BCI433 – IBM Business

Computing

Lecture 1
Introduction to IBM Systems

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Agenda
 Course Description
 Credits
 Learning Outcome
 Tests and Assignment
 Brief History of IBM AS/400 System I or

iSeries
 Lec # 1
 Lab # 1 (Pending AS/400 IDs)

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 Course Description
 This course introduces business information technology on the
IBM midrange family of computers running the IBM i operating
system.
 Students will utilize an object-based architecture using IBM i
tools to create business applications.
 These applications will be developed using the DB2 relational
database, Control Language commands and programming, and
the business-oriented RPGLE programming language.
 To demonstrate the heterogeneous systems support available on
the IBM i platform, students will investigate the Integrated File
System, which supports non-native file systems, desktop
connectivity tools, and support for mobile application
development.

 Course Outline https://www.senecacollege.ca/ssos/find/BCI433/c

urrent/ce

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Credits
 Requiredfor
◦CPA - Computer Programming
and Analysis (Ontario College
Advanced Diploma)
◦CPD - Computer Programmer
(Ontario College Diploma)

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 Learning Outcome
 Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able
to:

◦ Use IBM’s object-based operating system to create, house and

manage enterprise applications.
◦ Apply IBM i security commands to ensure that IBM i databases and
libraries are protected.
◦ Apply IBM application development tools and RPGLE programming
language when developing business applications.
 Create a simple mobile application that runs on IBM i to demonstrate
tool effectivity (Optional)
◦ Use the system command language to run and manage business
applications as batch and interactive jobs that utilize resources
efficiently.
 Embed structured query language statements in application
development programming code .
◦ Use IBM i operating system menus and create custom user menus.

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Test and Assignment
 2 Assignment – 30 %
 2 Tests – 35 %
 6 or 7 Labs – For Practicing (No marks)
 Exam – 35 %
 Total - 100 %

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Week # 1- Agenda
 Introduction and MochaSoft Software
TN5250 Emulator
 iSeries Operating System Overview
 Sign on process
 User Profile
 Navigation
 iSeries HELP – F1
 Control Language (CL)
 System Values
 Queues

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Week # 1- Introduction

 E-mail: [email protected]
 iSeries Emulator: http://www.mochasoft.dk

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Week # 1- Overview of the iSeries-AS/400

Developed by IBM to support medium to

large scales business
i means “integration”

- A server designed for the on demand

challenges of Web and e-business, as
well as core On-line Transaction -
Processing (OLTP) workloads, with
support for multiple operating and
application environments.

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 AS/400 and iSeries are reference to older
versions of the Hardware/Software
 Current Operating System is IBM i
 Current Hardware is POWER - Performance
Optimization With Enhanced Risc
 You are working on an IBM i operating system
on POWER

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 Week # 1- History of AS/400
System 3 1969 - 1985

System 32 1975 - 1984

System 34 1977 - 1985

1983 - 1994 System 36 System 38 1980 - 1994

AS/400 1988 - present

iSeries 2000 - present
system i 2005 - 2006
i 2007
Power Systems 2008

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POWER Systems Heritage

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Overview of the iSeries-AS/400 - The
Architecture

• Operating System
• Database
• Compiler
• Sub-System
• Hardware
• Software
• License Internal Programs (LIC)
• Logical Partitioning LPAR

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Overview of the iSeries-AS/400 – Server
Roadmap

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Overview of the iSeries-AS/400 - Roadmap

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16
Latest Features of IBM i

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Overview of the iSeries-AS/400 - The
Environment
 Native Environment
◦ Operating system: IBM I
◦ Database: DB2/400
 SQL
◦ Database: DB2/400
 AIX
◦ Integrated File Structure
 Linux
◦ Integrated File Structure
 Redbooks(Online Guide)
◦ http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks.nsf/searchs
ite?SearchView&query=%22IBM+i%22
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 Week # 1- Overview of the
iSeries-AS/400
iSeries –
◦ Robust, Complex, Multi-user, Multi-tasking Mid-range
platform, functionally rich set of programs. It Controls
traditional computer system functions.
 Primarily Green Screen/text-based presentation
 iSeries Model 820 supports Logical Partitioning environments
(LPAR)
◦ Supports RPG, COBOL , 'C', JAVA and other programming
Languages
◦ User Profiles provide 'environment' for a User I.D. to sign on
and run jobs
◦ OS/400 is the AS/400’s operating system
 It supports two other operating systems – System/36 and
System /38

