IBM Personal Software Products: Product Line Update

This paper is approved for distribution to customers.

This article originally appeared in the April edition of the IBM Personal Systems Technical Solutions magazine.

This article discusses IBM's product line and planned future directions for personal computing software. It is important to understand the direction IBM is planning so you can make decisions about the right platform to invest in today.

IBM's vision for personal computing in the 1990s is to increase user productivity by providing easy-to-use solutions that take advantage of personal computer capabilities. Fundamental to IBM's vision is making client/server environments, whatever their size or scope, easy to integrate into a business, and easy to use and manage. By providing a wide range of options, establishing strong partnerships, and supporting industry standards, we provide solutions that help users minimize the risks involved in technology investments. IBM's goal for the 1990s is to bring information and people together. Our approach is simple. We begin with powerful Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) that "feel" the same regardless of the system being used. Then we add powerful extensions that make access to networked information and resources as simple as if they reside on the desktop. Finally, IBM provides a road to the future – an evolutionary path that helps protect current investments while positioning users to exploit revolutionary new technologies – in both hardware and software.

The IBM Personal Software Products Division
As organizations reshape themselves to become more competitive, they need flexible systems that provide easy access to information and services, regardless of the underlying computing hardware or operating systems, or the location of the information.

Because of the dynamics of today's marketplace, IBM has created a separate division, Personal Software Products (PSP), to focus on delivering flexible, scalable software platforms that can solve diverse business problems. IBM PSP is building products with a commitment to quality and reliability – a key component to supporting complex business environments.

IBM PSP is investing significantly in the following areas: For users, the focus of IBM PSP will be the following:
 * Enhancing DOS, OS/2, and AIX systems with new technology, such as objects, multimedia, and pen support. IBM PSP also supports a broad range of industry-standard hardware and software, while maintaining application compatibility and coexistence with today's platforms.
 * Connecting and supplementing these systems with common components, such as LANs, Extended Services, and LAN administration tools. These components provide scalable and consistent functions and interfaces for client/server environments.
 * Delivering distributed information systems built on open industry standards to support client/server environments. These environments can enable transparent access to data regardless of its location.
 * Enabling the evolution of distributed information systems by advancing object-oriented technology. Object-oriented technology will make distributed systems more flexible and easier to use, while boosting productivity for software developers.
 * Easy access to information and resources – anytime, anywhere
 * Systems that leverage current investments in software, hardware, applications, data, and training – bridging today's islands of information
 * Solutions that adapt easily to new technologies, positioning users to embrace these enhancements as they need them

Customer Requirements
Today's marketplace is breeding a new class of business – one that is leaner, flatter, and more competitive. Increasing competition, growing economic pressures, and an accelerating rate of change are part of these dynamics. As companies grapple with the issues of growth and success – even survival – several common issues emerge.

Cross-department information sharing: While an engineering department may need to run complex modeling programs, it also needs to share information with other departments, such as product planning, finance, personnel, and the market support organization.

Real-time monitoring of business results: Many executives want real-time sales results to help forecast demand, project cash flow, and plan advertising and public relations activities.

Easy access to information regardless of location: Many organizations have mobile sales forces that need online access to product information and the ability to develop sales proposals without being in their offices.

Successful organizations recognize that the ability to respond, even to the slightest change in customer preference or buying patterns, can set them apart. Leading-edge organizations are committed to the effective use of technology – maximizing their current systems while investing in new capabilities that support the information systems.

Historically, these requirements meant different architectures and different hardware and software. Solutions maximized for a single environment have bred islands of information that are difficult to bridge; multiple environments are difficult to manage as a single network resource.

Any discussion of the future of operating systems software must take three factors into account: software and hardware innovation will continue, making change a way of life; continued, successful innovation must protect existing investments; and operating systems must integrate a broad range of platforms, from $300 palmtops to $3 million workstations.

No one product or solution meets everyone's needs. Selecting solutions that will grow with the company, protect its investments, and enable the work force to share information should not mean giving up the power associated with specialized products or customized applications. They also should not limit the organization's flexibility. These sophisticated requirements, diverse computing environments, and the need to share information make the choice of an operating system platform critical. It determines the choices available for applications and networking.

Products to Meet These Requirements
IBM's offerings begin with a powerful suite of desktop operating systems and operating system extensions, such as multimedia and pen support. Exciting enhancements also are planned.

DOS
IBM DOS is the entry-level operating system designed for desktop systems, as well as new smaller systems such as portable computers and handheld devices. Today, DOS runs on Intel microprocessor-based hardware from IBM or virtually any other PC vendor. IBM continues to optimize DOS for environments that have lower memory and disk space capabilities. This will enable users to upgrade their current systems, and supports the emerging handheld devices and portable systems.

For many customers, DOS is essential to protect their investment in installed hardware. DOS is important for portables, handheld devices, pen-enabled hardware, desktop systems, and even home computing environments. Therefore, we will continue to add capabilities that simplify use, while supporting the following - advanced capabilities:

Pen support: IBM recently announced pen support for DOS with PenDOS 2.0. PenDOS 2.0 is an advanced operating system extension available to pen hardware manufacturers worldwide. It supports more than 100 existing mouse-aware DOS applications without modification, and provides support for the development of new pen applications. PenDOS 2.0 opens new possibilities for applications that require a natural interface, such as signature verification, graphics design, and annotation of documents.

One new feature of PenDOS is a set of gestures common across IBM pen systems. Instead of developing new pen applications from the ground up, developers can easily adapt existing DOS programs for pen-based hardware.

Improved utilities: IBM intends to include utilities in DOS for disk compression and defragmentation, virus detection, and full-screen backup.

