Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) Sometimes IBM's silence can be deafening. The SAP Sales and Distribution benchmark test is a good example. How well does the Power Systems iron running i OS and DB2 for i perform in this test? We don't know. IBM only runs this test running its AIX operating system. Why does IBM do it that way? We don't know. IBM is silent. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) What kind of a hardware-software deal does it take to ignite Power Systems sales? IBM figures a rebate that is less than 10 percent ought to do it (and in some cases less than 5 percent), but that's just on hardware alone. Getting a sweet deal on the software may be where the real incentives can be found. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Application modernization has more mouths watering than an unopened box of donuts in the break room at 8 a.m. Who's going to be the first to dig in? Preparing for app modernization has a lot to do with gaining confidence, which comes from having a good plan. And as you plan, don't forget to account for data management. It's often overlooked, but it should not be. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Why might an IBM i guy want to use Microsoft Virtual Server? Many production environments involve installing System i Access on a Windows server in conjunction with terminal services, SQL Server with ODBC connectivity, or an IIS Web application using an OLE DB provider. Sometimes upgrading to the next major version of Windows or System i Access (or both) can introduce problems. Here's why it's worth it. READ MORE >

(CIO) The needle on the B.S. meter is pointing to full. A lot of us have had our fill when it comes to the wild assertions and accusations that are trumped up on one side or the other in the so-called "debate" about software as a service compared to on-premise applications. The great and powerful wizards at Gartner say SaaS is underwhelming. Are they just calling a spade a spade or are they off base in their assessments? READ MORE >

(Forbes) You can't handle the truth when it comes to data security. Underestimating the frequency of cybercrime and the potential damage that can be done is common even though the crime rate and the losses per occurrence are rising. If you don't know the risks, how can you manage them? You might not be getting all the facts or you might be ignoring them. Either way, you're playing with fire. READ MORE >

(MCPress) No one would decide to implement a voice over IP telephony system based on generic promises like reduced operating costs and increased user productivity. It takes a highly defined plan and the support of skilled integrators to put a VoIP system in place that meets or exceeds expectations . . . and continues to operate at expected levels. Despite the heavy burden of a great potential, most companies are reporting VoIP satisfaction. READ MORE >

(System iNetwork) Ever since a group of IBM i business partners and ISVs in Japan joined forces to promote the Power Systems i, the idea of the iManifesto being mirrored in other parts of the world seemed likely. Apparently EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) will be next. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) The mere mention of enterprise application integration causes some IT managers to pull the covers over their heads and tremble in fear. Nightmarish visions of rip and replace application disembowelments and budgetary bloodletting bring sleepless nights and chronic feelings of dread. Integrating desktop Windows applications with ERP and CRM business processes that run on servers is the new way to deal with old fears. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Retailers require applications that are strong in areas such as sales and operations, inventory optimization, and profit management with easy point-of-sale application integration. JDA Software's AS/400-based Merchandise Management System has been a major player in this arena for many years. Will it continue to enjoy that status in the future? Here's what the company is up to now and what it has in mind for the future. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) When ultra density optical (UDO) storage technology came to the AS/400 market several years ago, a company called Plasmon was instrumental in the developments. Then Plasmon hit the wall, financially speaking, and customers are rightfully worried about where to turn for products and support. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) It is forbidden. Make no mistake about it. Credit card data must not reside permanently on any computer or a server. Not only that, but when credit card data is handled in passing, it must be encrypted. Similar mandates are going into effect regarding the use of Social Security numbers. It's not enough to think that you're right with the law on this, but one way to make certain is to use this free tool. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Companies that are capable of performing their own security audits are almost never caught with their pants down by the regulatory compliance auditors. Internal, self-audits avoid embarrassment, which at its extremes can lead to executive melt-downs and job terminations. Security policies are wise, but testing them repeatedly to know they are working as designed, is even wiser. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(ProData) Even years after the U.S. government enacted Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPPA, and other regulations, companies continue to define and redefine business processes and functions that touch sensitive data within their organizations. This whitepaper examines how journaling and auditing tools can greatly simplify the job of continuously providing regulatory compliance. READ MORE >

(iMessaging) Examples of how interactive telephony services have enabled innovative functionality in business applications running on the IBM i while reducing overhead in industries such as finance, insurance, healthcare, transportation, government, utilities, manufacturing, and distribution are provided in this report titled "I Can Do All That with Telephony?" READ MORE >

(Infor) Eliminating enterprise waste, streamlining processes to increase productivity, and using capital assets and valued personnel more efficiently to improve the bottom line should be your goal. This whitepaper gives suggestions and identifies specific areas within the maintenance process where companies can reduce waste and increase reliability. READ MORE >

(HiT Software) This report examines the synchronizing of data between heterogeneous databases with an emphasis on integrating IBM i DB2 with Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Data security and cost effectiveness are major topics. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

July 16 -- Webinar - Demystifying the high availability role swap is the goal of this online session featuring the Maximum Availability product *noMAX. Many System i users believe a role swap between primary and back-up systems is a tricky operation that takes time when time is in short supply. Guest speaker Raymond Hammell, a senior technical specialist with Maximum Availability, will discuss role swaps that ensure the accuracy of data, applications, and programs moving from the primary system to the backup system. The session begins at 2 p.m. EDT. LEARN MORE >

