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StayLinked Terminal Emulation

Thin-Client Host-Based Terminal Emulation with Advanced Terminal Session Management

StayLinked Terminal Emulation was built from the ground up for wireless environments. Telnet/SSH emulation sessions remain on the Host, where IT (Information Technology) belongs—safe and secure from harsh wireless environments. StayLinked thin client software residing on wireless remote devices sends data entered on each device to the Host, where it is used by the Host-resident application. The resulting emulation screen change is then returned from the Host to the remote device. In essence, workers “remote control” the applications instead of having “fat apps” distributed throughout the enterprise. It just makes sense.

General Features

  • Stay-Linked Server software runs natively on the most reliable platforms, including IBM iSeries, pSeries and xSeries, HP-UX, Sun, SCO, Linux and Windows Servers
  • Supports IBM 5250/3270, VT220/100/420/52 and SSHv2 terminal emulation
  • Stay-Linked Thin Clients are available for a wide range of popular wireless devices from LXE, Symbol/Motorola, Intermec, HHP, PSC, Psion, and others – not limited to one device manufacturer
  • Supports many legacy DOS-based wireless devices (Telxon 960SL, Intermec Anatares, PSC Falcon, etc.) due to thin client design not requiring extensive CPU and memory resources on the device
  • Stay-Linked Host API for dynamic seamless integration with host screen applications
  • Option for “dual session” – running two different sessions (same or other host, same or other application, same or other emulation type) at the same time on the same device with a hot-key to switch between (e.g., Alt-S)

Proprietary Client2Host™ Communication Protocol

  • For the IP connection between the Stay-Linked Client and the Stay-Linked Server, the ‘Client2Host’ communications protocol is used. This protocol, designed from the ground up for the RF environment, utilizes UDP/IP to transmit data between the Stay-Linked thin-client software, residing on the wireless device, and the Stay-Linked server, on the Host computer. Because Stay-Linked uses UDP, it is able to avoid the IP traffic and connection issues that are inherent in the TCP protocol and exacerbated in a wireless environment.
  • The Client2Host protocol is quiet, only transmitting data across the network on the demand of the client. If the client device is inactive, then there will be no traffic generated on the network.
  • The Client2Host protocol implements a ‘Micro-Packet’ technology and ensures that UDP packets successfully arrive at the destination host in order. The ‘Micro-packet’ technology enables more reliable delivery of data by never transmitting packets greater than 512 bytes in length, thereby avoiding packet fragmentation and MTU issues. The ‘Micro-packet’ technology also enables Stay-Linked traffic to better utilize low-bandwidth or high-utilization network connections.
  • Because all of the session traffic between the Stay-Linked client and the Stay-Linked Server is encapsulated in the Client2Host protocol, Stay-Linked is able to avoid transmitting any TCP or TELNET protocols over the wireless network. In other words, there will be no Telnet clear-text traffic traveling across the network while running Stay-Linked.

Performance

  • Utilizes proprietary “Micro-Packet” technology to reduce network load (separate packet for each keystroke or barcode scan)
  • Only net changes to screen displays are all that is sent from the host to the device (does not transmit whole screens unless a new screen is accessed)
  • Quiet UDP-based Client2Host™ connection technology reduces network utilization (no communication needed with the host when there is no data to send or receive)
  • High performance is maintained on low-bandwidth or highly utilized networks
  • Optimized Java code on the server for maximum performance
  • Optimized C/C++ code for Stay-Linked thin client on the device
  • Takes maximum advantage of high-performance host server hardware and software
  • Built-in data compression further reduces network bandwidth utilization
  • Integrates extremely well with VoIP voice applications running on the same device, communicating on the same network at the same time (no challenging TCP/IP packet prioritization issues to deal with)

