An InfoConnect alternative for your IBM 3270 and 5250 users
Keep InfoConnect for the Unisys and airline hosts. Move the mainframe and IBM i users to WND Terminal, with the session files they already have.
WND Terminal is an alternative to Rocket InfoConnect Desktop for the IBM mainframe (3270) and IBM i (5250) sessions in an InfoConnect estate. InfoConnect Desktop saves those sessions as .rd3x and .rd5x files, the same types WND Terminal reads from Reflection Desktop. WND Terminal doesn’t emulate Unisys T27 or UTS, airline ALC or VT terminals, so those users stay on InfoConnect.
Move the IBM users. Leave the rest where it is.
InfoConnect Desktop is sold in editions for Unisys and for airlines, and both include IBM 3270 and 5250 sessions. WND Terminal only replaces that IBM part.
IBM 3270 and 5250 users
Move to WND Terminal. Their sessions are .rd3x and .rd5x files, which WND Terminal reads.
Unisys T27 and UTS users
Stay on InfoConnect. WND Terminal doesn’t emulate Unisys terminals.
Airline ALC users
Stay on InfoConnect. WND Terminal has no ALC emulation.
VT, HP and Tandem users
Stay on InfoConnect or move to another product. WND Terminal has no VT emulation.
At renewal, you license InfoConnect only for the people who still need a Unisys, airline or VT session. Everyone else is on WND Terminal at $99 or $159 per user per year.
At a glance
WND Terminal facts come from its documentation. InfoConnect facts come from Micro Focus and Rocket. Where we couldn’t confirm something, the cell says so.
| Capability | WND Terminal | InfoConnect Desktop (Rocket) |
|---|---|---|
| IBM Z mainframe (3270) | Yes. TN3270E (RFC 2355), LU names, models 2 to 5 | Yes |
| IBM i (5250) | Yes. 24×80, 27×132, IBM’s enhanced 5250 graphical windows, printers | Yes |
| Unisys T27 and UTS | No | Yes. InfoConnect Desktop Pro for Unisys |
| Airline ALC | No | Yes. InfoConnect Desktop Pro for Airlines, for TPF and ALCS hosts |
| VT, HP and Tandem 6530 | No. VT files are recognized and listed for a person | Yes, depending on edition and add-on |
| Windows | Yes. MSI for IT, per-user setup.exe, Citrix and Azure Virtual Desktop | Yes. Version 18.0 and later need 64-bit Windows |
| Mac | Native app for Apple Silicon and Intel, macOS 11 or later | Check with vendor. In February 2025, IT Jungle reported Mac support for Rocket Secure Host Access Pro as pending |
| Browser access | Yes. A gateway you host, with Entra ID, Okta, Google or OIDC sign-in | Web access is part of the Rocket Secure Host Access Anywhere edition |
Reads InfoConnect’s IBM session files (.rd3x, .rd5x) | Yes, the same way it reads Reflection Desktop documents | Native format |
| Macros | Short readable scripts (type, press, wait, move). No VBA, CASL or Extra! Basic | VBA, plus legacy CASL and Extra! Basic macros |
| Card-number and pattern masking | Yes, set by IT, in copies, prints, tickets and anything sent to the AI | Check with vendor |
| Audit log to Splunk or CEF/syslog | Yes. Security events, never screen contents or keystrokes | Check with vendor |
| Explain an error on the screen | Yes. Ctrl+E, with a model on the PC or inside your network | Check with vendor |
| Price | $99 (Desktop) or $159 (Enterprise) per user per year, 100-user minimum | Check with vendor |
InfoConnect facts come from the InfoConnect Desktop documentation and Rocket’s own data sheet, linked at the foot of this page.
