Flux Delivers Automation for Changing Workloads
by Alex Woodie

IBM i shops that are in the market for a combined job scheduler and managed file transfer (MFT) solution may want to check out Flux. The Las Vegas company's Java-based workload automation and MFT tool, also called Flux, can orchestrate file movements and initiate processing on a wide range of platforms, including IBM's midrange servers. With the launch of Flux 7.11 last month, the tool gets a REST Web services API, better integration with Cognos, and enhancements to its Web browser-based UI. READ MORE >

Two-Tier ERP Deployments Gain Steam
by Alex Woodie

Companies are increasingly seeking two-tier ERP deployments to support distributed operations, according to a recent study by Constellation Research. While running a mixture of different ERP systems in a hub-and-spoke manner is nothing new, the percentage of companies open to two-tier deployments has more than doubled in recent years. The trend could benefit the IBM i platform, as companies look to make the most of existing ERP investments and avoid expensive and disruptive company-wide ERP implementations. READ MORE >

IBM Ships New Collaborative Lifecycle Management Suite
by Alex Woodie

IBM Rational today begins delivery of its new collaborative lifecycle management (CLM) suite, a collection of three existing tools designed to foster greater collaboration in the change management, requirements, and testing phases of the application development lifecycle. With the version 3.0.1 releases of Rational Team Concert, Rational Requirements Composer, and Rational Quality Manager, the products have been linked, and will be sold as the CLM 2011 release. The announcement was made last week at INNOVATE 2011, the annual conference for Rational held in Orlando, Florida. READ MORE >

Skybot: When Automated Scheduling is Not for IBM i
by Dan Burger

Assuring jobs run on time and in the right order is a frequent operations issue. To reduce the risks that come with jobs running out of order and those that never run due to malfunctions or oversight, companies frequently turn to job scheduling automation software. In IBM i shops, one of the trusted names in this line of work is Help/Systems, a company that's taken care of such things for more than 25 years. Recently Help/Systems expanded its reach beyond IBM i-centric software. READ MORE >