Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) Here's a warning for all Power System i users who are interested in virtualizing disk, tape, and networking I/O for JS12 and JS22 blade servers running the i 6.1 operating system. There's eye-watering performance in the blade servers, but you'll never know it if the Power blades are I/O constrained. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) After the entry-level IBM Power 520 rack servers and JS12 blade servers in the new BladeCenter S chassis demonstrated they could deliver price/performance that was competitive with anything on the market, the next question was whether the Power 550 was going to put up similar numbers on the scoreboard. If you want to know whether the 550 has the right stuff, you're only a mouse click away. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) In good times and bad, IT budgets vary by industry and geography. What we are experiencing now, in terms of overall economic conditions, is anything but good. You might feel like your IT budget has gone into the meat grinder, but that's not necessarily the fate of IT budgets in all circumstances says a report from Forrester Research. Here's the good, the bad, and the ugly according to the Forrester analysts. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Disk arrays and related storage software have recorded an impressive string of successful quarterly sales reports dating back several years. How'd this perennial powerhouse of sales activity do in the second quarter of 2008? More growth. And the numbers would be welcome in almost any industry segment. Here's how the analysts at IDC see it. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) ERP systems designed specifically for manufacturers and distributors often run on the AS/400 and its rebranded and modernized siblings. It's a business segment that has relied on IBM hardware and third-party software for decades. New features have significantly changed this software, allowing customization that rivals homegrown applications. VAI is one company with improvements that might surprise you. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Business applications tend to run on multiple servers, operating systems, and databases, even in System i shops. So where does the business analysis get done? You say it doesn't get done at all? That's about to change. At least it has the potential to change and the System i can remain central to getting this accomplished. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Remote backup and disaster recovery services utilizing high-speed Internet connections have some unique advantages. They often go unnoticed as organizations stick with what they know best, which are traditional tape-based processes for backup and recovery. A single experience with recovery from an unplanned downtime can change your mind in the midst of chaos. A better approach is to consider alternatives ahead of time. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) It's not uncommon for System i shops to seek support for multiple database management systems. Options for sharing data among applications running on different systems are almost demanded in many IT departments. If you have a database that includes an ODBC or JDBC driver, you have the potential for widespread data accessibility. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(s4i Systems) Benefiting from content management systems means paying attention to the security-related challenges that come with self-service over public networks. This white paper covers CMS technology on the IBM System i and the forces that are driving these deployments. READ MORE >

(BCD) This white paper discusses PHP as a technology and as a productive method for transforming legacy applications to Web applications or creating new Web applications from square one. It explains the popularity of PHP, how it is different from other technologies, and uses the company's WebSmart PHP as the focal point for Web application development. 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 >

(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 >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

(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 >

(September 25 & 26) -- Dallas, Texas -- COMMON Directions 2008 is a two-day educational conference offering 50-plus i5/OS educational sessions on a variety of leading-edge topics, presented by some of the most respected speakers in the industry. Presented by the world's largest user group of System i (now Power Systems) professionals, this smaller version of the annual COMMON Conference and Expo is designed to maximize i5/OS education while minimizing time away from the office. LEARN MORE >

(October 5-8) -- Burlingame, California -- COMMON Focus 2008 is a workshop-style conference event, featuring three days of intense, focused education through all-day workshops. It will offer at least 15 all-day educational workshops, both in-lab and lecture-style formats, providing in-depth i5/OS education across a wide range of topic areas. It is set up so attendees attend only one workshop per day, providing specifically focused and in-depth topic coverage. This event, presented by the by the world's largest user group of System i (now Power Systems) professionals, is designed for more one-on-one interaction with the speakers and other attendees. LEARN MORE >

(October 19-22) -- Las Vegas, Nevada -- IBM i development technologies and learning the skills to implement them will be presented at the RPG & DB2 Summit. The developer-oriented educational conference is hosted by System i Developer, a training organization headed by noted RPG and DB2 experts Jon Paris, Susan Gantner, Paul Tuohy, and Skip Marchesani. Sessions will include topics such as RDi development tools and IBM i 6.1, WDSc/RSE, ILE, SQL, RPG IV, DB2, PHP and XML. The instructor staff also includes many other well-known subject experts, including IBM's George Farr, who will also give a keynote address revealing the latest IBM developments relevant to i programmers. Four optional half-day workshops, separate from the Summit, are also available. Registration for the RPG & DB2 Summit is $995 ($895 for alumni) for reservations received by June 27. The half-day workshops are priced at $250 for one workshop, or $325 for two. LEARN MORE >