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Prepared By: Todd Carmosino, Patuxent Software Group, Inc. Prepared For: Baker & Taylor / CSC Date: 01/25/2005 Overview Baker & Taylor has forty (40) scales and four (4) production AS/400s. There are ten (10) scales and one (1) AS/400 positioned at each of the four service centers. Baker & Taylor has the same Warehouse Management System (WMS) environment in all four of the service centers. The WMS application was developed and is maintained using OPM COBOL/400, CL and the native AS/400 file system. No specific protocol was required; communication between the scale and the AS/400 is simple text communication. The scale is attached as an external ASCII device to the AS/400 and communicates to the WMS application in real time. After the shipping container is sealed (with documentation and dunnage), it is placed on a scale for an accurate weight and carrier rating. The scales are configured to return the displayed package weight when a "W" character is sent to the scale. An on-line WMS COBOL program scans the unique shipping container number. The COBOL program interfaces with the Curbstone Sockets application to send a "W" and receive the container's weight. 1. What problems were you experiencing? The primary issue has been with the scales. One of the factors that lead to the AS/400 project's success was that Baker & Taylor could leverage existing scales communicating with another application running on a Dec Alpha. The scales are older and don't keep up with the AS/400. 2. How did you deal with these problems previously? When the scales failed to communicate, resetting them with the Dec Alpha application was a time-consuming process and required intervention from someone in the computer room. On the AS/400, using a COBOL program and the Curbstone Socket application program interfaces (i.e. SSSTR, SSEND), Baker & Taylor developed a "function key" on the screen that allows the service center staff to quickly reset the scales (without computer room assistance). 3. What ultimately caused you to seek a different way of doing things? There were performance issues with scaling on the DEC Alpha. 4. Why did you select Curbstone Sockets? It allows the AS/400 to communicate with an external ASCII device. It was a native AS/400 application. It was simple to install. It supported COBOL. The interface was very intuitive. It allowed the use of standard AS/400 objects (data queues). 5. How difficult was the transition to Curbstone Sockets? Not difficult. The use of standard AS/400 objects (i.e. Data Queue) eliminated the learning curve. The integration with the legacy COBOL programs was seamless. 6. What kind of technical support did you receive? EXCELLENT. We spoke with the lead developer each time we called (with was not that often). 7. Did the performance of Curbstone Sockets measure up to its billing? Yes. 8. What kind of turnaround time (in milliseconds) was your criterion for proper operation? Baker & Taylor expected the WMS Scaling project to perform with 1-2 second response time. 9. Were there other key criteria? No. 10. What turnaround time was achieved? The application met the project's 1-2 second response time requirement. How consistent is it? It was stable. Baker & Taylor had to make some TCP/IP router changes to balance the load and even out the performance. 11. What benefits have you seen? The projected WMS scale throughput was achieved during Baker & Taylor's high volume, high profile trade season (November and December). 12. Did you have any concerns about Curbstone Sockets? No. 13. Have there been significant problems related to Curbstone Sockets? None. 14. What was your biggest surprise? How easy Curbstone Sockets integrates into the legacy AS/400 code. Also how the it has other potential uses at Baker & Taylor. For example, the Operations group is evaluating hardware to "ink jet" the outbound shipping containers. The Curbstone Sockets utility is being considered to communicate with vendor's hardware. 15. Would you recommend this technology to others? Yes. Under what circumstances? For any AS/400 application that requires "transparent" sockets connectivity to an external ASCII device. |
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