HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
BSC Link
by Don Wilson
Business Networks Division
The Remote Job Entry XL software and Binary Synchronous Communications
(BSC) Link combined provide batch communications access between an HP
3000 Series 900 (running the MPE XL Operating System) and an IBM System
370 compatible mainframe using the IBM BSC protocol.
BSC LINK APPLICATIONS
RJE/XL is a software subsystem which allows an HP 3000 to emulate the
major features of an IBM 2780 or IBM 3780 workstation. RJE/XL can
transmit batch jobs to, and receive output from a host processor that can
support standard IBM 2780/3780 devices. Additionally, RJE/XL can
exchange files between an HP 3000 and any processor which emulates a
standard IBM 2780 or 3780 workstations.
RJE/XL requires the presence of the IBM BSC Link as its physical
connection to the IBM host through a switched or leased line. The BSC
Link supplies the physical path needed to communicate with the IBM host.
The BSC Link provides the lower level network connection, including the
protocol management software, a hardware interface and a cable. This is
accomplished through a PSI card along with the respective firmware that
accompanies the card. RJE/XL can support up to eight distinct PSI cards.
BSC LINK PRODUCT APPLICATIONS
The primary use of RJE/XL is for batch communications in a BSC
environment, using an IBM host or compatible vendor that emulates a 2780
or 3780 workstation. The secondary market involves companies which
require multivendor connectivity using the 2780/3780 protocol.
The primary need for RJE/XL arises from those customers who are currently
using RJE/XL or MRJE in the MPE V/E environment and wish to migrate to
the HP 3000 Series 900 but don't want to migrate from a BSC product to an
SNA product (customers who migrate from MRJE to RJE will lose multiple
user capability).
BSC LINK FEATURES
The BSC Link product running on MPE XL provides the user with all of the
capabilities found in the BSC Link for RJE/V, as well as the following
enhancements:
* Improved User Manuals
* The INP card has been replaced by the Programmable Serial Interface
Card (PSI)
* LINKCONTROL command capability
* Supports data transmission speeds from 1.2Kbps to 64Kbps
* Tracing of the PSI Driver, the BSC firmware, the RCS, and the RJE/XL
subsystem (procedure calls)
* Improved Configuration through NMMGR
* Improved error codes/messages
* Version verification through NMMAINT