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Glossary

Algorithm

An algorithm is a finite set of well-defined rules for the solution of a problem in a finite number of steps, for example, a specific set of steps used to compress or expand a record.

Analysis File

The analysis file is the data set used by the CA Compress Interactive User Interface to record the results of compression analysis and implementation performed by the Dialog.

BDA

Byte Distribution Analysis (BDA) is the process of analyzing the distribution of characters in a data set to construct the Huffman tables used to compress and expand the data set.

Buffer

A buffer is storage allocated to temporarily hold input or output data.

CA Compress started task

The CA Compress started task is the task which, running in its own address space, supports the SVC intercepts, cross-memory services, and other facilities required to support compression transparently for application programs.

CA Compress/2 subroutines

CA Compress/2 subroutines are compression and expansion subroutines, used by CA Compress, which can also be called by users. These subroutines are especially useful for supporting compression in products with data that CA Compress cannot support transparently.

CA Compress/2 utilities

CA Compress/2 utilities are utilities that can be used to perform compression and expansion when the CA Compress subsystem is unavailable.

CFMU

The Control File Maintenance Utility (CFMU) is a batch utility provided with CA Compress for maintaining the Control File.

Checkbyte

A checkbyte is an extra byte calculated and added to the compressed data. If it does not exactly match the expected result at expansion, the compressed data has been damaged, perhaps through overlay or truncation when written.

Compression algorithm

A compression algorithm is a finite set of rules used to collect and assign values to the characters found in a string of data so that the data takes less space.

Compression overhead

Compression overhead is the processing required to compress data as it is transferred from the application to the data set.

Control File

The control file is the data set used by CA Compress to record the data sets controlled by CA Compress and how CA Compress should handle them.

Discrete data set

A discrete data set is a single data set, as opposed to a pattern defining a number of data sets.

Dynamic allocation

Dynamic allocation is the allocation performed during program execution rather than at step initialization and termination. This facility is supported by SVC99.

Exclusion Feature

The exclusion feature is a facility enabling the user to supply tables of jobs and programs for which compression and expansion should not take place to prevent unnecessary compression and expansion or double compression.

Expansion overhead

Expansion overhead is the processing required to expand data as it is transferred from the data set to the application.

Express

Express is the CA Compress string compression algorithm that was replaced by the Super Express algorithm.

FDT

A File Descriptor Table (FDT) is a load module that also exists as records on the Analysis and Control Files. It contains information required to compress and expand the data set, including its Huffman compression and expansion tables.

FDTLIB

FDTLIB is the load library in which the Interactive User Interface stores FDTs, and from which it and the CFMU copy FDTs to the Control File.

File analysis

File analysis is the process by which CA Compress presents the various compression choices and the compression percentages possible.

Huffman

Huffman is a compression algorithm that uses tables to replace each character by a variable-length bit string. The characters expected to occur most often are assigned the shortest bit lengths.

ICB

An Integrity Check Block (ICB) is a 3-byte field preceding the compressed data by which CA Compress recognizes the algorithm used to compress the data.

Implementation

Implementation is placing a data set under CA Compress control.

Interactive Dialog

Interactive Dialog is the ISPF interface of CA Compress.

Linklist

The linklist is the list of load module libraries chosen by the installation to be searched by default after any STEPLIB or JOBLIB libraries.

LSR

Local Shared Resources (LSR) is the IBM facility for permitting buffers to be shared by VSAM data sets in a job step. Because I/O to DASD is greatly reduced for random processing in most cases, performance is much improved even for a single data set.

PASSTHRU

Passthru is a facility to enable CA Compress processing without actually performing compression or expansion.

Pattern

A pattern is a name with variable characters used to implement a particular compression algorithm for all data sets matching the pattern.

Pattern analysis

Pattern analysis is the process by which CA Compress will search for data sets to analyze based on name.

Pattern matching

Pattern matching is the process of implementing a data set when it matches a pattern in the Control File, rather than explicitly by name.

PR

Problem Report (PR) is a method of tracking and correlating a problem and its solution. PRs are commonly used to track actual problems in the product, rather than user errors or other difficulties that do not require changes in the product.

RDL

Record Definition Language (RDL) is the language supplied with CA Compress to define compression on each record. RDL is usually generated by default, but can be modified by the user.

RDW

Record Descriptor Word (RDW) is the first four bytes of a variable length non-VSAM record or segment, which defines its length.

Safeguards

Safeguards is a CA Compress facility for preventing inadvertent access to compressed VSAM data sets when the CA Compress subsystem is not active.

SAM-SI

Sequential Access Method-Subsystem Interface (SAM-SI) is the IBM access method used to support the SUBSYS JCL keyword. It is also invoked by Physical Sequential Transparency. Its limitations require certain special considerations when implementing compression using the SUBSYS JCL parameter.

Scheduled

Scheduled is a method of implementing compression at a specified future event, either when the VSAM data set is next loaded or when it is opened for output.

SDB

SDB is the System Determined Block size, in which the user codes BLKSIZE=0 to cause the system to choose an optimal block size for the device.

SHRVL

SHRVL is a CA Compress algorithm that achieves high compression for relatively low CPU overhead on certain types of data.

Space Release

Space release is the facility for freeing unused space from compressed VSAM data sets.

Standard Tables

Standard tables are the six compression tables distributed with CA Compress.

SUBSYS

SUBSYS is an IBM JCL DD parameter for non-VSAM data sets that invokes a subsystem to process the ddname on which it is coded.

Subsystem

A subsystem is a facility running under MVS that performs a certain function. JES2 and JES3, for example, handle job entry and throughput, and SMS does storage management.

Super Express

Super Express is the CA Compress string compression algorithm. It compresses repetitive characters without using tables.

TCF

TCF stands for Test Compression Facility.

VPE

VPE stands for VSAM Performance Enhancement.

VPE rule table

The VPE rule table is the table of rules built by VPE in extended CSA and addressed through the entry for VPE in the subsystem control table (SSCT). VPE does not run as a true subsystem or started task, but in this way VPE can recognize rules built before it is activated.

VPE Rules

VPE rules are the rules supplied to VPE to direct its optimization of data sets.