Client Access Services

Product Overview

Client Access Services enables your workstation to interoperate with the MCP Environment in the same way that it interoperates with the Windows Server. Client Access Services

  • Integrates the MCP Environment into a Windows-based Microsoft network.

  • Integrates resources and services based on MCP with the Microsoft desktop.

  • Supports client/server distributed applications.

Using Microsoft client software on your workstation, you can

  • Discover resources that are based on the MCP (through Browse).

  • Access the following resources that are based on the MCP:

    • Disk directory shares (includes subdirectories and associated files)

    • CD-ROM shares

  • Use named pipes and Winsock for client/server distributed applications.

Client Access Services enables you to access resources and services that are based on MCP without having to install any additional software on your workstation. Examples of these resources and services are

  • Browsing resources

  • Accessing shared resources, such as disk directories and CD-ROMs

  • Providing access to server files for workstation applications

  • Using named pipes in distributed applications

  • Sharing workstation-created files with other users

  • Storing data on a centralized server to facilitate backups

  • Allowing manipulation of existing data by off-the-shelf workstation tools

General Features

Client Access Services supports features and products described in the following subtopics.

Administration Center

This product provides a Windows-based interface for configuring the Client Access Services software. This tool establishes the relationship between the network-visible name and the resources accessed through Client Access Services. It enables system administrators to define which resource can be accessed at workstations and which users or groups are allowed access.

CD-ROM Access

Any Microsoft Windows application and networking product running on the workstation can access CD-ROM readers attached to the MCP Environment by assigning the drive to any free drive letter on the workstation.

MCP Support for Optical Devices

Selected optical drives (CD-RW and DVD-R) conforming to the SCSI-3 specification are qualified for use on MCP systems. You can use them to write data on CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, and DVD+R media (if supported by the drive). MCP support for optical drives enables you to create disks in the following data formats:

  • The industry-standard ISO 9660 and Joliet data formats. Data on these media types is stored in stream files.

  • The enhanced ISO 9660 format, which supports a few MCP file attributes. This format, in many cases, permits read-only access to data files from standard programs based on the MCP.

  • The library maintenance format used by Unisys for software distribution. This format preserves all the MCP file attributes and is a good format for archiving MCP data and programs. CD-ROMs in this format are treated much like library maintenance tapes, and the files are accessible only by using the library maintenance software.

Database Operations Center

This product enables you to monitor and maintain databases created with Enterprise Database Server for ClearPath MCP.

Explorer Extensions

You can use the Explorer Extensions drag-and-drop capability to select multiple files in Windows Explorer. You can choose one of the following options:

  • Copy all selected files by using one specified FILEKIND.

  • Copy all selected files by using the default FILEKINDs for the files, based on each file extension.

The StartJob interface enables you to track the progress of a Work Flow Language (WFL) job in a text window that displays messages issued by the started job.

Graphical User Interfaces

Client Access Services provides access to existing services based on the MCP through workstation applications.

GUESTHOSTNAME Option

You can add this option to the configuration file and Administration Center. Users can then access the MCP system by using the “guest host name” and by using the standard TCP/IP host name. For this feature to function, guest access to Client Access Services must be enabled by establishing a valid RU *ANYUSER OF NXSERVICES setting in the USERDATAFILE. System access through the standard TCP/IP hostname is unchanged.

Installation Center

This product enables you to quickly and easily install software on your ClearPath server. Installation Center collects data that you enter from the interface and executes a Work Flow Language (WFL) job that installs your software release.

Job Messages Through WFLX Named Pipe

This feature enables you to start and monitor WFL jobs in the MCP Environment from an application running in a Windows environment.

Kerberos Support

This feature enables an organization using Microsoft Windows domains to have MCP Client Access Services use Kerberos to validate user passwords when connecting to the MCP. This feature enables a user’s log- on information for the Windows domain to be used directly for authenticating access to the MCP through MCP Client Access Services. Users are not required to have a separate password to access the MCP system.

MCP Logon Agent

Client Access Services supports the MCP Logon Agent, which you can use from the Windows server environment to specify accesscode and chargecode information.

MCP File Access

Client Access Services allows MCP file directories to be presented as network drives to workstations using Microsoft networking. By associating a workstation drive letter with this network drive (MCP file directory), the workstation user can create, manipulate, delete, and inquire on MCP files.

MCP File Copier

This feature is a GUI to the features available in the MCPCOPY.EXE command line utility. These features include a variety of data conversion options between record- and stream-oriented files. The options are a superset of the ones available through the Explorer Extensions right-click drag and drop capability.

MCPPRT

MCP programs can send printed data to a printer connected to a Microsoft client workstation.

MCP Redirector Kerberos Support

This feature enables an organization using Microsoft Windows domains to specify that MCP Client Access Services use Kerberos to validate user passwords when using MCP Redirector to connect to Windows workstations and servers. With this feature, access to Windows servers and workstations can be authenticated directly from a user’s log-on to the Windows domain. Therefore, a user is not required to create credentials files or to specify explicit username and passwords for file access.

