Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the topics covered in our FAQ.

HostBridge Operation

• What is "screen scraping?"
• Does HostBridge do "screen scraping" under the covers?
• With HostBridge, how and when are field names "bound" to values?
• What does HostBridge provide that is not already in CICS TS 1.3?
• What does HostBridge use to generate its XML output?
• What does HostBridge's XML output look like?
• How can I route requests to HostBridge running in different regions?
• Does HostBridge execute in the CICS TOR or AOR?
• How does CICS user authentication work with HostBridge?
• What is the maximum number of sessions I can use with HostBridge?
• If I have CICS TS 1.3, how do I request a particular bridge facility for use with my CICS application?
• Can I use InterTest/CICS (from Computer Associates) or XPEDITER (from Compuware) to debug a transaction invoked through HostBridge?
• Can a CICS application programmer tell, in his application code, that a transaction has been invoked via HostBridge?

3270 Bridge

• What is the "3270 bridge"?
• How does HostBridge handle the shortcomings of the "3270 Bridge", such as not supporting dynamic modification of field attributes from CICS programs?
• Have you overcome the 3270 Bridge "problem" when the 3270 application performs and EXEC CICS START?

Use of Basic Mapping Support (BMS)

• Is HostBridge sensitive to changes in the location of fields, or the value of literals, on a BMS map?
• What happens if I add a new field to a BMS map?
• What happens if I remove a field from the BMS map?
• Do the BMS maps still exist?
• Does HostBridge require that we re-compile our applications?
• Does HostBridge support the PAGE and ACCUM parameters used by BMS applications?
• Does HostBridge support SDF2-generated BMS maps?

Existing CICS Applications

• Can I access the same application using both HostBridge and 3270 terminals (real or emulated)?
• Can HostBridge be used to automate access to a sequence of CICS transactions?

Application Servers and Integration Platforms

• How does HostBridge fit into a web services architecture?
• Can HostBridge be used with Novell eXtend (formerly SilverStream eXtend)?
• Does HostBridge work with application servers like WebSphere and WebLogic?
• Does HostBridge compete with Microsoft's COMTI?
• Can a .NET application communicate with HostBridge?

IBM Solutions

• Does IBM offer anything like HostBridge?
• Is IBM planning on including any XML capabilities within CICS?
• Which HTTP server should I use on the mainframe?
• Does the OS/390 Web Server include functionality that CICS Web Services does not?
• If I have MQSeries for OS/390, do I still need HostBridge?
• How does HostBridge compare to the XML support in new versions of COBOL?
• How does HostBridge compare to opening and extending legacy applications by "wrapping" COBOL apps in Java?
• What is CTG and how does it compare to HostBridge?

IBM's Connector "Generations"

• How does HostBridge fit in with IBM's connector "generations"?
• What is an "API-based connection"?
• What is "CWS with 3270 Bridge and Templates" and why is it a first generation connector?
• Would anything that relies upon 3270 Bridge be considered a first generation connector?
• Using IBM's definitions, is HostBridge a first, second or third generation connector?

TIBCO Connections

• How does TIBCO connect to Hostbridge?
• Does HostBridge return Data to TIBCO in XML format when using the LINK/ECI interface?
• Can HostBridge still invoke a terminal-oriented transaction via the 3720 Bridge when using the LINK/ECI interface between TIBCO and HostBridge?
• Is the size of the COMMAREA still limited to 32K when using the LINK/ECI interface between TIBCO and HostBridge?
• Can TIBCO use HTTP to connect to HostBridge from a middle tier server or from Substation on OS/390?
  
• Do I own HostBridge if I own TIBCO's CICS Subsystem product?
  
• Is TIBCO necessary to retrieve XML from CICS?