At its core, FTP is a plain-Jane TCP/IP utility that people are passionately interested in using. FTP provides a ground-level common denominator function for easily moving information between dissimilar computers. FTP is powerful because it can be used everywhere and you don’t have to be a Java programmer to understand it. If you have TCP/IP on your desktop, you probably have an FTP client, and you can communicate with any FTP server.
FTP’s downside is that—in order to be universal—it’s necessary to run it from a command-line interface. There is no native graphical interface for FTP, and that tends to make people uncomfortable. Commands are typed in one at a time or run in batch mode processing, and FTP can be a little kludgy as a result. In addition, there are a few special tricks and AS/400-only FTP commands that you need to use in an AS/400 environment. Because of the awkward command-line interface and the AS/400-specific commands, several vendors are stepping forward to provide freeware, shareware, and commercial versions of a graphical Windows FTP client and some Windows FTP server products. FTP has become so popular and so necessary that it is beginning to breed an addon group of products that make the FTP interface easier to use. For this article, I did a search in the Midrange Computing Yellow Pages (www.midrangecomputing. com/yellowpages) using the “FTP” keyword, and it displayed products from Renex Corp. (BlueZone FTP Client, www.renex. com), TrailBlazer Systems (ZMOD FTP product, www.as400ftp. com), Smith Computer Services (FTP/400 Client, www.smithcom.bizland.com), Surround Technologies (Universal File Transfer Protocol Interface [UFTP] System, www.surroundtech. com), and RJS Software Systems (FTP File Server, www.rjssoft. com). There is a growing marketplace for graphical FTP products that should continue to expand in the next year.
But Watch Out for the AS/400-specific Commands
As I mentioned, there are some special tricks for uploading/downloading files to and from an AS/400. In particular, you have to watch your FTP session default naming format (NAMEFMT) value when exchanging files with the AS/400 Integrated File System (AS/400 IFS). This setting can be set to either 0 or 1. When NAMEFMT is set to 0, OS/400 limits FTP transfers to DB2/UDB files (DB2/UDB files are contained in the QSYS.LIB file system in the AS/400 IFS). When NAMEFMT is set to 1, AS/400 FTP
allows you to exchange files with a number of other AS/400 IFSs, including the Root (/), QDLS, QOpenSys, QSYS.Lib, and QfileSrv.400 systems.
In addition, NAMEFMT controls the syntax you use for designating a file in its AS/400 IFS location. When set to 0, you are only dealing with the QSYS.LIB filing system, so there is no need to designate an AS/400 location in your FTP commands. However, when set to 1, NAMEFMT forces you to insert path-specific names in your FTP commands that designate both the AS/400 IFS and (for DB2/UDB files) explicit designations for AS/400 libraries, files, and members. Also, NAMEFMT can be automatically set to 1 by preceding the file or AS/400 IFS name with a slash (/) in an FTP command.
There are several other AS/400-specific FTP commands that can make a difference in your transfers. OS/400 supports a set of commands to create and delete libraries; physical, logical, and source files; and AS/400 file members. You can also run AS/400 CL jobs from your local AS/400 FTP client by using the Pass an AS/400 CL command (SYSCMD) inside an FTP session. In addition, you can execute a system command on a remote AS/400 FTP server by executing the OS/400 command (RCMD) inside an FTP session.
For AS/400 FTP sessions, there is a lot of AS/400-only functionality that must be taken into account to get the desired results. Your best option for getting started with AS/400 FTP is to surf to the AS/400 Information Center (publib.boulder.ibm.com/pubs/html/ as400/infocenter.htm), open the Main/TCP/IP/Transferring files (FTP) turndowns, and research these capabilities further.
Yes, There Is a Point Here
Getting back to the commercial FTP packages that provide a graphical interface for manipulating FTP sessions, you must also evaluate these packages in terms of your AS/400 needs. To that end, here are some questions you might want to ask when you’re looking at these packages:
• Was the package created with AS/400 FTP transfers in mind, and does it support the twists needed to transfer files to and from the various AS/400 IFSs, including the different path naming formats when NAMEFMT is set to 0 or 1?
• How does the package handle other AS/400-specific FTP commands such as SYSCMD and RCMD?
• Will the package handle AS/400-style directory listings, or do you need V4R4’s UNIX- style directory listings? Prior to V4R4, the AS/400’s FTP server listed directories in a format that confused many graphical clients.
In an AS/400 network, it is standard to use Windows computers as your front-end while retaining all your business data on a back-end AS/400. So, when you are looking at Windows graphical FTP software, be sure it covers all your AS/400-specific needs before you buy.
More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.
TRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now! Request Now.
Forms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.
Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:
Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.
IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn:
LATEST COMMENTS
MC Press Online