RE: Automating file xfer with NFS

["JK" <johnking@xxxxxxx>]

Scott,

 Other than Netserver our only other experience with Windows Networking on i
was with QNTC on a local XP box where we wanted to include a few of its
directories on the nightly i5 tape backup. That worked OK but, if memory
serves, also required us to maintain duplicate profiles and passwords on
both boxes.

 Using CPY was my first choice, but most of the trade journal articles and
threads I researched yesterday seemed to focus on using QNTC to pass files
between the IFS and a local PC, rather than a Windows share somewhere on a
corporate network. That's why I started researching NFS.

 It is entirely likely, though, that I'm missing a simple and obvious
solution. Any guidance you could provide will be welcomed.

 JK 

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Scott Klement
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 12:01 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Automating file xfer with NFS

Hello,

Since you're already using Windows Networking, and then (essentially) 
using Notepad as a 'copy command', I wonder why you don't just use the 
OS/400 copy command to copy from the Windows Network to the home directory?

Wouldn't that be a lot simpler than setting up and administering NFS?

Or have you had problems with Windows Networking on i?


On 2/24/2010 6:59 PM, JK wrote:
> All,
>
>
>
>   I've been asked to automate a file transfer that is currently being
handled
> manually via email and it seems that NFS would be a good solution. The
> "Exploring NFS on AS400" redbook does a thorough job of explaining the
> universe of possibilities but I'm having a bit of trouble narrowing them
> down to what will address our particular issue. Is anyone aware of a
> tutorial or 'how to' that might give me some pointers on configuring NFS
for
> the following scenario?
>
>
>
>   Currently, a customer service rep in our little department receives a
daily
> email which contains a link to a .txt file on a server at the corporate
> office. The operator clicks the link which imports the file into notepad.
> She then does a 'save as' into her /home directory on the IFS and launches
> an edit/import process from a green-screen menu. The link is always the
same
> value and is in the form of \\some_share_name\folder_name\file_name.txt
> <file:///\\some_share_name\folder_name\file_name.txt>  . All the desktops
are
> on the "corporateoffice.com" domain and I'm assuming that the link back to
> the actual .txt file is handled through the magic of Windows and SMB.
>
>
>   My idea of an improved process would be to use NFS to establish a link
to
> the .txt file on the corporate server and submit the update process to
batch
> at a predetermined time. Assuming that we can address any firewall
blockages
> and CCSID issues, am I correct in my assumption that using NFS would
pretty
> much be a drop-in replacement for the manual email step? The existing
CL/RPG
> retrieves the data from an IFS link anyway and I'm thinking that NFS
should
> handle the actual transfer. What I don't know is:
>
> 1)       How is Windows resolving the SMB link and how do I translate that
> to NFS lingo
>
> 2)       Although this will happen inside the corporate firewall, I need
to
> be mindful of security. I'm assuming that some of the iSeries NFS servers
> need to be started but I'm not clear on which ones are necessary to
resolve
> the link to the .txt file at the corporate office. It shouldn't be
necessary
> to expose any of the iSeries folders.
>
> 3)       Or maybe I should use FTP instead?
>   Any pointers or war-stories will be greatly appreciated.
>
> JK