OS/2
IBM OS/2 is an operating system for Intel microprocessor-based PCs that exploits the power of today's advanced 32-bit PC hardware. Over 400 personal computer types are currently supported. For users, exploiting 32-bit technology means increased performance and reliability. Developers get an advanced development environment that supports 32-bit graphics, object-oriented technology via the System Object Model (SOM), and multimedia extensions – capabilities that will soon become integral to the desktop. Both users and developers can take advantage of the intuitive GUI, the Workplace Shell.

The Workplace Shell is the next-generation user interface available today with OS/2 2.0. It was developed as a user interface that works the way people work. It shields users from the complexity of the operating system; they work with familiar objects. For example, users can simply drop a picture of a file onto a picture of a printer to print. It also is flexible, so users can tailor the appearance of their desktops.

OS/2 is the only PC operating system that runs DOS, Microsoft Windows, and OS/2 applications concurrently and seamlessly. Users just bring up the application; OS/2 handles which environment is needed. Unlike DOS and Windows, OS/2 is designed to keep ill-behaved applications from crashing the entire operating system. OS/2 delivers superior performance and application concurrency while remaining responsive to applications that require a high degree of user interaction. This is possible because of key technologies such as preemptive multitasking, priority scheduling, overlapped I/O, and demand-paged virtual memory. Features such as crash protection and preemptive multitasking are especially important for users – particularly users who spend much time connected to a network, downloading files from bulletin boards, or interacting with a mainframe or mini-computer at headquarters.

OS/2 2.0 has benefited from a tremendous amount of user feedback, and user involvement continues. Based on this feedback, IBM plans to add several key enhancements to OS/2 Release 2.1 for delivery during early 1993.


 * Performance enhancements have been added to both the Workplace Shell and the base system by reducing resource requirements and providing improved paging algorithms.
 * A 32-bit graphics engine has dramatically improved the handling of graphic images and state-of-the-art palette management. Users can now create complex graphics that were impossible in a 16-bit environment. Palette management offers more flexibility with colors and fonts than ever before, enabling users to customize individual desktops or to create more realistic looking images.
 * The 32-bit graphics engine supports 32-bit video display drivers:
 * XGA, Super VGA, and VGA. The Super VGA device drivers are based on the five most popular chip sets – Tseng, ATI, Western Digital, Headland, and Trident – which provides significant coverage of the graphics adapters and displays currently installed.

OS/2 Release 2.1 will be shipped on CD-ROM as well as diskettes. IBM plans to continue to reduce the resource requirements of OS/2, enabling computers with limited disk and memory resources to run more efficiently. Both IBM and PC-compatible hardware vendors will be making additional device drivers available for graphics adapters, Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) devices, printers, and various multimedia devices.
 * Win-OS/2 has been enhanced to support Microsoft Windows 3.1 applications, including support for the printer device drivers provided with Windows 3.1, TrueType fonts, multimedia extensions, Object Linking and Embedding (OLE), and most of the applets in Windows 3.1. Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE), OLE, and Clipboard functions are faster. The configuration capability has been improved beyond Win-OS/2 Version 3.0. Win-OS/2 Version 3.1 performance has improved up to 35% over Win-OS/2 Version 3.0.
 * Advanced Power Management (APM) and PCMCIA Level 1 support has been added. These functions are critical to portable computer users. The APM support will conserve power, improving battery life. The PCMCIA support recognizes the credit card-sized memory and peripheral adapters.
 * Support for additional printers and CD-ROMs will be included in this release. Printers will include the new Lexmark Series 42xx, HP DeskJet, and HP LaserJet IV printers. CD-ROM support will be provided for market leaders such as Sony, Hitachi, NEC, and Toshiba.

PenPM
OS/2 will be enhanced to support pen and speech recognition technologies. With the new pen support (PenPM), users can replace the keyboard or mouse with a pen in DOS, Windows, and OS/2 applications that are not pen-enabled. For developers, an additional set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) has been created. They will be shipped in a toolkit so applications that recognize the pen can be developed. We also will provide a set of gestures that will be common across all applications; for example, a delete mark will be mapped to current methods for deletion. Handwriting recognition and training for using handwriting should be available later in 1993.

Voice recognition technology also is making exciting advances. No longer will users be forced to "train" the software to the sound of their voices. High recognition rates – approaching 100% – will make it more practical to use this advanced capability in general-purpose applications.

Multimedia
OS/2's MultiMedia Presentation Manager/2 (MMPM/2) provides capabilities beyond anything imagined in the design of original PC operating systems. A multimedia operating system must provide superior and dedicated throughput while simultaneously remaining responsive to users. This can be done only by an operating system that coordinates its resources in this complex environment where graphics, sound, and full-motion video are being integrated in real time. OS/2's underlying technologies are critical to supporting this environment. MMPM/2 Release 1.0 with additional enhancements is planned for inclusion in OS/2 Release 2.1.

MMPM/2 provides a common programming interface to control both multimedia devices and the data streams that flow from these devices. Media Control Interface (MCI) APIs include Windows 3.1 and the Multimedia Extension to Windows 3.0. However, by exploiting the multitasking capabilities of OS/2, IBM has introduced stream management and stream handling to the MMPM/2 extensions to OS/2. As a result, OS/2 application programs can control multimedia devices (through Play, Record, and similar commands), and can control and synchronize the data streams as well. This is important, for example, in ensuring lip synchronization with software motion video, as well as for higher function in editing and playback.

MMPM/2 and OS/2 is the only software environment where a multimedia audio and video stream can be played while a spreadsheet is calculating or a word processing document is loading in the background. MMPM/2 includes support for multimedia logical devices (such as audio adapters, CD-ROM drives, and videodisc players) and other hardware devices, such as logical media devices that are managed by the Media Device Manager (MDM). The actual implementation is not relevant to an application because MMPM/2 provides device independence with the command message and command string interfaces. Following are some logical devices currently supported by MMPM/2: MMPM Toolkit/2 is available to assist product developers. A simple installation from CD-ROM, using the multimedia installation program, is all that is required. Once installed, the toolkit sample programs illustrate the use of the comprehensive multimedia device and data handling capabilities of MMPM/2.
 * Amplifier-Mixer
 * Waveform Audio
 * Sequencer
 * CD Audio
 * CD XA
 * Videodisc

MMPM/2 Release 1.0, with enhancements in audio device driver support, is planned for inclusion in OS/2 Release 2.1.

