i OS Twitter Utility from Kisco Gets More Useful

Published: September 15, 2009

by Alex Woodie

Kisco Information Systems's SNDTWEET utility got more useful earlier this month when the company added automatic file monitoring capabilities. The new feature automatically posts a "tweet" to the Twitter Web site whenever a database record is accessed, changed, or modified, providing a handy way to monitor file activity on the System i server.

SNDTWEET, which Kisco rolled out in April, turns the Twitter Web service into an extension of an i OS server for systems management and communication purposes. The software basically enables messages, logs, or communications originating from the i OS server to be displayed on the user's Twitter Web site.

This product can be used in several ways, such as communicating with groups of people inside and outside of an organization. But it's most useful function may be monitoring various aspects of the System i server, and instantly sending out alerts to the System i's "followers" (operators, administrators, and IT managers) via Twittter when something noteworthy happens.

Kisco enhanced SNDTWEET's systems management pedigree with version 1.03, which was unveiled in June. That release introduced automated queue monitoring functionality that allows users to automatically receive a message via Twitter when a certain message arrived on a queue. It also introduced the capability for users to reply to System i-generated messages--such as a system-generated message alerting to a potential DASD problem--via Twitter.

Now, with version 1.08, Kisco has added similar capability for monitoring files. Any native DB2/400 file can be monitored via SNDTWEET for activity--including adds, changes, deletes, and reads. Potential uses for this feature include providing security coverage over sensitive files, or for receiving notification when a finished sales report arrives in a file.

Users can opt to receive notifications in two ways with SNDTWEET 1.08. They can get instant notification of events as they occur, including detailed information about the access. Or they can get periodic summaries of file activity occurring after a predetermined activity threshold has been reached.

It may be wise to use SNDTWEET's threshold option, considering the large number of files a busy System i server can generate in a given day, and the large number of tweets that can turn into. Twitter imposes a limit of 100 tweets per hour, which is plenty for humans but is chicken feed for busy business systems like the System i. Kisco also includes documentation of the 100-tweet-per-hour limit with version 1.08.

SNDTWEET costs $295 per i OS server or LPAR. A license to install SNDTWEET on multiple LPARs costs $495. For more information, see www.kisco.com.

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