Modernize mainframe online printing workloads on AWS by using Micro Focus Enterprise Server and LRS VPSX/MFI

Created by Shubham Roy (AWS), Abraham Rondon (Micro Focus), Guy Tucker (Levi, Ray and Shoup Inc), and Kevin Yung (AWS)

Environment: PoC or pilot	Source: Mainframe	Target: AWS
R Type: Replatform	Workload: IBM	Technologies: Mainframe; Migration; Modernization
AWS services: AWS Managed Microsoft AD; Amazon EC2; Amazon RDS; Amazon EBS

Summary

This pattern shows you how to modernize your business-critical mainframe online printing workloads on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud by using Micro Focus Enterprise Server as a runtime for a modernized mainframe application and LRS VPSX/MFI (Micro Focus Interface) as a print server. The pattern is based on the replatform mainframe modernization approach. In this approach, you migrate your mainframe online application to Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) and migrate your mainframe database, such as IBM DB2 for z/OS, to Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS). The authentication and authorization for the modernized print workflow is performed by AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory, also known as AWS Managed Microsoft AD. The LRS Directory Information Server (LRS/DIS) is integrated with AWS Managed Microsoft AD for print workflow authentication and authorization. By modernizing your online printing workloads, you can reduce IT infrastructure costs, mitigate the technical debt of maintaining legacy systems, remove data silos, increase agility and efficiency with a DevOps model, and take advantage of on-demand resources and automation in the AWS Cloud.

Prerequisites and limitations

Prerequisites

• An active AWS account

• A mainframe online printing or output management workload

• Basic knowledge of how to rebuild and deliver a mainframe application that runs on Micro Focus Enterprise Server (For more information, see the Enterprise Server data sheet in the Micro Focus documentation.)

• Basic knowledge of LRS cloud printing solutions and concepts (For more information, see Output Modernization in the LRS documentation.)

• Micro Focus Enterprise Server software and license (For more information, contact Micro Focus sales.)

• LRS VPSX/MFI, LRS/Queue, and LRS/DIS software and licenses (For more information, contact LRS sales.)

Note: For more information about configuration considerations for mainframe online printing workloads, see Considerations in the Additional information section of this pattern.

Product versions

• Micro Focus Enterprise Server 8.0 or later

• LRS VPSX/MFI V1R3 or later

Architecture

Source technology stack

• Operating system – IBM z/OS

• Programming language – Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL) and Customer Information Control System (CICS) 

• Database – IBM DB2 for z/OS IBM Information Management System (IMS) and Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM)

• Security – Resource Access Control Facility (RACF), CA Top Secret for z/OS, and Access Control Facility 2 (ACF2)

• Printing and output management – IBM mainframe z/OS printing products (IBM Infoprint Server for z/OS, LRS, and CA View)

Target technology stack

• Operating system – Microsoft Windows Server running on Amazon EC2

• Compute – Amazon EC2

• Programming language – COBOL and CICS

• Database – Amazon RDS

• Security – AWS Managed Microsoft AD

• Printing and output management – LRS printing solution on AWS

• Mainframe runtime environment – Micro Focus Enterprise Server

Source architecture

The following diagram shows a typical current state architecture for a mainframe online printing workload.

The diagram shows the following workflow:

1. Users perform business transactions on a system of engagement (SoE) that’s built on an IBM CICS application written in COBOL.

2. The SoE invokes the mainframe service, which records the business transaction data in a system-of-records (SoR) database such as IBM DB2 for z/OS.

3. The SoR persists the business data from the SoE.

4. A user initiates a request to generate print output from the CICS SoE, which initiates a print transaction application to process the print request. 

5. The print transaction application (such as a CICS and COBOL program) extracts data from the database, formats the data according to business requirements, and generates business output (print data) such as billing statements, ID cards, or loan statements. Then, the application sends a print request by using Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM). A z/OS print server (such as IBM Infoprint Server) uses NetSpool or a similar VTAM component to intercept the print requests, and then creates print output datasets on the JES spool by using JES output parameters. The JES output parameters specify routing information that the print server uses to transmit the output to a particular network printer. The term VTAM refers to the z/OS Communications Server and the System Network Architecture (SNA) services element of z/OS.

