Many companies are discovering the need to build application solutions that span desktop, midrange, and mainframe technologies. The reason is simple: most enterprise data resides on mainframe platforms. Such organizations are concerned with maintaining existing mainframe data and applications — at the same time as they commit to new technology solutions, including Windows-based distributed applications and data storage.
The variety of data storage facilities and the many ways in which they are accessed presents a difficult programming challenge. What is needed is a way to bring together the old and new data access technologies.
With Microsoft SNA Server, you can make mainframe data available to Windows-based distributed applications. SNA Server can access data and applications on mainframe and midrange systems that are accessible using the Systems Network Architecture (SNA) protocol. This includes mainframe relational databases, Virtual Sequential Access Method (VSAM) files, and AS/400 data files. SNA Server also provides access to all application programs and data stores used by IBM's Customer Information Control System (CICS), including Information Management System (IMS).
The following sections will acquaint you with SNA Server and other technologies you can use to implement mainframe data access for your enterprise application.
| Section | Description |
| Challenge of Enterprise Data Access | Defines the challenge of data access technology in the modern mainframe-plus-Web application era. |
| What Is SNA Server? | Briefly describes SNA Server and its uses. |
| Using Terminal Emulation | Explains how with terminal emulation software your client application can interact with the mainframe. |
| Using Screen Scrapers | Explains how you can use screen scraping to create a user interface that is more attractive than using terminal emulation. |
| Accessing VSAM and AS/400 Files | Explains how to access VSAM and AS/400 files. |
| Accessing a Mainframe Database Using ODBC | Discusses using an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) driver to directly access mainframe relational data. |
| Accessing a Mainframe Database Using the Host Data Replicator | Describes how to access mainframe relational data by using replication to a SQL Server database. |
| Integrating with Mainframe Transactions | Discusses how Windows-based distributed applications can become a part of mainframe CICS and IMS transaction processing. |
| Choosing Between Mainframe Integration Strategies | Recommends a mainframe data and program access technology depending on your enterprise application's requirements. |
For More Information For more information on how to develop applications using SNA Server, search online for "Introduction to Microsoft SNA Server" in MSDN Library Visual Studio 6.0.