Advances in CPU power, data storage, and compression technology have provided key technologies for creating and playing digital video data on personal computers. The high capacity disk drives and CD-ROMs satisfy the large storage needs for digital video data. Additionally, i386 and equivalent processors give sufficient processing power to handle digital video data in real time. When these advances are combined with image compression techniques, the result is a powerful integration of video and the personal computer.

Several compression algorithms are currently in use throughout the industry. Some of these algorithms, such as RTV, MPEG, and P*64, use additional video hardware to compress and decompress the digitized video. Others like Road Pizza, Compact, Video 1, and Indeo are less numerically intensive and can be handled by software running on the main CPU and still maintain sufficient frame rates to effect motion. These are referred to as "software-only" algorithms or "Software Motion Video (SMV)."

While the software-only techniques are attractive due to their low cost, the video quality of these algorithms is typically lower than the hardware-based algorithms. Consequently, producers of digital video data constantly struggle with the issues of trading off between lower quality/cost of SMV versus the higher quality/cost of hardware-assisted video. The result has been an outcry from the industry for a single compression technique capable of providing a spectrum of levels of quality from a single copy of the digital video data. To satisfy these requirements, IBM PSP has developed a state-of-the-art compression technique called Ultimotion.

Ultimotion is a playback time-scalable video data stream. Specifically, the frame rate, output resolution, and color depth characteristics of the video can be set when the video is played, but the resulting characteristics during playback are determined by the capabilities of the playback platform. The playback platform capabilities affecting the video quality are CPU, data bandwidth, and video adapter. Based on the characteristics of these components, the output quality of a single Ultimotion video stream can be "scaled" to the playback platform.

MMPM/2 Release 1.1 is available today in beta form on a CD-ROM.

Ultimedia Tools Series
It does not matter if you are a newcomer, an intermediate user, or a long-time professional with multimedia applications – using IBM's Ultimedia Tools Series (UTS) will help you create exciting, innovative multimedia applications and presentations. UTS is a series of products from IBM and multiple vendors that adhere to a common architecture. These programs help bring your multimedia applications to life.

Creating a Standard Multimedia Architecture IBM has done more than just put all the UTS tools in one place and make them simple to order. Together, the creators of UTS products have developed a UTS architecture that will make it easier to use your development tools for years to come.

IBM announced in November 1992 the Ultimedia Builder/2, Workplace/2, and Perfect Image/2 products. These OS/2 tools are follow-on products to the Audio Visual Connection (AVC). Ultimedia Builder/2 is an authoring tool; Ultimedia Workplace/2 is a SOM-based data management tool; and Ultimedia Perfect Image/2 is an image enhancement tool. These products will be available in mid-1993. Future IBM offerings are planned that will use advanced information management query technology to enable database searches based on image content characteristics, such as color, texture, and shape. A multimedia server can be connected using OS/2 2.0 and LAN Server 3.0. This server is capable of supporting up to 40 separate full-motion video streams to workstations on 16 Mbits-per-second Token-Ring local area networks.

Also planned is synchronized delivery of sound and motion by a RISC System/6000 file server. This offering will run under AIX/6000 and has client capabilities for OS/2 and AIX. This means multimedia applications can be created for OS/2 and use data streams from the server.

The UTS architecture means all UTS tools share common file formats and a similar user interface, so it is easy to share files or work with multiple packages. Depending on the choice of programs, you can manipulate multimedia objects across programs, use a clipboard to copy and paste items from one application to another, and use DDE techniques across Windows applications.

In the future, there will be greater interoperability among existing packages, including drag-and-drop capabilities, and regular upgrades to today's UTS product line. So when choosing a development tool from the Ultimedia Tools Series, you can be certain that it will continue to be among the best in the industry.

UTS packages are available for DOS, Windows, and OS/2. UTS product literature is available, as well as a comprehensive CD-ROM disc that includes a tutorial, product information and demonstration, a glossary of multimedia terms, and product selection and ordering information.

AIX
AIX is IBM's version of the UNIX operating system for IBM mainframes (AIX/ESA), RISC-based workstations (AIX/6000), and Intel-based PCs (AIX PS/2). AIX PS/2, developed by the PSP division, is a robust operating system with superb multi-user, multitasking, security, and connectivity features. In mid-1992, IBM released AIX PS/2 Version 1.3, which offers enhanced application performance, improved memory management, and enriched graphics support in a UNIX-based operating environment for Intel-based systems.

Demonstrating IBM's strong commitment to open systems, AIX PS/2 supports interoperability with other AIX, UNIX, IBM, and non-IBM systems. AIX PS/2 Release 1.3 provides the following features: AIX is an excellent choice for users who want an open systems solution and the ability to run an impressive array of engineering/scientific and commercial applications.
 * Full POSIX IEEE 1003.1 1988 standard compliance, as specified in Section 2.1.2.2 of the IEEE standard
 * Enhanced windowing and a GUI through X-Windows Version 11R5 and Motif 1.1.3
 * Multiple concurrent DOS 5.0 sessions
 * EZ Utilities for enhanced systems management tools to support IBM Business Partners and customers with large installations
 * Mini-cartridge tape for ease of installation
 * Full hardware support and exploitation for models of IBM PS/2 systems based on 32-bit IBM and Intel technology using both Micro Channel and IBM AT-bus architectures

Scalable Networking Solutions
The 1990s will likely be known as the decade of client/server computing. The demand for network access and information sharing across organizations of all sizes is growing at a phenomenal rate. Therefore, IBM PSP has developed a comprehensive and scalable LAN product line that enables users to realize the advantages of client/server computing today. In addition to the LAN Server, IBM offers NetWare from IBM, a wide range of LAN administration tools including electronic mail and workgroup computing solutions, and powerful productivity tools, such as communications and database managers. These solutions enable users to focus on running their businesses instead of running their systems.

