àla Networking

Blueprint was announced in April 1993. Today, VTAM is a component of Communications Server
(CS) for z/OS. VTAM for z/VM and VSE/ESA are still separate products.

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VTAME: Virtual Telecommunications Access Method Entry. Originally a version of VTAM which
combined the functions of VTAM and NCP and provided single-domain and

multiple-domain network capability for small 43xx systems using VSE1. The functions of VTAME
are now standard within VTAM.

VTAM PCA: VTAM Protocol Conversion Application (also known as VPCA). z/OS product
enabling NetView Distribution Manager and PCs to talk to one another. It works by

converting the NetView DM LU0 protocols to LU2 protocols. Needs PC Node Manager software in
the PC. Withdrawn April 1995.

VTIOC: VTAM Terminal I/O Coordinator. The component of TSO/VTAM that acts as the interface
between TSO and VTAM, coordinating data flow, including the conversion of

TSO TGET, TPUT, TPG and terminal control macro1 instructions into SNA request units.

VTMS: Voice Text Management System. Ancient product for generating an entry in a PROFS user’s
in-tray when an ADS2 or PhoneMail voice message arrived. Support ended

December 1986 although the product was not officially withdrawn until December 1997 in a massive
Y2K roundup.

VTOC: Volume Table Of Contents. The area of a disk used to store the directory of components,
including datasets, held on that volume. Anything that takes DASD space

is listed in the VTOC. For example, the index and data components of a VSAM KSDS file are listed
in the VTOC, but not the cluster name, which is only listed in the

catalog. An optional VTOC index is normally present to speed the search for entries. cf. TVTOC. See
also ICF2, Master Catalog, User Catalog.

VTP: Virtual Terminal Protocol. The terminal emulation specification within OSI. SNA analog is
3270 LU2.

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VTS: See Virtual Tape Server.

VTX: See Videotex.

Vulcan: Rumored multi-processor machine built around Intel’s i860 chip. Was aimed at the
supercomputer market as a stop-gap to keep things going until IBM could

produce a machine built around the 64-bit Power2 processor used in the RS/6000. Never appeared.

VUP: VAX Unit of Performance. Lost a great deal of meaning when DEC stopped producing the
VAX. The IBM equivalent is the ITR.

VWA: Volume Workstation Agreement. IBMspeak for discount scheme. VWA largely replaces
VPA.

VWLC: See Variable Workload License Charge.

W3: World Wide Web. See Web.

W3C: See World Wide Web Consortium.

WABI: An attempt by Sun Microsystems to create a Windows clone under Unix. WABI works by
intercepting calls from applications to the Windows API and converting them

to X-Windows calls. IBM did take out a license for WABI, and announced it for AIX1 in April 1994,
but withdrew it in September 1996. When WABI was announced, everyone

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thought that it stood for Windows application binary interface, but Sun now vigorously denies this
(without saying what it does stand for – what a brilliant idea,

perhaps?). However, Windows application binary interface (ABI) describes exactly what WABI does;
one can only conjecture that Microsoft has got picky about this

terminology. Sun finally laid WABI to rest when it announced a July 15, 1997, end of life date.

WAF: Workfolder Application Facility. Software on the System/36 and AS/400 within the ImagePlus
image processing system. WAF manages scanned documents, and creates

and manages interaction with workflow software. Originally developed by IBM for Citibank’s credit
card correspondence. Replaced by IBM Content Manager December 1997.

cf. FAF.

WAIS: Wide Area Information Servers based on the Z39.50 protocol for Internet-accessible
databases.

Walking drives: In the days of the pre-Winchester magnetic-disk drives, slight defects such as
misaligned spindles or worn bearings could cause the devices to lurch

forward. As a result these drives could gradually meander across rooms when running. This further
emphasized their close evolutionary links with the Washing machine.

Wall follower: The term wall follower is derived from a technique used in robotics to develop
strategies for escaping from mazes. The wall follower doesn’t have a

terribly sophisticated intelligence; it just hugs the right or left wall, and backtracks and tries
something else only if it gets into a blind alley. In IBMspeak, a

wall follower is someone with a penchant for blindly following rules. cf. Tree hugger.

WAN: Wide Area Network. Generic name for a data transport mechanism which goes beyond the
immediate locality, and therefore (usually) needs to conform to ITU-T

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standards at some level. Most SNA networks are WANs. cf. LAN, MAN.

Wang: Wang Labs. A minicomputer and PC manufacturer which failed to turn its outstanding
success in the word processor market during the 1970s into a success in the

small systems and office automation market. June 1991 IBM invested $25M in the struggling Wang,
and set up a deal in which Wang sold RS/6000, AS/400 and PS/2 machines

as replacements for its own Wang machines. During most of the 1990s, Wang specialized in imaging
and workflow software, and had alliances with a number of vendors. In

1999, the company declared bankruptcy, continued briefly as a provider of network services, then was
bought by the Dutch company Getronics.

WAP: Wireless Application Protocol. A set of security, transaction, session, application and transport
layer protocols that creates end-to-end secure connections for

mobile communications.

Warp: OS/2 is fully 32-bit, and differs from earlier implementations particularly by being Internet-
ready (i.e., incorporating TCP/IP, ftp2, telnet, and Gopher) and

optimized for multimedia applications. It’s also finely wrought and visually elegant... and a pleasure
to use. The campaign launching Warp was one of IBM’s most

aggressive, with loads of knocking copy addressed at PC-DOS/Windows users – lemmings marching
forward to adopt the world’s first 32-bit OS based on a 16-bit OS modeled

on an eight-bit OS, etc. There were even demonstrations of OS/2 running Windows 3.1 applications
faster than Windows 3.1 itself.

Warp Connect: Version of Warp announced May 1995 to compete with Windows for Workgroups.
Includes built-in requesters for LAN Server and NetWare, peer-to-peer and

TCP/IP networking, productivity software, and Web browser. Withdrawn August 1999, with service
already ended in September 1997, with OS/2 Warp Version 4 listed as its

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replacement.

Warp Server: All-singing, all-dancing network operating system announced mid 1995 which
combines LAN Server 4.0 with OS/2 Warp. It’s backward-compatible with previous

IBM LAN Server clients. Supports gateway functionality to NetWare and Microsoft servers by
allowing OS/2 Warp Server clients to access non-OS/2 Warp Server resources.

