TN5250 and TN3270 1

[liswinters]

We are a mainframe shop that connects by using TN3270 service. We have one SNA Server with ab Escon channel connection(polaris link with 16 logical units attached). We just added an AS/400 which means I will need a TN3270 service and a TN5250 service. I would like to use one of the TN3270 connections and just assign the LUs to TN5250.

Would this cause problems? Should I define a different link service for the AS/400?

 

[Concepts2000]

Have you considered that TN5250 support is quite different from TN3270? TN3270 goes all the way via TCP/IP to a TCP/IP server on the mainframe, whereas TN5250 goes through an APPC LU and uses APPN networking to get to the AS/400.

 

[Concepts2000]

A few other thoughts;

(1) If you connect to the AS 400, you will become panifully familiar with APPN, which is the transport protocol that APPC uses, but which was originally developed to give terminals access to AS/400s. Having gone to all that effort, you may wish to convert all your transport to APPN - APPN is supported for 3270s as well.

(2) Service Paks exist for Host Integration Server (which in effect, includes SNA Server 5.x as a subcomponent). You might want to take a real close look at these,if you haven't done so already.

(3) On the 3270 side, if you are using the HIS 3270 client, run, don't walk to your nearest software supplier and get a full function 3270 emulator. Your users will send you birthday bouquets. Even Microsoft recemmmends this, if you look at their site and documentation carefully enough.