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DPRO-91115 Technology Overview
Serena Lambiase 25 January 2001

Bluetooth Wireless Technology: An Introduction

Summary
Named after the 10th century Danish King Harald, Bluetooth is the English translation of his last name
"Blatand." Just as King Harald was famous for uniting the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway and for his
extensive travels, Bluetooth technology unites separate entities (peripherals, laptops, PDAs, palmtops,
cell phones) and simplifies life for people on the move. This wireless, low-cost radio solution enables
small devices to communicate between each other and to the Internet and can also be extended to the
desktop so that printers or scanners can communicate with PCs at short range without wires. The concept
has been termed Personal-Area Network or PAN. Bluetooth operates in the 2.4GHz radio frequency
band, offers 721Kb data rates, and has a range of 10 meters.

Table of Contents
Technology Basics
Bluetooth: How It Works
Technology Analysis
Business Use
Benefits and Risks
Standards
Technology Leaders
Technology Alternatives
Insight

List Of Figures
Figure 1: IEEE 802.15 Bluetooth WPAN

Entire contents © 2001 by Gartner Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed
to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for
interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.


Technology Basics

Introduction

The use of mobile computing gadgets is growing exponentially— according to Gartner's Dataquest,
annual shipments of mobile phones and handheld computers will reach 900 million within five years.
However, most users are aggravated by the difficulties they endure when attempting to have their mobile
equipment exchange information: schedules, phone numbers, files, and information with other people's
equipment. Besides resolving these issues, Bluetooth-enabled PCs and laptops will be capable of cable-
free connectivity to peripherals, such as on-the-fly cable-free printing and wireless headsets for cell
phones.
Bluetooth: How It Works
Bluetooth wireless technology is a specification designed to enable wireless communication between
small, mobile devices. The original idea behind the technology was to eliminate the need for proprietary
cables, which are currently required to enable device connectivity. A typical example would be connecting
a digital camera to a PC without cables. Expanding that idea to include all handheld mobile electronic
devices is what Bluetooth is all about.

Bluetooth Lineage

Although the Bluetooth specification contains many unique features, it has borrowed heavily from several
existing wireless standards. These include Motorola's Piano, IrDA, IEEE 802.11, and Digital Enhanced
Cordless Telecommunications (DECT).
• Motorola's Piano was developed with the concept of forming ad hoc "Personal-Area Networks," which
was adopted by the Bluetooth SIG to expand the capabilities of the original Bluetooth concept beyond
simple cable replacement.
• Bluetooth voice data transmission capabilities are derived from the DECT specification.
• Object exchange capabilities are derived from the IrDA specifications.
• Bluetooth inherits the 2.4GHz ISM band, frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS), authentication,
privacy, power management, and LAN capabilities from the IEEE 802.11 specification.

Bluetooth Wireless Components

There are four major components in any Bluetooth wireless technology system: a radio unit, a baseband
unit, a software stack, and application software.
The radio unit is the actual radio transceiver that enables the wireless link between Bluetooth devices.
Bluetooth currently can have a maximum of 1 milliwatt (mw) of transmitter power, which allows operation
over distances of up to 10 meters; however, the Bluetooth specification permits increasing transmitter
power up to 10 mw in the future.
The baseband unit is hardware, consisting of flash memory and a CPU, which interfaces with the radio
unit and the host device electronics at the hardware level. The baseband hardware provides all required
functionality to establish and maintain a Bluetooth wireless connection between devices. Another name
for the Bluetooth baseband is "Link Control Unit." The baseband protocol supports both circuit-switched
and packet-switched communications using frequency-hopping spread-spectrum (FHSS) technology.
Bluetooth FHSS operates from 2.402GHz to 2.480GHz, dividing this frequency range into 79 1MHz

Copyright © 2001 DPRO-91115
25 January 2001 2


subchannels and hopping from channel to channel at a rate of 1,600 hops per second. Transmitting and
receiving devices must synchronize on the same hop sequence to communicate.
Compared with other wireless technologies that operate in the ISM frequency band, Bluetooth uses
shorter data packets and a higher hop rate. This makes Bluetooth devices more immune to interference
from microwave ovens and other sources of radio frequency (FR) energy, and limits interference between
users. Another advantage of FHSS is that it gives users the flexibility of roaming between access devices
in different physical areas.
Bluetooth wireless devices can link to a wired network, such as a corporate Ethernet LAN, through an
"access point," which includes a Bluetooth transceiver and baseband controller, the circuitry to convert
information from the Blue Bluetooth format to Ethernet format, and interface circuitry to connect the
access point to the wired network through a cable. As long as users remain in range of an access device,
they can roam about and still use the wired network resources.
Communications between Bluetooth devices are normally peer to peer, with each device being equal.
However, when two or more devices link into a small ad hoc network called a piconet, one device acts as
the master, and the others are slaves for the duration of the piconet connection. All devices in the piconet
are synchronized to the master’s clock and hopping sequence. The Bluetooth specification supports up to
10 piconets in a coverage area, with up to eight devices per piconet. Initially, Bluetooth networks are likely
to be limited to two piconets because of software restrictions. Each piconet is identified by a different
frequency-hopping scheme.
• Bluetooth Piconet example: several individuals with Bluetooth-enabled portable computers share a
database in a meeting. With automatic synchronization enabled, everyone in the meeting can see
any changes made in the shared database on his or her own computer.
• Bluetooth Scatternet: Bluetooth supports point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections;
piconets can be linked together into scatternets. A scatternet consists of two or more piconets linked
together by one device in each piconet acting as a bridge between the piconets.

Security

The Bluetooth specification defines three security modes: nonsecure, service-level security, and link-level
security. The device does not initiate any kind of security procedure in the nonsecure mode. Service-level
security offers more flexibility in application access. In the link-level security mode, the device sets up
security procedures before the link setup is completed; this allows knowledge of "who" is at the other end
of the link and provides authentication, authorization, and encryption services. In spite of these three
security modes, current Bluetooth qualification processes do not yet enforce effective security
implementation, which opens up end users to security risks.

Bluetooth Products: Finally Here

Since its announcement in 1998, Bluetooth has been the subject of marketing histrionics and hype:
wireless headsets, "Smart Cars," wireless Web surfing with Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and Bluetooth-
enabled laptops or handhelds, and inexpensive wireless computer networking are just a few of the uses
Bluetooth vendors have claimed will be available through this still emerging technology.
Unfortunately, Bluetooth products, other than components and chips, have primarily been the province of
vaporware; however, a small group of Bluetooth-based products are finally becoming available, with many
more products expected in the immediate future. Bluetooth-enabled PC Cards from 3Com, IBM, and
Toshiba; headsets from Ericsson and GN Netcom; and phones from Motorola and Ericsson are among
the first Bluetooth products that are currently hitting the market.
25 January 2001 3


There are several reasons Bluetooth-enabled products have been slow to reach the market: expensive
pricing, an extremely rigorous qualification process, insufficient amounts of Bluetooth chips and testing
equipment. In addition, there are still software and security issues and a lack of interoperability testing.
However, testing equipment and chips are now more readily available, and pricing for the chips has
started to drop, which is key to the widespread deployment of Bluetooth-enabled products. Until recently,
Bluetooth chips were averaging US$35; prices are currently averaging closer to US$25 and are expected
to drop to US$12 by the fourth quarter of 2001. However, for Bluetooth connectivity products to truly
become ubiquitous, pricing for the chips will need to drop even further. When Bluetooth chips drop to the
US$1 level, Bluetooth can replace cables for battery-operated devices.
Technology Analysis
Business Use
• Create wireless PANs (WPANs).
• Wirelessly share presentations, files, or contacts between laptops.
• Synchronize contact information contained on a phone with the contact information on a PDA,
notebook, and desktop wirelessly.
• Automatically synchronize notebooks and desktops when users walk into a room.

