Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) When the IBM Power7 processors and the i 7.1 operating system go to market sometime next year, will something entice AS/400, iSeries, and System i shops to get in line for some new iron? Perhaps some specialty engines designed for specific workloads will be in the works. There's a lot to uncover here, so let's dig into it with the devil's shovel. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) The program conversion process that's required to move to the i 6.1 operating system and new hardware has been a boat anchor that's slowed the upgrade process and progress of more than a few IBM System i customers. Companies have enough struggles with day-to-day operations, and test driving this conversion often doesn't make the top of the priority list--especially for those without a backup box. Here's an option for those who prefer to look before they leap. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) The server market exceeded expectations in the third quarter, but that's sort of like coming out of a fight with just one black eye instead of two. Server sales are still taking a beating. It's just not as bad as it was the previous quarter. Comparisons and forecasts can be noodled back and forth, but the best advice is to bargain hard now while the buyers still have the power to control the way deals go down. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Organizations with untested backup and recovery plans are walking on thin ice. This is especially true in the midmarket where IT departments are short on staff and specialized skills. Trusting that a backup and recovery system will work as planned is assuming a lot. Assurances that a system recovery can be accomplished as expected don't mean much without proof. READ MORE >

(WordPress.com) The top dog in IBM's Systems and Technology Group is barking about new hardware and analytics and how it is intending to spend the 47 percent of Big Blue's R&D budget on improving everything from workload optimization to systems software value. This is IBM evangelism at its best (or worst if you are looking for anything truly analytical). Throw in some Smarter Planet references and you have a marketing department's dream date with a blogger. READ MORE >

(System iNetwork) While propellerheads fiddle, IPv4 address space burns . . . and it's burning faster than you think. If you are like many of your IT peers, IPv6 is only a speck on the horizon. But if you don't see this one coming, you have no one to blame but yourself. And your boss will probably agree with you. READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) Companies may have overlapping levels of security protection at the application and network levels, but critical data remains unguarded to credentialed insiders. That's a problem that can take a bite out of your backend. You know what I mean? If you aren't worried, maybe you don't know what goes on during application development and quality assurance testing. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) There's no mystery in why the IBM AS/400 has been dominate in warehouses and distribution centers. It's a rock and the applications that run on it are top of the line. It's been that way for a long time. Will it continue? That's one of those rhetorical questions like: Does a bear spit in the woods? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) IT is used to hold the reins on business unit cost management throughout an organization. The one place that costs aren't tracked with the same appetite for control is the IT department itself. To understand the true value of the applications and the services that IT provides, there needs to be handles on the costs for such things as servers, storage, software, the network, power consumption, real estate, and human capital. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Connecting PC-based users to applications running on IBM i-based Power Systems servers is what emulation software is all about. Most people would place processing speed (the kind that comes from flying fingers) at the top of their priority list along with resolving application casualties, which are critical to keeping the data processing at top speed. Here's a way to stay on top of that game. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(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 >

(LANSA) Selecting an application modernization strategy means considering the many options available and finding the best fit for your skills and your objectives. This online presentation examines the steps to incrementally extend and re-engineer existing applications and integrate new components. READ MORE >

(Profound Logic) This archived Webinar explores application modernization techniques using Profound Logic software. The focus is on integration with business objectives, gaining productivity, and reducing costs. READ MORE >

(looksoftware) JD Edwards users are featured in this video presentation that explains how to modernize applications with features such as a graphical user interface, Web access, mobile access, and integration with other applications. READ MORE >

(Infor) Building (or rebuilding) a low-cost, highly capable ERP system begins with an IBM Power Systems i platform and software designed to fit a specific industry and business model without being highly customized. If you need a lean supply chain that is energy and asset efficient and can leverage customer relationships, here's how it can be done. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

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

January 14 -- Maryland Heights, Missouri - Carol Woodbury, president of SkyView Partners and the i OS platform's former security architect while working at IBM, will discuss a step-by-step plan for object level security at the monthly meeting of the Gateway/400 Group, a System i user group serving the greater St. Louis area. The meeting begins with lunch at noon and the presentation following lunch. RSVP no later than Monday before the meeting date. Meetings are held at the Graphic Arts Communication Banquet Facility located at 105 Progress Parkway. LEARN MORE >

January 15 -- Sparks, Nevada - The Reno-Sparks Midrange User Group meeting features a presentation on business intelligence on the IBM i. Guest speaker is Diana Stater from New Generation Software. Stater's presentation includes a product demonstration of NGS-IQ. The meeting beings at 11:30 a.m. and is held at the Scolaris Company headquarters located at 255 South McCarran Boulevard. LEARN MORE >

January 17-21 -- Orlando, Florida - Lotusphere, the biggest Lotus event of each year, brings together developers, administrators, IT and business professionals looking for collaborative software and solutions. It includes presentations on the latest innovations, hands-on training, and networking discussions, as well as the latest word on Lotus products and strategy. LEARN MORE >

January 19 -- Nashville, Tennessee - This meeting of the Tennessee IBM Mid-Range User Group will feature a presentation on high availability by AS/400 veteran Todd Victor. The emphasis will be on set up and configuration, remote journaling, communications, software implementation, and performing a role swap. The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Vanderbilt located at 2613 West End Avenue. It begins at 5:30 p.m. LEARN MORE >

January 19 -- Costa Mesa, California - Three sessions on SQL are on the agenda for the regular monthly meeting of the OCEAN User Group. Guest speaker is consultant Joe Pluta. The OCEAN User Group serves the greater Orange County, California, area and meets the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held at the IBM offices located at 600 Anton Boulevard and begin at 3 p.m. LEARN MORE >

January 20 -- Seekonk, Massachusetts - Security encryption will be the featured topic at the monthly meeting of the New England Midrange Users Group. The meeting is held at the Ramada Inn located at 940 Fall River Avenue and begins at 5:15 p.m. LEARN MORE >

January 20 -- Fort Washington, Pennsylvania - A one-day training session on RPG application modernization by author and subject matter expert Don Denoncourt explains development strategies used to produce modern applications. Topics will include maintainable and testable code, modular and component-based apps, rich user interfaces, use of the Model-View-Controller design pattern, and apps that are responsive to new business requirements. The sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue to 5 p.m. and will be held at the Holiday Inn. The registration fee is $260 for user group members and $295 for all others. LEARN MORE >

January 21 -- Chattanooga, Tennessee - The Tennessee Valley Midrange User's Group will feature a presentation on DB2 Web Query. Guest speaker Paul Lambert will review of the purpose, benefits, and implementation strategies. A discussion of the architectural concepts surrounding DB2 Web Query will be the launch point for the presentation. Lambert is an instructor for IBM, and a consultant and lecturer in the IBM i world. His special interests include IBM i and AS/400 performance tuning and capacity planning, system operations, and system management. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn - Hamilton Place located at 2343 Shallowford Village Drive. It gets under way at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6 and the presentation at 6:30. LEARN MORE >

January 21 -- Virtual Conference - COMMON Directions 2009 will feature educational presentations on topics such as RPG skills, SQL, system management and performance, System i disk, debugging, and IBM DB2 Web Query. In addition, it will offer a question and answer session, interaction with vendors, and networking with peers. The event is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Registration fee is $395, with discounts available. LEARN MORE >