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In This Issue
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We Bring It All Together So You Don't Have To.
Sponsored By
 ALDON COMPUTER GROUP
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Free White Papers!
Want to know more about Source Control Management and why it's important to every development shop? Want to know how to integrate WebSphere and Java Development in a multi-platform environment? We have the answers.
See how IBM and Aldon have partnered to provide a comprehensive SCM solution for complex development.
Find out more at www.aldon.com
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Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web
(The Four Hundred) About iSeries Linux, one industry analyst recently inferred that we may be expecting too much too soon from the OS/400 penguin. After all, iSeries Linux partitions are a relatively new concept and with real 64-bit computing on the iSeries and more Linux partitions per machine, there's a compelling economic case for using iSeries for Linux consolidation. But before we get to that, there are a few other things we have to do first.
(The 400 Group) Is the iSeries picking up steam as a Web server? Citing several statistics, the authors of this article have made a case for sharp increases in the number of shops using iSeries for Web serving, in the number of customers using the Webfacing tool, and in the number of people deploying applications on IBM's HTTP Server powered by Apache. On the down side, however, they cited a decreasing use of WebSphere Application Server, XML, and MQ Series.
(Lotus Advisor) IBM Lotus released Version 5.0.12 of the Lotus Notes Client and Lotus Domino server on February 27. This is a scheduled maintenance release that contains 338 fixes and some new features. At press time, the Version 5.0.12 incremental installer for the iSeries wasn't yet posted on the Lotus Domino downloads Web site listed in the article, but it should be posted in the next week or two.
(IBM Lotus) Last week, we reported that IBM hadn't posted the Lotus Domino Version 6.0.1 Maintenance Release for iSeries on its Web site yet. After we went to press, IBM did post the iSeries Domino Version 6.0.1 incremental installer on its Lotus Domino downloads Web site (look for it at the top of the page).
(iSeries Network) To compete with IBM's new WebSphere Application Server Express, BEA Systems released two new versions of its WebLogic application server that also can run on the iSeries: WebLogic Express and WebLogic Workgroup. And at $695 and $1,495 per CPU, both products are priced below WebSphere Express.
(The Four Hundred) While J.D. Edwards announced a $7 million first quarter profit two weeks ago, the computer press was abuzz about the legal actions taken against JDE by at least 10 early adopters of the OneWorld ERP suite. JDE acknowledges that OneWord had problems during its first shipments in 1998, but says those problems have all been resolved and vigorously defends the quality of the software it's shipping today.
(iSeries Network) IBM cut about 1,000 people last week from its U.S. Software Group and Global Services workforce. According to the company, the layoffs were part of an effort to "rebalance employee skill sets" (nice little euphemism Big Blue's using here). Pink-slipped employees have 30 days to find another job in IBM or leave the company. This layoff is in addition to the 15,000 employees (mostly from Global Services) who lost their jobs last August.
(The Four Hundred) In anticipation of the yet-to-be-announced Power5 servers, IBM's "Armada" servers-- the kickers to the iSeries "Regatta" Power4-based machines that are said to offer four times the performance of those Regatta boxes--are now being called the "Squadron" family of servers,. This was the latest salvo in the battle of non-existing (or pre-announced) servers that IBM is waging with Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems. And there's more leaked news and promises about IBM's upcoming Squadron line.
(MC Press online) At its recent PartnerWorld conference, IBM outlined a change in its sales process whereby business partners will function more like consultants, who work with line-of-business managers and executives before companies create a request for proposal. This has major implications for iSeries customers, because IT departments will have less influence over IT decision-making.
(iSeries Network) With Al Zollar's ascension from IBM Lotus general manager to iSeries division head, analysts have speculated that such management shifts reflect IBM's push to bring its middleware to the small and midsized business market. Zollar recently gave an interview in which he discussed his views on the iSeries and where he thinks things are going.
(iSeries Network) OS/400 met Seventh Heaven in a recent article where the iSeries was described as "feeling a little like aging Aunt Hattie, who reliably attends the family picnic with her home-style potato salad, but is never really appreciated and never takes center stage." (Don't you wish you had a nickel for every time you heard that one over a beer at COMMON?) Get beyond the metaphors, however, and the author has a second point: that the iSeries marketplace will do very well with IBM's small and midsized business market initiatives.
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Sponsored By
 ITERA
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High Availability / Disaster Recovery
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Vendor Announcements, Promotions And Deals
(IBM) Big Blue announced a decrease in one-time charges associated with WebSphere Development Studio Advanced Edition for iSeries (product 5722-WDS). The new charges--which offer price reductions from $2,000 to over $100,000, depending on which feature number you're purchasing--apply only to those programs whose charges became due after March 4, 2003.
(IBM) IBM has withdrawn its iSeries High Availability and Implementation Services Rebate Offering. Pending rebates must be for products purchased between June 11, 2002, and March 28, 2003. All rebates must be received by the IBM redemption center by August 28, 2003.
(Guild Companies) BOScom recently announced LANLynk, a new remote access server designed to provide remote workers with additional access to AS/400 and iSeries when their primary Internet service is down. LANLynk includes an integrated firewall and Windows-based management software.
(Guild Companies) Jinfonet Software recently announced JReport 5.0, the latest version of its Java-enabled suite of report generation software for OS/400 and other platforms. With Version 5.0, designers gain new report generation capabilities, while the server portion gains enterprise-class features such as load balancing and failover.
(Guild Companies) PerformanceIT has announced ProIT 2.5, an affordable network management system that the company says compares to IBM's Tivoli, Hewlett-Packard's Open View, and BMC Software's Patrol. Version 2.5 costs less that $25,000 and provides new support for OS/400 servers.
