Real-life examples for IBM i Access Client Solutionslisug.org/presentations/ACS_Real_Life.pdf · Real-life examples for IBM i Access Client Solutions Jesse Gorzinski IBM i Emerging

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Real-life examples for IBM iAccess Client Solutions

Jesse Gorzinski

IBM i Emerging Solutions

[email protected]

© 2015 IBM Corporation

Agenda

• Background

• Custom deployment and configuration

– Deployment

– Using the “autoimport” feature

– Excluding components

• Shell commands

• Migration

• File Associations

• SSL

• Wrap-up

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IBM i Access for Windows

• Windows only solution….mid 90’s

• Primary interface for many

• 5250 emulator

• Console

• OS Management

• Much more

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© 2015 IBM Corporation 4

iAccess for Windows

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What did we have in the past

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iAccess Windows- 5250

- Console

- Data Transfer

- GUI Navigator

- Spool file

- IFS file transfer

- PTF Management

- Dashboard

- Run SQL Script

- Visual Explain

- …

iAccess Linux- 5250 (it was terrible)

Windows no longer is the only OS or device that is required


Where do we go for the future

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ACS - 5250

- Console

- Data Transfer

- Spool file

- IFS file transfer

- Run SQL Script

- Visual Explain

Web Navigator - PDI

- PTF

- Database

-Gui Interface

ARE- Multi System Mgt

- PTF distribution

ACS - 5250

- Console

- Data Transfer

- Spool file

- IFS file transfer

- Run SQL Script

- Visual Explain

Web Navigator - PDI

- PTF

- Database

-Gui Interface


- PTF distribution

ACS - 5250

- Console

- Data Transfer

- Spool file

- IFS file transfer

- Run SQL Script

- Visual Explain

Web Navigator - PDI

- PTF

- Database

-Gui Interface


- PTF distribution

iAccess Mobile- 5250

- GUI Management

- DashBoard

- Run SQL Statement

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IBM i Access Family – New Product (5733-XJ1)

Key features from existing desktop products will be included with the new IBM i

Access Client Solutions core offering

Access for Windows – Desktop (5770XE1)

• 5250 display and printer emulator

• Data transfer

• Operations Console

• System i Navigator

• Data drivers (ODBC, OLEDB, .Net)

• Printer drivers

Access for Linux – Desktop (5770XL1)

• 5250 emulator

• ODBC driver

• A small subset of the IBM i Access components

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Access Client Solutions

Access Client Solutions


Three parts of Access Client Solutions

Core offering (platform independent)

• 5250 display and printer emulator

• Data transfer

• Printer Output

• Console consolidation

• Other misc features

Windows Application Package

• Windows Installer MSI Package

• Data drivers (ODBC, OLEDB, .Net)

• Printer drivers

Linux Application Package

• RPM and Debian Install Packages

• ODBC driver

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•Runs anywhere that has Java™• Java 6.0 or later

•This includes:

• Windows

• Mac

• Linux

• AIX

• IBM i

New Product – Platform Independent

© 2015 IBM Corporation © 2014 International Business Machines

Corporation

• No more install program!!

• Updates are easy

• Go from “out of the box” to “connected” in a snap!

New Product – Simplicity

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Product Availability History

• On April 24th 2012 IBM Announced the Technology Preview of IBM i Access

Client Solutions

• Open Technology Preview of the core client features available July 2, 2012

– Update to the Technology Preview were released until just recently!

– Now, no more Technology Preview!!!

• On May 28th 2013 IBM Announced the product will GA on June 14th 2013

– Continuous enhancements

• Information on obtaining the product:

– http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/power/software/i/access/solutions.html

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Product Details

• Supported connecting to IBM i OS r7.2, r7.1 and r6.1

• IBM i OS supports IBM i Access Client Solutions exactly the same as IBM i

Access for Windows

– Checks out the same 57xxXW1 Licenses for 5250 and Data Transfer

– Connects to the same IBM i Access Host Servers on the same ports in

the same way

• Exit programs will continue to have the same impact

• Application Administration local policies will still be applied

© 2014

International

Business Machines

Corporation

http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/power/software/i/access/solutions.html

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Main User Interface

• Provide an easy to use launch point for features

• Build an infrastructure that is extensible for the future

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Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up

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What you get in the package


Ways you can launch

1. “java -jar acsbundle.jar”

2. Binary launcher (HIGHLY preferred)

3. Double-clicking acsbundle.jar

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Starting up

• To start up, just run the platform-specific deployment script (Start_Programs)


Deployment: initial questions• When thinking about deployment, ask yourself where you want to put:

1. the product image? (jar file)

2. the user’s settings? (system configurations,

5250 sessions, etc.)