WASE: Workstation Aided Software Engineering (sometimes Workstation Application Support

Environment). A loose agglomeration of products, now defunct, which was

designed to provide a CASE1 environment on a PC. WASE was not a terribly important product –
most IBM offices never got to hear of it!

WASEF: When America Surfs, Europe Freezes. Not a weather warning; rather a handy mnemonic
for hapless Europeans who attempt to access the Internet via a dial-up

connection after 12.00 GMT.

Washing machine: Old-style (pre-Winchester) 14 inch hard disks in floor-standing cabinets. So called
because of the large size of the cabinet and the top-loading

access to the media packs which were set on a spin cycle. See also walking drives.

Water cooler: The water cooler has two quite distinct meanings in IBM culture. Firstly, users of large
IBM mainframes need one to stop their machines overheating.

Secondly the water cooler, along with the coffee machine, is a forum for exchange of ideas and gossip
in IBM offices. John Akers’ famous directive to his staff, Stop

standing round the water cooler, was understandably interpreted in different ways. Many account
managers, following the first definition, believed Akers was telling

them to abandon mainframes and start selling Unix workstations instead; demoralized by the
anticipated lack of commission, they immediately opted for early retirement.

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See Water MIPS.

Water MIPS: Industry speak for large, water-cooled computers of traditional mainframe type.

WaveRunner: Family of IBM ISDN adapter products. July 1996, IBM sold the name, inventory, and
other rights to Network Express Inc.

WBEM: Web-Based Enterprise Management. See DMTF.

WBI: See Web Browser Intelligence.

WCA: See WebSphere Commerce Analyzer.

WCS1: Writable Control Storage.

WCS2: See WebSphere Commerce Suite.

WDSF: See Workstation Data Save Facility.

Web: World Wide Web (WWW). But everyone just says Web. A loose, but constantly growing,
collection of Internet servers, located worldwide, which support multimedia

pages of text, graphics, sound, and video. Originally developed by the CERN particle physics
laboratories in Switzerland, the Web’s commercial success in the mid 1990s

was due mainly to the widespread availability of graphical front-ends known as browsers, which
interpret HTML and allow the user to navigate easily from one site or

page to another. The Web has been integrated with other Internet services, such as e-mail and file
transfer. In early 1996 IBM decided that the Web was enormously

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important and announced products for just about every system it sells. See also HTML, HTTP,
Internet Explorer, Netscape, WebExplorer.

Web.Data: A comprehensive architecture from IBM that promised to encompass all of the function of
DB2 WWW while delivering additional benefits such as improved

performance, access to ODBC data etc. Announced July 1996 along with a beta program for the OS/2,
AIX1, and Windows NT versions of this product. These days, no one,

seemingly not even at IBM, even remembers that Web.Data or DB2 WWW ever existed.

Web application: A traditional computer application that runs on a Web server. Instead of a
workstation GUI or host terminal screen, a Web page is seen by the user

through a Web browser. See also Web application server.

Web application server: An application server that is linked to a Web server. When the Web server
receives an HTTP request that requires computation or other

resources, it passes the request to the Web application server for processing.

Web browser: Software that runs on a workstation whose main purpose is to translate the HTML it
receives into the Web page it represents. Netscape and Microsoft

Internet Explorer dominate the market, though the word market is probably inappropriate for the free
products that both are. Beyond HTML translation, Web browser

functionality has expanded greatly, especially with the addition of plug-ins. Even without plug-ins,
Web browsers have built-in Java Virtual Machines and ftp2 support.

Web Browser Intelligence: WBI or, in its more sickening form, Webby. IBM intelligent agent
technology implemented on the client system rather than on the server. WBI

is built as a generalized proxy server, but with plug-in intelligence and is suited as a general base for
Internet applications. It is powered by intelligent agent

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user modeling technology from IBM’s Almaden Research Lab.

WebExplorer: Web browser, built into OS/2 Warp.

Weblicator: Allows browser users to selectively pre-fetch Web pages, search, categorize and work on
them off-line and automatically update changes. From Lotus.

Replaced by newer technologies including Lotus iNotes and Domino Offline Services (DOLS).

Web page: A single HTML file which the user sees as a single scrollable entity within a Web
browser, not requiring clicking on any hypertext links to see all of it.

Web server: The computer system that responds to http:// requests from a Web browser, delivering
the Web page requested by the http:// URL.

WebServer/400: Web server software from International Marketing Strategies. Used by IBM in an
AS/400 Web server package in May 1996.

Web Services Inspection: See WS-Inspection.

Web site: A home page and associated Web pages where the home page has a URL of the form
www.name.xxx without a / and additional characters following.

WebSphere: An IBM Internet software platform that supports e-business applications. The
foundational products are WebSphere Application Server and MQSeries. WebSphere

Foundation Extensions include: WebSphere User Experience, Interwoven TeamXpress, VisualAge for
Java, VisualAge Generator, WebSphere Homepage Builder, WebSphere

Transcoding Publisher, WebSphere Translation Server, WebSphere Everyplace Suite, MQSeries

Integrator, WebSphere Site Analyzer, WebSphere Adapters, Versata Studio,

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WebSphere Studio Site Developer, WebSphere Studio Application Developer, WebSphere Business
Components, WebSphere Voice Server, WebSphere Portal Server, WebSphere

Personalization Server, WebSphere Edge Server, WebSphere Host Integration Solution. WebSphere
Application Accelerators include: WebSphere Commerce Suite, MQSeries

WorkFlow, Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) services, WebSphere Payment
Manager, Lotus Domino, WebSphere Business Integrator, WebSphere Partner

Agreement Manager, MQSeries Financial Services Edition.

WebSphere Adapters: Use open standards to connect WebSphere Applications Server or MQSeries
applications to major packaged software products, typically ERP, from

JDEdwards, Oracle, PeopleSoft and SAP2.

WebSphere Application Server: The software platform (along with MQSeries) for WebSphere.
Provides the core software needed to deploy, integrate and manage e-business

applications, from dynamic Web presentation to sophisticated transaction processing, whether they
are custom-built, based on integrated WebSphere platform products or

non-IBM software products.

