PMDF-XGS provides an e-mail connection between systems using the SNADS (SNA Distribution Services) protocol and the myriad of networks and mail systems reachable with PMDF. Mail systems that use SNADS include:
PMDF-XGS consists of two major components. The first component consists of PMDF-XGS channel programs running on a PMDF system --- an OpenVMS, Digital UNIX, or Solaris system. The second component is the PMDF-XGS transport bridge, running on an OS/2 or NT (Intel) system. The PMDF-XGS transport bridge on the OS/2 or NT system acts as a pipeline, with a SNADS connection to the SNADS nodes in one direction, and a TCP/IP connection to PMDF-XGS on the PMDF system in the other direction.
The PMDF-XGS transport bridge (the OS/2 or NT system) appears to the SNADS network as an AS/400 SNADS node, and the PMDF/PMDF-XGS system itself appears to the SNADS network as another SNADS node reachable through the PMDF-XGS transport bridge. Other host and mail systems reachable through PMDF, e.g., other SMTP hosts or PC mail systems, appear to the SNADS network as other SNADS nodes which are reached through the the PMDF-XGS transport bridge in its guise of SNADS node. And from the PMDF side, each SNADS node appears as an additional host, akin to an additional SMTP host. Section 42.5 below shows an example site.
Note:
SNADS channels are provided by the PMDF-XGS product, not PMDF proper. PMDF-XGS is a layered product built on top of PMDF. It is licensed separately from the base PMDF product.