Abstract:
A secure virtual tape management system with console and catalog monitoring and updating. The system includes at least one mainframe host processor having a catalog storing tape related information and having an operator console communicably attached thereto. A virtual tape management central processing unit includes software for facilitating remote configuration and utilization of the virtual tape management CPU. A virtual tape catalog storing tape related information is attached to the virtual tape management CPU. An inboard software component resident in the mainframe host obtains and collects any and all console messages issued to the operator console of the mainframe host for conveyance to the virtual tape management CPU to allow automation steps and routines to be performed in response to the console messages. The inboard software resident in the mainframe host accepts any and all events that need to be reported from the virtual tape management CPU, conveying those events to the operator console in the form of messages. The inboard software resident on the mainframe host updates the mainframe host catalog with activity of the virtual tape system catalog.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/093,023, filed Aug. 29, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to a secure virtual tape management system with operator console and catalog monitoring and updating features. In particular, the present invention is capable of obtaining and receiving all console messages of a mainframe host and managing them so that an automation platform can process them and issue operator commands in response or for any other reason, such as timed entries. In addition, the present invention detects any and all events to be reported and conveys them back to the operator as new console messages. 
         [0004]    2. Prior Art 
         [0005]    It is necessary to store and backup data for many mainframe computer installations primarily for the purpose of safekeeping critical information in the event of an unexpected loss of the primary copy. The backups are often remotely stored offsite of the mainframe installation. 
         [0006]    At one time, ten inch, round reel tape drives were utilized on mainframe installations. The well known tape itself consists of a thin plastic base material with a coating of ferromagnetic ferric oxide powder. The round reel tapes were physically transported to an offsite location. Periodically, the tapes would be returned and then reused. 
         [0007]    In the 1980&#39;s, cartridge tape units replaced the round reel tape drives. The tape cartridge system had fewer moving parts and was less prone to failure. Additionally, the tape cartridge system occupies a smaller floor footprint and consumed less power than the round reel drives. Additionally, the media itself was improved over time. Denser recording techniques allowed the cartridges to be smaller, yet hold the same amount of data. To improve cataloging and indexing functions, and facilitate data accessibility, typically one data set is placed on one tape volume. Some tape data sets span multiple volumes while others occupy less than a single volume. This can result in a significant waste of tape as most data sets occupy only a small portion of the media and the rest of the volume remains unused. Estimates are that industry norms are for tape cartridges to be less than 50% utilized. With a cartridge tape system, the same procedures for physically pulling certain cartridges and moving them to an offsite location would be performed. 
         [0008]    More recently, virtual tape servers have been introduced which place a controller between a mainframe and the cartridge tape devices and attach a disk cache area from and to which data can be read and written. The controller handles the migration of data between the disk cache and the tape media in an optimal space and time fashion. The data is actually being read from and to disks. The disks are typically faster than tape devices. 
         [0009]    Information regarding tape volumes is stored in a tape catalog, maintained by a tape management system running on the host mainframe. The tape management system associates a particular tape using its primary identifier, the tape&#39;s volume serial number, with the data sets stored onto it along with its retention, or expiration date. In order to manage the re-use of tapes, the retention date indicates when the data on a tape is no longer required and at such point in time, the tape may have its data overwritten or “scratched” out. Scratch tape is a common mainframe term for a tape available to be written upon, regardless of its prior contents, if any. 
         [0010]    A scratch list is a report that is generally prepared on a daily basis that includes all of the volume serial numbers whose retention date expired on that day. A human typically refers to this report while walking through a tape library, pulling those tapes on the report so that they may be placed into the scratch pool for reuse. The tape management system imposes a safeguard against non-expired tapes being mounted in place of a scratch tape by comparing the tape&#39;s volume serial number against its catalog expiration date. This volume serial number, in addition to being hand written onto the exterior of the tape, is on the beginning of the tape prior to the start of data set information in a section known as a “header”. When a scratch tape is mounted for writing, the tape management system inspects the tape catalog to verify that the tape is truly a scratch. If not, then it is rejected and a different scratch tape requested. 
