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{{See also|Record-oriented filesystem|Record (computer science)|Input/Output Control System|Record Management Services}}
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{{refimprove|date=August 2012}}
{{POV check|talk=NPOV|date=July 2020}}
An '''access method''' is a function of a [[mainframe computer|mainframe]] [[operating system]] that enables access to data on disk, tape or other external devices. They were introduced in 1963 in IBM [[OS/360]] operating system.<ref name=aus>[http://researchweb.watson.ibm.com/journal/rd/255/auslander.pdf M. A. Auslander, D. C. Larkin, A. L. Scherr: "The Evolution of the MVS Operating System", pages 478-479]</ref> Access methods provide an [[API|application programming interface (API)]] for programmers to transfer data to or from device, and could be compared to [[device driver]]s in non-mainframe operating systems.▼
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▲An '''access method''' is a function of a [[mainframe computer|mainframe]] [[operating system]] that enables access to data on disk, tape or other external devices.
== Purpose of access methods ==
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* Ease of hardware replacement - programmer would no longer alter a program when data should be migrated to newer model of storage device, provided it supports the same access methods.<ref name=aus/>
* Ease shared data set access - an access method is a trusted program, that allows multiple programs to access the same file, while ensuring the basic data integrity and system security.<ref name=aus/>
* Read-ahead - Queued access methods may start as many I/O operations as there are [[data buffer|buffers]] available, anticipating application program requirements.
Unlike systems derived from [[Unix]], where all files and devices are considered to be an unformatted stream of [[byte]]s, mainframes offer a variety of data options and formats, such as varying types and sizes of [[record (computer science)|records]], and different ways of accessing data, such as via record keys. Access methods provide programs a way of dealing with this complexity.
* Programs can read or write a record or block of data and wait until the input/output operation is complete (''queued'' access methods) or allow the operation to be started and the program to continue to run, waiting for the completion at a later time (''basic'' access methods).
* Programs can specify the size and number of buffers for a file. The same buffer or pool can be used for multiple files, allowing blocks of data to be read from one file and written to another without requiring data movement in memory.
* Programs can specify the type of error recovery to be used in case of input/output errors.
== Storage access methods ==
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* [[Telecommunications Access Method|TCAM]] <!-- the acronym links to other topic --> - [[Telecommunications access method]]
* [[VTAM]] - [[Virtual telecommunications access method]], introduced with [[OS/VS]]
* [[TCP/IP]] for [[MVS]] -
== IMS ==
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* [[Hierarchical Indexed Direct Access Method]] ([[HIDAM]]),
* [[Hierarchical Indexed Sequential Access Method]] ([[HISAM]]),
* [[Hierarchical Sequential Access Method]] ([[HSAM (computing)|HSAM]]),
* [[Overflow sequential access method]] (OSAM),
* [[Partitioned Hierarchical Direct Access Method]] ([[PHDAM]]),
* [[Partitioned Hierarchical Indexed Direct Access Method]] ([[PHIDAM]]),
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{{Mainframe I/O access methods}}
▲[[Category:IBM mainframe operating systems]]
[[Category:Computer file systems]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1963]]
[[Category:IBM mainframe operating systems]]
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