Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) Bernard Madoff is an IBM AS/400 user--quite likely the most high profile AS/400 user in the world. That's what being arrested by FBI agents and charged with securities fraud will do for a guy. Name recognition doesn't get much higher than Bernie's. I wonder if he'd do some System i testimonials? Viral marketing anyone? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) IBM probably wishes it could get Bernie Madoff levels of media attention for its Dynamic Infrastructure ideas. IBM DI is thinking big. It's about computerizing and networking every aspect of this country's physical infrastructure. You know, infrastructure as in what the USA needs to rebuild and modernize to continue being the global big dog. And, in so doing this, we economically stimulate ourselves out of this funk we're in. Check out what IBM is now proposing. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) YiP is hip. As the AS/400 users--including those with a preference toward calling the box the iSeries, the System i, or just plain i--turn increasingly grey, where is the new blood that makes use of everything that is modern and un-legacy-like about this platform? They're here and they're keeping the fire burning. One thing that fuels them is open source. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Everyone who knows who Frank Soltis is should be interested in this short article about what he's up to these days. And if you're one of the unlikely few who don't know who he is, you better read this, too. Because to be an IBM i user and not recognize Frank Soltis is like being a U.S. citizen and not knowing whose face is on the one dollar bill. READ MORE >

(System iNews) The continuity of business operations is closely aligned to risk management, which is closely aligned to high availability, data protection, and regulatory compliance. In the Power Systems market putting together a business resiliency strategy includes looking a variety of options that involve differing methodologies, technologies, and best practices. READ MORE >

(SC Magazine) Although CEOs are showing some interest in the business case for Web-based collaboration and social networking tools, the bandwagon isn't exactly filled to capacity with Fortune 500 companies--a true indicator of acceptance. Marketing hypes productivity benefits, but the downside risks continue to apply the brakes to enterprise spending on Web 2.0 collaboration. READ MORE >

(InfoWorld) Green IT continues to be in the spotlight (energy efficient bulbs, no doubt). It's good for the planet and all that, but the spotlight shines brightest on the bottom line savings that energy reductions bring. Here's a quick read titled "The 25 Facts You Should Know About Green IT." It's good stuff to keep in mind. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) Look no further than the IBM i community to find examples of abuse of power that will make your blood run cold. If the System i is the best kept secret in enterprise IT, then the problem of too many powerful users on the System i is the best kept secret within the community. Unchecked user profiles are an easy avenue to some abusive situations. Ask someone who has been audited or, worse yet, someone who has had sensitive information stolen or destroyed. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) MAPICS, BPCS, PRMS, PRISM, Infinium, System 21, A+, and many other ERP systems are all peas in the same AS/400 pod. They are also grown in the same garden, which is tended by Infor, one of the largest ERP software companies on the planet. With a huge number of AS/400 customers, Infor needs to be i intensive and is making some moves to show its commitment. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Tim Laycock led a team search for a reporting tool that would become the basis for customer interaction. The group looked at nine products, but most had licensing fees computed on per-seat basis. Consequently those were priced beyond reach. Here's what Laylock's team selected and why the users love it. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) A new cloud computing interface for System i and System z developers is on the horizon. Benefits? It will eliminate the specific coding requirements of various cloud platforms. Initially it will enable access to Web-based document management solutions. Later it will provide connectors that join 5250 and 3270 applications with Web-based applications, including Web services, Web 2.0 "mashups," and software as a service applications. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Servers, PCs, and network appliances all generate records of their day-to-day activities. If you are ignoring log data, you're missing information that is required by regulatory compliance and possibly evidence of fraudulent activities. And if you are trying to collect all that log data without filtering the useless from the useful, you're just not being as effective as you should be. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(NGS) Business intelligence on the System i and the new Power Systems servers comes in a variety of options. IBM is very fond of its own software called DB2 Web Query. New Generation Software, in this white paper, compares DB2 Web Query with the NGS alternative called NGS-IQ. Among other things, this report examines the capabilities of these two products, the cost of implementation, licensing terms, and product support. READ MORE >

(ASNA) Making the decision to rewrite, revise, or retire applications in order to respond to business changes and get more value and greater efficiencies from IT assets is the reason this white paper was produced. It examines the options and eventually comes to the conclusion that modernizing to a .NET environment is the best route to take. READ MORE >

(Quadrant) Justifying IT projects means demonstrating that the return on investment is both short and sweet. This white paper on paperless process management examines the cost benefits related to reduced use of paper and printers, the workflow efficiencies that result in reduced labor costs, and the savings gained by running a PPM system on existing hardware. READ MORE >

