WND Terminal vs. BlueZone
BlueZone Mainframe and iSeries sessions, imported. One app for 3270 and 5250, on Windows, Mac and the browser.
WND Terminal is an alternative to Rocket Software’s BlueZone for mainframe (3270) and IBM i (5250) display sessions. It imports BlueZone Mainframe (.zmd) and BlueZone iSeries (.zad) session files and recognizes BlueZone printer, VT and Secure FTP profiles. It runs on Windows, natively on Mac, and in a browser through a gateway you host.
At a glance
What WND Terminal does, from its documentation, next to what is publicly known about the other product. Where we couldn’t confirm something, the cell says so.
| Capability | WND Terminal | BlueZone (Rocket) |
|---|---|---|
| IBM Z mainframe (3270, TN3270E, terminal names) | Yes | Yes (BlueZone Mainframe) |
| IBM i (5250) display | Yes: 24×80, 27×132, enhanced 5250 graphical windows, DBCS | Yes (BlueZone iSeries) |
| VT / Unix sessions | No. VT files are recognized and listed for a person | Yes |
| Windows | Yes: MSI for IT, per-user setup.exe | Yes |
| Mac | Native app for Apple Silicon and Intel, macOS 11+, MacBook key mappings | Check with vendor |
| Browser access | Yes: self-hosted gateway, Entra ID, Okta, Google or OIDC sign-in, same policy and license, seats per person | Check with vendor |
| Imports other emulators’ session and keyboard files | Yes: PCOMM .ws, .kmp, .mac; Reflection .rd3x, .rd5x, XML, .rsf (v11 and earlier); BlueZone .zmd, .zad; ACS .hod, .bchx; tn5250 | Check with vendor |
| Estate-wide migration report with a deployable policy | Yes: Migration readiness report | n/a |
| Card-number and pattern masking (screen, copies, prints, AI) | Yes, IT-enforceable | Check with vendor |
| Audit log to Splunk and CEF/syslog (Sentinel, QRadar, ArcSight) | Yes, never screen contents or keystrokes | Check with vendor |
| Tamper-evident privileged session recording | Yes: SHA-256 hash chain and Ed25519 signature, your storage, search and replay | Check with vendor |
| Response-time monitoring from the user side | Yes: per-minute percentiles to a folder and Splunk, Operations view | Check with vendor |
| Spreadsheet to screen, multi-page list to spreadsheet | Yes: Fill from Excel and Capture all pages, built in, no scripting | Possible with scripts |
| Macro language | Short readable script (type, press, wait, move); PCOMM .mac import. No VBA or Basic: those macros are listed for a person | BlueZone Script and Basic |
Competitor information is based on publicly available information as of October 2026; check with each vendor for current capabilities. “Check with vendor” means we could not confirm the capability from public sources. Reflection, BlueZone, Rumba and Extra! are trademarks of Rocket Software. IBM, Personal Communications and IBM i Access Client Solutions are trademarks of IBM. WND Software is not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies.
What changes when you move
- Imported, not rebuilt.
.zmdand.zaddisplay sessions are read directly. Rocket doesn’t publish their format, so WND Terminal finds settings by name and lists what it can’t use. - What needs a person.BlueZone printer (
.zmp,.zap), VT (.zvt), Secure FTP (.zft) and ICL, T27 and UTS profiles are recognized and explained; BlueZone scripts and Basic macros are counted and listed in the readiness report. - One app for both host types, with the host type lockable by IT for shops that run only one.
- Productivity built in: Fill from Excel, Capture all pages, Modern view and guided training, without scripts.
- Governance: masking, an audit log to Splunk or CEF/syslog, session recording and response-time monitoring, all inside your network.
- Honest gaps.WND Terminal is a 3270 and 5250 emulator: no VT and no FTP client. Those profiles are listed so you can plan for them.
What customers changed when they switched
From WND’s published customer stories. The stories don’t name the previous vendor.
- Fifth Third BankEmulator bill down 81%; 3,300 of 7,400 licensed seats found unused in 90 days; about 7,000 PCs moved in 11 weeks.
- Union Pacific1,900 session profiles and 340 keyboard maps imported; 7,800 users moved in eight weeks against a nine-month estimate.
- The Home Depot2,800 Mac users moved off Citrix; 38 Citrix servers retired; login to the first screen from 90 seconds to 5.
Questions about switching
Can WND Terminal import BlueZone sessions?
Yes. BlueZone Mainframe (.zmd) and iSeries (.zad) display sessions are imported. Printer, VT and other BlueZone profiles are recognized and explained.
What about BlueZone scripts?
They are counted and listed for a person in the Migration readiness report. Common uses such as loading spreadsheets and exporting lists are built in.
Does WND Terminal support BlueZone’s FTP or VT functions?
No. WND Terminal is a 3270 and 5250 emulator. Those profiles are listed so you can plan for them.
Other comparisons
Bring your BlueZone share.
We run the Migration readiness report on your .zmd and .zad files in the first week of a free proof of value, then a real team works side by side.