Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) You could write a book about the RPG programming language. Author Brian Kelly has done that and published numerous books on the AS/400 platform and its surrounding technologies. As he wades through RPG history in this article, Kelly wonders aloud why IBM has not made RPG as fully Web capable as it needs to be for broader acceptance. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) If you've ever tried to catch a fish with your hands, you have a sense of what it's like trying to get a firm grasp of the trade-in and rebate deals IBM is offering to Power Systems customers. That's not to say the discounts are slippery in a sneaky or shifty way. It's just that they change directions quickly, so you have to keep your eye on the prize. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) As SCSI disks for System i and Power Systems servers fade to black, in terms of IBM sales, more companies may be inclined to consider external storage options. The case for adopting storage area networks, often perceived as only for large enterprises, can make sense for mid size organizations as well. IBM is committed to supporting SCSI disks through the end of 2010. Serial attached SCSI and solid state drives will continue to be the internal storage options. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Business intelligence projects are frequently described as overblown, over promised, and over budget. Understanding what it takes to make BI accessible and useful throughout the organization and managing the total cost of ownership based on realistic and accurately defined goals is a good starting point, but you'll need more than that to be successful. READ MORE >

(Harvard Business) New initiatives--software implementations and internal process changes, for instance--can sometimes have the wheels come off before reaching fruition. Problems tempt people to give up before making the correct adjustments. This article explains how to deal with unexpected obstacles and hidden delays as well as rising negativity and loss of momentum. READ MORE >

(System iNetwork) If you're working up a sweat while bench-pressing regulatory compliance weights, you better hope you've increased your strength and stamina. According to a Gartner report, additional regulations on IT departments are expected in the near future. Better get ready to add a little more weight to that barbell. You'll be asked to do more repetitions also, by the way. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) Ultra Density Optical storage technology was much loved for the 50-year lifetime of its media and its write once, read many (WORM) capabilities. Then the company that brought UDO to the IBM AS/400 community crashed and burned. It appears that setback has been overcome. UDO customers are feeling better and new customers may be taking a closer look once again. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Delivering executive reports from midrange systems to multiple destinations should run like clockwork. And whose fault is it if it doesn't? If all the finger-pointing is aimed in your general direction, here's a workload management tool that can cool the heat you're feeling. It can also manage bulk data transfers and other types of events that, when left uncontrolled, can put the IT department on the hot seat. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Bad decisions often times are conveniently blamed on bad data. But whose decision is it to put up with bad data? Ignorance, for crying out loud, is no excuse. Start by rounding up all those user-created databases and spreadsheets that are floating around outside your main business computer. Here's a data management tool that will help. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Users of Oracle's JD Edwards EnterpriseOne ERP system (latest version) have new supply chain management options available that cover demand planning, inventory management, production scheduling, and sourcing. Yes, Fusion middleware, the focal point of Oracle's application roadmap, will be required for the integration. If hearing the F word makes you cringe, soothing words from Oracle are assuring customers that this is not a forced march. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) The once ravenous ERP bear known as Infor has devoured two more software companies. One is a Microsoft Windows-based ERP system for mid size manufacturers. The other is an IBM i-based suite of property management applications. These are the first acquisitions for Infor in several years. Through a series of ERP vendor acquisitions that began less than a decade ago, the company has assembled the largest installed base of AS/400 users in the industry. READ MORE >

(MCPress) The DB2 database for System i, more often referred to by its original name, which is DB2/400, is one of the strengths of the IBM AS/400 platform. As the interest in business intelligence expands, the product selection grows right along with the demand for solutions. Here's an overview of BI-related products that fit under the business intelligence umbrella. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(LANSA) This white paper discusses developing real world IBM i applications using Microsoft's .NET Framework. Topics include how .NET can be used to integrate the IBM i with other enterprise platforms like Microsoft SQL Server and SharePoint, the requirements for developing and running .NET applications connected to the IBM i, and the most critical enterprise level development issues faced by IBM i .NET applications. READ MORE >

(SafeData) This report examines the options for backup and data recovery of the IBM iSeries emphasizing that not all solutions are right for every business by considering price, complexity, and business risk related to downtime. Virtualized recovery is particularly highlighted. READ MORE >

(10ZiG) This archived Webcast examines how desktop infrastructure costs can be reduced using thin clients and centralized management. This session is presented by IBM and its focus is on shared services, desktop virtualization, and achieving a return on investment. READ MORE >

(IBM) PowerVM virtualization technology is a combination of hardware and software that supports and manages the virtual environments on POWER5- and POWER6-based systems. It is designed to aggregate and manage resources using a consolidated, logical view. This report highlights benefits such as energy cost reductions through server consolidation and infrastructure cost reduction based on the improve management of growth, complexity, and risk. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

August 20 -- 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 5, which is a focus on executing the project model. 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 >

August 20 -- Richmond, Virginia - A one-day educational seminar on SQL is being co-hosted by the Delaware Valley Computer Users Group and the Mid-Atlantic Midrange user group. This six-hour seminar is designed as an introduction to SQL on the IBM i, (System i, iSeries, and AS/400) or a review for those needing an SQL refresher course. Topics to be covered include basic concepts, as well as some intermediate and advanced subjects. David Prescott, an AS/400 specialist since 1987, will be the instructor. The sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. and will be held at Electronic Data Processing Services located at 3901 West Broad Street. The course fee is $250 for user group members and $295 for non-user group members. LEARN MORE >

August 27 -- Fort Washington, Pennsylvania - A one-day educational seminar on SQL is being co-hosted by the Delaware Valley Computer Users Group and the Mid-Atlantic Midrange user group. This six-hour seminar is designed as an introduction to SQL on the IBM i, (System i, iSeries, and AS/400) or a review for those needing an SQL refresher course. Topics to be covered include basic concepts, as well as some intermediate and advanced subjects. David Prescott, an AS/400 specialist since 1987, will be the instructor. The sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. and will be held at the Holiday Inn. The course fee is $250 for user group members and $295 for non-user group members. LEARN MORE >

August 27 -- Webinar - A technical overview of BCD's Nexus portal is featured in this online session that provides the step-by-step process of creating a portal while detailing the key features and offering tips for a successful implementation. The event begins at 1:30 p.m. EDT. LEARN MORE >