Communications Access Methods for SAS/CONNECT and SAS/SHARE Software

Using a DOMAIN Server for Cross-Access Method Communication

The DOMAIN server is a protocol gateway service that connects two SAS sessions that do not use a common communications access method in a networked environment. A network comprises one or more logical domains, each of which maps a topological area according to the communications protocol or access method that it supports.

A SAS session can communicate with any other SAS session that runs in the same logical domain because both sessions use the same access method. Furthermore, SAS sessions from different logical domains can communicate by means of the DOMAIN server if at least one domain supports multiple access methods, one of which must be used in both domains. The DOMAIN server, therefore, eliminates the need to configure multiple protocols in a given domain.

Consider a network that supports NetBIOS and APPC domains, as illustrated in Example of a Multiple Protocol Network.

Example of a Multiple Protocol Network

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Within the NetBIOS domain, PC 1, PC 2, and PC 3 can intercommunicate using the NetBIOS access method. Within the APPC domain, PC 1, OS/390 1, and OS/390 2 can intercommunicate using the APPC access method. However, PC 2 and PC 3 cannot intercommunicate with OS/390 1 or OS/390 2 because they do not share a common access method.

The DOMAIN server provides the gateway that allows communication between SAS sessions that are running in different logical domains. Incorporating the DOMAIN server has the result that is illustrated in Example of a Multiple Protocol Network with DOMAIN Server.

Example of a Multiple Protocol Network with DOMAIN Server

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All sessions in both domains can intercommunicate by using the DOMAIN server's set of common access methods. A message flows over the originator's native access method to the DOMAIN server. This access method is called the inbound access method. The server redirects a message to the cross-domain destination using the destination's native access method. Conversely, the outbound access method is the access method that is used on the target host side of the protocol gateway.

Supported Access Methods

The OS/2, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 32s, Macintosh, and UNIX (AIX, HP-UX, and Solaris 2) platforms support the following access methods:

Inbound Access Methods: APPC, DECnet, NetBIOS, SPX, TCP/IP
Outbound Access Methods: APPC, TCP/IP

DOMAIN Server System Requirements

The DOMAIN server requires a dedicated SAS session running in an OS/2 or in a Windows NT environment.

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