The articles marked [Web] below appear only in the Web version of "Technical Notes" at http://datacenter.cit.nih.gov/interface/interface210.
Some articles have extracts printed in this issue, with more complete technical information on the Web.
Enhancements in Parachute and New High-Speed Remote Access Services
CIT has enhanced high-speed remote access to the NIH network by providing an increased number of dial-up lines, faster Parachute connections (for users who have v.90 56K modems and ISDN data connections), and new high-speed cable modem access to the NIH network. A pilot program for DSL access is also available.
Time(Keeping) Marches On As Use of ITAS Expands
The new NIH Integrated Time and Attendance System (ITAS) is now being used by 13 institutes and centers (ICs). ITAS gives employees greater "real-time" information and control of their leave, and reduces the workload for timekeepers. The remaining ICs should be incorporated into the system by this August.
CIT’s Special Services Team Provides Broad IT Support
The Special Services Team (SST) supports Windows, Macintosh and Unix desktops and servers at many sites across NIH. SST provides support services on an as-needed, short-term or long-term schedule according to your needs.
New Facility for Software Acquisition and Distribution—SDP—Benefits NIH
The Software Distribution Project (SDP), which replaces CandyLAN, is
CIT’s new mechanism for acquiring and distributing brand-name software to NIH and HHS personnel. A subscription-based service, SDP significantly reduces the cost of software licensing.
Configure Your PC to Automatically Upgrade Antivirus Software [Web]
All NIH staff now have access via the Web to free antivirus software that can be set up to upgrade a user’s PC automatically. We recommend that NIH PC users take advantage of this important and convenient service.
WYLBUR Retirement Status
The WYLBUR retirement working group has established a WYLBUR
retirement Web page and Listserv list to keep users informed. The group is working to devise alternative methods for performing WYLBUR functions.
NIH Data Warehouse Is Helping Harness Business Information—On the Web
"Data Town," the Web version of NIH Data Warehouse, provides a central place to access information related to budget and finance, procurement, travel, property, research contracts and grants, and human resources. New features include a simplified user interface, a powerful tool called the "manager’s desktop assistant," and a budget tracking application.
Notice—TASC Has a New Telephone Number
EOS Systems Provide Robust Solutions for Large Enterprise Applications
Disaster Recovery Off-Site Test on August 31, 1999
Attention—IRS Software Users
What’s Happening with the MVS Standard System?
Contracts for CERTAN’s Network Infrastructure Acquisition Have Been Awarded
WYLBUR’s Enter ABC—Assisted By Computer—to Retire After 16 Successful Years
Distinctions Between SAS/INSIGHT and JMP on PCs [Web]
Older Versions of SAS to Be Retired in Early August [Web]
Major MVS North System Upgrades in March Were a Success—Thanks to You
Reminder—Support for Low-Speed MVS Dial-Up Service to End in July
SQL*Forms on the North System Will Be Retired on September 30, 1999
PRINT TAPE Processing Has Been Eliminated on the MVS North System [Web]
New SYSOUT Class and MSGCLASS Parameter Are Now Available [Web]
Inactive Tapes to Be Released on the MVS South System in the Near Future
Six RHB Routines Going Away in July
Reminder—"Forgotten" Data Sets In Old Migration System to Be Deleted in mid July
OS/390 is Coming—Will Your Third-Party Software Still Function?
Oracle RDBMS on the MVS Systems Will Retire on September 30, 1999
Are Your Remote Job Entry (RJE) Workstations Y2K Compliant?
NIH Computer Center Hardware and Software
Notice—NIH Computer Center to Close Early on December 31, 1999 On the last day of this year, CIT will close early in order to
obtain a full backup of all data stored
The Unix-based Enterprise Open Systems (EOS) provide an excellent
environment for important applications that require dependable and responsive service.
For the next off-site test in August, CIT has arranged for a dedicated T1 line as the primary telecommunications link to Comdisco, in North Bergen, N.J.
The Center for Information Technology is actively investigating replacements for the inquiry and reporting system (IRS) that is used on the MVS South system. If you use this software please contact TASC.
The hardware, operating system and many other system software products have been set up. Currently under discussion are security, naming conventions and the process of moving data and applications to this system. MVS users are encouraged to participate in these activities.
NIH has recently awarded contracts for the third and final CERTAN
(Computer Equipment Resources and Technology Acquisition for NIH) acquisition. This acquisition is designed to provide the resources needed to operate and maintain the NIH backbone (NIHnet) and large-scale LANs and telecommunications installations.
Created before the Web and browsers, Enter ABC offered interactive training to WYLBUR users on the MVS South system. Now that Web-based alternatives are available, Enter ABC will retire on November 22, 1999.
SAS/INSIGHT and JMP software, both developed by SAS Institute Inc.,
provide similar functionality for data analysis on personal computers. JMP is a standalone program that provides statistical analyses interactively. However, most users want the more in-depth analysis that comes with use of SAS/INSIGHT and other SAS procedures. Since CIT has an existing site
license for SAS system software, we have not acquired one for JMP software.
On August 2, 1999, SAS (version 5.18) will be retired on both the North and South systems, and SAS (version 82.4) will be retired on the South system. All SAS users should upgrade to SAS (version 6.09), which provides 12 new statistical procedures, as well as hundreds of new options in existing statistical procedures.
User patience and cooperation on March 29 enabled the NIH Computer
Center to upgrade systems software with minimal downtime and relatively low impact on user application production schedules. The CIT staff appreciates the many useful suggestions from system administrators, technicians and users.
Support for modem speeds below 2400 bps will be discontinued July 5, 1999.
The NIH Computer Center will retire SQL*Forms on the North system on September 30, 1999. Oracle stopped supporting SQL*Forms (version 3.0) in June 1998.
On April 28, 1999, processing of high volume, spooled print data from a PRINT TAPE ended on the North system at the NIH Computer Center. This change should not unduly affect users, since alternative procedures are available.
Available for all jobs, output class J suppresses the printing of a selected output. The MSGCLASS parameter on the JOB statement—prohibited for many years on the MVS South system—can now be used to specify where the system message portion of job output will be printed.
The NIH Computer Center soon plans to resume releasing MVS South system tapes that have not been accessed in the last 13 months. When the tape releasing process begins, we will announce it via the terminal "message of the day."
Six RHB Routines Going Away in July
RHB routines that provided date and time information on the MVS South system will not work after this year. As a result, six routines will be removed from service on July 12, 1999.
CIT plans to move data sets from the "old migration system" under the control of the hierarchical storage management system by the end of this year. As part
of this effort, the old system’s "forgotten" data sets (established by WYLBUR commands) will be deleted in July.
Will your third-party software still function when the MVS operating system OS/390 (version 2.5) is installed on the MVS South system later this summer?
Due to reduced usage and increased maintenance costs, the Oracle RDBMS on the MVS systems will be discontinued on September 30, 1999. Oracle is available on CIT’s Unix-based Enterprise Open Systems.
Owners of remote job entry (RJE) workstations—such as BARR/HASP
emulators used to submit jobs and receive output from the NIH Computer Center—are reminded that they should ensure that RJE workstations are ready for the year 2000 (Y2K).
Training
on disk—as an additional precaution before the year 2000.
Interface 210 - June 15, 1999