Advanced Topics › Command Processing › How Linkages Types are Defined › Exclusive Linkages

Exclusive Linkages

An exclusive linkage assigns a specific target console to a specific command source. When you define an exclusive linkage, you specify the name of the target console that you are assigning to the command source. You can use an active MCS, inactive MCS, or a subsystem-allocatable console as the target console for an exclusive linkage. If you choose an active console as the target console, then all commands and responses issued through this linkage are displayed on the target console. Because the echoing of commands and responses can cause confusion, we recommend caution when selecting an active MCS console as a target console.

You would choose an exclusive linkage primarily for security purposes. This type of linkage establishes a one-to-one relationship between a command source on the local system and the target console on one and only one external system. It ensures that a command source always issues commands through the specified target console.

Notes:

• You cannot use exclusive linkages with console masking on the link.
• You cannot define an exclusive linkage if you specify ALL, EXT, or multiple system IDs on the SYSID parameter of the LINK command. You cannot issue cross-system commands with a scope value of ALL or EXT through an exclusive linkage.

The following is an example of an exclusive linkage:

LINK CONSOLE=TAPECON1 SYSID=SYSB TGTCONS=SYSCMSTR