ARCHIVED: What is 3270 emulation?

Note: In June 2006, UITS retired the IUIS mainframe from service. All IUIS accounts were disabled on April 1, 2006. All applications previously located in the mainframe environment have been moved to new Unix or Windows platforms. If you have specific questions regarding the retirement of IUIS, contact your University Information Systems application development team manager.

3270 emulation is a communications standard that allows a remote terminal such as a Windows, Mac OS X, or Mac OS workstation to communicate with an IBM or IBM-compatible mainframe. 3270 emulation on your workstation allows you full access to mainframe applications (such as FAMS, BARS, or FOCUS at Indiana University). Without the proper 3270 software configured correctly, you will not be able to access certain applications or perform certain functions. Also, specific keyboard mapping is required for some tasks that can be provided only by the correct configuration of 3270 software.

Host Explorer (within the Hummingbird communications package) provides TN3270 connectivity to IBM hosts via a TCP/IP connection. Host Explorer is a popular cost-effective emulation program that utilizes the TN3270 protocol standard, enabling high-performance connectivity between IBM mainframe systems and networked computers running DOS or Windows.

Brown University's TN3270 client provides TN3270 connectivity for Mac OS X and Mac OS computers via a TCP/IP connection.

Note: For Windows users, UITS recommends Host Explorer 9.0 for 3270 emulation, which is available from IUware Online from the Communication menu. For Mac OS X, use Brown University's TN3270 client version 3.1.6. Use version 2.5b5 for Mac OS 9.1 and earlier. Both are available from the Brown University TN3270 Web site.

Also see:

• Using Windows or Mac OS X at IU, what 3270 emulation programs are available?