6. The printing output transmission component transmits the output print datasets from the JES spool to remote printers or print servers, such as LRS (as demonstrated in this pattern), IBM Infoprint Server, or email destinations.

Target architecture

The following diagram shows an architecture for a mainframe online printing workload that’s deployed in the AWS Cloud:

The diagram shows the following workflow:

1. A user initiates a print request from an online (CICS) user-interface to create print output, such as billing statements, ID cards, or loan statements.

2. The mainframe online application (replatformed to Amazon EC2) uses the Micro Focus Enterprise Server runtime to extract data from the application database, apply business logic to the data, format the data, and then send the data to a print destination by using Micro Focus CICS Print Exit (DFHUPRNT). 

3. The application database (an SoR that runs on Amazon RDS) persists data for print output.

4. The LRS VPSX/MFI printing solution is deployed on Amazon EC2, and its operational data is stored in Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS). LRS VPSX/MFI uses a TCP/IP-based LRS/Queue transmission agent to collect print data through the Micro Focus CICS Print Exit API (DFHUPRNT) and deliver the data to a specified printer destination. The original TERMID (TERM) that’s used in the modernized CICS application is used as the VPSX/MFI Queue name. 

Note: The target solution typically doesn’t require application changes to accommodate mainframe formatting languages, such as IBM Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) or Xerox Line Condition Data Stream (LCDS). For more information about using Micro Focus for mainframe application migration and modernization on AWS, see Empowering Enterprise Mainframe Workloads on AWS with Micro Focus in the AWS documentation.

AWS infrastructure architecture

The following diagram shows a highly available and secure AWS infrastructure architecture for a mainframe online printing workload:

The diagram shows the following workflow:

1. The mainframe online application (written on a programming language such as CICS or COBOL) uses core business logic to process and generate print output, such as billing statements, ID cards, and loan statements. The online application is deployed on Amazon EC2 across two Availability Zones (AZ) for high availability (HA) and uses Micro Focus CICS Print Exit to route print output to LRS VPSX/MFI for end-user printing.

2. LRS VPSX/MFI uses a TCP/IP-based LRS/Queue transmission agent to collect or capture print data from the Micro Focus online Print Exit programming interface. Online Print Exit passes the necessary information to enable LRS VPSX/MFI to effectively process the print file and dynamically build LRS/Queue commands.

   Note: For more information on various CICS application programing methods for print and how they are supported in Micro Focus Enterprise server and LRS VPSX/MFI, see Print data capture in the Additional information section of this pattern.

3. A Network Load Balancer provides a DNS name to integrate Micro Focus Enterprise Server with LRS VPSX/MFI. Note: LRS VPSX/MFI supports a Layer 4 load balancer. The Network Load Balancer also does a basic health check on LRS VPSX/MFI and routes traffic to the registered targets that are healthy.

4. The LRS VPSX/MFI print server is deployed on Amazon EC2 across two Availability Zones for HA and uses Amazon EBS as an operational data store. LRS VPSX/MFI supports both the active-active and active-passive service modes. This architecture uses multiple Availability Zones in an active-passive pair as an active and hot standby. The Network Load Balancer performs a health check on LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 instances and routes traffic to hot standby instances in another Availability Zone if an active instance is in an unhealthy state. The print requests are persisted in the LRS Job Queue locally in each of the EC2 instances. In the event of recovery, a failed instance has to be restarted for the LRS services to resume processing the print request.

   Note: LRS VPSX/MFI can also perform health checks at the printer fleet level. For more information, see Printer fleet health checks in the Additional information section of this pattern.

5. AWS Managed Microsoft AD integrates with LRS/DIS to perform print workflow authentication and authorization. For more information, see Print authentication and authorization in the Additional information section of this pattern.

6. LRS VPSX/MFI uses Amazon EBS for block storage. You can back up Amazon EBS data from active EC2 instances to Amazon S3 as point-in-time snapshots and restore them to hot standby EBS volumes. To automate the creation, retention, and deletion of Amazon EBS volume snapshots, you can use Amazon Data Lifecycle Manager to set the frequency of automated snapshots and restore them based on your RTO/RPO requirements.

Tools

AWS services

• Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) provides block-level storage volumes for use with Amazon EC2 instances. EBS volumes behave like raw, unformatted block devices. You can mount these volumes as devices on your instances.

• Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) provides scalable computing capacity in the AWS Cloud. You can launch as many virtual servers as you need and quickly scale them up or down.

• Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS) helps you set up, operate, and scale a relational database in the AWS Cloud.

• AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory (AD), also known as AWS Managed Microsoft Active Directory, enables your directory-aware workloads and AWS resources to use managed Active Directory in AWS.

Other tools

• LRS VPSX/MFI (Micro Focus Interface), co-developed by LRS and Micro Focus, captures output from a Micro Focus Enterprise Server JES spool and reliably delivers it to a specified print destination.

• LRS Directory Information Server (LRS/DIS) is used for authentication and authorization during the print workflow.

• LRS/Queue is a TCP/IP-based LRS/Queue transmission agent, used by LRS VPSX/MFI, to collect or capture print data through the Micro Focus online Print Exit programming interface.

• Micro Focus Enterprise Server is an application deployment environment for mainframe applications. It provides the execution environment for mainframe applications that are migrated or created by using any version of Micro Focus Enterprise Developer.

Epics

Set up Micro Focus Enterprise Server on Amazon EC2 and deploy a mainframe online application

Task	Description	Skills required
Set up Micro Focus Enterprise Server and deploy a demo online application.	Set up Micro Focus Enterprise Server on Amazon EC2, and then deploy the Micro Focus Account Demo application (ACCT Demo) on Amazon EC2 by following the instructions from Tutorial: CICS Support in the Micro Focus documentation. The ACCT Demo application is a mainframe online (CICS) application that creates and then initiates print output.	Cloud architect

Set up an LRS print server on Amazon EC2

Task	Description	Skills required
Get an LRS product license for printing.	To get an LRS product license for LRS VPSX/MFI, LRS/Queue, and LRS/DIS, contact the LRS Output Management team. You must provide the host names of the EC2 instances where the LRS products will be installed.	Build lead
Create an Amazon EC2 Windows instance to install LRS VPSX/MFI.	Launch an Amazon EC2 Windows instance by following the instructions from Step 1: Launch an instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Your instance must meet the following hardware and software requirements for LRS VPSX/MFI:   CPU – Dual Core RAM – 16 GB Drive – 500 GB Minimum EC2 instance – m5.xlarge OS – Windows/Linux Software – Internet Information Service (IIS) or Apache Note: The preceding hardware and software requirements are intended for a small printer fleet (around 500–1000). To get the full requirements, consult with your LRS and AWS contacts. When you create your Windows instance, do the following: Confirm that the EC2 host name is the same host name used for the LRS product license. Enable CGI in Amazon EC2 by completing the following: Connect to your EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. In the Windows Start menu, find and open Server Manager. In Server Manager, choose Dashboard, Quick Start, Add roles and features. Then, choose Server roles. In Server roles, choose WebServer (IIS), and then choose Application Development. In Application Development, select the CGI check box. Follow the instructions on the Windows Server Manager Add roles and features wizard to install CGI. Open port 5500 in the Windows firewall of the EC2 instance for LRS/Queue communication.	Cloud architect
Install LRS VPSX/MFI on the EC2 instance.	Connect to your EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Open the link to the product download page from the LRS email that you should receive. Note: LRS products are distributed by electronic file transfer (EFT).  Download LRS VPSX/MFI and unzip the file (default folder: c:\LRS). Launch the LRS Product Installer from the unzipped folder to install LRS VPSX/MFI.  In the Select Features menu, select VPSX® Server (V1R3.022), and then choose Next to start the installation process. You will receive a success message when installation is complete.	Cloud architect
Install LRS/Queue.	Connect to your Micro Focus Enterprise Server EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Open the link to the LRS product download page from the LRS email that you should receive, download LRS/Queue, and then unzip the file. Go to the location where you downloaded the files, and then launch the LRS product installer to install LRS/Queue.	Cloud architect
Install LRS/DIS.	Connect to your LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Open the link to the LRS product download page from the LRS email that you should receive, download LRS/DIS, and then unzip the file. Go to the location where you downloaded the files, and then launch the LRS Product Installer. In the LRS Product Installer, expand LRS Misc Tools, select LRS DIS, and then choose Next. Follow the rest of the instructions in the LRS Product Installer to complete the installation process.	Cloud architect
Create a target group and register LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 as the target.	Create a target group by following the instructions from Create a target group for your Network Load Balancer in the Elastic Load Balancing documentation. When you create the target group, do the following: On the Specify group details page, for Choose a Target Type, choose Instances. For Protocol, choose TCP. For Port, choose 5500.  On the Register targets page, in the Available instances section, select the LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 instances.	Cloud architect
Create a Network Load Balancer.	Follow the instructions from Create a Network Load Balancer in the Elastic Load Balancing documentation. Your Network Load Balancer routes traffic from Micro Focus Enterprise Server to LRS VPSX/MFI EC2. When you create the Network Load Balancer, do the following on the Listeners and Routing page: For Protocol, choose TCP.  For Port, choose 5500. For Default action, choose Forward to for the target group that you created earlier.	Cloud architect