July 16 -- Webinar - This technical webinar offers a detailed look at the key features of BCD Clover, a Web query and business intelligence tool. A live product demo explains how to create Web reports, drill downs, graphs, and dashboards. The session begins at 12:30 p.m. EDT. LEARN MORE >

July 20 -- Irvine, California - The 16th Annual OCEAN Tech Conference and Vendor Expo is a one-day education and training event that features sessions for developers, systems support and IT management. Technical sessions will cover the IBM Power System including System i, System i-OS, and IBM AIX/Unix infrastructure and systems management, programming, and application modernization skills from RPG IV, SOA, EGL, PHP, DB2, Microsoft .NET, Web Services, and how to incorporate open source tools. A "mini-workshop" for executives will be presented by Bob Tipton, who will also present a keynote address titled, "Keeping the Edge Through Innovation." Registration for this event is $120. The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency. LEARN MORE >

July 21 -- Webinar - DB2 Web Query is not always the best path to modern reporting and business intelligence on the IBM i (IBM Power, System i, iSeries, or AS/400). This online session examines DB2 Web Query features, licensing terms, pricing, and support considerations. It also includes a demonstration of NGS-IQ, an alternative to DB2 Web Query that is available from New Generation Software, the company that hosts this Webcast. This session begins at 2 p.m. EDT. LEARN MORE >

July 21 - Webinar - Outsourcing, out-tasking, and offshoring for small to mid size companies is on the agenda for this online seminar presented by Joseph Debella and hosted by VAI. Debella will examine how companies expect solutions to deliver high-impact applications in a rapid and cost efficient manner, but eventually discover higher costs as the end result. LEARN MORE >

July 21 -- Irving, Texas - Developing and modernizing applications using EGL is the featured topic at the monthly meeting of the Metro Midrange Systems Association, a user group for the Dallas and Fort Worth metro areas. The topics for discussion include deploying EGL in the System i environment, a comparison of EGL and PHP, and the options available from IBM for modernizing existing user interfaces by migrating to EGL. Will Smythe, the product manager for IBM Rational Business Developer and the EGL language, is the guest speaker. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 and Smythe's presentation at 7. MMSA meetings are held at the Radisson Hotel DFW South. LEARN MORE >

July 21 -- Atlanta, Georgia - System i Access for Web is the featured topic at the Atlanta Mid-range Computer Users monthly meeting. The discussion will cover leveraging business information, applications, and resources across an enterprise by extending the System i to the client desktop through a Web browser. Guest speaker is Doug Sekus, a 20-year veteran of the IT industry with his most recent experience as the business development manager for software solutions at Optimus Solutions. This event begins at 11:30 a.m. It takes place at Brio's Tuscan Grille located at 700 Ashwood Parkway. LEARN MORE >

July 21 -- Nashville, Tennessee - This meeting of the Tennessee IBM Mid-Range User Group will feature a presentation on backup and recovery strategies including virtual tape and encryption topics. Guest speaker is Debbie Saugen, the technical owner of System i5/OS Backup and Recovery in the Rochester, Minnesota, development lab. The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Vanderbilt located at 2613 West End Avenue. It begins at 11:30 a.m. LEARN MORE >

July 22 -- Webinar - Managing changes to parameter settings and configuration data, and maintaining an audit trail of the changes and the behavior they generate are among the topics of this online session that covers the topic of data change management. Solution architect Ray Bernardi will demonstrate ARCAD Software's Critical Data Management tool that is used to create complex definitions over multiple files, records, parts of a record, and data areas. This session begins at 1 p.m. EDT. LEARN MORE >

July 23 -- Webinar - An eight-part online session on project management and working with technology vendors to prepare a successful implementation will be presented on an every-other Thursday schedule through October 1. This is session number three titled "The Project Model: Initiation." Subject expert Susanne States, director of sales and client services at S4i, is the session leader. States is a tenured veteran of organizational development and project management. The focus of these sessions will be on driving efficiency, improving customer service, and gaining competitive advantage by putting in place adequate processes and resources. Each session begins at 11 a.m. CDT and concludes at 12:30 p.m. LEARN MORE >

July 29 -- Webinar - Managing multiple-platform modernization projects and building applications using a variety of developers, languages, and tools will be discussed in this online session presented by Joe Baumgarten of Aldon and Marcel Sarrasin of BCD. Key topics on the agenda include the creation of unified, structured, measurable, and repeatable processes. Development environments such as WDSc and RDi, and languages such as PHP and .NET will be covered. Aldon's Lifecycle Manager and BCD's WebSmart PHP will be used to provide examples. The event begins at 10 a.m. PDT. LEARN MORE >

July 29 -- Webinar - System i security policies and restricting access to only those users who need it is the focus of this Webcast hosted by PowerTech. Topics to be discussed include implementing exit programs to track data downloads, tracking and monitoring privileged users, monitoring security events in real time, and closing the "backdoors" not covered by traditional menu security schemes. The session begins at 8 a.m. PDT. LEARN MORE >

July 30 -- Webinar - Successful strategies for improving productivity and reducing costs across supply chains is the topic of this online session presented by David Brault, a product manager at LANSA. Topics of discussion include customer service, business process integration and information flow, data quality management, and streamlining internal applications. The session begins at 11 a.m. CDT. LEARN MORE >