News Briefs and Product Shorts

IBM Starts Shipping Host Access Client Package for iSeries Version 5

IBM last week announced Host Access Client Package for iSeries Version 5, an update of the connectivity bundle that includes IBM Personal Communications for Windows 8 and WebSphere Host On-Demand. With this release, which became available for download last Thursday, IBM has delivered IBM Personal Communications for Windows Version 5.8, which includes support for the Microsoft Crypto API, Primary Interop Assemblies for .NET, 5250 printer association support, and Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) compliance. The bundle also includes WebSphere Host On-Demand Version 9, which has such new features as database integration and enhancements, Web server independence, macro and keyboard remap enhancements, improvements to the WebSphere portlet environment, and FIPS compliance.

Minnesota Twins Thwart Ticket Fraud with Barcode Scanners

In OS/400 sports news, the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball franchise appears to be making good use of its IBM eServer computer. The Twins, which are headed to the playoffs after winning the American League Central Division this year, implemented a new wireless barcode scanning system at the beginning of the season. The system, which puts Symbol SPT1846 wireless handsets into the hands of ushers, is designed to gather ticket data in real time, in the hope of reducing ticket fraud and keeping lines moving faster. The Twins system integrator on the project, Barcoding Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland, said last week that it's too soon to declare the system an absolute success because the season isn't over. But the elimination of the manual ticket collection and counting processes, and the fact that the introduction of the 5250-based ticketing system required no changes to be made to the Twins "E Series" mainframe computer (we think they meant "eServer iSeries" here, but it's easy to get confused), point strongly in the direction of success. A representative from the Twins organization also says that the new system provides them with usable information about the attendance habits of their season ticket holders, and can also help the team do prize drawings during games.

Quadrant Enhances Fax Distribution with FastFax Version 4.6

Quadrant Software recently updated its collection of electronic fax and e-mail server products for OS/400 and other platforms. The new FastFax eFax Server engine, Version 4.6, which is used across the FastFax/Enterprise, FastFax/Ultra, and FastFax/LAN fax servers products (as well as the Formtastic Fusion5 document management software), features improved inbound/outbound fax routing, better support for e-mail attachments, and support for the latest operating systems. With support for DNIS and ANI inbound routing, FastFax can be used to automatically deliver inbound faxes directly to a user's desktop fax client or e-mail client. This release can also be used to deliver multiple copies of an inbound document to any combination of e-mail, print, and fax recipients without manual intervention. Inbound documents can also be automatically delivered into an archiving or imaging system without manual scanning, and FastFax Version 4.6 is even capable of "learning" new inbound routing rules, Quadrant says. In terms of e-mail, the latest release allows outbound e-mail attachments to be delivered with their original extension and format intact. FastFax Version 4.6 also supports OS/400 V5R3, Windows Terminal Server 2003, Domino Version 6.5.1, and Microsoft Exchange 2003 clustering.

Aldon Change Management Plug-In Gets WebSphere Studio Certification

Aldon change management users who want to use their Lifecycle Manager software with IBM development tools can now do so, with peace of mind. Last week the Northern California developer of OS/400 change management software announced that IBM has certified its Aldon Lifecycle Manager for iSeries plug-ins for use with WebSphere Studio Version 5.1. The plug-ins support WebSphere Studio Site Developer, WebSphere Studio Application Developer, and WebSphere Development Studio Client, and are available to all customers at no additional charge, Aldon says. Aldon's president and chief executive, Dan Magid, says that his product's use of the WebSphere Team Repository provides a higher level of integration with other third-party plug-ins for WebSphere. "Aldon's use of the Team Repository architecture is the only strategy that supports the full functionality of WebSphere Studio and can also maximize any integrated third-party tool, the Remote Systems Explorer, the Java Package Explorer, and any IDE perspective such as Java, C++ and COBOL," he says.

TrailBlazer's ZMOD Exchange Certified for UCCnet Services

The ZMOD Exchange for UCCnet Services software product from TrailBlazer Systems has been certified for UCCnet Data Pool services by the Uniform Code Council, TrailBlazer's parent company, nuBridges, announced last week. ZMOD Exchange is an OS/400 application that allows users to synchronize product data information in their ERP systems' product master files with the UCCnet Data Pool Services (the new name that UCCnet is using for the GlobalRegistry). ZMOD Exchange, which TrailBlazer launched last September, features connectors for popular OS/400 ERP applications from PeopleSoft, SSA Global, and MAPICS.

New iSeries Disaster Recovery Services to Be Available in Midwest

Associated Computer Systems and LightEdge Solutions last week announced a new partnership to provide disaster recovery services for small and midsized iSeries shops in the Midwest. ACS, an iSeries reseller based in Des Moines, Iowa, chose LightEdge Solutions, a network services provider also based in Des Moines, to host the iSeries disaster recovery in its data centers. "In light of recent disastrous events, we're seeing a trend of increasing demand among small and medium-sized businesses for disaster recovery and business continuity solutions," says Tony Foth, vice president of ACS. "For many small businesses, loss of data and access to business applications significantly impacts their productivity and bottom line." Specifics of the disaster recovery offering (such as whether it will be tape-based or use "online backups," or whether it will use more advanced remote journaling or clustering technology) were not disclosed, although the companies did say that the offering will use LightEdge's "redundant, meshed IP WAN network" and that it will allow "remote sites to get back online in a matter of hours, not days." Interested parties will be able to find out more during a series of seminars the companies will be holding in Omaha, Des Moines, and Cedar Rapids from October 13 to October 21. To register for the seminars, go to www.acsltd.com/dr.