Re: Data access for non-AS400 devs?

[Al Mac <macwheel99@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am extremely nervous about non-400 tools being used to access 400 data.
* We often have reports and inquiries developed by non-programmers which 
have some assumptions built into them, that are not valid assumptions for 
all subsequent users.
* There is the security risk that the non-400 application will mess up the 
400 data or the data layouts, irrespective of what is stated up front, 
because there will be personnel turnover, and possibly lack of training 
people involved.
* There is the risk that the non-400 developer or user gets buried in 
irrelevant data or conclusions, struggling to get at something that the 400 
could more easily access.
* Sometimes tools are developed on one particular PC that other co-workers 
subsequently desire to have access to the results, but there is a per seat 
licensing associated with the tool ... so up front be aware that there can 
be a surprise additional financial bite as something is developed, then it 
is revealed that other people at the company need access to the results, 
depending on what tool is used to get at the data.

Instead, consider this ... inside Microsoft aps like EXCEL you can have an 
SQL/400 SELECT statement to populate cells with the latest AS/400 data ... 
there's a security nuance here that you need to figure out how to prevent 
them from doing an SQL/400 UPDATE DELETE or other non-SELECT statement

Within AS/400 aps you create a report or work file containing the data the 
non-400 developer needs, then deliver that to the non-400 developer and 
they can do whatever they please to that work file.

There are some 3rd party vendor tools ... I not know the pricing.
UPI captures info on what's going on AS/400 iSeries data wise for various 
security purposes, such as
http://www.unbeatenpathintl.com/award/source/1.html
then other products can look at the data to find patterns of mischef, so 
you not have to go digging thru the UPI logs, such as
<http://www.idvelocity.com>www.idvelocity.com

> I have a single library's data that a non-AS/400 developer (SQL Server/VB
> type) would like to have real-only access. He wants to perform "data mining"
> over the data. This is not financial or inventory related but a vendor
> supplied maintenance/PM package. He uses Microsoft SQL Server tools
> (enterprise manager, query analyzer).
>
> I'm assuming he'll need an AS/400 user ID and security to the library. I'm
> only familiar with iSeries Navigator for a GUI view of the database and
> running SQL.
>
> How have you handled this situation, what tools are required?
>
> Any ideas/suggestions are appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Loyd
>
>
>
>
>
> Loyd Goodbar
>
> Senior programmer/analyst
>
> BorgWarner
>
> E/TS Water Valley
>
> 662-473-5713

-
Al Macintyre  http://www.ryze.com/go/Al9Mac
BPCS/400 Computer Janitor ... see
http://radio.weblogs.com/0107846/stories/2002/11/08/bpcsDocSources.html