New To iSeries

Introduction

This section is intended for system administrators who are entirely new to the iSeries platform. If you have setup or operated an iSeries in the past, then this section is not for you.

In this section you will find warnings and helpful descriptions of the common administrative components that are necessary for you to administer and operate your iSeries. Please take note of the warnings as they will save you time and frustration when you are first becoming familiar with the platform.

Warnings

Do not turn on the iSeries. When it first starts up, it looks for initial configuration from host systems that should be attached to the iSeries. If you do not have anything attached to the iSeries, then read on.

Make a journal of your passwords as you create users. The concept of a user on the iSeries is very complicated, especially if you are familiar with Microsoft Windows users or users on Unix.

QSECOFR is the only user/profile on the box when you get it for the first time. Make note of the password and do not change it until you are ready for deployment. The default password from IBM is always QSECOFR. Your reseller may have changed the password when they did the initial OS installation. If this happened, then you should have a piece of paper with this information printed on it. Keep that paper handy.

Concepts

Consoles are how you interact with the administrative side of this device. You will see this term used quite extensively, and sometimes in confusing descriptions of old dumb-terminal "consoles" that you can still purchase and use with your iSeries. We will not cover this topic.

There is a device on the front side of your iSeries that displays codes during the boot sequence, and takes simple input from you to initiate low-level system operations. The numbers on the left side of the display window are important. These numbers will go from 01 up to 99, but they are not always accessible to you. The numbers are really columns in the configuration table that the system uses during its boot and OS load operation.

Your front side console should be blank, meaning there is no power to the iSeries. It's hard not to apply power and push the button, but you need to wait.

The first operation you will perform is the Operations Console setup. Any computer running Windows can act as your Operations Console. The software for the Operations Console is on the Client Access for iSeries disc that you received with the iSeries. If you did not get one of these, then call your reseller immediately and get it shipped out to you overnight.

(more to come)