Host Access Product Takes Two Paths
NetManage (Cupertino, Calif.) is bringing thin client capabilities to its eN2000 family suite of products with the introduction of ViewNow for Windows Terminal Services and ViewNow for Citrix MetaFrame, both of which will be available in November.
eN2000, NetManage's integrated framework of client software, management and support solutions, provides desktop, server-based, and Web access to connect users to Unix, AS/400 and mainframe computers. The eN2000 products can be purchased separately, but all share centralized management and real-time support.
"A lot of customer research went into eN2000," says Marilyn Kansas, VP of field marketing for NetManage. "ViewNow for Windows and Citrix bring thin-client options to our product suite, and we plan to add more thin-client products in the future."
Running only on a Windows NT server, ViewNow for Windows Terminal provides Windows-based thin clients with a complete set of host connectivity applications for accessing information in a multi-host computing environment.
A multi-host connectivity solution for organizations running Citrix MetaFrame application-server software for information access, ViewNow for Citrix MetaFrame provides access to Unix, AS/400 and mainframe hosts over an IP or SNA network connections. Some of the key features of ViewNow for Citrix MetaFrame includes an NFS client that allows users to access resources on NFS servers across the network. File transfer is facilitated through an FTP client application, which seamlessly integrates into the Windows Explorer interface.
NetManage expects ViewNow for Citrix MetaFrame to be more popular than ViewNow for Windows Terminal, says Kansas. "Windows Terminal is designed more for small companies and only provides Windows NT access. Citrix MetaFrame adds robustness and supports heterogeneous environments. We believe that Citrix MetaFrame has unique features that customers will want to take advantage of."
Both the Windows Terminal and Citrix products are available in suite and individual editions-including AS/400, Unix, mainframe, Network File System (NFS) and "X," according to Laura Luttrell, manager of technical training for NetManage. Rather than having to buy the entire product suite, users can purchase the appropriate product subset.
Both products also feature NetManage's patented embedded SupportNow capability, which allows real-time support for ViewNow products across Internet or Intranet connections.