You must provide an Ethernet TCP/IP connection between the MCP host system and the Operations Sentinel server. You can use an integrated communications processor (ICP) to provide the interfaces to the Ethernet LAN, or you can use a ClearPath Network Appliance or Windows server running ClearPath Enterprise Server Network Services.

In the client/server model, the Operations Sentinel software is the client and the interface software is the server.

The addressable TCP/IP address and network name of the MCP host is specified in the hosts file on the Operations Sentinel server. This file defines a list of network host names and as an option, aliases. The network host names are paired with their respective Internet network address numbers. You specify a network host name during Operations Sentinel configuration when you add an MCP host system or when you edit the attributes of an MCP host system. See the Operations Sentinel Administration and Configuration Guide.