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Jul 5 ’11

Frustration: Mainframe Limitations Are Still in Force Today

by Bob Thomas

Guest Author: Alan Wynne

I am a great fan of the mainframe, however I throw my hands up in despair when I think of some of the limitations that the old architecture still has in force today that I don't believe should be there.

When am I going to be able to edit files directly on the mainframe without being limited to 48X80 screen sizes? When am I going to be able to cut and past large blocks of data (more than 48 lines at a time) into a file on the mainframe with the mainframe being able to accept it as seamlessly as if I did it in a text editor on the PC? And, when am I going to be able to do this and cut and paste from a PC into a mainframe file or from a mainframe file back onto the PC without having to FTP files back and forth? When am I going to be able to do this without expensive third-party products, but as part of the basic building blocks of a mainframe system?

When is IBM going to upgrade its standard 3270 interface into a much better, flexible GUI interface without the 3270 limitations? (Please don't talk about IBM's useless 3270 ISPF workstation GUI that just tries to put a GUI onto ISPF and fails hopelessly at it.)

What we need is a PC front-end that does just about everything ISPF does but on the PC with PC usability and flexibility without any of the 3270 limitations, but provides functionality on the mainframe such as submitting jobs, browsing job queues, editing files, copying files, etc., without the 3270 restrictions.

When all of this is in place, younger people will be keen to take on the mainframe as their existing PC skills will be transportable to the mainframe.

Alan Wynne is a Technical Specialist at Standard Bank in Bloemfontein Area, South Africa