• Send pages of information to a Bluetooth-enabled printer without the use of cables.
• Replace the cabling now used to connect a handheld device to a PC.
• Have wireless headsets that allow users to leave their mobile phones in their briefcases and make
hands-free, wire-free phone calls.
• Enable notebooks or PDAs to automatically access the Internet through the nearest Bluetooth-
enabled device.
Benefits and Risks

Benefits

• It replaces cables within Wireless PANs (PCs, laptops, printers, etc.).
• It provides on-the-fly printing (aim a Bluetooth-enabled laptop or handheld device at any Bluetooth-
enabled printer; no cables or drivers are required).
• Users do not want to employ a single, not-so-great product that purports to do everything; using
different best-of-class products geared to the individual situations and needs, and having those best
of class products work seamlessly, is preferable. Bluetooth offers this possibility.
• Point-to-multipoint capability will allow users to "roam" while performing various applications without
worrying about line of sight or distance.

Risks

• Information could by intercepted by other devices.
• There is the possibility of interference in highly congested areas.
• Interoperability issues will have to be resolved before wide acceptance.

25 January 2001 4


Standards

The Bluetooth SIG

www.bluetooth.com
The Bluetooth SIG was formed to promote Bluetooth technology. Formed in 1998, the Bluetooth SIG has
created a network of Bluetooth component vendors to supply equipment manufacturers, from antenna
suppliers to coaxial cable vendors. Ericsson, Intel, Microsoft, IBM, and Toshiba were the original
developers of the Bluetooth technology and Bluetooth special interest group (SIG); currently, there are
nine promoter companies of the SIG— 3Com, Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia,
and Toshiba. There are also currently just over 2,000 member companies that are developing Bluetooth
products.
The original Bluetooth 1.0 specification was announced in July 1999. The current Bluetooth spec is now
1.0B. Ratified in May 2000, it had interoperability problems, forcing Bluetooth developers back to the
drawing board. A new version, 1.1, is expected to be approved in the immediate future. The upcoming 1.1
specification is expected to be the new standard for gauging interoperability. Next on the drawing board is
the possible extension of the Bluetooth specification to the Radio2, or High Rate (HR) Bluetooth
specification. Rates somewhere between 2 and 12 Mbps, or possibly higher, are being considered by the
IEEE 802.15.3 Working Group.

The IEEE and the IEEE 802.15 WG for WPANs (Bluetooth)

http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/15/
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), in existence since 1884, helps advance
global prosperity by promoting the engineering process of creating, developing, integrating, sharing, and
applying knowledge about electrical and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity
and the profession. The IEEE Working Group for WPANs (Bluetooth) is the IEEE 802.15 WG.
The IEEE 802.15.1 Task Group 1 is licensed to create a derivative work from the Bluetooth Specification
v1.x and convert it to IEEE Format.
• 802.15.1 (Standard)
• Bluetooth derivative that is a formalization of the original spec

• 802.15.2 (Recommended Practice)
• Coexistence MAC and PHY Modeling
• 802.15.3 (Standard)
• WPAN-HR, High Rate >20 Mbps
• 802.15.4 (Standard)
• WPAN-LR, Low Rate 2 Kbps to 200 Kbps

Figure 1: IEEE 802.15 Bluetooth WPAN

25 January 2001 5


Source: IEEE 802.15.1 WG for WPANs.

Technology Leaders

3Com

5400 Bayfront Plaza
Santa Clara, CA 95052, U.S.A.

Tel: +1 408 326 5000
Fax: +1 408 326 5001
Internet: www.3com.com

Ericsson Microelectronics

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
Telefonplan
S-126 25 Stockholm, Sweden
Tel: +46 8 719 00 00
Internet: www.ericsson.com

IBM (International Business Machines Corporation)

New Orchard Road
Armonk, NY 10504, U.S.A.

Tel: +1 914 499 1900

25 January 2001 6


Fax: +1 914 765 7382

Internet: www.ibm.com

Intel Corporation (Santa Clara No. 4)

2625 Walsh Avenue

Santa Clara, CA 95052-8119, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 408 765 8080
Fax: +1 408 765 9904

Internet: www.intel.com

Lucent Technologies, Inc.

600 Mountain Avenue
Murray Hill, NJ 07974, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 908 582 8500
Internet: www.lucent.com

Microsoft Corporation

One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052, U.S.A.

Tel: +1 425 882 8080
Fax: +1 425 936 7329
Internet: www.microsoft.com

Motorola, Inc.

1303 East Algonquin Road
Schaumburg, IL 60196, U.S.A.

Tel: +1 847 576 5000
Internet: www.motorola.com

Nokia Corporation

Keilalahdentie 4
PO Box 226
FIN-00045 Espoo, Finland
Tel: +358 9 180 71
Fax: +358 9 652 409
Internet: www.nokia.com

25 January 2001 7


Toshiba America, Inc. (TAI)

1251 6th Avenue, 41st Floor

New York, NY 10020, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 212 596 0600
Fax: +1 212 593 3875

Internet: www.toshiba.com

IBM, Toshiba, and Logitech Agreement

Both IBM and Toshiba intend to work with Motorola to offer Bluetooth functionality as a customer option
across portions of their PC lines. Also, Motorola will work with its Digianswer subsidiary to supply a first-
generation embedded solution for use inside PCs and peripheral devices such as printers and data
access points. Motorola also has agreed to a joint development effort with Logitech aimed at introducing a
new generation of cordless peripherals based on Bluetooth technology.

Ericsson and Lucent Agreement

Ericsson and Lucent have agreed to collaborate on developing and licensing solutions for the Bluetooth
wireless technology market.

Microsoft and Intel Partnership

Intel announced during June 2000 that it plans to work with Microsoft to integrate its Bluetooth software
with Windows. Intel claims that Bluetooth will be native to the Windows operating environment by the first
half of 2001. In the interim, Intel will license its current Bluetooth software stack to other vendors. The
stack is already compatible with Windows 98/2000 and offers rudimentary Bluetooth features: file
synchronization, data transfer, dial-up and networking, and the capability of identifying other Bluetooth-
enabled devices. Future wireless features from the Intel-Microsoft union will include high-definition audio,
video streaming, and sending print commands.

Epson America

Epson was the first printer vendor to demonstrate printing capabilities using Bluetooth wireless
communication technology. Epson claims Bluetooth printing promises to be a business application that
will enhance convenience in both the office and the home, with advantages over infrared connectivity.

Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard is working to provide a reliable PAN solution, incorporating Bluetooth technology, to give
users the ability to eliminate connecting cables and wirelessly synchronize data among notebook PCs,
personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones, and other peripherals. HP is a member of the Bluetooth
Special Interest Group (SIG) and is leading the development to help establish the Bluetooth 2.0 wireless
standard. Bluetooth 2.0 is know as "high rate" Bluetooth, or Radio2. The IEEE 802.15.3 Working Group is
responsible for this possible extension to the Bluetooth specification.

Bluetooth Phones

• Motorola Timeport 270: Accepts a Bluetooth add-on; when paired with Bluetooth PC Cards from
Motorola, the new phone allows users to access the Internet on portable computers from up to 30
feet. It could enable wireless mobile connections in larger handheld computers that feature PC Card

25 January 2001 8


slots. In addition, the Motorola phone could be paired with Compaq Computer Corp.’s Pocket PC-
based iPaq and its PC Card expansion jacket. Availability: 1H01.
• Ericsson R520m: The R520m is a triple-band mobile phone featuring WAP, GPRS, high-speed data,
and Bluetooth wireless technology. It is expected to ship in volume in the first quarter of 2001.

