MIS concern over micro-to-mainframe links

reports Electronic storage and retrieval More and more businesses in the USA are using electronic filing as a means to store and retrieve documents. A report from Frost and Sullivan predicts the market will grow by 22.6% annually through 1989. The main applications for electronic filing are storage and retrieval followed closely by word processing and electronic mail. Businesses which refy on a constant flow of paper in the office are most likely to need electronic filing systems. These include banks, insurance companies, manufacturing plants and hospitals. Latest technology which is currently in demand is the optical disc, which eliminates the need to key in documents by hand. As demand increases for electronic filing, the report predicts that software will become more industry specific. (Frost and Sullivan, Inc., 106 Fultim St, New York NY 10038 USA) cl

links MIS concernover micro-to-mainframe The report focuses on IBM and its Micro-to-mainframe Iinks in the USA ambivalent role to data communicaare causing a big headache. A report entitled Micro-to-MainfLame Com- tions links to date. It predicts though that this position will change. Recent municatio~s, suggests that although announcements indicate that IBM has vendors are happy selling communireached an internal consensus regardcations, MIS personnel are so worried about the technical problems that ing the integration of PCs into its mainframe environments, and PCs they may be holding back implemenwill be subordinate to ma~fr~es tations. The main issue is that end users are , whenever possible. The promised inapplications oriented while MIS per- tegrated of its recently announced sonnel tackle the technical side. token ring LAN with SNA as well as According to the report, in many the development of LU6.5 reinforces organizations, data transfer is seen as this view. The problem according to the rean end in itself, rather than as a means port is the lack of differentiation in to an end ie the development of products currently available and the business applications.

46

technical issues involved. Business though is increasing, with sales of micro-to-mainframe software and hardware expected to grow from $450M in 1985 to $5B in 1990. The report concludes that the most important bridge to cross is the communications gap between MIS departments and end users. J1H) Inc., 6 Prowitt St, Norwalk CT 06855, USA) 0

I /

Please ~eution Data Processing in your enquiries

data processing