Terminal Session Management

  • Centralized management console (Stay-Linked Administrator GUI) included
  • All emulation and terminal behavior configuration and settings are stored and applied on the host system and easily backed-up using existing host system procedures
  • Eliminates the need to “push” configuration files out to devices
  • Annual Support and Maintenance includes a free High Availability copy of the licensed Stay-Linked environment (replicate onto a fail-over host system)
  • Visibility of session status for all connected devices in a filterable, sort-capable “connection list” with intuitive right-click drill down
  • Wireless transfer of files to and from devices
  • Send administrative messages to connected devices
  • Remotely restart or reboot connected devices
  • Monitor device sessions, viewing the exact screen that is displayed on the device
  • Dynamically share sessions, enabling help desk staff to perform data entry in the same screen as the wireless device user
  • Dynamically take over control of sessions when issues occur, enabling help desk staff to exit properly out of any screen applications that were being accessed by the user
  • Dynamically establish shared access between two or more users/devices to the same screen application session running on the host (Stay-Linked “Session Partnerships”)
  • Terminate device sessions (individual or multiple) interactively
  • Transfer control of a user’s host-based session to a new device if their original device becomes unusable
  • Centralized management of configured Telnet and SSHv2 hosts
  • Devices can connect to any configured Telnet or SSHv2 host from a single Stay-Linked Server
  • Centralized Keyboard Mapping by device and emulation type
  • Centralized management of terminal settings for groups of devices as defined by IP address range and device type
  • For a group of devices, you can centrally manage these settings and more:
    • Host Groups which define what telnet hosts are available to the device
    • 5250 Device Naming and OIA display
    • Keyboard and Backlight Timeout
    • VT Alarm Indication and Handling
    • 5250 Alarm handling
    • Message Handling
    • Barcode Configuration
    • Client-side Program Calls
    • Client-side Printing Configuration
    • Startup Scripting
    • Alternate Keyboard Mapping
  • Management and definition of ‘Tap-Spots’, enabling advanced data entry via the PPC/WinCE stylus in addition to keyboard and scanner input

Centralized Licensing

  • All licensing controlled via centralized management console (Stay-Linked Administrator GUI)
  • Cost-effective concurrent-user terminal emulation licensing is driven by a single key value
  • No need to license individual devices or re-buy terminal emulation when old devices are swapped out for newer ones – true investment protection
  • Load thin-client software onto as many devices as desired – licensing is based on maximum number of concurrently connected users and not total number of devices – good for spares, and shift workers in multiple time zones, etc.
  • Add additional licensed seats on the fly – no need to stop/restart the Stay-Linked server on the host system

Security

  • Using port filtering, no telnet is broadcast over the wireless network–telnet remains on the host
  • Firewall-Friendly communications architecture (Port restrictions and Static NAT Configuration for Servers. NAT friendly connections for Clients)
  • Native, proprietary, end-to-end, application layer encryption technology (Dynamic-Symmetric 64-bit key, Stream-Cipher Symmetric Encryption Algorithm)
  • Provides Data layer security to supplement Network layer security – no clear text
  • Thin Client design and Client2Host™ protocol keeps all Telnet and SSHv2 communication local to the host – secure and not transmitted over the network
  • Features support for SSHv2 host session connectivity in addition to Telnet at no additional charge
  • App Lock-Down mode for restricting access to other applications on Windows-based devices
  • Compatible with all popular network architectures and platforms allowing “port-filtering” or “access list” definitions to be applied at the network switch or smart AP level to restrict host access from wireless devices to Stay-Linked UDP/IP transmissions on specific UDP ports (no rogue wireless devices can access host systems and wireless workers cannot reach destinations other than configured host systems with browser-enabled Windows devices)

Reliability

  • Utilizes the Stay-Linked Client2Host™ Reliable Protocol to avoid typical “device-side” Telnet/SSHv2 connection problems
  • Manages wireless user Telnet or SSHv2 Client sessions on the same reliable host as the Telnet or SSHv2 Server process (Clients never disconnect from the Server)
  • True host-based “Session Persistence” allows devices to automatically reconnect to existing sessions after an interruption, resuming exactly at the same screen and cursor location prior to the disruption (out of range, dead battery, network issue, etc.)
  • Intelligent thin client detects and identifies network and radio coverage issues
  • Network and Wireless diagnostic tools on the server and on the client
  • Configurable secondary Stay-Linked Server host systems in the event that the primary Stay-Linked Server host system is unavailable
  • Provides support for up to two backup Telnet/SSHv2 Servers per Telnet/SSHv2 host entry

Getting Started