Bluetooth Headsets

Bluetooth headsets connect to mobile phones by a radio link instead of a cable. The phone can be up to
10 meters (30 feet) away, in briefcases, coat pockets, or in other rooms.
• GN Netcom's GN 9000 Bluetooth Headset requires Bluetooth host devices to operate (GN Netcom
base station, Bluetooth card, or PDA) at a range of up to 30 feet. The GN Netcom 9000 began
shipping during October 2000.
• Ericsson's Bluetooth Headset has a built-in Bluetooth radio chip that acts as a connector between the
headset and the Bluetooth plug on the Ericsson phone. When the phone rings, the user can answer
by pressing a key on the headset. The Global launch was in December 2000, except for the U.S.,
where it is expected to launch by the end of January 2001. This is the first consumer product from
Ericsson that utilizes Bluetooth.

Bluetooth PC Cards

• 3Com Bluetooth PC Card: the antenna pops in and out for better wear. 3Com OEMs its Bluetooth PC
Card to Hewlett-Packard. In addition to the PC Card, 3Com has also announced a Bluetooth Access
Point and USB adapter; the access point could be used in offices, airports, or other networked public
places. Many users could get wireless access to networks through a single Access Point; the Access
Point increases Bluetooth's range from 10 meters to 100 meters. Delivery is expected in the first half
of 2001 for all three products.
• IBM Bluetooth PC Card: currently shipping as of 29 December 2000.
• Toshiba Bluetooth PC Card: currently shipping in the U.S. since mid-September and in Japan since
August 2000.

Upcoming: Bluetooth Printing

• Epson expects to be able to use a full line of its printers already on the market in conjunction with its
Epson Bluetooth Print Adapter; the adapter is expected to be available by the end of the first quarter
of 2001.
• Lexmark and Axis Communications recently demonstrated a wireless printing solution using a
Toshiba laptop computer equipped with a Toshiba Bluetooth PC Card and a Lexmark laser printer
equipped with an Axis Bluetooth print device.
• Xerox and Compaq held a joint demonstration of wireless printing at Comdex 2000; the
demonstration linked a Compaq Armada notebook computer with a Xerox DocuPrint P1210 personal
laser printer using a Bluetooth PC-Card that communicates with the printer's parallel port. Xerox
expects its first Bluetooth-enabled products within the next 12-18 months.

Bluetooth and Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Bluetooth technology may soon enable workplaces to make document devices, such as printers,
accessible to disabled workers. Section 508 of the Americans With Disabilities Act, issued 7 August 2000,
requires all U.S. government offices to make information technology accessible to all employees.

25 January 2001 9


According to Xerox, the long list of necessary modifications could prohibitively increase the cost of the
devices; however, Bluetooth adapters could be added to the devices, which could be controlled by using a
wide variety of user interfaces designed to compensate for specific disabilities.
All of the technologies below are often mentioned as wireless alternatives to Bluetooth. However,
Bluetooth was initially developed specifically for use as a Wireless PAN; its key use will largely be as a
cable replacement for WPANs and pervasive computing.

IrDA

• IrDA requires line of sight and is limited to point-to-point communication; Bluetooth offers point to
multipoint, and line of sight is not necessary.
• IrDA is already built into many notebook PCs, printers, and some cell phones, but has a poor user
interface and is unable to penetrate walls; Bluetooth can penetrate walls.

HomeRF

• HomeRF is intended for longer-range links to 2 Mbps and is geared towards a home-LAN approach,
linking PCs; DSL routers; or printers, refrigerators, TVs, and other "smart" appliances to PCs.
• HomeRF is specifically geared towards the SOHO market. Bluetooth is geared more towards a
business environment, such as a personal area network (PAN), and shorter ranges; however, its
makers claim that Bluetooth could also be extended for use within the SOHO market.

802.11b

• 802.11 connections can range in transmission rates from 2 Mbps to 11 Mbps and at distances from
50 to several hundred feet. Bluetooth requires less power and is meant for transmitting small
amounts of data at 1 Mbps over short distances (up to 10 meters). The Bluetooth spec has a higher
power option that gives it about the same range as 802.11, although that is not expected to be the
primary usage of the technology.
• Bluetooth provides persistent, wireless connections between different kinds of devices, but it uses the
2.4GHz radio frequency, the same used by wireless LANs based on the 802.11 standard. When a
Bluetooth connection collides with a wireless LAN connection, either or both connections can jam,
resulting in a transmission error.
Insight
The key application for Bluetooth technology in the foreseeable future is cable replacement and Wireless
Personal-Area Networks (PANs). However, in order for Bluetooth to truly become ubiquitous,
manufacturers need to start delivering more products to the marketplace, the pricing for the chips must
become substantially less expensive, the software must be improved, and there must be more
interoperability and interference testing. However, Bluetooth is still an emerging technology, and
eventually these issues will be resolved. When that happens, the number of Bluetooth-enabled products
will grow exponentially.

25 January 2001 10

Serena Lambiase 8 March 2001

Web-to-Host Software: An Introduction

Summary
Web-to-host software uses Internet browser technology to allow large numbers of users access to
information contained within corporate mainframes and promises to strengthen a company’s e-business
strategy by shortening time-to-market. Until recently, most mainframe usage was accessed with fat-client
terminal emulation connectivity and provided only the proverbial "green screen" interface. The lengthy
learning and training curve, software maintenance and user management resulted in steep costs. Web-to-
host software changes this scenario— it offers the alluring promise of cutting costs and gaining a
competitive edge. Expensive fat-client connectivity is replaced with a user-friendly GUI, centralized
access management, faster responsiveness to business requirements and increased user productivity.

Table of Contents
Technology Basics
Web-to-Host Components
Technology Analysis
Business Use
Benefits and Risks
Standards
Price vs. Performance
Selection Guidelines
Technology Leaders
Insight

List Of Tables
Table 1: Features and Functions: Web-to-Host Software Products
Table 3: PC-to-Host-Connectivity

Entire contents © 2001 by Gartner Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed
to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for
interpretations thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.


Technology Basics

Introduction

Despite the rise of client/server and network computing, along with Windows NT Server, most mission-
critical data still resides on corporate mainframes and midrange computers. A few years ago, industry
pundits predicted the demise of corporate mainframes; instead, "Big Iron" sales have actually increased.
Why? One reason is the explosive growth of Internet technologies and the promise of e-business. Serving
extranet and Internet clients and a growing mobile work force with host data is potentially the foundation
for an enterprise’s World Wide Web presence.

What Is Web-to-Host?

Web-to-host is connectivity software that enables secure browser-based access to information that
resides on mainframes and other host computer systems. Web-to-host software is designed to turn any
Java-enabled Web browser into a secure workstation. Mainframe and other host applications can be
enabled for Web-to-host access without changing source code. The user accesses commercial
information by using a Web browser. The browser communicates on the Internet by using the Hypertext
Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Access to proprietary host applications is achieved by using Java applets
embedded within the HTTP code, which are automatically downloaded to the browser client. Some of the
more important features touted by most Web-to-host vendors include centralized access management,
faster time-to-market for custom e-business applications, improved user productivity and reduced costs.

