Bisync Applications
The original purpose of Bisync was for batch communications between a System/360 mainframe and another mainframe or an Remote Job Entry (RJE) terminal such as the IBM 2780 and IBM 3780. The RJE terminals supported a limited number of data formats: punched card images in and out and print line images to the terminal. Some non-IBM hardware vendors such as Mohawk Data Sciences used Bisync for other purposes such as tape to tape transmission. A programmer could easily emulate an RJE terminal or other device.
IBM offered assembler language macros to provide programming support. During the System/360 era, these access methods were BTAM (Basic Telecommunications Access Method) and QTAM (Queued Telecommunications Access Method) – which was later replaced by TCAM. IBM introduced VTAM (Virtual Telecommunications Access Method) with the System/370.
Teleprocessing monitors such as IBM's CICS and third party software such as Remote DUCS (display unit control system) and Westi platforms used Bisync line control to communicate with remote devices.
The academic computing network Bitnet, together with connecting networks in other geographic areas, used Bisync to connect 3000 computer systems at its peak.
Read more about this topic: Binary Synchronous Communications