What moves, and what needs a person
InfoConnect Desktop saves IBM sessions in the same file types as Reflection Desktop. The Unisys, airline and older InfoConnect files don’t move the same way.
| InfoConnect file | What it holds | With WND Terminal |
|---|---|---|
.rd3x | IBM 3270 session | Read directly. It’s the same session document type Reflection Desktop uses |
.rd5x | IBM 5250 session | Read directly, as above |
.rdox | VT session | Recognized and listed for a person. No VT emulation |
.rsf | 3270 and 5250 printer session | Needs a person. WND Terminal runs 3287 and IBM i printer sessions, so they’re set up again in the policy |
.it27, .iuts, .ialc | Unisys T27, UTS and airline ALC sessions | Not supported. These users stay on InfoConnect |
.adp, .idp | Older InfoConnect sessions | Not read. Needs a person |
vbaProject.bin | VBA macros in the common project | Not run. Needs a person |
.ebm | Extra! Basic macros | Counted and listed for a person in the Migration readiness report |
.xwc, .xws | CASL macros, compiled and source | Not run. Needs a person |
Point the Migration readiness report at the IBM sessions in the first week of the proof of value. It sorts each file into “imports cleanly,” “imports with small notes” or “needs a person.” Copies of the same session become one connection, and the result is written as a policy.
What changes when the IBM users move
- A smaller InfoConnect bill.Only the people with a Unisys, airline or VT session still need an InfoConnect seat. The usage dashboard shows who used WND Terminal in the last 30, 60 and 90 days, so you can count the IBM users before renewal.
- No rebuild for the IBM sessions.InfoConnect Desktop’s
.rd3xand.rd5xfiles are read as they are, with host, port, device name, screen size and host code page. - IBM users on a Mac.One native app for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, managed with Jamf, Intune, Kandji or Mosyle. The Home Depot moved 2,800 Mac users off Citrix this way.
- Help for people who don’t know the host.Ctrl+E explains the code or message on the screen. Nationwide cut mainframe service-desk tickets by 40% with it.
- Evidence for audit.Masking of card numbers and your own patterns, an audit log to Splunk or CEF/syslog, and tamper-evident recording of privileged sessions.
- Honest gaps.No T27, UTS, ALC, VT or VBA. Keep InfoConnect for the people who need those.
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.
- Nationwide40% fewer mainframe service-desk tickets.
- Union Pacific1,900 session profiles and 340 keyboard maps imported. 7,800 users moved in eight weeks, against a nine-month estimate.
Renewal context from the same stories. Fifth Third saw yearly increases of 9–14%. The Home Depot had 12% at its last renewal. Union Pacific had 10% plus a five-year commitment.
Other comparisons
InfoConnect facts on this page come from Files Used by InfoConnect and the InfoConnect Desktop 18.0 release notes (Micro Focus documentation), Rocket’s InfoConnect Desktop Pro for Airlines data sheet, the Rocket Secure Host Access product page and IT Jungle, February 2025, checked in October 2026.
Competitor information is based on public sources as of October 2026. Check with each vendor for current capabilities. “Check with vendor” means we could not confirm the capability from public sources. InfoConnect, Reflection, Extra!, Rumba and BlueZone are trademarks of Rocket Software. Unisys is a trademark of Unisys Corporation. IBM and IBM i are trademarks of IBM. WND Software is not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies.
Questions
Does WND Terminal support Unisys T27 or UTS?
No. WND Terminal is a 3270 and 5250 emulator. Keep InfoConnect for your Unisys and airline users and move the IBM users.
Can WND Terminal import InfoConnect sessions?
It reads the .rd3x (3270) and .rd5x (5250) files InfoConnect Desktop saves, the same way it reads Reflection Desktop documents. Older .adp and .idp files and the Unisys and ALC session files are not read.
Should we replace InfoConnect completely?
Only if nobody needs a Unisys, airline or VT session. For most InfoConnect estates the right move is a split, with fewer InfoConnect seats at renewal.
What happens to our InfoConnect VBA macros?
WND Terminal doesn't run VBA, so they need a person. If they load spreadsheets or export lists, Fill from Excel and Capture all pages may replace them.
Move your IBM users off InfoConnect first.
Bring your .rd3x and .rd5x files to a free proof of value. We run the readiness report on them in week one. Then a pilot team uses WND Terminal next to InfoConnect.