Change network attributes

Network attributes describe the local system name, the default local location name, the default control point name, the local network identifier, and the network node type. If the machine is an end-node, the attributes also contain the names of the network servers that are used by this iSeries™ system. Network attributes also determine whether the system uses HPR, or whether you want to use virtual controllers for APPN.

To change the network attributes, do the following:

  1. Vary off all APPC and host controllers. The easiest way to do this is to use: 
    VRYCFG CFGOBJ(*APPN) CFGTYPE(*CTL)
       STATUS(*OFF) RANGE(*NET)
    Note:
    When using automatic creation of controllers on LANs and you vary off the controllers, you have approximately 2 minutes before the iSeries automatically varies on the controllers again. If you have many configuration objects, temporarily turn off APPN auto-creation on the LAN line by using the command CHGLINxxx AUTOCRTCTL(*NO), where xxx is TRN, ETH, DDI, or WLS. When you have changed the necessary network attribute, use the command CHGLINxxx AUTOCRTCTL(*YES) to resume normal APPN function.
  2. Type the Change Network Attributes (CHGNETA) command on any iSeries command line and press F4.
  3. Use the online help information to complete the parameter values.
  4. Press the Enter key. The network attributes are changed.
  5. Vary on all the controllers that were varied off in the first step. Use: 
    VRYCFG CFGOBJ(*PRVCFGTYPE) CFGTYPE(*CTL)
       STATUS(*ON) RANGE(*NET)
Note:
The VRYCFG of *APPN will find all APPN controllers and devices on the system and will try to vary them off. The VRYCFG with *PRVCFGTYPE will then try to vary them all on.

Configuring APPN virtual controllers

On the iSeries, local applications that need to establish LU 6.2 sessions to other locations in the APPN network require an APPC device description that specifies APPN(*YES). For simplicity, these devices are referred to as APPN devices. Multiple device descriptions can be created and used simultaneously to communicate between the same local location and the remote location pair. After a session is established, the controller description continues to use the same APPN device description for the life of that session.

To configure virtual controllers, do the following:

After this is done, existing APPN device descriptions (attached to a real controller description) will no longer be used.

If you do not want to use virtual APPN support:

  1. Vary off the attached controller
  2. Change the ALWVRTAPPN network attribute
  3. Vary the controller back on

The APPN device can now be varied on.

Note:
This does not affect HPR since it always uses virtual APPN support.

If you are using the HPR tower option (RTP):

  1. Vary off all APPN controllers. Use: 
    VRYCFG CFGOBJ(*APPN) CFGTYPE(*CTL)
       STATUS(*OFF) RANGE(*NET)
  2. Set the Allow HPR transport tower support (ALWHPRTWR) parameter to (*YES)
  3. Vary on all your APPN controllers. Use: 
    VRYCFG CFGOBJ(*PRVCFGTYPE) CFGTYPE(*CTL)
       STATUS(*ON) RANGE(*NET)

Configuring APPN using Branch Extender

To use Branch Extender, see the page Configuring Branch Extender support.

For more information about Branch Extender, see the page Designing an APPN and HPR network to optimize communications performance.

Considerations for system names

Use caution when you use names with the special characters # (X'7B'), $ ('5B'), and @ ('7C'). These special characters might not be on the keyboard of the remote system. These special characters are not supported for APPC over TCP/IP (network IDs and location names only). The use of these symbols should be limited to migration of the operating system. Do not use these characters for newly created names.

If you are using a national language keyboard that does not have the #, $, or @ symbols, see the appendix on national language keyboard types and the appendix on code pages in the national language keyboard types topic in the Information Center.

The names that may be exchanged with remote systems include the following: