mainframeuri

Mainframeuri is a conceptual URI scheme proposed to address resources on IBM mainframe systems from web-based or cloud-native applications. It envisions a unified addressing model for mainframe assets such as datasets, CICS transactions, batch jobs, JES work units, IMS resources, and z/OS services. It is not an official standard; rather, it describes a pattern for exposing mainframe capabilities through URI-based interfaces.

Format and usage: A mainframeuri uses a scheme name such as mainframeuri or mfuri, with host, path, and query components. Example: mainframeuri://host.example.org:1433/cics/txn/WRITE-RECORD?dataset=DATASET1. Exact syntax varies by implementation, and many deployments map these identifiers to REST endpoints exposed by gateways, API layers, or Zowe-based services that mediate access to CICS, IMS, JES, or datasets.

Standards and adoption: There is no single governing body for mainframeuri. It overlaps with RESTful APIs and existing mainframe access methods. Practical implementations often rely on z/OS REST APIs or Zowe when turning a URI into an actionable operation, using the mainframeuri as a naming convention atop those interfaces.

Security and governance: Access relies on the mainframe security model (RACF, ACF2, Top Secret) and transport security (TLS). Identity federation, OAuth, or SAML may be used to authorize users across domains, with policy and auditing enforced by gateways or API layers.

See also: mainframe, z/OS, CICS, IMS, JES, REST, URL, URI, Zowe.