OS/2 LAN Server 3.0
OS/2 LAN Server 3.0 is the fastest IBM PC-compatible network server on the market today, as verified by LANQuest Labs in October 1992. It supports DOS, DOS/Windows, Macintosh, and OS/2, as well as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) connections.

Both entry and advanced levels are available to address the needs of small companies and departments as well as large international enterprises. The entry level provides an economical solution for both 16-bit and 32-bit systems. The advanced level adds features such as the High-Performance File System (HPFS) and additional error recovery, giving it industrial-strength availability. OS/2 LAN Server is supported on a range of personal computer types as well as PS/2s. LAN Server 3.0 makes life easier for users, LAN administrators, and systems managers, as follows.

Users: To provide improved productivity and usability, the OS/2 LAN Server running OS/2 provides a single view of all available network resources and automatically allocates these resources. Combined with the Workplace Shell, these once complicated technologies become easy and intuitive.

LAN administrators: Managing large LANs from a central location is essential in the ever increasing complexity of business computing. LAN Server 3.0 provides an architecture that enables location-independent resource management, making system-wide changes easier to implement and control.

Systems managers: Identifying bottlenecks and fixing them, resolving errors quickly, predicting capacity requirements, distributing application and system code, and providing fixes are important tasks for the long-term success of LAN solutions. These facilities, either LAN-based or integrated with IBM's host-based NetView, provide a powerful set of facilities for LAN management.

Just as we are enhancing OS/2 for portable computer users, we also will be enhancing LAN Server 3.0 to support portable computer users. We plan to add remote client support to all LAN services. Then portable clients will be able to dial into their LAN Server and have full access to data and facilities on the LAN. Remote users are supported as if they are locally attached to a LAN. They can communicate with other clients on the LAN Server and use other specialized servers, such as communications gateways or Lotus Notes servers.

To provide application transparency, IBM is developing and supporting programming interfaces (including the industry-standard Sockets and X/Open's transport interface) as well as protocol bindings that facilitate communication across multiple protocol types from a single network interface card. By implementing these interfaces, users and their existing applications operate consistently across multiple network environments. For example, programs written to the Sockets interface will operate transparently across TCP/IP, NetBIOS, IPX, and Systems Network Architecture (SNA) networks.

As simple file and print sharing on LANs gives way to distributed computing and specialized servers, our LAN products will continue to treat the entire LAN as one system. Central to distributed LAN systems are common services that support application interoperability and workgroup application development. IBM and others, such as Hewlett-Packard and Digital Equipment Corporation, have selected the Open Software Foundation's (OSF's) Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) as the fundamental technology to provide these services. DCE's facilities incorporate key functions such as Remote Procedure Call (RPC), network time management, security, and distributed directory services. When implemented, a single application can be distributed across multiple systems composed of both IBM and non-IBM hardware.

Since these new applications will be used in systems where information is passed to users in real time, IBM offers transaction management services – Encina from Transarc Corporation and Customer Information Control System (CICS). These services will allow distributed application transactions across a network of heterogeneous systems, providing data integrity if a system or network fails at any point during a transaction. We plan to extend the benefits of object technology to the LAN environment, bringing the productivity benefits of objects to distributed applications. Video servers will bring the technology of multimedia to the LAN.

We plan to introduce these enhancements as a family of LAN systems products. Applications will run across the family, and users can add and upgrade family members with no disruption to their clients or applications.

NetWare from IBM
Today, IBM PSP markets two network offerings: OS/2 LAN Server running with OS/2 and NetWare from IBM. Although there are many similarities between the two products, each is best suited for different situations. For example, many users want resource sharing in a distributed application environment. Since both clients and OS/2 LAN Servers run on OS/2, they share a common set of APIs, making development of distributed applications significantly easier. If a user needs simple resource sharing and does not plan to implement distributed applications, either product is an excellent solution. Sometimes specific application requirements will dictate the selection.

Both products play a significant role in IBM's distributed LAN systems strategy, but they remain separate product lines with unique system services, APIs, and communications transports. Users should choose their network operating system after carefully considering their future requirements. Whatever product is chosen, users of NetWare from IBM and OS/2 LAN Server benefit from IBM service and support.

OS/2 Interoperability with UNIX

IBM's strategy is to make OS/2 and UNIX interoperate as widely as possible. TCP/IP for OS/2 provides interoperability with UNIX-based systems (including AIX) that support open standards such as TCP/IP, Network File System (NFS), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), TELNET, and X-Windows.

Lotus Notes and cc:Mail
Major elements of any networked personal computer environment must include electronic mail and workgroup computing capabilities – turning LAN systems from print and file serving into true client/server systems. As the result of a strong partnership with Lotus, an integral part of IBM's LAN System and OfficeVision product offerings are Lotus cc:Mail and Lotus Notes.

Lotus cc:Mail provides high-end electronic mail capabilities. The cc:Mail clients include DOS, Windows, Macintosh, OS/2 Workplace Shell, and UNIX, plus gateways to PROFS, OS/400, DEC, NetWare's MHS, and many more.

With the vast number of gateways available for cc:Mail, LAN-based users have one of the most powerful user interfaces available, while supporting the exchange of notes and files between users on the LAN and those on other host E-mail systems. This makes cc:Mail the most comprehensive electronic mail and messaging system in the industry.

