Packaged Solution Economizes E-Business
As with most technology introduced to the AS/400 world of late, IBM’s new Internet access solution is a way of combining different enterprise components to create e-business efficiency.
Available December 1, this e-business Internet solution for AS/400 is comprised of the AS/400 server itself, an Access Utility peripheral device and Lotus Domino software. Coinciding with the release of this solution, IBM also announced the "Networking Systems No Payment Till 1999 Deferral" plan through the company’s Global Financing division.
The Access Utility is a single multi-service box designed to act as a router and thin server. As a router, the Access Utility provides secure Internet access for AS/400 users with Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). As a thin server, the Access Utility is designed to support Network Computers used as Internet workstations for AS/400 servers.
The Access Utility promotes consolidation by combining multi-protocol routing with software, which provides a range of standards-based VPN security measures, including: IPSecurity connections over the Internet; Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) for multi-protocol connections, including SNA; remote dial-in access; thin server for use with NCs; and local and wide area network connections.
Use of Domino is expected to help customers reduce the overall number of servers required to support the enterprise, at the same time reducing complexity of administration and management.
"As businesses embrace e-business, it’s important to integrate network access services over a single platform," says Patrice Mitchell, VP of entry systems marketing for AS/400 brand.
Another of the solution’s goals is provide an affordable migration path from SNA to IP, as a way to the Internet. "It is important that our customers are able to leverage their investments in SNA applications, while being able to utilize the benefits of IP," adds Jose Garcia, business line manager of the workgroup networks business line for IBM’s Networking Hardware Division.
The solution, which targets Model 170, S20, S30 and S40 customers, will be available through IBM distributors and value added resellers (VARs). Pricing for the Access Utility device begins at $6,700. The Networking Systems No Payment Till 1999 Deferral plan enables payment to begin 90 days from the date of installation.