WebSphere Business Components: Software implementation packages such as Order Capture, Text
Analyzer and Bank Teller Business Components. Studio provides cross-

industry support servers, including a starter set of components. Components Composer provides
transaction components and infrastructure Java components. A WebSphere

Foundation Extension.

WebSphere Business Integrator: A framework for creating, executing and managing business
processes. Provides a complete and consistent model for both Enterprise

Application Integration (EAI) and B2B integration. A WebSphere Application Accelerator.

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WebSphere Commerce Analyzer: Software to analyze information related to customer e-commerce

activities running on WebSphere Commerce Suite Pro (WCS/Pro). An entry

version is provided with WCS/Pro. An advanced version (WCA/Adv) is also available.

WebSphere Commerce Suite: Integrated e-commerce, including content management, relationship

marketing, order management and payment management for B2B, B2C and e-

marketplaces. A WebSphere Application Accelerator.

WebSphere Development Studio for iSeries: A set of iSeries 400 host and workstation development
tools. The host components are ILE RPG (RPG IV), ILE COBOL, ILE C, ILE

C++ PRPQ2 and Applications Development ToolSet (ADTS). The workstation components are
WebFacing Tool, WebSphere Studio for iSeries Professional Edition, VisualAge for

Java for iSeries Professional Edition, CoOperative Development environment (CODE/400) and
VisualAge RPG.

WebSphere Development Tools for iSeries: A subset of WebSphere Development Studio for iSeries
for the iSeries 400, including WebFacing Tool, WebSphere Studio for

iSeries Professional Edition, VisualAge for Java for iSeries Professional Edition, CoOperative
Development environment (CODE/400) and VisualAge RPG.

WebSphere Edge Server: Provides local and wide area load balancing, content-based quality of
service routing, and Web content filtering and caching for multi-vendor

Web server environments. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

WebSphere Everyplace: See WebSphere Everyplace Server Service Provider Offering for
Multiplatforms.

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WebSphere Everyplace Server Service Provider Offering for Multiplatforms: An integrated offering
of middleware to connect Web applications to mobile and hand-held

devices and Internet appliances. Announced June 2001 to replace WebSphere Everyplace Suite.

WebSphere Everyplace Suite: Extends the reach of e-business applications, enterprise data and
Internet content to PDAs, cell phones, Internet appliances and other

pervasive devices. A WebSphere Foundation Extension replaced by WebSphere Everyplace Server

Service Provider Offering for Multiplatforms January 2002.

WebSphere Homepage Builder: WYSIWYG Web authoring tool for creating and publishing a Web
site incorporating JavaScript, Dynamic HTML and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

Has the look and feel of a word processor and runs on Windows and Linux. Includes WebVideo
Studio for audio/video. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

WebSphere Host Integration Solution: Extends host applications to the Web without any changes to
the applications themselves. Support includes eserver zSeries 900,

iSeries 400, UNIX, Windows server operating systems. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

WebSphere Host On-Demand: A renaming of Host On-Demand. Replaced by Host Access Client
Package September 2000.

WebSphere Host Publisher: Consolidates multiple existing applications, without modification, to

present an integrated view in a Web browser. Runs on AIX, Sun Solaris

and Windows server operating systems.

WebSphere Partner Agreement Manager: Automates the interactions with suppliers, business
partners, customers and e-markets. Electronic messages can be received from

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customers, appropriate internal business processes initiated and customers updated automatically. A
WebSphere Application Accelerator that runs on Windows server

operating systems.

WebSphere Payment Manager: Links merchants to payment service processors to support e-

commerce transactions. Runs on AIX1, OS/400, Sun Solaris and Windows server

operating systems. A WebSphere Application Accelerator.

WebSphere Personalization: Works with other WebSphere products to build a Web site, intranet or
extranet that delivers Web pages that are customized to the interests

and needs of each site visitor. Runs on AIX1, HP-UX, Linux, OS/400, Sun Solaris and Windows
server operating systems. It also supports the Java platform. A WebSphere

Foundation Extension.

WebSphere Portal Enable: Part of the WebSphere Portal Family.

WebSphere Portal Experience: Part of the WebSphere Portal Family.

WebSphere Portal Extend: Part of the WebSphere Portal Family.

WebSphere Portal Family: A product family comprised of WebSphere Portal Enable, WebSphere
Portal Extend and WebSphere Portal Experience. Allows organizations to build

their own custom portal Web site to serve the needs of employees, business partners and customers.
Personalized Web pages for each user. Announced October 2001 as a

replacement for WebSphere Portal Server. See also Corporate Portal.

WebSphere Portal Server: A WebSphere Foundation Extension announced January 2001. Replaced
by the WebSphere Portal Family November 2001.

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WebSphere Site Analyzer: Analysis of enterprise Web site visitor trends, preferences, buying
behavior, usage and content allows you to analyze visitor usage and Web

site. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

WebSphere Studio: Replaced by WebSphere Studio Site Developer.

WebSphere Studio Application Developer: WebSphere Studio Site Developer plus EJB development
and test environment, Relational Schema Center for advanced database

application support, and profiling and tracing tools for optimizing application performance. Runs on
AIX1, HP-UX, Linux, NetWare, OS/2, z/OS, OS/400, Sun Solaris and

Windows server operating systems. Replaces VisualAge for Java.

WebSphere Studio Asset Analyzer for z/OS: Builds a model of z/OS applications, stores the model in
a DB2 database and then performs impact analysis as changes are

made to the applications. Accessible from a workstation Web browser.

WebSphere Studio Site Developer: A visual layout tool to create Web sites with Java servlet or
JavaServer Pages (JSP) components. Replaces WebSphere Studio.

WebSphere Transcoding Publisher: Dynamically adapts, reformats and filters Web content and
applications for the mobile (pervasive) device realm, including PDAs,

pagers and cell phones. Runs on AIX1, Linux, OS/400, Sun Solaris and Windows server operating
systems. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

WebSphere Translation Server: A computerized language translation system boasting speeds between
200 and 500 words per second. Runs on AIX, Sun Solaris and Windows

server operating systems. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

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WebSphere User Experience: Web site personalization, site analysis, content management and portal
server technology. A WebSphere Foundation Extension. Withdrawn

November 2001.

