Telecommunications Access Method

Telecommunications Access Method (TCAM) is an access method, in IBM's OS/360 and successors computer operating systems on IBM System/360 and later, that provides access to terminals units within a teleprocessing network.^[1]

Features

TCAM provided similar functionality to QTAM, which it replaced. It was the access method for the initial version of Time Sharing Option (TSO). With the advent of IBM's SNA, TCAM was eventually superseded by VTAM.

TCAM was said to have the following enhancements over QTAM:^[2]

• Improved buffering, with more buffering options.
• Improved organization of message queuing on disk including multiple volume support.
• Back-up copies of messages maintained on disk.
• Improved testing and debugging including off-line testing, improved debugging, online terminal testing, and logging.
• Improved line handling for inquiry applications.
• "Significantly increases speed and efficiency over QTAM."
• Improved operator monitoring and control.
• Binary Synchronous Support.
• Checkpointing.

Device support

TCAM initially supported

• Binary Synchronous Communications (BSC) terminals
• Start/stop terminals
• 2260 terminals
• message queuing in storage and on disk

Support for 3270 terminals was soon added.

References

1. Burnie Blakeley, Harry Harris, and Rhys Lewis (1995). Messaging and Queuing Using the Mqi: Concepts & Analysis, Design & Development. McGraw-Hill. p. 9. ISBN 0-07-005730-3.
2. OS TCAM Concepts and Facilities (PDF). IBM. January 1973. GC30-2022-2.