Connect:Express Interoperability

Configuration guide for interoperability between PeSIT Wizard and IBM Sterling Connect:Express (CX).

Overview

PeSIT Wizard is fully compatible with Connect:Express for bidirectional transfers:

Direction	Source	Destination	Status
CX → PW Server	Connect:Express	PeSIT Wizard Server	✅ Validated
PW Client → CX	PeSIT Wizard Client	Connect:Express	✅ Validated

Prerequisites

Connect:Express

Version 1.5.x or higher
PeSIT license activated
Access to $sterm, $p1b8preq commands

PeSIT Wizard

Server or Client version 1.0.0+
Java 21+

Configuration CX → PW Server

This configuration allows Connect:Express to send files to PeSIT Wizard Server.

1. Create the partner in CX

bash

# Using the cx-setup-partner tool
./cx-setup-partner PWSERVER pw-server 05001 PWSRV01

# Or manually via $sterm:
# C P (Create Partner)
# Symbolic name: PWSERVER
# Nature: T (TCP/IP)
# Protocol: 3 (PeSIT)
# TCP Host: pw-server (or IP)
# TCP Port: 05001
# DPCSID: PWSRV01

Important parameters:

Parameter	Value	Description
Nature	`T`	TCP/IP (or `S` for SSL)
Protocol	`3`	PeSIT
Session Table	`1`	Default session table
Max Links	`10`	Max simultaneous sessions
Link Type	`M`	Mixed (initiator + responder)

2. Create the virtual file in CX

bash

# Using the cx-setup-file tool
./cx-setup-file PWSEND T /tmp/cx-send PWSERVER BV 04096

# Or via $sterm:
# C F (Create File)
# Symbolic name: PWSEND
# Direction: T (Transmit)
# DSN: /tmp/cx-send/&REQNUMB
# Partner: PWSERVER
# Format: BV (Binary Variable) or **
# Record length: 04096

3. Configure PW Server

yaml

# application.yml (PW Server)
pesitwizard:
  server:
    port: 5001
    server-id: PWSRV01

Create the CX partner:

bash

curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/v1/config/partners \
  -u admin:admin \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "id": "CETOM1",
    "description": "Connect:Express",
    "enabled": true,
    "accessType": "BOTH"
  }'

Create the virtual file:

bash

curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/v1/config/files \
  -u admin:admin \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "id": "PWSEND",
    "direction": "RECEIVE",
    "receiveDirectory": "/data/received",
    "receiveFilenamePattern": "from_cx_${transferId}",
    "enabled": true
  }'

4. Test the transfer

bash

# From CX, send a file
$p1b8preq /SFN=PWSEND/SPN=PWSERVER/DIR=T/DSN=/path/to/file.dat

# Verify on PW Server
ls -la /data/received/

Configuration PW Client → CX

This configuration allows PeSIT Wizard Client to send files to Connect:Express.

1. Configure CX as server

Verify that CX is listening on the PeSIT port:

bash

netstat -tlnp | grep 5000
# Or
$sterm
# Then: D S (Display System)

Create the partner for PW Client:

bash

./cx-setup-partner PWCLIENT pw-client 08080 PWSRV01

Create the virtual file for reception:

bash

./cx-setup-file PWRECV R /tmp/cx-received PWCLIENT ** 04096

Note: Use FORMAT=** to accept any format sent by PW Client.

2. Configure PW Client

Add the CX server:

bash

curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/v1/servers \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "cx-server",
    "host": "cx-server",
    "port": 5000,
    "serverId": "CETOM1",
    "description": "Connect:Express Server",
    "tlsEnabled": false,
    "enabled": true
  }'

3. Send a file

bash

curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/api/v1/transfers/send \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "server": "cx-server",
    "partnerId": "PWSRV01",
    "filename": "/data/send/test.dat",
    "remoteFilename": "PWRECV",
    "syncPointsEnabled": true
  }'

Compatibility Parameters

Entity Size (PI_25)

PW and CX negotiate the maximum FPDU size:

System	Default Value	Recommendation
PW Server	32768	OK
PW Client	32768	OK
CX	4096	Increase if possible

The negotiated value will be the minimum of the two. For better performance, configure CX with a higher value in the session table.