Web-to-Host Components
Java Applets and ActiveX Controls: Web-to-host products employ Java applets or ActiveX controls—
miniprograms designed to be executed from within a Web browser— which either the emulation server
has to download for three-tier architectures or for two-tier architectures, the Web Server has to download
if the Web browser is to talk to the host. The larger the size of the applet or control, the longer the
download takes; applets can be locally stored or cached to eliminate future downloading for products and
can be downloaded to either the browser or hard drive. The majority of Web-to-host vendors use only
Java applets; however, some offer a choice of either Java applets or ActiveX controls.
• Java: Java applets are inherently safer than ActiveX controls— unlike ActiveX, Java applets do not
make changes to the system configuration and cannot touch the hard disk or Registry; this makes
them more secure. Java applets have a smaller footprint than ActiveX, which can mean a shorter-
download time; this is especially important for remote access users. They are also cross-platform
compatible; this is important for enterprises that have a heterogeneous mix of platforms to support.
Java-enabled Web-to-host products are a good choice for enterprises that employ cross-platform
interactive Web sites.
• ActiveX: ActiveX controls have full access to the Windows operating system and can be written to
any file on the hard drive, not just within the Web browser. This gives them more robust functionality
than Java applets, but can make them less secure. Also, ActiveX controls are currently limited to
Windows environments, as opposed to Java applets, which can be written to run on all platforms.
ActiveX-enabled Web-to-host products are a good choice for Enterprises that are Windows-centric or
maintain Web sites that are highly interactive and application laden.
Architecture: Web-to-Host vendors take either a two-tier or a three-tier approach. With two tiers (client-
host), the applet communicates directly with the gateway in front of the host. With three tiers (additional
server), all traffic passes through, or via, the emulation server. In the two-tier model, there is no chance of

8 March 2001 2


the emulation server acting as a bottleneck, since traffic does not travel through it— therefore, two-tier
architecture can be a good choice in situations that require quicker runtime for remote users. In the three-
tier scheme, the emulation server could slow things down; however, three-tier provides better scalability.
Impact of Architecture on Security: One thing often overlooked when discussing security issues is the
impact of the architecture (two-tier versus three-tier) on security. Two-tier solutions send the entire host
data stream to the client— even if the client runs some customization which masks the display of sensitive
data, the data still resides in memory on the client, which could create a security exposure. However, if
the customers are using their own Web-to-host software for trusted users to remote sites, the quicker
runtime the customer receives from the two-tier, direct-connect model might be the better choice.
Security and Encryption: Web-to-host software exposes the mainframe to the rest of the world, so
security is extremely important. All Web-to-host vendors offer elementary password authentication
features, and most offer SSL encryption to protect legacy data passing through the network (RUMBA
2000 being the exception). Since there is sometimes a performance penalty to encryption and decryption,
it is best to offer a variety of methods and strengths. Sensitive data can use the highest level of
encryption, and more public information can be passed along with less encryption.
Web-to-Host Security Methods: A detailed discussion of the security methods employed by Web-to-host
vendors and how they work is beyond the scope of this introductory report. The following list contains a
brief discussion of security methods for Web-to-host software.
• RACF, ACF and TopSecret are legacy security methods and still command the lion's share of the
high-end security market. Resource Access Control Facility (RACF) was developed 21 years ago by
IBM and lends itself well to the distributed environment; ACF and TopSecret were developed by
Computer Associates. Virtually all Web-to-host products support RACF, ACF and TopSecret.
• Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is the de facto standard for Web-to-host security. Transport Layer
Security (TLS) extends SSL v3 slightly and incorporates it into the Internet's open standards process;
WRQ is currently the only vendor deploying TLS. SSL works by using a private key to encrypt data
that is transferred over the SSL connection. Web pages that require an SSL connection start with
https: instead of http:. Currently, all Web-to-host vendors that employ SSL use server-side
authentication, but more recently, some have started to add SSL client-slide authentication for further
security.
• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI): a system of digital certificates, Certificate Authorities and other
registration authorities that verify and authenticate the validity of each party involved in an Internet
transaction.
• Digital/x.509 Certificates: A digital certificate is an attachment to an electronic message used for
security purposes; the most widely used standard for digital certificates is X.509.
• Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP): In addition to its strong directory capabilities,
LDAP is increasingly being used by Web-to-host vendors to obtain e-mail addresses and Public
Keys, thereby strengthening security.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN): These systems use encryption and other security mechanisms to
ensure that only authorized users can access the network and that the data cannot be intercepted.
Some Web-to-host vendors have started to add VPN support to their software.
• Proxy Servers: For increased security, some Web-to-host venders use proxy servers to sit between
the Web browser and server, in order to filter requests.

8 March 2001 3


Gateways: With Web-to-host software, an SNA gateway strips off the IP encapsulation at the host end.
Some vendors package this component with their software; others say their products are designed to talk
to third-party gateways, specifically, the SNA Gateway from Microsoft or NetWare for SAA from Novell.
Management Support
• LDAP: Directories based on LDAP will eventually play a large role in the deployment and
management of remote clients. Several Web-to-host vendors have started to support LDAP for their
products, because of its strong group and user-management features.
• Browser-Based Management: Most of the major Web-to-host vendors offer browser-based
management capabilities; it gives administrators the greatest flexibility in managing, configuring and
deploying clients, without having to physically manage from one centralized server. This feature
alone is often enough to justify moving to Web-to-host technology for many companies, because of
the cost-savings that central management brings.
Application Server Compatibility: Compatibility with Web application servers (i.e., Netdynamics from
Sun and Kiva Enterprise Server from Netscape) can effect the overall response time by reducing the
number of times a client has to go to the host to access legacy data by caching data locally. Most of the
major Web-to-host vendors support Web application servers.
Application Development and GUI Screen Rejuvenation: Prospective Web-to-host customers should
query the vendor about the inclusion of HACL, and whether such features as open APIs and VB Script
and Jscript are supported for customization of applications. Also, most Web-to-host vendors support a
feature that allows the "green screen" to be automatically changed to a more user-friendly, GUI-like
screen; this is referred to as an "on-the-fly" GUI. Vendors offer varying degrees of support for this feature,
and a minority does not yet offer it at all.
Printing Support: The majority of Web-to-host vendors support the capability to print host-based screens
to a local printer and copy-and-paste features. However, due to the inherent weakness of Java for printing
support, the printing features for Web-to-host products that employ Java applets are not as robust as the
printing features available with fat-client computing. For instance, Java does not support graphics
printing— ActiveX and fat-client PC emulators do. IBM HOD and Persoft Persona 4.3 are currently the
only Web-to-host products that offer improved printing solutions, including PDF capability.
Platform Support: Since Java is supposed to be cross-platform, technically any Java-enabled Web-to-
host product could be considered platform independent. Indeed, that is what most Web-to-host vendors
claim. If that is the case, why do we see a detailed list of platforms listed for some vendors, while other
vendors simply claim their software will work on any Java-enabled machine?
It is not enough for Web-to-host vendors to claim that since their software is Java-enabled, the Web-to-
host software will work on any Java-enabled machine running in a standard browser. Despite the hype,
the "write once, run anywhere" promise of Java has not yet fully materialized. There are minor differences
between the different JVM, some of which can affect product function or performance or both. When a
user is evaluating a particular vendor's Web-to-host software for an environment that is fairly
heterogeneous, the user should question the vendor as to whether the Web-to-host software has been
previously tested with the user's various platforms and whether the vendor will guarantee that its Web-to-
host software will work with those platforms.
Emulation Support: Terminal emulation drivers enable PCs to emulate a particular type of terminal so
that users can logon to a mainframe. All of the Web-to-host products in this class include emulation
support for mainframe, AS/400 and VT (DEC) emulations; however, some offer a very limited number of

8 March 2001 4


VT emulation levels. Other emulations supported by some, but not all, are for HP, CICS, Linux and WYSE
50/60.
Technology Analysis

Business Use
• Corporate intranets/extranets: host access for employees, business partners and remote workers
or sales forces.
• Custom e-business Applications: custom applications for e-business can be quickly deployed
without changing code.
• Wireless Web-to-Host: some vendors are designing Web-to-host products for use on personal
digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones to enable business transactions. These Java-based
products connect mobile wireless users and business partners to a host.
• Financial Industry: Web-to-host vendors claim users can securely access account information,
investment performance and execute trades from their Web browser.
• Colleges/Universities: students can access grades, registration, admissions, etc; this enables
schools to reduce overhead and improve service.
• Manufacturing: browser-based access to host information lowers operational costs, expands profit
margins and fulfills customer's needs. Companies can quickly match buyers with sellers.
Benefits and Risks
Risks
• GUI front-ends are not always an improvement over "green screen" interfaces, particularly for
massive data entry or complex application navigation. Switching over entirely to Web-to-host
technology in this instance could pose the risk of slowing down production. These types of
enterprises may want to incorporate Web-to-host technology for their remote users and casual users,
along-side their standard PC-to-host and fat-client technologies.
• In spite of the many obvious benefits that come with Web-to-host technology, there are security risks
to consider when providing access to legacy applications to business partners, suppliers, customers
and employees. Some users may need to support both Web-to-host and PC-to-host concurrently;
however, as the security methods used for Web-to-host continue to evolve and improve, this will
eventually change.