WebSphere Voice Server: Allows existing Web infrastructures to deliver voice-enable Internet
applications to the telephone, whether it be a standard handset or a

mobile cell phone. Uses industry standard VoiceXML and Java technology. A DirectTalk version also
exists. A WebSphere Foundation Extension.

WFM: Withdrawal From Marketing.

Wheelwriter: IBM/Lexmark typewriter.

White Space: Excess computer capacity reserved, but not used or paid for, by IBM customers under
Workload License Charges (WLC) agreements.

Whitewater: IBM plan to develop DB2 accounting software. The plug was pulled on the project early
1989 after it got in a mess and IBM’s pleas for help fell on the

deaf ears of companies with which Whitewater was meant to compete.

WIBNI: Wouldn’t It Be Nice If...

WIDL: Web Interface Definition Language. Devised by WebMethods and submitted to W3C. Its
purpose is to enable automation of Web interactions with HTML/XML documents

and forms. WIDL definitions provide a mapping between Web resources and applications written in
conventional programming languages. Disappeared due to lack of interest

and industry acceptance.

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Wildcard: A search specification where certain characters may have multiple values. The question
mark ? often matches any character, so S?T would match SET, SAT, SIT,

S-T, etc. The asterisk * is the other common wildcard character, referring to zero or more characters.
As well as the values shown for question mark, S*T would match

SOFT, ST, SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTT, etc.

WIMP: Alternate form of WIMPS.

WIMPS: Windows, Icons, Mouse, Pointer, Scroll bars. The P may also be used for Pull-down or Pop-
up menus. Also seen without the S: WIMP. Generic name for systems

which use windows, icons, mouse or similar pointing device, and the other things listed and normally
associated with a GUI. The term no doubt came into popular use on

the basis that real men don’t use mice. See also icon1.

Win32: The API to 32-bit Windows.

Winchester: IBM name for a 1973 vintage disk drive, and a generic name for any hard disk. There are
two explanations for the name: the first says it’s because the

Winchester was developed near Winchester in the UK, where IBM has some research labs; the second
says it’s named after the well-known .30-.30 rifle because the first

Winchester device held 30MB on each of its two spindles. You pays your money, and you takes your
choice!

Windows: PC software which started life as an add-on to PC-DOS that provided a GUI and allowed a
PC to run multiple concurrent PC-DOS sessions. The success of Windows

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3.0 was instrumental in Microsoft’s abandonment of OS/2 and all the resulting traumas in the IBM-
Microsoft relationship. Beginning in the mid 1990s with Windows NT and

Windows 95, it became a full blown operating system without PC-DOS, though Windows 95 was tied
very closely to PC-DOS to ensure compatibility. Windows 98 and Me

followed 95, dead ending the DOS heritage. Both Windows Me and Windows 2000, which replaced
NT, were replaced by Windows XP, a new version of Windows 2000. The Windows

server operating systems are Windows 2002.

Windows 2000: The workstation (Professional) and various server versions of the Microsoft
operating system that was promised for years as Windows NT Version 5.0.

Replaced NT 4 and replaced by Windows XP on the workstation and Windows 2002 Server.

Windows 2002: The server operating systems that replaced Windows 2000. The workstation (client)
operating system is Windows XP.

Windows 95: Windows 4.0, a true 32-bit version of Microsoft’s original Windows 3.x. Originally
expected to go on general release at the end of 1994 or early 1995, but

began to slip to around the middle of 1995, and ever onward. It eventually emerged on 24 August
1995 amid squirmingly embarrassing stunts and puffs. Prior to September

1994, it was called Chicago. See also Pegasus2.

Windows 98: Microsoft Windows operating system replacing Windows 95 and replaced by Windows
Me.

Windows CE: A lite version of Windows 95 designed exclusively for pocket-sized, hand-held
devices. It comes with scaled down versions of MS Word and Excel, and allows

migration of files back and forth between a CE device and a PC. Based on the Win32 API set.

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Windows Connection: IBM product providing 3270/5250 emulation under Windows. IBM sees it as
a migration path to OS/2. Enhanced version announced September 1990.

Withdrawn April 1993.

Windows for Workgroups: Announced October 1992. Integrated networking and workgroup
functionality within Windows 3.1. The product supports electronic mail, group

meetings, shared files and printers, shared calendars, and collaborative projects. It can provide
networking capabilities on its own, or it can be used as a client on

an existing local area network. Version 3.11 had improved support for Novell NetWare and Windows
NT, I/O performance gains of more than 100 percent, and new

capabilities for mobile computing such as remote access and built-in fax capabilities.

Windows Me: Windows Millennium Edition. Microsoft Windows operating system replacing
Windows 98 and replaced by Windows XP Home Edition.

Windows NT: New Technology. Microsoft’s operating system – essentially a derivative of PC-DOS
and Windows – offering pre-emptive multi-tasking and multithreading,

OLE, DDE, etc, in a portable 32-bit environment. After years of pre-announcement, NT finally
appeared in May 1993 in server and client versions, and was vigorously

promoted by Microsoft as a server – rather than a desktop – environment. By early 1995, Microsoft
claimed to have 25% of the server market, and by early 1996 it was

giving Unix a run for its money. May 1996, IBM announced software which would allow NT
applications to run on an z/OS mainframe. Version 5.0 was renamed Windows 2000

prior to release in February 2000. See also Cairo.

Windows XP: The replacement for both Windows Me/98/95 and Windows 2000/NT on the
workstation (client). The server operating systems were renamed Windows 2002. See

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also Windows NT.

WindowTool/400: AS/400 software that enables you to create window-like interfaces on AS/400
dumb terminals. Obsolete.

Wireless Application Protocol: See WAP.

Wireless LAN: See 2480.

Wireless Transport Layer Security: See WTLS.

Withdrawn: Marketing Withdrawn. In IBMspeak, and in this glossary, the date after which IBM
would no longer sell you the product. Another important date is Service

Discontinued in IBMspeak: the date after which IBM will not help you with the product and/or fix it.
In this glossary, support ended is used instead of Service

Discontinued.

