Moderator: Thank you for joining us for our Live Expert Q&A session with Roger Pence. Roger is known throughout the industry for his open and honest comments on AS/400 technologies. He has tested the beta version of Client Access Express and will answer your questions on new features to help you determine if it's a worthwhile upgrade.

Moderator: Our first question today is...

bsheets223355: What's new in the Express beta?

Roger_Pence : The Express beta isn't a revolutionary product (in the sense that the first Express beta was). The beta is perhaps most notable for its variety of OpsNav improvements. As for the core Express product, though, it does feature a handful of improvements to its core facilities. These include the following: the ability to upload to the AS/400 from within Excel; minor enhancements to the OLE DB driver; the ability for the terminal emulator to generate unique, user-assigned names automatically (no more need for the device name macros); an ActiveX object for the Data Transfer component; and an install enhancement called EZ-Setup, which aids in the installation/setup of Domino, LDAP and the HTTP server.

kconnor615173: What connection types does the Express beta support?

Roger_Pence : TCP/IP only.

ehurley436115: Will I need V4R5 to use the Express beta?

Roger_Pence : The beta works with V4R4 or V4R5. However, you'll need V4R5 to take advantage of some of its enhancements (especially the Operations Navigator improvements).

jroche42478: Hi, Roger. I was just about to go to V4R5 in the next few weeks. I am still on the original CA V3R2 and am wondering if this is going to actually stop working on one of these releases. In other words, how fast do I need to migrate to Express?

Roger_Pence : July of 2002 is the drop-dead for the older versions of CA/400. You should set a pretty aggressive schedule between now and then to get everyone to TCP/IP and Express.

joe_biddle119367 : Any chance HOD becomes the emulator?

Roger_Pence : Unlikely. As amazing as it seems, Rochester is reinventing the Web emulator wheel with its iSeries for Web client. What are those boneheads thinking! The world needs fewer, not more, emulators!

mlewis337572: Does CA/400 support Windows 2000 and Windows ME?

Roger_Pence : The Express client does; the Win95/NT client does not.

kgattine176231: I'm confused about the various versions of CA/400 available. In plain English, what are my CA/400 options?

Roger_Pence : You have two options: iSeries Client Access Express for Windows (the XE1 client) or iSeries Client Access for Windows 95/NT (the XD1 client). Express supports TCP/IP only and is the only client to support SSL connections. It is currently the ongoing client and is expected to be around for several more years. The Win95/NT client supports SNA and ASYNC connections. Its end of service date is July 31, 2002. That means if you're a CA/400 user, you have just a little more than a year to migrate EVERYONE in your network to TCP/IP!

mbrunelli60344: Will the new version of CA/400 Express run in a browser?

Roger_Pence : No. IBM currently has a public alpha version of iSeries Access for the Web. One of these days, Rochester says this will be its Web-based client.

wheckman494651: What enhancements does the Express beta provide for OpsNav?

Roger_Pence : Many! There is Logical Partitioning (LPAR) management; more graphical user interface components, such as a command language prompter and a GUI for working with system values; database enhancements; and a TCP/IP system wizard. Be aware, though, that you'll need V4R5 to use many of these enhancements.

mtripp260501: What other differences are there between Express and the older Win95/NT client?

Roger_Pence : Express doesn't directly support mapped drives or virtual print. For those facilities, you'll need OS/400's NetServer.

dtart565218: Do I need NetServer?

Roger_Pence : Only if you need mapped drives or virtual print.

sjacobs235196: What is CWBSVD.EXE? And why is it using 99% of the CPU on my PC? I'm running Client Access for NT (V3R2M0, Service Level SF57002).

Roger_Pence : CWBSVD.EXE is the always-resident service task is used for error logging and for tracing programs that use Client Access for Windows 95/NT APIs.

sjacobs235196: When will the beta be available as a production version?

Roger_Pence : The production version of the Express beta, formally known as the V5R1M0 version of CA/500, will ship later this spring with V5R1.

cdsmith744909: Does the new Client Access provide an ODBC driver that outperforms today's ODBC driver?

