What is a CICS Transaction Gateway (CTG) and how does it differ from CICS Transaction Server (CICS TS)?

A CICS Transaction Gateway (CTG) is a middleware component that allows non-CICS applications to interact with CICS transactions. It acts as a bridge between the non-CICS environment and CICS, providing a way for applications running on different platforms to access CICS services.

On the other hand, CICS Transaction Server (CICS TS) is the core server product that runs CICS applications and manages transactions within the CICS environment. It provides the infrastructure for running the CICS applications and processing transactions in a secure and reliable manner.

One key difference between CTG and CICS TS is that CTG enables communication between CICS and non-CICS applications, while CICS TS is responsible for running CICS applications and managing transactions within the CICS environment.

Understanding the roles and capabilities of both CTG and CICS TS is essential for integrating CICS applications with other systems and ensuring seamless communication between different platforms.