Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) System storage played the starring role in IBM's i5 product announcements this week. Although some folks were forecasting a change of strategy that involved a storage area network (SAN) architecture, the disk enclosure aspect of this upgrade is simply addressed by using denser disks. A high-performance disk controller for the System i5 line with blockbuster read and write caches was also in the spotlight. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Who are you callin' proprietary? There was a day when the OS/400 and RPG combination was the end of the story. That's proprietary. It's also history. You want software choices that run on the System i? A new ISV program, specific to System i, concentrates on business solutions for vertical industries, but shows no particular allegiance to either RPG or OS/400. READ MORE >

(System iNetwork) IBM System i General Manager Mark Shearer hinted that a more competitive, entry-level System i is in the works during a chat session last week hosted by iSociety and COMMON. The hash session also served up some Shearer insights on marketing, sales, and technology. A transcript of the chat is promised on the iSociety Web site. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) It's a good time to deal with IBM. At least that is true when it comes to some of the System i goods and services that now have rebates attached to them. Here's a quick laundry list of items with rebates: Capacity Backup servers, configured disk arrays, and System i5 520, 550, and 570 machines running i5/OS Standard Edition READ MORE >

(SearchWebServices) Have you ever heard this quote? "We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful." It's been attributed to several sources. To my knowledge, none have been application developers, although I wouldn't be surprised to see these words on the cubicle walls of IT departments around the globe. Keep this quote in mind when reading this article about the development of composite applications, with little or no programming, that can be used in SOA implementations. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) For many of you, systems management doesn't begin and end with the System i. You have more fish to fry and they're called Windows, Unix, and Linux servers. Can you find the efficiencies in having the capability to view jobs running on any of those platforms from one screen and one console? Something else to consider is a monthly rental option that sidesteps the complete upfront costs of the product making it an easier fit into the IT budget. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) J.D. Edwards customers should be happy to hear that Oracle has some product updates that do not include Fusion marching orders and the sting of the whip. With upgrades to existing ERP and CRM suites that are used in many System i shops, Oracle has focused on security, compliance issues, and integration aspects that distinguish the new products from the old. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) We wouldn't want to walk away from a J.D. Edwards story, like the one above, without saying something more on the topic of Fusion. From the Oracle partner side of things, here's a document management, electronic payments, and invoice automation software company that is hooked into the current JDE ERP system as well as already prepared for the Fusion to come. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) And as long as we're talking about the electronic document management software market, let's note the most recent merger of System i vendors. Vanguard Systems has purchased its business partner, Elite Document Solutions. The product lineup that results from this acquisition includes electronic forms, integrated fax, document and content management, records management, scanning solutions, storage solutions, and workflow software. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) There's no shame in admitting you have log message overload. Truth be known, more IT departments suffer from this than those that don't. Searching through the log jam of messages spewed out by servers, applications, and network devices ends up being a time and energy hog that frustrates IT staff and the business folks who are dependent on the information that is available but not easily found. This monkey doesn't have to live on your back. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) And now that we're on the topic of systems management, here's a different approach to bringing System i data closer to your help desk while consolidating the cross-platform view of data center activities. Here, too, is a plan for avoiding sticker shock by entering into a rental agreement that makes it more affordable at the time of purchase and can be described as on-demand computing. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Simplifying IT operations is easier said than done. It seems to get in the way of preconceived notions about protecting turf and us versus them. IBM emphasizes it in its System i marketing that is rarely heard outside the installed base. And perhaps its best track record for success is within the System i/Lotus Notes and Domino subset. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(MB Software & Consulting) This white paper, titled "Software-Based Performance Tuning," focuses on identifying and solving application performance problems. Topics include CPU use, memory faulting, and high disk activity. It looks at performance issues as primarily the result of excessive I/O in one or more applications. There is no registration process required prior to downloading this report. READ MORE >

(New Generation Software) This white paper presents a methodology that can be used by computer professionals or business analysts to implement a data warehouse and business intelligence system. It is based on the successful implementation by a $300,000,000 services-oriented company. READ MORE >

(IBM & Zend) This technical report will help you install, configure, and become productive with PHP on System i using Zend Core for i5/OS and Zend Platform for i5/OS. If you are evaluating PHP, this book will also help by providing background information and comparisons with other tools. READ MORE >

(IBM) This report draws a favorable portrait of the System i based on its low administration costs and the combination of "tight flexibility," security, and reliability. In the context of this article, tight flexibility is explained as the capability to "act as a hub for administration, risk management, and enterprise-wide security." READ MORE >

(Xdata) Business objectives typically include: meeting customers' requirements, maintaining minimum inventory levels, accurately calculating profitability in every transaction, and minimizing the time and effort required to produce accurate and timely business data and financial information. Find out how this all comes together in this white paper titled "Understanding Manufacturing and Inventory Cost Accounting Practices." READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

February 8 -- Webinar - Business drivers, benefits, and recommendations for System i modernization will be the focus of this presentation on the issues that companies face when deciding whether to modernize legacy applications. Peter Kastner, vice president and research director of the Aberdeen Group, will discuss modernization strategies and lessons learned by organizations that participated in an Aberdeen study of this topic. A second guest speaker will be David Brault, product marketing manager for LANSA Americas. LANSA produces application modernization software that moves the user interface into a graphical application framework and extends application functionality using SOA and related technologies. The Webcast begins at noon EST. The Webcast will take place at 12:00 EST. LEARN MORE >

February 8 -- Maryland Heights, Missouri - Alison Butterill, from the IBM Toronto Labs, will discuss Embedding SQL into Application Programs at the monthly meeting of the Gateway/400 Group, an iSeries user group serving the greater St. Louis area. The meeting time is 11:30 a.m. with lunch at noon and the presentation following lunch. RSVP no later than Monday before the meeting date. LEARN MORE >