WITT: Workstation Interactive Test Tool. OS/2 development tool that automatically records and
replays interactive application test sessions. Supports OS/2 on the

client, and z/OS, z/VM, VSE/ESA and OS/400 on the application server. Announced in September
1989. The X/WITT version supports AIXWindows clients. Replaced by

VisualAge for COBOL Test for OS/2 October 1996.

Wizard: GUI-based software that asks you a few questions, often just confirming the default values,
then performs a systems management function, typically installing

software.

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Wizard adapter: A PS/2 co-processor board which off-loaded compute-intensive tasks from a PS/2’s
processor, freeing it to service the voracious demands of OS/2 or

(from January 1991) AIX1. Obsolete.

WK1/3: Data interchange format developed by Lotus for the 1-2-3 spreadsheet, and used as a data
interchange standard for PCs.

WLBS: Windows NT Load Balancing Service. Microsoft’s preferred approach to overcoming the
scalability limits of Windows servers. Still available for Windows 200x.

WLC: See Workload License Charges.

WLFS/VM: See Workstation LAN File Services/VM.

WLM: WorkLoad Manager. Feature within z/OS SRM and AIX1 for managing system resources.
Users define performance goals and assign priority to each. The system then

apportions resources, such as CPU and storage, according to those priorities. In z/OS, collaborates
with Intelligent Resource Director.

WLR: WorkLoad Router. IMS1 software which operates with IMS TM to provide transparent routing
or balancing of a workload across a Parallel Sysplex. Announced May

1996.

WML: Wireless Mark-up Language. A cross between XML and HTML, used with WAP, to describe
the format and content of data exchanged with wireless devices.

WOM: Web Object Management. Technology for creating, managing, and hosting content on both
internal and external Web sites, often for high volume electronic commerce.

A high profile use of WOM was at the 1996 Olympic games where WOM handled 188 million hits in
17 days – at the time the highest traffic ever experienced at a Web site.

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WordPerfect: PC word processing software from the WordPerfect Corp originally recommended by
IBM for PS/2s connected to the AS/400 – IBM provided software to turn the

AS/400 into a file server for networks of PS/2s running WordPerfect. WordPerfect was purchased by
Novell and then Corel. Barely surviving today against Microsoft Word.

WordPerfect/370: Text and word processing mainframe software at one time sold by the WordPerfect
Corporation.

WordPerfect Corporation: Software vendor specializing in word processing software, mainly on the
PC although it has versions of its software on the AS/400 and

mainframe too. Claimed to have two thirds of the US word processing market in 1992. June 1993, the
company merged with Novell, and about two and a half years later all

the products were sold to Corel.

WordPro: New name for Lotus AmiPro.

Workflow: Generic name for the type of software which manages the flow of work – typically some
kind of paper processing activity – through a system by providing

computer support for tasks with a large human and/or manual component. The most widespread use
of workflow software is in image processing systems such as IBM’s

ImagePlus where the computer system is used to progress a document through the various people in
the organization who need to work on it. See also MQSeries Workflow.

Workframe/2: OS/2 project-oriented development environment. Presentation Manager-based, and has

an open interface which allows IBM or third-party editors, compilers,

and debuggers to be connected. Replaced by VisualAge C++ for OS/2 September 1995.

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WorkGroup: A portfolio of capabilities announced by IBM in November 1994. It provides group

communications, information management, and work management within e-mail

systems – including multimedia mail transfer, directory, scheduling and calendaring services, and
access to OfficeVision systems. Much of the functionality is built on

a backbone of the MQSeries messaging software. Withdrawn November 1996.

Working set: The section (or sections) of a mainframe program where processing is concentrated. In
paging systems the size of the working set determines the

(approximate) main-storage requirements for the program.

Workload License Charges: A software licensing charge by required software capacity, not hardware
capacity.

WorkLoad Manager: see WLM.

Workload Router: See WLR.

WorkPad: A pocket-sized PDA from IBM that exploits 3Com’s PalmPilot technology. It signaled the
end of IBM’s efforts to produce a viable PDA of its own. Announced

September 1997. See 8602, 2608, Simon.

Workplace: A term variously used to refer to the IBM Microkernel and to an

architecture/initiative/set of standards to develop a common software base across all IBM

platforms. The term was abandoned March 1995 and replaced by the IBM microkernel when it refers
to the core operating system based on Mach, and by – well, nothing,

really – when it refers to the set of standards.

Workplace microkernel: An early name for what is now called the IBM microkernel.

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Workplace OS: The original name for what is now known as the IBM microkernel.

Workplace Shell: The user interface paradigm for OS/2 EE based on CUA 91. Implemented in OS/2
Version 2.0 as a multi-tasking, object-oriented replacement for

Presentation Manager. It was much more like Unix front-ends than its PM forebears. The name was
dropped in early 1995.

Works as designed: A positive description of a design bug – usually corrected by a change to the
documentation, which then reflects how the program actually works

rather than how it should function.

Workspace datasets: VSAM datasets used by RACF for queuing requests between RRSF nodes.

WorkSpace On Demand: See WorkSpace On-Demand.

WorkSpace On-Demand: IBM’s Intel-based network operating system, optimized for network
computing. Released November 1997. Supports both Windows and OS/2 clients. See

Bluebird.

Workstation Data Save Facility: SystemView facility which allows a z/VM host to act as a
workstation server to enable users to backup, archive, and restore

workstation files. Replaced by ADSM in April 1993.

Workstation Interactive Test Tool: See WITT.

Workstation LAN File Services/VM: May 1992 z/VM software providing workstation data storage
and access facilities. Effectively turns a z/VM machine into a whopping

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great file server. Replaced June 1993 by LAN File Services/ESA.

Workstation One: Family of emulation programs designed to provide a consistent interface in a

number of workstation environments, including OS/2, Windows, Macintosh,

and AIX. Announced January 1993. Withdrawn February 1994. The product family really was The
Wollongong Group’s (TWG) Pathway Access and IBM customers were given the

option of a license for the equivalent TWG product.

World Avenue: IBM’s US on-line shopping mall which was launched with great fanfare in June 1996
and shut in July 1997. Poor sales figures which have plagued on-line

malls were a primary factor in its downfall.

