A communication system permitting temporary connections for specific, predictable data transfer performance is presented. The communication system includes a requesting computer system, a responding computer system, and communication paths for establishing connections between the requesting computer system and the responding computer system. The requesting computer system can establish a temporary initial control connection with the responding computer system through a first communication path. A temporary negotiating connection is established with the responding computer system. Data transfer characteristics are negotiated with the responding computer using the temporary negotiating connection. A temporary data connection is established through a set including at least one communication path based on the negotiated data transfer characteristics, the set not including the first communication path.

An option request protocol allows dynamic negotiation of options between a host computer and a control unit of a computer network. The protocol is manifested as an exchange of novel control messages over a control link used to establish logical data links for communication between the host and control unit. The options negotiated by the control message exchange generally pertain to additional functions performed by the control unit or host, or additional parameters for communication over the data links coupling the control unit and host.

A technique efficiently creates a database used to correlate information identifying data session traffic exchanged between entities of a computer network with information relating to multi-protocol intermediate devices configured to carry the session traffic throughout the network. The intermediate devices are preferably routers configured to carry System Network Architecture (SNA) session traffic between SNA entities comprising a host network connection and a physical unit (PU) station. The host network connection utilizes a channel-attached router for connectivity with a host computer. The technique allows a network management station (NMS) program to establish a NMS database by obtaining a PU name associated with an active SNA session without requiring a presence on or continual communication with a virtual telecommunication access method on the host.