Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) Nearly a month ago at the COMMON conference in Miami Beach, Mark Shearer, general manager of the System i Division at IBM, mentioned a couple of entry-level System i ideas that are being talked about. It's possible, he said, that IBM could offer the i5/OS platform as a service and that it could be capped by the number of users rather than the CPW performance. Now other sources say they have the skinny on a possible configuration of the future i5 machine. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Back in 1982, two software vendors opened their doors to the OS/400 community, and through the years both have done quite well for themselves. As of last week, one of those companies--Advanced Systems Concepts--merged into the other company, which is Help/Systems. According to officials at Help/Systems, it was just the right time to make this move. Maybe so, but it makes me wonder if we'll see more of these deals in the months ahead. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Application modernization means many things to many people, but there are two steps that most can agree upon. The first one, which is also the simplest one, is to rid applications of that wretched green screen. The second, which takes more planning and more effort, involves integrating applications and taking a service oriented architecture approach. A new study and report sheds some light on the who, what, when, where, and why of modernization. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) When Gartner predicts that by 2011 software as a service will account for 25 percent of software purchases, the software vendors must simultaneously rub their chins and nod. Doncha think? Well, IBM is panning for OS/400 gold in a work stream that might yield i5/OS as a service. Maybe the thinking is that you gotta go with the flow. READ MORE >

(SearchCRM) When Koontz-Wagner Electric Co. decided to abandon Oracle support for its J.D. Edwards World Financials software running on an iSeries box, it knew full well that it would no longer be eligible for licensing upgrades. That was not the issue. What it needed was better support at a lower cost. A 50 percent savings and getting problems solved in a timely manner has the company feeling good about its decision. READ MORE >

(System iNetwork) The good news is that IT departments are getting better at finding ways to save money. The bad news is that the money saved is not being reinvested in future IT projects that can move organizations toward business goals that otherwise remain out of reach. READ MORE >

(Zend) Billed as "not scientific" or "even serious," this compilation of best places to live and work as a PHP developer is nonetheless nothing short of what the author promises: "At best, this should be used as a guide, and at worst it's just entertainment." READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) One of the new ideas coming from IBM is a variation on the old bit of wisdom that goes something like this: If you can't stand the heat, get outa the data center. Because it's not uncommon to hear about companies that are at a loss to figure a way out of their heating, cooling, and power conundrums, Big Blue comes to the rescue with sort of a conundrum-buster team. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) A good mystery story takes as many twists and turns as an Appalachian back road. So it is with the mystery of RPG and COBOL application modernization. You just never know what surprise is around the next corner. How about Web applications that run natively on i5/OS, but use Microsoft's Active Server Pages and Internet Information Server as models for a native i5/OS application server? Now there's one less unsolved mystery. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Figuring out a plan for application modernization sometimes takes IT staffers to edge of human comprehension. You may have even seen a few people fall over the edge. (It's a shame when that happens, isn't it?) Doing code analysis and getting a grasp on how applications actually work can keep your modernization plans from crossing over to the dark side. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) It pays to know your rebates. Why just last week, IBM sounded the trumpets and let loose a new bevy of new rebates. One of them is a $140,000 behemoth that probably wouldn't all fit in the box that an i5 595 came in. If you're in the market for a slightly smaller box, there will be a slightly smaller rebate. Before you walk away and leave some money on the table, check out the incentives to upgrade your old box. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(Power Tech) This System i security software vendor collects data and puts it into reports that provide an examination of internal controls that are and are not in place inside companies and organizations using OS/400 and i5/OS. For instance, more than three-quarters of iSeries and System i servers have too many powerful users. That's an invitation to disaster. Many more insights can be found in this report. READ MORE >

(MKS) This white paper explores application maintenance and finds most CIOs are searching for ways manage application development and the budget assigned to it. The focus here is on effective measurement as well as ongoing maintenance. The topics are defined by five metrics that are important to ongoing application development and new IT project progress. READ MORE >

(IBM) This report is designed to help evaluate how Lotus Domino and its extended products for i5/OS can provide cost-effective collaboration solutions. It includes details about products, information sources, education, training and certification, and technical assistance. READ MORE >

(IBM) In the past, running OS/400 was good enough for iSeries and AS/400 users. But as you look ahead, Linux should begin pulling more and more weight. This white paper describes the benefits of running Linux on the System i5 servers. Companies are finding the advantages and cost savings of Linux paying off in areas such as Web serving, application serving, file-and-print serving, infrastructure support with DNS and proxy servers, e-mail support, and firewalls. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

October 12 -- Kent, Washington - A six-hour training event on WebSphere Development Studio Client (WDSC) will be presented by David Muir, the System i Manager of the Application Development Compilers and Tools. It will include a introduction to WDSC, Remote System Explorer, and useful tools for Web, Java, and database development. The session begins at 8:30 a.m. at the CenterPoint Corporate Park. LEARN MORE >

