A server interoperates with another server when you exchange data or when you save and restore objects. Review the supported combinations of OS/400® and i5/OS™ releases.
Interoperability is the ability of one system to exchange data or objects with another system. The exchange can be performed electronically or by physical media (such as tape). Either system can initiate the exchange.
A server interoperates with another server when it exchanges data or when it saves and restores objects.
If you have several servers in a network, they must be at compatible releases. This is necessary if objects and data are to be interchanged between systems. You can use option 10 (Display licensed programs) on the Work with Licensed Programs menu (type GO LICPGM) to see the installed release of your licensed programs.
The releases on servers must all be supported when data is exchanged
The source system (the system that sends the information) and the target system (the system that receives the information) must be within the supported releases.
For example, PCs that have V5R4M0 IBM® eServer™ iSeries™ Access for Windows® installed support functions on servers running i5/OS (OS/400) V5R2 or later.
Requirements for saving and restoring objects to be interoperable with previous releases
To be interoperable, objects must be saved by specifying either a specific release or *PRV for the value of the target release (TGTRLS) parameter.
You can save and restore licensed programs just like other objects as long as the release is compatible with the operating system release. Licensed program releases and sizes contains more information about compatible releases of licensed programs.
For more information on supported combinations of i5/OS (OS/400)
releases or saving objects to a system that is running a previous release,
see the section on release-to-release support in the Backup and Recovery 
manual.