Preparing to use Internet service retrieval

You can use Internet Service Retrieval to submit requests for PTFs and HOLDDATA to a remote IBM® server and automatically download the packages that result when those requests are fulfilled. Use the RECEIVE ORDER command to submit an Internet Service Retrieval request to the IBM Automated Delivery Request server. SMP/E uses the hypertext transfer protocol and Secure Sockets Layer (HTTPS) to communicate with the server and HTTPS or FTP to download the packages. To support the HTTPS communication infrastructure, SMP/E uses the capabilities of Java™ and x.509 certificates to identify you to the server and perform SSL authentication. To use both Java and x.509 certificates, you need to perform some one-time configuration steps before you can actually use the SMP/E RECEIVE ORDER command.

This topic gives you an overview of using x.509 certificates to establish identity and authenticity for client-server communications and also defines the steps you need to take to accomplish the following tasks:
  • Obtain a user certificate
  • Set up the z/OS® Security Server to work with certificates and install the user certificate
  • Define the ORDERSERVER input for the RECEIVE ORDER command
  • Define the CLIENT input for the RECEIVE ORDER command, including information necessary to allow SMP/E to use Java.