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Deployment: What might be our options?

Computer (local)

Network Share

USB Thumb Drive

Intranet (http:// URL)


Where can I put the image (jar file)?

Computer (local)

Network Share

USB Thumb Drive


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Where can I put the image (jar file)?

Any filesystem (local, USB drive, network)

or

Intranet link (http:// or https://)

NOTE: A Java Runtime Environment (JRE) will also

need to be accessible


Where can I put the user's settings?

Computer (local)

Network Share

USB Thumb Drive


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Where can I put the user's settings?

Any filesystem (local, USB drive, network)


How do I place the product image where it needs to be?

• For filesystem locations, simply copy the file(s) and give users access

• For http:// or https://, you have two options:

– Static-serving the file from your web server

Simply have your web server “serve” the file via a

static link or some similar mechanism

(requires the user to have file association for .jar, and

for that association to launch a Java 6 JRE)

– Using Java WebStart technology

Only requires the user to have some Java installed

(does not have to be Java 6)

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How do I configure where user settings go?

AcsConfig.properties

• This can be configured in the product configuration file, named “AcsConfig.properties”

• AcsConfig.properties is simply a list of configuration properties and values.

• These properties may also be specified on the command line

-D<property>=<value>

• One such property is

com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory


AcsConfig.properties (cont.)

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AcsConfig.properties (cont.)

• The following locations are searched for the AcsConfig.properties file:

1. In the classpath (that is, inside acsbundle.jar)

Sample, default version included with the product2. In the same directory as acsbundle.jar

Sample, default version included with the product3. By interrogating the “ibmi.acs.configuration” Java System property (the property’s

value is assumed to be the properties file). One would set this property on the

command line. Example:

acslaunch_win-32.exe -Dibmi.acs.configuration=M:\AcsConfig.properties

– IMPORTANT NOTE!! When the configuration file exists in multiple locations, the last

one wins


com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory

• The value of this property determines:

– The location of user settings

– The location of service logs/dumps/etc

– The default directory used by the 5250 session manager (this can be configured

separately if desired)

• The value is expected, therefore, to be a directory name on a filesystem. It can be

– Left blank (which leaves behavior at the default location)

– The path of a hardcoded directory name (fully-qualified is highly recommended)

– A constructed path using special keywords (next slide)

Tip: use forward slashes (‘/’), not backslashes (‘\’)

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com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory : Special keywords

• {USER} : would be the current username (valid anywhere in the path)

• {PRODUCTDIR} : would mean the product’s location in the file system (valid only

at the beginning)

• {TEMPDIR} : would be the temporary directory (valid only at the beginning)

• {ROOT} : the root of the file system where the product is located (valid only at the

beginning)

• {CWD} : the current working directory (valid only at the beginning)

• {HOME} : the user's home directory (valid only at the beginning)

• {DEFAULT} : the default place the product normally puts its settings (valid only at the

beginning)


POP QUIZ

You have deployed the ACS jar file on a network share. Most users map this share as “M:”

(Linux users have mounted it as /mnt/shr1).

You want user settings to also be stored on the network share. You also want each user’s

settings to be saved in its own location.

Is this even possible?

a) Yes

b) No

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POP QUIZ

You have deployed the ACS jar file on a network share. Most users map this share as “M:”

(Linux users have mounted it as /mnt/shr1).

You want user settings to also be stored on the network share. You also want each user’s

settings to be saved in its own location.

