Introduction
5
Introduction
This chapter provides a brief overview of I-
O’s
5760e adaptio/Gateway
Print Server.
adaptio/Gateway
is a hardware product that converts IBM’s proprietary SCS data stream into standard
printer languages used by products from companies such as HP, Canon, Kyocera, Xerox, Okidata, etc.
Print jobs are sent from the IBM host to the
adaptio/Gateway
, converted and then redirected to the
desired printer.
adaptio/Gateway
accomplishes t
his by converting IBM’s EBCDIC character set to the
ASCII character set. IBM’s SCS command structure is converted to PCL 3, Epson or Proprinter
command languages.
Connection of the I-O host printing product to the IBM host is accomplished over an Ethernet link
between the
adaptio/Gateway
and the IBM host using TCP/IP. Destination printers are also connected
on the Ethernet link.
For SCS data streams, TN5250e is used for iSeries connections while TN3270e is used for zSeries
connections.
For 5250 hosts when using TN5250e, configuration is only required at the I-O product as the IBM host
will automatically create a print device, writer and spooler. However, the IBM host must be configured to
use TCP/IP and TN5250e, and setup for automatic device configuration.
For 3270 hosts when using TN3270e, configuration is required at both the I-O product and the IBM host.
C
AUTION
:
B
ECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY ASSOCIATED WITH CONFIGURING MAINFRAME PRINTERS
,
A
KNOWLEDGEABLE HOST SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR OR
IBM
SPECIALIST MUST PERFORM THE PROCESS
.
T
HE INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS ARE INTENDED TO ONLY PROVIDE A
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS
.
Once the
adaptio/Gateway
and IBM host are properly configured, print jobs sent from the IBM host are
issued i
n IBM’s proprietary EBCDIC character set and use the SNA Character String (SCS) command
structure. The I-O Printer Emulation in
adaptio/Gateway
converts EBCDIC to ASCII and the SCS
command structure to PCL 3, Epson or IBM Proprinter command structures. The I-O Printer Emulations
can be customized to change the host print attributes if needed (CPI, page orientation, edge-to-edge,
etc.). For 3270 hosts, the I-O SCS Printer Emulation will also handle the DSC (LU3) data stream as well
as the SCS (LU1) data stream.
I-O has also included a number of advanced printing features in the I-O SCS Printer Emulation. These
include the ability to send printer specific commands as part of the SCS data stream that the IBM host
does not know the printer is capable of performing. Other features include I-
O’s bar code language,
graphing language, and even color support.
N
OTE
:
F
OR BREVITY
,
THE TERMS
“
PRINT SERVER
”,
“
PRODUCT
”
AND
“I-O
PRODUCT
”
WILL REFER TO THE
SPECIFIC
I-O
P
RINT
S
ERVER
,
P
RINT
B
OX
,
E
THERNET
D
ISPLAY
,
T
HIN
C
LIENT
,
S
OFTWARE
P
RINT
S
ERVER
,
ETC
.
HOST PRINTING SOLUTION THAT YOU ARE USING
.
S
YSTEM I
5,
I
S
ERIES AND
AS/400
HOSTS WILL BE REFERRED HEREIN AS
5250
HOSTS
.
Z
S
ERIES AND
S/390
MAINFRAME HOSTS WILL BE
REFERRED HEREIN AS
3270
HOSTS
.
T
HE TERM
IBM
HOST AND HOST WILL ALSO BE USED AND REFERS
TO THE APPROPRIATE
5250
OR
3270
HOST WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE TOPIC BEING DISCUSSED
.