Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) Unless they've renamed IBM, the B still stands for business. So what kind of business makes a strategic decision to coast for while? Coasting doesn't win races. Peddling faster does. This is particularly evident in the IT business, and even more so in the midrange market. The System i executives at Big Blue need to pick up the pace. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) According to IDC's stats, the worldwide server market in the third quarter of 2006 climbed 3.5 percent compared to third quarter 2005. That's a power surge that should get everyone's attention. It's a better growth rate than any of the past four quarters and the biggest bag of cash in a third quarter since 2000. Overall server unit shipments increased by 7.4 percent. That sounds pretty good, but it's the ninth consecutive quarter that server unit shipment growth has declined. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) For the majority of System i, iSeries, and AS/400 users, consolidating your company's System x and xSeries servers on your favorite box has not even been a consideration. The networking challenges have been complex, the number of attached boxes has been limited, and the performance has been less than exhilarating. With iSCSI and an eye toward virtual storage and easier administration of larger server farms including BladeCenters, it's a different ball game. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) The periodic rise and fall of the System i empire, as gauged by quarterly financial reports from IBM, are snapshots of a brand that is struggling to keep its head above the water. Everyone has an opinion based on whether the strategic choices are two steps forward and one step back or the other way around. Four analysts, who have weathered more than a couple OS/400 storms, explain their view on the current state of affairs. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) If you've done a pretty magnificent job of building bridges between the data center and the executive boardroom, here's your next bridge-building challenge. Take a shot at connecting your organization with a local college, university, or technical school. You could play an important role in the IBM Academic Initiative for System i, and also open a pipeline for new talent to fill important positions on your IT team. READ MORE >

(System iNetwork) This story, featuring the IT department at British Sugar, is not at all common. It begins with an ERP package running on a mainframe and follows the migration to new software running on the System i. It includes six manufacturing, two packaging sites, and more than 300 users. And the biggest surprise? It also provides high availability for the mainframe environment. READ MORE >

(Insider Weekly) This is actually three stories in one. It begins with an explanation from executives of two recently merged high availability vendors about added value resulting from the merger. From there it moves into the topic of Sun Microsystems, Java, and System i users. And it wraps up with an overview of Enterprise Generation Language and WebSphere Development Studio Client. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) Out of sight and out of mind refers to the peace of mind that comes with not worrying about something if you can't see it. As a motto for System i security, you could do better. Here's an idea. How about software that automates the monitoring of your security policy? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Hackers are the Mongol hordes of the 21st century. God forbid they come after you and your System i. Maybe you have your system locked down and 100 percent hacker-proof. Then again, maybe not. Do you know where your vulnerabilities are tonight? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Management consoles for multiple platforms cross the line between nice to have and need to have. It makes sense to have a single point of control for such things as monitoring the consumption of processor, memory, and disk resources; tracking hardware inventory and software configurations; receiving and correlating events from different systems; and taking corrective actions from remote locations. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Rather than buy a new System i5 server, have you considered a hosting service? It's still your choice regarding the applications that are run, whether you use the service's box for testing, and whether you want high availability or disaster recovery as part of the deal. You can also get a service level agreement for 99.9 percent uptime. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) After failing to reach first base with its initial offer to woo the executive board at NetManage, the suitors--who are bent on buying on the connectivity software maker--decided they could be a lot more charming and charismatic if they brought more money with them on the second date. Wrong again. NetManage remains uninterested. Or are they just playing hard to get? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) When former competitors decide to join forces, it's interesting to watch how the new pecking order plays out. The merger of high availability software vendors Vision Solutions and iTera is a great example. To say these two companies never quite got along goes beyond mere understatement. Now that they're building one team, the executive roster has been released. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Speaking of rivalries, who among you would like to see Linux bloody Microsoft's nose? If you are ready to strap on the gloves and throw a few punches, but realize you can't Linux your way out of a paper bag, IBM is ready to get you in fighting shape. With Big Blue in your corner, you can migrate applications to Linux and consolidate them onto virtualized server instances. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(New Generation Software) This white paper presents a methodology that can be used by computer professionals or business analysts to implement a data warehouse and business intelligence system. It is based on the successful implementation by a $300,000,000 services-oriented company. READ MORE >

(Varsity Logistics) This short case study features a shoe manufacturer that ships between 900 and 1,500 parcels per day via UPS and Federal Express. The logistics software from Varsity Logistics interfaces with manufacturing and financial software two other vendors and leverages the manufacturer's investment in its iSeries. READ MORE >

(IBM) This redbook provides an introduction to the iSCSI protocol for connecting xSeries servers with the System i. It also covers the installation, implementation, and management Windows and Linux servers as well as network, backup, and recovery topics. READ MORE >

(Information Builders) This paper serves as a synopsis of Information Builders' philosophy of business intelligence. It focuses on establishing a culture of measurement and beginning a cycle of continued improvement within your organization. READ MORE >

(IBM) Implementing Linux on System i comes with its own set of performance questions. This paper relies on customer experiences to provide best practices that are useful in determining factors that affect the overall performance of Linux-based workloads on the System i. It covers topics such as memory allocation, virtual SCSI adapters, adapter frame size, and virtual LANs.(Source) Text. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

November 30 -- Webinar - Using Single Sign-On to reduce the costs and risks of managing multiple passwords is the topic of this Web-based session hosted by security vendor PowerTech. Guest speaker is John Earl. This 30-minute session begins at 8 a.m. PST. LEARN MORE >

November 30 -- San Mateo, California - This session will highlight the next generation of service oriented architecture (SOA) technologies. Topics of discussion include new SOA tools and technologies that address the needs of business users; how to garner relevant information across heterogeneous systems; meeting business commitments and customer expectations; and making business performance activity measurements immediately available and minimizing the delay between information access and business decisions. Two sessions: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. LEARN MORE >

December 5 -- Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois - Migrating from the green-screen development tools SEU and PDM to the graphical tools available in WebSphere Development Studio Client is the focus of this session presented by Joe Pluta. LEARN MORE >

December 6 -- Webinar - Many SQL performance tuning controls exist for System i users. This session explores those options and provides insights into choosing one over another based on efficiency and effectiveness. The event begins at 1 p.m. CST, and is hosted by software vendor Centerfield Technology. LEARN MORE >

December 10-12 -- Carlsbad, California - The Gartner CIO Summit offers analyst presentations complemented by hands-on workshops that aim for a thorough peer-to-peer exploration of the issues, trends, and technologies challenging enterprise IT departments. Session topics include value-chain business advantages, collaboration and the high performance workplace, new software architectures, and creating an agile enterprise. The event will be held at the LaCosta Resort and Spa. LEARN MORE >

December 12 -- Webinar - Achieving regulatory compliance and internal control remediation without programmatic changes will be discussed during this one-hour session hosted by software vendor Innovatum. Topics to be examined include identifying compliance data, identifying controls and approvals, and automating these controls and approvals as much as possible. The session begins at 11 a.m. EST. LEARN MORE >

December 14 – Webinar - Business intelligence software that interoperates with encrypted data and provides the necessary audit trails and compliance requirements is the topic of this session hosted by software vendors New Generation Software and Patrick Townsend & Associates. The presentation begins at 11 a.m. EST. LEARN MORE >