STF - Skybird Test Facility for MVS-TK5 Update 5

Last update: December 12, 2025

STF Version-5 release-0 modification level-1

Introduction

Back in 1984 I worked for a company that was using IBM Mainframes with 3270 terminals to run their daily business. During those days I wrote a program to run network tests and assist in 3270 programming. MVS became MVS/XA, VTAM became ACF/VTAM and I added new features to STF.

And then TCP/IP, internet and cloud computing took over. 3270 terminals were replaced bij workstations, SNA disappeared and STF was no longer used. Until I discovered Hercules MVS-TK5 which enables me to run the MVS operating system on my PC. The last operational version of STF is from 1993 and was written for MVS/XA with ACF/VTAM. I kept the old assembler source code and adapted STF to run with MVS-TK5 (MVS 3.8 and Vtam2).

Operating environment

STF Version-5 has been reworked to run with MVS-TK5

- adapted for VTAM2 (from ACT/VTAM)
- adapted for MVS 3.8 (from MVS/XA)
- adapted for RAKF (from RACF/ACF2)

General description

Skybird Test Facility was developed to assist systems programmers and network operators in monitoring and testing an SNA network. Available functions include:

- Interface to MVS, VTAM, TSO and other applications;
- Network Solicitor service (STFNSOL);
- Analyze network performance (STFANL);
- Test network components (STFACQ, STFISC);
- Perform 3270 compatibility tests (ECHO, TEST);
- Perform calculations with hexadecimal and decimal numbers (CALC);
- Connect terminals to applications (STFACQ);
- RAKF interface (SAF);
- Debugging tool (DEBUG);
- Cryptographic interface (KUSP);
- Show ACB and RPL error codes (SHOW);
- Show SBA from Row/Col and vice versa (SHOW);
- Logging (STFLOG);
- SMF Accounting (STFSMF);
- Help facility (HELP);

Download

STF Version-5 install can be downloaded at Prince Webdesign
STF Version-5 has been adapted for Hercules MVS-TK5