RE: CAR Further example clarification

["Andy Nolen-Parkhouse" <aparkhouse@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rob,

Judging from the functions of the system you describe below, you probably
face a large range of protocols and connection methodologies in a
position as communications analyst.

If the firm has been in business for a long time and has long-standing
relationships with its customers then you could face some or all of the
situations below:

- Display station passthrough between the customers AS/400's and the
firms AS/400, utilizing both TCP/IP and APPC over dial-up, dedicated
lines, and the internet (this is peer-to-peer).

- Remote locations defined on the firm's AS/400 and connected via
dedicated lines.  5494 remote controllers (or the like) would be in place
at the customer site.

- The firm may have front-ended their green-screen application with web
technology so that their clients can access via the internet using a
browser.

- There is probably some VPN technology involved in the internet
connections.

- The firm may have the ability to accept (and transmit) batch
transactions in a file for posting to their (and the clients) systems.
This could involve a wide variety of protocols and connection
methodologies, and could require knowledge of specific file formats, such
as EDI.

- Other (non-AS/400 systems) could connect via telnet over dial-up lines
and the internet.

There are other scenarios beyond the above.

I wish you well in your interview.  The technical possibilities are
rather vast.  If I understand your question correctly, you would probably
need to be able to deal with both TCP/IP and APPC (SNA) configurations in
troubleshooting.  They will have both their legacy connections to other
AS/400 shops as well as more modern TCP/IP configurations which would
involve the internet.

Regards,
Andy Nolen-Parkhouse

PS  If you can use the above information to hack into this company, steal
their customer list, and start your own trucking company, please let us
know how you did it.



On Behalf Of Rob Phillips
 Subject: CAR Further example clarification


Hi guys, I should mention that the type of Communications scenario I am
researching, has to do with a large trucking company that has customers
logging into an application, to look at, update, etc... their data
pertaining to their orders. So I am wondering how the main AS/400 relates
to them. As remote locations? Perhaps someone can break down what happens
when such a customer logs in. Some, more than half the customers have
AS/400's themselves. The rest have everything. Is the comm all TCP/IP, or
could it be SNA, HTTP?
Thanks again for the previous responders,
Rob