SQL: CREATE ALIAS creates a DDM file?

Doing a CREATE ALIAS in SQL creates a new object on the system, object
type *FILE, with an attribute of DDMF.  The file can be deleted, renamed,
moved... it appears to be a normal object in that sense.  However, as a
data file, the only method of access that I've found is via SQL.  Tried
RUNQRY, DBU, using it as an input file in an RPG program, DSPPFM, all of
these failed.  DSPPFM is somewhat telling with the error CPF9162:
   Cannot establish DDM connection with remote system.

What remote system?  Cuz it sees the file as DDM?  Why was it created with
that attribute?

These are mostly academic questions, as the only reason we might use ALIAS
in our situation is to be able to easily work with multi-membered data
files in SQL.

TIA, GA

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