Lotus is a pioneer in the development of the Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM) standard. This standard, endorsed and supported by Apple, Borland, IBM, Novell, and WordPerfect, enables mail to be integrated with other software vendors' applications as well as customer-written systems. For example, this capability, supported by cc:Mail, allows reports to be generated automatically and status notes to be sent to interested parties directly from applications.

For users needing the power of a groupware solution, Lotus Notes is the industry-leading workgroup tool. With Lotus Notes – a true client/server application – everyone in a workgroup, whether across the hall or across the continent, has access to all the information needed to make informed decisions, whether it is text, graphics, or scanned images. Lotus Notes also contains a powerful application development platform that can be used to create custom systems that specifically serve individual business needs.

LAN Administration Tools
Making a network as easy to use as your desktop requires a new generation of LAN administration tools. Installation, maintenance, performance monitoring, and problem solving are just a few issues that grow exponentially as the size of the LAN grows. IBM PSP treats the LAN as a single system to ensure the reliability, manageability, capability, and security of traditional host systems.

Configuration, Installation, and Distribution (CID) and the LAN NetView product family are tools and processes that simplify configuration, installation, and distribution tasks and management of LAN systems. CID goes beyond current software distribution techniques; cloning multiple sets of shared software is a solution only when every workstation and end-user requirement is identical. CID allows each workstation to be unique. Distribution can be managed from a decentralized LAN, a centralized host, or in combination in a large network. The benefit is dramatically reduced end-user involvement with software installation, version control, and support.

OS/2 and LAN Server are CID-enabled. More than 160 companies, including WordPerfect, Lotus, and Novell, have indicated that they plan to CID-enable many of their products.

LAN NetView Family
The LAN NetView family makes using and managing a network easier and more transparent for LAN administrators – from monitoring the performance of the system to automating problem determination. A description of each component follows.

LAN NetView View: Provides a graphical interface for managing the LAN based on the X/Open Management Protocol (XMP) architecture. The View program is planned for availability later in 1993.

LAN NetView Start: Enables administrators to configure and validate different types of connections, as well as to automate and simplify tracking and configure workstation software. For example, this simplifies the process of adding a new department or reconfiguring a LAN to improve performance, because it supports customized, unattended installation for OS/2, LAN Server, Extended Services, and other CID-enabled applications. The Start program is available today.

LAN NetView Monitor: Evaluates the entire system's performance, enabling administrators to identify problems and to analyze performance trends across a LAN. For example, it enables administrators to anticipate the need for a new server and alerts them when critical resources are not operating efficiently. This provides important capacity planning data and performance tuning information. This product evolved from the current System Performance Monitor/2 product. LAN NetView Monitor is planned for availability later in 1993.

LAN NetView Fix: Enables automated problem determination. It receives both hardware and software fault notifications across the LAN, and can help determine the probable cause of a problem and recommend actions. LAN administrators can isolate and resolve problems faster, thereby increasing network availability. The Fix program is planned for availability later in 1993.

LAN NetView Tie: Allows NetView administrators to manage workstations from a host – an important option for users who want to administer their LANs from a central location. The Tie program is planned for availability later in 1993.

LAN NetView Manage: Provides systems management services, such as inventory queues, configuration management, and industry-standard protocols for OS/2, DOS, Windows, and NetWare. LAN NetView Manage is planned for availability later in 1993.

LAN Network Manager: Manages LAN media and will become a LAN NetView application. This tool can identify media-related problems, such as a sliced cable, and application problems by looking at the data stream being sent across the LAN. LAN Network Manager is available today.

Extended Services
Extended Services for OS/2 is separate from OS/2 and provides communications and relational database functions. Extended Services includes many connectivity support and connection protocols, all of which can be active simultaneously. Whether information resides on a 3090, an AS/400, a DEC system, or a remote NetWare server, Extended Services provides the needed connectivity.

As relational database applications are moved from a host to LANs or desktops, investments in application development, education, and expertise must be protected. The powerful client/server Database Manager – part of IBM's family of relational databases that includes DB2 and SQL/DS – capitalizes on experience with host relational databases. Extended Services works with both the 16-bit OS/2 1.3 and OS/2 2.0 – an advantage in mixed 286 and 386 environments.

Extended Services is a key component of OS/2's family for communications protocols (such as Advanced Program-to-Program Communication or APPC, 3270, 5250, Async/ASCII, and Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking or APPN) and relational database access (SQL and DRDA). These are key building blocks for future cooperative processing applications, whether they are developed by third-party applications vendors or by MIS departments.

Communications Manager/2
For users who want to get more from their desktop PCs, IBM has announced an enhanced product designed to bring the application and communication resources of large networks to the end user's fingertips. Communications Manager/2 enables the desktop to access large networks, allowing them to share in the richest set of networking services in the industry today.

This can increase productivity of end-user professionals who must access corporate applications, whether in finance, banking, insurance, or any industry where users in large and small networks need to share information.

Communications Manager/2, now packaged separately from OS/2 - Extended Services, offers new functions, enhanced ease-of-use, and improved cost-effectiveness. Some new capabilities for Communications Manager/2 and Communications Manager Client Server/2 include the following:
 * The client/server option allows customers to concentrate all Communications Manager functions in a server. For end users to share distributed applications across many parts of the network, individual packaging is ideal. For end users with less intense usage, such as those primarily emulating host applications, the client/server packaging will save both money and memory.
 * Support for the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) basic rate interface enables customers to save money by using digital, switched telephone lines over short or long distances. It also provides higher bandwidth options for high-productivity and distributed applications supporting such features as image and high-resolution graphics.
 * Multiple servers can be used with multiple clients, providing automatic load balancing as information is given and received. This helps to maximize the efficiency of the network and ensure a fast end-user response time.
 * Installation and configuration of Communications Manager/2 can be done quickly and easily. Communications Manager/2 also supports CID capability for remote installation, with no end-user - involvement.
 * Keyboard customization and color remapping is easily done for both 3270 and 5250 emulation environments.
 * For network administrators, Communications Manager/2 offers much new power. This includes better alert routing to NetView, IBM's flagship network management product, and better alert support for APPN distributed environments. First Failure Support Technology (FFST) helps LAN administrators isolate and identify networking problems more effectively.
 * Commmunications Manager/2 provides broader access to applications and other resources in many more hosts. Now a single desktop user can access up to three hosts concurrently and utilize as many as 26 different host sessions, 16 of which can be active at any one time.

