The following diagram illustrates the basic flow of a CICS transaction. It illustrates how the client application communicates with the adapter.

The communication to the CICS Transactions region depends upon the platform the adapter is running on. If you are using UNIX or Microsoft Windows, you can use a communication transport of TCP62 (AnyNET) for DPL programs or LU6.2 for APPC programs. If you are using z/OS, a direct CICS Transactions External Call Interface is used for DPL programs (use of LU6.2 for APPC programs from z/OS is not supported in this release of the server).

To provide for transparent execution of CICS Transactions programs, metadata describing the program input and output areas is held on the server. For DPL programs, the COBOL FD describing DFHCOMMAREA is used as a source for metadata creation. For APPC-based programs, the COBOL FD describing the storage layout for CICS Transactions SEND and RECEIVE calls is used as a source for metadata creation; RECEIVE for input, SEND for output.

A Web Console is available as the primary configuration and maintenance tool. It is used to add or change adapter communication parameters and in creating/maintaining the metadata associated with the programs to be executed.