Optimize 3270 data streams with CICS OTTO

IBM® CICS® Online Transmission Time Optimizer for z/OS® (CICS OTTO) improves user productivity and increases network utilization through 3270 data stream optimization. It reduces the number of characters transmitted to supported devices by making optimum use of all available orders for each device type. It keeps the screen layout of conversational terminals in memory so that only changed data is transmitted. CICS OTTO can also reduce the contention between the devices on a communications line and between devices connected to local controllers to improve response times.

Features

• **Optimization techniques: **IBM® CICS® OTTO provides: repetitive character elimination for 3270-type terminals and printers; transmission of only changed data for 3270-type terminals; blank elimination for 3270 SNA Character Set (SCS) printers; String Control Byte (SCB) compression for 3600/4700-type terminals.
• **Exclusion list for terminals and modules: **The exclusion list lets you exclude any terminal or module from optimization. For example, you can use the exclusion list to exclude terminals that are running specific applications or exclude terminals dynamically while CICS OTTO is running.
• **Selection list for terminals and modules: **The selection list allows you to select specific terminals or modules you want to include in optimization. For example, you can use this list to include a few terminals or modules, while you verify the correct installation, or include terminals or modules dynamically, while CICS OTTO is running.
• **Customized control with user exits: **This feature gives you even more control over optimization functions. This user exit is called every time a message is about to be optimized and also after optimization. The user exit may be used to: process specific messages unchanged by controlling the optimization using return codes; keep parts of the messages and to insert these fields again after optimization; and change characters for specific countries.
• **Data stream error display: **CICS OTTO records errors that can prevent optimization of messages, whether found in an inbound or an outbound data stream, and can display a summary of recorded errors. Error statistics are automatically written to CICS OTTO's statistics file (OTTOSTAT) when CICS OTTO is shut down. Error statistics can be cleared to help access the cause of compression errors and their effect on the optimization rate.
• **Trace data viewing: **CICS OTTO can create a trace and save it in a storage area above 16 MB. Traces can be produced before and after each optimization, and can be useful for error determination. Only normal CICS OTTO data is saved, and in-storage trace data is deleted when CICS OTTO is shut down.
• **Transaction ID option: **Transaction ID can be set to yes or no. Yes means that module names in exclusion and selection lists are treated as CICS transaction IDs. No means that module names are treated as CICS program names.
• **HELP function: **For every CICS OTTO screen, there is a HELP function that is triggered by pressing PF1. If the cursor is located in an input field, a specific HELP panel for this field is shown. Otherwise, a panel with general information on the underlying CICS OTTO screen is shown.

Benefits

• **Remove repetitive data: **Identify and remove repetitive data and dynamically compress 3270 data streams, and improve 3270 network resource utilization.
• **Monitor optimization: **See how effective CICS OTTO optimization is in your environment by continually monitoring its operations and receiving progress reports on demand.
• **Improve transparency and visibility: **Operate CICS OTTO transparently to applications and users. Operational statistics display or are written to console, and controls and settings can be entered on a temporary or permanent basis.