BLD FLASH 9602 SOURCE MATERIAL DATED: 1/96 ¦ PSF/MVS: PRINTER SHARING ENHANCEMENTS ADDED TO V2.2.0 Enhancements to PSF/MVS V2.2.0 printer sharing are now available via APAR OW15018. This apar adds support for the VTAM RELREQ functions as well as new configuration options to enhance sharing of network attached printers. Support for VTAM RELREQ allows PSF/MVS to receive notification from VTAM that another application (can also be a PSF) has requested a session with the same printer. PSF/MVS will then release the printer (end the session), if the RELMODE option is not NONE. PSF/MVS will restart the session with the printer as requested by the MGMTMODE and FAILURE keywords. Support is added for sharing printers which support multiple attachments active simultaneously. These printers can be SNA or TCP/IP attached. The CONNINTV keyword has been added on the PRINTDEV statement to allow you to control the time PSF/MVS continues to attempt to begin a session or dialog with a printer. This is most beneficial for TCP/IP attachments. Prior to this APAR, PSF/MVS would retry session startup up to 16 times (and issue a message each time). Now, PSF/MVS will continue to retry the TCP/IP session startup (with only one message) up to the time limit specified by CONNINTV. The new PRINTDEV keywords added as part of OW15018 include ACQINTV, CONNINTV, RELINTV and RELMODE. These new keywords require MVS/ESA 4.3.0 or later and the MVS Scheduler APAR OW16442. The following changes to the PSF/MVS System Programming Guide will document these enhancements. ---------------------------------------------------------------- PSF/MVS System Programming Guide, S544-3672-02: In Chapter 6, PRINTDEV Parameters, add or replace the following keyword descriptions: --------------------------------------------------------------------- | Parameter| Description | |---------- ----------------------------------------------------------| | ACQINTV | Specifies the acquire interval in seconds. This is | |(optional)| the time period between releasing a printer and | | | attempting to acquire it again. ACQINTV is used | | | only when RELMODE=TIME. | | | | | | Syntax: ACQINTV=nn nn=0-86400 default=0 | |---------- ----------------------------------------------------------| | CONNINTV | Specifies the connect interval in seconds. This is | |(optional)| the time limit for an attempt to start a session or | | | dialog with a printer. When the connect interval | | | expires before connection is complete, PSF will issue | | | a message and end the FSA. | | | If CONNINTV is not specified or CONNINTV=0, PSF will | | | attempt to connect for an unlimited period of time. | | | | | | For SNA, the connect interval is used when queueing a | | | session request after a busy or not available condition. | | | | | | For TCP/IP, the connect interval is used when restart- | | | ing the session after any retriable error condition. | | | | | | For IPDS dialogs, the connect interval is used | | | when starting a dialog after it has been | | | released (RELMODE=IDLE|TIME). | | | | | | Syntax: CONNINTV=nn nn=0-86400 | |---------- ----------------------------------------------------------| | DISCINTV | Specifies the disconnect interval in seconds. When | |(optional)| no output is available from JES for this time period, | | | PSF ends the session with the printer. PSF ensures | | | that all pages from the last job reach the stacker | | | before ending the session and allowing that job to be | | | purged from the spool. | | | | | | If DISCINTV=0, PSF does not end the printer session | | | because of a lack of output. (See note 2 for additional | | | information.) | | | | | | If RELMODE=IDLE or TIME, DISCINTV is ignored. See | | | "Printer Sharing in the MVS Environment" following | | | this table for more information. | | | | | | Syntax: DISCINTV=nnn nnn=0-86400 | | | | | | Notes: | | | 1. DISCINTV is used only for SNA-attached or TCP/IP- | | | attached printers. | | | | | | 2. Some printers have a network inactivity timer. If | | | the timer is enabled, the DISCINTV value must be | | | less than that of the inactivity timer and greater | | | than 0. Otherwise PSF abends when the inactivity | | | timer expires. | | | | | | 3. When some printers (such as the 3820) become | | | inoperative, a local intervention timer is started. | | | When the timer expires, an action code X'22' nega- | | | tive acknowledgmemt (NACK) is sent to PSF. PSF then | | | issues message APS923I and performs the action | | | specified in the FAILURE parameter. If the system | | | operator does not need this message, you can dis- | | | able the timer. PSF then waits for the printer | | | operator to correct the problem. | |---------- ----------------------------------------------------------| | FAILURE | Specifies PSF action after failure to establish a SNA | |(optional)| or TCP/IP session with printers that are busy or not | | | enabled. If FAILURE=STOP, PSF must be restarted by an | | | operator command. | | | If FAILURE=WCONNECT and the printer is connected to | | | another host when PSF attempts to establish connection, | | | PSF will wait for the printer (up to the time specified | | | by CONNINTV) as follows: | | | For SNA, PSF will queue a session request in VTAM which | | | will respond when the printer becomes available. | | | For TCP/IP, PSF will continuously retry until the | | | printer becomes available. | | | | | | Syntax: FAILURE=STOP|WCONNECT