Remote Access Server (RAS)

Remote Access Server (RAS) is a network service for IBM i that provides secure and performant access to data and objects. RAS provides an alternative method for IBM i connectivity that can be used in place of packages such as:

• Profound.js IBM i Connector

• IBM i Access ODBC Driver

• IBM Mapepire

RAS provides access to Node.js applications, via the ras-js client for Node.js. Clients for other programming languages may be added in the future.

Why RAS?

• Performance. RAS is designed, tested, and verified to perform better or as well as the options above in most scenarios.

• Features. RAS is intended to provide a broader set of capabilities compared to some of the above options.

  • With ODBC and Mapepire you can only run SQL statements.

  • With RAS, you can run SQL statements and more. The ability to perform dynamic program, procedure, and CL command calls and pass parameters in/out (and more) is in plan for future RAS releases.

• Support. RAS is backed by Profound Logic support, where IBM Mapepire is an open source project.

Getting Started with RAS

• Install RAS server on any IBM i systems that you want to connect to from a remote system.

• Install ras-js client for Node.js on any systems that you want to connect from.

• ras-js can also be used on IBM i without RAS server to connect to Db2 via a native interface. Connections can be made to the local database, or to remote IBM i databases defined in the system’s Relational Database Directory.