World Wide Web: See Web.

World Wide Web Consortium: The loose affiliation of bodies which define Internet standards.

WORM1: Write Once Read Many. Generic term for storage devices (e.g., the majority of optical
storage systems today) used as permanent repositories of data. CD-ROM is

the most widely known WORM device, although most end-user models are read only – the vendor
does the writing. IBM offers the 3363, 9246/7, and 3995 WORM drives. An

optical WORM medium is also used in the mainframe process controller for software updates. The
term WORM is also used in a specific technical sense to refer to user

recordable optical storage media and standards from ANSI committee X3B11.

Worm2: A virus that creates multiple versions of itself in a computer’s memory, effectively forcing
other programs out.

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WOSA: Windows Open Services Architecture. A set of APIs for the Windows environment to enable
Windows applications to talk to other systems across a network (notably

to a mainframe using SNA). WOSA was developed by a consortium of 20 vendors headed by

Microsoft. IBM was a member, although initially it rather sniffily said that WOSA

won’t be able to do much that you can’t already do from OS/2 anyway. By the mid 1990s, WOSA had
created MAPI, SAPI, TAPI, among other standards.

WRC: Workstation Resource Center. Another one of those IBM concepts (cf. Information Center) in
which IBM proposes ways in which the customer can organize his data

center (which is another example) in ways which simplify the task of IBM’s sales force. The WRC
provides IBM with a single reference point for selling workstation and

communications products. Less cynically, it provides the user organization with a pool of expertise on
workstation management. Long forgotten.

Write ring: See tape ring.

Writing Pad: A rudimentary but adequate word processor originally supplied with OfficeVision/2.

WRK: Data format used by Lotus Symphony. Used as a data interchange format for PCs.

WSA: See Tivoli Web Services Analyzer.

WSAD: WebSphere Studio Application Developer.

WSC: Washington Systems Center. Publisher of lots of useful technical material about IBM systems
software.

WSDL: Web Services Description Language. An XML-based language used to describe Web
services and the technical details of their usage.

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WSF1: Work Sheet Format. Data interchange format used by Lotus products, supported for
import/export by other products.

WSF2: Workstation Search Facility. System/3x facility enabling users to search files for specified
byte strings. Obsolete.

WS-Inspection: Web Services Inspection. A joint IBM and Microsoft specification that defines how
an application can discover an XML Web service description on a Web

server. Especially useful for Web sites not listed in the UDDI registries.

WSM: See Tivoli Web Services Manager.

WSML: Web Services Meta Language. Maps the operations of a service, described in a WSDL file,
to specific methods in the COM object.

WSP/2: WorkStation Platform/2. Workstation software (originally part of AD/Cycle) which was
claimed to provide a consistent environment for the use of AD/Cycle tools.

Gives access to libraries and services of ISPF under z/VM and z/OS. Withdrawn May 1995.

WTLS: Wireless Transport Layer Security. A protocol that provides the security layer of WAP.

WTO: Write To Operator. A message sent to the mainframe operator console from JCL or an
application program.

WTOR: Write To Operator Reply. A message sent to the mainframe operator console from JCL or an
application program, and which requires a reply.

WWW: World Wide Web. See Web.

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WYSIWYG: What You See Is What You Get. Generic term to refer to systems in which the display
on the screen is the same as what you get when you print out a document.

X.21: International standard for very fast digital links. Supported in some PTT services (e.g., BT
Kilostream in the UK).

X.25: ITU-T international (non-IBM) standard for attachment to packet-switched networks.

Supported by IBM (without any great enthusiasm) on several systems. See

packet switching.

X.25 NCP Packet Switching Interface: See NPSI.

X.400: Series of draft international standards for message handling systems, including e-mail, fax,
and image/graphics transmission. Ratified by the ITU-T in 1984.

X.400 support is available from IBM through IBM Interchange Services for e-business, GTMOSI,
OSME, X.400 Connection, X.400 MTF, IPMS, ONDS, and on the iSeries 400.

X.400 Connection: IBM z/OS and z/VM software for handling IBM format messages, converting
them to X.400 and routing them across an EDI1 system through OSME. Supports

PROFS, DISOSS, OfficeVision, PS/CICS. Withdrawn 1995.

X.400 MTA: X.400 Message Transfer Agent. A sort of OSI equivalent of SNADS – both SNADS
and MTA provide a general purpose, asynchronous, distribution service.

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X.400 MTF: X.400 Message Transfer Facility. First product announced by IBM to span all seven
layers of the OSI model. Allows user applications running on z/OS systems

to participate in message handling systems with other vendors’ systems that are X.400 compliant. Part
of ONDS, withdrawn July 1995.

X.500: Standard for directory services for electronic mail systems. IBM supports X.500.

X.509: An international standard that defines the contents of digital certificates. See CRMF.

x/EFS: xSeries Enabled For S/390. Withdrawn September 2001.

X/Open: Originally a group of vendors (including IBM) which joined up to set up standards
(particularly for Unix). Unlike UII and OSF, X/Open tried not to be partisan

in the Unix battle. October 1993, Novell, the then owner of Unix, handed control of the Unix standard
lock, stock, and barrel to X/Open, which then tested and branded

implementations claiming to be Unix systems. November 1995, X/Open started cozying up to the
OSF with the declared aim of making the two organizations appear as two

sister divisions of a virtual corporation. The Open Group was the result. See also XPGn.

X/WITT: See WITT.

X11R6: X-Consortium release 6 of X. Defines how X-applications will work. See X protocol.

XA1: Extended Architecture. See also MVS/XA, VM/XA SF, VM/XA SP.

XA2: An X/Open standard for distributed transaction processing which defines the interface between
a database and a TP monitor. XA describes a standard protocol for

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transaction co-ordination, commitment, and recovery between a transaction manager and one or more
resource managers (such as databases).

XAMO: XA Migration Option.

X-architecture: IBM design blueprint for the eserver xSeries product line.

XC: See ESA/XC.

XCA: eXternal Communication Adapter. A communication adapter that is not part of the host
processor (such as the 3172).

