Gconnect, the J2EE Connector
Gconnect is a J2EE compliant Connector that connects e-business applications to existing mainframe applications. It handles multiple mainframe types, and mainframe transactions written for multiple terminal types.

Advantages
No changes at all in the mainframe production system
Submit real time transactions to CICS, MVS, TP8 or TDS
Receive responses speedily and reliably in real time
IBM, Bull, DEC, UNIX, Linux, Minitel and Prestel mainframes
IBM3270, IBM5250, Bull VIP, Bull DKU, VTnnn and ANSI terminals

Gconnect is a standard software component
Gconnect is a J2EE compliant Connector, which means that it is a software component written in accordance with Sun's Connector specification (JSR016). A Connector provides Enterprise Java Beans with a standardized interface for access to back-end mainframe systems from J2EE Application servers. The Connector frees Java application programmers from the details involved in obtaining a mainframe connection, using it, and releasing it after use.

Gconnect manages mainframe connections
Gconnect manages pools of reusable connections. The various mainframe systems and applications that are to be available to the Java applications running on the Application server are defined by the administrator at Connector deployment time as individual pools of connections of a given type. The Java program simply asks the Application server for a Connection factory for the connection type it needs, and uses the factory to get a connection handle. After use the connection is returned to the Application server.

Application server platforms
GConnect is a J2EE Connector Architecture compliant component that can be installed on any Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) compliant Application server in order to provide host access to Enterprise Java Beans. These can be developed using Gargen, the Glink Java Bean Generator, or hand programmed using the Glink for Java Professional Edition API. The Connector is qualified in-house with: the Sun reference model Solaris, Sparc Solaris, Intel BEA WebLogic Server 6.1 SP1 Windows NT Windows 2000 AIX 4.3.3 but will function with any J2EE compliant Application server.

Gconnect versions and licensing
There are two versions of GConnect. The Bull HooX J2EE Connector for GCOS (DKU, 7800 and 7700 emulations) is exclusive to Bull for access to Bull hosts, and is available only from Bull as a GCOS8 or GCOS7 product.
The standard G&R/Glink for Java Connector can be used to access any non-Bull host (IBM 3270, IBM 5250, VT, ANSI, Prestel, Minitel), and is available from Bull and our other distributors. The Connector is licensed by application server.