Hewlett-Packard Co, Palo Alto reckons that there will still be enough IBM Corp mainframes out there for long enough to make it worthwhile coming out with an SNAplus family of products. Based on a client-server model, SNAplus will enable all Hewlett-Packard systems to access SNA networks through a single server and single communication link. Up to now, the company’s various computer lines achieved the connection with different feature sets so that the various system families could not share server access into the SNA environment. The new SNAplusLink provides the basic data-link access across SNA communication links to host or peer systems. Available as an add-on board and software, it bundles the link and server software in one product. SNAplus3270 software enables Hewlett systems to emulate an IBM 3278 terminal and an IBM 3287 printer and also supports the HLLAPI programmable interface for automating data transfer operations and repetitive tasks such as automating start-up of host 3270 applications. SNAplusAPI software is an application programming interface that enables multiple Hewlett-Packard systems to access SNA host systems and SNA peer systems concurrently using the LU 6.2 protocol, which enables two transaction programs to communicate as peers. SNAplusAPI enables application programs to be written and distributed across a network and work together to accomplish a single processing task such as querying a remote database, copying a remote file and sending or receiving electronic mail. The family also links to the company’s OpenView network management software and with IBM’s NetView through alarms and alerts. The first SNAplus products are available for the HP Apollo 9000 Series 400 and 700 workstations, HP 9000 300 workstations and Series 800 servers. The rest of the programme will be rolled out late this year and in the first half of next. SNAplusLink is $3,400 to $11,320; SNAplus3270 is $1,110 to $11,200; SNAplusAPI is $1,500 to $14,000.
