DTA-POLL is a polling package designed to transfer data between a central computer and a number of PCs or UNIX/XENIX machines, connected via PSTN, leased, networked or directly connected lines. Data transferred may be in binary or text format, and multiple data transfers can be processed in any one session. In case of line failure during a session DTA-POLL can pick up at the beginning of the item interrupted, if required. There is no software limit on the number of remote sites to be called during a session, and DTA-POLL will handle as many ports as can be fitted onto the host. The default transfer protocol is the ASCII subset of the IBM 3780 BiSynch protocol, in transparent and non-transparent mode, though external protocols such as KERMIT (TM) or ZMODEM (TM) may also be used.

DTA-POLL consists of software running on a UNIX or DOS host, and software on a PC or other target computer. The remote site requires the host to send a valid host identification message before any session can be initiated. The central site can act as an active polling site - connecting to the remote sites, or as a receiving site, accepting calls from remote sites.

The host software enables the functions:

• Port maintenance
• Branch maintenance
• Action file maintenance
• Session maintenance
• Timed scheduling of sessions
• Viewing, analysis and printing of log files
• Viewing and printing of branch files
• Viewing and printing of session files
• Deletion of log files, automatically or interactively
• Execution of programs on the host computer

• Collection and deletion of stock information
• Collection and deletion of EPOS information
• Downlining of text or binary files
• Uploading of text or binary files
• Execution of programs on the remote computer