Introduction
While working in IBM® AIX®, sometimes, you may come across situations where you need to use a Perl module in your Perl program. For this, you need to install and configure the Perl module package before using it in your Perl program.
A use case scenario is created to run a program in IBM AIX with and without the Perl module. It has been observed that the program ran successfully with the Perl module and its dependencies installed.
Along with the general Perl module, this tutorial focuses on how to use the Perl module and its dependencies in user-level programming.
This tutorial provides generic sample programs that can enable IBM AIX Perl programmers to meet their specific requirements with minor modifications.
Prerequisites to write a Perl program
- Knowledge of C programming language with basic AIX operating system.
- XLC compiler to compile the sample programs.
Prerequisites to install a Perl module on AIX
Install the following components before installing and configuring a Perl module:
Install xlC and vac based on the requirement.
The xlC package is in built with AIX. This is available by default at the time of AIX installation. Confirm installation using the following command:
lslpp -l xlC *Figure 1. Listing xlC
![Listing xlC]()
If it is not installed, you can download it from IBM Fix Central and follow the Readme file for the installation instructions. Because it is a licensed product from IBM, you should have access to Passport Advantage to download it.
IBM Fix Central: https://www-945.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/
Figure 2. Finding xlC to download
![Figure 2. Finding xlC to download]()
Add the xlC home folder
/usr/vacpp/binto PATH in the .profile file of the root user. Check the xlC home folder using the whichxlccommand:![xlC home folder]()
Edit the .profile file of the root user using the vi .profile command and add the /usr/vacpp/bin/xlc PATH.
![.profile file of the root user]()
Install SFTP Perl module
Perform the following steps to install a Perl module on an AIX server (ittakes approximately 40 to60 minutes to complete installation including tests):
Install the required Perl module and its dependencies.
perl -MCPAN -e shell cpan[1]> force install <module name>Example: force install File::Basename
Install the following dependencies as a prerequisite for step 2.
- File::Basename: ‘0’
- File::Copy: ‘0’
- File::Spec: ‘0’
- IO::Socket::INET: ‘0’
- IO::Socket::SSL: ‘1.26’
- Net::HTTPTunnel: ‘0.5’
- Net::SSLeay: ‘0’
- Net::SSLeay::Handle: ‘0’
- Sys::Hostname: ‘0’
- Test::More: ‘0.88’
- Time::Local: ‘0’
Install the Net::FTPSSL for FTPS Perl module.
Run the
perlcommand as a root user and enter the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network (CPAN) prompt to install the module.perl -MCPAN -e shellRun the below force command to install FTPSSL module.
cpan[2]> force install Net::FTPSSLOutput Log of the NET::FTPSSL Installation
Running install for module 'Net::FTPSSL' Running make for C/CL/CLEACH/Net-FTPSSL-0.41.tar.gz Checksum for /u/root/.cpan/sources/authors/id/C/CL/CLEACH/Net-FTPSSL-0.41.tar.gz ok Net-FTPSSL-0.41/ Net-FTPSSL-0.41/Changes Net-FTPSSL-0.41/FTPSSL.pm Net-FTPSSL-0.41/LICENSE Net-FTPSSL-0.41/MANIFEST Net-FTPSSL-0.41/META.json Net-FTPSSL-0.41/META.yml Net-FTPSSL-0.41/Makefile.PL Net-FTPSSL-0.41/README Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/ Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/00-basic.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/01-test-if-environment-ok.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/02-ask-questions.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/03-ask-questions-again.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/05-check-new-cmd.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/06-login.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/07-prompt_validation.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/20-test_multiple_connections.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/22-supported.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/24-dir_tests.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/26-ccc_test.