Re: Correlating *SAVF "records" to FTP job I/O count

Dan,

This is good information! The first thing it tells us is that there are
a minimum of 5 hops (probably 4 routers and the end point) between the
AS/400s. That's a lot. And they are not performing very well. I'd talk
to the network folks to see if there is a more direct way of routing
between the AS/400s. You can't know by looking at this, but its a good
bet there are some efficiencies to be gained by adjusting the routing.

Some of these delays are pretty bad. Are you routing over the Internet?
If so, you might want to consider a direct frame relay option, or a VPN
solution from an Internet provider.

If you are not going over the Internet are you using frame relay
services from a telco? If so, you might want to consider talking to them
about guaranteed levels of service. 

HTH,
Patrick
-- 
IBM AS/400 communications, FTP automation, and network security
software and consulting services.

http://www.patownsend.com

"Bale, Dan" wrote:
> 
> (Patrick, also see my earlier reply to Rob)
> 
> O.k., so I do a tracert from my PC to the remote 400 in question and get:
> 
> Tracing route to as400.xxxxxxxx.xxxx.com [xx.x.xx.xx] over a maximum of 30
> hops:
>     1    10 ms   <10 ms   <10 ms  xx.x.xx.x
>     2    10 ms    10 ms   <10 ms  xx.x.xxx.xxx
>     3   100 ms   100 ms    40 ms  xx.x.xxx.x
>     4    60 ms   130 ms    50 ms  xx.x.xx.x
>     5    70 ms   180 ms    70 ms  xxxxxxx.xxxx.com [xx.x.xx.xx]
> Trace complete.
> 
> I'm not sure what this is telling me.
> 
> TIA,
> Dan Bale
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Patrick Townsend [SMTP:townsend@patownsend.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2000 1:36 PM
> > To:   MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> > Subject:      Re: Correlating *SAVF "records" to FTP job I/O count
> >
> >
> > You can use the WRKCFGSTS and DSPLIND commands to look at the
> > configurations. When TCP/IP is active on the AS/400 you will find a
> > controller with a name like "ETHNET" and a device with a name like
> > "ETHTCP" under the line description.
> >
> > How are the AS/400s networked? Ethernet, token ring, frame relay, ? If
> > your PC is on the same network as the AS/400 you can use TRACERT to view
> > a bit of information about the network topology. Start a DOS command
> > window and use tracert with the remote AS/400 IP address:
> >
> >     tracert 1.1.1.1
> >
> > Tracert will show you the intermediate nodes in the network and provide
> > you with some response times. Be aware that some routers may inhibit
> > responses to Tracert so it cannot be assumed to be absolutely reliable
> > in what it reports.
> >
> > Of course, if the AS/400 was a "real" computer it would have trace
> > route... <ducking>...
> >
> > Patrick
> >
> > Patrick
> >
> > "Bale, Dan" wrote:
> > >
> > > Wow, what a difference!  I am unaware of the comm hardware involved
> > here.  I
> > > can tell you that they have a network of 30+ AS/400s.  FWIW, any of
> > these
> > > AS/400s can FTP to any other AS/400 in the network (I don't know if that
> > > gives a clue as to the setup they're using).
> > >
> > > How can I tell what comm config is being used for FTP?
> > >
> > > TIA,
> > > Dan Bale
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Patrick Townsend [SMTP:townsend@patownsend.com]
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2000 2:10 AM
> > > > To:   MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> > > > Subject:      Re: Correlating *SAVF "records" to FTP job I/O count
> > > >
> > > > Dan,
> > > >
> > > > I just transferred a large save file from the AS/400 to PC:
> > > >
> > > >     81792480 bytes transferred in 328.231 seconds. Transfer rate
> > 249.191
> > > > KB/sec.
> > > >
> > > > I then transferred the same save file to another AS/400 on the same
> > > > network (10, not 100):
> > > >
> > > >     81792480 bytes transferred in 127.947 seconds. Transfer rate
> > 639.267
> > > > KB/sec.
> > > >
> > > > I think you should be seeing better throughput! Have you talked to the
> > > > network folks to see what they have to say?
> > > >
> > > > Patrick
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Bale, Dan" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > That bugger took 3 hours and 40 minutes to transmit.  It was 59.7MB.
> > > > From
> > > > > the log file:
> > > > >
> > > > >     61202064 bytes transferred in 12555.306 seconds. Transfer rate
> > 4.875
> > > > > KB/sec.
> > > > >
> > > > > The save file had 115,913 records.  115,913 * 528 = 61,202,064.  The
> > > > DSPOBJD
> > > > > size was 59,785,216 (????).
> > > > >
> > > > > Using 1480 bytes per frame, would you calculate the number of puts
> > as:
> > > > >    1)  61,202,064 / 1480 = 41,352.7         *or*