Benefits

• The time and expense required to train employees and business partners on traditional terminal
screens is eliminated with the more user-friendly GUI that most people are already familiar with; costs
are lowered even further with the central administration of applications formerly on fat-client PCs and
simplified maintenance.
• Now that the expenditures and time spent on Y2K issues are over, many corporations are looking for
ways to quickly and inexpensively put legacy business systems and data on end-user desktops,
hoping to expedite their e-business strategies.
• Web-to-host computing reduces or eliminates the challenges of remote backup and data security;
since all data remains on the central server, backup of data from remote laptops and PCs is not
required.
8 March 2001 5


Standards

Open Host Interface Objects (OHIO)

Although Web-to-host vendors incorporate very similar technologies and features within their products,
there has yet to emerge a common, nonproprietary Web-to-host connectivity standard. IBM and
Attachmate hope to change this situation with the proposed "OHIO" Web-to-host standard. IBM and
Attachmate jointly collaborated on the development of the "OHIO" Web-to-host standard which was
submitted for review to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) during 1998.
HLLAPI has been for many years the de facto standard for writing applications that access host data.
OHIO is a set of object classes that defines a new open-programming interface for accessing host data,
especially via the Internet, which will enable e-business applications to access either mainframe or
AS/400 data. The open APIs, which are based on tn3270 and tn5250 protocols, will work with Web
graphical user interfaces and business applications, such as CICS, that need access to legacy data.
Security, service location, response time and session balancing are a few of the issues that could be
standardized by the OHIO standard. Incorporating the OHIO standard would allow Web-to-host
developers to create e-business applications that do not require proprietary solutions.
Price vs. Performance
According to Gartner, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for Web-to-host software versus traditional
terminal emulation software is a 25 percent savings:
• Technical Support: (includes training users and tech support staff, software distribution and
inventory reviews): 15 percent savings
• Administration: 45 percent savings (reflects reductions in desktop security tasks, policy
administration and formal audits of desktop computer equipment)
• Capital Costs (equipment): 9 percent savings
• Total Cost of Ownership: 25 percent savings
Selection Guidelines
• Java Versus ActiveX: Java-enabled Web-to-host products are a good choice for Enterprises that
employ cross-platform interactive Web sites. ActiveX-enabled Web-to-host products are a good
choice for Enterprises that are Windows-centric or maintain Web sites that are highly interactive and
application laden.
• Management: Users should question Web-to-host vendors about LDAP support for more robust
management needs.
• Printing Capability: The printing capabilities of Java-enabled Web-to-host products are somewhat
limited for Mainframe and AS/400 and lack graphics-printing capability. Users that require graphics
printing may want to consider Web-to-host products that offer ActiveX. If extensive printing features
are a must, users should consider a Web-to-host product that offers an improved printing solution for
Java-enabled Web-to-host software.
• Platform Support: Web-to-host vendors should be questioned as to whether their Web-to-host
software has been previously tested with the user's various platforms— users should not rely solely
on Java's cross-platform capabilities.

8 March 2001 6


• Emulation Support: Web-to-host Vendors should be questioned as to whether their Web-to-host
software will meet the user's emulation requirements. All of the Web-to-host products in this class
include support for mainframe, AS/400 and VT emulations; however, some offer a very limited
number of VT emulation levels. Other emulations supported by some, but not all, are for HP, CICS,
Linux and WYSE 50/60.
Technology Leaders

Attachmate Corp.

P.O. Box 90026
Bellevue, WA 98009-9026, U.S.A.

Tel: +1 425 644 4010; +1 800 426 6283
Fax: +1 425 747 9924
Internet: www.attachmate.com

support@attachmate.com

Attachmate e-Vantage Host Access Server

Attachmate e-Vantage Host Access Server is geared towards companies who need to extend their
enterprise information using Internet technologies. Host Access Server differs from its competitors in the
way it has been designed as part of an extremely modular architecture and licensing scenario. For
companies which require basic Web-to-host technology for occasional users, the "Standard Viewer" part
of Host Access Server is usually all they will need. For companies that require more robust capabilities for
intensive users, the "Enterprise Viewer" part of Host Access Server provides full-featured desktop
emulation, plus licenses for both Java-based technology and ActiveX thin-client applets. This makes
Attachmate a good choice for companies that are currently using thick-client PC-to-host connectivity and
are looking to upgrade or to add Web-to-host connectivity.
Attachmate eVantage Host Access Server offers an easy-to-use interface and strong platform support; it
also includes the capability of loading both Java and ActiveX clients locally. The eVantage Management
Console component of Host Access Server is its strongest feature. Other features include support for
LDAP and the major directory services for group and user management. However, eVantage offers only
one level of Virtual Terminal (VT) support, VT420, and lacks HP emulation support. Also, FTP from the
AS/400 requires ActiveX, which limits its use to Windows clients. Enterprises looking to move their
business to the Web will want to evaluate Attachmate eVantage Host Access Server.

Esker, Inc.

Persoft, an Esker Co.
465 Science Drive
P.O. Box 44953
Madison, WI 53744-4953, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 608 273 6000
Fax: +1 608 273 8227
Internet: www.persoft.com
8 March 2001 7


Persoft Persona 4.3
Esker, Inc., acquired Persoft during July 1999. All Esker and Persoft Web-to-host software products are
controlled from Persoft’s Madison, Wisconsin, corporate facility. Persoft is now referred to as "Persoft, an
Esker company." The Esker Web-to-host product line includes TunPLUS, Esker Corridor for Active Server
and the Persoft Persona family of Web-to-host products.
Persona 4.3 offers users Web-based, inexpensive, public plumbing; remote access; three-tier capability
and robust security features. This makes it ideal for secure remote access through the Internet (three-
tier). When the user’s fundamental need is to replace PC-based terminal emulation with an intranet
solution, TunPLUS is recommended. Corridor for Active Server is a three-tier HTML conversion solution
for Internet/extranet environments geared towards Web commerce.

IBM

New Orchard Road

Armonk, NY 10504, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 914 499 1900
Internet: www.ibm.com

IBM WebSphere Host On-Demand, Version 5.0

IBM WebSphere Host On-Demand 5.0 supports direct (two-tier) connections, excellent security features,
including SSL 3.0 on both the client and server side and triple DES centrally administered sessions and
LDAP support, "on-the-fly" GUI screen rejuvenation, XML scripting, built-in application development
support and the broadest amount of platform support among its competitors. (IBM is currently the only
vendor that is using both client-side and server-side SSL). However, WebSphere HOD lacks built-in
import capability for NT user databases and does not support HP and higher-end DEC VT terminal
emulations.
WebSphere HOD is part of the overall IBM Host Integration Solution; because of this, an enterprise’s
entire portfolio of connection types can be incorporated into the per-user license fee. Also, the importance
of the Cisco/IBM agreement should not be overlooked: On 23 February 2000, IBM announced that it had
joined with Cisco Systems to provide Cisco customers with IBM’s host integration products, which
includes IBM WebSphere Host On-Demand. According to IBM, WebSphere Host On-Demand is the only
Web-to-host product that Cisco intends to actively recommend to its customers. Companies that want to
replace their existing thick-client terminal-emulation software or increase the range of users that can gain
access to their legacy applications will want to evaluate WebSphere Host On-Demand.

NetManage, Inc.