February 8 -- Webinar - Using /Free format logic in RPG programs will be the topic of this session presented by RPG expert Susan Gantner. The topics to be covered include: the basic syntax rules, built-in functions, and other language features that replace unsupported operation codes and new operations only available in /Free form. The event, hosted by Linoma Software, begins at 11 a.m. CST. LEARN MORE >

February 8 -- Houston - IBM's WebSphere Portal is the topic of discussion at the Houston Applications Systems Group monthly meeting. Guest speaker Steven Gerhardt will discuss the value of a portal framework, provide an overview of WebSphere Portal 6 including development tools and associated technology, and relate customer experiences. Gerhardt is a certified IBM e-business software architect. This month the meeting begins with dinner at 5:45 followed by the meeting at 6:30. It will be held at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. RSVP required. LEARN MORE >

February 8-11 -- Pomona, California - The Hartley Racing Team--headed by Allen Hartley, owner of ProData Computer Services--will be lining up their 330-mph pro fuel dragster at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals. Allen's son, Joe, will be at the wheel and competing against the fastest, quarter-mile race cars in the world. Time trials are run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The final round of the 16 fastest cars compete on Sunday. For more information on the racing Hartleys, go to the iDigDrags Web site where you can also find a link to the National Hot Rod Association and info about the Winternationals racing event. LEARN MORE >

February 13 -- Reno, Nevada - An RPG "Free-For-All" is on the agenda of he Reno-Sparks Midrange User Group meeting. Guest speaker Barbara Morris, from the IBM Toronto Language Lab, will discuss topics such as incorporating user functions; using C functions within your RPG programs; and working with the IFS files. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m. LEARN MORE >

February 13 -- Orlando, Florida - Guest speaker Terry Okus, of IBM Global Services, will be talking about the Information Technology Infrastructure Library during the Central Florida Midrange Users Group meeting. ITIL outlines a set of management processes that support businesses in achieving both quality and value for money in IT operations. The presentation will cover service support, delivery, and management. The IBM Office, 315 East Robinson Street, Third Floor, is the event site, and dinner is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the presentation at 8. RSVP required. LEARN MORE >

February 14 -- Seekonk, Massachusetts - WebSphere Development Studio client and RPG will be the featured topics at the monthly meeting of the New England Midrange Users Group. The meeting is held at the Ramada Inn and begins at 5:15 p.m. LEARN MORE >

February 17 -- Independence, Ohio - PHP Web application development on System i will be the highlighted topic during the Application Systems Users Group of Greater Cleveland meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. and takes place at the IBM offices at Park Center Plaza. Topics on the agenda include Zend products for i5/OS, MySQL, and open source applications, and plans. Guest speaker is Craig Johnson, the IBM product manager for PHP on the System i platform. Advance registration is requested. LEARN MORE >

February 19 -- Jacksonville, Florida - The performance advantages of System i with POWER5 and POWER5+ technology will be discussed at this Jacksonville area local user group meeting. Guest speaker Keith Zblewski, from the IBM Rochester development lab, will also be explaining topics such as configuration options, system values, Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT) architecture, and LPAR features such as shared and uncapped processors. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the IBM offices. RSVP Ben Brower, executive director of the Jax iSeries User Group via e-mail: benbrower@comcast.net LEARN MORE >

February 20 -- Norwalk, Connecticut - The Fairfield AS/400 Users Group monthly meeting topic is support for Java technology in i5/OS. Guest speaker Blair Wyman is an IBM expert in Java and his discussion of the topic will include plans for a single virtual machine implementation of Java across all IBM platforms. Compatibility, performance, and long-term migration will be discussed, as will timelines, rationale, impacts, and the progress to this point. FASUG meetings are held at the Norwalk Inn and begin at 5:30 p.m. LEARN MORE >

Feburary 21 -- Webinar - Information on how to make your organization more efficient, productive, and profitable by getting a handle on the paper shuffle will be provided in this one-hour session hosted by Quadrant Software. The focus is on streamlining the accounts payable processes by replacing paper forms with electronic documents. The event begins at noon EST. LEARN MORE >

February 21 -- Atlanta, Georgia - An introduction to disaster recovery planning will be presented by Richard Dolewski at the Atlanta Midrange Users Exchange meeting. This seminar is designed for IT personnel responsible for systems availability. Dolewski will use the business continuity model while discussing availability and recovery of computing services. Attendees will be provided with the tools to writing a successful computer disaster recovery plan. This presentation will be made twice--once during a lunch meeting and again during a dinner meeting. Dolewski is a certified systems integration specialist and disaster recovery planner. LEARN MORE >

February 21 -- Woodbury, New York - The Long Island Systems Users Group monthly meeting topic is support for Java technology in i5/OS. Guest speaker Blair Wyman is an IBM expert in Java and his discussion of the topic will include plans for a single virtual machine implementation of Java across all IBM platforms. Compatibility, performance, and long-term migration will be discussed, as will IBM's timelines, rationale, projected impacts, and the progress to this point. LISUG meetings are held at the Fox Hollow Inn and begin at 6 p.m. LEARN MORE >

February 22 - Webinar - In this Webcast, RPG expert Jon Paris will explain no-name fields, no-length fields, nested data structures and other topics related to the D-spec. The session also includes how-to information for applying these techniques to process a group of record fields as an array as well as other helpful D-spec techniques. The one-hour event, hosted by Linoma Software, begins at 11 a.m. CST. LEARN MORE >