CA TELON Modernization Guide

CA TELON is a code generation system primarily used for developing online IMS and CICS applications on z/OS. It employs a macro-based approach to generate COBOL and PL/1 code, focusing on creating online interfaces and database access layers.

TELON Design Facility (TDF) is a tool within CA TELON specifically designed for creating and testing 3270 screen interfaces. TELON Test Facility aids in testing and debugging the code generated by TELON.

CA TELON supports databases including Db2, VSAM, IMS, IDMS, and Datacom/DB. It is designed to generate code that interacts with these databases for data access and manipulation.

CA TELON uses macros to generate COBOL and PL/1 code. Developers define application logic and screen layouts using these macros, which are then processed to produce the executable code.

TELON Design Facility (TDF) provides an interface for designing and testing 3270 screens. While specific API details are not publicly documented, the generated code interacts directly with the z/OS environment and supported databases.

The main components include the TELON Design Facility (TDF) for screen design, the code generator which processes the macros, and the runtime environment on z/OS where the generated code executes. The generated code directly interacts with databases and transaction processing systems like IMS and CICS.

CA TELON streamlines the development of online applications, particularly those interacting with mainframe databases. By automating code generation, it reduces development time and effort, leading to faster application delivery.

By generating code without proprietary runtime libraries, CA TELON avoids vendor lock-in and ensures that applications can be maintained and evolved independently. The generated code is standard COBOL or PL/1, which can be modified and extended as needed.

Security in CA TELON-generated applications is typically handled through the security mechanisms provided by the underlying z/OS environment, including RACF, ACF2, or Top Secret. The generated code integrates with these security systems for authentication and authorization.

Access control is managed through the security systems configured on z/OS. CA TELON-generated applications leverage these systems to enforce role-based access control (RBAC) and other access control models.

Administration of CA TELON primarily involves managing the macro definitions and code generation process. The generated code is then deployed and managed within the z/OS environment, using standard z/OS operational procedures.

Monitoring and logging are typically handled by the z/OS environment. CA TELON-generated applications can be configured to write logs to standard z/OS logging facilities, which can then be monitored using tools like SMF and other monitoring solutions.