         [0011]    A vault list is a report prepared at some particular time interval that includes all of the volume serial numbers that are to be removed from the tape library and physically taken offsite. Mainframe data centers have the need to move or copy data to off site locations, primarily for the purpose of safe keeping critical information to be used in the event of an unexpected loss of the primary copy of that information. This typically involves physical transportation of the mainframe tapes, an error prone process in that sometimes all the required tapes are not sent or sometimes a tape sent in error that is later required to be retrieved in order to complete the processing of a mainframe job. Further, the data on these tapes is typically un-encrypted and therefore vulnerable to anyone being able to read it. 
         [0012]    The tape management system is primarily used to cross-reference the location of a desired data set to a tape volume serial number. It is secondarily used to manage scratch lists and vault lists. 
         [0013]    The present invention is supported via an encrypted communications protocol interfacing with, and relying upon, the teachings, practices and claims disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,108 (hereinafter synonymously referred to as “Secure Agent®” or “SA”), which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       Secure Agent Overview 
       [0014]    The following overview is provided to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the teachings of the instant invention. Secure Agent® utilizes a secure login sequence wherein a client connects to a Secure Agent server using a key known to both systems and a client connects and presents the server with user identification (as used herein the term “client” refers synonymously to a remote user or component establishing, and communicating with the instant invention through Secure Agent allocation and encryption processes as taught in the above noted applications). If recognized, the Secure Agent server initiates a protocol whereby the client&#39;s identification is verified and subsequent communication is conducted within a secured (encrypted) construct. For purposes of this overview, the term “server” should be considered a hardware configuration represented as a central processing unit wherein Secure Agent, a Host DLL and driver reside, and are executed. The term “DLL” as used herein refers to a Secure Agent host dynamically linked library (a.k.a. Host DLL). The term “DLL” or “dynamically linked library” is used in a manner consistent with that known to those skilled in the art. Specifically, the term “DLL” refers to a library of executable functions or data that can be used by a Windows™ or LINUX application. As such, the instant invention provides for one or more particular functions and program access to such functions by creating a static or dynamic link to the DLL of reference, with “static links” remaining constant during program execution and “dynamic links” created by the program as needed. 
         [0015]    The Secure Agent® server presents a variable unit of data, such as the time of day, to the client as a challenge. The client must then encrypt that data and supply it back to the server. If the server is able to decrypt the data using the stored client&#39;s key so that the result matches the original unencrypted challenge data, the user is considered authenticated and the connection continue. The key is never passed between the two systems and is therefore never at risk of exposure. 
         [0016]    The initial variable unit of data seeds the transmission of subsequent data so that the traffic for each client server session is unique. Further, each byte of data transmitted is influenced by the values of previously sent data. Therefore, the connection is secure across any communication passageway including public networks such as, but not limited to, the Internet. The distance between the client and server is not of consequence but is typically a remote connection. For accountability purposes, the actions of a client may be recorded (logged) to non-volatile storage at almost any detail level desired. 
         [0017]    The access rights of each client (what the client is able to accomplish during a session) is governed by data stored on the Secure Agent® server to which the client is associated. As an example, such rights might encompass the ability to administer and utilize the services of the server system, which would, in turn, include capabilities such as adding new clients or components, changing a user&#39;s rights, transferring new code to the server, using a feature (or service) of the server and more. 
         [0018]    Consequently, Secure Agent® allows for the transmission of new code to the server and for that code to be implemented upon demand by a client. Such dynamic, real-time implementation in turn, allows for the behavior of the server to be modified. It is to this behavior modification the instant invention addresses its teachings, and thereby advances the contemporary art. 
         [0019]    As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, though the instant invention utilizes encryption/decryption and code recognition technology associated with Secure Agent®), alternative technologies may be employed in support of the instant invention without departing from the disclosure, teachings and claims presented herein. 
