Windows? Who cares about Windows? :-) Seriously, the issue is platform agnostic. Even so, Windows implementations of these tools all too often incomplete or have been 'tweaked' to make them hostile to z/os servers.
-----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Timothy Sipples Sent: Saturday, February 13, 2010 3:46 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: FTP problems Hal Merritt writes: >As far as I can see so far, the target of such a transfer >is almost always some tool or process that does not support >any of the DBMS solutions. But even if they did, the costs >of crafting and deploying a DBMS infrastructure is often >complex and prohibitively expensive. Microsoft Windows (in the abstract) supports ODBC quite well. It's part of that platform's "DNA." So does DB2 and (without much difficulty) IMS and VSAM. But DBMS-style access is not the only option anyway. And the costs/complexity.... compared to what? Compared to a major security breach that compromises millions of customer records (for example)? (File transfer obviates security context.) Compared to nursing file transfers "forever"? Compared to making all customers wait for online service until the batch file transfer completes its cycle (hopefully)? Compared to managing data synchronization and reconciliation issues? No, most commonly file transfer is a part of application integration simply because nobody knew (or had, if we go back far enough) any better at the time. And Windows application developers often appreciate having some other, more Windows-friendly option. (They often don't like file transfer either, because they've got to deal with operational complexities on their end and "arcane" data format conversions which are surfaced, among other problems.) I've asked groups of Windows applications developers what their #1 preferred application interface is, and I've never heard "file transfer" as the answer. No, I'm going to keep an open mind on this situation pending more information from the original poster., - - - - - Timothy Sipples IBM Consulting Enterprise Software Architect E-Mail: [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message, together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