10725 North De Anza Boulevard
Cupertino, CA 95014, U.S.A.
Tel: +1 408 973 7171
Fax: +1 408 257 6405
Internet: www.netmanage.com
NetManage RUMBA 2000 4.0

8 March 2001 8


RUMBA 2000 4.0 offers fast, simple deployment through a browser, with Java tools for installation and
robust emulation support. It is designed to provide Java or ActiveX connectivity to mainframes, Unix and
VAX systems through VT terminal emulation, AS/400 and HP3000. Among its competitors, RUMBA 2000
supports the largest number of emulation choices. RUMBA 2000 offers a strong migration path for
customers who are already using PC-to-host technology and want to switch to Web-to-host connectivity or
who require mainframe or AS/400 compatibility. However, it lacks LDAP support and product-level
security (no SSL), making it a poor choice for use outside the firewall. In its efforts to become an industry
leader and a single-source provider of Web-to-host, PC-to-host and Web integration solutions,
NetManage has acquired several companies with both similar and disparate products. Its challenge will
be to assimilate these products as quickly as possible and to do so without losing existing customer
bases.

OpenConnect Systems, Inc.

2711 Lyndon B. Johnson Highway, #80
Dallas, TX 75234, U.S.A.
Tel: 1+ 972 484 5200
Fax: 1+ 972 484 6100
Internet: www.openconnect.com

OC://WebConnect Pro 4.4

OC://WebConnect Pro provides the capability to automatically rejuvenate user interfaces ("on-the-fly" GUI
implementation), optimize performance through applet caching and provide users quick access to host
information (mainframes, AS/400, etc.) via a Web browser. It offers robust security features, such as DES,
triple-DES (168-bit) and 40- or 128-bit RC4 out to their applets. It also supports all legacy security such as
RACF, TopSecret and ACF2 and a patented technology that extends SNA session control over the
Internet; however, it lacks HP and higher-end VT terminal emulation. OC://WebConnect Pro is best suited
for customers who need to integrate mainframe access into their existing Web application environment,
and it is geared towards extranets in the business-to-business class. OC://WebConnect Pro contains
above average features within the Web-to-host product class, and it would make a good evaluation choice
for users wishing to Web-enable their sites and enter the age of e-business.

SEAGULL

3340 Peachtree Road, N.E., Suite 900
Atlanta, GA 30326 U.S.A.
Tel: 1 + 404 760 1560
Fax: 1 + 404 760 0061
SEAGULL was founded in the Netherlands in 1990, and initially focused its expertise in developing and
implementing customized, integrated software solutions for customized client requirements in the AS/400
market. During 1998, SEAGULL expanded into the mainframe market with the announcement of WinJA,
which is geared towards rapid e-business enablement. More recently, SEAGULL has also expended into
using wireless technology to leverage legacy data (wireless-to-host). SEAGULL’s Web-to-Host product is
WinJa, whose main strength is using Java to connect to mainframe data.

WRQ, Inc.

8 March 2001 9


1500 Dexter Avenue, N.

Seattle, WA 98109, U.S.A.
Tel: 1+ 206 217 7500
Fax: 1+ 206 217 7509

Internet: www.wrq.com
Reflection for the Web 4.1 offers top-notch security and data encryption: SSL/TLS, triple DES and
optional security proxy server and VPN support. Currently, it is the only Web-to-host vendor that supports
TLS security. It also offers broad terminal-type support and with the Professional Edition, "on-the-fly"
green-screen to GUI features. It is a highly scalable product— the number of possible users is not tied to
the server's capability since their applets are used to bypass the Web Server. However, platform support
is limited to Windows 95/98/NT and Mac, and the direct-connect model means that application
development will be somewhat limited. Reflection for the Web provides secure Web-based host access
across enterprises and beyond the firewall, and it is a competitively priced product. Companies that are
looking to Web-enable their enterprise for e-business will want to evaluate Reflection for the Web.
Company Attachmate Corp. IBM NetManage, Inc. OpenConnect
Systems, Inc.

Product Name e-Vantage Host IBM WebSphere NetManage RUMBA OC://WebConnect
Access Server Web- Host On-Demand 2000 Pro
to-Host

Applets/Clients Java; ActiveX Java ActiveX (Host Pro Java
and Host Express);
JavaBeans (Host
Java)
Architecture Two tier or three Two tier Two tier or three Two tier or three
tier tier tier

8 March 2001 10


Systems, Inc.

to-Host

Platform Support Client: Client: Browser-based host Client: Supports
Windows 95/98/NT; Windows 95/98/NT access; deploys any Java-enabled
Windows NT 4.0 with SP3; across an intranet machine running in
Terminal Server; Windows 2000; IBM from virtually any a standard browser,
Citrix AIX, 4.2/3; IBM Web server although somewhat
WinFrame/MetalFra OS/2 WARP, limited with Macs
me; Apple Mac OS Version 4; HP-UX
8.x 10.20, 11.0; Sun Server: Sun Solaris,
Solaris 2.5.1, 2.6; IBM AIX, HP-UX,
Server: Red Hat Linux, Windows NT
Windows NT Server Version 5.2, 6.0,
4.0 SP3 or higher 6.1; Caldera
with IIS; Unix OpenLinux 2.2;
Edition supports Pacific HiTec
Sun Solaris 2.7, TurboLinux 3.6;
HP-UX 11.0, Red SuSE Linux 6.1
Hat Linus 5.2, AIX
4.3 and Windows Server:
4.0 SP4, each with Windows NT 4.0;
JVM supporting Windows 2000; IBM
1.1.7b JDK AIX, Version 4.2/3;
IBM OS/2 WARP
Version 4 and Warp
Server; Novell
NetWare, Version 5
with JVM 1.17b;
Sun Solaris
Release 2.6; IBM
OS/400, V4R2,
V4R3, V4R4; HP-
UX 10.20, 11.0;
Red Hat Linux,
Version 5.2, 6.0,
6.1; Caldera
OpenLinux 2.2;
Pacific HiTec
TurboLinux 3.6;
SuSE Linux 6.1;
IBM OS/390, V2R5,
V2R6, V2R7, V2R8

8 March 2001 11


Systems, Inc.

to-Host

Emulation Support Mainframe, AS/400; Mainframe, AS/400; Mainframe, AS/400; Mainframe, AS/400;
VT420; Unix/VMS VT52/100/220; VT52/100/101/102/ VT220 and NVT
Linux; CICS Java 125/131/220; transport
Note: Lacks HP Gateway Access VT240/241/320/330
emulation /340/420; HP 3000; Note: Lacks HP
Note: Lacks HP VAX/Unix emulation; VT
emulation emulation ends at
Note: Supports 220
largest number of
emulation choices
File Transfer IND$file; DISOSS; IND$file; FTP file IND$FILE + FTP IND$FILE
Functions FTP transfer (AS/400) (Host Pro and Host
Note: FTP from the Java); FTP (Host
AS/400 requires Express
ActiveX
Gateways Supports third-party HOD supports any RUMBA products Supports any TN-
gateways; optional TN server; IBM support wide range based gateway;
e-Vantage SNA Communications of SNA or TN includes Cisco CIP,
gateway Server included gateways; third- Cisco IOS,
with the IBM "Host party support OpenConnect
Integration includes Microsoft Server, TCP/IP for
Solution" SNA Server, IBM MVS and VM
Direct, NetWare for TCP/IP for AS/400,
SAA, OpenConnect Microsoft SNA
SNA Server and
TN3270/TN3270E

Optional:
WebConnect SNA
Access Server
Printing Support Print screen; Print screen; 3270E; TN5250E + 3287 LU1/LU3;
LU1/LU3; TN3270e; LU1/LU3; 5250 host Print Transform; screen print; 3812
TN5250e HPT printing HP3000 print
Passthrough,
Optional: VAX/Unix
Interface Systems’ Passthrough;
Document Server Screen Print
receives print
streams and
converts into PCL,
postscript or PDF

8 March 2001 12


Systems, Inc.

