General Page
IBM i NetServer is an IBM i function that enables Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista clients to access IBM i shared directory paths and shared output queues.
ibm i netserver, i netserver,ibm netserver, windows network neighborhood, my network places
Welcome to the Neighborhood!
IBM i NetServer opens the door to file and print serving via My Network Places (formerly known as Windows Network Neighborhood). Here's more on how to get IBM i NetServer working for you and what it means to you from an end user point of view.
IBM i NetServer is integrated in IBM i (formerly System i, i5/OS, OS/400) starting with V4R2. Without any additional client software, PC clients on the network utilize the file and print-sharing functions that are included in their operating systems (e.g. My Network Places) to access IBM i NetServer. You can configure IBM i NetServer properties and the properties of IBM i NetServer file and print shares with Navigator for i. This means Navigator for i only needs to be installed on the PC that you use for administration of IBM i NetServer.
IBM i NetServer supports the Server Message Block (SMB) and Server Message Block version 2 (SMB2) protocols, through the use of Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) on the IBM i platform. This communication allows clients to access directories in the IBM i Integrated File System and output queues.
IBM i NetServer provides support for the following client operating systems:
- IBM i NetClient File System (QNTC)
- Windows 7
- Windows Server 2008 R2
- Windows 8.1
- Windows Server 2012
- Windows 10
- Linux (Samba client support)
IBM i NetServer and IBM i Access
IBM i NetServer provides specific support for accessing integrated file system and printing resources. IBM i NetServer does not provide the same range of tools and applications as IBM i Access. However, you do not need to use IBM i Access or Navigator for i to benefit from IBM i NetServer. In fact, IBM i Access utilizes IBM i NetServer in order to provide its own drive mapping and print sharing support. In V4R4 and later, IBM i NetServer provides dynamic text data conversion support (for example, EBCDIC to ASCII) for files ending in selected extensions.
You can use IBM i NetServer to easily install IBM i Access (which includes Navigator for i) on your Windows client PC.
Note: the above link will place your browser into the IBM i, System i and i5/OS Information Center. The significant differences between IBM i NetServer and the file system support that IBM i Access provides are the following:
- The operating system of the PC client contains all of the software that is required to access IBM i NetServer. IBM i NetServer does not require that you install additional software on the client unless you are administering IBM i NetServer using System i Navigator.
- IBM i NetServer allows the network administrator to share selective portions of the integrated file system tree, rather than exposing all of it. IBM i Access has no concept of shares.
- With IBM i NetServer, you can share a directory with read-only access.
- With IBM i NetServer, you can hide a share from the network by ending the share name with a '$'.
- IBM i NetServer allows you to convert file content on a file extension basis while IBM i Access does not.
Features
GO NETS command -- The GO NETS tool was written to provide a command interface to fill this need. It provides command interfaces to the IBM i NetServer APIs, and a menu over the commands.
Linux Client -- IBM i NetServer has integrated support for the Samba client running on Linux. The support extends to Linux running on various platforms, included both Intel and PowerPC (running on an IBM i partition) hardware.
Getting started
Fast-path setup -- Designed to get your IBM i NetServer configured and running quickly in your network.
API mini-guide -- IBM i NetServer is normally administered through the user interface provided in Navigator for i. However, you can also access the administration functions by calling the IBM i NetServer APIs.
Configuration through Navigator for i -- The easiest way to configure the IBM i Support for Windows Network Neighborhood (i5/OS NetServer) is via Navigator for i.
Resources
Support by release
-
Clients
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Windows for Workgroups Windows 95 Windows 98 ✔ Windows Me ✔ Windows NT 3.51 Windows NT 4.0 ✔ ✔ Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition ✔ ✔ ✔ Windows 2000 Professional ✔ ✔ ✔ Windows XP Professional ✔ ✔ ✔ Windows Server 2003 ✔ ✔ ✔Note1 Windows Vista ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Windows 7 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔Note1 ✔Note1 Windows Server 2008 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔Note1 ✔Note1 Windows 8.1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Windows 10 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Windows Server 2012 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Linux Samba 2.0.7 and later ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ -
Print serving
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 User ASCII, AFP, SCS ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Automatic sensing of the print stream for spooled file type ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Stand-alone AFP and SCS printer drivers ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Printer file support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Printer share publishing to Active Directory ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ -
File serving
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Access mode (read-only/read-write) ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Limit to maximum number of simultaneous users ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Large file support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Text converting on the fly ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Complex data conversions ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Opportunistic locks ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ SMB2 ✔ -
Starting/Jobs
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Started with QSERVER subsystem ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Started as a TCP/IP server - automatic ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Multiple subsystems for client work ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Threading support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ -
Security
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Integration with iSeries user profile ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Hide IBM i NetServer from Network Neighborhood ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Hide print and file shares from Network Neighborhood with '$' ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ NTLMv2 authentication capability ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Supports QPWDLVL (disable LANMAN passwords option) ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Kerberos ticket support for Win2000/XP ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Kerberos and encrypted password co-existence ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔note1 Message authentication/signing support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ -
NLS
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Multiple network client code page support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ SMB NT Dialect (CIFS extensions) support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ UTF-8 support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ -
Logon
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Provides domain logon services ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Domain Master Browser support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Supports IBM Networks Primary Logon Client v4.4 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Supports IBM Networks Primary Logon Client v4.5 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ -
Other
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Network Neighborhood browsing ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Guest access ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ WINS Client/Proxy ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Access allowed using iSeries system name ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Direct TCP/IP hosting on port 445 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Long username truncation/mapping ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ GO NETS command menu tool ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Informational messaging (WinPopups) ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ IPv6 Support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ -
Operations Navigator
Supported releases No longer supported Description of service or feature V7R3 V7R2 V7R1 V6R1 V5R4 V5R3 V5R2 Configuration and control window ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ File Systems->File Shares context menu shortcut ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Properties General/Advanced/WINS Tabs ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Subsystem configuration tab ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Sessions and their properties ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Session shared object status ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Shared objects and their properties ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Shared object session status ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ IBM i NetServer status ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Timed refresh for IBM i NetServer status ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Server jobs ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Disable WINS Proxy support ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Configuration Wizard ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Disabled users administration dialog ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Session identifiers ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ IFS directory permissions from file share ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
IBM i Navigator support maps to the following release:
- V5R3 OS/400 - V5R3M0 iSeries Navigator
- V5R4 i5/OS - V5R4M0 iSeries Navigator
- V6R1 System i - V6R1M0 System i Navigator
- V7R1 IBM i - V7R1M0 IBM i Navigator
Note1: Support announced after release general availability.
Document Information
Modified date:
03 May 2021
UID
isg3T1026870