default=WCONNECT | |---------- ----------------------------------------------------------| | RELINTV | Specifies the release interval in seconds. This is the | |(optional)| time period after which a request to release the print- | | | er is honored. The timer for the release interval is | | | not begun until PSF is at the next job boundary. | | | | | | Syntax: RELINTV=nn nn=0-86400 default=0 | |---------- ----------------------------------------------------------| | RELMODE | Specifies the manner in which PSF will respond to a | |(optional)| request to release the printer. A request to release | | | a printer can be either an IPDS release dialog request | | | or a VTAM release session request. See "Printer Sharing | | | in the MVS Environment" following this table for more | | | information. | | | | | | Syntax: RELMODE=IDLE|TIME|NONE | | | | | | IDLE specifies release the printer when a request to | | | release has been received and there is no output on the | | | spool for this printer for the time specified by the | | | the release interval. | | | | | | TIME specifies begin the release interval when a request | | | to release has been received even when there is more | | | output on the spool. | | | | | | NONE specifies do not release the printer. This | | | is the default. | --------------------------------------------------------------------- In Chapter 6, replace the section titled "Printer Sharing in the MVS Environment" with the following: Printer Sharing in the MVS Environment For network attached printers, PSF/MVS supports sharing of printers with other print drivers by three different methods: 1. JES Spool Driven 2. VTAM RELREQ 3. Port Switching PSF will release a printer only at the end of a job so that job output is never split. I. JES Spool Driven This method is valid for SNA or TCP/IP attached printers. A session with the printer is maintained while there is output on the JES spool and the printer is available. When there is no more output on the spool and the disconnect interval expires, PSF ends the session with the printer. PSF will attempt to restart the session when there is more work on the spool for this printer. After the session is restarted, PSF must reload the resources required for following print jobs. With this method, there is no means fo PSF to determine if another print driver is active. This method is requested by specifying the following PRINTDEV parameters: MGMTMODE=OUTAVAIL DISCINTV=nn TIMEOUT=REDRIVE FAILURE=WCONNECT II. VTAM RELREQ This method is valid only for SNA attached printers. A session with printer is maintained until VTAM indicates that another print driver in the VTAM network has requested a session with the printer. The session with the printer is then ended according to the RELMODE specified. After the session is restarted, PSF must reload any re- load any resources required for following print jobs. If RELMODE=IDLE, PSF will end the session when a VTAM request to release has been received and there is no output on the spool for the printer for the time specified by the release interval. PSF will attempt to restart the session when there is more work on the spool for this printer. This method is requested by specifying the following PRINTDEV parameters: MGMTMODE=OUTAVAIL RELMODE=IDLE RELINTV=nn If RELMODE=TIME, when a VTAM request to release is received PSF will wait for the time specified by the release interval and then end the session. PSF will attempt to restart the session when the acquire interval expires based on the MGMTMODE specified. This method is requested by specifying the following PRINTDEV parameters: RELMODE=TIME RELINTV=nn ACQINTV=nn III. Port Switching This method is valid for printers which support multiple active ports (i.e. 3130, rel.2). Currently, these printers support only SNA or TCP/IP attachment. One of these printers can be in session with multiple print drivers simultaneously. Control of the print mech- anism is passed between the ports by means of an IPDS "dialog". When an IPDS print driver starts a dialog with the printer,it has control of the print mechanism and can continue to print until it ends its dialog. This is the most efficient printer sharing method because print resources are retained in the printer while the printer is switched to another port. When the printer indicates that another port has requested control, PSF will end it's dialog according to the RELMODE specified. If RELMODE=IDLE, PSF will end the dialog when an IPDS request to release has been received and there is no output on the spool for the spool for the printer for the time specified by the release interval. PSF will attempt to restart the dialog when there is more work on the spool for this printer. This method is requested by specifying the following PRINTDEV parameters: RELMODE=IDLE RELINTV=nn If RELMODE=TIME, when an IPDS request to release is received PSF will wait for the time specified by the release interval and then end the dialog. PSF will attempt to restart the dialog when the ac- quire interval expires. This method is requested by specifying the following PRINTDEV parameters: RELMODE=TIME RELINTV=nn ACQINTV=nn Note: When a release or acquire interval of 0 is specified, the related action is taken immediately. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To obtain the correct PTF for APAR OW15018 contact IBM Software Support for PSF/MVS at 1-800-237-5511. $EOM