Wrestling with the Move from Twinax to TCP/IP? Getting a new IBM Power9 or Power8? The iSeries World is Going IP... Are You?!

If you currently are using legacy Display Stations and Printers connected to an IBM Power5, System i, iSeries or AS/400 in your organization, you are probably considering a move away from SNA and SDLC communications to a pure TCP/IP connectivity infrastructure or a new IBM Power9 or Power8.

There are many good reasons to evaluate this move:

• Enhance performance throughout your network

• Add functionality to existing applications

• Eliminate problematic multi-protocol network support

Is there a downside? Well, if you have Twinax devices connected to your iSeries and are thinking of moving to a LAN environment, you have a lot to think about. For example, will your trusty Twinax IPDS printers continue to perform? Will your data entry personnel continue to be productive? Will your network be as reliable? Can you justify the potentially high cost of re-wiring an entire facility?

Following is a discussion of four different options available to you. Click the links to learn the pros and cons of each option, and to discover which solution is right for your organization:

1. Replace Twinax equipment with PCs and LAN-based printers

2. Replace Twinax terminals with Ethernet terminals and use a Twinax to Ethernet Protocol Converter for Twinax printers 

3. Replace Twinax terminals with Thin Clients

4. Preserve Twinax devices and integrate them into your IP network with a pure IP controller 

OPTION 1: Replace Twinax equipment with PCs and LAN based printers

Pros	Cons
Share printers with LAN users and PC applications	Possible complex networking issues
More expensive to manage, cost of PC management very high	Disruption / lost production
Access to multiple applications	Cost of replacement
Improved performance for WAN users

SOLUTION 1:  Twin Data Corporation offers two TCP/IP-based solutions that meet the host access and TN5250e display and printing emulation requirements of this option: 

• NLynx OmniTerm/ES TN5250 Software - LAN-based, small footprint, feature-rich TN5250e Emulation Software. Based with printer support.  Windows 7 & Windows 8, as well as XP and Vista.

• I-O Corporation 5750e iSeries Print Server Gateway - TN5250e Print Server Gateway Appliance with support for three printers.

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OPTION 2: Replace the dumb Twinax terminals with Ethernet terminals and use a Twinax to Ethernet Protocol Converter for Twinax printer(s)

SOLUTION 2: Twin Data Corporation offers Ethernet text-based terminals from various manufacturers ? supporting the AS/400 & Mainframe style 122-key keyboards.  For connecting your legacy Twinax and Coax Printers we offer the XIP+ Twinax Controller and the LANRPC to support a smooth transition from Twinax and Coax: 

• Thin Client / Ethernet Terminals - Hhigh performance Ethernet text-based terminals to replace 5250 and 3270 dumb terminals

• XIP+ Twinax Controller  - To maintain the investement in your current Twinax Display Stations and expensive workhorse Twinax printers

• LANRPC+ - To maintain expensive workhorse Twinax or Coax printers

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OPTION 3:  Replace Twinax Terminals with Thin Client Terminals

Pros	Cons
Access to server based applications	Cost of replacement
Low cost of ownership (software maintained only on server)	Disruption / loss of production
Embedded Terminal emulation for server independence
122-key keyboard option comforts users
Lower power requirements than PC
Better MTBF than PC, no moving parts
Lower security risks (control download of data to diskette)
Better virus protection (control upload of unwanted programs)
Improved performance for WAN users

SOLUTION 3: Twin Data Corporation offers a wide selection of Thin Client Terminals for all environments including Desktop Virtualization. Various models include an embedded browser, TN5250e/TN3270e emulation, and an RDP client for Windows Terminal Server and others:

• Thin Client Terminals

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OPTION 4: Preserve Twinax devices and integrate them into your IP network with a pure IP controller.

Pros	Cons
Maintain existing Terminals and Printers	No access to windows based applications
Little or no disruption / loss of production	Older technology (Twinax is not sexy)
Lower replacement cost in most cases
Improved performance for WAN users
Only one IP address required
No retraining required
Text based email available
Smoother implementation of disaster recovery (Dial back up, Hot spare, IP Rollover)
Ease of management (https:// access to controller)

SOLUTION 4: Using a Twinax-over-IP Twinax Controller allows enterprises to maintain the current investment of existing Twinax equipment while ensuring bandwidth efficiency, optimum network performance, and built-in capabilities to work in disaster recovery scenarios.

• XIP+ Twinax Controller - A true Twinax-Over-TCP/IP Controller (local or remote) for supporting Twinax Terminals and Printers on the Power8, Power7 and all models of i5, iSeries and AS/400s (above V3R2)