| name | communication |
| description | Monitor and analyze IBM i network and communication resources including TCP/IP connections, network interfaces, routing, HTTP servers, and DNS configuration via SQL services. Use when user asks about: (1) active network connections and traffic, (2) network interface status and IP addresses, (3) routing tables, (4) HTTP server configuration and status, (5) TCP/IP settings and hostname, (6) NTP/SNTP time synchronization, (7) network attributes, or (8) replacing NETSTAT, WRKTCPSTS, CFGTCP, WRKhttpsrvr commands. |
IBM i Communication & Network Services
Monitor and analyze network and communication resources on IBM i using SQL services from QSYS2.
Available Tools
The ibmi CLI is the primary tool for executing network queries. Set SKILL_DIR to this skill's installed location (the directory containing this SKILL.md file):
ibmi tools --tools "$SKILL_DIR/tools/" --toolset communication_default
ibmi tool get_netstat_info --tools "$SKILL_DIR/tools/"
ibmi sql "SELECT * FROM QSYS2.NETSTAT_INFO WHERE TCP_STATE = 'ESTABLISHED' FETCH FIRST 20 ROWS ONLY"
Service Selection Guide
Network Connections
- QSYS2.NETSTAT_INFO — Active connections with bytes, addresses, ports, state
- QSYS2.NETSTAT_JOB_INFO — Network jobs associated with connections
- QSYS2.NETSTAT_INTERFACE_INFO — Network interface configuration and status
- QSYS2.NETSTAT_ROUTE_INFO — TCP/IP routing table
Server & Configuration
- QSYS2.HTTP_SERVER_INFO — HTTP server instances, ports, and status
- QSYS2.TCPIP_INFO — TCP/IP stack configuration (hostname, DNS, version)
- QSYS2.NETWORK_ATTRIBUTE_INFO — System-level network attributes
- QSYS2.TIME_PROTOCOL_INFO — NTP/SNTP server configuration and sync status
Key Capabilities
Network Monitoring
- List active connections sorted by traffic volume
- Identify busiest remote addresses and ports
- Monitor connection states (ESTABLISHED, LISTEN, etc.)
- Track bytes sent and received per connection
Interface & Routing
- View all network interfaces with IP addresses and status
- Check subnet masks, MTU, and line descriptions
- Review routing table entries and precedence
- Identify active vs inactive interfaces
Server Management
- List HTTP server instances with status and ports
- Check autostart configuration
- View server root directories and descriptions
Configuration Review
- Retrieve hostname, domain, and DNS settings
- Check network authentication parameters
- Verify NTP/SNTP time synchronization status
Common Use Cases
1. Connection Analysis
Identify active network connections and top bandwidth consumers
2. Network Troubleshooting
Check interface status, routing, and connection states
3. HTTP Server Monitoring
Verify web server status and port assignments
4. DNS & Network Config
Review TCP/IP settings, hostname, and DNS configuration
5. Time Sync Verification
Check NTP/SNTP server connectivity and synchronization
6. Security Audit
Identify unexpected remote connections or open ports
CL Command Migration
| CL Command | SQL Service |
|---|
| NETSTAT | NETSTAT_INFO + NETSTAT_INTERFACE_INFO |
| WRKTCPSTS | NETSTAT_INFO + NETSTAT_JOB_INFO |
| CFGTCP (display) | NETWORK_ATTRIBUTE_INFO + TCPIP_INFO |
| WRKHTTPSRVR | HTTP_SERVER_INFO |
Quick Examples
List established connections
SELECT REMOTE_ADDRESS, REMOTE_PORT, LOCAL_PORT, BIND_USER,
BYTES_SENT_REMOTELY, BYTES_RECEIVED_LOCALLY
FROM QSYS2.NETSTAT_INFO
WHERE TCP_STATE = 'ESTABLISHED'
ORDER BY BYTES_SENT_REMOTELY DESC
FETCH FIRST 20 ROWS ONLY;
Check network interfaces
SELECT INTERNET_ADDRESS, LINE_DESCRIPTION, INTERFACE_STATUS
FROM QSYS2.NETSTAT_INTERFACE_INFO
ORDER BY INTERFACE_STATUS;
View HTTP servers
QSYS2.HTTP_SERVER_INFO is a performance-stats view — it returns per-server activity, not configuration.
SELECT SERVER_NAME, JOB_NAME, SERVER_ACTIVE_THREADS,
SERVER_TOTAL_REQUESTS, BYTES_SENT, BYTES_RECEIVED
FROM QSYS2.HTTP_SERVER_INFO
ORDER BY SERVER_NAME;
Pre-built Tools
The tools/communication.yaml file provides 11 ready-to-use tools:
| Tool | Description |
|---|
get_netstat_info | Active network connections with traffic |
get_netstat_interface_info | Network interfaces and IP addresses |
get_netstat_job_info | Network jobs and their connections |
get_netstat_route_info | TCP/IP routing table |
get_http_server_info | HTTP server instances and per-server request stats |
get_tcpip_info | TCP/IP stack configuration |
get_network_attribute_info | System network attributes |
get_time_protocol_info | NTP/SNTP time server status |
list_active_db_connections | Active DRDA/DDM database connections |
get_rdb_entry_info | Relational database directory entries |
dns_lookup | Resolve a hostname to IPv4/IPv6 addresses from the IBM i |
ibmi tool <tool_name> --tools "$SKILL_DIR/tools/"
ibmi tool <tool_name> --tools "$SKILL_DIR/tools/" --dry-run
ibmi tools show <tool_name> --tools "$SKILL_DIR/tools/"
Reference Documentation
