On 2015-05-12 14:21, Joel Ewing wrote: > > Just a bizarre thought: > > There is MFNetDisk to make z/OS connected via TCP/IP to a PC/WOrkstation > platform see specially formatted files files on that other platform look > like a local-channel-attached disk drive to z/OS. > > Perhaps IBM should give serious thought to an IBM-supported tape > counterpart application that could make special files on such a platform > appear like a local channel-attached tape drive to z/OS? > Is there an item in the HMC GUI, "IPL the CPU from IP ???.???.???.???"? There should be. The IP address could be local, if needed for security.
> That would open up all sorts of software distribution strategies for > getting the corresponding "tape" files to a PC/Workstation via DVD, > flash drives, Internet, whatever, while still preserving the > tape-centric, non-HFS installation strategies on z/OS that some still > find more effective. > The important thing I see is to make network or DVD installation no more storage-greedy than tape installation. > The file structure for such an emulated tape drive could surely be > designed with some suitable encoding so that a means is built into the > data file to insure that the data file is valid and has not been > tampered with since leaving the software vendor. > The SHA-1 checksum on GIMPAF.XML should satisfy this requirement. It might be transmitted via an independent secure channel. Voice over POTS comes to mind. What similarly guarantees that tapes have not been tampered with? IBM for a while shipped tapes in heat-sealed polyethylene sleeves that averred they guaranteed virus protection. Some of us had a good laugh at that. -- gil ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
