Before you can use AcuConnect to access remote applications, you must perform three main tasks. You must:
1. Prepare your application. This involves separating the client and server components of the application, embedding a CALL into the client component, and creating a runtime configuration file for the server component, if desired.
2. Prepare the server. This involves installing AcuConnect (along with its prelinked runtime), establishing system security, creating the server configuration file, and installing the remote application and configuration file.
3. Prepare the client(s). This involves installing the ACUCOBOL-GT runtime, creating the client configuration file, and installing the COBOL client programs.
Once you have done the necessary preparations, accessing remote applications is easy. As described in Chapter 5, you simply:
1. Start the AcuConnect daemon on the server.
2. Execute the client program.
If you have prepared your application, server, and client(s) properly, the remote application is accessed automatically.
When it comes time to modify your application distribution, all you have to do is modify the client configuration file, as described in Chapter 6. This chapter also describes how to overcome machine failures and perform other systems management functions.