Airline Reservation Interface

Forthright personnel have a long history of working with airline Computer Reservation Systems (CRS) and their interfaces to remote sites through the ALC airline networks.

Our TRANSPORT/DRIVER package has been available to select customers for years. We are now offering this established and stable environment to the broader market. To compliment the TRANSPORT/DRIVER package, we are also now adding the TERMINAL/SOCKET package.

TRANSPORT/DRIVER package includes a DOS/Win3.xx device driver that makes a collection of airline LNIATAs appear as unique files on the gateway PC. The file system can be shared across a network. Entries can be sent to the host reservation system by writing the message to the file and setting a "send" command. Responses from the host are written into the same file and the status is updated indicating that an application can pick up the response.
To facilitate application development, a "C" language API is provided to reserve host terminal sessions, send and receive host messages, and release the sessions upon completion. Any single program may request up to 15 sessions for its use. Multiple applications may be run concurrently if the operating system and/or network environment allows.
This package relies on the application/API to "poll" the file to determine when the reply is available. While this polling management is provided in the "C" language API, new network-based applications might be advised to consider the SOCKET interface to reduce the network overhead of polling.

The TERMINAL/SOCKET package extends the DRIVER reservation system interface by providing a windows-based terminal emulation program running on the TCP/IP SOCKET interface. The SOCKET interface has been explicitly developed to reduce network congestion that results from the polling technique utilized by the TRANSPORT/DRIVER. It has also been developed to simplify the process of application development for Windows® programs. The TERMINAL application provides a full-featured airline terminal emulation with simulated lights, split screen, transaction-oriented screens, multiple concurrent TA support, cut/paste processing, extensive off-screen history, programmable keys and all the other features one would expect in today's Windows® world.

Equipment
The TRANSPORT/DRIVER software requires a 386 or better PC running DOS 3.1 or better with an Emulex DCP286i or DCP386i card (1, 2, 4 and 8-line versions available). To support network applications, we recommend Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11®. Other workstations can be DOS, Win3.x, Win9x or WinNT.

The TERMINAL/SOCKET package requires the gateway and workstations to be running some TCP/IP stack. For the gateway running WFW3.11 we recommend Microsofts' TCP/IP network extensions.

Pricing

TRANSPORT / DRIVER (gateway software)	One line, One IA license One line, Multiple IA license Multiple line, one IA per, license Multiple line, multiple IA per, license	$1,200 $3,000 $3,000 $6,000
SOCKET / TERMINAL (workstation, site license)	Socket Interface for the gateway and Single TA Workstation Terminal Socket Interface for the gateway and Multiple TA Workstation Terminal	$3,000 $6,000

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Inquiries to webster@forthrt.com or call us at (913)299-9240