Database2 OS/2
Database2 OS/2 (DB2/2) is a powerful 32-bit OS/2 2.0-based relational database management system for users in a client/server LAN environment who want to take full advantage of IBM's industry-leading database technology.

DB2/2 runs on a stand-alone PC or functions as a database server on a LAN for PCs running OS/2, DOS, and DOS/Windows.

DB2/2 is the 32-bit follow-on product to the database management components of the 16-bit version of OS/2 Extended Services 1.0 Database Manager and OS/2 Extended Edition 1.3. It will support applications written for those environments.

DB2/2 exploits OS/2's 32-bit operating system and its flat memory model for improved database performance. It also provides enhanced DB2 compatibility, remote systems administration, and several other features designed to improve reliability and systems management. In addition, DB2/2 is an open database platform supporting industry standards.

Distributed Database Connection Services/2
IBM has developed the Distributed Database Connection Services/2 (DDCS/2) to provide access to data anywhere. As a complementary product to Extended Services, it offers host database connectivity for OS/2 clients. Working with Database Manager, DDCS/2 allows DOS, Windows, and OS/2 clients to access host databases conforming to the DRDA. This includes not only IBM's DB2, SQL/DS, and OS/400, but several third-party database products, such as ORACLE and INFORMIX.

Requirements for Future Directions
Today's users are making trade-offs when determining the appropriate operating system and platform to develop and run the software that solves their business problems. DOS and OS/2 are Intel-based, while UNIX is often RISC-based. Advanced Intel-based 32-bit applications are available on OS/2. Even if they could run on the same platform, user interfaces are so dissimilar that end-user education and productivity, as well as end-user support, can be adversely impacted.

Today, users are compromising with an inferior application, or they "swallow" the expense of multiple systems on the same desktop. Could there be a way to run existing UNIX applications on Intel processors, and existing DOS, DOS/Windows, and OS/2 applications on RISC processors? Currently, a vast amount of processing power on desktops is mostly unused. Could we start using those idle MIPS? Is there a way to ensure that applications written today will still be of value as technology changes? Additionally, can we build and maintain a library of code (objects) that could be used and reused by OS/2, UNIX, and application developers? Could it be possible to make DOS, OS/2, and UNIX look and feel the same, using the most advanced user interface in the industry?

Introducing the Workplace Family
To satisfy these requirements and more, IBM is introducing the Workplace family. The Workplace family includes some current offerings and a new platform, the Workplace Operating System (OS). We are designing the Workplace family to do the following: We plan to continue enhancing OS/2 and AIX, building on their unique strengths and attributes while taking advantage of similar architectural components. The architectural components that members of the Workplace family will share are the Workplace Shell, objects, and distributed computing. While using this technology across product lines, we plan to make it available to other software and hardware companies.
 * Improve usability for users, LAN administrators, and application developers
 * Help protect customer investment in hardware and software
 * Address business requirements ranging from stand-alone users to connected enterprises
 * Increase productivity for users, LAN administrators, and application developers

Workplace Shell
Improved usability is key to personal computing in the 1990s. Based on user feedback, IBM will be using the Workplace Shell across its product line. We are working toward developing a powerful, easy-to-use interface for DOS that complements the new generation of portables – Workplace on DOS. This will improve the usability of DOS by eliminating complex syntax and command strings. It will provide a GUI consistent with OS/2, simplifying the use of DOS and migration to OS/2. Workplace OS/2 will continue to be enhanced to make it an even more powerful, yet easy-to-use user interface. The Workplace Shell GUI is also being developed for the UNIX environment.

Providing users with similar interfaces across operating system platforms can achieve the benefits of reduced education costs, lower support costs, and higher productivity. A common user interface across DOS, OS/2, Workplace OS, and UNIX is the first step in resolving the platform dilemma facing users today.

Workplace OS
The Workplace OS platform has been designed to complement and extend the current OS/2, DOS, and AIX operating system family. Workplace OS is a flexible, modular platform that allows "pluggable" support for device drivers, application environments, and operating system services (from advanced file systems and communications systems to multimedia, pen, and speech systems).

With the Workplace OS platform, users will be able to take advantage of multiple operating system environments called personalities on a single desktop. A personality takes on the characteristics and support of an operating system platform, such as OS/2 or DOS. Personalities can include DOS, Windows, OS/2, and UNIX. The UNIX personality is being designed to support different UNIX application environments. Initially, the UNIX personality is planned to be based on OSF/1 1.2 Application Environment Specification (AES) and will support existing AIX PS/2 Version 1.3 applications. Other UNIX environments under consideration are AIX for the RISC System/6000 and SVR4.x.

The Workplace OS platform will take advantage of the common technology (Workplace Shell, objects, application frameworks, and distributed computing) that will be utilized across the IBM PSP family.

The Workplace OS platform will use microkernel technology. Microkernel technology supports multiple hardware platforms, such as Intel and RISC. It also will exploit a variety of multiprocessor-based computer technologies, such as symmetric multiprocessing, parallel processing, and loosely coupled clusters.

Hardware Independence with the IBM Microkernel: Today's applications are usually written for specific operating systems. This has created a problem for both MIS and developers. They must select the platforms and then write the application for each system's native operating system. To resolve the problem of developing multiple versions of the same application, IBM is developing the IBM microkernel with operating system personalities.

IBM's approach takes a single microkernel and makes it run on many processor types – whether Intel or RISC – such as IBM's PowerPC RISC processor under development by IBM, Apple, and Motorola. However, instead of developing an IBM proprietary microkernel technology, we chose to work from an industry-standard kernel. Our microkernel architecture is based on Carnegie-Mellon University's Mach 3 microkernel. Developing from an industry-standard kernel allows IBM to offer this kernel to other hardware and software companies in the industry, underscoring IBM's strong commitment to open systems and industry standards.

IBM has extended the Mach microkernel to provide additional capabilities and enhanced performance. Among the enhancements is the ability to have user-level device drivers which run outside of the microkernel, reducing its size and allowing dynamic loading/unloading of device drivers. Also, the Interprocess Communication (IPC) mechanisms have been enhanced and performance greatly improved. Real-time support has been added and the thread scheduling algorithms in the microkernel have been improved.

To maximize performance, the microkernel supports threads that can execute simultaneously across multiple microprocessors, providing scalable system performance.

Support for Multiple Processors: Microkernel symmetrical multiprocessing support enables applications to run different threads of execution simultaneously on different microprocessors within the same system. Users can scale the performance of the system as application and system workload demands increase. When the symmetrical multiprocessing microkernel is used in combination with our distributed computing environment, a system's workload can be allocated efficiently across multiple systems in a single network, delivering substantially better performance.

Support for Wide Range of Applications: To ensure existing and new applications will continue to run, we are building personalities that work with the microkernel. The microkernel contains the microprocessor-specific code (containing only the code that controls fundamental CPU access and processes), but the personalities provide the application environment. Therefore, DOS, Windows, OS/2, and UNIX applications run unmodified within their specific personality on the microkernel. The result is an optimized microkernel and personality that can accomplish more, and with greater flexibility and reliability than a monolithic operating system.

Object-Oriented Technology
IBM PSP is developing object-oriented technologies with a distributed system and applications focus, pursuing a strategy to significantly improve the next generation of computing. Our focus is on creating an open environment for developing distributed applications.

An End User's View
From the user's perspective, object-oriented technology will make using personal computers more intuitive and easier to use. For example, in OS/2's Workplace Shell, a user can simply "drag and drop" the picture of a file onto a picture of a printer to get a document printed. The user does not have to remember complex operating system instructions. Object-oriented technology will bring several benefits to users:
 * Increased ease of use and productivity that includes more intuitive applications and consistent interaction among applications
 * Greater application availability since applications can be developed faster because of reusable code
 * Higher quality application reliability due to reusable code

An Application Developer's View
Object-oriented programming has established itself as an important methodology in developing high quality, reusable code. Operating systems and tools vendors are beginning to offer class libraries and frameworks. Visual programming tools are emerging to assist end users with software application assembly.

Our strategy is to develop products that provide a basis of developing object-oriented distributed applications and enable domain experts and end users to create distributed line-of-business applications.

The paths to achieve this strategy are the development of system-level enabling technologies and frameworks, and creating application development shells and protocols. At the system level, efforts are focused on the SOM. At the applications development level, a set of application frameworks and visual programming tools are under development.

The System Object Model
In OS/2 2.0, IBM introduced a new system for developing class libraries and object-oriented programs. This system is called System Object Model. SOM is a technology for packaging object-oriented class libraries. It provides a language-neutral model for defining libraries of objects that operate across many computer languages. Because a single version of an application will operate on many computer systems, software developers should be able to spend their time building new applications. They should no longer waste time building multiple versions of each application for every supported computing platform. Class libraries built with SOM can be defined and implemented in one language and be usable in another language. Today's SOM supports the C language. Additional language support, including C++ and COBOL, will become available in 1993 and 1994.

Because this approach allows developers to build applications by tailoring and linking pretested objects from different developers' libraries, two fundamental changes can occur in software development. First, software developers become more productive; they can create sophisticated applications in a fraction of the time of traditional programming methods. Second, the work invested in creating an object has multiple dividends since the object is reused in future applications. IBM's SOM is a clean-sheet approach to unlocking the benefits of the object-oriented systems model. It is not dependent on any specific computer language, architecture, CPU, or operating system. SOM is currently shipped as part of OS/2 (runtimes with the operating system, and bindings and SOM compiler in the OS/2 Developer's Toolkit); it has been a funded development effort at IBM since early 1989. Since then it has been reviewed by some of the computer industry's leading developers of programming languages, and by commercial and corporate software developers. These reviewers anticipate SOM's role as a universal translator of applications and objects developed in diverse programming languages.

Through the SOM language's Object Interface Definitions and Object Interface Compiler, applications written in other programming languages can operate within SOM. SOM is designed to support many common platforms including OS/2, AIX, Windows, DOS, MVS, CICS, AS/400, other versions of UNIX, and future operating systems derived from our relationships with third-party operating systems providers. Support for OS/2 is available today.

SOM II
SOM will be extended to support multiple inheritance and will use the Object Management Group Common Object Request Broker Architecture (OMG CORBA) interface definition language and runtime APIs. Support for additional language bindings and/or native support will appear in compiler products from IBM and other vendors. SOM will be exploited as the foundation for other frameworks and tools that will be developed, such as object storage and distribution, and visual programming.

The Distributed System Object Model
Today, SOM provides non-distributed local object support. Distributed SOM (DSOM) is planned to support transparent remote access to objects in a distributed environment. DSOM functions as an Object Request Broker (ORB), similar to RPC. It supports the full object-oriented programming paradigm via distributed computing facilities like Sockets and the Distributed Computing Environment (DCE). DSOM will allow application portability through OMG's CORBA-compliant ORB. DSOM will extend all the advantages of SOM to a full range of distributed environments.