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Overview of the iSeries-
AS/400
 Options & Function Keys are available to initiate tasks
(demo)
 Alternate Sign-on Access is an option of the Operating
System (demo)
 Navigation is typically via Menus and/or the Command
Line (demo)
 Operations Navigator is a GUI Interface to the iSeries
platform (see http://www.ibm.com/eserver/iseries/navigator/
(demo)
 Environments (Sub-systems) are created to run Jobs (web)

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Overview of the iSeries-
AS/400
 OS/400 also supports S/36 & S/38 O/S
environments (former release levels)
 Objects on the iSeries are identified

by their TYPE (web)

 CL Commands (provided by OS/400)

allow user tasks to be run (demo)

 Text-based HELP panels are always

available thru F1 (demo)

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Overview of the iSeries-
AS/400
 Rational Developer for system i (RDI)
◦ Development Environment
 Download from ACS site
 Client Access
◦ Production Environment
 Download from ACS site
Downloads available at:
 Seneca ITS website (iseries tab)
 Models
◦ https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/en
/POWER5/iphc5/iseries_modelnumbersandnames.
htm

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 Commonly Used Function
Keys
 F1 = Help  F9 = Retrieve
 F2 = Extended Previous
Help Command
 F3 = Exit  F12 = Cancel

 F4 = Prompt  F23 = More

 F5 = Refresh options
 F24 = more
Screen
function keys

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Week # 1 - Sub Systems
 All jobs are run in areas of the computer called Sub systems.
 A Sub system is where the system brings together the
resources needed to process work.
◦ Sub system characteristics determine how the system
uses resources within the Sub system.
◦ The AS/400 operating system supports multiple Sub
systems that can be User-defined, each having a
separate Sub system description.

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Week # 1 - Sub Systems
(continued)
 Some attributes of Sub systems whose
values are defined in the Sub system
description include:
◦ Sub system name Qinter, Qbatch, Qspl
◦ How many jobs can run in a Sub system at
one time
◦ Which storage pools the Sub system will
use
◦ Which job queues the Sub system will
work from

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Week # 1 - Sub Systems
(continued)
 Different Sub systems are necessary
because of the many different types of jobs
with different characteristics and often
conflicting needs.
 The system administrator/root admin can
tailor the existing Sub system descriptions
and create new Sub systems to handle the
needs of different types of jobs.
 Within Sub systems, individual jobs can be
prioritized to begin execution sooner or
later and, after they begin, can be given a
higher or lower runtime priority.

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“What is a Job ?”
 A “job” is any and every piece of work
on the AS/400.
 There are two types of jobs:

◦ Interactive jobs
 Login
 Running something interactively
◦ Batch jobs
 Compile a program
 Run a report
 Submit overnight backup

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“Interactive Jobs”
 A job that begins when a user signs on to the
system and ends when they sign off.
 It is a job with interaction between the user and
IBM i, similar to a conversation ( a polite
conversation!).
 Interactive jobs run in subsystem QINTER
 Terminates when the user signs off the AS/400 or the
job has ended
 Runs in conversational mode (i.e., dialogue of sorts
between user and program, utility, or operating-
system function)

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“Batch Jobs”
 A job that runs in the background.
 They are generally jobs that use a lot of resources
and are lower priority than interactive jobs.
 Usually started by interactive jobs e.g. a program
compile
 Batch jobs run in subsystem QBATCH
 Each batch subsystem can execute only a limited
number of batch jobs concurrently (This is
programmable).
 Depending on the settings, a batch job can start
right away or wait it’s turn in the queue.

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“Batch Jobs”
Batch Jobs:

 Can execute without user intervention

 Do not require data or any other information to be input
through the workstation once they have started
 Are sent to a job queue until they can begin execution. A job
queue is a staging area, managed by the Sub system, where
batch jobs wait in line for their turn at processing.
 A typical batch job submission would be a report program or a
program compile.
 If such a program were run interactively, the DASD (Direct
Access Storage Device, or hard disk) access time required
could cause the program to run for a long time, locking up the
interactive session.

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Week # 1 - Types of Jobs
(continued)
 To minimize disruption of work flow, certain
tasks during an interactive session can be sent
as batch jobs --
◦ Programmer could submit a compilation or report as
a batch job from the interactive job
◦ While the submitted job runs in a batch subsystem,
the programmer could go on to other tasks.

