Connecting responsive web applications

… with your classic z/OS mainframe software: REST4ALL

Today, new application development is rarely mainframe based. In modern IT business, responsive mobile web applications are the state of the art. These applications can run on almost any device, even smartwatches. Code that runs in the browser on the client side of the front-end provides an attractive GUI. This code is based on HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, Typescript, and web frameworks such as Bootstrap, Angular, React, or Vue.js. These applications use http REST APIs to communicate with various data providers on the backend server side. Data objects are exchanged as JSON or XML strings.

But many important business processes are still based on classic mainframe software with a mass of business data provided by z/OS subsystems. Some subsystems already include a RESTful API, while mainframe software often lacks these or requires other elaborate add-ons. REST APIs can be easily leveraged by Web applications to modernize your legacy software.

Adding a REST API to your z/OS software might be costly …

REST4ALL easily and efficiently extends all your z/OS mainframe applications with a modern REST API.

rvs-Systems REST4ALL (R4A) provides several easy ways to instantly add a RESTful API to almost any of your z/OS applications. It comes with a great set of examples to easily bridge modern responsive web applications to z/OS software. Within minutes, an initial “Hello REST World” web application is running and accessing your z/OS code.

REST4ALL requires no other program product and no language (runtime) environment.

As a software user, you simply copy or install our product on your z/OS system into the MVS file system. No expert knowledge of USS zFS/HFS is required, although it is supported.

As a software vendor or developer, you can integrate the REST4ALL fast http server directly into your own program product.

rvs systems rest4all

REST4ALL performance features

rvs-Systems Rest4All
5

Functions

  • Contains the fast REST4ALL HTTP Server which may use the MVS (DFP) and/or OMVS (zFS/HFS) file systems. It may host your complete web application. No other product required.
  • State-of-the-art security using SSL/TLS encryption with AT-TLS and SAF/RACF authentication.
  • z/OS applications with a standard parameter interface are extended by using REST4ALL “Standard Application Adapters“. These ready-to-run adapters are table-driven and do not require any additional coding.
  • Standard parameter interfaces are Batch jobs, EXEC PARMs, REXX, TSO & ISPF environments, as well as CALL APIs.
  • “Standard Application Adapters“ may be extended by user-specific code.
  • Further “Standard Adapters” are conceivable (CICS, IMS, DB2, MQ, NCI).
  • Alternatively write your own “Application Adapter“, which may be coded in almost any programming language.
5

Comfort

  • Powerful easy to use full server-integrated REXX API to build a bridge from modern responsive web applications to your z/OS software. No Assembler knowledge required.
  • REST4ALL contains a comprehensive set of functions and services to ease the development of your REST API: ASCII/EBCDIC/Unicode conversion and JSON/XML/ControlBlock translation.
  • Also available are server-integrated internal REST services plug-ins for authentication with SAF (RACF) or distributed users, and user profile services to store user specific settings.
  • Easy installation & customization. As a software customer or user, you just copy, or if you like, install our product to your z/OS system into the MVS (DFP) file system. No knowledge of OMVS zFS/HFS is required, although they are supported.
  • As a software vendor or developer, you may integrate the REST4ALL Fast HTTP Server directly into your program package.
  • The REST4ALL package also contains many samples how to use the REXX API and PHP. More samples for SQLite, Python, Perl, Node.js etc. will follow.

Product Data Sheet / Flyer

REST4ALL Product Flyer

Date: 15.03.2023
Version: 2.0
Size: 1,05 MB
Date: 15.03.2023
Version: 2.0
Size: 1,05 MB