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Mainframe Console Consolidation

  • Support for up to 32 Host LPARs (16/ESCON interface)
  • Up to 512 console sessions (256/ESCON interface)
  • Replaces up to thirty-two 3174/3274 controllers.
  • Rack Mountable
  • One or two ESCON interfaces
  • Up to 128 coax devices
  • Up to 256 Telnet consoles
  • Up to 512 TN3270 sessions
  • Up to 10 sessions per coax or Telnet device
  • Direct attach Storage Tek Silo/LMU support
  • Optional Hot Consoles Sessions feature for remote access
  • Multiple user access to the same session
  • Remote management through Visara's eManager product

In the past, supporting multiple mainframes or multiple partitions on a single mainframe, meant keeping a separate console controller for each logical partition. Newer, mainframes make it increasingly difficult to find replacement console controllers that will connect directly to the mainframe without having to implement costly and cumbersome ESCON to channel converters. With the Visara SCON product family running LINCS software, you can run consoles for up to 32 LPARs through a single platform. The SCON solution is scalable, allowing for the perfect solution for anywhere from 1-32 partitions per platform over one or two ESCON connections, and providing a combination of traditional device connections, as well as a variety of LAN and remote connections.

Console Controller Consolidation

The SCON-2XL allows you to consolidate your consoles for up to 32 LPARs onto a single Console Controller platform. The SCON-2XL communicates to your mainframe(s) using one or two ESCON interfaces. Console terminals can be directly attached to the 2XL using coax or twisted pair wiring. Password protected Telnet connections are supported as well via 10/100 Mbps Ethernet or 4/16 Mbps Token Ring, using a variety of terminal emulations, allowing for remote consoles and remote management of the 2XL.

Using the Visara 1883 Networking Computing Terminal, you can communicate across the network or through a dialup connection to the SCON-2XL using TN3270 protocol. The Visara 1883 contains special code required to display console sessions, and permits the simultaneous viewing of up to 4 consoles on a single screen.

Individual terminals can be used to view console sessions for multiple LPARs. Access to up to 10 different LPARs can be made from any fixed function terminal. Multiple LPARs are supported by making use of ESCON Directors and/or by using EMIF.

The SCON-2XL is a rugged dedicated communication platform, designed exclusively for the support of mainframe consoles, not some wimpy PC platform, vulnerable to computer viruses. The SCON-2XL does not emulate a console controller, it is a console controller! Perhaps the very best!

Multiple Console Sessions on a Single Console Display

The SCON-2XL permits each coax terminal to have up to 10 concurrent sessions. These sessions can be defined to be on one or more LPARs. An optional windowing feature is available on the 2XL to permit portions of up to 5 sessions to be displayed on any fixed function coax terminal. When using the windowing option, sessions can be zoomed to full screen with a keystroke. Session swap keys allow the user to move from one console session to another. Update indicators in the status line identify when a background session has been updated.

In the diagram above, each of the terminals could have one or more sessions to each of the six LPARs. Each terminal could have a total of 10 sessions at one time.

The Telnet/TN3270 Connection

Now from a single desktop, you can communicate to as many LPARs as you need to by utilizing the Telnet or TN3270 facilities of the SCON-2XL.

Using Telnet or TN3270, you can connect to any of the LPARs defined on the SCON-2XL. And it does not stop there. If you have multiple SCON-2XLs, you can establish a connection to any of them, using the standard network interface.

The Telnet interface provides a simple connection into the SCON-2XL, using nearly any Telnet device or emulation. You can even use the standard Telnet interface provided by Windows-based PCs to display a console session. Specific IP Address and TCP port assignments and passwords provide security.

Once connected, the Telnet user can communicate with whatever resources have been assigned to them, up to 10 sessions (LPARs) at one time, or select sessions from a menu.

TN3270 provides a superior user interface over Telnet, by providing a more natural 3270 interface. The number of sessions from a desktop and feature/functionality are dependent upon the emulator.

The above diagram shows a single Visara 1883 NCT configured for TN3270 and would be capable of initiating a session to any or all of the 9 LPARS shown at one time, and could display up to 4 complete sessions on the screen at one time. The 1883 could also communicate to yet another SCON-2XL located remotely via either a routed network connection or through a dialup connection.

Support for IBM 3290 Displays

The SCON-2XL provides connectivity for the IBM 3290 Plasma display. Up to 4 sessions can be displayed on the 3290 at one time. For a current product to provide the same functionality, as well as provide color support and multiple SCON-2XL access, refer to the Visara 1883 product.

