VSE Becomes an Instrument of Strategy
by Hesh Wiener

With its announcement of z/VSE 4, which will become available in March, IBM has executed a hat trick. It has brought new technical life to an operating system that has not been part of the swift flow of mainstream computing. It has brought the usage-based pricing model used by z/OS mainframe shops to the VSE users who had previously been neglected. And it has set the stage for fresh hardware initiatives by speeding the exit of users with older machines. READ MORE >

Top Mainframe Stories from Around the Web

(InfoWeek) It's as true today as it's ever been: Money is power. But what's more true today than ever before is that power costs money. So much so that Big Blue wants you to be thinking green when it comes to comparing mainframes with distributed computing environments. READ MORE >

(Enterprise Systems) You've heard the mainframe analysts, the industry wonks, and the Big Blue insiders pontificate on the future of big iron. It might seem like a light has been shined in most every nook and cranny. But wait, let's hear what a few mainframe professionals have to say. After all, these are the folks who the analysts and the wonks go to in order to form their opinions. So this is sort of like cutting out the middleman. READ MORE >

(IBM) Reading product announcement letters from Big Blue reminds me of gargling with Listerine. I know there's some good stuff in there, but the best part is spitting it out. Here are the high points that go along with the release of z/VSE V4.1, including hardware and software requirements and things like workload and application integration potential. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Seagull Software has pumped up the HTML capabilities in BlueZone Access Server, a three-tier emulator that provides users with secure access to hosts from a Web browser, either from a pure HTML client that loads in any Web browser (a new feature) or from an ActiveX control that loads in the Internet Explorer Web browser. The software supports TN3270, TN3270E, and others. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

See our full calendar of events at
http://www.itjungle.com/big/big-calendar.html

February 5-9 -- San Francisco - The RSA Conference rolls out more than 220 sessions and 19 educational tracks with a focus on security. Keynote addresses include perspectives from the executives of top companies and an expo area featuring more than 300 vendors add to this highly respected event. LEARN MORE >

February 11-16, 2007 -- Tampa, Florida - SHARE User Events offer technical training tailored for enterprise-class IT professionals. The focus is on real-world solutions that meet business challenges. This event is an opportunity to influence future product development and preview current and future solutions from IBM and other leading technology providers. LEARN MORE >

April 23-27 -- Orlando, Florida - IBM system management products are the highlight of the Automated Operations Technical Council conference, where sessions are presented by representatives from IBM software development teams and their customers. The focus is on the mainframe environment, but extends out into the enterprise. The AOTC is a closed conference, with attendance by invitation only. Contact your IBM field representative for more details and an opportunity to attend. LEARN MORE >

May 6-10 -- San Jose, California - The International DB2 Users Group conference, known as IDUG 2007 North America, offers training and education on topics that include including DB2 for Linux, Unix, Windows; DB2 for z/OS; Informix; Java; Websphere; and XML. LEARN MORE >