October 12 - Webinar - The advantages of viewing OS/400 & i5/OS reports in a browser are highlighted in this session hosted by Help/Systems. Key topics include documenting who receives specific reports, splitting large reports into useable segments, and reducing printing costs by as much as 50 percent. This Web-based seminar will be presented at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. CDT. LEARN MORE >

October 13 -- Toronto, Ontario - Don Yantzi, David Muir, and George Voutsinas--key members of the IBM WDSC development team-reveal strategies and usage tips that help get the most out of WDSC, whether you are working with RPG, COBOL, Java, or traditional Web technologies. Hear about convenient keyboard shortcuts, wizards, tips for faster coding, and must-have utilities such as the RSE Extensions. Also get a sneak preview of specific new tools being developed for the next release of WDSC. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. LEARN MORE >

October 15-18 -- Las Vegas, Nevada - The 2006 International LANSA User Conference provides the educational sessions to sharpen technical skills and provide tips, techniques, and early exposure to the latest LANSA technologies. The conference curriculum includes topics such as Web application modules (WAMs), LANSA's integrated development environment (IDE) workbench, the Visual LANSA framework, object oriented development and component development, and the rapid application modernization process LANSA refers to as RAMP. LANSA experts, developers, product managers, consultants, customers, and business partners will present the educational sessions. Mark Shearer, general manager of the IBM System i and the Systems & Technology Group, is the keynote speaker. LEARN MORE >

October 15-20 -- Anaheim, California - The IBM Information On Demand Conference is six conferences in one: the Business Intelligence Customer Solutions Summit, the CM Technical Conference, the DB2 IM Technical Conference, the IMS Technical Conference, Information Integration Live, and the Master Data Management Conference. The overall agenda includes 650 technical sessions, 180 business leadership sessions, free on-site professional certification, and a vendor expo area. LEARN MORE >

October 17 -- Chicago, Illinois - Don Yantzi, David Muir, and George Voutsinas--key members of the IBM WDSC development team-reveal strategies and usage tips that help get the most out of WDSC, whether you are working with RPG, COBOL, Java, or traditional Web technologies. Hear about convenient keyboard shortcuts, wizards, tips for faster coding, and must-have utilities such as the RSE Extensions. Also get a sneak preview of specific new tools being developed for the next release of WDSC. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. LEARN MORE >

October 17-20 -- Dallas, Texas - The JDEtips University offers J.D. Edwards courses in Enterprise Asset Management and Accounts Receivable. Additional courses will be offered ranging across all major JDE applications such as Financials, Distribution, Manufacturing, and EAM. There will also be a series of two classes for developers: Tools I and Tools II. See the JDEtips Web site for the complete schedule. LEARN MORE >

October 17 -- Lombard, Illinois - The monthly OMNI user group meeting will include a presentation on using the PHP Web scripting language on the System i. The session will be presented by OMNI President Mike Pavlak. His topics will include how to get started with PHP, an overview of the PHP System i toolkit, and what Zend is doing for the language and the PHP community. It will also include examples of PHP scripts. In addition to being president of the Chicago area user group, Pavlak is the IT director for Trippe Manufacturing Company. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. with dinner at 6 followed by the presentation. LEARN MORE >

October 18 -- Independence, Ohio - Data vaulting as a means for data protection and disaster recovery will be the highlighted topic during the Application Systems Users Group of Greater Cleveland meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m. and takes place at Harry's Steakhouse. Topics on the agenda include remote data backup, government regulations, and simplification of data backups. Registration by Monday, October 16, is requested. LEARN MORE >

October 18 -- Honolulu, Hawaii - This one-day iSeries application modernization seminar is designed to introduce the concepts of Web Services and service oriented architecture while exploring the use of .NET technologies that take advantage of existing iSeries assets. The presentation is hosted by ASNA, a well-known iSeries software vendor, and features ASNA solutions that reuse substantial portions of your existing applications or add new service oriented components. LEARN MORE >

April 19 -- Woodbury, New York - The Long Island Systems Users Group monthly meeting begins at 5 p.m. with a roundtable discussion on the state of the System i. Panel members are Al Barsa, Steve Fier, Pete Massiello, and Russ Popeil. The after dinner presentation will be on the topic of iSeries Access and will be presented by IBM's Carol Miner. LISUG meetings are held at the Fox Hollow Inn. LEARN MORE >

October 19 -- Coppell, Texas - Don Yantzi, David Muir, and George Voutsinas--key members of the IBM WDSC development team-reveal strategies and usage tips that help get the most out of WDSC, whether you are working with RPG, COBOL, Java, or traditional Web technologies. Hear about convenient keyboard shortcuts, wizards, tips for faster coding, and must-have utilities such as the RSE Extensions. Also get a sneak preview of specific new tools being developed for the next release of WDSC. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. LEARN MORE >

October 19-20 -- Washington, D.C. - PHP is gaining ground as programming language and enterprise-class technology. This conference, with its focus on the public sector, provides insight into the advantages of implementing PHP into your daily operations. Session track topics include: security and accountability, the art of PHP, and the business case for PHP. This conference is hosted by the local Washington, D.C., PHP community. LEARN MORE >