Record Format

CX Format	Description	PW Compatibility
`BV`	Binary Variable	✅ Recommended
`BF`	Binary Fixed	✅ OK
`TV`	Text Variable	✅ OK
`TF`	Text Fixed	✅ OK
`**`	Any format	✅ Flexible

Sync Points

Sync points are supported for restart after interruption:

yaml

# PW Client - enable sync points
syncPointsEnabled: true

# CX - configure the interval in the session table
# Typically 100KB or 256KB

CX Troubleshooting

Check CX Status

bash

# Monitor status
$sterm
# D S (Display System)

# List partners
# L P (List Partners)

# List virtual files
# L F (List Files)

# View transfers in progress
# L R (List Requests)

CX Logs

bash

# Main log
tail -f $TOM_DIR/log/tom.log

# Request log
$p1b8pret /RQN=<request_number>

Common Errors

CX Error	Cause	Solution
`RTCF 0017`	Duplicate entry	Partner/file already exists
`RTCF 0004`	Not found	Check the exact name
`RTCF 0008`	Invalid parameter	Check the syntax
`CONNECT refused`	Auth failed	Check DPCSID/password
`File not found`	Unknown virtual file	Create the file in CX

Connectivity Test

bash

# From the CX machine to PW Server
nc -zv pw-server 5001

# From PW to CX
nc -zv cx-server 5000

TLS Configuration (Advanced)

CX with SSL

To enable TLS between PW and CX:

Change the partner nature from T (TCP) to S (SSL):

memcpy(param->uni.zreq_tom_part.nature, "S", 1);

Configure the SSL parameters (SSLPARM1, SSLPARM2) in CX
Import certificates via CX scripts:
- CXAPISCA - API certificate
- CXROOTCA - Root CA certificate
- SSLPARM1 - SSL parameters

Configure PW with the corresponding certificates:

yaml

pesit:
  ssl:
    enabled: true
    keystore-name: cx-compatible-keystore
    truststore-name: cx-ca-truststore

Note: TLS configuration with CX requires thorough testing for cipher suite and TLS version compatibility.

Docker Integration Tests

A complete Docker environment is available for testing interoperability:

bash

cd integration-tests/cx-integration/docker

# Start the environment
docker compose up -d

# Run the tests (16 tests)
docker compose up test-runner

# View the results
docker compose logs test-runner

Included Tests

Phase	Tests	Description
1	5	CX → PW Server (small, 5MB, config)
2	3	PW Client → CX (small, 5MB, health)
3	1	Sync points (10MB with MD5)
4	1	Concurrent transfers (3x simultaneous)
5	3	Error handling
6	3	Edge cases (empty, spaces, 1 byte)

Compatibility Matrix

Feature	PW ↔ PW	PW ↔ CX	Notes
SEND Transfer	✅	✅
RECEIVE Transfer	✅	✅
Sync Points	✅	✅
Restart/Resume	✅	✅	After sync points fix
Simple TLS	✅	⚠️	To be validated
mTLS	✅	⚠️	To be validated
Compression	✅	❓	Not tested
Multi-article DTF	✅	✅
Files > 1GB	✅	✅	Tested up to 10MB

Connect:Express Interoperability ​

Overview ​

Prerequisites ​

Connect:Express ​

PeSIT Wizard ​

Configuration CX → PW Server ​

1. Create the partner in CX ​

2. Create the virtual file in CX ​

3. Configure PW Server ​

4. Test the transfer ​

Configuration PW Client → CX ​

1. Configure CX as server ​

2. Configure PW Client ​

3. Send a file ​

Compatibility Parameters ​

Entity Size (PI_25) ​

Record Format ​

Sync Points ​

CX Troubleshooting ​

Check CX Status ​

CX Logs ​

Common Errors ​

Connectivity Test ​

TLS Configuration (Advanced) ​

CX with SSL ​

Docker Integration Tests ​

Included Tests ​

Compatibility Matrix ​

Connect:Express Interoperability

Overview

Prerequisites

Connect:Express

PeSIT Wizard

Configuration CX → PW Server

1. Create the partner in CX

2. Create the virtual file in CX

3. Configure PW Server

4. Test the transfer

Configuration PW Client → CX

1. Configure CX as server

2. Configure PW Client

3. Send a file

Compatibility Parameters

Entity Size (PI_25)

Record Format

Sync Points

CX Troubleshooting

Check CX Status

CX Logs

Common Errors

Connectivity Test

TLS Configuration (Advanced)

CX with SSL

Docker Integration Tests

Included Tests

Compatibility Matrix