I'm a nut for webserving on the i5/iSeries/AS400.
This is nothing new. The 'Cool Title About the Internet and the AS400'
redbook was 1995 or 96!
To me - along with the rock solid stability - go where the data lives!
(2 examples)
For 8 years I've programmed/managed a web server on the following
AS/400 S10 cpw 73
i5/OS 520 cpw 600 ?
i5OS 515 cpw 3800 ?
All serving iSeries data, all rpg cgi (some cgidev, most rpgle from websmart
tool - if doing a size set of apps - use a tool)
No problems with trying to stay in sync with other systems.
This is a hands off, lights out, no operator office - users do their work &
little to no intervention with the server except backup tapes, which is swa
and website keeps going. Over 40 applications.
Web server has never come down for issues. I do reboot for ptfs.
Apache webserver is not hard to set up.
The website is a very small load on the system, and normally has
10-15 users performing sql searches & doing heads down heavy order entry
app, running reports (pdf), downloading excel files when needed - no sweat.
Now - if I was not careful with the sql searches over millions of records,
they can get a system the same way local green screen users can, the same
way sql on any OS (and I'm careful with indexes so we don't have that
problem).
When on the S10 (73 cpw) we made sure no big graphic files or pictures to
slow down the server.
Site has never been down due to a virus or worm - and server does take
several thousand hits a day of windows & unix script attacks - all to the
apache error log.
I've run another site for a small co who only has the cheapest of dsl
routers and no firewall (not recommended)- never taken down in 6 years.
These are both companies who take my recommendation for top level security
and ignore them...they are cheap and happy.
Keep up with the cume and HTTP Group ptfs, open only port required ports
thru firewall to your system (80 for http).
It's rock solid.
If a very old OS400 there were issues with early Apache "ages ago",
but Classic server was very stable- ran it on S10.
btw - the 1st customer's owner knows nothing about computers, but beleives
in IBM, and often when customers come in, he shows them the "no operator, no
network tech" system - and says "thats why my system is always available to
you the customer... my IBM i5" and I did not teach him this!
Jim Franz
----- Original Message -----
From: "Booth Martin" <booth@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Midrange Systems Technical Discussion" <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 5:22 PM
Subject: I am in a Holy War about webserving from a System i
Is the System i a reasonable way to offer an internal website that will
be displaying System i business data as web pages?
---------------------------------
Booth Martin
midrange.com
