Configuring BARR/NJE for SNA

BARR/NJE

Before starting the steps in this topic, you must configure the SNA gateway. SNA connections require the installation of an SNA gateway (Microsoft SNA Server, SNA Workstation, or HIS). See the System Requirements topic for more information. After configuring the SNA gateway, you must define the connections between Barr nodes and adjacent host nodes, configure an SNA node and an NJE node, and start the SNA node.

You must be a member of the local Administrators group to operate the NJE Configuration Utility. If you are assigned the Configure - NJE user access right on the computer to which you are trying to connect, but are not a member of the Administrators group, the NJE Configuration Utility will operate in read-only mode.

You can also define routing tables to route jobs from BARR/SPOOL and messages from NJE Console to host nodes on the NJE network.

See also:


Configure the connection

Before configuring BARR/NJE for the first time, you must configure the SNA gateway.

Use the NJE Configuration Utility to define and configure SNA connections for communicating with the host. The procedures outlined in this topic are required. Your host programmer can help configure the link settings. Complete the following steps to configure the connection.

  1. Open the NJE Configuration Utility.

  2. Select the Communications Profile tab.

    Communications Profile Tab

  3. Under Connection, click Add.

  4. Type the connection Name.

  5. In the Type drop-down list, select SNA (SNA SERVER/HIS). Click OK. The Connection Configuration dialog box displays.

    Connection Configuration Dialog Box

  6. Next to SNA Configuration, click Modify. The SNA Configuration dialog box displays. Complete the following steps to configure the SNA node.

    SNA Configuration Dialog Box

  1. Under NJE logical unit, enter the SNA LU name. This must match the luname parameter specified during VTAM configuration.

  2. Type the LU number as a decimal. This must match the LOCADDR parameter specified during VTAM configuration.

  3. If you are using JES2, you have the option of enabling the auto-start feature. Select Use auto-start, and then enter the APPC Acronym for Advanced Program-to-Program Communication. A specification developed as part of IBM's SNA model and designed to enable programs running on different computers to communicate and exchange data directly. auto-start Local LU alias. This must match the APPC auto-start LU name specified during VTAM configuration. You will also need to enter the APPC auto-start Remote LU alias. On JES2, this value can be found by issuing the D APPC, LU ALL command and scanning the output for the LU definition with BASE=YES. This value will also be used when configuring NJE auto-start by editing the BARR$SN1 job. (Optional for JES2 only.)

  4. Click OK to return to the Connection Configuration dialog box.

  1. Next to NJE Configuration, click Modify. The NJE Configuration dialog box displays. Complete the following steps to configure the NJE node.

    NJE Configuration Dialog Box

  1. Under BARR node, enter the Barr node Name. This must match the BARR/NJE node name specified during JES2, JES3, or POWER configuration. The Location box is currently unavailable.

  2. Under Host node, enter the host node Name. This must match the host node name specified during JES2, JES3, or POWER configuration.

  3. Select the host node Type. If you are using JES2 or JES3, select MVS/JES2. If you are using POWER, select VSE/POWER.

  4. Click Advanced. The Advanced Node Settings dialog box displays.

    Advanced Node Settings Dialog Box

  5. Under Passwords, specify a Send password and a Receive password, if desired. The send password is the password sent to the host to authenticate the Barr node. The receive password is the password the Barr node expects to receive from the host to authenticate the host node. By default, the passwords are blank.

The Features fields are set for optimal performance and are compatible with host systems.

  1. Under Streams, configure the number of streams. This must match the number of streams specified during JES2 or POWER configuration. If you are using JES3, skip this step.

The host's receivers correspond to BARR's transmitters, and the host's transmitters correspond to BARR's receivers. For example, if the host is configured for 5 SYSIN transmitters, the SYSIN receivers field must be 5.

  1. Click OK twice, and then click Close.

  1. When you click OK to close the NJE Configuration Utility, a message displays asking if you want to restart the BARR NJE service. Click Yes.

Starting the SNA node

Complete the following steps to start the SNA node after the BARR NJE service has restarted.

  1. Verify that the NJE LU is activated.

  2. Issue the start networking command at the host console. This command differs for JES2, JES3, and POWER.

For JES2:

$SN,A=applid

where applid is the NJE LU name set in VTAM and JES2 configuration.

For JES3:

+S SNA,NODE=nodename

where nodename is the BARR/NJE node name set in JES3 configuration.

For POWER:

pstart pnet,nodename

where nodename is the BARR/NJE node name set in POWER configuration.

  1. A message will display on the host console indicating that the node is active. If this message does not appear, use the Operator Console to diagnose the problem.

  2. You can now finish testing the NJE connection and send a job or print data set from the host to your NJE node.

Testing the NJE LU for Microsoft SNA Server or HIS

Complete the following steps to activate the SNA gateway PU and check the status of the NJE LU.

To activate the SNA gateway PU

  1. Open Microsoft SNA Manager.

  2. Right-click the SNA service and select Start.

  3. After the service is active, right-click the connection and select Start.

  4. Once the connection's state displays Active, the VTAM PU will be active. If the connection's state does not display Active, check your host's console for messages.

To check the status of the NJE LU

  1. Select the connection where the NJE LU is defined.

  2. On the right side, the NJE LU will appear in an SSCP Acronym for System Services Control Point. A controlling program in an SNA domain. It resides in the host and is a component within VTAM. state. If the LU does not appear in an SSCP state, check to make sure that both the VTAM PU and the connection have been activated. The following table displays the states that can appear in the window.

State

Solution

<blank>

If the state column does not contain a description, it is <blank>. The SNA service has not been started. There is a configuration problem with the connection, or a communications problem between the SNA gateway and the host.

Inactive

There is no physical connection active between the SNA gateway and the host. Verify that the PU has been activated.

Available

The LU is active, but the BARR NJE service is not connected. Try restarting the BARR NJE service. Check your LU name and number in the BARR/NJE configuration.

SSCP

A physical connection between the SNA gateway and the host is active, and the Barr Enterprise Print Server software has requested that the NJE session be started. The start networking command must be issued on the mainframe to start the session. See Starting the SNA node for specific commands.

In Session

Your NJE node is fully connected. The NJE session is active between the Barr Enterprise Print Server software and the host.

If you are unable to diagnose the problem, you can also use Operator Console to troubleshoot BARR/NJE.

Sending a test print job from the host to Barr

No additional configuration is needed for receiving print jobs. Once the NJE connection is operational and the node has been started at the host, jobs will automatically be received into the spool. From BARR/SPOOL, you can reroute jobs to various destinations using a header field.

To send a test print job, request that the job be submitted from the host to BARR/NJE and use the Barr node name as the destination. Anyone on the host can route their job to an NJE node using the DEST= parameter in their JCL. For example, you could specify DEST=barrnode in your JCL where barrnode is the BARR/NJE node name specified during JES2, JES3, or POWER configuration.

//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=A,DEST=barrnode

You can also route the job to a specific printer in the Barr spooler by adding the printer name to your destination parameter. Enter the Barr node name, followed by a comma, and then the printer name. Because the DEST= parameter contains two parameters, you must use parenthesis as shown in the following example.

//SYSOUT DD SYSOUT=A,DEST=(barrnode,HPLASER)