VSAM file to be updated outside of mainframe

Question

I have a requirement to ensure I can update/delete VSAM file record from outside mainframe. i.e., from a dotnet application.

I definitely looked around online, but didn't find lot of information around this topic. Are VSAM files accessible like DB2 databases or MQ series to other systems ?? Any pointers would be helpful

Answer 1

I know that using Stored Procedures (SP) you can access a Vsam File. You have the DSNACICS to invoke a program that access the VSAM File. The SP have to be external, written in Cobol, Java or other language. This SP can be called outside the mainframe.

regards, Roberto Chirinos

Answer 2

The question you are asking is "Are there general programming interfaces for VSAM on the mainframe that I can access that provide CRUD operations on VSAM files?"

Data bases like Db2 offer general interfaces like JDBC for accessing data managed by that Db2 subsystem. However, VSAM is a an access method that is managed by the operating system. Currently, z/OS does not offer a General User Programming Interface (GUPI) for accessing VSAM externally.

To address this some vendors provide for fee services that can run on the mainframe to make access to this data available. IBM Data Virtualization Manager (DVM) is one such offering. I have not used the offering but the link referenced shows how to access VSAM files (some access is READ-ONLY while others provide READ-WRITE).

Essentially you will need to provide a server-side component to access VSAM files. This could be one of a variety of options. Perhaps the easiest (subjective) is to write a CICS transaction that is accessible via z/OS Connect that will perform the requested operations. IBM ZOAU provides utilities to do this as well.

Bottom line, there are no platform provided RESTful means to access VSAM files but its possible if you put in the coding effort.