Integrate Micro Focus Enterprise Server with LRS VPSX/MFI and LRS/Queue

Task	Description	Skills required
Configure Micro Focus Enterprise Server for LRS/Queue integration.	Connect to your Micro Focus Enterprise Server EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. In the Windows Start menu, open the Micro Focus Enterprise Server Administration UI. In the menu bar, choose NATIVE. In the navigation pane, choose Directory Server, and then choose BANKDEMO or your Enterprise server region. From General in the left navigation pane, scroll down to the Additional section to configure the environment variables (LRSQ_ADDRESS, LRSQ_PORT, LRSQ_COMMAND) to point to LRSQ. For LRSQ_ADDRESS, enter the IP address or DNS name of the Network Load Balancer that you created earlier. For LRSQ_PORT, enter VPSX LRSQ Listener Port (5500). For LRSQ_COMMAND, enter the path location of the LRSQ executable. Note: LRS currently supports a maximum character limit of 50 for DNS names, but this is subject to change in the future. If your DNS name is greater than 50, then you can use the IP address of the Network Load Balancer as an alternative.	Cloud architect
Make CICS Print Exit (DFHUPRNT) available to Micro Focus Enterprise Server initialization.	Connect to your Micro Focus Enterprise Server EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Copy CICS Print Exit (DFHUPRNT) from the LRS VPSX/MFI executable folder (named VPSX_MFI_R2) to the Micro Focus Enterprise Server EC2 instance location. For 32 bit systems, the location is C:\Program Files (x86) \Micro Focus\Enterprise Server\bin. For 64 bit systems, the location is C:\Program Files (x86) \Micro Focus\Enterprise Server\bin64. Note: The DFHUPRNT_64.dll file must be renamed to DFHUPRNT.dll when copied. Validate that Micro Focus Enterprise Server has detected CICS Print Exit (DFHUPRNT) Stop and start Micro Focus Enterprise Server.  In the Administration panel of Micro Focus Enterprise Server, open Monitor, Logs, Console logs. Check the console logs for the following message: “3270 printer user exit DFHUPRNT installed successfully.”	Cloud architect
Define the CICS printer's terminal ID (TERMIDs) as Micro Focus Enterprise Server.	Enable 3270 printing in Micro Focus Enterprise Server In the Administration panel of Micro Focus Enterprise Server, open CICS, Resources, By Group. From the left navigation panel, choose SIT (System Initialization Table), and then choose BNKCICV. In the General section, scroll down to 3270, and then select the 3270 Print check box. Define the CICS printer's terminal in Micro Focus Enterprise Server In the Administration panel of Micro Focus Enterprise Server, open CICS, Resources, By Type. From the left navigation panel, choose Term, and then choose New. The Create Terminal Resource form opens. For Name, enter the name of the LRS Print Queue. (Note: This pattern uses "P275" as the CICS printer's terminal ID and LRS VPSX Print Queue.)  For Group, enter BANKTERM.  For Auto Install – Model, enter NO. For Terminal Identifiers - Terminal type, enter DFHPRT32. For Net name, enter VTAMP275. For Terminal Usage, select the In Service check box. Scroll at the top of the page, and then chose Save. Choose Install. A pop-up message displays a successful installation message.	Cloud architect

Set up printers and print users in Micro Focus Enterprise Server and LRS VPSX/MFI