         [0020]    Virtual Tape Catalog Overview 
         [0021]    A virtual tape catalog described in the present invention is a database repository of tape related information regarding each virtual tape used by the tape emulator. It is used to manage the disposition of tapes and is therefore much like a mainframe&#39;s internal tape catalog. The virtual tape catalog is crucial to the operation of the system and is therefore replicated to one or more remote locations. Along with the primary data element used to identify a specific virtual tape, the volume serial number, it indicates the information necessary to manage it such as:
       Expiration date.   Scratch indicator.   Indicator that it should always be copied to remote data storage.   Indicator that it is ready to be copied to remote data storage.   The remote data storage target to which it should be copied.   Indicator that the source tape file should be deleted after being copied to remote data storage (a move operation).   Indicator that it should always be copied to an archiver.   Indicator that it is ready to be copied to an archiver.   The archiver target to which it should be copied.   Indicator that the source tape file should be deleted after being copied to an archiver (a move operation).   The host processor dataset names that it contains.   The size of the tape file.   The date and time when it was created.   The date and time when it was last accessed.   The current locations of the tape file.   The date and time that it was transmitted to its current locations.   An indicator that it is currently in use.   The security groups to which it belongs.   Indicator that the tape file should be automatically retrieved upon a mount request if it happens to have been moved off the tape emulator component.   Indicates that it should be recovered to the tape emulator component.   Indicates it should be encrypted when created.   Encrypted indicator.       
 
         [0044]    In addition to information specific to each tape, additional information is stored within the virtual tape catalog such as global configuration information and rules that govern the disposition of tapes. These include:
       The central key phrase (password) used to encrypt the virtual tape images.   Certain dataset name patterns that, when encountered during the creation of a tape, cause a tape to be reassigned into specific security groups.   Periods of time that, when compared against when a tape is to be expired during the creation of a tape, cause a tape to be copied to remote data storage.   Periods of time that, when compared against when a tape is to be expired during the creation of a tape, cause a tape to be copied to an archiver.   Periods of time that, if a tape goes unaccessed by the host processor, that it will be moved to remote data storage.   Periods of time that, if a tape goes unaccessed by the host processor, that it will be moved to the archiver.       
 
         [0051]    As will be described in detail herein, the invention&#39;s host information component provides tape catalog and tape mount information from the host processor by way of one of the tape emulator component&#39;s devices. The specific device may be any device type best suited for the facilities available to the host information component. Non-limiting examples include a 3480 tape drive, through special commands or sequences; 3286 printer emulation; or 3270 display emulation. Based on a unique communication sequence initiated by the host information component, this particular emulated device is able to recognize that it services the ‘control path’ and reacts accordingly. 
         [0052]    The ‘control path’ between the host information component and the remainder of the invention is used to supply all information required from the host such as tapes to be scratched, tapes to be transmitted to vault, tape mount requests and tape retrieval (or recall) requests. The information relating to tape scratches, tape vaulting and tape retrieval is collected periodically by the host information component from the host processor&#39;s tape catalog. The information relating to tape mount requests is collected as they occur, either by intercepting an operator message or by otherwise hooking into a host processor&#39;s tape mount user exit, a method by which a utility may gain useful information. For a tape to be scratched, vaulted or recalled, the device correspondingly updates the virtual tape catalog. For a tape to be mounted, the device relays the mount request to the emulated tape drive indicated in the request, parsing the request as necessary per the host processor&#39;s tape mount request message format. If, for whatever reason, the tape mount cannot be satisfied, a message is sent up through the control path to the host information component in order that an operator message may be issued indicating the reason for being unable to service the request. 
         [0053]    Additionally, status information maintained on behalf of the emulated tape device is updated to reflect the current status so that an administrator might be able to review it. 
         [0054]    Accordingly, it is a principal object and purpose of the present invention to provide a secure virtual tape management system with operator console and catalog monitoring and updating features wherein the secure virtual tape management system issues operator commands from the virtual tape management system to the mainframe host through an adaptor. 
         [0055]    It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a secure virtual tape management system capable of obtaining and receiving all console messages destined for the mainframe host and managing them so that an automation platform may process them and issue operator commands in response or for any other reason, such as timed entries. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0056]      FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic diagram of a secure virtual tape management system with console and catalog monitoring and updating in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0057]    The embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use the invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the instant invention. 
         [0058]    While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the details of the invention&#39;s construction and the arrangement of its components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification. 
         [0059]    Referring to the drawings in detail,  FIG. 1  illustrates a simplified schematic diagram providing a conceptual overview of the primary hardware and software components of the present invention in a preferred embodiment. A mainframe host computer system  101  may execute various operating systems such as MVS, VM, VSE, LINUX or UNIX. The mainframe host computer  101  may also include an inboard tape catalog  110 . 
