TLS/SSL is entirely possible without AT-TLS. We have been doing it for close to 
a decade.
Policy Agent, etc. was more than I wanted to deal with, last time I looked at 
it. I will probably need to take another look someday, but basic RACF keyrings 
and certificates are working fine for now. 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]]
> On Behalf Of Timothy Sipples
> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2014 11:36 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: z/OS SSL
> 
> Well, here's the thing. If they're not using z/OS AT-TLS then they're
> also not using, among other things, TLS/SSL-encrypted TN3270E. And that
> omission is already most probably security malpractice. (RACF
> credentials flying over their network in cleartext? Not good!) Since
> your tool is for security provisioning and reconciliation....
> 
> If you don't use AT-TLS it means somebody has to figure out whatever
> you did, including key/certificate/CA stuff. The centralized point of
> control and management in AT-TLS is valuable. Any hardware and
> cryptographic innovations will automatically get picked up, and you
> won't have to be responsible for figuring out how to implement the
> AES651 algorithm or whatever.
> 
> Moreover, there's nothing whatsoever preventing the customer from
> keeping those connections unencrypted if they wish (or routing them
> over IPSec).
> That is, if the customer wants to commit security malpractice with your
> product, too, the customer can. That might be OK for a proof-of-
> concept, for example. AT-TLS is still an option, technically speaking.
> 
> In short, I don't see any downsides to AT-TLS, but I see quite a few
> upsides.
> 
> Maybe I shouldn't have used the word "protocol." OK, TCP/IP, got it,
> but what sort of chatting between components will occur? What are they
> talking about, how often, how long, etc? Do you have any preferences
> for what you'd like to see, from an interface point of view, at
> either/both ends?
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------------------------------
> Timothy Sipples
> IT Architect Executive, zEnterprise Industry Solutions, AP/GCG/MEA
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------------------------------
> 
> E-Mail: [email protected]
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