Siemens Data Systems has extended SCOPE – Siemens Co-operative Processing Environment – to encompass interconnection between its MX Unix systems and ICL mainframes. SCOPE was announced several months ago (CI No 1,361) and regarded as Siemens’ attempt to emulate IBM’s Systems Application Architecture. It was initially designed to link MX personal computers with the IN line of Pick systems from Intertechnique Informatique, and the 370-like 7.500 series. The concept covers TCP/IP, 3270, DEC VT100-VT220, X25, X400, Ethernet, Token-Ring and FDDI protocols. Siemens also promised full communications with MVS and CICS, co-existence with SNA networks, and comparable communication with ICL systems. The software communications suite said to provide full interconnection facilities between MX systems and ICL mainframes offers ICL CO3 terminal emulation with file transfer and direct communication between applications. CO3 emulation enables terminals connected to Siemens MX-based systems to access applications running on host mainframes, and the software interface makes terminals on the MX machine appear to the Series 39 mainframe as CO3 terminals. File transfer capabilities enable files to be transferred between MX systems and the ICL host, and applications running on both systems can use the same files as source and destination for data processing. There is program-to-program communication between applications and Siemens says that data is seamlessly interchanged in a way that is invisible to the user.
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