         [0060]    Additionally, the mainframe host  101  includes an operator console  102  communicably attached thereto. 
         [0061]    Each mainframe computer host typically will be connected to at least one console, including a keyboard and display terminal, for operations personnel to monitor and control the operation of the system. The operations staff interface with the mainframe host computer  101  through the operator console  102 . This console displays status messages about the computer system and allows the operations staff to control the operations of the mainframe host computer. For example, a job on the mainframe host may require data from a tape device or from a virtual tape, such job being a software program running within the mainframe such as a scheduled task or task started on demand. The job will send a message to the console operator. The operator will then mount the requested tape and inform the mainframe host computer that it is available by making an entry at the console. Other types of messages include errors or critical situations occurring on the mainframe host computer. It is the console operator&#39;s job to monitor the mainframe host system through the console messages and note any problems that may occur. 
         [0062]    The present invention includes a virtual tape system tape emulator (“VTS”)  103  which has Secure Agent® software  106  (previously described above) executing under its control program. The VTS emulator server  103  also has operating under control of its control program remote configuration software  109 . Also embodied within the VTS server  103  is a hardware adaptor card  112 . The adaptor card  112  is, in turn, communicably attached to one or more mainframe host processors, such as the mainframe host processor  101 . As used herein, the term “adaptor” refers synonymously to those hardware configurations such as, but not limited to, “adaptor cards” which allow for connectability between two or more central processing units and the transference of data associated therewith. Illustrative non-limiting examples of such adaptors as used herein would include various ESCON adaptors, parallel channel adaptors, FICON adaptors and SCSI adaptors. 
         [0063]    The VTS emulator server  103  also includes a hard drive or multiple hard drives with a memory or multiple memories  141 . 
         [0064]    The virtual tape system emulator component  103  conceptually consists of lower level and higher level layers. The lower layer may be a device driver communicating directly with one or more hardware adaptors attached to one or more computer systems, such as, but not limited to, mainframe computers (a.k.a. host processors). Illustrative non-limiting examples of such adaptors as used herein would include various ESCON adaptors, parallel channel adaptors, FICON adaptors, and SCSI adaptors. From the host processor&#39;s perspective, the tape drive emulator&#39;s virtual drives are indistinguishable from real tape drives as it pertains to normal operations. 
         [0065]    The device driver controls the hardware in a manner prescribed by its design, causing it to interact with the other host processor computer systems to which it is connected as if it were one or more device types (emulation). The driver acts as a conduit to the higher layer that governs the overall behavior of the emulated devices. 
         [0066]    The higher layer primarily supplies the driver with new data to provide through the emulated devices to the other computers to which it is connected and accepts data arriving to the emulated devices carried up by the driver. The higher layer manages the information repository against which the driver operates. Using the example of a 3480 tape drive, the higher layer&#39;s information repository represents a virtual tape. Host mainframe reads and writes are serviced using the contents of this virtual tape. The virtual tape files reside on RAID disk drives, encrypted using a central key phrase specified by a security administrator, as will be explained in detail. Therefore, the data stored onto the RAID devices is not useful when accessed outside of the present process, thereby increasing data security. 
         [0067]    Each instance of an emulated device is associated with unique security group information which, when compared against the security group contained within the virtual tape catalog for each tape, controls which tapes may be loaded on it. This security group comparison is performed upon receiving a tape mount request from the host information component. Additionally, if the tape requested is for a ‘scratch’, then such a tape is requested from the virtual tape catalog. 
         [0068]    If a tape is not locally available, because it has been moved off of the tape emulator  103  component by either the remote data storage or archiver components, then the mount may not be immediately satisfied. In this event, a notification is made to the mainframe host information component. If the virtual tape catalog indicates that it should be automatically recalled then it will be updated to indicate such a recall should be performed; a priority event for the remote data storage component. In such an event, the emulated device periodically inspects the virtual tape catalog to determine whether the tape has been recalled, continuing once it has. 
         [0069]    Once an appropriate tape is locally available, exclusive access is ensured by comparing then setting its in use indicator within the virtual tape catalog. The virtual tape is then used as the emulated device&#39;s data repository. Upon being written, the virtual tape catalog is updated with the fact that it has been updated. As the contents of a virtual tape are updated by the host processor, relevant information is updated in the virtual tape catalog. 
