Backing up and restoring IBM i (AS/400) objects via a PC

Save AS/400 objects, copy them to a PC (or other) to send by email, duplicate on a USB drive, burn them to CD / ROM ...
And of course back up and restore on another server.

The principle is quite simple! Save objects in a SAVE FILE (SAVF), the down on a computer via FTP and use any PC as a file you can send them by email, copy them to a USB drive, burn them to CD ...

The reverse process will back the file on a remote AS/400 and restore.

This principle is widely used to exchange data between simply AS/400 software vendors and their customers, but not only because it is convenient.
We will take the example of spool files that are stored on an IBM i (OS version / 400 at least V5R4) and restored to another.

Here's how to backup.
First, start by creating the backup file, for example:
CRTSAVF QGPL / SAV_OUTQ
Then save your belongings.  Consider the version of the OS / 400 on the target system if it is below your source system (TGTRLS parameter). For example (for a backup spools, think about giving value to * ALL parameter SPLFDTA)
SAVOBJ OBJ (PMSOUTQ)
      LIB (PMS)
      DEV (* SAVF)
      SAVF (QGPL / SAV_OUTQ)
      TGTRLS (V5R4M0)
      SPLFDTA (* ALL)
The file is ready to back down on the computer.




Here is a procedure for Windows.
From a Windows command prompt, type the following FTP commands:
1) C:\> FTP  ipaddress
        Enter a profile and password that has sufficient rights to perform the transfer
2) ftp> bin
( BIN to make a transfer in binary mode)
3) ftp> quote site namefmt  0
( Type the above command to configure your FTP server to properly access libraries In the end, it is a zero!)
4) ftp> lcd  d:\ftp
( Scroll to the local directory on your computer that will receive the file with the LCD control. For example , if you wanted to place the the in D: \ FTP  then  type the above)  
5) ftp> cd qgpl
(Select the source library containing the SAVF. Foer example if your save file is in QGPL then type: CD QGPL)
6) ftp>  get  SAV_OUTQ.SAVF
7) ftp> quit
(At the end of the transfer, you can leave the FTP utility by QUIT)

Check that you have an object named SAV_OUTQ.savf in your destination directory

You can send this file by email, copy to external media ...


Restoration
Here's how to restore.
First, start by creating the backup file on the target system, for example (it is convenient to give it the same name as the original SAVF)
CRTSAVF  QGPL / SAV_OUTQ

Here is a procedure to recover the backup file from Windows.
From a Windows command prompt, type the following FTP commands:
1) C:\> FTP  ipaddress
2) ftp> bin
3) ftp> quote site namefmt  0
4) ftp> lcd  d:\ftp
5) ftp> cd qgpl
6) ftp> put SAV_OUTQ.SAVF
7) ftp> quit

Check that you have recovered the backup file with the command on target AS/400 command line:
DSPSAVF  QGPL / SAV_OUTQ
you should see an object that you have saved.

Restore the objects involved, for example:
RSTOBJ OBJ (* ALL)
      SAVLIB (* ANY)
      DEV (* SAVF)
      SAVF (QGPL / SAV_OUTQ)