What would be an acceptable value for com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory?

a) M:\ACS

b) M:\ACS\{USER}

c) {ROOT}\ACS\{USER}

d) {ROOT}/ACS/{USER}

e) {PRODUCTDIR}/ACS/USER

f) {PRODUCTDIR}/ACS/{USER}

d) {ROOT}/ACS/{USER}

f) {PRODUCTDIR}/ACS/{USER}


Verifying location

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Verifying location


Cliff’s notes: Common configurations

Default (“My Documents” on Windows, home dir otherwise)com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory=

Network share

com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory={ROOT}/config_directory/{USER}

com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory={PRODUCTDIR}/config_directory/{USER}

Thumb drive!

com.ibm.iaccess.AcsBaseDirectory={PRODUCTDIR}/config_directory

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“DataCache” optimization

• What is this “data cache”?

– An optimization which improves startup time

• Without “data cache”:

– Information is cached after first product startup

– Second startup is, therefore, faster

– A new version of acsbundle.jar will trigger the cache to be updated.

The cache does not need to be “managed.”

• With “data cache”:

– Much more information is cached after first product startup. Temporary

disk space is used.

– Second startup is, therefore, faster

– A new version of acsbundle.jar will trigger the cache to be updated.

The cache does not need to be “managed.”

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“DataCache” optimization

• Why is this not the default?

– Temporary disk space usage is not conservative. May be prohibitive.

• Deployed via AcsConfig.properties

– Property must be set:

• com.ibm.iaccess.DataCache

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“DataCache” optimization – Sample network share stats

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false (default) true

com.ibm.iaccess.DataCache - startup time (s)

first pass second pass


“DataCache” optimization – Sample network share stats

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false (default) true

com.ibm.iaccess.DataCache - startup time (s)

first pass second pass

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• Remember these questions? There’s also an “extra credit question”…… Any guesses?

1. the product image? (jar file)

2. the user’s settings? (system configurations,

5250 sessions, etc.)

3. A Java Runtime Environment (JRE)


Deployment: customizing your JRE

• Customizing your JRE (offering a specific JRE for all users) can be done in the following

ways:

– If launching the product by invoking java.exe (java –jar acsbundle.jar), fully-qualify a

path the java.exe you would like to launch with

– Setting the JAVA_HOME environment variable (path to java.exe minus

"\bin\java.exe")

– If launching the product by invoking acslaunch_XXXXX.exe, use one of the command line options:

Usage: [-options] [args...]

where options include:

-vm <path to jvm home directory>

-vmdll <path to a jvm lib file>

see java -help for other valid options

where args include:

/plugin=<name> [plugin-options...]

<file>

Tip: place quotes around paths containing spaces!

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• Alternatively, if launching the product by invoking acslaunch_XXXXX.exe, you can also

place a JRE alongside the .exe file

– For instance, if your product image is expanded to C:\ACS,

Launcher executable will be at C:\ACS\Start_Binaries\Windows_i386-32\acslaunch_win-32.exe

You can put a JRE in C:\ACS\Start_Binaries\Windows_i386-32\jre\

(e.g.: you can copy the directory “C:\Program Files (x86)\java\jre6”

to “C:\ACS\Start_Binaries\Windows_i386-32\jre”)


- Stage multiple JVMs and Start Programs for different

platforms

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• Why would you want to do this?

JRE can be on a network share or thumb drive

The default JVM on a workstation may or may not be Java 6

or newer (or there might not be a JVM on a particular

workstation)

Gives the administrator more control

Need not worry about having Java installed on user

workstations

• Why would you NOT want to do this?

– Client VM may get updates automatically

– Your deployment is all based on local workstation, you don’t

want to deploy a JRE, and JRE’s may vary

– Usually not necessary (most workstations have Java)


Verifying JRE

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Version 1.1.4 – install scripts

• Mac and Linux install scripts

© 2014 International Business Machines

Corporation


Local Workstation Deployment

• Provided Javascript will copy the IBM i Access Client Solutions deployment to

C:\Users\<WindowsUser>\IBM\ClientSolutions and will create shortcuts on the

Desktop for the Main User Interface and 5250 Session Manager. It will also

create file associations for the .hod, .bchx, .dttx & .dtfx if they haven’t already

been created.

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Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up


“autoimport” feature

• IBM i Access Client Solutions has a

mechanism for saving (exporting) and

restoring (importing) a user’s settings and

preferences.

• When a configuration is exported, all

information is stored in an export file.

