[hercules-390] Re: MFNetDisk with Hercules.
somitcw
Michael Knigge <Michael.Knigge@...> wrote:
> almoni schrieb:
>> Just look at mfnetdisk.com. it can emulate 3390 in PC and
>>works with real mainframe and also share real MF with
>>Hercules and share real 3390 with Hercules. it is also free.
> Hmmm, the 3390 is "attached" via TCP/IP? I wonder how
>this is possible?
Not easy but doable. Just intercept I/O to disk and redirect.
If the software could talk to Hercules remote disks, it would
be a much better product. It does not communicate with
Hercules and MVS 3.8j does not have built-in TCP. Bummer.
Changing the product to talk to a Hercules with remote CCKD
disks might not be too difficult?
> Can Tapes ("virtual Tapes") also be attached tia a TCP/IP Link?
IBM supplies free PC software for a TCP PC tape library.
Tapes are in BTI/FunSoft/IBM compressed .aws format which
can be handled almost like .het tapes. The main frame part of the
software is part of modern VSE but you might be able to adapt?
Since Windows supports NFS and Windows file sharing, it might
be simpler to devinit a Hercules tape drive to a remote system?
Hercules does not have the standard AWSTAPE automount CCW
but if you don't need security, diag 8 may allow devinit.
> Any manuals?
The site has documentation and a movie. Take a look.
> Thank you,
> Michael
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somitcw
>>Not easy but doable. Just intercept I/O to disk and redirect.
>>If the software could talk to Hercules remote disks, it would
>>be a much better product.
>it need to access its 3390 disks (access the remote hosts data is
>defined in MFNetDisk product as accessing NetFile mirror, Net
>File contain the MF IP and the MVS device number in the MF IP)
>for Hecukes the NetFile is the Hercules MVS device number.
> Each Host must have MFNetDisk which can talk with the
>MFNetDisk PC side where MFNetDisk manage the 3390 emulation.
>The PC must talk with Hercules and real MF when it access their data.
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
MFNetDisk will not boot under Hercules. It's not IPLable.
MFNetDisk does not talk to Hercules shared device server.
MFNetDisk will not run in the operating systems available
to most Hercules users. MVS 3.8j, DOS/VS, VM, zLinux, etc.
If you add support for Hercules shared device server, you
would increase the value of your product.
somitcw
> I think I start to understand a little the "Hercules
>shared device server" Hercules feature.
> This is only server without any OS which waiting
>on port and do the IO, is it correct?
> If this is the case than MFNetDisk with Hercules
>can do a lot and even IPL and support any OS to
>work for Hercules, that is great.
Even greater. If CCKD disks are selected, they
are compressed. I can package an MVS 3.8j
system in about 60MB. Some of my text files
compress 20 to 1.
The combination of your product and Hercules
shared device server would allow my real main
frame to share Hercules disks. Disk farms of
archive disks could grow and be mirrored to
many secure cheap disks always backed up disks.
> I need information about the port and the layout
>of the TCP messages which are needed to support
>this feature.
> Thanks a lot, I start to work.
- - - old note snipped - - -
somitcw
>the support for Hercules?
> Do I need to ask permission from somebody, anyone?
Roger invented Hercules. He didn't mention any legal
problems or complaint.
> Where I can find the source of this feature of Hercules
>to be able to send receive the required TCP format
>messages which will allow me to communicate with
>Hercules disks?
Roger gave you a link to the documentation.
There are other locations to find source, but I look
at the snapshot source from:
http://www.ivansoftware.com
http://www.ivansoftware.com/snapshots/
http://www.ivansoftware.com/snapshots/snapdload.html
While there, download Hercules and unZIP and
bring it up as a Hercules disk server. No operating
system needed. Play all day long and night too.
> Roger mention that this feature can implement in
>server (without OS) or client which will be Hercules,
>I understand that both using the same TCP protocol
>or maybe only the server is using this feature?
Both use TCP. MFNetDisk should normally be the
client with Hercules the server. Reversing that would
be a nice feature but would be less used. Another
nice feature would be for you to support calling
zlib compression before sending and after receiving
data to the server. Not required and may not be
worth adding the call.
somitcw
>> snip snip
> for hercules only users
>I do not see any advantage of having another piece of
>software involved hercules has been supporting the remote
>dasd feature for a long time with exactly the same coding
>for dasd access as used for local disks giving the big
>advantage of ==> consistency, reliability, availability,
>serviceability single point of maintenance
> furthermore supporting different platforms
>I tested it with a combination of windows, Linux,
>mac os x a turnkey Ipl and an RPF session
> it looks like the software is windoze only for now..
> regards
> enrico sorichetti
It may be useful for Hercules only users?
I use jbod disks at home. Using MFNetDisk to mirror
my Hercules disk volumes may be worth the trouble
of still another software package.
Even if Hercules only users don't have a great need
for MFNetDisk, I still have a Flex-ES OS/390 system
for a few more weeks.
javiermo...@gmail.com
