Virtual Telecommunications Access Method

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What Does Virtual Telecommunications Access Method Mean?

Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM) is an IBM application programming interface that allows application programs to communicate or exchange data with external devices such as mainframes, communications controllers, terminals, etc. VTAM helps to abstract these devices into logical units so that developers do not need to know the underlying details of the protocols used by these devices.

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Techopedia Explains Virtual Telecommunications Access Method

VTAM includes macro instructions that provide a consistent protocol for device connections and can use synchronous or asynchronous operations. This protocol enables different types of legacy programs to be connected to modern device systems.

VTAM eventually became part of IBM’s Systems Network Architecture and Systems Application Architecture.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.