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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.
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.