(Seagull Software) The term "screen-scraping" has a bad reputation. Yet next-generation screen-scraping software can be an application modernization solution that solves the problems green screens present. In this white paper, you get the myths regarding screen-scraping plucked, cleaned, cooked, and served along with explanations regarding why these myths are preventing some companies from improving their business applications. 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 19 -- Costa Mesa, California - RPG experts Susan Gantner and Jon Paris will present two sessions at the monthly meeting of the OCEAN User Group. The first session, at 5 p.m., will highlight application modernization strategies from Web enablement to new application development. The second session, at 7 p.m., will uncover new tricks for old RPG dogs. Between the two sessions is dinner and networking with peers. The OCEAN User Group serves the greater Orange County, California, area and meets the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at the IBM offices located at 3545 Harbor Blvd. LEARN MORE >

February 19 -- Webcast - "XML and RPG: Working with Web Services and XML Documents" will be the latest of the iSociety Fireside Chats. This two-topic session first goes through the process of consuming a Web service and displaying its information in a display program. The second part discusses receiving an XML document and successfully parsing it to a database file. The speaker on this topic is Charles Guarino of Central Park Data Systems. The event begins at noon CST. LEARN MORE >

February 20 -- Marietta, Georgia - The Atlanta Mid-range Computer Users' fifth annual Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament & Member Appreciation night is a good bet for some fun. RSVP by February 17. LEARN MORE >

February 24 -- Oak Brook, Illinois - The annual OMNI User Technical Conference has been postponed. It will likely be rescheduled for late October or early November. There will be a dinner meeting on this date, however, featuring Bob Cozzi as the guest speaker. His presentation topic will be Web-based Sign On, with a focus on securing company Websites using User Profiles or Validation Lists. The event begins at 5 p.m., with dinner at 6, and the presentation beginning at 6:45. The location is the Embassy Suites Hotel in Lombard. LEARN MORE >

February 24 -- Webinar - If your mission is to save money and lower implementation costs by outsourcing IT tasks, this session is designed to help you avoid higher costs from coming back to haunt you later in your plan. Joseph Debella, an executive with software vendor VAI, covers the topics pertaining to outsourcing, particularly those related to cost effectiveness. VAI develops ERP software primarily for the manufacturing, distribution, retail, and food service industries. The session begins at 2 p.m. EST. LEARN MORE >

February 24 -- Norwalk, Connecticut - The Fairfield AS/400 Users Group monthly meeting will feature a panel discussion on browser-based application development using Microsoft .NET, open source PHP, and Python. Each are supported on the System i and other platforms and each allows access to resources such as RPG programs and DB2/400 databases. The discussion will highlight how these technologies are competitive and complimentary and how certain applications lend themselves to one solution or another or perhaps to more than one. It will include the strengths and weaknesses of each solution and how to determine which best meets your needs. FASUG meetings are held at the Norwalk Inn and begin at 5:30 p.m. LEARN MORE >

February 25 -- Webinar - Reporting on security-related events using PowerTech Interact is the focus of this presentation by John Earl, director of security technology at PowerTech. Among the topics to be discussed are forwarding OS/400 security events to enterprise security information and event management consoles and how to externalize security events and raise visibility when your security protocol is violated. The session begins at 11 a.m. PST. LEARN MORE >

February 25 -- Woodbury, New York - The Long Island Systems Users Group monthly meeting will have two sessions this month. The first will cover the topic of rendering System i-based data and metrics to smart phones such as Apple's iPhone and RIM's Blackberry. Trevor Seeney will be the guest speaker. The second session features a panel discussion on browser-based application development using Microsoft .NET, open source PHP, and Python. Each are supported on the System I and other platforms and each allows access to resources such as RPG programs and DB2/400 databases. The discussion will highlight how these technologies are competitive and complimentary and how certain applications lend themselves to one solution or another or perhaps to more than one. It will include the strengths and weaknesses of each solution and how to determine which best meets your needs. LISUG meetings are held at the Fox Hollow Inn. LEARN MORE >

February 26 -- Webinar - Increasing data visibility, streamlining business processes, and reducing costs by connecting multiple databases and servers through business application mashups is the topic of this online session. Particular focus will be given to gaining a composite view of customers, orders, product, and inventory that are confined to silos in their current application configuration. LANSA Product Marketing Manager David Brault and two individuals from System i organizations that have implemented application mashup programs will be presenting the material. The event begins at 11 a.m. CST. LEARN MORE >