Local launch feature

The purpose of the local launch feature is to allow users to be able to start their configured BlueZone host sessions even if the BlueZone Web-to-Host web server is not available.

We realize that from time to time, the BlueZone Web-to-Host web server can become unavailable for any number of reasons. This can be caused by network problems or even the web server itself may fail. At the same time, the various host systems that your users need to access can still be available and functioning normally.

Configuration

In order for the local launch feature to operate, the only requirement that is that you must use the Web-to-Host launch pad feature. The Web-to-Host launch pad is a standard feature of BlueZone Web-to-Host and is by default enabled. Unless you specifically turn off the launch pad, the local launch feature is automatically enabled. There is nothing further to configure.

How it works

Normally, when a user wants to start a BlueZone session, they use their web browser to access a preconfigured web page located on the BlueZone Web-to-Host web server. The Web-to-Host Control Module that is installed in the user's web browser controls the downloading of BlueZone Web-to-Host files and also checks to see if any new or updated files are available for download.

When the BlueZone web server is available, a web page that contains the Web-to-Host launch pad is displayed. The user selects the session icon in the launch pad that he/she wants to start. Here is an example of a launch pad that contains a single BlueZone Mainframe session.

Figure 1. Launch pad

If for some reason the BlueZone Web-to-Host web server is not available, a message opens to let the user know that the BlueZone Session Manager opens in place of the launch pad.

The Web-to-Host Control Module allows the starting of the currently installed BlueZone emulators by opening the BlueZone Session Manager in launch pad mode, in place of the launch pad. The BlueZone Session Manager looks very similar to the launch pad as shown here:

Figure 2. Session Manager in launch pad mode

The user can now start their configured sessions from the Session Manager just as they would have from the launch pad.

The opening of the Session Manager is a temporary condition. When the BlueZone web server is restored, the next time the user accesses their preconfigured web page, the web page containing the launch pad is automatically displayed and everything proceeds as normal.