IBM S/390 Internet Solutions
The IBM S/390 (mainframe) has long been considered the quintessential platform for very large-scale enterprise applications, and the de-facto host for very high throughput transaction processors. S/390 technology is one of BankNet's key areas of specialization — a specialty with a strong focus on this platform as a host for Internet and e-commerce solutions. The S/390 platform is emerging as the premier host for Web-based solutions requiring access to enterprise data and transaction processors. This technology offers:

  • High Availability — an unmatched 99.9999% availability in Parallel Sysplex configuration
  • Performance — Web server performance record of 21,000 hits per second
  • Scalability and Manageability — expansion capabilities for surges in demand, centrally managed system
  • Security — the S/390's bullet-proof security is unmatched

S/390 Web Server-Side Technologies
BankNet has developed and implemented solutions using the following S/390 server-side technologies, products and components:

  • Servlets — Web server "plug-ins" which operate in compliance with the standard interface defined by Sun Microsystems
  • Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) — business logic components that access enterprise data and transactions.
  • Java Server Pages — technology for server-side dynamic (active) Web pages
  • WebSphere — IBM supports Servlets, JSPs, and EJBs through its WebSphere Application Server solution, which interoperates with VisualAge
  • XML — "eXtensible Markup Language" is a non-proprietary standard for marking up textual information, widely used for e-commerce messages and data
  • MQSeries — a messaging solution supporting a wide array of technologies

Bridging Legacy Systems to the Internet
Customers now demand that companies with whom they do business provide Internet access to transactions and information. This capability has evolved rapidly from an alternate delivery channel to a mainstream necessity. Providing this capability presents enterprises with a profound challenge. Part of this challenge involves finding ways of bridging mainframe legacy systems to the Internet.
      A key BankNet focus is on the development of solutions to Web-enable such S/390-hosted legacy applications. These solutions apply equally to other customer facing technologies such as IVR (Interactive Voice Response) and Palm computing devices. Our Object Framework software product enables existing legacy transaction processors to be "wrapped" to form XML-based APIs which are well suited to these channels.