XCF: Cross System (coupling) Facility. Software, introduced in MVS/ESA SP4, which allows
programs to communicate channel-to-channel, peer-to-peer, across a sysplex –

i.e., it’s the basic sysplex-enabling bit of z/OS. XCF supports program communication, and sends
program status and signal information between z/OS system images in a

sysplex.

XDF: See ESCON XDF.

XDR: External Data Representation.

xDSL: Any of the variations of DSL. See DSL2.

XDSM: X/Open Data Storage Management API specification.

XEDIT: The much-loved z/VM CMS1 editor (strictly it’s the name of the CMS command used to
call up the editor). Different enough from the ISPF/PDF editor to be truly

annoying to visitors from z/OS.

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Xenix: A Unix-alike developed by Microsoft. At one time available from IBM for the PC. SCO
(Santa Cruz Operations, now part of Caldera International) ended up with

Xenix, but have put all their efforts behind UnixWare, which they acquired from Novell.

Xerox: Everybody else knows them from their photocopiers, but computer people are just as likely to
think of Xerox PARC, founded in 1970, and still in operation.

There, the mouse, the GUI, client/server architecture, laser printing and the Ethernet/LAN were all
born. In a company with executives totally focused on paper and

business machines, it took young outsiders like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates to visit PARC and take
away the ideas for their own companies: Apple and Microsoft. Xerox did

try. Their D series computers pre-empted the PCs of the 1980s by a decade. And a Xerox word
processor had a paper shaped monitor that displayed an entire page at once,

but no one would pay more the $10,000 per station for it. Today, few remember Xerox was ever in the
computer field at all.

Xerox PARC: See Xerox.

XGA: eXtended Graphics Array. Enhanced VGA system first introduced for 486-based PS/2s.
Resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels and graphics performance ten times that of the

VGA.

XGA-2: Upgraded version of the XGA standard announced October 1992. Claimed to be two and a
half times as fast as the original XGA and four times as fast as SVGA.

XHTML: Extensible Hypertext Markup Language, a reformulation of HTML in XML. A W3C

recommendation, XHTML is simply HTML rewritten using XML syntax.

XI: X.25 SNA Interconnection.

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XL Fortran: AIX1 FORTRAN compiler that supports the Open MP FORTRAN API, SMP3, direct
manipulation of the floating point status and control register, 64-bit

architecture, asynchronous I/O, debug memory routines and the FORTRAN 95 standard.

XL High Performance Fortran: AIX1 FORTRAN compiler that supports parallel processing of large
applications in a multiple workstation environment.

XL HPF: See XL High Performance Fortran.

XMI: XML Metadata Interchange, an OMG specification that provides a standard way of exchanging
metadata between software tools, repositories and data warehouses. XMI

is based on XML, UML and MOF.

XMIT: Transmit.

XML: eXtensible Mark-up Language. A subset of SGML and a W3C standard. Widely accepted as a
replacement for traditional EDI1 for exchanging data between applications

over the Internet. Unlike HTML, XML is self-defining in the sense that, when you look at an XML
file, most of what you see are field names in XML tags followed

immediately by a field value.

XMP: X/Open Management Protocol. A network/system management API developed by the OSF for
the Distributed Management Environment (DME). Supported by IBM within

NetView.

XMS: Cross Memory Services. See CMS2.

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XNS: Xerox Network Systems. A group of Internet protocols, similar to TCP/IP but developed by the
Xerox Corporation. XNS uses different packet formats and

terminology. See IPX.

X-off: Transmitter off.

X-on: Transmitter on.

X-Open Software License Manager: Standard from The Open Group, which defines a software
license use management system.

XPGn: X/Open Portability Guide n. A standard for open systems. If X/Open believed that your
product conformed to the appropriate standard, it gave the product X/Open

branding.

X protocol: The protocol rules for writing programs for with the X Window System.

XRC: eXtended Remote Copy. See Remote copy.

XRF: eXtended Recovery Facility. Feature available with DB2, IMS1 and CICS, providing vastly
increased availability for mission-critical applications. XRF creates a

mirror system synchronized with the main system; the mirror image can take over immediately in the
event of a failure in the primary system (in many, but not all,

cases). Can also be used for planned machine maintenance by purposely switching to a backup system
while working on the main system. See also mirroring.

xSeries: IBM eserver series of Intel architecture servers running Linux, Novell NetWare and
Windows operating systems. Announced October 3, 2000, with up to 8 SMP3

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servers.

XSL: eXtensible Stylesheet Language. A W3C standard used with XML. XSL comprises a language
for transforming XML documents into another markup language format,

together with a vocabulary for specifying formatting semantics. Commonly used to convert XML data
to HTML for presentation in a Web browser environment. An XSL

processor is one of the suite of XML application enablers delivered with OS/400.

XSLM: See X-Open Software License Manager.

XSSO: X Single Sign-On.

XSSO/PAM: X Single Sign-On/Pluggable Authentication Mechanism.

Xstation: Low-priced family of X-Windows terminals for attachment to a LAN (Ethernet or TRN).
Sold for DTP1, CASE1, low-end CAD, and the like – not high-performance

CAD. Based on technology bought in from X-terminal specialist Network Computing Devices. Early
1996, IBM stopped selling the things under its own name, and handed the

business back to Network Computing Devices.

xterm: A terminal emulation program for the X Window System. Allows the user to have several
different invocations of xterm running at once on the same display, each

of which provides independent input and output for the process running in it.

X-Terminal: A type of terminal developed in the Unix world which provides a GUI type environment
(usually X-Windows) without the need for a programmable workstation.

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The X-Terminal is responsible solely for painting the screen – a host decides what to paint (Note that
the workstation is called the server, and that the host is

called the client, which is the opposite of what everybody else (including common sense) says). The
X-Terminal typically has no disk, but has a lot of memory (at least

500KB, and possibly 2MB) and a specialized processor. Sounds like a good idea but the problem then
was that, in some applications, each X-Terminal seemed to need 2MB

in the host as well, if it’s to perform adequately. By the mid 1990s the idea was going rapidly out of
fashion. Early 1996 IBM passed all of its X-Terminal business

over to Network Computing Devices. See also Xstation.

XTP: Xpress Transport Protocol. Data transmission protocol for high-speed links (over 75Mbps) that
reached its peak of popularity in the early 1990s.

