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A glossary of terms important to IBM mainframe machines

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QAB:  Queue Anchor Block.

QBE:  Query By Example. The user-friendly interface to QMF.

QBIC:  Query By Image Content. An IBM image search and indexing application announced June 1995. Interrogates image databases for properties such as color percentages, texture, and color layout. Now part of Content Manager. Also a DB2 Image Extender.

QDIO:  Queued Direct Input/Output. IBM’s turbo-charged network-to-mainframe memory transfer protocol that works between OSA-Express and Communications Server, using host system memory queues and a signaling protocol. Supported by z/OS, z/VM and VSE/ESA.

QET:  Quantum Effect Transistor. Semiconductor fabrication technique: data is stored in vacuum pockets on silicon. Once rumored to be IBM research as an alternative gallium arsenide, which everyone said would replace silicon, and never did.

QIP:  Quality Introduction Program. To all intents and purposes the same as the ESP1.

QISAM:  Queued Index Sequential Access Method. Obsolete System/360 access method replaced by VSAM KSDS.

QLLC:  Qualified Logical Link Control. A facility which translates SDLC1 datastreams into X.25 data packets to provide SNA over an X.25 network. NPSI does a similar thing for mainframe networks. QLLC replaces NIA.

QMF:  Query Management Facility. Query and report-writing system for DB2 with some analysis and graphics features. Runs on z/OS, z/VM, VSE/ESA, OS/400 and Windows. It is sold primarily as an end-user tool, but is more powerful and difficult to use than IBM would have us believe. See also QMF for Windows.

QMF for Windows:  A feature of QMF that provides a Windows-based GUI and Java-based query capability for host-based QMF. Connection via SNA, TCP/IP or CLI1. Includes an API.

QMF HPO:  The High Performance Option feature of QMF.

QoS:  Quality of Service.

QPP:  Quality Partner Program. In effect the QPP replaced the ESP1 and beta-test site process as IBM’s method of getting its customers to do the final quality control on new products. But even QPP is not talked about much anymore.

QSAM:  Queued Sequential Access Method. One of the original OS/360 file access methods still used today in z/OS for reading and writing sequential datasets. BSAM is a less commonly used alternative.

QTAM:  Queued Telecommunications Access Method. Obsolete telecommunications access method replaced by TCAM.

Qualifier:  The one to eight character names separated by dots (periods) in z/OS dataset names. The first name is known as the high level qualifier (HLQ) and usually is associated with a RACF user ID.

Query/6000:  Name used during the beta test of IBM Visualizer Query for AIX/6000 announced March 1993 along with DB2/6000. AIX1 database query system that includes DRDA support via DDCS. Withdrawn July 1998.

Query Management Facility:  See QMF.

Queued Direct Input/Output:  See QDIO.

Quick Launch:  Quick Launch for e-business Ventures. IBM Global Financing-backed offering of IBM hardware, software, storage, education and support.

Quick Mix:  Preconfigured IBM hardware/software and set of services that integrates business processes, including legacy data and applications, with the Web. Four options are available: zSeries 900 as both the Web application server and the back-end database and transaction processor; xSeries and a Linux LPAR running on zSeries 900 as both the Web application server and the back-end database and transaction processor; pSeries as the Web application server and zSeries 900 as the back-end database and transaction processor; and xSeries as the Web application server and zSeries 900 as the back-end database and transaction processor.

QuickPlace:  Lotus self-service Web tool for team collaboration. Instantly creates a team workspace on the Web.

QuickTime:  Apple technology for storing and playing synchronized graphics, sound, video, text, and music. Supported, among other places, by IBM Content Manager VideoCharger for Multiplatforms.

Quickwriter:  The 5204.

Quietwriter:  The 5202.