Host Applications as a Service

Companies Offer Access to 5250 and 3270 Applications as a Service Using PASSPORT Host Integration Objects

Running PASSPORT on a Windows Server, Groups Lease Access to Strategic 5250 and 3270 Host Applications, Add Value with New GUI and Business Logic

Many small to mid-sized hospitals, credit unions, banks and insurance companies rely on strategic applications that are hosted on an AS/400 or IBM mainframe system outside of their organization. The applications can range from credit card processing to U.S. Medicare system access.

A growing number of enterprising businesses use the Zephyr PASSPORT Host Integration Objects to generate new revenue and attract new clients by offering access to these applications as a leased service. In most cases, the provider also develops rich value-added services through scripting, new web-based front-ends, integration with other packaged applications and more. Users are generally unaware that they are using a legacy application or that the application they are running is communicating with a host system in the background.

Using a secure Windows 2000 or 2003 Server, an organization can publish a TN5250 or TN3270 service with minimal up-front cost. Zephyr helps to minimize these costs by offering free trial software during the initial development and marketing phase, licensing the software only when a production version is required by a customer.

PASSPORT Host Integration Objects is a programmatic, Microsoft server-based solution that provides secure access to host applications using the TN5250E and TN3270E protocols with SSL security. The software package includes a TN5250 and TN3270 communications module, an object-oriented Activex or .NET interface for screen based development, sample source code and documentation. PASSPORT Host Integration Objects eliminates the need for terminal emulation software.