IBM Communication Controller Migration Guide

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2002, 2005, 2006. All rights reserved. xxi

Summary of changes

This section describes the technical changes made in this edition of the book and

in previous editions. This edition may also include minor corrections and editorial

changes that are not identified.

Summary of Changes

for SG24-6298-02

for IBM Communication Controller Migration Guide

as created or updated on May 9, 2006.

January 2006, Third Edition

The primary driver for the second and third edition updates to the IBM

Communication Controller Migration Guide is the introduction of an important

new product family: the Communication Controller for Linux on zSeries V1.1 and

its follow-on product, the Communication Controller for Linux on System z9 and

zSeries V1.2. (Both share IBM product number 5724-J38 and are abbreviated

throughout this book as CCL). The CCL product enables you to run the Network

Control Program (NCP), the Network Routing Facility (NRF), and the X.25 NCP

Packet Switching Interface (NPSI) program products in your mainframe

(migrating them from your IBM 3745 Communication Controllers); therefore, the

CCL opens up a broad range of communication controller migration options that

were not previously available. These options are easily identified by the

distinctive CCL margin icon (as shown to the left of this paragraph) and are

discussed in greater detail, where applicable, in the chapters of this book.

The CCL product is introduced and discussed in Chapter 16, “Communication

Controller for Linux on System z9 and zSeries (CCL)” on page 283.

Most significant CCL capabilities

As “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” what is significant (or insignificant) to

your organization depends on the specifics of your business, IT environment,

plans, and strategy. The CCL functional capabilities listed below, however,

provide alternatives where either no viable solution existed before (XRF, for

example) or where prior alternatives posed significant implementation challenges

(for example, SNI).

򐂰 SNA Network Interconnection (SNI): CCL provides an attractive option

because it eliminates the need for coordinated inter-organizational changes

xxii IBM Communication Controller Migration Guide

required by every other alternative (discussed in 5.3.4, “SNA Network

Interconnection (SNI)” on page 167).

򐂰 Token ring to Ethernet migration: The CCL can handle SNA traffic on Ethernet

LAN interfaces whereas the 3745 only supports SNA on token-ring LANs

(discussed in “Migrating from token ring to Ethernet” on page 117).

򐂰 Extended Recovery Facility (XRF): Prior to the introduction of CCL, no

functional alternative existed other than to make significant application

changes (discussed in 5.3.7, “Extended Recovery Facility (XRF)” on

page 180).

򐂰 Network Routing Facility (NRF): Prior to the introduction of CCL, no functional

alternative existed other than to make significant application changes

(discussed in 11.2.1, “Peer-to-peer connection of SNA devices (before PU

type 2.1)” on page 239).

򐂰 X.25 NCP Packet Switching Interface (NPSI): Using X.25 over TCP/IP (XOT)

technology and CCL V1.2 NPSI program product support, your mainframe

environment can support

all of the X.25 capabilities currently supported by

NPSI in your IBM 3745 communication controllers. Routers are used to

support the actual X.25 physical interfaces and XOT technology transports

the X.25 traffic over your TCP/IP network into your mainframes. Advantages

of the CCL NPSI approach over the previously available host XOT software

alternatives include comprehensive support of NPSI functional capabilities

and easier migration (discussed in “Supporting NPSI in your mainframe using

CCL” on page 200).

Other CCL capabilities

򐂰 “Replacing token-ring connectivity” on page 110: Token-ring OSA can now

support SNA

either to VTAM or to a CCL NCP.

򐂰 “Implementing CCL Ethernet high availability” on page 118: Provides a

high-level design for CCL high availability.

򐂰 4.3, “Network Node Processor functions and alternatives” on page 131: You

can now migrate SNA boundary function requirements from NNP DLUR to

CCL NCP support.

򐂰 5.3.2, “Multi-link transmission group (MLTG)” on page 161: CCL supports

token-ring and Ethernet LAN MLTGs.

򐂰 5.3.3, “SNA subarea addressing, routing, and boundary function (BF)” on

page 162: CCL gives you a way to migrate devices from your IBM 3745

Communication Controller hardware without having to move device

addresses from your NCP subarea into a VTAM subarea and while preserving

your NCP boundary function.

򐂰 5.3.7, “Extended Recovery Facility (XRF)” on page 180: CCL allows you to

continue to run NCP, supporting your XRF environment, on your mainframe.