         [0070]    By default, a virtual tape that has been freshly written or created will receive the security groups of the device that created it. However, the administrative tool may be used to indicate certain dataset name characteristics that may be used to redirect the virtual tape into different security groups. Additionally, any other administration policies, such as might be applied based on the dataset names or expiration date, are applied. 
         [0071]    When the tape is dismounted, the last access date is updated in the catalog. It is then marked as no longer being in use within the virtual tape catalog, allowing the remote data storage and archiver components the ability to act upon it as necessary. 
         [0072]    A remote data storage component is primarily responsible for collecting a virtual tape image from the virtual tape emulator. The remote data storage component, when idle, periodically requests tape movement criteria from the virtual tape catalog, prioritizing ‘recall’ requests for virtual tapes to be recovered from the remote data storage to the tape emulator. 
         [0073]    Remote data storage might be implemented in more than a single manner. First, the storage might be a unit capable only of receiving, storing and recalling virtual tape images to serve the purpose of an offsite vault for disaster recovery purposes. Second, the storage might be that owned by a second instance of the virtual tape system  136 . In this case the second VTS would be connected to a secondary host system  130 . 
         [0074]    Like each emulated tape device and each virtual tape, the remote data storage component is assigned to one or more security groups controlling which tapes it is able to transfer from the tape emulator. If a candidate tape doesn&#39;t have a matching security group then it is not considered for transfer and ignored. 
         [0075]    Prior to a transfer it ensures dedicated access by comparing then setting the virtual tape&#39;s in use indicator within the virtual tape catalog. The virtual tape is then copied as per the virtual tape catalog. After the tape has been copied the virtual tape catalog is updated to reflect the virtual tape&#39;s locations and time it was copied. Additionally, if the operation was not a recall and was a move rather than a copy, it is then deleted off of the tape emulator. Finally, the virtual tape&#39;s in use indicator is cleared in the virtual tape catalog. 
         [0076]    Also shown on  FIG. 1  is a secondary host mainframe  130  which includes an inboard tape catalog  132 . Additionally, the secondary mainframe  130  includes an operator console  134  communicably attached thereto to allow operations personnel to monitor and control the operation of the system. 
         [0077]    A virtual tape system  136  which has Secure Agent® software  138  executing thereon includes remote configuration software  140 . The remote configuration software  140  permits communication with a network  148 , such as the Internet, in order to communicate with other elements of the system. 
         [0078]    A hardware adaptor card  142  communicates with the secondary host mainframe  130 . The VTS emulator  136  also includes a hard drive or multiple hard drives with a memory or multiple memories  144 . 
         [0079]    A virtual tape system (VTS) catalog  160  is an independent repository of tape related information maintained on a secure name server that is used by the VTS emulator  103  to manage disposition of its tapes and is similar to the mainframe host inboard tape catalog  110 . Information from the mainframe tape catalog  110  is periodically provided to the VTS emulator  103  so that it might update the VTS catalog  160 . For example, each time a tape image is moved to archive, that information is placed in the VTS catalog  160 . 
         [0080]    The VTS catalog  160  may be connected to the VTS through a network, such as the Internet  148 . The present invention also includes a software component  150  that is installed and executes upon, or inboard, the mainframe host computer  101 . This inboard component  150  transmits information to the virtual tape system catalog  160  accomplished by allocating one of the VTS&#39;s emulated devices and communicating through it in order to transfer such things as the scratch list and vault list, each of which are retrieved from the mainframe&#39;s tape catalog. 
         [0081]    Additionally, tape mount messages that indicate the tape volume serial number to be mounted upon a particular drive are also transferred through this interface. The interface may be accomplished through either of two means. First, it may be implemented by way of unique commands to a VTS emulated tape drive  103  otherwise unused during the normal course of tape operations. When these unique commands are received, they are inspected for validity and the contents retrieved. Second, it may be implemented by way of normal transfer of data to another emulated device type such as a 3286 printer or a 3270 display. These latter approaches require that the normal device data streams be parsed as necessary in order to extract the desired information from them. 
