Re: Automating file xfer with NFS

[Scott Klement <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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