Host Access Solutions: Terminal Emulation Software and Host Integration

PASSPORT Windows XP SP2 Compatible Terminal Emulator

PASSPORT Terminal Emulator Fully Compatible with Windows XP SP2

Zephyr is pleased to announce that its PASSPORT terminal emulator product suite has been tested and is fully compatible with Microsoft Windows XP SP2 release. PASSPORT provides access to IBM zSeries (3270), IBM iSeries (5250) and UNIX® (Telnet) host systems.

Organizations that use Windows XP and need to upgrade their existing terminal emulator should consider PASSPORT PC TO HOST® or PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® as a potential replacement, especially since the PASSPORT subscription licensing program can significantly lower the cost and maintenance associated with host access.

Benefits in Upgrading to Windows XP SP2

Windows XP SP2 contains major security improvements designed to provide better protection against hackers, viruses, and worms. Windows XP SP2 also improves the manageability of the security features in Windows XP and provides more and better information to help users make decisions that may potentially affect their security and privacy. These enhancements include: protect your PC from harmful attachments, avoid potentially unsafe downloads, reduce annoying pop-ups, improve your privacy when you're on the Web, firewall protection from startup to shutdown, and many more.

• Protect your PC from harmful attachments – By alerting you to potentially unsafe attachments, Windows XP Service Pack 2 helps guard your computer from viruses that can spread through Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and others.
  
• Avoid potentially unsafe downloads –The new Internet Explorer Information Bar and Internet Explorer download monitoring warn you about potentially unsafe downloads and give you the opportunity to block files that could be malicious.

• Reduce annoying pop-ups - The new Internet Explorer Pop-Up Blocker makes surfing the Internet more enjoyable by helping you reduce the unwanted ads and content that pop up when you're on the Web.
  
• Improve your privacy when you're on the Web – SP2 helps protect your private information by applying the security settings that guard your PC to the files and content downloaded using Internet Explorer.
  
• Firewall protection- The powerful, built-in Windows Firewall is now turned on by default. This protects Windows XP against viruses and worms that can spread over the Internet.

PASSPORT Terminal Emulator and Windows XP SP2 Testing

PASSPORT PC TO HOST® versions 2002-621 and greater, and PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® versions 2002-1231 and greater have been fully tested for compatibility with SP2. Critical items that were tested include: installation, upgrade compatibility, different host connections, keyboards, hotspots, macros, file transfer and much more.

• Installation - Both clean and upgrade installs (from the previous version) were performed to make certain there are no DLL or system file conflicts.
  
• Upgrade Compatibility - Upgrading from a previous version was performed to ensure older configuration files, keyboards, macros, hotspots, etc. are compatible.
  
• Different Host Connections - All host connections including IBM zSeries (3270), IBM iSeries (5250) and UNIX® (Telnet) host systems were tested.

Because of the new enhanced security in Windows XP SP2, there are additional alerts that display when launching a PASSPORT session or the FTP client. These, however, are configurable options that can be turned off from the Internet Explorer settings or the new Windows Firewall option. For example,

• When using the PASSPORT FTP client to connect to a FTP Host, you will get prompted with an alert to block this program from accepting any incoming connections from the Internet or a network. This option can be configured to allow all FTP connections to go through next time from the Windows Firewall Setup.

• If you're starting a PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® session for first time, you will also get an alert from the Internet Explorer Information Bar about allowing the downloading and installing of ActiveX Control before making a successful connection. The message appears as: The previous site might require the following ActiveX control: ‘PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® for Internet Explorer' from ‘Zephyr Development Corporation'. Click here to install…

You can also reconfigure this option in Internet Explorer to allow all ActiveX to download.

• When a script (JavaScript or VBScript) is used to launch a PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® session, you might also get this warning from Internet Explorer: To help protect your security, Internet Explorer has restricted this file from showing active content that could access your computer. Click here for options…

Again, this option can also be turned off from the Internet Explorer settings to allow the Running of Active Content on the computer.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft headquarters are in Redmond , WA and can be accessed on the web at www.microsoft.com.

