SocketStations
SocketStations is application
middleware that eases the migration
of Clearpath and A Series users to open networking, client/server
architectures. Since the majority of front-end applications are highly
customized, they cannot be purchased but must be developed by the
user's technical staff. SocketStations makes this a trivial effort.
A major objective in this type of development is to achieve the front-end
goals without having to reprogram the ClearPath or A Series. Modifying
LINC and COBOL programs is costly and should be avoided. The use of
SocketStations avoids this costly re-programming. The MCP-resident
SocketStations software is the link between existing ClearPath/A Series
application and the TCP/IP transport. In addition to providing this link,
SocketStations provides other important functions such as translation of
character formats and framing of messages, functions that are vital to
maintaining compatibility between existing ClearPath/A Series programs
and Windows/Unix client programs.
Taking the burden of ClearPath/A Series compatibility
off the shoulders
of the front-end developer leaves him free to work in the Windows or
Unix environment. Standard development tools such as Visual Basic,
Power Builder or Visual C++ can be used in developing or modifying
screen presentations on the client. These new front-end applications
and modifications are written to a sockets API, such as the open,
de facto standard, Microsoft's Windows sockets (Winsock). Avoiding a
proprietary API on the front-end can provide some not-so-obvious
benefits. For example, in mixed Unix and Windows environments,
Unix front-end applications can be written to the Sockets API, a
subject of Winsock.
T27 API for Java
The T27 API for Java is an API written in the
Java programming
language. It provides a virtual Unisys T27 terminal emulation page
for use by Java applets and applications.
It establishes Telnet connection with a ClearPath or an
A series host
and processes the T27 data stream coming from host applications. As
such, it is an interface that allows ClearPath and A Series host
applications to be easily Web-enabled. Modifications and enhancements
to front-end screen presentations can then be implemented using Java.
T27 type screens can be enhanced to provide web-like screen
presentations using the Java programming language while preserving
the existing legacy applications running on the ClearPath or A Series.
Not having to modify the legacy applications results in significant cost
savings over other solutions of this type.
The T27 API for Java is platform independent. Because it is written in
Java, the T27 API for Java can run on various different platforms and
their operating environments, such as PCs, Macintosh and Unix
systems, and Network Computers (NCs). In addition, T27 API for Java
promotes "zero administration desktop" initiatives by allowing
centralization of program and configuration files on
the Clear Path or A Series while decreasing
administration overhead increasing security and easing maintainability.
The Web Server used by the T27 API for Java is Upstanding LANwise
Web Server, which integrates the Unisys A Series/ClearPath into the
Internet or corporate Intranet. |
