RE: iseris/AS400 in NT and Unix environments

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Roy Luce
>
> For several reasons I'm trying to determine what problems I would
> encounter
> if I add an AS400 to an NT or Unix network environment.

<laughing> Other than adding a stable server that will make your other
servers look bad, none that I can think of.


> An application on the AS400 needs to extract data from one or more
> databases on other servers and build a specialized file set on the AS400.

"Extract data"?  Typically the iSeries doesn't access data on other
machines, it's usually the central database repository.  However, the
iSeries can access outside data sources through DDM or ODBC.  Are the
outside databases capable of being accessed through either of these methods?

Then there are programmatic methods.  The AS/400 can initiate FTP transfers
or Remote Procedure Calls.  The AS/400 can also communicate via TCP/IP,
using raw sockets, HTTP or even XML.  Other options include dial-up or
leased lines, using async, bisync or SNA protocols.

Are any of these sufficient to extract the data?  Because I'm forgetting
some, I'm sure.


>  There is no requirement to update the other servers.

No matter.  Whatever you se to get data in should be sufficient to get data
out, but that's another issue for another day, evidently.


> The AS400 must be accessible by users on the LAN.

Accessible in what way?  The "specialized file set" must be accessible?
How?  Via ODBC?  Stored procedures?  FTP?


> Assume the users all are equipped with pcs.

Okay.


> Can it be done?

Yes.


> What challenges do I face?

First off, I'd say your biggest challenge is actually identifying the
business problem.  What data needs to be accessed by the iSeries, what
methods are available for that access, what manipulations need to be
performed on that data on the iSeries, what is the format of the final data
on the iSeries, who needs to access that data, and what protocols will they
use to access it?

Once you've answered those questions, the challenges will likely have been
addressed, at least from the iSeries standpoint.  How you get your Unix and
NT boxes to perform is a different issue entirely.


> In your experience what are the solutions to these challenges?

They depend entirely on the answers to the previous section.  To be honest,
in most cases I've seen, outside machines perform batch posts to the
iSeries, which then updates the relevant database.  This data is then made
available to queries by other clients.  The iSeries' inherent stability,
security and flexibility in access makes it a better data repository than
other systems, and it's bandwidth makes it a better server than client in
these sorts of architectures.  But perhaps if we can see a real statement of
the business issue, we'll see a better solution.

Joe