Tektronix Netstation Terminal and WinDD

The Tektronix Netstation terminal, a one-size-fits-all product,combines some characteristics of the Wyse ICA terminal with some characteristicsof the NCD Explora X-terminal­and then adds some other characteristics justfor fun. For example, Netstation supports TN3270 and Digital Equipment's LocalArea Transport (LAT) protocol. The base unit of the Netstation is about the sizeof a pizza box, and you can attach an existing keyboard, mouse, and monitor, oryou can purchase the full hardware set from Tektronix. The base unit alsoincludes a 10Mbps Ethernet connection for LAN attachment and two serialconnections.

As with an X-terminal, you configure the Tektronix Net-station with an IPaddress (Netstation does not support DHCP) and set it up to boot from ROM orfrom a UNIX host. Unlike most X-terminals, the Netstation booted from ROM willtake you to a menu that lets you launch an ICA or X-terminal session to an NTserver (or UNIX host). In other words, the Net-station ROM holds enough code torun as an ICA or X-terminal client without requiring a host-based download.

I tested the Tektronix Netstation against the Wyse, Tektronix, Insignia, andNCD WinFrame implementations. The ICA mode of the Netstation was a littletouchy: My success rate was not 100% when I initiated connections to the NTserver (I had a 100% success rate with the Wyse terminal). The Netstation faredmuch better in X-terminal mode: Here I easily reached a 100% success rate.Performance between the two modes was similar, although I felt that theX-terminal mode offered a slight edge over the ICA mode. Also, the performanceof the Netstation in ICA mode was comparable to the Wyse terminal once I madethe connection.

Ironically, Tektronix's version of WinFrame, WinDD (see Screen A), supportsICA access only. To use WinDD with existing UNIX systems, you must purchase ICAclient software from Tektronix (or another vendor). Furthermore, WinDD is afairly lackluster OEM implementation of WinFrame. Tektronix has added nothing tothe mix here. Nonetheless, WinDD installed and operated just as well as anyother WinFrame variation. I simply couldn't overcome my surprise that a majorX-terminal vendor such as Tektronix would not have an X-ter-minal add-on for itsWinFrame product.

Will you want to run out and buy a Tektronix Netstation? Like NCD Explora,Netstation may be a little too pricey to be a cost-effective solution fordesktop access to NT. However, if you have a mixed NT and UNIX environment, youmight find Netstation's multiple-personality modes worth the price of admission.