The MCP system must have Kerberos enabled to use this MCP Redirector capability.

MCPCOPY and Printer Backup Files

MCPCOPY supports printer backup files (files with FILEKIND = BACKUPPRINTER). These files can be copied to Windows workstations and servers by using the Windows Explorer drag-and-drop operation or the DOS copy commands.

Named Pipes/WinSock IPC

A standard Microsoft workstation interface, named pipes or sockets, can link to an interface based on the MCP such as ports, Transaction Server direct Windows programs, or remote files. This feature provides a platform for the creation of distributed client/server applications.

NX Pipe

The NXPipe OLE control module is an OCX control for developing a client application that uses named pipes. This ActiveX COM control facilitates opening and communicating through named pipes. NXPipe provides asynchronous and full duplex capabilities.

Object/NXServices Interactive Mode

Object/NXServices supports an interactive mode in which multiple commands can be issued and responded to. You invoke the interactive mode by running Object/NXServices with a blank parameter.

Operations Center

This product provides an interface for managing jobs and tasks running on the ClearPath server. Features of Operations Center include

  • The ability to display views that contain periodically updated information about task and peripheral device activities on the server.

  • Toolbar buttons and menus for accessing system commands related to task and peripheral device management.

  • The ability to enter any system command textually.

  • The ability to manage Windows server tasks.

PCDriver and Launcher

This feature facilitates the automation of procedures where both MCP and PC programs are required to work together to accomplish a task.

  • System/NXServices/PCDriver is an MCP program that controls procedure automation and can be invoked from a WFL job.

  • Launcher is a component that is installed on a Windows or Linux client system and performs commands on behalf of PCDriver. The supported capabilities include

    • Copying files between the MCP and the client system

    • Running programs and batch files on the client system

    • Removing files from the client system

Print Center

This product enables you to monitor and manipulate print requests and printing devices in the MCP Environment. It also enables you to enter MCP Environment PS system commands.

Programmer’s Workbench

This product enables you to integrate the editing capabilities of CANDE with the familiar graphical interface of the Windows environment. The server side is installed and run in the MCP Environment. The client side is installed and run on a Microsoft workstation.

Security Functions

This feature set allows only authorized access to MCP Environment resources such as disk space, printers, CD-ROM devices, and other services.

SMB Signing

Client Access Services supports the SMB signing security feature. This enables you to use Client Access Services capabilities (such as mapping to shares) if you have the local security policy for the Windows operating system set to “Microsoft Network Client: Digitally sign communications (always).”

By default, this feature is disabled because of the effect it can have on system performance. To enable the feature, use the MCP SECOPT command.

Client Access Services uses the MCP MCAPISUPPORT library to connect to a Cryptography CoProcessor to perform the computations required by SMB signing. If this interface is not available, Client Access Services will not do SMB signing.

SMB signing increases the MCP CPM time used by Client Access Services and the elapsed time of file transfers done by Client Access Services. If this feature is enabled, both processor time and elapsed time for Client Access Services operations are likely to increase by 50 to 100 percent.

Support for Mixed Multibyte Character Sets

Client Access Services provides support for the use of mixed multibyte character sets in Taiwan, China and Korea. Support for one of these implementations can be specified by use of the CCSVERSION and HostCCS SYSOPS specifications.

System Logging

Client Access Services activities are included in the MCP logging mechanism. This capability enables a system administrator to follow the use of the resources supported by Client Access Services, especially in the areas of security and utilization levels.

Transaction Center

This product enables users to perform Transaction Server configuration and operation functions from a Windows workstation.

User Licensing

Client Access Services supports the User Licensing feature.

New Features/Enhancements

The following new features and enhancements were added for this release:

  • (NFS) Enhanced Window Logs

    Window logs now include the server name in the connection details for each operation performed.

  • (NFS) Launcher Password Resets

    Users can now reset the password for the servers added with a password in the Launcher server list.

  • (NFS) MCPCOPY Retry Option

    MCPCOPY now provides an option that allows copy operations between operating environments to be automatically retried when a copy operation fails if the remote environment is unavailable.

  • (NFS) Option to Specify Specific Host IP for PCDRIVER

    Users can now specify an IP address when establishing a PCDRIVER connection to a remote PC.

  • (NFS) REDIRECTOR Keepalive Attribute

    REDIRECTOR now uses keepalive packets to maintain connections and detect disconnected sessions.

  • (NFS) Support for SMB Version 3.0

    Server Message Block (SMB) version 3.0 enables a ClearPath MCP Environment to share files with other operating environments that also support SMB version 3.0. In addition to improved interoperability, SMB version 3.0 secures all file transfers using encryption.

Ordering Information

Client Access Services is included as part of the operating environment. Source code is not available for this product.

Product Information

Refer to the following documents for more information:

  • Client Access Services Administration Guide

  • Client Access Services User Guide

  • CD-ROM Formatter Help

  • Explorer Extensions for Client Access Services Help

  • MCP File Copier Help

Prev  Up  Next
CD-ROM Formatter  Home  Command and Edit (CANDE) Language