Web Express Logon provides an automated way for users to log on
to FTP hosts by providing a central repository for storing and retrieving
user's credentials. Although this process is similar to configuring
Web Express Logon in a vault-style environment , this type of automation
is different because the user's credentials are retrieved from the
CMS at the time the connection is established. In other words, it
does not require a macro. Currently, Z and I Emulator for Web allows you to
store a user's ID and password statically in the FTP configuration;
however, Web Express Logon extends this approach by automating the
user credential retrieval process.
Web Express Logon in an FTP login environment illustrates the overall process of
connection-based automation in an FTP login environment:
Figure 1. Web Express Logon in an FTP login environment
The user clicks a link to launch the Z and I Emulator for Web desktop, which
sends an HTTPS request through the network security application to
the Web server.
The Web server returns the HTTPS request, and the Z and I Emulator for Web desktop
displays.
The user attempts to launch an FTP session.
The FTP session sends an HTTPS request to the CMS to obtain the
FTP credentials.
The CMS retrieves the user's network ID from the Network Security
plug-in.
The CMS passes the network ID to the Vault HCM plug-in.
Using the network ID, the Vault HCM plug-in calls upon a database,
such as IBM DB2, to map the user's host ID and request the user's
password.
The Vault HCM plug-in returns the FTP user ID and password to
the CMS.
The CMS returns the FTP credentials to the client as an XML document.
The FTP login completes and displays the FTP server's file listings.