X-Windows: Software system for creating GUIs on X-Terminals. Developed originally at MIT (as
part of the DEC/IBM/MIT Project Athena) but picked up by the wider Unix

community. Note that X-Windows is not an actual GUI, it is a set of standards and tools from which
GUIs can be specified and built. Has been an influence on the Motif

GUI being developed by the OSF. IBM was involved in the evolution of X-Windows through the MIT
X Consortium which provided a forum for discussion of the standard. See

also X-Terminal, X Window System.

X Window System: A specification for device-independent windowing operations on bit map display
devices. It was developed initially at MIT as part of the DEC/IBM/MIT

Project Athena and is now a de facto standard supported by the X Consortium. X uses a client/server
protocol, the X protocol. The server is the computer or X terminal

with the screen, keyboard, mouse and server program and the clients are application programs. Clients
may run on the same computer as the server or on a different

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computer, communicating over Ethernet via TCP/IP protocols.

XY749: Obsolete plotter for use with System/3x.

XY750: Obsolete plotter for use with System/3x.

Xylan: Switched Ethernet specialist which IBM all but took over mid 1996 in a five-year joint
technology, development, sales, and marketing agreement. Alcatel bought

Xylan in April 1999.

Xyratex: Company formed in a management buyout (MBO) from IBM in 1994. Develops high-speed
networking, digital broadcasting and data storage products for OEMs.

Y2K: Year 2000 (2K). The entire issue of date processing in computers that could be effected by the
arrival of January 1, 2000: the first day in computer history,

Charles Babbage notwithstanding, when the year did not begin 19. Much date processing code in
hardware, software and firmware relied on it being a 19xx year.

Ironically, the quiet passing of the day was greeted with complaints that all the Y2K efforts were a
giant waste of time and money, and that the alarmists had been

wrong or, worse yet, motivated by high consulting fees. The truth, of course, was that alarmists were
doomed to failure. Reaction to their warnings made their

predictions incorrect. If they had said nothing, then their predictions would have come true, but they
would have been criticized for not speaking out.

Year 2000: See Y2K.

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Yellow wire: IBMspeak for the repair wires used for broken connectors, or to reconnect cut traces,
etc. See blue wire, purple wire, red wire.

YES/MVS: Yorktown Expert System/MVS Manager. IBM R & D project using expert systems for
operational control of z/OS: includes facilities for scheduling batch work,

JESx queue management, incident reporting, performance monitoring, etc. Defunct.

Yottabyte: 1024 zettabytes, 2 to the eightieth, or, to put it another way,

1,208,925,819,614,629,174,706,176 bytes. Terminology which is unlikely to be in use for a

little while yet! But, wait: a Canadian high performance large disk storage company has named itself
YottaYotta. See Zettabyte.

Yukon: IBM code name for the AS/Entry model announced August 1990.

Z: Formal design specification used by IBM for software engineering. Developed jointly with the
Programming Research Laboratory at Oxford University. Z was apparently

key to the design of CICS/ESA Version 3.

z/Architecture: The design architecture for the eserver zSeries 900, most notably with 64-bit
addressing.

z/OS: The latest name in a long succession for the high end IBM mainframe operating system that
began life as OS/360 and reprised that name as OS/390 replaced MVS.

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Announced October 3, 2000, along with the z/Architecture of the eserver zSeries 900, most notable
for its 64-bit addressing and IRD. z/OS also runs on System/390 G5,

G6 and Multiprise 3000 systems.

z/OS Firewall Technologies: A software firewall1 built into SecureWay Security Server, an optional
feature of z/OS.

z/OS Management Directory: An LDAP-based directory that will become the central repository for
all z/OS configuration data.

z/OS Unix System Services: See Unix System Services.

z/VM: Mainframe operating system which can act as a hypervisor, enabling users to run multiple
operating systems on a single machine. There are two main components of

z/VM – the hypervisor (CP), which provides the resources to the virtual machines, and CMS1, which
provides conversational and timesharing facilities. z/VM replaced

VM/ESA October 3, 2000, on the same day that z/Architecture and the eserver zSeries 900 were first
announced. z/VM also runs on all but the oldest System/390 systems,

even P/390 and R/390. z/VM supports 64-bit addressing. The first release is Version 3.1.

z900: See zSeries 900.

Zap: Affectionate name for various utilities (AMASPZAP, aka SUPERZAP in z/OS, or PDZAP in
VSE/ESA), which can be used to apply a fix directly to object code in situ).

More commonly, used as a noun or verb for the actual change itself that was made using an IBM zap
utility. Zapping is a bad thing – it creates programs in which the

object code does not agree with the source, and which are hence totally unmaintainable. But it is fun.

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ZAP disk: The virtual disk in z/VM that contains the user-written modifications to VTAM code.

ZAW: Zero Administration Windows. A Microsoft initiative meant to cut the cost of ownership of a
PC by automating the administration of Windows and of changes to a

Windows environment. Rarely mentioned anymore, though Active Directory has been quoted as
helping it along.

Zero footprint: Browser-only, thin client, host-access solutions that don’t require any terminal
emulation-related applets or software at the client in order to

facilitate host interactions. 3270/5250-to-HTML conversion solutions are an example of a zero

footprint host access scheme.

Zettabyte: 1024 exabytes, 2 to the seventieth, or 1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424 bytes. It may be

some time before you see this scale of storage on your local

mainframe. See Yottabyte.

Zipperhead: IBMspeak for someone with a closed mind. Typically a middle-aged person who
remembers the time when you could carry a mainframe operating system around

with you on a deck of punched cards, and wishes you still could.

ZISC: Zero Instruction Set Computing. A chip architecture used in certain specialized
semiconductors, such as IBM’s ZISC036 integrated Neural Network chip.

ZPARMS: z/OS DB2 system parameters, many of which can be changed without shutting down
DB2.

zSeries 900: The mainframes in the IBM eserver family first announced October 3, 2000. All models
are air-cooled and support the 64-bit addressing of z/Architecture.

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None support System/370 mode operation. The initial zSeries 900 models run z/OS, OS/390 V2.6 and
above, z/VM, VM/ESA V2.3 and above, VSE/ESA V2.3 and above, and TPF

V4.1 and above.

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