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/28-put_get_delete_tests.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/30-more_put_delete_tests.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/32-rename_tests.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/34-xput_tests.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/36-quot_and_callback.t Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/data/ Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/data/00-basic.txt Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/data/test_file.tar.gz Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/logs/ Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/logs/abc Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/test-helper/ Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/test-helper/helper1234.pm Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/work/ Net-FTPSSL-0.41/t/work/abc CPAN.pm: Going to build C/CL/CLEACH/Net-FTPSSL-0.41.tar.gz Checking if your kit is complete... Looks good Writing Makefile for Net::FTPSSL cp FTPSSL.pm blib/lib/Net/FTPSSL.pm Manifying blib/man3/Net::FTPSSL.3 CLEACH/Net-FTPSSL-0.41.tar.gz /usr/bin/make -- OK Running make test PERL_DL_NONLAZY=1 /usr/bin/perl "-MExtUtils::Command::MM" "-e" "test_harness(0, 'blib/lib', 'blib/arch')" t/*.t t/00-basic.t ...................... ok t/01-test-if-environment-ok.t ..... ok t/02-ask-questions.t .............. 1/? # # Configuring the test cases # Some information will be required for running any FTPS tests: # A secure ftps server address, a user, a password and a directory # where the user has permissions to read and/or write files to. # Hopefully only the Net::FTPSSL tests have access to to this dir. # # Do you want to run the server connectivity tests ? (Y|N) [N] # Skipping all tests per user request ... t/02-ask-questions.t .............. ok t/03-ask-questions-again.t ........ ok t/05-check-new-cmd.t .............. ok t/06-login.t ...................... ok t/07-prompt_validation.t .......... ok t/20-test_multiple_connections.t .. ok t/22-supported.t .................. ok t/24-dir_tests.t .................. ok t/26-ccc_test.t ................... ok t/28-put_get_delete_tests.t ....... ok t/30-more_put_delete_tests.t ...... ok t/32-rename_tests.t ............... ok t/34-xput_tests.t ................. ok t/36-quot_and_callback.t .......... ok All tests successful. Files=16, Tests=53, 73 wallclock secs ( 0.14 usr 0.04 sys + 1.92 cusr 0.37 csys = 2.47 CPU) Result: PASS Target "test" is up to date. CLEACH/Net-FTPSSL-0.41.tar.gz /usr/bin/make test -- OK Running make install Prepending /u/root/.cpan/build/Net-FTPSSL-0.41-kvCB_p/blib/arch /u/root/.cpan/build/Net-FTPSSL-0.41-kvCB_p/blib/lib to PERL5LIB for 'install' Installing /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1/Net/FTPSSL.pm Appending installation info to /usr/opt/perl5/lib/5.10.1/aix-thread-multi/perllocal.pod CLEACH/Net-FTPSSL-0.41.tar.gz /usr/bin/make install -- OK ****End of the output log****Open the required ports in firewall if applicable. In this tutorial, it is considered that all the ports are open in firewall.
Change the version of the Perl module IO::Socket::SSL currently installed on the server in /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1/Net/FTPSSL.pm file. If version is prior to 2.060, then change it to 2.060 by editing the FTPSSL.pm file.
Example:
grep IO::Socket::SSL /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1/Net/FTPSSL.pm use IO::Socket::SSL 2.060;Change the version of the Perl module Net::SSLeay currently installed on the server in /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1/IO/Socket/SSL.pm file. If version is prior to 1.85, then change it to 1.85 by editing the SSL.pm file.
Example:
grep Net::SSLeay /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1/IO/Socket/SSL.pm use Net::SSLeay 1.85;Check the ownership of the user who has root access to run the script (mostly user need root permission to run the script). Change the directory to /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1 and provide full permission to users, read permission to groups, and execute permission to others.
