Legacy Solutions

"The mainframe is dead!!! Long live the mainframe!!!" Yes, we have all heard about the demise of the mainframe, but what are those systems people buying and using? The reality is that mainframes are not going away. There is still a large amount of mainframe hardware in use, and more is being purchased. The investment in this legacy hardware and software, both application and utility, is too great to be ignored by CEOs of companies. On the other hand, the number of technical people that know and understand SNA or Bisync is dwindling rapidly. Add to this the decreasing number of vendors selling legacy connectivity software, and you can see the need for a firm with experience in this area.

TPS^® has been providing legacy connectivity software for the past fifteen years. Over that time, we have developed a complete set of SNA, Bisync and Telnet solutions. These solutions run on multiple platforms and operating systems.

Many mainframe shops are looking for ways to transition from SNA to IP, but continue to use their legacy downstream hardware. TPS^® offers a number of products that can assist in this transition.:

* TPS^®/SNA Primary creates a virtual SNA mainframe on a UNIX system.
* TPS^®/NFM (NetWork File Manager) can run IP and SNA transfers simultaneously.
* TPS^®/PCA (Protocol Conversion Application) assists sites transitioning from SNA to IP by converting SNA traffic to IP sockets and vice-versa.
* TPS^®/TN3270 Client and TPS^®/TN3270 Server creates a gateway between SNA applications and downstream TN3270 clients connecting via TCP/IP links.

A number of legacy sites are looking at moving their applications to a UNIX^® system and using the mainframe as a File Server. TPS^® has integrated its SNA software with a CICS package that runs on UNIX^®/Intel^® platforms thus allowing the migration of mainframe CICS applications to these platforms.

TPS^®/NFM can be utilized to replace the NetView functions on the mainframe by having the mainframe as a client. By taking this approach, the mundane file distribution and pickups can be performed on a UNIX^® platform. This approach returns cycles to the mainframe for use in the business applications of the organization.

Thus, whether you are a software vendor needing to solve a connectivity problem relating to your package, or a company trying to transition to a client/server environment, TPS^® has the connectivity solutions for you to be successful in your endeavor. If none of our solutions meet your specific connectivity requirements, please contact us. We can put our twenty five years of experience to work for you.