A few more details have emerged of IBM’s plans for an integrated systems management architecture for its mainframe users, first word of which surfaced in May (CI No 1,420). Computer Systems News hears that the concept will parallel AD/Cycle, complete with repository, but that the initial announcement will be even more nebulous than that one was. As feared – by all those that find the flagship network management system less than all-embracing, particularly in heterogeneous environments, it appears that NetView will be a key part of what is expected to be introduced as HostView. The ultimate aim of the HostView repository will be to provide a single point of control for running both the data centre and dispersed networked systems around the host.Once again, IBM is having to go to third parties for many of the key elements, leaving some of them worried because they make a living out of selling many of the features of such a system that IBM does not have. For that reason, it is thought less likely that IBM will be taking shareholdings this time around. HostView is intended to embrace operations management, security, and problem and change management as well as network management. The paper hears that the HostView repository will have two levels, one holding all the rules and policies set by the data processing manager for running the data centre, the other, the execution repository, will store the information needed for executing the management tasks set in the policy and administration level. An PS/2 running OS/2 will be the control console. IBM’s aim is make Repository Manager/MVS the core of more than just development information, but initially, HostView is expected to be separate because integrating it with AD/Cycle is seen as too big a task at the present stage of development. Several elements of the grand strategy, such as Automated Operations Control/MVS, which automates many console functions, System Managed Storage, and Target System Control Facility, which extends NetView’s reach, have already been introduced. IBM’s aim is to have full interoperatibility between HostView and AD/Cycle, with a single logical view of the separate databases.