Well Compuware also has Eclipse based versions of their tools Abend Aid, XPEDITER and more http://www.compuware.com/mainframe-solutions/
Posted by Jeff on 2011-07-12 08:31:12 I suggest that the author RTFM. I have been using 132x50 3270 screen sizes for 5 years for both editing my data and also for looking at syslogs under ISPF. I also routinely cut/paste from my pc to my mainframe sessions and from my mainframe sessions to my pc notepad windows. If what the author is bent about is the fact that he only has access to an ancient copy of a 3270 emulator that does not support custom screen sizes then he should take that issue up with his management and not bemoan a mainframe failing that does not in fact exist! The mainframe (z/OS and z/VM) have much room for improvement in both their operator and end user interfaces. It is a real shame that IBM has left the mainframe user interfaces in their current sorry conditions but complaining about problems that can easily be fixed by a current level 3270 emulator and a few minutes in the books will only get a laugh out of the developers and not any thought provoking discussions started.
Posted by Gene Pate on 2011-07-11 16:20:34 As several others mentioned, have a good look at IBM Rational for system Z and other products like MicroFocus Mainframe express/workbench. These products have Eclipse user interfaces which students know from their study. They solve not only the demands you're writing about but much more that really makes it worth investing in such product.
Posted by Swiddy de Louw on 2011-07-11 03:24:51 They had one called Cloud9 but withdrew it because of Rational. Plus it did a lot more. It expanded the usefulness of SCLM.
Posted by john preston on 2011-07-08 23:50:29 just a small comment: PC emulator now support much more than 48x80. I use 60 x 80, and some of my staff uses 53 x 132 and even 80 x 160. Obviously some older folks still use 32x80 just because their eyes cannot handle smaller font size !
Posted by jeanB on 2011-07-08 13:43:56 I noticed that the original poster comoplained about a 48x80 screen size. I will note that for my aging eyes, 24x80 seems the most readable on my screen. Still, the 48x80 limitation would seem to be to be a local issue. There is a at least one definition in the default mode table supplied by IBM that supports a 62x180 screen size. There are probably some limitations within the archatecture of the 32xx terminal family, but some limitations that people expierience are likely those imposed locally.
Posted by Jeff H on 2011-07-08 13:42:53 This is throwing out the baby with the bath water. The 3270 emulator I use allows me to emulate a mod 4. So, what is the big deal? The writer seems less informed that he makes out to be.
Posted by Tom B on 2011-07-08 13:20:49 The ISPF Workstation Agent (WSA.EXE) allows mainframe files to be seamlessly edited on a PC, or PC files to be seamlessly edited on a mainframe. For example, from within a mainframe ISPF session (not a PC GUI session), I could select a member from a regular ISPF member list and have the member open directly and automatically in any PC editor I choose. I can make whatever changes I want and exit the file, and the file is automatically and seamlessly uploaded back to the mainframe. This provides an incredible amount of flexibility (such as the ability to cut/paste etc) and alleviates many of the authors concerns. Also, this flexibility is built right into ISPF and comes at no cost. There is a very inexpensive mainframe product called SimpList that acts as a front-end to ISPF. One of it's many extensive features is that it interfaces directly with WSA, and *greatly* extends the ease and flexibility of working with mainframe files on a PC (or vice versa). For more information, see http://www.mackinney.com/products/program-development/simplist.html
Posted by Dave Salt on 2011-07-08 13:14:45 I find the writer of this article to be making much ado about nothing, or very little. What one needs to understand when dealing with computers is there are different interfaces for different purposes, just as there are different computers for different purposes. There are niche areas that are unique. I got the feeling while reading this article that the writer is very Windoze centric. First of all this is like comparing apples and oranges. Second, there is more to the universe that is computers than Windoze. And anyway, the mainframe platform has so many different interfaces now days as to rendor his complaints, well, evidence-less. One can edit files in so many ways. It seems to me, as mentioned in earlier posts, the author is complaining more about 3270 interfaces, emulators. Perhaps a class for the author on the miracle of modern 3270 emulators or should someone who has the time, spend time with this individual to teach him how to use modern emulators/other interfaces. I find this article written with great ignorance. Do some research before making these claims. Unfortunately other people who are also without knowledge will take this article as gospel, hence, spreading ignorance. Sorry but that is MY opinion, as brash and brutal, but honest and factual, as it is. I suppose I've been exposed to a little too much 'bashing by ignorance, proclaimed as gospel' by those who think they know it all because they've worked with Windoze for 5 years. I am speaking of some who I work with, not necessarily readers or writers on this forum. And yes, I am a hypocrite for bashing Windoze myself by spelling it this way. Oops! :-O
Posted by Michael S on 2011-07-08 09:40:06 For those who don't like ftp-ing file from/to mainframe for editing(myself included) I would recommend NFS.
Posted by Vladimir Bouilov on 2011-07-07 08:48:36 Alan, I read your post and sympathize with your frustrations. While one poster suggests RDz (IMO complex overkill) I know of a much simpler solution. “EPIC”, from EPIC Interfaces. www.epicinterfaces.com Based on your concerns, it seems this product was written with your frustrations in mind. • “edit files directly on the mainframe without being limited to 48X80 screen sizes?”... DONE • “cut and paste large blocks of data (more than 48 lines at a time) into a file on the mainframe with the mainframe being able to accept it as seamlessly as if I did it in a text editor on the PC”… DONE • “cut and paste from a PC into a mainframe file or from a mainframe file back onto the PC without having to FTP files back and forth?”.. DONE • “without expensive third-party products”… DONE (from what I hear it’s inexpensive) • “part of the basic building blocks of a mainframe system?” How long have we been waiting? ... then again this is deliverable now! • “What we need is a PC front-end that does just about everything ISPF does but on the PC with PC usability and flexibility without any of the 3270 limitations, but provides functionality on the mainframe such as submitting jobs, browsing job queues, editing files, copying files, etc., without the 3270 restrictions”…DONE!! • “younger people will be keen to take on the mainframe as their existing PC skills will be transportable to the mainframe.” DONE. Younger people grew up with the PC, this tool makes use of those skills without any additional training. Without sounding like a sales job you might take a look at one of their demos to see how easy they make it. http://www.epicinterfaces.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=73 From “EPIC’s” website: • Insert a Graphic file on a Linux host into a PowerPoint Presentation • Attach a batch report from a z/OS (IBM mainframe) system to an email • View an Acrobat file from a Windows remote host in Acrobat Reader • Parse a batch report from a z/OS (IBM mainframe) system and load the detail lines into columns in an Excel Spreadsheet Regards, Michael
