APPN
Encyclopedia
Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (APPN) is an extension to the Systems Network Architecture
(SNA).
It includes features such as these:
APPN was meant to complement IBM
's Systems Network Architecture, a legacy from the mainframe era. It was designed as a simplification, but it turned out to be utterly complex, in particular in migration situations.
APPN was originally meant to be a "DECNET
killer", but DEC actually died before APPN was completed. Today, of course, APPN has been completely superseded by TCP/IP (Internet).
Note that APPN has nothing to do with controversial peer-to-peer file sharing software such as KaZaa or Napster. The designation peer-to-peer in the case of APPN refers to its independence from a central point of control, similar to the way that a FireWire PC connection allows a video camera to talk directly to a disk drive on the FireWire network.
APPN evolved to include a more efficient data routing layer which was called High Performance Routing (HPR). HPR was made available across a range of enterprise corporation networking products in the late 1990s, but today is typically used only within IBM's z/OS environments as a replacement for legacy SNA networks. It seems to be still widely used within UDP tunnels, this technology is known as Enterprise Extender.
Systems Network Architecture
Systems Network Architecture is IBM's proprietary networking architecture created in 1974. It is a complete protocol stack for interconnecting computers and their resources. SNA describes the protocol and is, in itself, not actually a program...
(SNA).
It includes features such as these:
- distributed network control
- dynamic exchange of network topology information to foster ease of connection, reconfiguration, and route selection
- dynamic definition of network resources
- automated resource registration and directory lookup.
APPN was meant to complement IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
's Systems Network Architecture, a legacy from the mainframe era. It was designed as a simplification, but it turned out to be utterly complex, in particular in migration situations.
APPN was originally meant to be a "DECNET
DECnet
DECnet is a suite of network protocols created by Digital Equipment Corporation, originally released in 1975 in order to connect two PDP-11 minicomputers. It evolved into one of the first peer-to-peer network architectures, thus transforming DEC into a networking powerhouse in the 1980s...
killer", but DEC actually died before APPN was completed. Today, of course, APPN has been completely superseded by TCP/IP (Internet).
Note that APPN has nothing to do with controversial peer-to-peer file sharing software such as KaZaa or Napster. The designation peer-to-peer in the case of APPN refers to its independence from a central point of control, similar to the way that a FireWire PC connection allows a video camera to talk directly to a disk drive on the FireWire network.
APPN evolved to include a more efficient data routing layer which was called High Performance Routing (HPR). HPR was made available across a range of enterprise corporation networking products in the late 1990s, but today is typically used only within IBM's z/OS environments as a replacement for legacy SNA networks. It seems to be still widely used within UDP tunnels, this technology is known as Enterprise Extender.