Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) If you're getting ready to park a new IBM Power Systems box in your data center, but you've yet to sign the papers, here are some questions you might want to ask before the deal goes down. Let's just say there's reason to expect some changes. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) One of the reasons Windows servers proliferated in iSeries and System i shops was that until recently IBM refused to offer a competitively priced, entry-level server running i5 OS. Better late than never, we say. But will the SMB be impressed? Will the performance oriented Power System hardware and the powerful collection of application software halt or even reverse the Microsoft infestation? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Server sales in the second quarter of 2008 climbed to a height not reached since the high-flying dot-com year 2000. Shipments soared. Compared to the same quarter one year ago, boxes flew out of factories at a rate that added more than 11 percent to the 2007 figures. X64 servers led the way. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) What would you say is the most important business issue you are facing in your job today? A lot of folks would not hesitate in assigning the number one priority position to information security. Critical data continues to be at risk in most companies. If you are certain you have all phases of your security locked down, consider yourself fortunate. You can give your attention to any number of other worries. READ MORE >

(Search400) IBM has a long-running deal with the U.S. Open tennis tournament and Big Blue was never shy about promoting its iSeries and later its System i servers as being critical to the behind the scenes IT extravaganza that is crucial in many ways to the success of the event. This year we got something different. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) Companies that need high availability don't always have the need (or the time or the experience) to manage it properly. Successful role swaps quite often are untested dreams rather than proven reality. That's not what anyone would call a safe practice. If you don't know what will really happen when it comes time to pull the trigger, you might want to read this. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) What would lead you to the conclusion that PHP continues to gain popularity with programmers in the IBM System i community? If it wasn't the case, would vendors be using it--particularly an application lifecycle management vendor that specializes in maintaining control of application development environments? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Data replication, for some of you, requires the flexibility to deal with multiple database management systems. DB2 for i (It's OK by me if you still want to call it DB2 400) is most likely in the middle of this project, but SQL, Oracle, and plenty of others may be involved as well. Handling the collection and the details with speed and agility makes replication projects significantly less painful. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) It's the same old, same old for many organizations when it comes to backup and recovery. The backup part is routine. The recovery part is often chaos. Planning for unplanned downtime never occurs to a lot of people until the system goes down. Sorry. Pounding on the panic button won't help. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Remember just a few paragraphs ago how I was commenting on the rising popularity of the PHP scripting language? Here's another third-party application written in PHP and ready for the market. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) A configuration management database is one of the ingredients in an information technology infrastructure library, a management framework that companies are using to align IT support with operational processes. Interoperability, which is sadly lacking in many IT silos, is once again an important component in the CMDB. It's encouraging to see that IBM and CA have some interoperability features to talk about. It seems there will be more to come. The sooner the better. READ MORE >

(MCPress) IBM Lotus has a new Symphony. For those unaware of Big Blue's attempt to uproot Microsoft Office, Symphony is where it begins. It's being bundled with Lotus Notes and Sametime and in its latest updated version it runs faster and hurdles more tasks than before. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(Ericom) Server-based computing, also known as presentation virtualization, could be useful to many more companies if the costs were not so high. This white paper takes into account an option with lower licensing hardware and maintenance, reduced IT infrastructure overhead, and no manual client installations or updates. It is titled "The Alternative to Citrix: A Complete Presentation Virtualization and Desktop Virtualization Solution." READ MORE >

(essextec) A white paper titled "System i Optimization Best Practices" is available from this consulting company that specializes in IT system architecture design, implementation, and project management. 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 >

(Databorough) "Modernizing and Improving the Maintainability of RPG Applications Using X-Analysis Version 5.6" is a white paper that discusses concepts and methods for design recovery and refactoring monolithic RPG applications into modern application architecture. A copy of this tutorial, including code, and a trial copy of the X-Analysis software is available from the vendor. READ MORE >

(Bytware) What are your security worries? Perhaps your security policy is shot full of holes or it is time consuming, difficult to manage, or error prone. This white paper distinguishes between an object-based approach and a transaction-based approach. When security is your responsibility, you should know all the potential weaknesses. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