The Visara 1883 Solution

The Visara 1883 desktop Network Computing Terminal is capable of communicating directly to the SCON-2XL as a coax terminal, through Ethernet, or through a PPP dialup connection. The 1883 supports up to 10 sessions via its TN3270 emulator, with the ability to show up to 4 full complete sessions on the screen at one time. A special command set is integrated into the 1883 product, which allows them to support mainframe console sessions through the TN3270 client. All sessions may be cascaded on the screen at once. These 10 sessions can be to the same or different LPARs and to the same or different SCON-2XLs.

In addition to the standard integrated Ethernet connection and optional coax (3270) connection, twinax (5250), and Token Ring interfaces are available. With the coax interface, you can connect directly to the SCON-2XL, using the built in 3270 terminal function. A 122-key keyboard has all of the traditional 3270 key legends. The 1883 is a fully functional 3270 coax terminal, with many advanced features.

The Coax to Ethernet (C/E) Bridge feature of the SCON-2XL (U.S. patent applied for), can be enabled to provide a coax-attached 1883 access to an IP network via the SCON-2XL's Ethernet card. The 1883 NCT supports a full IP protocol stack, and through the SCON-2XL can communicate through the coax as if it were directly attached to the Ethernet network. This is in addition to the 10/100 Mbps native Ethernet connection available on the 1883. This is an ideal product to provide console access to both local and remote sites.

Additionally, the 1883 has the functionality to support connections to mid-range hosts using a TN5250 emulation, connections to a Unix host using VT220, ability to run Windows applications through a server using ICA, and access the web with its built in browser.

A serial interface comes standard on the 1883, allowing for remote dial access. Through this connection, you can dial into a remote SCON-2XL directly, through a RAS server onto your corporate network, or even into an ISP for Internet access. With this capability it is possible to manage remote data centers from your desktop, or manage your own mainframe from home!

The diagram shows three different ways to connect the Visara 1883.

  • Direct coax attachment to the SCON-2XL
  • Ethernet attached to the SCON-2XL through a WAN network connection
  • Ethernet attached to the SCON-2XL through a LAN network connection

Through the coax connection, the 1883 can communicate like a standard 3270 terminal, or with C/E Bridge enabled, TN3270 (along with various other IP features).

Through the Ethernet connections, the 1883 would communicate with the SCON-2XL using TN3270 or Telnet.

Storage Tek Silo/LMU Support

Since the SCON-2XL is a real coax controller, you can use it to manage Storage Tek Silos via the LMU. The 2XL can interface the LMU up to as many different LPARs as needed.

The diagram shows a Storage Tek Silo/LMU connected to the SCON-2XL through a coax mux, each coax line connected to a different LPAR.

Optional Hot Console Sessions Feature for Remote Access

An optional feature available on the SCON-2XL allows you to configure one or more console sessions as "Hot Console Sessions", primarily for remote access applications. With a "Hot Console Session", the session remains active with the host, regardless of whether any device is actually connected to the 2XL and receiving the messages. The "Hot Console Session" appears to the host as though a coax terminal is always attached, thus providing immediate console message access to a connecting user (Telnet or TN3270), without requiring someone else to vary the console active.

Multiple User Access to the Same Session

Using an 1883 desktop and VNC software, available from Visara, it is possible to provide multiple user access to the same console session. The 1883 NCT provides the actual session access through the SCON-2XL, then in turn allows access to any client running VNC software (password protected of course). VNC clients can run on a variety of platforms and operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Unix. Access to the 1883 can be through any IP connection that you wish to provide. From the VNC application, you can view the screen contents of the 1883, and provide mouse and keyboard input as if you were sitting in front of the 1883 itself. Mouse and keyboard input can be generated from the 1883 or VNC clients and the results viewed by all.

Some of the benefits of this feature include:

  • Remote NIP console access for software developers
  • Remote training
  • Remote Problem diagnostics
  • Offsite Emergency Access
  • Centralized Management of Multiple Remote Sites

Remote Management Through Visara's eManager Product

eManager is a remote management tool offered by Visara for the purpose of remotely managing Visara products from a central location.

The SCON-2XL can be accessed and managed using the eManager product, running from a remote Windows PC desktop. Among the tools provided by eManager are Telnet and VNC clients, allowing remote access to both the SCON-2XL and 1883. eManager provides the means to backup, view and change configurations on the SCON-2XL and 1883 products. Additionally, eManager can be used as an aid to help remotely diagnose problem situations through its ability to pull SCON event logs, display error code information, and display status information, using a number of point-and-click utilities.