Problems with devices on AS/400
I was recently hired into a AS/400 and windows server 2000 network enviroment. We currently use the IBM i series access program to access the AS/400 remotely. There are devices that are local to us on our network that the AS/400 can gain access to, such as printers, time clock, etc... We are having problems with the AS/400 keeping the devices ACTIVE / WRITER and after about 5 to 10 minutes with no activity it then changes the status to VARY ON PENDING. It does not disconnect or end the seesion with the AS/400, the session will remain connected for as long as we have it up. I found some information about keeping the tcp alive which it seems that it is otherwise it would disconnect the session. I am wondering if there is another command that will keep the session on ACTIVE / WRITER even if nothing is being printed for a longer period of time, such as hours, days, etc... Perhaps it might have something to do with it being a remote session, or an activity setting, I don't know. The only way we know how to bring the device back to ACTIVE / WRITER is to disconnect the session and reconnect and AS/400 will reconize it again. As of now we have a macro running doing just that until I can find the proper way of configuring these sessions. I have very little knowledge of AS/400 systems so please be kind. Thank everyone for their concern and hopefully someone knows what I need to do.
Thanks
Chris
Thanks
Chris
QINACTITV applies only to interactive workstation jobs, not to printer jobs (Client Access or otherwise).
Are the problem printers Client Access printer sessions?
If so, where are the problem workstatons located? Are they on the same local area network as the AS/400, or are they remote?
If remote, is there a firewall or a VPN? It is possible that your firewall or VPN is dropping connections after a specified time.
You can try using the CHGTCPA command on the AS/400 to change the keepalive timer (default is 120 minutes).
- Gary Patterson
Are the problem printers Client Access printer sessions?
If so, where are the problem workstatons located? Are they on the same local area network as the AS/400, or are they remote?
If remote, is there a firewall or a VPN? It is possible that your firewall or VPN is dropping connections after a specified time.
You can try using the CHGTCPA command on the AS/400 to change the keepalive timer (default is 120 minutes).
- Gary Patterson
ASKER
We are using IMB access software to telnet to the AS/400 remotely. The qinactitv is set to *none, the chgtcpa is set to *nomax. The client access session will remain connected to the AS/400, however the AS/400 will only keep the printer ACTIVE / WRITER for 5 to 10 minutes and then say the status fo the printer is VARY ON PENDING even though the session is still connected. I will check my settings on our router but what is weird is that the telnet session will stay connected. Is there any other setting that the AS/400 may have for remote sessions. Is it possible that the AS/400 was not meant to stay connected remotely for extended periods of time? I did not set up the printers on the AS/400 myself they were entered into the system by someone else that has much more experience with 400's.
Chris,
Can we see the config of the printer done by the other guy ?
Lewis
Can we see the config of the printer done by the other guy ?
Lewis
ASKER
Here is a screen shot of some settings, is there a different command that you need me to enter to see other settings?
printer.bmp
printer.bmp
Chris,
*NOMAX isn't an option for the CHGTCPA TCPKEEPALV parameter.
AS400 remote printers, client access workstation sessions, and client access printer sessions all work just fine fine remotely. I've managed systems supporting thousands of remote users. As always, you should make sure you are current on PTFs, but odds are this is a configuration issue.
I'm still not clear: are these Client Access Printer sessions that we are talking about, or are they LAN-attached printers configured via WRKOUTQ or WRKDEVD on the AS/400? What type of printer(s) (make and model) are we talking about?
- Gary Patterson
*NOMAX isn't an option for the CHGTCPA TCPKEEPALV parameter.
AS400 remote printers, client access workstation sessions, and client access printer sessions all work just fine fine remotely. I've managed systems supporting thousands of remote users. As always, you should make sure you are current on PTFs, but odds are this is a configuration issue.
I'm still not clear: are these Client Access Printer sessions that we are talking about, or are they LAN-attached printers configured via WRKOUTQ or WRKDEVD on the AS/400? What type of printer(s) (make and model) are we talking about?
- Gary Patterson
ASKER
I had to install IBM iseries access for windows to connect to the AS/400, so I think that is what you are calling a client access. The printers are on our LOCAL LAN, the AS/400 is on a different network so we have to start an access session with the AS/400 to connect the device (printer) to the AS/400 to establish a connection. The session that we start will stay connected for as long as we want, or at least its saying connected. The problem is that the AS/400 will only keep the printer ACTIVE for about 7 minutes with no activity. If we disconnect and reconnect the session it will change back to active again. We do use the wrkcfgsts, wrkoutq, and wrkdevd commands on the AS/400 to work with the printers. We have several different model printers that we are using such as Printronix 5010, Genicom 3840 EP, Printronix Pro Line Series 5 are some of them. I'm sorry that I cant tell you more, I just dont know enough about these sessions and AS/400. I attached the text of the session configuration that we run to connect the printer and AS/400, but like I said it says connected as long as we want it to be or thats what it is telling us.
printer.txt
printer.txt
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ASKER
You are the MAN! As soon as I read number 6 I knew that sounded like the fix! Thank you so much for your time!
I got to show those AS/400 Administrators something! HA HA
Thank You Again
-Chris Martineau
I got to show those AS/400 Administrators something! HA HA
Thank You Again
-Chris Martineau
ASKER
Number 6 fixed my problem!
Chris,
Happy I could help.
Play nice and try not to make the AS/400 admins cry.
- Gary Patterson
Happy I could help.
Play nice and try not to make the AS/400 admins cry.
- Gary Patterson
How have you created your printer ? Is it by creating a printer session trough Client Access software ? In that case, you might be interrupted by QINACTITV system value (type wrksysval QINACTITV, if the value is different than zero, this mean you are using this feature and the system will disconnect inactive session after the time value.
But if you have created a printer using CRTOUTQ or CRTDEVPRT, the system shouldn't stop the printer.
Try to create the printer like this:
CRTDEVPRT DEVD(P999P01) DEVCLS(*LAN) TYPE(3812) MODEL(1) LANATTACH(*IP) PORT(9100) FONT(11) FORMFEED(*AUTOCUT) PARITY(*NONE) STOPBITS(1) TRANSFORM(*YES) MFRTYPMDL(*HP5) RMTLOCNAME('999.999.999.99
*Attention, this suggestion is for HP5 printer...
If you have a different model, choose one in the following link:
http://www-912.ibm.com/s_dir/slkbase.NSF/10aab18fc58a76b486256838006ae1e0/b44a2cf4ba778d83862568250053649f?OpenDocument
Use the STRPRTWTR command to start it.
If I'm totally out of bound, it's because I didn't really catch your question.
I both case, let me know if it helped or if I can give you more info.
Lewis