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Basic Assembler Language (BAL)

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Basic Assembler Language (BAL)

1) BAL (Basic Assembler Language) is a version of IBM's assembler language (sometimes called assembly language) for its System/360 and System/370 mainframe operating system. An assembler language consists of computer instruction to the processor, each specifying a specific processor operation and input or output registers or data areas. Most programs are written in higher-level languages. However, assembler language may be needed for programs that must run using little memory or that must execute very quickly.

2) BAL (branch-and-link) is the name of a System/360/370 assembler language instruction.

Related glossary terms: Resource Access Control Facility (RACF), 64-bit processor, OLTP (online transaction processing), Teraplex (Teraplex Integration Center), P/390, VSAM (Virtual Storage Access Method ), real-time operating system (RTOS), SuperZap, ISPF (Interactive System Productivity Facility), scalability

This was last updated in April 2012

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

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