September 8-12 -- Chicago, Illinois - The IBM Power Systems Technical University will include more than 100 sessions focused on the i environment. Session topics include the new features in i 6.1, PowerVM software, server utilization and sharing I/O resources, consolidation of Intel and i applications, best practices for smooth migration to Power6 and i 6.1, steps to reduce energy costs, high availability, DB2 Web Query, PHP, MySQL, IP telephony, and Lotus Quickr. LEARN MORE >

September 11 -- Webinar - System i security is only as effective as the policies, procedures and configurations that are put in place to manage a system. In this online session, hosted by PowerTech, the discussion will focus on System i security and identifying six critical audit areas that warrant immediate inspection and remediation. The event begins at 11 a.m. PDT. LEARN MORE >

September 11 -- Webinar - This session highlights document imaging and workflow and is designed for business managers searching for improvements so they can do more with the same or less resources on a reduced budget. This session begins at noon EDT. LEARN MORE >

September 11 -- Maryland Heights, Missouri - Rodrigo Villalobos, an IBM software engineer specializing in graphical user interfaces, will discuss the System i Navigator family of products that include Navigator for Windows, Navigator for the i OS, and more than 300 tasks for the Web. The meeting is hosted by 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 >

September 11 -- Trenton, New Jersey - A warehouse management expo focused on productivity and efficiency increases, risk management, and growing businesses will be hosted by VAI, developers of enterprise software for the distribution, manufacturing, retail and service industries. From 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. there will be numerous workshops and accessibility to industry experts. LEARN MORE >

September 11 -- Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Tips on identifying IBM System i errors and System i Navigator equivalents to common green-screen functions is the topic of the first of two sessions presented at the monthly meeting of the Wisconsin Midrange Computer Professional Association. Session one begins at 4:30 p.m. The topics discussed at session two will be procedures, binding directories, service programs, and API calls. This session begins at 7:30. Guest speaker is Tom Davidson, an expert in performance tuning and application development and a long-time member of WMCPA. In between the two sessions is dinner and networking with the members. LEARN MORE >

September 15-18 -- Santa Clara, California - The Zend/PHP Conference brings together PHP developers and business managers from around the world for more than 50 technical presentations and networking events. Sessions range from beginner level to advanced topics and include in-depth tutorials, case-studies, and an exhibit hall displaying the latest products. Topics of specific interest to System i users include: modernizing i5 applications, Internet-working your i5, PHP security on i5/OS, open source applications, and customer case studies. Other session topics include: maximizing scalability and performance of Web applications, PHP testing strategies, creating rich Internet applications, building secure Web applications, and maximizing the business impact of PHP applications. Discount registration is available until July 25. LEARN MORE >

September 15-17 -- Las Vegas, Nevada - IBM will be showcasing its e-Commerce and multi-channel solutions at the Shop.org Annual Summit, which is being held at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Internet and multi-channel retailers will have an opportunity to talk with IBM representatives about topics such as rich Internet applications, searchandizing, Web-based kiosks, channel integration, and distributed order management. LEARN MORE >

September 16 -- Webcast - The modernization of mission-critical RPG and COBOL applications is happening every day. This online session, hosted by LANSA Product Manager David Brault, presents the real-life stories of how a university and an agricultural software company are modernizing legacy applications without changing a line of code. Both organizations have modernized applications using LANSA's RAMP to increase productivity. And in each case, the applications can execute against IBM i, Windows, Unix, or Linux servers, or in a Web browser. The session, titled "Companies Discover the Hidden Value of their Legacy Applications," begins at 1 p.m. CDT. LEARN MORE >

September 16 -- Webinar - The importance of keeping critical data safe, with minimal impact to daily operations, is one reason people are taking a closer look at encryption options. This online session titled Don't Let Encryption Performance Slow Down Your Business examines issues that can lead to increased costs, compliance failure, and exposure to legal liability. The event is hosted by Patrick Townsend Security Solutions and the presentation will be made by company president and CEO, Patrick Townsend. The 30-minute session begins at 10 a.m. PDT. LEARN MORE >