About the PASSPORT Terminal Emulator

PASSPORT is a powerful terminal emulator suite that includes VT/100, TN3270, 5250, SCO ANSI and FTP clients. The package offers high quality, reliable terminal emulators that are fully compatible with Windows Vista®.

PASSPORT is also extremely cost effective. Zephyr provides a subscription based licensing program that reduces your acquisition cost and maintenance cost significantly. This makes upgrading from older terminal emulator a very attractive proposition.

As one of the market's very first IP-based connectivity solutions, the mature, feature-rich package is an ideal replacement for older desktop-based terminal emulators. With its competitive pricing and licensing options, you can save 50% to 75% on the amount of money you would normally spend for terminal emulation software.

PASSPORT Terminal Emulator Highlights

• Provides access to IBM mainframe, AS/400 and UNIX host applications
• TN3270, TN3270E, TN5250, TN5250E, VT420, VT100, SCO ANSI and Wyse 60 terminal emulation
• Standalone FTP client and integrated FTP file transfer within terminal emulation session
• PASSPORT PC TO HOST® is certified for Windows Vista®
• Supports Windows XP and 2000
• Advanced SSL security available for each host session
• Advanced SSH security available for each UNIX host session
• Secure FTP file transfer using SSL and SSH security
• IND$FILE file transfer to IBM mainframe
• Supports Citrix Password Manager
• HLLAPI available to reuse existing screen scraping applications
• Attachmate-compatible EXTRA! Objects API to reuse existing EXTRA! screen scraping applications
• VBScript to record, edit and run productivity enhancing macros
• Host printing supported through the TN3270E or TN5250E client
• Pass-through printing available for VT or SCO ANSI client
• Ability to open multiple host sessions, uniquely configure each session
• Customizable keyboard layout, mouse buttons, keypads, toolbars, hotspots, colors, fonts, cursor and more

PASSPORT Terminal Emulator Deployment

There are actually two versions of the PASSPORT terminal emulation software. Each product uses a different method of deployment.

PASSPORT PC TO HOST® is a desktop-based terminal emulator suite. This product is similar to other desktop Windows programs. PASSPORT is installed with a Windows setup program. It can also be deployed using SMS, MSI, Citrix or Microsoft Terminal Server.

PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® is a web-based terminal emulator suite that is deployed from a web server. The terminal emulation software is installed on a web server and provides an administrator program for centralized configuration and administration. All software and configuration files reside on the web server. When the terminal emulation software is run, an ActiveX applet is downloaded from the web server to the client desktop and run inside Internet Explorer. The ActiveX 3270 terminal emulator running inside Internet Explorer makes a direct VT/100, TN3270, 5250, SCO ANSI or FTP connection to the host system.

PASSPORT Terminal Emulator Quicktrial or Download Options

There are two ways to evaluate the PASSPORT terminal emulator: either download a copy of the software or do a QuickTrial of the PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® application. With QuickTrial, there is no server installation, you simply download the client from our web server. This is a fast and easy way to look at the PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® software. For those that want to install the PASSPORT WEB TO HOST® software on their own web server, you can download the full working copy of the software and complete a full evaluation.

Zephyr has a long history of developing innovative host access solutions. Founded in 1985, Zephyr is a Microsoft Certified Solution Partner, Citrix Premier Alliance Partner, a member of IBM PartnerWorld for Developers, Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN), Cisco Enterprise Associates Program (EAP), and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) TN3270E/TN5250E Working Group.

Complete Access to Everything You Need

Everything you need to fully evaluate PASSPORT as a potential replacement for your existing terminal emulator, or to use or support PASSPORT on an ongoing basis, can be found in this web site, including Technical Requirements, QuickTrial, Pricing, Free Trial Download, Documentation, Knowledge Base, FAQ, Support, and the ability to Order Online.