TITLE
    SNA■ps: Compatibility with Other Apple Products (6/94)
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		10509
8/3/92
7/11/94
TOPIC



    What is the compatibility of SNA*ps with other Apple products?

DISCUSSION


    SNA*ps stands for Systems Network Architecture protocols and service, and is a family of applications that provide Macintosh users with integrated access to IBM mainframe (System/370 and System/390) and mid-range (AS/400 only) systems. SNA*ps 3270 or SNA*ps 5250 is end-user application software that presents the user with one or more 3270 or 5250 terminal sessions. It's designed to present the user with a text-based interface to applications, data, and services. The SNA*ps Gateway is server software that provides a network access to IBM mainframe and mid-range systems. It's designed to serve as an IBM gateway for multiple Macintosh computers attached to AppleTalk networks.

    The SNA*ps 3270 application, which is included in both the SNA*ps 3270 and SNA*ps 3270 GC (gateway client) packages, will run on the Macintosh Plus and later systems. The SNA*ps Gateway application runs on one of the three Apple NuBus cards, and so requires any Macintosh II or Quadra system that incorporate NuBus. One caveat: the SNA*ps 3270 application includes support for certain connections (CUT and NLCA) on the Apple Coax/Twinax Card, which also requires a Macintosh II or Quadra computer.

    The SNA*ps 5250 application software works with the Apple Token Ring 4/16 NB Card or Apple Serial NB Card installed in any Macintosh II or Quadra (NuBus capable) computer and supports directly connected or AppleTalk distributed 5250 sessions. SNA*ps 5250 sessions are distributed over AppleTalk allows SNA access for any Macintosh system connected to an AppleTalk network. SNA*ps 5250 also supports TCP/IP connections to an AS/400 for display support only. SNA*ps 5250 was recently enhanced to support AppleTalk Direct to the AS/400 using the IBM supplied AppleTalk ADSP stack.

    SNA*ps requires Macintosh system software 7.0 or later.

    A/UX doesn't support the SNA*ps 3270, SNA*ps 5250 and SNA*ps Gateway software at this time.

    Ethernet supports SNA*ps, but only for connections between Macintosh clients and SNA*ps Gateways over AppleTalk networks. Ethernet is also supported to the AS/400 using the AppleTalk Direct solution. The connection between the SNA*ps Gateway and the mainframe currently must be either coax, SDLC, or Token Ring.

    SNA*ps will run on the Apple TokenTalk NB Card (Apple's earlier 4M/bps Token Ring product) for SNA*ps 3270 GC via AppleTalk, SNA*ps 3270 single user full function SNA product (up to 5 sessions), and the SNA*ps 5250 single user full function SNA product (up to 5 sessions). Since you can't expand the MCP RAM on the TokenTalk NB Card beyond 512K, it is NOT recommended to run the SNA*ps Gateway products. Also, because of RAM limitations neither SNA*ps 3270 single user or SNA*ps 5250 single user products can run at the same time as TokenTalk.

    SNA*ps will run on the Apple Token Ring 4/16 NB Card and an Apple Serial NB Card, and as a rule of thumb, a Serial or Token Ring card running SNA*ps gateways need 1MB. If multiple host connections are used (for example more than one host AS/400 and 3270 mainframe) at the same time than 2.5MB is suggested.

    SNA*ps supports IBM's NetView network management. The NetView alerts supported are listed in Appendix E of the SNA*ps 3270 User's Guide (packaged with SNA*ps 3270 and SNA*ps 3270 GC). You can print directly from the IBM mainframe to a local Apple (or compatible) printer. The SNA*ps 3270 single user, SNA*ps 3270 GC, SNA*ps 5250 single user, and SNA*ps 5250 GC packages include an application called SNA*ps Print which allows you, for example, to send host output directly to a LaserWriter attached to your AppleTalk network.

    The following is a partial list of third-party client software that can use the SNA*ps Gateway to access IBM hosts:

    * Legent Corp. MacXCOM6.2
    * ConnectivitÄ "Both."
    * Tangram Systems AM:PM
    * ASC asc3270
    * Andrew Corp. TokenAxcess
    * CEL Software Blacksmith
    * Data Access Language (DAL) clients such as Brio DataPrism and DataPivot
    * Microsoft Excel
    * ACI US, Inc. 4th Dimension
    * Fairfield Software ClearAccess
    * Andyne GeoQuery

    You can develop custom applications that use the SNA*ps Gateway services in C, Pascal, or Assembler. The SNA*ps Gateway supports both 3270, 5250 and APPC client application developments through Applications Programming Interfaces (API). These APIs are available from Wall Data directly. You can purchase the SNA*ps APPC Developer's Kit v1.0 and Apple 3270/5250 Developer's Kit v2.0.

    To locate a vendor's address and phone numbers, use the vendor name as a search string.

    Article Change History:
    29 Jun 1994 - Updated the article and TokenTalk NB Card information.
    15 Mar 1993 - Updated, Acius now ACI US, Inc.

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Document Information
Product Area: Communications-Networking
Category: Emulation & Data Transfer with Non-Apple Computers
Sub Category: IBM Connectivity

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