Using Host Access Transformation Services (HATS)

With IBM® Host Access Transformation Services (HATS), you can create Web applications, and rich client applications that provide an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) for your 3270 applications running on IBM® z Systems platforms and your 5250 applications running on IBM® i operating system platforms. HATS applications can access 5250 applications without requiring Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) capacity. In this book, these character-based 3270 and 5250 applications are referred to as host applications. You can also create service-oriented architecture (SOA) assets using Web services that provide standard programming interfaces to business logic and transactions contained within host applications. Data from video terminal (VT) emulation screens can also be accessed.

HATS applications can be given a modern appearance. HATS Web applications can be developed with an interface that matches your company's Web or portal pages, and your users can access them through their Web browsers. HATS Web applications can also be developed to provide access to your host applications from mobile devices such as cellular phones, data collection terminals, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

HATS rich client applications can be developed to run in an Eclipse Rich Client Platform (RCP) implementation, in Lotus Notes®, or in the Lotus® Expeditor Client to provide native client applications targeted for a user's desktop.

For information about what is new in HATS V9.6 see What's new in HATS 9.6.

Note:
Throughout this document, configuration settings that apply only to HATS Web applications and EJB applications unless otherwise noted, are marked with (Web-only). Configuration settings that apply only to HATS rich client platform applications are marked with (RCP-only).
HATS has two components:
  • The HATS Toolkit is a set of plug-ins for the Eclipse-based IBM® Rational® Software Delivery Platform (Rational® SDP).

    The HATS Toolkit enables you to develop new applications, a step at a time, previewing and saving each change you make. Over time, or as quickly as you like, you can streamline your HATS application, making it easier to use than the host applications whose data it presents, and possibly moving functions from the host applications into your HATS applications. The development process for building HATS Web and rich client applications is similar. For more information, see Understanding HATS application development.

    After you have developed a HATS application, you deploy it to a production runtime environment.

  • The HATS runtime code runs as part of a HATS application deployed in the production runtime environment, WebSphere® Application Server, WebSphere® Portal, Apache Geronimo web application server with the Tomcat web container, Oracle WebLogic Server, or rich client platform. Users interact with the HATS application through the HATS GUI and data is sent back and forth between the user and the host application.

For more information see Developing and deploying HATS Web applications and Developing and deploying HATS rich client applications.