File Transfer

UPSTREAM’s high performance and reliability is now available for file transfers between workstation/servers and the UPSTREAM Storage Server. File transfer allows native Storage Server files and workstation/server files to be interchanged outside of the backup/restore facility of UPSTREAM.

File transfer is not available in the UPSTREAM Reservoir; it is only available with UPSTREAM Storage Server. In the Reservoir you can use Host Reporting to access the Reservoir usserver.log file.

File transfer features on the workstation/server side allow:

• Selectable ASCII/EBCDIC translation.
  
• Selectable record blocking by carriage return/line feed (or just line feed for UNIX) or any other character with or without truncation or fixed record length blocking.
  
• Full workstation/server or Storage Server scheduled automation.
  
• Bi-directional transfers using the UPSTREAM SOS Local Backup disk.
  

File transfer features on the Storage Server side allow:

• Disk or Tape transfers
  
• Automatic file creation for sends
  
• GDGs
  
• Integration with Storage Server security
  
• Variable length records or, for sends only, fixed length and undefined records
  
• Sequential files or PDS members.
  

This facility is particularly useful to transferring workstation/server logs and report files to the Storage Server. You can specify that the workstation/server delete the log or report file after it has been transmitted thus removing the need for USLOGCLR and allowing Storage Server interrogation of workstation/server activity.

Using File Transfer

UPSTREAM Storage Server Setup

To use file transfer, you must define a backup profile on the Storage Server that defines defaults for file transfer. File transfer profiles cannot be used for backups and backup profiles cannot be used for file transfer. There is a parameter in Profile Configuration, File Transfer Profile Only that should be checked for backup profiles designated for file transfer (this field is grayed until you check Disk or Tape and uncheck Merge backups); a similar parameter is available on the ISPF panel: TRANSFER=YES.

The backup profile definition allows you to determine whether you wish to enable file transfers for disk and/or tape as well as default creation options (for workstation/server sends) such as whether the created files are GDGs, the prefix names, storage classes, retention periods, etc. Once the backup profile has been defined and activated you can specify a file transfer.

Workstation/Server-to-z⁄OS Transfers

Since any workstation/server file may have variable-length records, a file transferred to z⁄OS is be placed in a z⁄OS disk or tape data set in variable format (RECFM=VB). The LRECL of the output data set is the RECORDSIZE specified at the workstation/server when the transfer is initiated (+4 for the variable format length fields) and the BLKSIZE is the value of DASDBLK in the associated file transfer profile which must be at least RECORDSIZE+8. The size of the individual records depends on options chosen, as described below.

When the transfer is initiated, the name of the input workstation/server file, transfer options, and disk or tape output is indicated. The data set name of the output z⁄OS data set can optionally be specified; if omitted, the sequential disk or sequential tape name from the associated profile is used.

If the output is a sequential data set or a GDG generation it is allocated as a new data set with the DCB characteristics shown above and cataloged by UPSTREAM. The options in the file transfer profile for sequential disk or sequential tape backups is used to allocate the data set (except for the name, if overridden). If you override the z⁄OS name with a GDG name you must specify “(+1)” at the end of the name, e.g., “A.B.C(+1)”. You can also output to a member of an existing PDS (partitioned data set) if you specify a member name at the end of the name, e.g., “A.B.C(MEMBER1)”, but that PDS must have the proper DCB characteristics (RECFM=VB and an appropriate LRECL and BLKSIZE). The output PDS must be preallocated, UPSTREAM never allocate a PDS.

If the file being transferred is a text file, you can request ASCII to EBCDIC translation; this is enabled by default.

