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Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
Get started
Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
CICS (Customer Information Control System)
CICS (Customer Information Control System) is an online transaction processing (OLTP) program from IBM that, together with the COBOL programming language, has formed over the past several decades the most common set of tools for building customer ... Continue Reading
channel extender
A channel extender is a device used with IBM's S/390 line of computers to increase the maximum communication distances between the S/390 channel-connected mainframe computers, or between an S/390 and peripheral devices such as workstations, printers... Continue Reading
brick server
A brick server is a compact computer server module without a chassis that can come in various processor, RAM, I/O, and storage configurations and is designed to fit into rack locations similar to those for blade servers. Continue Reading
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server blade
A server blade is a thin, modular electronic circuit board containing one, two, or more microprocessors and memory, that is intended for a single, dedicated application (such as serving Web pages) and that can be easily inserted into a blade server... Continue Reading
alien crosstalk (AXT)
Alien crosstalk (AXT) is electromagnetic noise that can occur in a cable that runs alongside one or more other signal-carrying cables. Continue Reading
BAL (Basic Assembler Language or branch-and-link)
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 systems.Continue Reading
bash (Bourne Again Shell)
Bash (Bourne Again Shell ) is the free version of the Bourne shell distributed with Linux and GNU operating systems.Continue Reading
Bourne shell
The Bourne shell is the original UNIX shell (command execution program, often called a command interpreter) that was developed at AT&T. Named for its developer, Stephen Bourne, the Bourne shell is also known by its program name, "sh". The shell ...Continue Reading
indemnification
In service level agreements (SLAs) and other legal contracts such as end-user license agreements (EULAs), indemnification is the part of an agreement that provides for one party to bear the monetary costs, either directly or by reimbursement, for ...Continue Reading
mainframe (big iron)
A mainframe (also known as 'big iron') is a high-performance computer used for large-scale computing purposes that require greater availability and security than a smaller-scale machine can offer... (Continued)Continue Reading
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Cygwin
Cygwin is an open source collection of tools that allows Unix or Linux applications to be compiled and run on a Windows operating system from within a Linux-like interface.Continue Reading
data integrity
Data integrity is the assurance that digital information is uncorrupted and can only be accessed or modified by those authorized to do so. Integrity involves maintaining the consistency, accuracy and trustworthiness of data over its entire life ...Continue Reading
ISO 9000
(For the business server line from Hewlett-Packard, see HP 9000.) ISO 9000 is a series of standards, developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), that define, establish, and maintain an effective quality ...Continue Reading
twisted pair
Twisted pair is the ordinary copper wire that connects home and many business computers to the telephone company. (Continued...)Continue Reading
multiprocessing
Multiprocessing is the coordinated processing of programs by more than one computer processor.Continue Reading
DB2
DB2 is a family of relational database management system (RDBMS) products from IBM that serve a number of different operating system platforms.Continue Reading
back-end
Front-end and back-end are terms used to characterize program interfaces and services relative to the initial user of these interfaces and services.Continue Reading
plenum
In building construction, a plenum (pronounced PLEH-nuhm, from Latin meaning full) is a separate space provided for air circulation for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (sometimes referred to as HVAC) and typically provided in the space ...Continue Reading
real-time operating system (RTOS)
A real-time operating system (RTOS) is an operating system that guarantees a certain capability within a specified time constraint. For example, an operating system might be designed to ensure that a certain object was available for a robot on an ...Continue Reading
ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
ANSI, American National Standards Institute, organization for fostering, development of technology standards, industry groups, International Organization for Standardization, ISO, International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC, computer standards...Continue Reading
channel
In telecommunications in general, a channel is a separate path through which signals can flow. Depending on the context, this term has various meanings.Continue Reading
COTS (commercial off-the-shelf)
COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) describes ready-made products that can easily be obtained.Continue Reading
distribution
In marketing, distribution is the process of moving a product from its manufacturing source to its customers. In computer software, distribution is the phase that follows packaging.Continue Reading
Ruling your IT universe
crontab
crontab is a UNIX command that creates a table or list of commands, each of which is to be executed by the operating system at a specified time.Continue Reading
Systems Network Architecture (SNA)
SNA is a proprietary IBM architecture and set of implementing products for network computing within an enterprise.Continue Reading
CRON script
A CRON script is a list of one or more commands to a computer operating system or application server that are to be executed at a specified time.Continue Reading
chmod (change mode)
In a UNIX-based operating system, chmod (change mode) is a command used by a file owner or administrator to change the definition of access permissions to a file or set of files.Continue Reading
BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution)
BSD (originally: Berkeley Software Distribution) refers to the particular version of the UNIX operating system that was developed at and distributed from the University of California at Berkeley.Continue Reading
Andrew
Andrew was a joint project between Carnegie-Mellon University and IBM to set up a distributed computing environment on the CMU campus.Continue Reading
Quiz: Negotiating -- Do you speak business?
Find out how much you know about the language of negotiation.Continue Reading
Mainframe Micro-quiz: DB2 V8
Check out this new micro-quiz on DB2 V8. It will both test your knowledge and provide additional resources you may find useful when contemplating an upgrade or getting the most out of going to V8.Continue Reading
Watch out when changing the name of IBM VSAM files
You can rename VSAM datasets, but you might lock the mainframe out of VSAM files if you do it incorrectly. Here's how to change a VSAM name.Continue Reading
Run a storage dump for SVC: IBM mainframe troubleshooting
An SVC dump is the first step in troubleshooting IBM's virtual storage controller system.Continue Reading
What does IDCAMS mean?
If you're working with VSAM on an IBM mainframe, you'll probably want to get familiar with IDCAMS.Continue Reading