IBM Updates Host Access Client Package for iSeries

Published: August 1, 2006

by Alex Woodie

IBM last week unveiled version 6 releases of Host Access Client Package (HACP) for Multiplatform and for iSeries, two bundles that each includes new releases of two emulators: Personal Communications for Microsoft Windows and WebSphere Host On-Demand. The new releases bring several enhancements, including support for Kerberos sign-on, the capability to run on Windows x64 editions, compatibility with IBM's Workplace technology, and various new screen, keypad, and mouse functions.

IBM intends its Host Access Client Packages to be used by organizations that require flexibility in their host access solutions. For the traditional "power user," the package offers Personal Communications, a Windows-based fat-client emulator for accessing iSeries, zSeries, and DEC or Unix hosts via SNA or IP networks. For the occasional user accessing the same types of host applications from outside the firewall, IBM offers WebSphere Host On-Demand, which supports the same hosts as Personal Communications, but does it through a Java-enabled Web browser.

Personal Communications 5.9

The new release of Personal Communications, version 5.9, brings several key enhancements, including Kerberos ticketing support for automatically signing onto 5250 display and data transfer sessions. This capability, which is only enabled for the iSeries, allows PC 5.9 users to reduce the number of passwords they must remember by utilizing the Kerberos-based single sign-on (SSO) environments available on the OS/400 platform.

PC 5.9 also brings support for Windows x64 platforms, including Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition, and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition. However, x64 support is offered only in "compatibility mode," which means it isn't available in SNA environments.

Administrators also gain more centralized rule over users' PC 5.9 environments, including control over the users' ability to modify their sessions view, or to minimize, maximize, or close a session. This release also enables administrators to detect when the product has been installed or is being used, through support for IBM's Tivoli License Manager (ITLM) product.

On the productivity front, PC 5.9 brings new printing features, including the "collect print jobs for 5250 printer sessions" function, which provides the capability to collect multiple print jobs and print them as a single print job or in a group, as well as the capability to add a header or footer to print jobs executed using the print screen or print screen collection jobs. This release also brings the capability to use Windows GDI print capability for VT host printing, and also supports concurrent IPv4 and IPv6 connections, as well as support for Telnet-negotiated security, or TLS.

WebSphere HOD 10.0

Various enhancements have been made with WebSphere Host On-Demand (HOD) version 10, including support for IBM's Workplace software. Users can now generate WebSphere Host On-Demand plug-ins that run in products based on Workplace Client Technology (WCT) on the Windows platform. Meanwhile, support for JSR 168 enables HOD's Deployment Wizard to generate portlets that can run on any JSR 168-compliant portal server, including WebSphere and most other Java-based Web application servers.

In the productivity department, HOD 10 brings a new pop-up keypad that can be customized with macros and keystroke functions, and a new "reuse active credentials" feature that enables users to bypass the sign-on screen once they've been authenticated to the host. iSeries users may also be interested in the expanded macro and file transfer lists, which can be used from up to three locations, instead of from just one place.

Other productivity enhancements include support for color using the "print screen" function, and the capability to customize the foreground and background colors of the field containing the cursor in the host screen. HOD 10 also brings support for the FTP copy append function, the capability to undo cut, copy, and paste functions, and a new macro variable that lets users obtain the applet HTML parameter, operating system properties, and Java system prosperities.

Last but not least, mouse wheels are also now supported with HOD 10.

Versions 6.0 of HACP for iSeries and HACP for Multiplatforms will be generally available in more than a dozen languages on September 8. Passport Advantage Express pricing for HACP for iSeries is $166 per user, while the pricing for HACP for Multiplatforms is $231 per user. For more information, visit www-306.ibm.com/software/network/hostaccess).

RELATED STORIES

IBM Starts Shipping Host Access Client Package for iSeries Version 5

IBM Updates Fat and Thin Client 5250 Emulation Offerings