• Stored data includes emulator session

profiles

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• An export file can therefore be used to

– Back up settings

– migrate settings from one PC to another.

– Propagate settings to multiple PC’s



• So what is “autoimport”?

– Allows an export file to be automatically imported when the product starts up

– Useful for an administrator to automatically roll out settings


– Two properties must be set:

com.ibm.iaccess.autoimport

com.ibm.iaccess.autoimport.version

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• com.ibm.iaccess.autoimport

– Can contain special config keywords

– Can be a classloader path (if placed inside acsbundle.jar), a URL (http://,

file://), or the path to a file.

• com.ibm.iaccess.autoimport.version

– Typically set to a numeric value

– Dictates whether the file (specified by com.ibm.iaccess.autoimport) is

imported. The import happens if this value differs from the last file imported

via the “autoimport” feature.


Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up

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Hiding/Restricting function

• You may not want all the features of ACS visible to your users.

• There are two ways exclude them from view (hide them)

1. Hiding component for a deployment

2. Restricting component with workstation-level restrictions


Hiding component for a deployment


– Property must be set:

• com.ibm.iaccess.ExcludeComps

– Set this property to a comma-separated list of function keywords

• The function keywords which may be specified are:

– DATAXFER - Data Transfer to/from IBM I

– EMULATOR - 5250 Display/Print emulation and 5250 Session Manager

– KEYMAN - SSL certificate management

– OPCONSOLE - Operations console and Virtual Control Panel

– RMTCMD - Remote Command (available from the command line)

– SPLF - Printer Output

– HWCONSOLE - Hardware management interface

– L1CPLUGIN - Navigator for i

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Without the property set (left) and with

com.ibm.iaccess.ExcludeComps=OPCONSOLE,HWCONSOLE,L1CPLUGIN (right)


Workstation restrictions

• Accessed via Edit->Preferences

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Workstation restrictions

• Effective for all users on this workstation

• Can only be set/removed by administrators

• Non-administrators will not see the option

• Scriptable via shell commands

/PLUGIN=restrict /<options>

Valid options are:

/restrict=<func1,func2,func3> Restricts the given functions on this workstation.

/unrestrict=<func1,func2,func3> Allows the given functions on this workstation.

/list Lists whether functions are allowed or restricted on this

workstation.

/export=<file> Export restrictions to the named file with a .acsr file extension.

/import=<file>.acsr Import restrictions from a file with a .acsr file extension.

/exportreg=<file> Export a Windows registry file (.reg file).


Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up

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Shell Commands

• IBM i Access Client Solutions provides several shell or command line utilities that can be used outside of the graphical user interfaces

• Basic syntax is (all on the same line)

acslaunch_win-32.exe /plugin=<name>

[/system=<system>] [/options]

• Or

java -jar acsbundle.jar /plugin=<name>

[/system=<system>] [/options]

• The “/system” parm is only valid for commands pointed at a specific system


Shell Commands – Backup and restore

/PLUGIN=backup [/file=<filename>]

/PLUGIN=restore [/file=<filename>]

• These plugins back up the user’s configuration to a file, including all user settings

and emulator sessions stored in the session manager default directory.

• Equivalent to the import and export functions available through the main GUI

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Shell Commands – Create/delete/view system configurations

/PLUGIN=cfg /SYSTEM=<system> [/ipaddr=<frequency>] [/userid=<userid>]

[/ssl=<switch>]

[/5250path=<path>]

[/del] [/r]

/SYSTEM - name of the system

/ipaddr - when a connection is requested, this value determines whether or

not a lookup of the IP address will occur. Valid frequencies

are:

ALWAYS - lookup IP address for each connection

HOURLY, DAILY, WEEKLY - lookup IP address if the amount of

time has elapsed since the last lookup

IP address - if an IP address is specified, the lookup

frequency is assumed to be NEVER

/userid - user id for a user

may also be set to the following values:

*PROMPTALWAYS - prompts at least once for each connection

*KERBEROS - use Kerberos principal name, no prompting

/ssl - switch is 0 to turn SSL mode off, or 1 to turn it on

/5250path - path to 5250 emulation profiles

The /5250path may be set from the main GUI using 5250 Session

Manager and then File->Change Directory...

