Prepare
- Upload AS/400 data
Guide
IBM AS/400 (now IBM i) is a widely-used midrange computer system in enterprise environments. It features an integrated database (DB2 for i) and robust business application support.
What You Can Upload
- Physical files (PF) - data exports
- Save files (
.SAVF) - Exported CSV or XML from IBM i
- DDS source files (optional, for schema)
- ZIP archive with complete file sets
What You Get Out
DataMeans extracts your data into multiple modern formats:
| Output | Description |
|---|---|
csv/{TableName}.csv | One CSV file per table with all row data |
xlsx/{TableName}.xlsx | Excel workbook per table |
xls/{TableName}.xls | Legacy Excel format per table |
json/{TableName}.json | JSON array of records per table |
json/{TableName}.jsonl | Newline-delimited JSON (streaming-friendly) |
postgres.sql | PostgreSQL CREATE TABLE + INSERT statements |
schema/schema-graph.json | Relationship graph for visualization |
schema/er-model.json | ER model for diagram tools |
report.json | Structured extraction report |
report.md | Human-readable extraction summary |
How to Export / Obtain Files
- On IBM i, use CPYTOIMPF to export physical files to CSV/IFS
- Or use SAVOBJ to create save files (
.SAVF) - FTP the exported files to your local system
- Include DDS source if available for better schema mapping
- Create a ZIP with all files
- Upload the ZIP to DataMeans
Supported Features
- Physical file (PF) data extraction
- Logical file (LF) view definitions
- DDS (Data Description Specifications) parsing
- EBCDIC to ASCII conversion
- Packed decimal and zoned decimal fields
- Date and time format conversion
- Multi-member file handling
Known Limitations
- Requires exported files (not raw disk images)
- Complex SQL stored procedures documented but not converted
- Some proprietary IBM formats may need preprocessing
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Character encoding errors | Verify EBCDIC to ASCII conversion settings |
| Date format issues | Check job date format (MDY, DMY, YMD) |
| Missing fields | Include DDS source for complete schema |
Last updated: January 2026
Technical reference
Overview
AS/400 (now IBM i) is an integrated business computer system developed by IBM, featuring a built-in relational database called Db2 for i. The system uses a proprietary object-based architecture where all resources (files, programs, devices) are treated as objects. The database supports both traditional record-oriented access and modern SQL, with advanced features like journaling, commitment control, and referential integrity.
History and Background
- 1988: AS/400 announced in June as successor to System/36 and System/38; first systems shipped in August with OS/400.
- 1994: AS/400 Advanced Series models introduced; integrated database named DB2/400.
- 1995: Product line moved to 64-bit PowerPC AS (RISC) processors.
- 2000: Renamed to eServer iSeries as part of IBM's eServer branding initiative.
- 2004: eServer i5 systems introduced with POWER5 processors; OS/400 renamed i5/OS.
- 2006: Renamed to System i.
- 2008: System i and System p merged into IBM Power Systems; i5/OS renamed IBM i with release 6.1.
- 2019: IBM i 7.4 released, introducing Db2 Mirror for i.
- 2022: IBM i 7.5 released with security enhancements and a BOOLEAN SQL data type.
File Format Specifications
Database Objects:
- Physical files: Tables containing data records
- Logical files: Views and indexes over physical files
- Source physical files: Program source code storage
- Display files: User interface definitions
- Printer files: Report output specifications
File Structure:
- Record format level identifiers for compatibility
- Field-level descriptions with data types and attributes
- Access paths defined through logical files
- Member concept allows multiple data sets per file
- Integrated file system (IFS) for stream files
Storage Architecture:
- Single-level store architecture
- Db2 for i integrated database
- Object-based security model
- Journaling for audit trails and recovery
- Commitment control for transactions
Data Types and Structures
| Type | Size | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CHAR | Fixed | Fixed-length character strings |
| VARCHAR | Variable | Variable-length character strings |
| GRAPHIC | Fixed | Fixed-length double-byte strings |
| VARGRAPHIC | Variable | Variable-length double-byte strings |
| BINARY | Fixed | Fixed-length binary data |
| VARBINARY | Variable | Variable-length binary data |
| SMALLINT | 2 bytes | 16-bit signed integers |
| INTEGER | 4 bytes | 32-bit signed integers |
| BIGINT | 8 bytes | 64-bit signed integers |
| DECIMAL | Variable | Packed decimal numbers |
| NUMERIC | Variable | Zoned decimal numbers |
| FLOAT | 4/8 bytes | Single/double precision floating point |
| DATE | 4 bytes | Date values (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| TIME | 3 bytes | Time values (HH:MM:SS) |
| TIMESTAMP | 7-13 bytes | Date and time with fractional seconds |
| BLOB | Variable | Binary large objects |
| CLOB | Variable | Character large objects |
| DBCLOB | Variable | Double-byte character large objects |
Database Features:
- Referential integrity constraints
- Check constraints and triggers
- User-defined functions and procedures
- Materialized query tables
- Row and column access control
Version Differences
| Version | Year | Key Features | OS Branding |
|---|---|---|---|
| V1R1 | 1988 | First release; integrated relational database | OS/400 |
| V3R1 | 1994 | Referential integrity, triggers; DB2/400 name | OS/400 |
| V4R1 | 1997 | AS/400e series; e-business focus | OS/400 |
| V4R4 | 1999 | Logical partitioning (LPAR) | OS/400 |
| V5R1 | 2001 | Linux in secondary logical partitions | OS/400 |
| V6R1 | 2008 | POWER6 processor support | i5/OS, renamed IBM i |
| 7.1 | 2010 | XML data type; Technology Refresh model | IBM i |
| 7.2 | 2014 | Row and column access control (RCAC) | IBM i |
| 7.3 | 2016 | Temporal tables, authority collection | IBM i |
| 7.4 | 2019 | Db2 Mirror for i | IBM i |
| 7.5 | 2022 | Security enhancements, BOOLEAN type | IBM i |
Compatibility Notes:
- Record format levels ensure application compatibility
- SQL access available alongside native I/O
- Some features require minimum OS levels
- Migration tools available for hardware upgrades
- Backward compatibility maintained for business applications
Technical References
- IBM i Documentation
- Wikipedia: IBM AS/400
- Db2 for i SQL Reference
- IBM History: The AS/400
- IBM Redbooks
To learn how to use this format with DataMeans, see the User Guide.