Task	Description	Skills required
Create a print queue in the LRS VPSX.	Connect to your LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Open the VPSX Web Interface from the Windows Start menu. In the navigation pane, choose Printers. Choose Add, and then choose Add Printer. On the Printer Configuration page, for Printer Name, enter P275. For VPSX ID, enter VPS1. For CommType, select TCPIP/LRSQ. For Host/IP Address, enter the IP address of the physical printer that you want to add. For Device, enter the name of your device. Choose either Windows Driver or Linux/Mac Driver. Choose Add. Note: The print queue must be equivalent to the Print TERMIDs created in Micro Focus Enterprise Server.	Cloud architect
Create a print user in LRS VPSX/MFI.	Connect to your LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Open the VPSX Web Interface from the Windows Start menu. In the navigation pane, choose Security, and then choose Users. In the User Name column, choose admin, and then choose Copy. In the User Profile Maintenance window, for User Name, enter a user name (for example, PrintUser). For Description, enter a brief description (for example, User for test print). Choose Update. This creates a print user (for example, PrintUser). In the navigation pane, under User, choose the new user that you created. From the Command menu, choose Security. On the Security Rules page, choose all the applicable printer security and job security options, and then choose Save. To add your new print user to the Administrator group, go to the navigation pane, choose Security, and then choose Configure. In the Security configuration window, add your new print user to the Administrator column.	Cloud architect

Set up print authentication and authorization

Task	Description	Skills required
Create an AWS Managed Microsoft AD domain with users and groups.	Create an Active Directory on AWS Managed Microsoft AD by following the instructions from Create your AWS Managed Microsoft AD directory in the AWS Directory Service documentation.  Deploy an EC2 instance (Active Directory manager) and install Active Directory tools to manage your AWS Managed Microsoft AD by following the instructions from Step 3: Deploy an EC2 instance to manage your AWS Managed Microsoft AD in the AWS Directory Service documentation. Connect to your EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. Note: When you connect to the EC2 instance, enter your administrator credentials (for the directory that you created in step one) in the Windows Security window. In the Windows Start menu, under Windows Administrative Tools, choose Active Directory Users and Computers. Create a print user in the Active Directory domain by following the steps from Create a user in the AWS Directory service documentation.	Cloud architect
Join LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 to an AWS Managed Microsoft AD domain.	Join LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 to your AWS Managed Microsoft AD domain automatically (AWS Knowledge Center documentation) or manually (AWS Directory Service documentation).	Cloud architect
Configure and integrate LRS/DIS with AWS Managed Microsoft AD.	Connect to your LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. In the Windows Start menu, open the VPSX Web Interface. In the navigation pane, choose Security, and then choose Configure. On the Security Configuration page, in the Security Parameters section, for Security Type, select Internal. Enter your preferences for the rest of the options in the Security Parameters section. Open the LRS Output Management folder from the Microsoft Windows Start menu, choose Server Start, and then choose Server Stop. Log in to LRS VPSX/MFI with your Active Directory user name and password.	Cloud architect

Test an online print workflow

Task	Description	Skills required
Initiate an online print request from the Micro Focus ACCT Demo app.	Open the TN3270 terminal emulator in your Micro Focus Enterprise Server EC2 instance. (Note: This pattern uses 3270 terminal emulators.)  Connect to the TN3270 terminal emulator (Rumba). For Host name address, use 127.0.0.1. For Telnet Port, use 9270. After connecting to the 3270 screen, press CTL+SHIFT+Z to clear the screen. To start the ACCT Demo application, in clear screen, enter ACCT. This opens the ACCT Demo online (CICS) application main screen. Note: The main screen includes menu options such as Account file, To search by name, enter, Request type, Account, and Printer. To submit a print request from the ACCT Demo online (CICS) application, enter P in the request type field, 11111 in the account field, and P275 in the printer field. Be sure to set the value in the printer field to the value of the CICS printer's terminal ID. Press Enter. The “Print Request Scheduled” message appears at the bottom of the screen. This confirms that an online print request was generated from the ACCT Demo application and sent to LRS VPS/MFI for print processing.	Cloud architect
Check the print output in LRS VPSX/MFI.	Connect to your LRS VPSX/MFI EC2 instance by following the instructions from Step 2: Connect to your instance in the Amazon EC2 documentation. In the Windows Start menu, open the VPSX Web Interface. In the navigation pane, choose Printers, and then choose Output Queue. Find the P275 print queue that you created for online printing earlier. For the print queue (P275), in the Spool ID column, choose the spool ID for the request in the printer queue. On the Actions tab, in the COMMAND column, choose Browse.  You can now see the print output of an account statement with columns for Account No., SURNAME, FIRST, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE, No. Cards Issued, Date issued, Amount, and Balance. For an example, see the online_print_output attachment for this pattern.	Test engineer