to-Host

Security and SSL 3.0 (server- SSL 3.0 (client- and Supports public SSL 3.0, public
Encryption side); RC4, and server-side); RC2, key/digital key/digital
Triple DES; public RC4, DES, Triple certificates, RAS certificates; HTTPS;
key/digital DES; public and VPN; optional RC2, RC4, DES,
certificates; key/digital RUMBA Security Triple DES
Windows NT certificates Services provides
Domain and Novell authentication
NDS/Bindery Note: HOD is the encryption over
authentication; only product with single HTTPS port
RADIUS, CHAP, both server- and
Secure ID client-side SSL Note: Lacks SSL
authentication; and built-in product
Attachmate VPN level security
Management Robust access Web-based remote Supports Browser-based
control to administration; customizable user management;
administrative LDAP support for and group profiles, Group and user
capabilities via e- storing user license management
Vantage profiles; IBM management to features offered
Management License Use manage and through HTML user
Console; includes Management monitor concurrent interface
software support; User and users, and support
management, group for several NT Note: Lacks LDAP
usage metering, management; domains support
license control, AS/400 simultaneously.
LDAP and directory RSTLICPGM
services support install; S/390 Note: Lacks LDAP
SMP/E install from support
tape; Service
Location Protocol
(SLP) load-
balancing support;
IBM SecureWay
On-Demand Server
integration

8 March 2001 13


Systems, Inc.

to-Host

Application Open APIs; HACL Host Access Class Robust API support JHLLAPI allows
Development included; Host Library API for Java for customization; interfaces to be
Session Services (HACL); Host API supported: constructed
enables custom- Access Beans for EHLLAPI (32 bit), between any third-
developed Java, including WinHLLAPI, party development
applications that Terminal, Session; (WOSA), DDE, tool and
reside on the server File Transfer, EHLLAPI (16 bit), WebConnect Pro;
and are not Macro and other DOS EHLLAPI; Autovista converts
downloaded to the beans; Host Access Keyboard mapping; green-on-black
client ActiveX Controls color mapping; auto mainframe format
macro (login); User to a GUI display;
macros OpenVista provides
an IDE for custom
development of
applets
GUI "HotGUI" feature Default GUI Lacks "on-the-fly" Visual Rejuvenation
automatically provides limited capability Tool option offers
changes green "on-the-fly" robust "on-the-fly"
screen to GUI-like rejuvenation; GUI capability;
screen. converts any Persistent
3270/5250 screen Connection keeps
Note: "HotGUI" is into its graphical client screens
standard with the equivalent synchronized with
Unix edition the mainframes
Optional add-on:
Screen Customizer
provides robust "on-
the-fly" host
application
rejuvenation.

Company Persoft, an SEAGULL WRQ, Inc.
Esker
Company

Product Name Persoft WinJa/JWalk WRQ Reflection for the Web
Persona

Applets and Java; C++ Java; ActiveX Java
Clients
Architecture Three tier Two tier or three tier Two tier

8 March 2001 14


Esker
Company

Persona

Platform Client: Client: Client: Will support any Java-
Support Platform Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000; enabled machine running in a
independent Windows NT Terminal Sever; standard browser; native platform
Cit4ix, any JVM 1.1 and 1.18 support limited to Windows and
Server: Any compliant devices running served Mac running Mac OS Runtime for
Windows NT- Java clients through a browser. Java 2.1.1+
based Web
server Server: Server: Supports major Web
Windows NT/2000; Sun Solaris; servers
OS/390 2.5 or higher (WinJa
only); OS/400 V4R3 or higher
(Jwalk only)
Emulation Mainframe, WinJa includes its own internal Mainframe, AS/400; Unix;
Support AS/400; emulator for mainframe; external OpenVMS; VT52/100/102;
VT52/100/101/ emulators not required. VT220/400; extensive HP
102, Supported: RUMBA 5.2; emulations
VT220/320/42 Attachmate Extra! 6.1 – 6.4;
0; Data NetManage Chameleon 8.02;
General IBM Personal Communications
(Persona 4.2; TCP/IP to SNA Server
Insight)

Note: Lacks
HP emulation
File Transfer Not supported Not supported IND$FILE
Functions
Gateways Microsoft SNA Supports gateways of third Not required; supports SNA
Server parties Server and NetWare for SAA, as
well as other SNA gateways

8 March 2001 15


Esker
Company

Persona

Printing Supports local Screen and GUI panel printing for TN3270E; Screen printing for all
Support printing all client types; emulations
through the Text spool file and full TN5250E
browser; for JWalk
supports
delivery of
host reports to
IBM 3270 or
5250 users in
PDF format
Note:
Currently the
only Web-to-
host product
with a built-in
PDF delivery
feature
Security and SSL 3.0; SSL 3.0; SSL/TLS; DES and Triple DES;
Encryption Authenticode Proprietary encryption method for Java-based security proxy server;
2.0, Diffie- Java Clients VPN support; HTTP tunneling;
Hellman; WRQ VeriSign certificate
public provides applet verification (no
key/digital HTTP proxy server required)
certificates;
RC2, DES, Note: WRQ is currently the only
Triple DES; Web-to-host vendor that supports
MD5; SHA-1 TLS security

Note: 168-bit
is optional
(Triple DES)

8 March 2001 16


Esker
Company

Persona

Management Windows- Servers managed with XML- Browser-based management
based based server management includes HTML content and Java
console; console (SMC) applets
central
management; Note: Lacks LDAP, but can port Note: No LDAP; Lacks any built-
supports LDAP info into WinJa or JWalk in user or group access control;
Windows NT must use authentication and
NTFS-based authorization features built into
file systems the Web server

Note: Lacks
LDAP support
and
user/group
management
Application Browser script Open APIs to Java, VB; Java-based APIs automate logon
Development integration: "Collector" technology gathers tasks, access dialog boxes,
JavaScript, screen maps and display files create Web framework; Java-
VBScript, CGI based APIs accessible through
scripts and HTML, JavaScript, VBScript and
Macros; Applet Java
parameters
GUI "On-the-fly" Complete customization; also "On-the-fly" GUI features only
GUI features "On-the-fly" GUI capability available with the Professional
Edition

Table 3: PC-to-Host-Connectivity
Thick-Client Thin-Client

Installed on individual desktops; the user interface is a Installed at a single point to a Citrix or TSE network
Windows GUI, and the client platform is Windows. server; the user interface is a Windows GUI, and the
Geared towards power users that require high client platform can be Windows or non-Windows.
performance and end-user flexibility. Geared toward users that require flexibility and IT
personnel that require better administrative control.

Traditional Emulation Connectivity Versus Web-to-Host
Web-to-host connectivity promises to deliver mission-critical host information to a broader user base—
faster, easier and more cost-effectively than traditional emulation software. More importantly, it promises
to open the doors to the data contained within legacy systems to a broader user base while maintaining
centralized control and lowering software ownership costs; this can be key to a company's e-business
8 March 2001 17


strategy. Does this mean that companies should switch to Web-to-host? Not quite; process-intensive
types will probably want to continue using their traditional tools. Many companies will find they need to
incorporate Web-to-host alongside thick-client and thin-client PC-to-host technologies.
Insight
Web-to-host furnishes point-and-click access to the proprietary information contained within corporate
mainframes quicker, easier and cheaper than traditional PC-to-host connectivity methods— users can
simply link their Java-enabled Web browsers to the "big iron". Downloading a thin-client terminal
emulation applet to establish sessions can free management from administering and maintaining
traditional client terminal emulation software on each PC; this adds up to considerable savings.
Additionally, the cost of Web-to-host software is substantially cheaper than traditional terminal emulation
software for PCs. More importantly, Web-to-host can enable companies to implement e-business
strategies more quickly. However, there are still security concerns, and for some process-intensive types,
Web-to-host may not be enough. On the other hand, Web-to-host is still evolving; as vendors continue to
add more robust security and customization features, even larger numbers of users will be able to employ
Web-to-host technology.
Web-to-Host Glossary
ActiveX Control: A local resident control based on Microsoft’s Component Object Model (COM) that loads within a
Web browser providing host-access capability.