> > > > >    2)  1480 / 528 = 2 whole records per frame; 115,913 / 2 = 57,957
> > > > > Based on the "guesstimate" that the number of puts was around 17,000
> > > > about
> > > > > two hours into the job, I'm not sure either of these calculations
> > work.
> > > > >
> > > > > I think I'm going to set up a test whereby I submit a batch job to
> > do an
> > > > FTP
> > > > > and another batch job to do a DSPJOB OPTION(*OPNF) in a loop that
> > runs
> > > > every
> > > > > 15 seconds and run some stats on the collected data to see if
> > there's a
> > > > > pattern I can use.
> > > > >
> > > > > Other suggestions are greatly appreciated!
> > > > >
> > > > > - Dan Bale
> > > > >
> > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > From: Patrick Townsend [SMTP:townsend@patownsend.com]
> > > > > > Sent: Monday, May 01, 2000 8:24 PM
> > > > > > To:   MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> > > > > > Subject:      Re: Correlating *SAVF "records" to FTP job I/O count
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Yes, 1496 bytes. Subtracting TCP/IP frame headers you are probably
> > > > > > transferring 1480 bytes per frame. How long does it take to
> > transfer a
> > > > > > 58 meg save file? Just takes a few minutes here between AS/400 and
> > > > > > Windows NT PC.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Patrick
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "Bale, Dan" wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > What if I see that the Maximum Frame Size of the line
> > description is
> > > > > > 1496?
> > > > > > > What does 1496 mean?  1496 bytes?  I don't have the authority to
> > run
> > > > a
> > > > > > comm
> > > > > > > trace here.  Not sure anyone else here would want to go through
> > the
> > > > > > bother.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > TIA,
> > > > > > > - Dan Bale
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > > > > > From: Patrick Townsend [SMTP:townsend@patownsend.com]
> > > > > > > > Sent: Monday, May 01, 2000 3:15 PM
> > > > > > > > To:   MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> > > > > > > > Subject:      Re: Correlating *SAVF "records" to FTP job I/O
> > count
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Dan,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I believe the transfer record size of an FTP transfer will be
> > > > > > controlled
> > > > > > > > by the Maximum Frame Size of the line description. Save file
> > > > record
> > > > > > > > lengths are 528, but I believe FTP should send multiple
> > records
> > > > with
> > > > > > > > each transfer. You can see what the AS/400 is doing by putting
> > a
> > > > > > > > communications trace on the line (STRCMNTRC). End the trace
> > with
> > > > > > > > ENDCMNTRC and then print it with PRTCMNTRC. There is a header
> > for
> > > > each
> > > > > > > > TCP/IP frame, but you will get an idea of the size this way.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Patrick
> > > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > > IBM AS/400 communications, FTP automation, and network
> > security
> > > > > > > > software and consulting services.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > http://www.patownsend.com
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > "Bale, Dan" wrote:
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Is there a known, constant, record-blocking factor used when
> > > > > > > > transmitting a
> > > > > > > > > save file from one AS/400 to another via FTP?
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I am using FTP to transmit save files from plant boxes to
> > the
> > > > > > division
> > > > > > > > box.
> > > > > > > > > One I have running right now is 56MB.  The system operator
> > is
> > > > > > wondering
> > > > > > > > how
> > > > > > > > > much longer the FTP will run.  When I look at the job
> > running
> > > > FTP,
> > > > > > it
> > > > > > > > shows
> > > > > > > > > the save file being transmitted as an open file (WRKJOB
> > option
> > > > 14)
> > > > > > and
> > > > > > > > shows
> > > > > > > > > the I/O count at 12,417.  If I could correlate the save
> > file's
> > > > > > number of
> > > > > > > > > records to the I/O count, I would be able to estimate the
> > time
> > > > > > remaining
> > > > > > > > to
> > > > > > > > > complete the transmission.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > RTFM?  Please point the way.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > - Dan Bale
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > IBM AS/400 communications, FTP automation, and network security
> > > > > > software and consulting services.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > http://www.patownsend.com
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