Distributed FileManager

DFM is a DDM server on a z/OS system. DDM enables clients to share and access data on z/OS servers regardless of where the data is located. The benefits of DFM are:

It provides applications and end-users with transparent access to z/OS® data from remote platforms
- Supports both record- and stream-oriented data
- Gives workstations access to z/OS data as if the data were local
- Allows you to use local commands; no need to use z/OS commands
It improves the productivity of application programmers
- Can develop high-level language applications independent of data location
- Eliminates upload and download procedures. Data access is in-place
- Can share data with other workstations as well as with z/OS batch jobs and Time Sharing Option (TSO) users
- Allows creating, updating, deleting, and renaming of z/OS data that is accessed in-place
It capitalizes on strengths of centralized data storage
- Offers backup and recovery support across an extended enterprise
- Allows data to be shared throughout an extended enterprise
- Ensures security and data integrity using normal z/OS conventions
- Provides latest storage and data management techniques for workstation data
It leverages existing investments in data, applications, support skills, and storage capacity

DFM uses APPC LU 6.2 protocol to establish network conversations with DDM clients. The conversations consist of DDM commands and messages. DDM is the common language between DDM clients and DFM. The DDM client support is currently available on DDM client and i5/OS™ systems (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Example of DDM Source—DDM Target Relationships