IBM’s Distributed Data Management architecture, announced in June 1986, defines a common, system-independent structure that allows application programs running on one system to access files residing in another system – and it has now been extended to the Personal Computer. DDM/PC brings the Personal into a family that includes the IBM System/36, System/38 and 370 under CICS/OS/VS. With DDC/PC, users running applications on Personals can have concurrent use of the data files and data management resources of a host system that has a target DDM program installed and running, including the System/36, System/38 or System/370 under CICS/OS/VS. This is claimed to provide greater flexibility in locating applications for better performance, greater control or higher overall efficiency. The implementation of DDM may consist of source DDM function, target DDM function, or both. DDM/PC provides source DDM function that acts on behalf of a requesting application program by sending requests for data to a target system. CICS/DDM for System/370 with CICS/OS/VS provides target DDM function and responds to requests for data from a source system. DDM implementations on the System/36 and System/38 provide both source and target DDM functions. DDM/PC Network Capability with System/36 DDM/PC may also be used to access files that reside on System/36, System/38 or System/370 with CICS/OS/VS in the network. When a Personal with DDM/PC is attached to a System/36, users can have access to files anywhere in a net of 36s. It is a one-time $395, in the third quarter.
