Mainframe, MVS and zOS Discussion

Hi,

We are using FTP to transfer file from other mainframe from ours. Can you please tell me about other different ways of  exchaing data or communicating between two or more mainframes? 

Can you please tell me about other different ways of  exchaing data or communicating between two or more mainframes? 

You need to narrow your question -- "communicating" can be a pretty broad topic and exchanging data needs more explanation as well -- between mainframes? between mainframes and other systems? between humans and mainframes?  Googling z/os communications returns about 1,870,000 hits so there's plenty of material available.  Look at some of the IBM Redbooks as well.
There are products on the market that will transfer data -- Connect: Direct is one that comes to mind -- but they have to be purchased and hence not all sites have them.  SMTP may be running on the mainframe and it can send emails.
As far as communicating,  JES3 allows the global and local systems to communicate.  XCF is one of the communication tools used by the mainframe but generally not available to applications programmers.  JES2 and JES3 support remote job entry facilities whereby a network node can submit jobs and have them run on the mainframe.

Robert Sample wrote:

Can you please tell me about other different ways of  exchaing data or communicating between two or more mainframes? 

You need to narrow your question -- "communicating" can be a pretty broad topic and exchanging data needs more explanation as well -- between mainframes? between mainframes and other systems? between humans and mainframes?  Googling z/os communications returns about 1,870,000 hits so there's plenty of material available.  Look at some of the IBM Redbooks as well.
There are products on the market that will transfer data -- Connect: Direct is one that comes to mind -- but they have to be purchased and hence not all sites have them.  SMTP may be running on the mainframe and it can send emails.
As far as communicating,  JES3 allows the global and local systems to communicate.  XCF is one of the communication tools used by the mainframe but generally not available to applications programmers.  JES2 and JES3 support remote job entry facilities whereby a network node can submit jobs and have them run on the mainframe.

I meant to say the communication between one mainframe to other mainframe, with in one company. Will the same apply to if other mainframe is in other company?

When you connect to a mainframe, you actually connect to an LPAR (logical partition).  One mainframe (physical box) may host many LPARs.  Different LPARs on one mainframe communicate via cross-memory services, or FTP, or RJE, or coupling facility, or ....  Different LPARs on different mainframes communicate (usually) through FTP or RJE although other ways are possible (if the site is using GDPS, for example).  Sometimes LU6.2 (APPN or APPC) is used, either between mainframes or on a single mainframe between LPARs.  There are usually multiple ways communication can occur, and it would be rare for the communications methods not occur in multiples to prevent single points of failure.  If you want to find out more, Google PPRC or XRC or IBM Global Mirror or XCF  or coupling facility (to give 5 terms which will return Google results on z/OS communications).

Robert Sample wrote:When you connect to a mainframe, you actually connect to an LPAR (logical partition).  One mainframe (physical box) may host many LPARs.  Different LPARs on one mainframe communicate via cross-memory services, or FTP, or RJE, or coupling facility, or ....  Different LPARs on different mainframes communicate (usually) through FTP or RJE although other ways are possible (if the site is using GDPS, for example).  Sometimes LU6.2 (APPN or APPC) is used, either between mainframes or on a single mainframe between LPARs.  There are usually multiple ways communication can occur, and it would be rare for the communications methods not occur in multiples to prevent single points of failure.  If you want to find out more, Google PPRC or XRC or IBM Global Mirror or XCF  or coupling facility (to give 5 terms which will return Google results on z/OS communications).

Thank Robert. This is of great help.