If there is no WAN connection in the Branch Office, then one could use Emulator Eliminator software from REDOC - an 5250 terminal emulation program with printing and file transfer facilities. Emulator Eliminator can be used either over dial-in or leased line connection (asynchronous X.28). If the traffic is high, or if the ordinary phone lines are of low quality, a leased line connection should be considered.
Requirements on the IBM AS/400 side:
Requirements on the client side:
Note - it is probably more expensive nowadays to obtain an X.25 connection than it is to obtain a TCP/IP connection. We left the description here for historical purpose.
If you need frequent access to AS/400 host from several workstations in the LAN and the traffic load is higher, you may want to use a dedicated (leased line) connection to the network provider and use TCP/IP protocol to connect your LAN to the Headquarters network. A software package named Client Access that can be run over the TCP/IP protocol, provides graphical access to AS/400 host concurrently from multiple workstations. You might want to establish a virtual private network between your Branch offices and Headquarter over Frame Relay. As the traffic will be logically separated from the public internet, it is considered to be more secure and give better response times, especially in peak hours.
For security reasons (or if you don't have enough legal IP addresses) we suggest using a Linux server acting as gateway between your LAN and WAN connection. It can also provide encrypted tunneling for those mobile or remote users who want to access AS/400 via public internet or dial-up connections.
Requirements on the IBM AS/400 side:
Requirements on the client side:
If you need only 5250 or 3270 terminal emulation on PC-s, you can use terminal emulation software from Mochasoft instead of 'Client Access'. We have found this little package (around 200kB) extremely easy to install and use. New versions come out frequently and the software can be bought at very reasonable prices. There are versions for Windows, Linux, Palm etc. Version 5 for Windows also supports SSL, so one can get rid of tunneling. The only drawback is, it does not have file transfer capabilities.
We have several customers in the Baltic states, who use Emulator Eliminator to access their corporate AS/400 hosts via X.28 dialup or leased line connections or use Client Access over virtual private networks, based on frame relay technology. Customers who need only terminal emulation, use Mocha W32 TN5250 from their Windows workstations or the Palm version over TCP/IP.
If you need assistance in configuring Emulator Eliminator, or are planning to use TCP/IP and take advantages of the graphical Client Access environment to access your AS/400, we can help you to get connected.