Intro to AS400 Background to AS400 Best Practices Full Guide Common Commands and Quick Guide Administration Example One Example Two

Complete AS/400 Administration Best Practices & Guide

Introduction

IBM i (AS/400) is a robust enterprise system that requires diligent administration to ensure security, performance, and reliability. This guide covers best practices for AS/400 administrators.

1. System Security

  • Set security level to QSECURITY 40 or 50 to enforce strict access control.
  • Enable auditing with QAUDCTL and review logs regularly.
  • Implement strong password policies with QPWDRULES.
  • Restrict special authorities such as *ALLOBJ and *SECADM.
  • Use object-level security to limit access to critical data.

2. Performance Optimization

  • Monitor system performance with WRKSYSSTS and WRKACTJOB.
  • Optimize job scheduling with WRKJOBSCDE to balance system load.
  • Use indexing and logical files to speed up database queries.
  • Manage memory pools with WRKSHRPOOL for better resource allocation.

3. Backup & Disaster Recovery

  • Perform full system backups with SAVLIB LIB(*ALLUSR).
  • Automate backups using BRMS (Backup, Recovery & Media Services).
  • Regularly test restore procedures using RSTLIB.
  • Keep offsite backups to ensure business continuity.

4. User Management

  • Regularly review and disable inactive user profiles.
  • Set expiration dates for temporary user profiles.
  • Limit the number of users with special authorities.
  • Monitor user activity with DSPUSRPRF and DSPLOG.

5. Job & Workload Management

  • Use WRKACTJOB to monitor active jobs and end long-running ones.
  • Optimize subsystems to balance workloads efficiently.
  • Manage job queues with WRKJOBQ to prioritize important tasks.

6. System PTF & Software Updates

  • Regularly check for PTF (Program Temporary Fix) updates using WRKPTFGRP.
  • Apply patches during maintenance windows to prevent downtime.
  • Test updates in a non-production environment before applying them.

7. Database & Storage Management

  • Monitor disk space usage with WRKSYSSTS.
  • Reorganize physical files using RGZPFM to improve performance.
  • Archive historical data to free up storage space.
  • Use journaling for data recovery and integrity.

8. System Monitoring & Automation

  • Set up system logs and alerts using QSYSOPR.
  • Automate repetitive tasks with CL programs and job schedulers.
  • Use IBM Navigator for i for web-based monitoring.

9. High Availability & Scalability

  • Implement IBM PowerHA for high availability solutions.
  • Use remote journaling to replicate data across systems.
  • Plan for system scalability based on workload growth.

10. Troubleshooting & Diagnostics

  • Analyze job logs with DSPJOBLOG when issues arise.
  • Use system messages (DSPMSG) to diagnose errors.
  • Check hardware performance with WRKPRB and DSPHDWRSC.

Conclusion

Following these best practices ensures a secure, efficient, and reliable AS/400 environment. Regular monitoring, security enforcement, and performance optimizations are key to maintaining IBM i systems.