Support for homogeneous environments (OS/2 and AIX) will come first providing intra-machine (multiple processes, single machine) and intermachine support. Intra-machine support is useful when objects are implemented by programs (versus libraries) which cannot be linked directly into an application or when objects must be in a different address space than the application, for example, for integrity. Support for heterogeneous environments will follow that exploit available distributed computing services such as DCE.

Frameworks
Frameworks will simplify software development by offering built-in functionality that can be easily extended. Frameworks are a collection of objects with established relationships that serve as a foundation for specific implementations. We will offer system-and application-level frameworks to include persistence and replication for saving and sharing objects, as well as system and application frameworks to accelerate development productivity. These will include a subset of Taligent's frameworks and services.

Visual Programming Tools
We are developing a visual application development environment, a set of initial application objects, an object-oriented application framework, and an extension language. These will include an extensible palette of objects as components for building applications. These applications will be built by dragging and dropping objects into an application layout, selecting properties for the objects through a dialog box, and then visually establishing connections between objects. Through these actions, actual code is generated and compiled.

The visual programming tools will include GUI objects that are a superset of IBM's Common User Access (CUA '91) and platform-specific controls. Over time, the application objects will include text objects, 2-D and 3-D chart objects, forms objects, table objects, and links to spreadsheets and databases.

Taligent
Taligent is an independent joint-venture established by IBM and Apple. A key objective in forming Taligent was to bring the benefits of object-oriented technology to customers more quickly. Taligent's native environment will coexist with IBM's current products. Integrating Taligent-derived technology into IBM's Workplace family will provide a stable path to Taligent's new generation of systems.

Taligent will play an important role in optimizing the 32-bit object environment by introducing revolutionary object technologies. IBM PSP will integrate technology from Taligent in future versions of IBM's products. Eventually, Taligent will introduce an object-oriented environment, re-engineered from the ground up, and will build compatibility around it for today's 32-bit OS/2 applications.

The Future of Distributed Computing
IBM plans to provide a distributed system infrastructure that can be used to access resources from any desktop or application, whether it is running on a client, a server, or a mainframe. This includes client operating systems such as DOS, DOS/Windows, Macintosh, AIX, OS/2, and Taligent. Our goal is to help protect customers' existing investments in hardware, software, applications, and data, while enabling the new capabilities offered by network systems.

Today's information needs have stretched far beyond dedicated personal computers acting within their islands of information. Simple interconnectivity must be pushed forward so that not only can any personal computer connect to any system, but applications on each connected computer have a way to jointly process information. We are advancing these connectivity services on the client, server, and host systems to provide the next logical progression of networked systems: distributed computing.

IBM is approaching this by using open industry definitions for these application and operating system interfaces. For example, DCE is being driven by the Open Software Foundation, an organization in which IBM and other major computer vendors have been active for many years. OSF's goal is to enable users to implement computing environments where systems and applications work together, locally and globally, regardless of what vendor hardware and software is chosen.

From the variety of architectures available to OSF members, we have selected the industry standard DCE. We have committed to incorporating DCE into OS/2, OS/400, AIX, MVS, and VM. Beyond IBM-supported operating systems, DCE is the common selection among other system suppliers. Through this industry-wide support of DCE, businesses can finally achieve the goal of distributed computing throughout an enterprise network. Our distributed SOM technology will support DCE.

IBM has begun to deliver these advanced functions to users. Distributed System Services (DSS), our core advanced network architecture, is as adept at supporting client/server computing on a LAN as it is at supporting distributed computing across an enterprise. DSS will allow applications and data to reside any place that an individual or an organization chooses.

Some components of DSS will come from IBM, such as DRDA – the way relational databases "talk" to each other. Even here the solution will not be IBM-unique, since Oracle, Informix, and several other vendors already have adopted or committed support for this database-to-database communication language. Other elements of DSS will include components created through industry consortia, such as the Vendor Independent Messaging standard developed by Lotus for E-mail.

Consistent technologies for key functions, such as remote program execution, network time, security, and global directory services, should enable true, cross-platform interoperability. For example, it will be possible to develop and run a single application across multiple systems, while still providing the ability to manage and support it with full problem-determination capabilities.

Getting Started Today
You can start with our offerings today, giving you the right products and support to move easily and safely into the future. DOS, OS/2, AIX, LAN Server, and NetWare from IBM are a base from which your system can evolve.

We have discussed how our advanced technologies will be integrated into our products – increasing the power and usability of today's products while developing our future product lines to be even more flexible, consistent, easy to use, networked, and open. This results in investment protection for users.

When considering ways to solve business problems, you face several key challenges. First, users have solutions in place, and many feel strongly about the solutions they have chosen. Therefore, we offer products today that support their individual choices. Second, our products offer the opportunity to improve the way you do business today. Manage it better, react quicker, and move information closer to the users.

Finally, we understand that it is critical to build solutions that are open, supporting standards that are prevalent in the industry from applications to networking protocols. The implementation, interconnection, modification, support, and growth of your systems can be simplified by choosing solutions built on open standards. IBM PSP will continue its leading role in creating, driving, and implementing industry standards.

Acknowledgment
I wish to thank Neeraj Srivastava, Mac McCarter, D'Ann Ostrom, and Karl LaWall for their time and energy in helping to write this article. They are presently involved with developing market strategies for Personal Software Products.

This paper was written by DeeAnne Safford who is a program manager in IBM's Personal Software Products Marketing Strategies group. She holds an MBA from Nova University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. If you have questions, or need more information, you can contact her at (407) 982-9025.

Some of the information in this paper concerns future products, or future releases of current commercially available products. IBM's future products and their performance, functions and availability are based upon IBM's current intent and are subject to change.

IBM may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter in this notice. This paper does not grant anyone a license to those patents, patent applications or to any other IBM intellectual property.

References in this paper to IBM products or services do not imply that IBM intends to make them available in all countries in which IBM operates.

IBM and OS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. Workplace Shell is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.