Jerry In researching your question, I entered 2074 into the "search" box on the IBM web page. The first document found was the "Introducing the IBM 2074 Control Unit" redbook (September 2000). On page 2, I found the following statement and footnote:
<quote> Referring to Figure 1, it does not especially matter which tn3270e package is used in the PCs, provided it supports all the structured fields and other features of current 3270 architecture.1 1 This statement represents the concept. In practice, IBM has tested only the IBM eNetwork Personal Communications tn3270 emulator (commonly known as PCOM) and this is the only *supported* emulator. </quote> The asterisk bracket indicates an italicised word in the original. The first comment to make is that, as far as the matter of "all the structured fields and other features of current 3270 architecture" is concerned, the emulator need support only those features of the 3270 data stream required by the application. I would expect that it is possible so to configure the console within z/OS that you could limit the use of 3270 data stream to the most basic. Perhaps those familiar with console definition could confirm. The second comment to make is to reiterate the point made in the footnote, namely that, should you ever want to report a problem with the use of the 2074 for use as a console, you will need to have the only supported TN3270 emulator available, namely PCOMM. This is the "TN3270E software" which you would appear definitely to "need". The comment I really wanted to make is that your subject line may not actually be correct if expanded to "I need an implementation of the TN3270E client software." Had your subject line been "Do I need TN3270E software?" - revised to "Do I need an implementation of the TN3270E client software." - the answer may be "no". In other words it may be possible to continue using the "3270 software that you have been using for years" assuming, as sort-of implied, it supports TN3270 - without the "E". That presumably is the software with which your users - perhaps getting on in years - are very happily familiar and for which there is no outstanding expense. The redbook actually says nothing about being able to use a client implementation of TN3270 - without the "E" - but it does say that the 2074 is based on a set of OS/2 software products. That very probably means that the included TN3270 server function is flexible enough to be able to function without the extensions to the TN3270 protocol implied by the "E" - which actually stands for "enhancements". You should just try it before getting out your cheque book. Recall that, if there are any problems, you will need to demonstrate that the problem also manifests itself using presumably current PCOMM. Note that this point - paying attention to the footnote in the redbook - will apply equally to all these wonderful products that the other contributors have mentioned. Before signing off, I thought I'd better try to find a document more akin to an announcement letter so I picked on the next "search hit". There's no doubt that there are frequent references to "TN3270E" and nary a mention of "TN3270" - without the "E". However, knowing a bit about TN3270 and TN3270E protocols and where they differ and the use of 3270 devices in their pre/non-SNA guise - and assuming that the TN3270 emulator in the 2074 has not been especially created for the package of products put together and labeled "2074", any limitation to only TN3270E rather than also TN3270 is likely to have been introduced for no particular technical reason. So just try out your current emulator and see what happens - and let us all know - you can't break anything! If the redbook authors had had an ounce of a spirit of adventure about them - all 8 of them! - they would have covered this entirely practical issue. Chris Mason On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 12:16:33 -0500, Jerry Fuchs <[email protected]> wrote: >We are FINALLY replacing our OLD 3174's with IBM 2074 control units. > >The 3270 software that we have been using for years does not support >TN3270e. > >Any suggestions on what to get and contact info? > >Thanks, > >Jerry Fuchs ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
