IP Services: Plan for the change of greater than 8 characters for the FTP password

Description: Before z/OS V1R13 an FTP password greater than 8 characters was truncated to 8 characters. Starting with V1R13, the z/OS FTP server supports password phrases. This support passes the provided password to the installation security product without any truncation.

The lack of the truncation might cause the FTP server SAF call to fail. By applying the PTF for APAR PM62213 in z/OS V1R13, FTP has been modified to support a new server FTP.DATA statement called PASSPHRASE. It indicates whether the FTP server supports logging into FTP with password phrases. The parameters are:

TRUE: The FTP server allows an FTP client to log into FTP with a password phrase. This is the default.
FALSE: The FTP server does not allow an FTP client to log into FTP with a password phrase.

To expect the same behavior as in earlier releases to z/OS V1R13, you need to specify FALSE explicitly.

Element or feature:

Communications Server.

When change was introduced:

z/OS V1R13.

Applies to migration from:

z/OS V1R12.

Timing:

Before installing z/OS V2R1.

Is the migration action required?

Yes, if you are not using passphrases and wish the existing behavior (before z/OS V1R13) to remain.

Target system hardware requirements:

None.

Target system software requirements:

None.

Other system (coexistence or fallback) requirements:

None.

Restrictions:

None.

System impacts:

None.

Related IBM Health Checker for z/OS check:

None.

Steps to take: Decide if you need Communications Server to continue the truncation of passwords for FTP or not. If you would like no truncation and intend to use passphrases for FTP, then the default is acceptable for you. If you wish to override the default value and have the z/OS FTP server truncate passwords longer than 8 characters, then override the default for PASSPHRASE in FTP.DATA.

Reference information: For information, see the following: See z/OS V2R1.0 Communications Server: IP Configuration Reference.