Roger_Pence : The Express beta provides a handful of enhancements. As always, you should upgrade to this latest one when it goes GA to get the best support.

bbrown355439: Can 5769AC3 128 Bit Encryption be used with the 5250 Emulation to encrypt Telnet communications over the internet?

Roger_Pence : Yes, with the SSL connection.

rparent95836: With CA 3.2, a 'connect only' session could be established. We use this session for an application on a server so it could communicate to an AS/400. Now with CA Express there is not a 'connect only' option. In CA Express, what can be used in place of this?

Roger_Pence : Nothing! Express connects on a per-task basis. That the tradeoff of not having the CWB resident processes from the old client. You're only alternative is to exploit some of the password and sign-on tricks Express offers to make the connection transparent.

steven.young438803 : Why is it easier to upload to Excel than to Lotus?

Roger_Pence : For the same reason you can't transfer to MultiPlan! C'mon. No one but IBMers use Lotus 123.

bogunjem38449: Are there any known problems with Client Access V4R5M0 and Microsoft office 2000 especially related to ODBC data source?

Roger_Pence : None that I've heard of.

bbrown355439: Are 5250 telnet communications encrypted?

Roger_Pence : Only if you use SLL and Express.

topnotchsy843951: Have you gotten it to crash? Has it caused any problems on Windows machines? Any conflicts, lockups, etc?

Roger_Pence : I have not gotten the beta to crash, but I can tell it is VERY slow. Machine requirements are substantially ramped up now--minimum machine with OpsNav is a 200-MHz Pentium with 128MB of memory. On my old standby 133-MHz with 128MB of memory, the Express beta was nearly too slow to use. (That could be at least in part because it is, after all, a beta--but heed the machine requirements)

srolf469639: We are on V4R5 and using CA Express. We are having a problem with mapping a drive from the PC to the AS/400 Server. We have tried everything in IBM's manual. Any ideas?

Roger_Pence : Study the NetServer Redbook very carefully. NS is well documented there. Also beware of user ID and password conflicts. For Win9x/ME, user IDs must be the same between the MS network client and the AS/400.

pvosburgh960575: Should I install the Express beta?

Roger_Pence : No! It's a beta. Let others do IBM's dirty work while you do real work. When the GA version comes, upgrade then.

sfogarty170365: Where can I learn more about CA/400 Express?

Roger_Pence : There is a good Express Redbook available (for free download) at httpp://publib.boulder.ibm.com/pubs/pdfs/redbooks/sg245191.pdf.

bstaub374415: Is there a facilities for a dial-in connection in the new Client Access?

Roger_Pence : There isn't an Async connection, if that's what you're looking for. The only "dial-up" offered is that that can be achieved with TCP/IP (i.e. VPN or RAS)

dbolken827122: Is Client Access Express compatible with Windows 95?

Roger_Pence : Yes. It works with Win9x, Win ME, Win NT 4 and Win2K.

rlessor55218: Is there a down side for upgrading to the new version (assuming already using Express clients)?

Roger_Pence : Yes! Don't do it until it's a production version. You are not getting paid to be an IBM beta-tester!

rparent95836: We are running some applications that use the DOS version of CA. Is the DOS version still supported under V4R5 of AS/400 OS?

Roger_Pence : You need to get with the guy still using Lotus! The DOS connection is long gone.

tlillig19617: Roger, I'm confused. The beta is version 5 but the latest OS release is V4R5 does this mean that with V5R1 there will not be any additional enhancements?

Roger_Pence : The Express beta currently available is the V5R1 beta.

skinnerf305756: Is the new Operations Navigator totally "Java"?

Roger_Pence : Noooooo. It's still mostly fat Windows. Fat, slothful Windows. You'd think that Rochester, the company that told us if we didn't all learn Java we'd be flipping hamburgers, could do something about that, wouldn't you?

bbrown355439: Can the XE1 client be used as an AS/400 Console?

Roger_Pence : Y.E.S. (for those of you not into acronyms, XE1 is Express)

arlis31899: Is OS/400's NetServer an absolute requirement for Express?

Roger_Pence : Nope. You only NetServer if you need mapped drives (shared folders) or virtual print.

greg.lardinais854218 : Does the end-of-service date mean that it will no longer be support or it will not work at all?

Roger_Pence : "End-of-service" means IBM has wiped its hands of the product. If it continues to work for you, you can continue to use it. But you can whine when it breaks or when IBM releases a version of OS/400 that no longer supports whatever orphan version you're using.

rschmitt809582: What does Client Access Express give us that we don't have in Client Access 95/NT?

Roger_Pence : CA/400 Express is everything you ever wanted in a client and less. To do just a streamlined TCP/IP connection, it gives up shared folders and virtual print (and a few others).

fsamuelson926279: Can I have the beta and my current Client Express on the same test PC?

Roger_Pence : NO. Don't try it. At best it will hose your registry. At worst, it will reformat your drive.

walt90253: Does or will Express include integrated query/download and/or report/download?

Roger_Pence : The Express beta adds a nifty upload to Excel feature--it already had a nice download feature.

michael648598: If I am on the XD1 client and want to migrate to the XE1 client, is the migration safe?

Roger_Pence : Well... it has worked for me in the past but superstitiously. I vastly prefer a clean install. If you're doing 100s of PCs, be sure to check out silent install.

fordt330754: Do you feel people are moving away from 5250 display emulation and going to Operations Navigator instead? And why?

Roger_Pence : OpsNav isn't an alternative to 5250 terminal emulation.

tmorelli386171: Using Express with Win2000, is there a way to configure without typing userid and password each time you start an as400 terminal session?

Roger_Pence : There are a couple of ways, using user ID chicanery (read the help or the Redbook for details). Beware though: This generally blows big holes in workstation security.

merlinl929841: Client Access Express is unable to import Netsoft File Transfer scripts. I have to create each transfer manually. Any chance of IBM supporting this?

Roger_Pence : You'll be waiting for this longer than the guy wanting Lotus integration.

arlis31899: Is the implemention of SSL necessary for Express?

Roger_Pence : Generally not at all for local purposes. For remote connectivity, it's only necessary if you want to keep the bad guys out.

dbolken827122: When I go into OpsNav under the Client Access Network, I see NetServer up and running. Do you have to enable some function on the client side?

Roger_Pence : Yes, you need to map drives on the client side. See the NetServer Redbook.

smolinaro203424: Is the new version of OpsNav any faster? It sometimes can take 5-10 seconds to refresh an IFS folder.

Roger_Pence : Probably not fair to judge by beta performance, but my beta performance experiences have redefined "glacial."

sbarkley445295: What are the OpsNav improvements?

Roger_Pence : There are TONS of OpsNav improvements. As near as I can tell, that's really what got attention paid to it. Disk management, Management centry, Network work, a cool little "taskpad" window, lots of TCP/IP stuff, LPAR management, and some cool DB stuff are all new in the Express beta and coming in V5R1. Beware though: Many of these new functions don't work in with V4R4 or V4R5.

alanderson265538: Are there any public reviews of the Alpha version of Access for the Web?

Roger_Pence : None that I know of. If it were me, I'd sit real tight on this product for a while. You're too busy to worry about Alphas, let alone Betas (and the alpha doesn't even include a terminal emulator!)

bbrown355439: Is the Client Access PC Organizer supported for remote Commands?

Roger_Pence : Nope. PCO is dead and gone.

bbrown355439: Is there a way to tell if a NetServer profile is disabled?

Roger_Pence : I don't think there's a way to do it automatically. You need to manually check OS/400 user profile.

cwebb31457: What are possible causes of long wait time to bring up sign-on, using Express and fairly beefy PC? (30-45 second wait)

Roger_Pence : This has been a recurring question today from several users. I'm gonna check more into this. On my Mod 170, with a 400-MHz PC, the connection time isn't too bad. Send me mail at rp@rogerpence.com to follow up on this.

Roger_Pence : Thank you all for asking questions. For what it's worth, in my advanced old age, I am starting to worry if I'm offending anyone. Naw, just kidding.

Roger_Pence : If we didn't get to your question, follow up with personally at rp@rogerpence.com

Roger_Pence : Thank you all