The Role of Large Scale Computing in Computer Science Education at Widener University Dr. Suk-Chung Yoon and Noah Pascarell Dept. of Computer Science Widener University

Overview (Part I)  What is “Large Scale Computing”?  Capabilities of a Mainframe  Viability of the Mainframe  Why Teach Large Scale Computing ? Mainframe Demand The World Depends on Mainframes  Hardware Chart  Our Course Objectives Topics  Why Learn COBOL? Format  Our Wiki

3 What is “Large Scale Computing”?  Developing “really big” applications  Focus on highly available, transaction processing systems  Using the “mainframe” as a server

4 Capabilities of a Mainframe  Large-scale transaction processing (thousands of transactions per second)  Support thousands of users and application programs  Simultaneously accessing resources  Terabytes of information in databases  Large-bandwidth communications

5 Viability of the Mainframe  Are Mainframes Still Used? Most Fortune 1000 companies 60% of all data available on the Internet is stored on mainframes There are more CICS transactions processed than Web pages served

6 Why Teach Large Scale Computing ?  Demographics – average age of a “mainframe programmer”…  Shortage of skill set  Key concepts that can be applicable across other platforms

7 Mainframe Demand  Mainframe Resources: A growing issue for mainframe enterprises is the shrinking set of skilled staff to maintain the environment – Gartner 2004/2005. Wanted: 20,000 IBM Mainframe Experts – InformationWeek, Aug 2005

8 The World Depends on Mainframes Turn on a lightGet a business loan Make a telephone callProcess accounting records Use your ATM cardControl inventories Put money in a bankProcess payroll Rent a carUpdate personnel records Purchase life insuranceControl an assembly line TravelControl a railroad Send a packageUse corporate data bases Track in-transit packagesRun a government agency Trade stocksConduct international business/banking

9 What Would You Title This Chart?

10 Understand key concepts required for large scale application development - which is independent of “mainframe” vs “distributed computing” Describe programs from an “Application Architecture” perspective Gain some real world insight into the application of “Computer Science” concepts Have something unique to discuss during a job interview... Course Objectives

11 Course Objectives (continued)  Be able to have an intelligent conversation with respect to Large Scale Computing  Understand the differences when creating applications to run on a PC, traditional web-based applications and “really big” applications.  Become “fluent” in the TLAs/Buzzwords  Understand Hype verses reality

12 Course Objectives (continued)  Understand the mainframe - how it compares and contrasts to distributed computing environments across concepts such as: Scalability, reliability, security, fault-tolerance, transaction integrity, databases  Gain experience doing application development using mainframe programming tools & languages  Explain how businesses make use of mainframes and outline the major types of workloads for which mainframes are best- suited.  Understand the key principles behind transaction processing, and how mainframe technologies can provide robust transaction processing applications

13  1.System Architecture overview  2.Introduction to COBOL and JCL  3.Data: VSAM and Sequential Files  4.Application Architecture of transaction processing systems  5.Databases: Relational and hierarchical databases  6.Using the mainframe as a “server” (MQ, HTTP, J2EE)  7.Transaction Processing – CICS  8.High Availability - Parallel Sysplex  9.Security – system security & security processes Course Topics

14 Why Learn Cobol  Most mainframe programs are written in Cobol  Most applications are large (ex. 10,000,000 lines of code)  Cobol can be very efficient for certain types of applications

15 Course Format  Lectures - Review key concepts - includes both applied (ex. compile/link a program) and foundational topics (ex. security)  Labs - Focus on getting familiar with the mainframe environment  Online - helping to create/use our “Wiki”

16 Our Wiki  Areas of the Wiki Course info (ex. reading assignments, schedule, …) General mainframe computing info (ex. terms & abbreviations)  One contributes to the Wiki by editing (improving) the web pages, and as appropriate, contributing to the discussion on specific web pages  It is expected that students will be an active reader / contributor to our web site!

17 Our Wiki 

Overview (Part II)  Implementing a Large Scale Widener Conceptualization Contacting Marist College  Requirements Preparing the facility  Hardware  Software IBM: Master the Mainframe Challenge Creating the first lab assignment for the course  Taking the Large Scale Computing Course Reactions to the first lab assignment Course content

Conceptualization  Conferred with Dr. Yoon and Dr. Saltz about the layout of the course Lecture and lab held on the same day Need to construct a lab facility for the course Start to develop mainframe skills  IBM Contest  Held regular meetings bi-weekly Update advisors on status of project Delegated tasks to group members

Contacting Marist College  Started correspondence with system programmers Received requirements to connect with system z9  3270 terminal emulator  Internet connection Requested USERIDs for lab managers, instructors, and students  Continued communication with system programmers throughout lab construction phase

Preparing the Facility - Hardware  New facility Moved new computers into location Crimped CAT-5 and connected machines to existing computer science network

Preparing the Facility - Software  Machines dual boot Linux/Widows  Received a free unlimited license to Vista tn3270 for educational use Runs in Windows environment  Configured Vista to connect with the Marist Mainframe IP address  Created documentation Downloading/configuring Vista From home or in lab

IBM: Master the Mainframe Challenge  Participated in IBM’s contest in Fall 2006 Completed two of three parts Gave an introduction to basic MF skills as well as more advanced topics  Used the contest format to create the first lab assignments  Contest is held yearly, and is open to all college students  Received T-Shirts for completing part I

Creating the First Lab Assignment  Modeled after part I “Breaking the Ice” of IBM’s contest Adapted to our system Based on screenshots and instructions Divided into more manageable sections for the course Added two additional sections:  Allocating data sets  Overview of COBOL and creating the students’ first program

Reactions to the First Lab Assignment  Students received USERIDs/passwords at the beginning of the course  Connection to Marist worked flawlessly  Initial lab assignment spread out over first 3-4 weeks of class  Overall lab was well accepted by students “Extremely informative, and easy to follow.” - Student in Computer Science  Dr. Saltz felt that that our lab was a good introduction

Course Content  Upper level technical elective content Prerequisites: CSCI 151, 152, 247  Each topic was on average covered in a week General mainframe background COBOL (several lectures) Different parts of large scale application development process (requirements, design, testing, etc…) Mainframe capabilities Mainframe vs. other systems discussions  Overall coursework is both challenging and rewarding  One of the few courses which gives direct insight into current industry practices Credit Card Processing System

Conclusions  Mainframe market is in need of experienced employees  System is comparable to those used in industry  Allows for an introduction into large scale application development  Provides another programming language within curriculum  Opens the door to new opportunities  Relying on off-site (third party) hardware  More lab time is needed than other lab-courses  Challenging coursework