Client Services Applications
Client Services Applications (CSAs) are customer-written, CICS or batch programs, that can access LAN-based DBMS systems using SQL. The easy-to-use API allows the mainframe to access and control all the data in the enterprise.
CSAs are initiated from the mainframe, and allow mainframe applications to both retrieve result sets, and to update data on the LAN. See some sample CSAs.
In CICS, a CSA transaction can be initiated with a CICS transaction ID, by a CICS LINK from another CICS program, or by time-initiated processes or schedulers. CSAs can be written in COBOL, C, Assembler, and PL/I, and in the NATURAL and CA-IDEAL 4GLs.
In batch, a CSA can be initiated with a standard batch jobstream or within a TSO session. Batch CSAs can be written in COBOL, C, Assembler, and PL/I.
CSAs can serve a variety of functions, including:
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Populating LAN-based DBMS systems after the nightly batch run |
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Synchronization of LAN and mainframe data sources |
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Merging data from LAN-based DBMS systems into z/OS and VSE data stores |
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Merging data from mainframe data stores into LAN-based DBMS systems |
A CSA can be used to initiate ViaSQL TRANSFER operations, and can even be used to execute LAN-based programs written in C, C++, or Visual Basic.