Since text files are usually broken into records delimited by a CR/LF (just LF alone on UNIX systems), you can request that UPSTREAM scan for those delimiters and transmit the individual records (with the delimiters removed); this results in a z⁄OS file with the same records as the workstation/server file. This option is also enabled by default, but if it is not used, the transmitted file is considered to be a continuous set of data bytes, and delimiters are not removed. Since z⁄OS requires that data sets consist of individual records, UPSTREAM breaks the transmitted data in records of the size specified by RECORDSIZE. For example, if RECORDSIZE is 6000, the z⁄OS data set consists of variable length records, which are all 6000 bytes in length (except the last).

If you are transmitting a non-text (binary) file, you must turn off the EBCDIC translation option and probably not use the record delimiter option. However, unless you have detailed knowledge of the format of the binary file, the transferred file is probably useful only if you later transfer it back to a workstation/server.

z⁄OS-to-Workstation/Server Transfers

When transferring a file from z⁄OS to a workstation/server, the z⁄OS input data set may have any record format (fixed, variable, or undefined). It must be a sequential disk or tape data set (including GDG generations) or a member of a PDS. When the transfer is initiated, the name of the output workstation/server file and the transfer options are specified. The data set name of the input z⁄OS data set can optionally be specified and most of the time it must be given. If omitted, the name of the output z⁄OS data set from the most recent transfer to z⁄OS under the transfer profile name is used as input, but this works only if the option to record the transfer to z⁄OS was chosen; this might be useful to transfer a file from one workstation/server and then transfer it back to one or more additional workstation/servers. If no transfer has been recorded under the transfer profile name used, the input z⁄OS name must be given.

UPSTREAM automatically allocates the specified input data set using the z⁄OS catalog. You do not need to specify if it is on tape or disk.

If the file being transferred is a text file, you can request EBCDIC to ASCII translation; this is enabled by default.

Since text files are usually broken into records delimited by a CR/LF (just LF alone on UNIX systems), you can request that UPSTREAM transmit the individual records from the z⁄OS data set with the appropriate delimiters inserted; this results in a workstation/server file with the same records as the z⁄OS file. This option is also enabled by default, but if it is not used the transmitted file is considered to be a continuous set of data bytes and all bytes in the file are transmitted without delimiters. Individual records in the z⁄OS data set are combined in the workstation/server file.

If you are transmitting a non-text (binary) file, you must turn off the EBCDIC translation option and probably not use the record delimiter option.

File Transfer Security

Because UPSTREAM file transfer can be used to transfer to or from any sequential z⁄OS data set, security for file transfer is different from normal UPSTREAM security. If SECLVL=1 or more is specified in the z⁄OS Storage Server configuration, a security userid and password must be associated with the file transfer requires. All access to z⁄OS data sets are verified under that userid, so it must have CREATE authority to the z⁄OS names for transfer to z⁄OS, and READ authority for transfer to the workstation/server.

File Transfer Dialog

There is an option in the Action menu, File Transfer that can be used for workstation/server specification of file transfers, and a similar ISPF panel available through the USTBATCH facility.

File Transfer

Send/Receive

Press the Send radio button if you wish to send a workstation/server file to the Storage Server; press the Receive radio button if you wish to receive a Storage Server file. The default is Send.

Backup Profile

Specify the backup profile name which contains the defaults you wish to use for this file transfer. For receives, this can be any name not used for backups. This field is required. There is no default.

Record Size

Record sizes can be important in workstation/server sends as all Storage Server files are blocked into logical records. If you check Each Line is a Separate Record (below), then this is the longest line that is transmitted; otherwise the record size is the exact number of bytes for each record on the Storage Server. The default is 8192, but record sizes of 80 bytes (for text files) are also common.

Local Backup

Press this button to specify FDRSOS Local Backups (if you have purchased this facility). Local Backup displays the local backup dialog. See Chapter 13 “UPSTREAM SOS - SAN Express Passthru” for how to specify a local backup disk.

More

Press this button to specify additional file transfer parameters such as user defined translation tables, Novell Profiles, etc.

PC File Name

Enter the name of the source file for Sends and the destination file for Receives. For sends, the file list below is used to help fill in this field. Wild-cards are not allowed. This operand is required. The default is blank.

