Houston, TX May 3, 2008 -- The IBM mainframe hasn't disappeared, nor have thousands of desktop applications that use the simple, but cost- effective host integration technique commonly known as "screen- scraping" to link legacy and PC worlds. In use since the 80s, 3270 APIs, including the older HLLAPI interface and the newer IETF-proposed OHIO (Object) interface, utilize the host screen as a way to pass data to and from host applications.

As organizations upgrade their terminal emulation software for Microsoft Windows Vista, many will need to also examine whether their screen-scraping applications can also be used with the latest Microsoft Windows operating system. Transitioning from an older version of Attachmate EXTRA! to the new Attachmate Reflection 2007 could also prompt the need to revisit entrenched API applications.

To assist developers in their continued support of these critical API applications, Zephyr has released new versions of two important development toolkits, PASSPORT Object Toolkit 2008 and the PASSPORT HLLAPI Toolkit 2008, that can successfully transition 3270 screen-scraping applications to Windows Vista using the associated PASSPORT terminal emulation software. The Zephyr PASSPORT PC TO HOST terminal emulation software is Certified for Windows Vista.

The term 'screen scraping' is frequently used to describe the method for point-to-point integration at the application layer. In the case of host integration, that translates into the ability to integrate with a mainframe (3270), AS/400 (5250) or UNIX (VT) host application using screens found anywhere in the application. For a detailed discussion of this topic, visit: http://www.zephyrcorp.com/screen-scraping- software.htm.

The PASSPORT Object Toolkit and PASSPORT HLLAPI Toolkit, available now, are free when organizations license a minimum of 500 units of the PASSPORT terminal emulation for access to 3270, 5250 or UNIX host applications.