VOLUME 20 - BULLETIN #55
TO:
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ALL CLEARING MEMBERS
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FROM:
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BUSINESS SYSTEMS GROUP
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DATE:
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February 23, 2000
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SUBJECT:
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BOTCC® New Customer Network Information
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As previously mentioned in Volume 19-Bulletin #283, we are in the process of constructing a new data network for the purpose of enhancing communications between BOTCC and its member firms, at this time. These are some details of the new network:
BOTCC’s Customer Network is a private Intranet and will not have any interface with the public Internet. It is a Frame Relay TCP/IP network. It will only support the use of the TCP/IP protocol. Tunneling of SNA traffic over IP will not be permitted in this network. The use of TCP/IP protocol will allow BOTCC and its member firms to support more applications both today and in the future. The use of TCP/IP protocol must be operational in order to allow member firms to access BOTCC’s applications in the Customer Network. This protocol is supported by AS400, DEC, PC, Mainframe, Tandem, RS6000 and Sun platforms.
The Customer Network is managed by AT&T. AT&T is responsible for the Frame Relay network and the management of the network devices located at BOTCC and its remote locations. The network contains automatic ISDN backup. All locations will be supplied with T1 access and a minimum Private Virtual Circuit of 128Kb. Additional bandwidth will be provided if current or future needs are required. AT&T will deploy all routers and configure them under our network requirements. All member firm issues related to the network and its components are to be directed to BOTCC.
As part of the managed network, AT&T will provide a router to each remote location. Backup hardware can be provided on site for additional cost. BOTCC will administer the billing for components of the network.
IP Addressing:
BOTCC is using RFC1918 private IP addresses in the new network. Member Firms can use a private addressing scheme or public IP addresses. A router will be configured with a one-to-one mapping of the BOTCC IP addresses to the member firm’s IP addresses using Network Address Translation (NAT). Address translation will be performed on the remote router supplied by BOTCC. The new network will be using TCP/IP to transport data. SNA and SNA emulation will not be supported in the new network.
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Firms will need to provide to BOTCC an IP address for the router’s Ethernet interface and an IP address for each device that needs to connect to the new network. The devices that can connect include AS400s, UNIX servers, NT boxes, WIN/95/98/2000, and LAN-capable printers. Remote connections will be limited to 254 IP addresses. Port numbers are as follows. FTP – port 21, Telnet (TN3270) – port 23 and MQM – 1414.
Disaster Recovery:
BOTCC has implemented a Disaster Recovery facility to allow the Member Firms to communicate with us in the event of a site outage. This procedure would only be implemented if we had to relocate from our primary site to our Disaster Recovery site. It would be transparent to the member firms.
Disaster recovery facilities for member firms will require an additional link from BOTCC’s Customer Network to the member firm’s disaster recovery site. This will ensure that all BOTCC applications will be available. An alternative disaster recovery solution will also be offered which will have limitations. This Disaster Recovery alternative will be limited to PC communications and only allow FTP’s as a data transport mechanism. This will be a dial-up solution and be limited to a maximum of 56Kb.
Application Conversion Process
The applications currently at BOTCC use SNA protocol to access MQM, RJE and 3270. The new Customer Network will use TCP/IP protocol to access the same processes. In the new network MQM has the same capabilities under TCP/IP as it does under LU62 (SNA). Using TCP/IP will actually increase the speed of the transmissions. The 3270 dumb terminal interface will be replaced by TN3270E emulation running on a PC under TCP/IP. The applications will still be accessible as they are today, with some additional screen and functionality enhancements. FTP will be available directly from the user’s screen. The old way of transferring bulk and report data will be improved dramatically. RJE / NJE will be replaced by the FTP process under the TCP/IP protocol.
Record length limitations will remain the same with the new protocol. Printing from the mainframe will require an IP network printer on the remote side. The current SNA printer will not be supported in this network. Your current Xerox printer that is leased by BOTCC will not be supported.
With the conversion to TCP/IP, processes on both the BOTCC and member firm sites will need to be changed to accommodate the new infrastructure.
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Member Firm Requirements
Member firm network connectivity will vary. Member firms will have to establish a link to the Ethernet interface on the router provided by BOTCC’s Customer Network. Member firms can connect this interface into their private network. The IP address of the Ethernet interface will be provided by the member firm. If
the member firm does not have a network or is only connecting one PC, an IP address will be provided by BOTCC. All network connectivity designs will be reviewed by BOTCC to insure proper connectivity.
Technical contacts and business contacts will be required from the Member Firms. BOTCC will also provide a network team to interface with all issues related to the new network.
Hardware: Hardware requirements will be dictated by the ability to support the TCP/IP protocol. IP supported printers are required for printing. PCs, AS400’s, Mainframe and other devices must have the ability to support TCP/IP protocol in their software to communicate with BOTCC through the Customer Network.
Note: OTIS terminal, Xerox printer, or IBM terminal will not be able to connect after the transition to the new network.
Software: There are four components to access BOTCC information through software: Web browser, MQM, TN3270 and FTP. All components will require the use of the TCP/IP protocol stack. Web browsers suggested are Netscape Communicator and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. The ability to run MQM software is determined by the platform that the end user will be running on. IBM or a software vendor that supports MQM products will be able to supply the user with the proper levels of software.
TN3270 emulation can be purchased from many software vendors. BOTCC recommends the use of the IBM (Personal Communications Workstations Program), Attachemate (TN3270E), or the Chameleon product. Assistance with the configuration for TN3270 emulation will be provided upon request. Standard FTP software provided with the users’ TCP/IP protocol will be used for file transmissions. IPSWITCH makes FTP software named WSFTP, which has an option for an Explorer interface to make file transfers easier.
In addition to the four components mentioned above, there may be the need for job scheduling software or script development to automate uploads and downloads of data to BOTCC. There are many job-scheduling products available for the Mainframe and the AS/400. One PC based software called Task Manager is available with Win98 and NT 4.0.
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Should you have any questions, please call or e-mail one of the following Business Systems Analysts:
BOTCC is a registered trademark of the Board of Trade Clearing Corporation.
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