Console terminology
Terminal and console have special meanings in Linux®.
- Linux terminal
- An input/output device through which users interact with Linux and Linux applications. Login programs and shells typically run on Linux terminals and provide access to the Linux system.
- Linux console
- An output-only device to which the Linux kernel can write kernel messages. Linux console devices can be associated with Linux terminal devices. Thus, console output can be displayed on a Linux terminal.
- Mainframe terminal
- Any device that gives a user access to operating systems and applications that run on a mainframe. A mainframe terminal can be a physical device such as a 3270 terminal hardware that is linked to the mainframe through a controller. It can also be a terminal emulator on a workstation that is connected through a network. For example, you access z/OS® through a mainframe terminal.
- Hardware Management Console (HMC)
- A device that gives a system programmer control over IBM Z® hardware resources, for example, LPARs. The HMC is a web application on a web server that is connected to the Support Element (SE). The HMC can be accessed from the SE but more commonly is accessed from a workstation within a secure network.
On the mainframe, the Linux console and Linux terminals can both be connected to a mainframe terminal.