Filebutler for z/OS
Filebutler for z/OS is a File Gateway to the Open World
Initial situation
The transfer of z/OS datasets, especially VBS Datasets, via FTP is a repeating challenge in our daily work.
There is no standard possibility available on the market to read VBS datasets, to transfer them via FTP and to make them available again as VBS dataset on the target system. The transfer of VBS datasets becomes necessary, for example, when SMF data from mutually isolated systems are to be backed up decentrally at a common location via TCP/IP-based protocols and made available again as VBS datasets when required.
The user is completely left to his own devices if the data transfer is also to be packed and encrypted.
Solution
Filebutler for z/OS, runs directly on the z/OS
and can write VBS datasets there directly by using BSAM calls.
Filebutler is a file transfer framework that allows fully automatic operation of file transfers. Fully automatic means, among other things, that restarts are automatically performed in the event of faulty transfers. Only when the transfer has detected a certain number of failures, an error message (SNMP, SMTP) is sent. Only in this case manual intervention is required. This procedure reduces the operation effort considerably. The service checks in regular intervals whether new files are available for transfer. For this purpose own transfer checkpoints are used. There is also a transfer log to keep track of the transferred files at any time. The various settings and checkpoints are managed via an integrated web interface.
Beside the fully automatic operation there is also the single transfer operation. Here the caller is responsible for everything (alerting, restart, logging, etc.) outside the transfer.
A picture is worth a thousand words…
In the following some concrete scenarios are shown, in which Filebutler is used in concrete customer projects.
Illustration of the use of Filebutler for the regular transfer of VBS datasets.
The diagram describes a scenario in which Filebutler is used to regularly transfer VBS datasets from remote systems via TCP/IP and to store them on a file server for further use. From here, the datasets can be made available again as VBS datasets at any time using Filebutler.
Schematic representation of Filebutler as an archive solution in the cloud
Cloud systems can be used for inexpensive storage of the datasets as an archive solution.
Schematic representation of Filebutler via email
Even email is suitable as a transfer medium for VBS datasets.
Where can Filebutler be used?
Filebutler is a pure Java application and can be used on the following platforms:
- z/OS
- Windows
- Linux
- Solaris
Which protocols does Filebutler support?
Filebutler currently supports the following protocols:
- FTP
- FTP/s
- sFTP
- SMB V1, V2, V3
- SMTP
- POP, IMAP
- SVN (Subversion)
- Cloud Storage
Features on the z/OS platform
In addition to the standard features, here we look at the additional features on the z/OS platform.
- zAAP Enabled workload
- native BSAM access for z/OS dataset, e.g. VBS dataset
- Dataset allocation by SMS parameters
- Monitor service runs as STC
- z/OS Operator command support
How can Filebutler be used?
As an example of the unique features of Filebutler is the ability to write VBS dataset directly from FTP server.
To mention all the possibilities of Filebutler is beyond the scope of this blog. For more information, please contact the sales department sales@nextstride.com
Filebutler is a separately licensable component of the LARS framework.
IBM, the IBM logo, IBM Cloud, IBM z16, IBM Z, Telum and z/OS are trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, in the United States and/or other countries.