Configure Enterprise Extender

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Revision as of 14:16, 5 February 2009 by Phenrico (talk | contribs) (Creating the controller description)
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Background

Enterprise Extender is used to encapsulate SNA traffic over an IP link. This negates the use of special SNA routers and controllers. It is only available from V5R4 on the iSeries.


Configuring the different aspects

The following changes need to be implemented on the iSeries system, in order to communicate with another system running EE:

  • Network attributes
  • Create the APPC Controller description
  • Create the two APPC devices
  • Change system values
  • Change configuration lists
  • Change ports on the firewalls


Making changes to Network attributes

The following items need to be set in the network attributes, using the CHGNETA command:

APPN node type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :   *NETNODE
Allow APPN virtual support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :   *NO 
Allow HPR transport tower support  . . . . . . . . . . . :   *YES            

NB: Changing the node type will require you to vary off ALL APPC controllers and devices before changes are made.


Creating the controller description

Use the CRTCTLAPPC command. Press F4, and define the following parameters:

Controller Description:                 Name of the controller 
Link type:                              *HPRIP
APPN-Capable:			        *YES
Remote internet address:		The IP address of the remote system
Local internet address:                 The IP address your (local) system
Remote network identifier:		The SNA network name of the remote system
Remote control point:		        The system name of the remote system
APPN CP Session Support:		*YES
APPN transmission group number:         Specify the TGN Number. Must the same on both 
                                        systems.

Example:

                     Create Ctl Desc (APPC) (CRTCTLAPPC)                    
                                                                            
Type choices, press Enter.                                                   
                                                                            
Controller description . . . . .   SNAHOST       Name                        
Link type  . . . . . . . . . . . > *HPRIP        *ANYNW, *FAX, *FR, *HPRIP...
APPN-capable . . . . . . . . . . > *YES          *YES, *NO                   
Remote internet address  . . . . > ‘196.1.1.2’                          
Local internet address . . . . . > ‘196.1.1.3’                            
Remote network identifier  . . . > APPN  
Remote control point . . . . . . > MAINFRAME     Name, *ANY                   
APPN CP session support  . . . .   *YES          *YES, *NO   
APPN transmission group number     1             1-20, *SAME, *CALC

Creating the devices descriptions

You have to use the CRTDEVAPPC command twice, first to setup the name of the device to connect to on the remote system, and secondly a device with the same name as the remote system. Press F4 and define the following parameters:

Device description:		Name of the device / remote system name
Remote location:	        Name of the device as defined on the other system / remote system name
Local location:                 Name of local device / local system name.  This device does not need to exist locally, but it  
                                must look exactly as it is defined on the remote system pointing to you.
Remote network identifier:	The SNA network name of the remote system
Attached controller:		Name of the controller under which this device will be located
Mode:				Using *NETATR should be sufficient, otherwise define the mode you wish to use.
APPN-Capable:		        *YES



Example – Remote device name

                   Create Device Desc (APPC) (CRTDEVAPPC)                     
                                                                              
Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                              
Device description . . . . . . .   SNADEVRMT     Name                          
Remote location  . . . . . . . . > SNADEVRMT     Name                          
Online at IPL  . . . . . . . . . > *YES          *YES, *NO                     
Local location . . . . . . . . . > SNADEVLCL     Name, *NETATR                 
Remote network identifier  . . . > APPN          Name, *NETATR, *NONE          
Attached controller  . . . . . . > SNAHOST       Name                          
Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > *NETATR       Name, *NETATR                 
APPN-capable . . . . . . . . . . > *YES          *YES, *NO                     


Example – Remote system name

                   Create Device Desc (APPC) (CRTDEVAPPC)                     
                                                                              
Type choices, press Enter.                                                     
                                                                              
Device description . . . . . . .   MAINFRAME     Name                          
Remote location  . . . . . . . . > MAINFRAME     Name                          
Online at IPL  . . . . . . . . . > *YES          *YES, *NO                     
Local location . . . . . . . . . > AS400NAME     Name, *NETATR                 
Remote network identifier  . . . > APPN          Name, *NETATR, *NONE          
Attached controller  . . . . . . > SNAHOST       Name                          
Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > *NETATR       Name, *NETATR                 
APPN-capable . . . . . . . . . . > *YES          *YES, *NO

Changes to system values

Enterprise Extender will create and use a controller QAPEND0001 on the iSeries when it communicates with remote EE systems. It will also create APPC devices under this controller when the communication is established the first time. In order for the system to automatically create the necessary controller and devices the first time, the following system values need to be changed (These values can be set back to their original settings as soon as Enterprise Extender is up and running):

QAUTOCFG: 	Set value to 1 (Auto-configuring of devices is on)
QAUTORMT:	Set value to 1 (Allow auto-configure of remote controllers)
QAUTOVRT:	Set value to *NOMAX (There will not be a limit on the amount of 

virtual devices to be created)


Changes to Configuration lists

In order for the SNA component to work, the following changes need to be implemented on the SNA configuration lists. Use command WRKCFGL. If the *APPNLCL or *APPNRMT list do not exist, create them first.

WRKCFGL (ENTER)


                       Work with Configuration Lists
                                                            System:   SYSNAME Position to  . . . . .                Starting characters
Type options, press Enter.
  1=Create   2=Change   3=Copy   4=Delete   5=Display   6=Print   7=Rename   8=Work with entries
Opt  List        Type        Text
 _   QAPPNLCL    *APPNLCL    Local APPN location entries      
 _   QAPPNRMT    *APPNRMT    Remote APPN location entries'


                                                                        Bottom Parameters or command
===> F3=Exit   F4=Prompt   F5=Refresh   F9=Retrieve   F12=Cancel


Add the local device name to this list. This will be the name of the APPN device that the remote system will use to connect to on the iSeries. As an example, we have used SNADEVLCL.

*APPNRMT (Remote APPN List):

Add the following information to the remote list:

Remote location:	Type in the name of the remote device you will use to connect to the remote system.
Remote network ID:	Type in the name of the remote network ID
Local Location:	Type in the name of the local device to which the remote network will connect to.
Remote control point:	Type in the System name of the remote machine
Control point net ID: 	Type in the name of the remote network ID here again.


Opening of firewall ports

Enterprise Extender utilizes UDP ports 12000 to 12004. These ports have to be opened on all firewalls between the two systems to function.


Troubleshooting

Control-point-to-Control-point (CPCP) Sessions

If the setup has been completed, and the controllers show active on both sides, you can check to see if the sessions (CPCP) are up and running as well. Do the following:

  • WRKCFGSTS *CTL QAP* (press enter)
  • Take option 9 (display mode status) next to the device created for the remote system

You should see 2 modes listed. Press F11 to view the current sessions:

Example

          Mode              --Sessions-- 
Mode      Status            Total  Local 
SNASVCMG  Started              0      0  
CPSVCMG   Started              2      1  


Use DSPAPPINF

You can also use DSPAPPNINF command to see if the system is able to communicate with the remote server. It should show whether the link is active, and if routing is valid.


Performing a communications trace

You can run a TCP/IP communications trace to see if your system is utilizing the correct ports to the remote system.

TRCCNN SET(*ON) TRCTYPE(*IP) TRCTBL(MyTraceCNN) SIZE(1000 *MB) TCPDTA(*UTP () () *N '169.202.xxx.xxx')  

To print the info from the trace, TRCCNN SET(*OFF) TRCTBL(MyTraceCNN)