Applet: A Java program that is run from inside a Web browser.

Certificate: A digital document that contains information about a person or organization, including the identity and
public keys.

Client: The computer that displays the Web page that contains an applet.

Data Encryption Standard (DES): An algorithm for encoding messages by breaking them into logical blocks and
encrypting each one.

Diffie-Helman: A key agreement protocol allowing two entities to agree upon and exchange public keys prior to
combination with private keys.

Host Access Class Library (HACL): A core set of classes and methods that allow development of platform-
independent application that can access host information at the data-stream level.

Host: The mainframe or midrange computer to which the PC connects.

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): An application of SGML that uses tags to mark text and graphics in a
document. Web browsers use the tags to structure and format Web pages.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): A client/server protocol that allows information exchange between Web servers
and browsers.

Proxy: A server that works in conjunction with a firewall to provide network security.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL): The de facto security standard used with most Web-to-host software; a group of
protocols based on public-key cryptography and digital certificate for encrypting private information.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP): A set of communication protocols that allow
communication between computers on a local network or the Internet.

Terminal Emulation: The capability of personal computers to act as if they were a particular type of terminal and
communicate with another computer, such as a Unix system or a mainframe.

Telnet: A protocol that allows a user to access a remote computer on a TCP/IP network as if the user were using a
text-based terminal, such as a 3270 terminal.

8 March 2001 18


Transport Layer Security (TLS): A group of protocols incorporating the specifications used in other security
protocols, including SSL for encrypting private information.

TN3270 and TN5250: Protocols used by an IBM mainframe or AS/400 to communicate with other devices, including
PCs.

VT Emulation: The use of software that enables a client to emulate Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) terminals such
as the VT52, VT100, VT200 and VT220. VT emulation is widely used with Unix systems.

8 March 2001 19

Serena Lambiase 5 April 2001

Peer-to-Peer Computing Technologies: An Introduction

Summary
The newly updated peer-to-peer networking model is currently being referred to by many in the industry
(most notably Intel) as a paradigm that is about to change IT in much the same way the Internet has.
What is peer-to-peer computing, why is there so much industry hype concerning it, what are the benefits
and risks, and are there viable business uses?

Table of Contents
Technology Basics
Technology Analysis
Business Use
Benefits and Risks
Standards
Technology Leaders
Insight

List Of Tables
Table 1: Peer-to-Peer Companies and Categories

Entire contents © 2001 by Gartner, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be
reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. Gartner shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations
thereof. The reader assumes sole responsibility for the selection of these materials to achieve its intended results. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.


Technology Basics
Since peer-to-peer computing has existed from the very beginnings of PC computing, why has it recently
become so popular, and what are the implications for businesses and enterprises? How was the "old"
model of peer-to-peer computing implemented, and what has suddenly caused this model of networking
to be resurrected into new uses?

Peer-to-Peer Networking versus Client/Server Networking

The original PC networks were based on file-sharing peer-to-peer architectures. In a peer-to-peer
network, each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities; this differs from today’s
client/server architectures, in which some computers are dedicated to serving the others. Peer-to-peer
networks were simpler to implement, but they did not offer robust performance under heavy loads. In the
1990s, PC LAN computing evolved because the capacity of the file sharing was strained as the number of
online users grew (it can only satisfy about 12 users simultaneously) and graphical user interfaces (GUIs)
became popular. As a result of the limitations of file-sharing architectures and the faster speeds that
became available through technologies such as Ethernet, the client/server architecture for networking
became the preferred model of business networking, where every computer on a client/server network is
either a client or a server.

The Impact of Recent Industry Changes on Peer-to-Peer Development

Over the past few years, the sheer number of PCs has increased exponentially. At the same time, the
computing capabilities of PCs have become more powerful; in fact, most PCs today are more powerful
than earlier servers. Broadband has become more readily available, and PCs have also become both
more powerful and affordable. During this same time frame, Internet technologies have drastically
improved; the increasing availability of broadband, together with more powerful PCs, has led to new
business uses for Internet technology (intranets, extranets, using browsers to gain access to mainframe
data, etc.).
During 2000, file-sharing peer-to-peer networks such as Napster became extremely popular. Napster
allows users to utilize the worldwide reach of the Internet to share music files stored on their local hard
disks. Although the Napster program initially gained notoriety because of its music-pirating ability, the real
news here is the importance of its very powerful distribution platform and search engine that Napster
provides. This simultaneous occurrence of the changes and improvements within the PC industry,
including the newer Internet technologies, and the wildly popular Napster phenomenon has given rise to
the possibility of an entirely new type of peer-to-peer (P2P) business model for computing.

The New Peer-to-Peer Computing Models

The new peer-to-peer model abandons the networking notions of separate clients and servers and
instead allows every networked machine to connect to another machine. New peer-to-peer applications
will enable people to search for information stored on an individual user's hard drive via the Internet— the
original P2P networks worked by exchanging information directly between computers. This would not be
possible if PCs had not become ubiquitous, more powerful, and had more broadband available. The new
P2P models can be implemented in a pure peer-to-peer fashion as totally server-free implementations
that directly connect desktops over an IP network, or Napster-style, using servers to direct traffic. Peer-to-
peer proponents claim that new Internet-based standards and protocols will make P2P computing easier
to implement and believe it will soon become practical for many businesses. Many universities and

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research organizations have been using P2P models for years; now these technologies are being
developed for the enterprise space.
Peer-to-peer technology allows enterprises to leverage their computing resources by enabling a direct
exchange of services between computers. This includes exchanging data, processing cycles, cache
storage, and disk storage. This past year has seen a plethora of start-up companies materialize that are
geared towards utilizing P2P computing. Distributed computing (reducing computation costs), file sharing
(protected content distribution), collaboration (secure file sharing in ad hoc groups), intelligent agents
(cooperative search engines), and distributed storage sharing (reduce the need for file servers; migrate
files to area of use) are examples of the ways P2P is being developed by these companies.

Technology Analysis
Business Use

Peer-to-Peer Distributed Computing and Cycle Sharing

The Boeing Aerospace company, oil company Amerada Hess, and Intel claim they have been able to
reduce the need to buy high-end computer systems, including mainframes, by using P2P networking to
tap into the processing power that is already available on their companies’ desktop PCs. Enterprise
managers can use existing resources for storage and computing from every computer on the network on
a global basis. Companies that stand to benefit from P2P Distributed Computing are in the following
industries: biotech, search engines, computer-aided design, film animation, and financial services.

Peer-to-Peer Collaboration

Peer-to-peer collaboration applications can be used for real-time meetings and communications and
secure file sharing in ad hoc groups. Business groups can form and dissolve self-organized webs for
collaboration on projects. Peer-to-peer collaboration can also be used to speed the development of new
products and to decrease the cost and time involved in developing manufactured products, as exemplified
by Oculus Technologies, Inc. Several companies are currently developing P2P collaboration applications
geared towards the investment management industry. They claim the more simplified and automated
workflow process will allow participants in the financial services community to connect directly with
investment managers without going through an intermediary, currently represented by the B2B
exchanges; this could have significant impact on B2B exchanges. NextPage is an example of this type of
company.

Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Superdistribution

Peer-to-peer can also be used to disseminate the latest security measures in real-time, including antivirus
and personal firewall updates to an entire enterprise. Another use for the new P2P model would be the
authorized peer-to-peer sharing of music or book files, giving retailers and consumers the ability to pass
content to multiple recipients; this would be geared towards companies in the media industries.
Benefits and Risks

Benefits

Peer-to-peer tools can save time and money by lessening the need for corporate IT to expand some of
their services, such as Web servers, backup storage, and replacing outdated documents. Peer-to-peer
computing also has the potential to allow a certain amount of network traffic to move from the corporate
backbone to less expensive infrastructure, such as switches, hubs, and routers.

DPRO-97205
Copyright 2001 5 April 2001 3

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