VTS Gate is a security product which provides enhanced security for VTS-TSRs. With VTS Gate, three additional options are available for VTS-TSRs: SAF interface protection (using security tools like ACF2, RACF, and Top Secret), hardware key protection and Read-only VTS-TSRs.
With SAF interface protection, VTS-TSRs can be started up in read-only or read-write mode. The ability to read, update or start up such a VTS depends on the level of access granted to a user using the SAF security tool.
With hardware key protection, VTS-TSRs can only be started up in read-only mode and are therefore only accessible for read by user applications. Updates to a hardware key-protected VTS-TSR can be performed only by MVS-authorized programs.
VTS Gate also provides the additional option of starting up a VTS-TSR in read-only mode whether or not any other security feature is used.
Any VTS-TSR started up in read-only mode must be switched to read-write mode before updates can be performed on the VTS.