cd /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1 chmod -R 755 *Example:
Before changing the permission:
root@Hostname:/usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1 => ls -lrt total 496 -r--r--r-- 1 root system 25412 Oct 19 2011 lwptut.pod -r--r--r-- 1 root system 9119 Oct 19 2011 lwpcook.pod -r--r--r-- 1 root system 29975 Oct 19 2011 URI.pm -r--r--r-- 1 root system 19400 Oct 19 2011 LWP.pm -r--r--r-- 1 root system 4802 Sep 27 2013 Digest.pm drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 4096 Mar 11 2014 URI drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 HTML drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 4096 Mar 11 2014 LWP drwxr-xr-x 5 root system 4096 Mar 11 2014 HTTP drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 XML drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 WWW drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 IO drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 File drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 Bundle -r--r--r-- 1 root system 18181 Aug 16 2014 Spiffy.pod -r--r--r-- 1 root system 15485 Aug 16 2014 Spiffy.pm -r--r--r-- 1 root system 58003 Mar 13 2018 SSLeay.pm -r--r--r-- 1 root system 22634 Nov 3 13:01 YAML.pod -r--r--r-- 1 root system 3163 Nov 3 13:01 YAML.pm drwx------ 3 root system 256 Dec 17 10:17 Mozilla drwx------ 2 root system 256 Jan 10 14:01 Algorithm drwx------ 3 root system 256 Jan 10 14:02 Text drwx------ 2 root system 256 Jan 10 14:02 Spiffy drwx------ 4 root system 256 Jan 10 14:03 Test drwx------ 4 root system 4096 Jan 10 14:03 YAML drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 4096 Jan 10 15:29 Net drwx------ 2 root system 256 Jan 10 15:53 Module drwx------ 3 root system 256 Jan 10 15:55 JSON drwx------ 3 root system 256 Jan 10 15:55 CPAN drwx------ 2 root system 256 Jan 10 15:56 Perl drwxrwxrwx 8 root system 4096 Jan 14 12:27 aix-thread-multiAfter changing the permission:
root@Hostname:/usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1 => ls -lrt total 496 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 25412 Oct 19 2011 lwptut.pod -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 9119 Oct 19 2011 lwpcook.pod -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 29975 Oct 19 2011 URI.pm -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 19400 Oct 19 2011 LWP.pm -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 4802 Sep 27 2013 Digest.pm drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 4096 Mar 11 2014 URI drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 HTML drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 4096 Mar 11 2014 LWP drwxr-xr-x 5 root system 4096 Mar 11 2014 HTTP drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 XML drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 WWW drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 IO drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 File drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Mar 11 2014 Bundle -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 18181 Aug 16 2014 Spiffy.pod -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 15485 Aug 16 2014 Spiffy.pm -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 58003 Mar 13 2018 SSLeay.pm -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 22634 Nov 3 13:01 YAML.pod -rwxr-xr-x 1 root system 3163 Nov 3 13:01 YAML.pm drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Dec 17 10:17 Mozilla drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Jan 10 14:01 Algorithm drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Jan 10 14:02 Text drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Jan 10 14:02 Spiffy drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 256 Jan 10 14:03 Test drwxr-xr-x 4 root system 4096 Jan 10 14:03 YAML drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 4096 Jan 10 15:29 Net drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Jan 10 15:53 Module drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Jan 10 15:55 JSON drwxr-xr-x 3 root system 256 Jan 10 15:55 CPAN drwxr-xr-x 2 root system 256 Jan 10 15:56 Perl drwxr-xr-x 8 root system 4096 Jan 14 12:27 aix-thread-multi
Test SFTP using perl
You need to test the SFTP connectivity between the source and target servers. Here I’ve given the sample script to test it.
Attention: Check with application team for the actual script to be run to check the jobs.
Syntax to run the script:
perl <location of the script> <ftp server name> <User ID> <password>
Sample script:
#!/usr/bin/perl -w
#
#use strict;
#use warnings;
use Net::FTPSSL;
#use File::Basename;
# Perform the ftp
$ftps=Net::FTPSSL->new($host,Debug => 1);
$ftps->login($ftp_id,$ftp_pwd) or die "Fatal: I could not login to the ftp host.\n";
$ftps->binary;
$ftps->site($site_cmd) or die "Fatal: I could not send site command $site_cmd.\n";
$ftps->quit();
print "ftp completed\n";
#End of script
Summary
Perl modules are used in Perl scripts. Many AIX users are interested in having these modules on AIX so that they can write their own Perl scripts. This tutorial provides an easy way to install all these Perl modules.