Related resources

• LRS Output Modernization (LRS documentation)

• VTAM networking concepts (IBM documentation)

• Summary of logical unit (LU) types (IBM documentation)

• ANSI and machine carriage controls (IBM documentation)

• Empowering Enterprise Mainframe Workloads on AWS with Micro Focus (AWS Partner Network Blog)

• Build a Micro Focus Enterprise Server PAC with Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling and Systems Manager (AWS Prescriptive Guidance documentation)

• Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) data stream (IBM documentation)

• Line Conditioned Data Stream (LCDS) (Compart documentation)

Additional information

Considerations

During your modernization journey, you may consider a wide variety of configurations for mainframe online processes and the output they generate. The mainframe platform has been customized by every customer and vendor that uses it with particular requirements that directly affect print. For example, your current platform may incorporate the IBM Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) or the Xerox Line Condition Data Stream (LCDS) into the current workflow. Additionally, mainframe carriage control characters and channel command words can affect the look of the printed page and may need special handling. As part of the modernization planning process, we recommend that you assess and understand the configurations in your specific print environment.

Print data capture

This section summarizes the CICS application programming methods that you can use in an IBM mainframe environment for printing. LRS VPSX/MFI components provide techniques to allow the same application programs to create data in the same way. The following table describes how each application programming method is supported in a modernized CICS application running in AWS and Micro Focus Enterprise Server with an LRS VPSX/MFI print server.

Method	Description	Support for the method in a modernized environment
EXEC CICS SEND TEXT..    or EXEC CICS SEND MAP..	These CICS and VTAM methods are responsible for creating and delivering 3270/SCS print data streams to LUTYPE0, LUTYPE1, and LUTYPE3 print devices.	A Micro Focus online Print Exit (DFHUPRNT) application program interface (API) enables print data to be processed by VPSX/MFI when 3270/SCS print data streams are created by using either of these methods.
EXEC CICS SEND TEXT..    or EXEC CICS SEND MAP.. (with third-party IBM mainframe software)	The CICS and VTAM methods are responsible for creating and delivering 3270/SCS print data streams to LUTYPE0, LUTYPE1, and LUTYPE3 print devices. Third-party software products intercept the print data, convert the data to standard print format data with an ASA/MCH control character, and place the data on the JES spool to be processed by mainframe-based printing systems that use JES.	A Micro Focus online Print Exit (DFHUPRNT) API enables print data to be processed by VPSX/MFI when 3270/SCS print data streams are created by using either of these methods.
EXEC CICS SPOOLOPEN	This method is used by CICS application programs to write data directly to the JES spool. The data then becomes available to be processed by mainframe-based printing systems that use JES.	Micro Focus Enterprise Server spools the data to the Enterprise Server spool where it can be processed by the VPSX/MFI Batch Print Exit (LRSPRTE6) that spools the data to VPSX.
DRS/API	An LRS-supplied programmatic interface is used for writing print data to JES.	VPSX/MFI supplies a replacement interface that spools the print data directly to VPSX.

Printer fleet health checks

LRS VPSX/MFI (LRS LoadX) can perform deep dive health checks, including device management and operational optimization. Device management can detect failure in a printer device and route the print request to a healthy printer. For more information about deep dive health checks for printer fleets, see the LRS documentation that’s included with your product license.

Print authentication and authorization 

LRS/DIS enables LRS applications to authenticate user IDs and passwords by using Microsoft Active Directory or an LDAP server. In addition to basic print authorization, LRS/DIS can also apply granular-level print security controls in the following use cases:

• Manage who can browse the printer job.

• Manage the browsing level of other user's jobs.

• Manage operational tasks. For example, command-level security such as hold/release, purge, modify, copy, and reroute. Security can be set up by either the User-ID or Group (similar to AD group or LDAP group).

Attachments

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