         [0082]    The receipt of a tape scratch list causes the VTS catalog  160  to be updated to reflect which tapes are now considered scratch candidates while the receipt of a vault list causes the VTS catalog  160  to be updated to reflect which tapes are to be transmitted to an off-site data storage component. 
         [0083]    A remote security administrator central processing unit  151  interactively communicates and connects with other elements of the system through a network, such as the Internet  148 . In particular, the remote security administrator  151  communicates with the Secure Agent software  106  operating within the VTS  103 . The remote security administrator  151  administers and maintains users/resource profiles and further communicates with information conveyed to the Secure Agent software  106  via software processes associated with the remote configuration software  109 . The remote security administrator  151  controls the configuration of one or more VTS devices and also controls access to remote off-site back-up devices to be described. 
         [0084]    The present invention maintains a bidirectional conversion between the virtual tape system  103  through the adaptor  112  to the inboard software host component  150  accommodating the transfer of any type of information such as console messages and tape catalog information changes. The inboard software host component  150  of the present invention provides an ability to obtain and review all console messages issued to the operator console  102  by the mainframe host for transfer to the virtual tape system  103 . By receiving all console messages, it is possible to perform automation steps and routines in response to the console messages. The inboard software host component  150  of the present invention also provides the ability to issue commands to the host mainframe  101  such as would be normally be possible to enter using operator console  102 . 
         [0085]    Additionally, the present invention will detect any and all events that need to be reported. Examples of events include problems such as low disk space, or hardware failure. When the present invention detects any event that needs to be reported, that event is conveyed from the virtual tape system  103  to the host information component  150  which then reports or writes the event to the operator console  102  in the form of a message, thereby preventing the operator from the requirement of viewing or watching a separate console to receive immediate notice of situations requiring attention as detected by the present invention. 
         [0086]    The present invention will interface with various tape management catalogs using the inboard host component  150  allowing the present invention to retrieve and update the data that it contains. Accordingly, the virtual tape system  103  updates the inboard host catalog  110 . The present invention is also able to retrieve from the inboard host catalog  110  a list of all of the data available on all tapes, which is of particular use in a disaster recovery scenario, and send that to the virtual tape system  103 . 
         [0087]    Additionally, the present arrangement of interfaces allows for an automatic indication to a system that a tape has been made available by another system. For example, detection by the virtual tape system  103  of the creation of a tape by host mainframe  101  can be transmitted across the network  148  to virtual tape system  136  and the secondary host mainframe&#39;s catalog  132  can become accordingly updated with the availability of the newly created tape. 
         [0088]    The present invention also manages receipt and storage of console messages within the message management software  200  to make available to an automation platform  202  such as SuperVision across network  148 . Additionally, automation platform  202  may simultaneously connect in a similar manner to secondary host&#39;s message management software  204  so that it might coordinate actions between more two (or more) host systems. Automation platform  202  establishes a secure and encrypted connection to message management software  200  for the purpose of receiving a copy of the messages sent to operator console  102  and for issuing operator commands to the host mainframe  101 . The actions performed by an automation platform  202  are site specific and its capabilities are well understood within the industry. In this instance, it is of particular intent for these capabilities to accommodate anything relating to tape processing, such as causing correct tapes to be mounted and read on a secondary host mainframe  136  in the event of disaster recovery. In another example, the completion of use of a particular tape job on host mainframe  101  might require work be started on secondary host mainframe  130 . The message indicating the job&#39;s completion could be coded to automatically cause the appropriate command(s) to be issued and correct responses ensured. 
         [0089]    The present invention&#39;s message management software  200  stores and organizes its messages for collection by the automation platform  202  in such a manner that the protocol does not require constant acknowledgement. Upon initial connection the automation platform  202  indicates from whence to begin sending messages. This can be at any location but is expected to be either from the oldest retained message, only new messages or from the message just after the final received message of a prior connection. Each message from message management software  200  to automation platform  202  is uniquely stamped and it is this stamp that the automation platform  202  may provide upon initial connection to message management software  200  to restart a disrupted connection to ensure all messages are delivered in their proper order and without any missing gaps. 
         [0090]    The present invention further accommodates operator command entries from the automation platform  202  which become issued to the host mainframe  101  using the aforementioned capability of the host information component  150 . 
         [0091]    Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.