I am newbie to DB2/AS400. working on an ETL project. basically, we need to "select" image files (*.bmp) stored on a AS400 server file system/share (not sure if this is the correct term but to differentiate it from a Database file/table).
I have other processes in a MS SSIS package already pulling data from this AS400 server database/tables (using MS DB2 Provider + SQL) successfully. But I do not know how to interact with AS400 file system from a Windows system. I can use the UI tool (iSerials Navigator i.e.) browse to those files.
I'd appreciate any pointer/help. Thanks.
In IBM i terminology, we would probably say that files on a shared directory in the IFS [Integrated File System]. The software that delivers files over the network from the IFS is called NetServer. You should be able to read the files from a Windows application the same way you would read any other file over the network.
If you are seeking speed by delivering them from SQL Server, you would probably get faster delivery times by storing them in a BLOB column in a DB2 table, rather than SQL Server. DB2 is generally faster than SQL Server, and faster than the IFS.
Of course all this depends on what you are doing and trying to accomplish, among other factors.