System and method for server display confirmation record response in a connection oriented client / server protocol

A system and method for operating a Telnet client to establish a network connection with a Telnet server. Environment parameters are negotiated for establishing a connection-oriented connection of the client to the server, the parameters including a explicit or implicit request for the server to provide a confirmation record. Responsive to that request, the server provides a confirmation record to the client selectively including the virtual device name assigned randomly, automatically, or explicitly to the connection by the server, system kernel, exit programs, or system policies (regardless of the virtual device name requested by the attaching client device), or a return code indicative of a cause for failure to establish the connection.