Rational Host On-Demand

IBM Rational® Host On-demand is sold as part of the IBM Host Access Client Package and IBM Rational Host Integration Solution.

Simplify your host access

Host On-Demand provides cost-effective and secure browser-based and non-browser-based host access to users in intranet and Internet environments. Host On-Demand is installed on a Web server, simplifying administrative management and deployment. The Host On-Demand applet is downloaded to the client browser, providing user connectivity to critical host applications and data.

Host On-Demand leverages Java™ technology to help open the doors to your host data directly from your browser. Just click a hyperlink to launch the Host On-Demand Java applet. This Web-to-host connectivity solution helps provide security-rich access to host applications from a browser, without any program¬ming required.

Host On-Demand supports emulation for common terminal types, communications protocols, communications gateways, and printers, including the following:

Because Host On-Demand is based on Java technology, it is uniformly supported on a wide variety of platforms. Host On-Demand also provides a rich set of programming interfaces so that you can create your own, customized, host access applications:

A cost-effective approach

Using Host On-Demand can help you reduce costs with centralized product deployment, configuration, and maintenance from a Web server, eliminating the need to manage software on individual user desktops. Using a browser, users connect directly to a host system, such as System z and IBM i, without the need for extra hardware and software between the client and the Telnet server. You can install Host On-Demand on nearly any server platform, accommodating various-size organizations and branch offices.

On the initial access to Host On-Demand via a browser, the Host On-Demand applet is downloaded, avoiding the need to install the product on client workstations. With the cached client feature, subsequent sessions originate from user hard drives, while code updates are handled in the background, through the cached client. As a result, users can be more productive and access the newest version of the code, with reduced maintenance and distribution costs.

Connect directly to any Telnet server

With Host On-Demand, the client applet contains all the necessary emulation function, eliminating the need for a mid-tier server—helping to enhance your performance. After the applet has been served to the client, it’s easy to connect directly to any standard Telnet server that provides the most efficient access to the required data. You can change the Telnet connections as needed, to accommodate user requirements for new data. With the new Quick Connect feature, end users can rapidly fire up a new session to a different Telnet server. You can also access many host sessions concurrently.

Create new host access business applications

A rich Java tool set—including Host Access Beans for Java, HACL API, Host On-Demand Connector, Programmable Host On-Demand, and Session Manager API—allows you to rapidly create custom business applications. With these tools kits, you can use Host On-Demand to incorporate host access applications into other Web software projects. This helps you preserve your Host On-Demand investment, while providing a jump-start to moving to the Web. The HACL API provides access to 3270, 5250, and VT data streams. This class library allows you to use mission-critical information in new ways, including integrating data from one application with another.

Host Access Beans for Java provides host connectivity and emulator functions that can be created with standard software development tools, such as Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software. Use Host Access Beans for Java or Host On-Demand Connector to rapidly create custom applications and deliver the specific functions that you want to include in your Web applications.

Using the Session Manager API, you can integrate a Host On-Demand session within your company’s Web page. With Programmable Host On-Demand, you can quickly create custom applets or applications to suit your needs, without having to start with the more basic building blocks found in the Host Access Beans. Your custom solution can take advantage of having Host On-Demand wire the beans together, save user preferences, and provide additional components such as the toolbar, menus, and a status bar.

Security-enhanced access across the Internet

Using industry standard TLS or SSL, Host On-Demand software extends host data access across intranets, extranets, and the Internet with added security. Mobile workers can establish secure communication with an enterprise host. With client and server certificate support, Host On-Demand can present a digital certificate to the Telnet server—such as IBM Communications Server for z/OS—to facilitate authentication. Certificates can be kept in the client’s browser, a dedicated security device—such as a smart card—or in a local or network-accessed file in PKCS12 which is protected by a password.

Flexible configuration models support your unique needs

Before being centrally deployed to end users, the Host On-Demand applet needs configuration information to determine which host to connect to and to identify other host session properties, such as security setting. This configuration information can be provided to the Host On-Demand applet from an HTML file or by using the Host On-Demand configuration server.

If you don’t need to manage Host On-Demand user IDs and passwords, you can use the Deployment Wizard to create HTML files that contain configuration information for host sessions. If you allow users to save changes to host-session configuration information, the changes are stored on the local file system where the browser is running.

If you need to manage Host On-Demand users, host-session information is maintained on the configuration server, using the administration utility. You can define preferences using a user and group structure. The configuration server normally stores its data locally on the Host On-Demand server, though it can be configured to use Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) instead. Users access their configurations using either custom HTML files created in the Deployment Wizard or by using one of several HTML files provided as part of Host On-Demand. If you allow users to save changes, Host On-Demand stores user preferences based on user IDs in the configuration server.

Boost end user productivity

With end user features such as Screen History, Scratch Pad, Hot spots, Find text, and intuitive copy/paste options, Host On-Demand helps to augment the usability of the original green screen application, and aids in reducing data entry errors.

Integrate terminal applications with other business applications

The Host On-Demand container enables rapid integration of terminal applications into the Lotus Composite Application framework in Lotus Expeditor and Lotus Notes. The container provides true point-click-wire transformation of host applications into client-side service oriented architecture (SOA), deriving new value from existing assets and automating work flow and user interaction with host systems. Applications can be quickly assembled using the Composite Application Editor without the need for programming or low-level scripting. Tooling for Lotus Expeditor Developer Edition and Lotus Domino Designer are freely available from IBM at developer.lotus.com.

If your enterprise strategy includes the use of WebSphere Portal to for integration at the glass to provide users with the information that need, Host On-Demand can provide access to 3270, 5250, VT applications, or FTP servers without any programming. By combining Host On-Demand and WebSphere Portal software, you can create custom Host On-Demand portlets for simple host application access.

Below is the summary of software and hardware required for IBM Rational Host On-Demand. For more details, see Supported Platform Details.

Host On-Demand Server requirements

For more details on Host On-Demand Server requirements, see Supported Platform Details.

Host On-Demand Client requirements

For more details on Host On-Demand Client requirements, see Supported Platform Details.

Host On-Demand miscellaneous supported software

For more details on Host On-Demand miscellaneous supported software requirements, see Supported Platform Details.