Why Can't I Access My Remote System's AS/400 IFS?

Published: February 22, 2012

Hey, Joe:

I'm trying to create a QFileSvr.400 link between two of my IBM i machines. I created the link on my local machine just like I'm supposed to. But when I open the link to access AS/400 Integrated File System (AS/400 IFS) objects on my remote machine, it gives me a Not Authorized To Object error. What's going on here?

--Wil

Background on QFileSvr.400

Before I answer Wil's question, here's some background information on the QFileSvr.400 file system. If you're already familiar with QFileSvr.400, skip ahead to the answers section.

The QFileSvr.400 file system is a unique IBM i machine construct. It allows one IBM i machine (IBM Power i, System i, and iSeries hardware running the i, i5/OS, or OS/400 operating system) to access AS/400 IFS files on another IBM i machine.

For our purposes, I'll refer to the IBM i partition accessing a remote system's AS/400 IFS as the local system. I'll also refer to the IBM i system who's AS/400 IFS files are being accessed as the remote system. The local system connects to the remote system through a QFileSvr.400 object link.

QFileSvr.400 object links have many purposes, including quickly transferring files between two different IBM i partitions and reading files that reside on another partition. I demonstrated one practical example for using an object link in my 2011 article on porting image catalogs between two Power i systems.

Cross system communication is accomplished through object links on the local machine. You can create a QFileSvr.400 object link by running the following green-screen Create Directory (MD) command on your local system.

MD DIR ('/QFileSvr.400/remote system')

In this instance, remote system equals either the TCP/IP host name of a remote IBM i partition or the SNA system name for another partition (this is only valid in older operating systems where SNA is still used).

Note that you must enter a remote system name for this value, not a TCP/IP address.

Once the directory is created, you'll receive a CPCA083 message, indicating that the directory has been created. At this point, you can verify your local-to-remote system link works by running one of the following commands on your local system:

1. Run this Work with Object Links (WRKLNK) command to open the AS/400 IFS on your remote system.

WRKLNK OBJ('/QFileSvr.400/remotesystem/*')

Or:

2. Open the QFileSvr.400 file system with this WRKsysLNK command and place a "5=Display" in front of the QFileSvr.400 object link for your remote system.

WRKLNK OBJ('/QFileSvr.400/*')

If you correctly created your link, you will see the directories, file systems, and objects in the remote system's AS/400 IFS.

The Answer To Wil's Error

If you're unable to see the remote system IFS when you open a QFileSvr.400 link, you may get the same CPFA09C error that Wil received. CPFA09C has the following message and cause:

CPFA09C message--Not authorized to Object. Object is /QFileSvr.400/remotesystem
CPFA09C cause--You do not have the correct authority for object
/QFileSvr.400/remotesystem or for one of the directories in the object path

This is an authority message related to the user profile you are signed on with on the local system. For QFileSvr.400 object links to work, the user profile on the local system must have the same user profile name and password as an authorized user on the remote system. If the profile name and password don't match, the connection will be rejected.

Once he realized this, Wil's problem was easy to solve. He simply changed the password on his remote system user profile to match the password on his local system profile, and he was able to access the remote system's AS/400 IFS through QFileSvr.400.

So if you're setting up an automated job to transfer files between two IBM i systems, be sure to use a user profile that is present on both systems and whose password is synchronized on both systems. And be careful when that password expires. I've seen situations where the password is changed on one end of a link and suddenly, a QFileSvr.400 automated operation fails.

A Second Common Issue with QFileSvr.400 links

The other common situation for QFileSvr.400 failures occurs when a user receives the following CPFA0E7 error.

CPFA0E7 message--System cannot establish a communications connection with a file server
CPFA0E7 caus--An attempt was made to perform an operation on object
/QFileSvr.400/remotesystem that required interaction with a file server.

In most cases, this is caused by one of the following two problems.

• The QSERVER subsystem is not active on the remote system. Restart QSERVER by running the Start Subsystem (STRSBS) command.
• The QFileSvr.400 version on the remote system is incompatible with the QFileSvr.400 version on the local system. In this case, you may or may not be able to make the connection until the servers are updated to compatible versions.

HTH

--Joe

RELATED STORY

An Alternative Way to Port Image Catalog Between Systems: QFileSvr.400

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