Navigator for i

Considerations:

1. There are two options to handle IPv6 connection between System i Navigator and IBM i:
   1. Using IPv6 address, or 
   2. Configuring the DNS to return the IPv6 address for the system when the hostname is used.
2. Options to add an IPv6 Central System/Endpoint:
   1. Specifying its IPv6 address. This one has to be exactly typed as in the interface configured on the server, without any other interpretation or abbreviation.
   2. Specifying its hostname that resolves the IPv6 address (this is a DNS server task configuration).
3. In order to establish an IPv6 ONLY environment connection between Central System and Endpoints, the following configuration needs to be set up:
   1. PC with IPv6 activated and System i Navigator with Service Pack 3.
   2. Central System with IPv6 configured (check B. consideration options above to add an IPv6 Central System/Endpoint).
   3. QYPS_HOSTNAME property configured with IPv6 on the Central System server.
   4. Endpoint with IPv6 configured (check B. consideration options above to add an IPv6 Central System/Endpoint).
   5. QYPS_HOSTNAME property configured with IPv6 on the Endpoint System server.
4. At 6.1 release, in order to have the correct IPv6 Endpoint address information on any Exported inventory, the QYPS_HOSTNAME property needs to be set up with the IPv6 address on the Endpoint server. Otherwise all exported inventory files will show the IPv4 Endpoint System address.

Restrictions and Limitations:

1. Even though it is possible to add an IPv4 mapped address or an invalid IPv6 address as an Endpoint System, Management Central will NOT be able to establish a successful connection with it.
2. IPv6 Central System will be able to handle the communications with IPv4 and IPv6 Endpoints configurations (this will be limited by the server configuration and specifications), but IPv4 Central System can ONLY communicate with Endpoints using IPv4 version.
3. The connections to System i Navigator and IBM i server through Management Central using IPv6 address format will ONLY be possible if the Service Pack 3 is installed on *Windows and Management Central IPv6 SI31888, SI31892, SI32720 and SI32721 PTFs are applied at IBM i 6.1 server.
   * Windows is a registered trademark.
4. To use IPv6 on System i Navigator (PC) and/or IBM i, it should be configured in the TCP/IP network. This means that if an IPv6 connection is tried to be establish between the System i Navigator (PC) and IBM i without have it configured previously the connection will FAIL.
5. For Management Central to establish successful connections (with IPv4 or IPv6) it is VERY important to have the hostname properly configured in the DNS according with the IP version to be used, because an error or inconsistency in these tables may cause connections failures.
6. For the Central System to connect back to the PC; the PC client MUST use the same IP version used at IBM i. Even if you handle both IP versions (DUAL IP), you have to specify one PC IP address (IPv4 or IPv6 only) at C:\MgmtCtrl.properties file as the value of "QYPS_HOSTNAME" property.
7. Having any of the following scenarios, the connection between Central System and Endpoints will FAIL between 6.1 releases:

Considerations:

1. Only the discover of one IP version (IPv4 or IPv6) will be available at one time.
2. For IPv4 version, only IPv4 discovery is enable (this means that systems at releases previous to 6.1 will only have IPv4 discovery enabled). For IPv6 both are enabled, but will search on one TCP/IP version at a time.
3. If Central System is being used with Dual IP, it will be possible to select any (IPv4 or IPv6), one at a time. This depends on the Central System IP configuration NOT on the PC (System i Navigator) IP configuration.
4. When IPv6 is selected, the "Earliest operating system release to search for" field will be set to V6R1M0 and user will not be able to change its value.
5. When working with System i Navigator at releases previous to 6.1 Discovery function will probably show IPv6 subnets, and Endpoints list will probably show IPv6 addresses, but this will not mean that a connection, or a discovery search on any interaction with IPv6 addresses are going to take place. If using System i Navigator previous to 6.1 and the Discovery function shows IPv6 subnet/prefix pairs; they MUST removed prior to submitting the Discovery; otherwise, the Discovery will not run successfully.
   1. If Central System host list entry does not have a hostname with an associated IPv6 address, the IPv6 address will be listed on the Endpoint panel list.
6. On the Discovery panel, user is responsible to add VALID IPv6 subnet address.
7. Discovery function will only look for those hosts in the same link-local subnet where the Central System is running at. If site-local search want to be performed extra configuration beyond Management Central is need it.
8. There will be 2 types of results after Discovery function is executed looking for hosts within IPv6 subnets:
   1. If Central System host list entry does not have a hostname with a associated IPv6 address, the IPv6 address will be listed on the Endpoint panel list.
   2. If Central System host list entry has (for any reason) an IPv6 address associated with a hostname, the hostname will be listed on the Endpoint panel list.
9. The Management Central Discovery function uses an specific non-permanently assigned multicast address (FF15::666) to find IPv6 hosts on the network. The scope of the multicast address FF15::666 is site-local.
10. The Management Central Discovery function uses an specific IPv6 port number that is 6661.

Restrictions and Limitations:

1. Even though we use a site-local multicast address, Discovery function for IPv6 will work as a link-local ONLY. Multicast site-local functionality for IPv6 Discovery depends directly on routers configurations and their multicast capacity; thus, Discovery does not guarantee, under any circumstances that it will work at a site scope.

For site search; verify all the routers configuration, multicast support and ask your network administrator.

For further information on each router contact the router manufacturer's support.

As stated before, Management Central will not guarantee a success search at site scope.

Considerations:

1. At 6.1 release Send (Users, Users Groups Fixes, Fix Groups) and System Values functions such as "Compare & Update" and "Synchronize Date and Time" will FAIL using the following configurations:

THERE is a CIRCUMVENTION, at 6.1 release when using Send and System Values functions, adding into the Endpoint "Host List Table entries" the Central System hostname with its IPv6 address, the tasks will be SUCCESS.

Restrictions and Limitations:

1. Send (Users, User Groups, Fixes, Fix Groups) and System Values functions, such as "Compare & Update" and "Synchronize Date and Time" will FAIL using the following configurations between 6.1 --> 5.4 releases:

Tasks will FAIL because 5.4 release doesn't support the addition of an IPv6 address on their "Host List Table entries", this way the Central System that is calling tasks is never recognized at the Send and System Values functions.

Considerations

1. To work with File, Job, Messages Monitors and System Values functions the QYPS_HOSTNAME property SHOULD BE configured with the corresponding PC IPv4 or IPv6 address on the C:\MgmtCtrl.properties file (according with the IP version used for connection between System i Navigator and IBM i server).

Considerations

1. System i Access for Wireless will work with IPv6 address on an URL using the following format: http://[IPv6_address]:9004/McYpvPervasive

However, it will continue working as usual when using a hostname.

Restrictions and Limitations:

1. IPv6 is supported for *Windows XP (32 and 64 bits), *Windows Vista (32 and 64 bits), and *Windows Server 2008. It is NOT supported on Windows 2000 or earlier.
   * Windows is a registered trademark.
2. System i Navigator does NOT support the connection from two instances on the same PC at a time, no matter which IP version (IPv4 or IPv6) is being used.