(Guild Companies) Tango/04 Computing Group has announced the availability of Visual Support Pro 5.0, which includes a new graphical interface for help desk personnel. The product is available through Tango/04's American reseller, SoftLanding Systems.
(Guild Companies) 21st Century Software has reintroduced the VFI/400 disaster recovery tool, which is designed to speed up backups and quickly restore company applications after an outage. For a limited time, the company is offering VFI/400 licenses for $1,500, which includes the first year of maintenance.
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Sponsored By
 CLIENT SERVER DEVELOPMENT
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LEARN SQL BY EXAMPLE!
Buy your copy of iSeries and AS/400 SQL at Work direct from the author, Howard F. Arner, Jr. This is THE BOOK to teach you SQL on the iSeries.
Howard takes you through SQL by example. The book comes with a CD that has all of the sample data and queries used in the book and a FREE copy of SQLThing that you can use to work through the examples.
Learn by doing! Order your copy at SQLThing.com today!
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New Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources
(BOSCOM) e-Twin@x Controller Support Web site -- This site contains technical information on using the e-Twin@x Controller, including FAQs, required PTFs, initial configuration instructions, and a downloadable PDF System Administrator's Guide.
(IBM) Redbook -- IBM Lotus Domino 6 for iSeries Implementation targets system administrators who want to deploy or upgrade to Domino 6 for iSeries.
(IBM) Draft Redbook -- IBM Host Access Client Package Update -- IBM's Host Client Access package combines three products--WebSphere Host On-Demand, IBM Screen Customizer, and IBM Personal Communications--and sells them as a single solution for legacy host system access and graphic enablement of text-based applications. This Redbook explains the bundle, its products, and what features it contains.
(Original Software) White Paper -- A Unified Approach to iSeries Application Testing tells iSeries users how to build a comprehensive systems testing program. It covers testing approaches, best-testing practices, and integrated testing using TestBench for iSeries.
(Search400) Webcast -- In "Taking the mystery out of migrating Domino 5 to Domino 6 on iSeries," Walter Scanlan, IBM Lotus team leader for worldwide post-sales support of Domino on iSeries, discusses the right time for an upgrade, what to expect during the upgrade, what data should be modified, and more (registration required).
(T.L. Ashford) The Bar Code Basics Web site offers a fast-paced review of the various elements that make up barcode technology. The site includes an overview of barcoding, key points, different symbologies, compliance basics, and a glossary of terms.
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Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings
March 9-13 -- COMMON User Group presents its spring 2003 conference and expo in Indianapolis. Meet industry experts, attend hands-on labs, exchange information with fellow professionals, attend a multitude of educational tracks, and get real-world solutions at the vendor expo. Go to www.common.org/Conferences/conf.html for more information and registration.
March 17-19 -- Quadrant Software will host two intensive two-and-a-half day workshops that provide customers with tips and techniques to leverage their FastFax/Enterprise or FastFax/Ultra installations. For more information, go to www.quadrantsoftware.com/Products_fdr/training.html.
March 18 -- Information Availability Institute presents a free Availability & Business Continuity Workshop in Omaha, Nebraska, on March 18. Click here for more details.
March 19 -- A Webinar titled "Maximizing Reporting for the iSeries using the Symtrax Portal" will examine how Symtrax technology can help companies reduce paper and printing costs and improve access to important reports. Go to www.symtrax.com/home/us/signup.htm to register.
March -- iSeries professionals in the greater Washington, D.C., area can take advantage of a continuing series of technical seminars organized through the cooperative efforts of two local user groups: Washington Area Midrange and Mid Atlantic Midrange. Highly regarded speakers will be presenting sessions on the latest technology and programming methods. Go to www.wash-midrange.org/seminars.html for details and a list of upcoming seminars.
April-June -- Bytware is conducting several workshops to help customers take advantage of the most valuable features of Bytware products. Workshop topics include MessengerPlus, StandGuard, and MessengerConsole. Go to www.bytware.com/edu.htm for more information.
April 7-9 -- Northeast IBM User Groups will present its 13th annual iSeries and AS/400 user group conference at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel in Framingham, Massachusetts. More than 20 well-known speakers, including Frank Soltis, Allison Butteril, Ian Jarman, Susan Gantner, and Jon Paris, will present three days of classes on WebSphere, WebFacing, SQL, Client Access, RPG coding, iSeries futures, Java, and more. A vendor expo and IBM certification tests will also be offered. A $50 discount is available if you register before March 18. Go to www.neibmconf.com for more information.
April 30-May 2 -- RPG World, an educational event for iSeries programmers presented by some of the top authorities on RPG and iSeries application development, will be held in Orlando, Florida, from April 30 through May 2. Topics include RPG, Web development, and general iSeries application development. Go to www.rpgworld.com for more information.
June 15-18 -- The 2003 iSeries & AS/400 Connection Conference offers four days of iSeries education at the Registry Resort in Naples, Florida. The iSeries educational tracks focus on application development, Java, SQL, e-business, operations, and security. Speakers include Dr. Frank Soltis, Al Barsa Jr., Allison Butterill, Wayne O. Evans, Susan Gantner, Janet Krueger, Jon Paris, Jim Sloan, and Howard F. Arner Jr. Go to www.tramenco.com/naples for more information and registration.
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Editor: Joe Hertvik
Managing Editor: Shannon Pastore
Publisher and Advertising Director: Jenny Thomas
Advertising Sales Representative: Kim Reed
If you have a resource, event, or any other interesting item that you want to see publicized in Midrange Monitor, send an email to Joe Hertvik
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