IBM Gets High Security Marks for Mainframe, Unix Virtualization
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

IBM last week announced that the server virtualization technologies behind its System z mainframes and pSeries Unix servers have received high security ratings based on the Common Criteria specifications that are becoming a standard in the IT industry. READ MORE >

Top Mainframe Stories and Vendor Announcements

(DataMirror) Detecting, translating, and communicating the informational changes throughout an enterprise comes with a heavy burden on IT resources. Performance issues generally plague even the most impressive of mainframe specimens. So what's not to like about real-time data integration and data protection software that increases throughput and scalability while reducing the drain on CPUs? READ MORE >

(Computerworld) You're an IT professional. You have skills that are in demand right here and right now, but what you know and how you use that knowledge in the coming years may prove to be worth a lot to you and to organizations around the world that will create a demand well beyond the supply of employees they crave. Being in the right place at the right time is a big part of gaining success, but it will take some planning to put yourself in the sweetest of sweet spots. READ MORE >

(Platform Solutions) There's a new face being placed on mainframe computing as integration with a wide variety of datacenter environments and operating systems becomes necessary for many organizations. To this end, Platform Solutions has chosen its path and will support the dual-core Intel Itanium 2 Processor 9000 series. Expect a lot to be said about the cost effectiveness benefits of this strategy as this mainframe builder delivers z/OS-compatible servers later this year. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

August 13-18 -- Baltimore, Maryland - The SHARE User Events feature IBM technical training tailored for enterprise-class IT professionals. Educational sessions focus on real-world solutions that meet business challenges and influence future IT product development. In addition to the first-class training, SHARE presents a great opportunity for networking with other professionals who work at some of the world's leading organizations and have insights into the technology and products that companies and jobs are depending on. All SHARE User Event sessions and events will take place in the Baltimore Convention Center. LEARN MORE >

August 28 & 29 -- San Francisco - BMC UserWorld puts the focus on BMC products that are primarily designed for service management and database management. In addition to a variety of learning tracks, the conference also provides access to BMC executives, customer support representatives, and R&D gurus. An emphasis is placed on product tips and techniques, as well as the proven strategies that enable IT to proactively address business requirements such as lowering costs, driving revenue, and mitigating risk. LEARN MORE >

September 11-14 -- Baltimore, Maryland - The WebSphere Portal Technical Conference is set up to provide IBM's technically oriented product details and hands-on training, along with presentations of customer case studies and best practices from Big Blue's product architects and developers, IBM Business Partners, and customers. Sessions will be organized according to the following tracks: new features in WebSphere Portal, Portal basics, Portal development, and Portal administration. LEARN MORE >

October 20 & 21 -- Chicago, Illinois - The Network and Systems Professionals Association annual conference, NaSTEC, features educational tracks on large systems/mainframes, distributed systems, and professional development and includes 24 total sessions. Topics include IT compliance, TCP/IP network health checks, and security, as well as others. LEARN MORE >