Distributed Execution Environment

DEE

Enhanced Definition

A Distributed Execution Environment (DEE) on z/OS refers to the architectural patterns and technologies that enable z/OS-based applications and data to participate in, or serve as a foundational component for, distributed computing systems. It focuses on extending the reach and capabilities of mainframe resources beyond the traditional batch or online transaction processing within the z/OS LPAR, integrating them with heterogeneous platforms.

Key Characteristics

- Interoperability: Facilitates seamless communication and data exchange between z/OS and non-z/OS platforms (e.g., Linux, Windows, cloud environments) using standard protocols like HTTP/S, TCP/IP, and MQ.
- Resource Sharing: Enables distributed applications to access critical z/OS resources such as DB2 databases, IMS datastores, CICS transactions, and batch processing capabilities.
- Scalability and High Availability: Leverages z/OS's inherent strengths in scalability (e.g., Sysplex, WLM) and high availability to support demanding distributed workloads with enterprise-grade reliability.
- Security Integration: Incorporates robust z/OS security mechanisms (e.g., RACF, ACF2, Top Secret) to authenticate and authorize access from distributed components, ensuring data integrity and compliance.
- Asynchronous and Synchronous Communication: Supports various communication models, from real-time synchronous API calls (e.g., z/OS Connect) to