The Oracle Database Gateway for APPC offers Oracle applications access to transactions that use the IBM Advanced Program-to-Program Communication (APPC) network protocol. CICS TS, IMS TM, and any other mainframe APPC-enabled transactions can be executed from a remote system --- without any Oracle code on the mainframe.

Procedural Access for Applications

The Oracle Database Gateway for APPC provides Oracle applications running anywhere on your network with procedural access to non-Oracle transactions, databases, and file systems on the mainframe. No Oracle code is required on the target mainframe system.

The Oracle Procedural Gateway uses Remote Procedural Call (RPC) processing and can access any system connected to your enterprise-wide Systems Network Architecture (SNA) network. This allows you to leverage your investment in existing transactions, while providing you with the ability to move toward new distributed environments. 

Investment Protection for Existing Applications 

The Oracle Database Gateway for APPC can request the execution of existing transactions in many different systems. CICS TS, IMS TM, and other transactions can access and update a variety of databases and file systems such as IMS, DB2, ADABAS, or VSAM files. As a result, you can use existing rules that enforce data integrity in your mainframe operation. Mainframe transactions can also be executed to perform complex calculations or launch processes on peripheral devices.

Commitment to industry Standards 

Oracle's commitment to industry standards minimizes and protects your application integration investment. Unlike other vendors' gateways that require you to use proprietary application programming interfaces (APIs), the Oracle Database Gateway for APPC uses the X/Open Common Programming Interface for Communication (CPI-C). This allows the same mainframe transaction to be used - unchanged - by both Oracle and non-Oracle applications. Through its use of the APPC facility, the Oracle Procedural Gateway allows you to maintain independence and portability, and simplifies support of your existing information processing systems.

Low Cost of Ownership 

Unlike other vendors' mainframe solutions that run on the mainframe where processing is expensive, the Oracle Procedural Gateway runs on your choice of leading UNIX platforms or Microsoft Windows - with no code on the mainframe. Thus, your mainframe resources are free to perform traditional business operations. With Oracle, expanding your client/server systems does not mean you will also have to expand your mainframe investment.

The Oracle Procedural Gateway also eliminates the need for multiple copies of a gateway. With the Oracle Database Gateway for APPC, a single software license of the Gateway allows access to multiple transaction processing monitors - and multiple mainframe platforms. For example, a single gateway allows you to reach CICS transactions on your corporate z/OS system, as well as iSeries transactions at a local sales office.

Complete Integration with the Oracle Database 

The Oracle Database Gateway for APPC leverages the strength of the industry-leading Oracle Database and PL/SQL technologies, Oracle customers don't need to learn a new API to get to their mainframe transactions. The tight integration between the Oracle Database and the Oracle Procedural Gateway also enables you to take advantage of ongoing improvements in Oracle's leading server technology.

Application Integration with Integrity 

The Oracle Database Gateway for APPC, in conjunction with the Oracle database, provides distributed transaction capabilities such that APPC transactions and Oracle Database updates can be performed in a coordinated fashion. The Oracle Procedural Gateway distributed transaction support maintains application integrity while providing access to non-Oracle transactions. 

Location Transparency 

Communication with the target system is transparent to the client applications. The Oracle Procedural Gateway translates Oracle database stored procedure calls into the required remote procedure calls (RPCs). Non-Oracle remote procedures are executed as if they were local Oracle database stored procedures. The Oracle database and Oracle Procedural Gateway distribution mechanisms work together to shield the application from having to know the location of the transaction.

Designed for On-line Transaction Processing 

Because the Oracle Database Gateway for APPC runs on a non-mainframe server, it does not add any additional system overhead to the mainframe. Thus, your mainframe transaction performance will not be affected by traditional gateway overhead, such as that resulting from datatype conversions. Also, key to a high-performance OLTP implementation is the ability to minimize network calls. The Oracle Procedural Gateway minimizes network overhead by exploiting the capabilities of APPC/LU6.2. For example, the Gateway can return multiple records using as few as two network calls. The Oracle Database Gateway for APPC can also request the execution of programs that use static SQL against a DB2 database. Static (i.e., precompiled) SQL statements enhance DB2 security and performance. 

        

KEY FEATURES

Procedure Call Independence Redirect procedure calls from the gateway to Oracle without changing your application Call APPC transactions from any Oracle PL/SQL environment, including database triggers, stored procedures, and third party tools with PL/SQL support  Gateway Operation An application submits a PL/SQL call to an Oracle database The database passes the call via Oracle Net Services to the Oracle Database Gateway for APPC, which builds an APPC transaction and submits it The response to the transaction is returned via Oracle Net Services to the Oracle database, and from there to the requesting application  Integrated Development Environment  A complete development environment is available to build and maintain the procedures, including: A dictionary to store the data and procedure call definition Procedure versioning to maintain test and production procedures A generator to build the PL/SQL packages, with all appropriate data type conversions between host language data types and PL/SQL data types A reporting tool to facilitate procedure documentation A complete tracing environment A full set of sample transactions for read, update, and multi-row result sets Full Site Autonomy  Easily integrates with existing administration tools for managing data security and integrity

Network Support via Oracle Net Services  Shields application developers from the complexities of the underlying networks  Provides protocol support between the client and gateway, via TCP/IP   Industry Standards  Uses industry-standard APPC verbs to communicate with remote procedures  Data Store Support  A complete development environment is available to build and maintain the procedures, including: ADABAS CA-IDMS DB2 IMS AS/400 files VSAM Others  Transaction Monitor Support  Executes transactions using multiple transaction monitors including:  CICS TS Mapped APPC verbs Embedded CPI-C calls IBM Front End Programming Interface (FEPI) IMS TM  Implied APPC support Explicit APPC using embedded CPI-C calls or APPC commands APPC  REXX applications APPC commands CA-IDMS/DC