Host File Name

Enter the name of the destination file for Sends and the source file for Receives. You can leave this field blank if you wish to have the Storage Server assign a name using the UPSTREAM convention that is the profile defined prefix and a random suffix for non-GDGs. The default is Blank for Storage Server file name and is required only for receives.

• z⁄OS file names are a maximum of 44 characters, are multi-level and have dot separators (for example BOB.TEST). Sequential files use these names. If you leave this field blank, the Storage Server creates the file name for sends, or uses the most recent recorded file transfer for receives.
  
• GDGs (generation data groups) are Storage Server file names with a generation suffix number in parentheses. For sends, the suffix must be +1 (for example, BOB.GDG(+1)). For receives the suffix must be 0 or negative (for example, BOB.GDG(-1)).
  
• PDSs (partitioned data sets) are a single large entity that holds a number of entries within it (somewhat similar to a directory) and are specified as Storage Server names with an 8 or less character entry in parentheses (for example, BOB.PDS(ENTRY)). UPSTREAM requires that the PDS be preallocated for sends, but the entry can either pre-exist or be created.
  

File List

You can use the mouse or keyboard to help you select files to send in the same manner as selecting files for backup. The list is grayed for receives.

To Disk/Tape

Select Disk if you wish to write your file on Storage Server disk; select Tape if you wish to write your file on Storage Server tape. This field is grayed for receives.

Translate to EBCDIC (ASCII)

Check this box if you wish to translate workstation/server readable ASCII to Storage Server readable EBCDIC for sends or vice-versa for receives. In most cases, check this box for text files and uncheck for binary files. The text of this message changes for sends and receives (Translate to EBCDIC for sends and Translate to ASCII for receives). The default is checked.

UPSTREAM supports user loaded translation tables and we recommend their use in situations where data is not translated as expected.

Each Line is a Separate Record

For sends, check this box if you wish to block workstation/server files into separate records based on lines (carriage return/line feed for PCs and line feed for UNIX systems); do not check this box if you wish to block the workstation/server file into records based on a fixed size (the record size). For receives, check this box if you wish to have UPSTREAM add a carriage return/line feed (line feed only for UNIX) after each received line; do not check this box if you do not want line delimiters added. Most users check this box for text files and uncheck it for binary files. If this box is not checked, the two check-boxes below are grayed. The default is checked.

Remove Trailing Blanks

Check this box if you wish trailing blanks on each line to be removed for both sends and receives. The default is Checked.

Truncate

Check this box if you wish records that are longer than the record size to be truncated (data which is too long is removed); do not check if you wish remaining characters in a line transmitted as the next record (data that is too long is transmitted, increasing the number of lines). This field is unavailable for receives. The default is checked.

Process carriage returns

Check this box if you wish records with trailing carriage returns to have them stripped from the end of the record. The default is checked for PC systems and unchecked for UNIX systems with standard handling of text files.

Record separator (decimal)

Specifies the record separator if you have specified Each line is a separate record above. Most of the time you want to use the line feed (decimal 10).

Attended

If you check Attended, it is assumed that this is an attended file transfer. Do not check this box if you are building a parameter file for unattended file transfers. The default is checked.

Record on host for workstation/server restore

Check this box if you wish to have the Storage Server record this information for easy workstation/server recovery in which the workstation/server does not have to know the Storage Server file name. This field is grayed for receives. The default is checked.

Delete local file after transfer

Check this box if you wish to delete the file after a successful file send. Note that this parameter is automatically unchecked after a send. The default is unchecked.

A file transfer visually appears as a standard backup or restore with a status screen, logging and reporting.

Other File Transfer Features

File transfers can be automated in the same way as any other UPSTREAM function; from the command line, utilizing the workstation/server scheduler, from the Storage Server, etc.

Reporting is available in file transfer and is specified in a backup or restore More dialog.