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 Week # 1
Types of Jobs (continued)
 An active job can be identified by the
Qualified Job Name. A Qualified Job Name is
made up of three distinct parts:
- Job Name > based on the
Terminal I.D.
 - User I.D. > The User I.D. that initiated the

job. -
Job Number > assigned by the system (For
a batch job it is the program name)

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Work With Active Jobs
 Command is WRKACTJOB
 Shows you all the jobs that are currently

running and their status.

◦ Like Windows Task Manager

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Commands in AS/400
 Noun + Verb
 Such as WRK + ACTJOB or DSP + USRPRF
 First part is the action + Next part is the

command to search for specific item

 Some actions are:

◦ WRK, DSP, PRT, DLT, CHG, RMV, ADD, EDT etc etc
◦ WRK* will bring all commands using a wildcard “*”
◦ Or DSP* etc etc on the command line
◦ Go cmdwrk Go cmddsp etc etc

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Week # 1
OS/400
 OS/400 is the AS/400’s operating system
 It is a robust, complex, functionally rich set of
programs
◦ It Controls traditional computer system functions.
◦ It Incorporates features that normally require
separate software components
◦ It supports two other operating systems – System/36
and System /38

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Week # 1
OS/400 (continued)
All AS/400s are shipped with basic OS/400
support, including predefined system
settings for work management functions
System Values WRKSYSVAL or DSPSYSVAL

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Week # 1
OS/400 (continued)
OS/400 is an object-based operating system:
 An object is anything on the system that has
a name and takes up space in storage.
 A large number of objects are supplied by
IBM through OS/400, and they typically have
names beginning with "Q". Other objects
usually are named according to shop naming
convention.
 The system locates an object by its name.

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Week # 1
OS/400 (continued)
Objects are grouped into types, and an object
type determines how the object is used on
the system.
Common types include:
*PGM - Programs
*FILE - Files
*CMD - Commands
* LIB - Library
Other types also include user-profile objects
and subsystem-description objects.
Object type is always assigned by the system
and is determined by the command used to
create the object.

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Week # 1
Control Language
OS/400 provides a single, consistent user
interface to its functions through Control
Language (CL) commands.
 CL is flexible, powerful, and allows direct

access to OS/400 functions.

 More than 1,500 commands are available.
 Each command is an object on the AS/400.

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Week # 1
Control Language (continued)
Most CL commands consist of a command
name and one or more command
parameters.
A Command Parameter has an
associated value, specified along with
a command, that controls and limits
the operation of the command and
names the files, programs, or other
objects the command will work on.

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Week # 1
Control Language (continued)
Individual commands can be entered on a
command line.
A command line is a line beginning
with the symbol ===> that appears
near the bottom of certain types of
display screens.

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Week # 1 - System Values
System values are control and configuration
attributes that let you customize certain
operating-system functions.
◦ They define critical aspects of the environment
and general rules that jobs must follow.
◦ They are not objects.
◦ They describe characteristics of the system that
can be displayed or changed with CL
commands.
◦ Many come preset or others need to be set.
◦ WRKSYSVAL or DSPSYSVAL commands

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System Values (demo)
 Data Used to configure the power system for
our business needs
 Default pre-loaded System Values
 Using the command PRTSECATR to review
Default/Recommended values by IBM
 Tune your system according to your company
policies/security audit

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User Profiles
 Each User ID has a User Profile which
describes the user and their authorities
 Contains information such as Current

Library, default output queue, password,

class of user

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Queues
 A queue is a line-up! A place where things
wait.
 Examples of IBM i queues:

◦ Job Queues: Where batch jobs wait

◦ Output Queues: Where spool files wait to print
◦ Message Queues: Where messages wait

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“Objects”
 Any thing on the system that takes up
space in “storage”
 On Unix/Windows, everything is a file
 On iSeries, everything is an object
 On Windows, files have extensions

(.txt, .doc, xls, .ppt)

 On iSeries objects have types
 Common object types include:

◦ libraries, files, job, queues, programs

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Library List
 Like Windows path
 Consists of System, User and Program

libraries
 DSPLIBL, ADDLIBLE, RMVLIBLE, EDTLIBL,

CHGCURLIB

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AS/400 Main Menu – Key
Items
 Menu Name
 Menu ID
 System ID
 Options
 Function Keys
 Command

Line
 Message Line

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Download Mocha Soft for using
AS/400 Emulation TN5250
 http://mochasoft.dk/
 Download TN5250.msi file for Windows

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