Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Terminal Emulation Solution – Support – Pricing - Timing
July 19, 2023
Selecting the right terminal emulation solution is crucial for organizations relying on legacy systems to maintain business operations. With a wide range of available options, companies must know the essential requirements when purchasing a new terminal emulation solution. In this blog post, we will explore some of the critical factors to consider for successful implementation and maximize your investment's value.
When considering a new terminal emulation solution, organizations tend to be concerned about the conversion impact —the duration of the migration, the end-to-end skills needed, the productivity outcomes that can be expected, and the impact of a rip and replace on day-to-day operations and employee morale.
Businesses should evaluate the vendor's support and maintenance offerings. These organizations need solid support with their terminal emulation solution migration, including tools for a seamless transition, a comprehensive library of best practices, and deep expertise capable of handling technical and logistical surprises. The vendor should provide reliable technical support, ensuring prompt assistance when issues arise, or when questions need clarification. Regular software updates and bug fixes are crucial to address security vulnerabilities and compatibility.
When it comes to timing, organizations want to understand the duration of the migration and, often, wish to time the process before the next renewal of their existing solution. They need to ensure that scripts —for example, navigating screens, capturing data, entering a string of commands in the mainframe, or using Visual Basic and third-party apps—and their macros (which can number in the thousands) will still work. Some of these can be complex but crucial for an organization's workflow. If they stop working correctly, the productivity implications can be significant.
Many organizations want to pay less than what they're currently paying for their terminal emulation but still have a product compliant with all their security requirements. They are also looking for flexible licensing options wherein fluctuating user base sizes don't lead to punishing backdated billings. And the look and feel of the solution should be the same as that of their existing solution, with the same keyboard mappings, colors, fonts, and such, because employees typically dislike getting used to a new interface. This can lead to productivity loss and, sometimes, even resentment.
Businesses that adopt a new terminal emulation solution want to see productivity enhancements—including features such as a scratch pad, spellchecking, and screen history—and a vendor roadmap with future improvements. Regarding the latter, some flexibility regarding when a vendor releases new improvements is helpful, enabling larger organizations to prioritize certain features from recent releases of their terminal emulation software.
Rocket Software's solutions for Terminal Emulation are the premiere choice for organizations searching for a cost-effective, secure, and highly configurable yet easy-to-use Terminal Emulator. With Rocket Terminal Emulator, businesses can reduce hardware costs without compromising security. Rocket Software continually develops and improves our solution to keep up with current security protocols. A highly configurable and flexible terminal emulation is essential to providing the data businesses need to meet customer needs and improve the employee experience. Take advantage of a 30-Day Free Trial of Rocket Terminal Emulator to learn how it can enhance your business operations while saving time and resources.
For some keen observations on requirements when choosing a Terminal Emulator, download IDC Analyst Connection Q & A, “Terminal Emulation Should be Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Access, Cost Efficient, and Secure,” by Peter Rutten, Research Vice-President, IDC’s Worldwide Infrastructure Practice.