September 16 -- Lombard, Illinois - Features of the DB2 for System i database will be the featured topic at the monthly meeting of the OMNI User Group. This session discussion will explain how these features can improve applications and reduce application development time. Topics will include the RPG SQL precompiler, super groups, hidden timestamp columns, and extended indicator variables. Guest speaker is Kent Milligan, senior DB2 for i consultant for IBM's ISV Business Strategy and Solutions division. The meeting gets under way at 5 p.m., dinner is at 6, with Milligan's presentation at approximately 6:45. The location is the Embassy Suites Hotel at 707 East Butterfield Road. LEARN MORE >

September 16 -- Norwalk, Connecticut - The Fairfield AS/400 Users Group monthly meeting topic is an introduction to BladeCenter technology on Power6 platforms. Topics of discussion will include the single-socket, dual-core BladeCenter S, other Power6-based blade servers, and a comparison and contrast between servers and blade solutions. Guest speaker is IBM's Steve Fier, an expert in application development, DB2 for i, Windows integration, and server consolidation. LEARN MORE >

September 16 -- Costa Mesa, California - A presentation on DB2 for i OS tools and security for the i will be highlighted during the regular monthly meeting of the OCEAN User Group. Guest speaker is Clark Scholten, an IBM Power IT specialist. The OCEAN User Group serves the greater Orange County, California, area and meets the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held usually held at the IBM offices located at 600 Anton Boulevard. This session begins at 5:45 p.m. LEARN MORE >

September 16 -- Atlanta, Georgia - What does the merger of the System i and System p server lines mean for the future of the System i? Find out by attending the monthly meeting of the Atlanta area Association of Mid-Range Computer Users. Guest speakers are Dara Merlin and Bob French from Dynamix Group, an IBM premier partner and winner of a 2008 Beacon Award. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Brio Tuscan Grille located at 700 Ashwood Parkway. LEARN MORE >

September 17 -- West Chester, Pennsylvania - A one-day training session on SQL/400 is being presented by Kevin Forsythe and hosted by the Delaware Valley Computer Users Group and COMMON. The session will cover topics such as SQL tools, SQL statement syntax, data manipulation, SQL objects, embedded SQL statements, stored procedures, and plenty of other subjects, as well. Forsythe is a well-known a consultant, trainer, and author. This event takes place at the West Chester University of Pennsylvania Graduate Business Center and begins at 8:30 a.m. LEARN MORE >

September 17 -- Woodbury, New York - The Long Island Systems Users Group monthly meeting topic is an introduction to BladeCenter technology on IBM Power Systems. LISUG meetings are held at the Fox Hollow Inn and begin at 6 p.m.LEARN MORE >

September 17 -- Seekonk, Massachusetts - LDAP on the iSeries will be the featured topic at the monthly meeting of the New England Midrange Users Group. Guest speaker is Paul Fuller, an expert in configuration and systems management. His presentation will focus on implementing LDAP into Java applications and includes an overview on how to design, configure, and incorporate security into Java applications. The meeting is held at The Old Grist Mill Tavern located at 390 Fall River Avenue and begins at 5:15 p.m. LEARN MORE >

September 18 & 19 -- Chicago, Illinois - The Java-.NET Face Off, an "I can do anything you can do better" disputation and classroom training exercise, includes debates over which path leads to a more proprietary solution, why IBM brought EGL into the Java camp, the facts and the myth concerning Microsoft licensing policies, whether .NET is a gateway to System i extinction, which approach is easier to learn and makes it easier to build applications, and, ultimately, which environment is conducive to programmer productivity. Defending the honor of .NET will be Richard Schoen, the president and CEO of RJS Software. Upholding what is right and good about Java will be Joe Pluta, founder and chief architect of Pluta Brothers Design. The event takes place at IBM's downtown Innovation Center. LEARN MORE >

September 18 -- Webinar - Get an overview, in this session, of what it takes to fully integrate a paperless solution that works with your ERP systems and how it improves user productivity. This session begins at noon EDT. LEARN MORE >