Web Enablement J Walk Server and loopback address 127.0.0.1 on the iSeries

When installing Web Enablement Java Client most customers install their J Walk Server on the iSeries where their JD Edwards World Database files reside. If you are one of those customers then specifying the loopback IP address 127.0.0.1 in the jwalk.ini configuration file is a more efficient network communication method. This setup also allows you to move your J Walk library and Integrated File Sysytem (IFS) seajwk and jwalk directories seamlessly from one iSeries to the next without having to edit the jwalk.ini file each time.

The analogy that I like to use when explaining the differences between the loopback address 127.0.0.1 and the IP address/Domain Name of your iSeries is to think about how you would mail a letter to yourself. The letter has to go to the mail box, then to the post office, and then is delivered back to your home address. When you specify an IP address or DNS name in the jwalk.ini file, the server has to find the correct address on the network. This process typically includes sending a packet out to the network, where a router and a DNS server handle the network address request