Posted by Michael Norris on 2011-07-06 17:21:41 Stop bad mouthing the 3270! It is a whole bunch better than using punch cards. I remember when we first got terminals (or CRTs or VDTs or tubes) and we couldn't hardly wait to play with them. Of course there were only a few monitors that had to be shared amongst everyone so we had to stand in line to take our turn. So what is wrong with the 3270? give me green screen or give me death!
Posted by Steve on 2011-07-06 15:46:59 I'm not sure I understand the problem here. ISPF has long had in effect cut and paste capability through the 'cc' command and also the option to specifiy lines to be copied into a new PDS member or dataset. I find this vastly better than the requirement to remove my hands from the keyboard to perform a cut and paste operation using a mouse. In addition, I find that the inability for Excel or Word to be able to change the character at a specific column for all lines in a file leads me to upload documents to the mainframe to access this capability. I agree that ftp is burdensome, but it is the easiest way to move multiple documents and the transfer can be setup as a batch job for tasks that are performed frequently.
Posted by K.A.Rodriguez on 2011-07-06 13:07:11 Talking about younger people, I'm very confident that those people will not be attracted with mainframe if we will lure them with similarities. Instead, only way is to show younger people what differ mainframe and other platforms (not only PC). IBM makes a lot to help new bodies without 3270 skills to deal with, say, z/OS. I mean Management Facility and Configuration Assistance for zCS. I don’t really understand how those people will gain real knowledge about, say, z/OS if most important things will be done for them behind the screen. In my opinion, MF, and CF might be good for people like me, who is working all their life on mainframe, just to make standard things done faster. I think, best way to build strong expertise for new people remains the same as it was in 70s, 80s. I mean, new people still need to study principles of work both hardware, and OSs. What interface they will be using during such study doesn’t really matter. Interface will be last issue to impact their ability to gain mainframe background. Unfortunately, I don’t have younger people around me, and I am not able to provide examples of their opinion on this matter. But, I can recollect how I got introduced into mainframe application, and system programming and I remember that interface was last, and negligible thing I had problem with. I don’t think people are changed since there. On the other hand, those newbie’s who say that 3270 prevents them from understanding of, say, JES or DFSMS, or RACF, or VTAM, or… whatever might not be qualified to work with mainframe, and should not even spend their, and others time.
Posted by Vladimir Bouilov on 2011-07-06 08:35:50 Alan, mainframe is not a PC, and will never be a PC, and vise versa. Mainframe is not a personal device, and therefore it cannot be be dedicated to serve just one person like PC does. 3270 is a best protocol to deal with mainframe operating systems, and some applications. 3270 allows to do a lot without having to interupt MF OS with each key strock, like PC keyboard does. In fact, ISPF editor allows you to cut, and paste large blocks of data (larger than 48 rows) with prefix, and "cut/paste" commands. Most 3270 emulators allow to copy, and paste from PC editors to 3270 screen directly (I use Hummingbird Exeed, and use this option when it is needed). While I have no issues with 3270, I would still partialy agree that modern PC editor have some advantages against ISPF Editor, but "submitting jobs, browsing job queues" working with SYSLOGs, etc... are implemented with SDSF in best possible way, which will not be improved by any PC options (if you not talking about just a nice "picture"). My experience tells me (after sever attemps to combine works on PC, and MF) that keeping most possible items, and works on MF with 3270 inteface are the best choice, and don't forget most relaible way.
Posted by Vladimir Bouilov on 2011-07-06 08:04:45 This does sound like the limitation the author is concerned about is the user interface, in particular via 3270. But that's not the only way to access mainframes today. How do you access Unix servers? Via telnet? You can do the same on the mainframe. VI is there and works fine--or at least as fine as VI works. You can also export an X display from the mainframe as well, and that works better than I expected it to, although I don't know I'd recommend it for wide-spread use from a capacity perspective. As Jim points out, there are multiple front-ends to mainframes that don't rely on ISPF. E.G. if you're administering WAS on the mainframe, the WAS console is the same as it is on any other platform. Granted, installation of the product is different, but in day-to-day operation, the same admin console is used. I don't have any personal experience with large non-mainframe Unix servers. Is the process of editing files and managing jobs and system resources really significantly better there? But I agree with the more general point--a more modern interface could (and should) be delivered with the operating system. Preferably one that's not as onerous to install, configure, and secure as RDz and z/OSMF appear to be.
Posted by Scott Chapman on 2011-07-06 06:55:08 Agree 100%. See http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg247868.html?Open for details on this replacement of terminal emulator.
Posted by Joydeep Banerjee on 2011-07-06 02:55:10 Are you aware of IBM Rational Developer for System z?
Posted by Gary L Peskin on 2011-07-05 18:04:19 Bimedit XP does the editing you complained about not having and much much more.
Posted by Pete Clark on 2011-07-05 17:39:39 You are not really talking about mainframe limitations here, but about 3270 limitations. I would not hold my breath expecting IBM to do any about those. However, have you looked at a tool like Rational Developer for System z? It does everything you are asking for plus more for z/OS customers and there is a 3rd party plug-in to enable it for z/VSE. With Rational Developer for zEnterprise the product is extended to support Linux on System z, AIX and Linux on System x.
Posted by Jim Elliott on 2011-07-05 16:28:46