AIX Forum: FTP from AIX to Mainframe

TechGyaann · December 22, 2017, 6:06pm

This discussion thread is an extension to what was discussed in Shell scripting section.

Please refer the post for the requirement:
Requirement Post - Click Here
The whole thread - Click Here

I would like to know how I can use NDM to transfer file from AIX to Mainframe and to verify the same. Also it should include the restartability in case of failure.

Thanks in Advance

bakunin · December 23, 2017, 10:54pm

By NDM, i take it, you mean Connect:Direct? Connect:Direct is a file transfer solution for the host, because ftp (the protocol as well as the program) is part of (the) TCP/IP (stack). The hosts native network stack is SNA (or, more precisely "a SNA-based protocol stack"), though. Ones uses LU2-connections to transfer data in this environment.

So, you first need to determine if your hosts still talks over SNA to others. You need some complex machinery including a 3745 frontend-processor and a 3174-compatible cluster controller or a virtualised replacement for the latter (SNA gateway software usually acts as a 3174 with its own NCP to the host) to do so. Many companies have therefore cut their SNA networks and work exclusively over TCP/IP.

If your host uses TCP/IP you should stay away from FTP at all costs: use scp or (preferably) rsync which is both available for z/OS. These tools will save you perhaps days and weeks of shell-programming efforts because whatever you can come up with they do: out of the box and perhaps better.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

TechGyaann · December 26, 2017, 12:09pm

bakunin:

By NDM, i take it, you mean Connect:Direct? Connect:Direct is a file transfer solution for the host, because ftp (the protocol as well as the program) is part of (the) TCP/IP (stack). The hosts native network stack is SNA (or, more precisely "a SNA-based protocol stack"), though. Ones uses LU2-connections to transfer data in this environment.

So, you first need to determine if your hosts still talks over SNA to others. You need some complex machinery including a 3745 frontend-processor and a 3174-compatible cluster controller or a virtualised replacement for the latter (SNA gateway software usually acts as a 3174 with its own NCP to the host) to do so. Many companies have therefore cut their SNA networks and work exclusively over TCP/IP.

If your host uses TCP/IP you should stay away from FTP at all costs: use scp or (preferably) rsync which is both available for z/OS. These tools will save you perhaps days and weeks of shell-programming efforts because whatever you can come up with they do: out of the box and perhaps better.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

Thanks bakunin.., for taking your time and sharing your point.

But I am still not sure what is SNA, how to get if we have SNA.
Cant I just write a script to NDM the files from AIX to Mainframe server?

Sorry these questions might be silly., i totally don't know what NDM is.

MichaelFelt · January 27, 2018, 3:19pm

SNA - Systems Network Architecure is not IP (so not TCPIP): see What is Systems Network Architecture (SNA)?

For a short discussion on NDM (old name for what is now Connect:Direct as bakunin mentioned above) and FTP et al see: Difference between NDM and FTP. - Mainframe, MVS & zOS Discussion

In short, if the have the support - on-site - for SNA, then it will be possible - and I recommend you look at examples on IBM Info Center, e.g., IBM Knowledge Center Error

Good Luck!