What’s New in Virtel 4.63?

A more connected mainframe

Virtel now embeds a TN3270 client directly in the Virtel server.
This allows Virtel to “bounce” Telnet connections to other TN3270 servers.

👉 The result: a single, centralized gateway to multiple mainframe and TN3270 environments, while keeping Virtel as the unique access point.

Security reinforced end-to-end

Version 4.63 puts a strong focus on security hardening, from authentication to transport:

• Virtel SSO Gateway
• Now supports external authentication (AD, OIDS, SAML, etc.) for mainframe applications.
• End-users can log on using their Windows/AD password, for a unified experience.


• Stronger Virtel session tokens
• Session tokens have been redesigned to be harder to compromise.
• Tokens are no longer sent as URL parameters, reducing the risk of leakage through logs or browser history.


• Customizable HTTP security headers
• New TCT parameter to define HTTP Security Headers (e.g. Strict-Transport-Security).
• Helps bring the Virtel web server in line with modern security standards.


• Improved RACF/TSS integration and behavior
• Better handling of passphrases, passtickets, revoked users, invalid SAF calls, and timeouts.
• Reduces the risk of users being locked or revoked for the wrong reason.

👉 The result is a platform that is more robust, easier to integrate into existing security policies, and more compliant with current best practices.

Better user experience for business users and developers

Version 4.63 improves usability and productivity for end-users:

• Smoother TSO OMVS experience (PTF coming soon)
• The command line is now preserved when the screen refreshes, avoiding repeated typing.
• Long-poll synchronization improvements make the session more responsive and comfortable.


• Cleaner, more readable 3270 interface
• Adjusted cursor color to increase visibility.
• Fixes for cases where users were incorrectly prompted to choose a language.


• Advanced theme customization
• New mechanism to customize colors for 3270 and gray styles, via two dedicated CSS files (WEB3270_Custom.css / WEBgray_Custom.css).
• Makes it easier to align Virtel with your corporate branding.


• User productivity improvements
• Several macro shortcuts (Ctrl+PF keys) that did not work properly have been fixed.

👉 Overall: a smoother, more modern, and more adaptable user experience.

Easier administration and operations

This release brings many improvements for mainframe and Virtel administrators:

• New 3270 admin functions
• New administrator panel to kill active Virtel sessions.
• New CANCEL feature and various ergonomic improvements in admin panels.


• Improved search and visibility
• New search fields on several panels to simplify management of large configurations.
• Extended display of USERPARMs and centralized user parameters in admin views.


• LU Nailing & resource management
• New LU Nailing feature integrated into the Virtel ARBO file (no longer dependent on RACF groups).
• New option to manage the internal LU Nailing table size, useful for large environments.


• Simplified installation and maintenance
• VIRCONF versioning: files unloaded now include a comment showing which Virtel version created them.
• Multiple sample JCL jobs updated (ARBOLOAD, DEFTRSF, SSLSETUP, Security Manager examples, etc.) to reflect current best practices, including modern AT-TLS setups.
• Improved support for Virplex environments (e.g. VIRCONF unload from a writer instance, VIRHTML opened read-only on reader tasks).

👉 The result: faster, safer, and more transparent administration, with fewer manual pitfalls.

Performance, stability and interoperability

This release includes numerous fixes that boost stability and resilience:

• More robust closing of MQ lines.


• Corrections for several abend conditions (S0E0, invalid session sequences, TN3270-related abends, etc.)


• Extended TN3270 support for terminal models 3, 4 and 5, and finer LOGMODE handling.


• Enhancements to the scenario language (.390) for more complex use cases (FOREACH, WHEN-EXISTS, HEADER variables, non-HTTP lines, etc.).

👉 In practice: a platform better suited to complex, high-volume environments.