Mainframe and Minicomputer Communication Equipment: Hardware and Uses, Slides of Data Communication Systems and Computer Networks

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Mainframe/Mini Related Communication

Equipment

Chapter Objectives

• Present mainframe and minicomputer related communication

hardware that has not been presented elsewhere

• Front-end processors, concentrators, protocol converters etc.
• Describe the different types of terminals such as the ASCII and

EBCDIC terminals, smart terminals etc.

• Present examples of the use of the above equipment in practice

END OF CHAPTER INTRODUCTION

MODULE

Mainframe Communication Equipment: Front End Processor and

Concentrator

DCE and DTE in the Real World

Mainframe

Computer

DCE

DCE

DTE

DTE

Front End Processors, Concentrators,

Protocol Converters etc.

Printers,

Terminal etc.

Some Mainframe Communication Equipment

• Front End Processors
  • Manages the network traffic in a mainframe environment
• Multiplexers
  • Discussed in an earlier chapter in detail
• Communication controllers
  • Controllers, concentrators etc.

Overview of Communication Controllers

• Used extensively in mainframes
  • 3270 controllers for IBM mainframes
• Level of sophistication
  • On one end of the spectrum is the front end processor
  • On the other end is the communication controller
  • There are also the other intermediate communication controllers and

devices that are grouped under the 3270 family of communication

equipment

Front End Processors (FEPs)

• Computers by themselves
• Connected to a mainframe for the purpose of managing the

network traffic

• FEPs reduce the load on the CPU
  • Enable the CPU to perform its primary task of running applications
• FEP is a comprehensive DCE
  • Minicomputers, modems, LANs etc. can be attached to the mainframe

through the FEP

END OF MODULE

MODULE

Minicomputer Data Communication Equipment: The Communication

Controller

Controllers for AS 400

• Known as the 5250 controllers
  • Fall under the 5250 family of DCE
• Compare this with the mainframe’s 3270 family of DCE

Connecting DTE to a Communication

Controller

ASCII

Printer

ASCII

Terminal

HP

Plotter

Modem

AS 400

Communication

Controller

AS/400 LAN Connection

AS 400

Server

PC

PC

Plotter

Modem Pool

Printer

OS/

OS/

AS 400 LAN Connection Practical Example

Remote AS 400

Central Unit

LAN

Source: Black Box