/del - deletes existing configuration

/r - replaces existing configuration

/LIST - list configured systems with their connection options


Shell Commands – Create/delete/view system configurations

/PLUGIN=cfg /LIST

/LIST - list configured systems with their connection options

Sample output:

-------------------------------------

System Configurations:

lp11ut11

Use SSL for connection: true

Password Prompting: Use default user name to prompt once for each system: Default user name: jgorzins

IP address lookup frequency: Always

lp13ut28

Use SSL for connection: true

Password Prompting: Use default user name to prompt once for each system: Default user name: jgorzins

IP address lookup frequency: Always

-----------------------

Emulator path: C:\Users\IBM_ADMIN\Documents\IBM\iAccessClient\Emulator

-----------------------

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Shell Commands – Maintenance tasks

/PLUGIN=maint [/<options>]

Valid options are:

/killdaemon - ends daemon processes.

Same as Tools->Reset for Maintenance from main GUI

/clearpwcaches - clears all cached passwords

/clearjarcache - clears the product jar cache

/clearlogs - clears the Logs Directory at Edit->Preferences

Local Settings tab from the main GUI

/cleardumps - clears the Dumps Directory at Edit->Preferences


/clearsvcdir - clears the Service Directory at Edit->Preferences


/clearsettings - clears all settings for current user

If no options are specified, no actions will be performed.


Shell Commands – Service tasks/PLUGIN=dump [/heapdump]

/PLUGIN=medic

• Creates files for IBM service

• Equivalent to “Generate Service Logs” and “Package Service Logs” functions available

through the main GUI

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Shell commands

• Many more

• Virtually any major function you can launch from main GUI

• See GettingStarted documentation for details

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/ibmi/library/i-acs-commandline/index.html


Creating a shortcut to the Data Transfer UI

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http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/ibmi/library/i-acs-commandline/index.html

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Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up

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Migration

• The following information can be migrated from IBM i Access for Windows:

– System configurations

– Data Transfer saved requests

– 5250 session profiles


Migration – System configurations

• The tool for migrating system configurations is called “Copy Connections”

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• The “Copy Connections” tool lets you copy system configurations to and

from Windows platform-specific products



• Also a scriptable command line plugin

/PLUGIN=migrate /<option> /SYSTEM=<system>

<system> can be set to one system name or set to *ALL to indicate all

systems.

Valid options are:

/IMPORT - Copy one (or all) system configurations from the legacy Windows

configuration to IBM i Access Client Solutions.

/EXPORT - Copy one (or all) system configurations to the legacy Windows

configuraiton from IBM i Access Client Solutions.

/DELETE - Delete one (or all) system configurations from the legacy

Windows

configuration.

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• So, to copy all the configurations from the ACS core offering to Windows:

/PLUGIN=migrate /EXPORT /SYSTEM="*ALL"

• To copy all the configurations from Windows to the ACS core offering :

/PLUGIN=migrate /IMPORT /SYSTEM="*ALL"

• In next release of ACS, this will not be necessary!!


Migration – Data Transfer saved requests

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• Migrates saved .dtt and .dtf files to IBM i Access Client Solutions .dttx and .dtfx files



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Migration – 5250 Session Manager



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• Key mappings are also converted. A converted .kmp file will be saved in

session manager directory.

• Convert Macro supports Traditional and VB Script keystroke macros only.


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Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up


Creating File Associations

• Easy GUI option!

– Only supported on Windows

– Must launch via .exe !

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Creating File Associations

• Can also be done by the command line

acslaunch_win-32.exe /plugin=fileassoc

•



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Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up

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© 2015 IBM Corporation © 2014 International Business Machines

Corporation

SSL – The basics


SSL-related configuration properties

• com.ibm.iaccess.TLSProtos

• com.ibm.iaccess.TLSCiphers

Control exactly which protocols and cipher suites are used!

Use a comma-separated list of values

For TLSProtos, use Java naming (TLSv1, TLSv1.2, etc.)

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New "Push to Windows" ability

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Agenda

• Background


– Deployment



• Shell commands

• Migration


• SSL

• Wrap-up

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© 2015 IBM Corporation 97


“Takeaways”

• Flexible

• Customizable

• Provides migration paths

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Questions ?

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