News Briefs and Product Shorts

• Applied Logic Corp. recently shipped a new version of its versatile database editor for OS/400 servers, FEU. FEU, which was originally designed as a replacement for IBMs Data File Utility (DFU) or custom programming, gives programmers a number of handy features, including file inquiry, editing, scanning and printing capabilities, as well as complex global file updates, deletions, and other specialized functions, such as restoring deleted records, exporting data to PC files, and converting spool files to PDF or HTML formats. With FEU Version 10.0, Applied Logic has added the capability to update a file based on the contents of another file, to update join-file data, to work with null values in null-capable files, and to export spool files in plain-text format to the OS/400 IFS. Other new features include the capability to display duplicate fields in two files, interactively create a logical file, FTP files, and support for 8-byte binary fields. New users can purchase FEU 10.0 for $995 per server, or $1,495 for an unlimited number of logical partitions. Existing users can upgrade to FEU 10.0 for $239, or $478 for the unlimited version.

• High-availability-software developer Vision Solutions announced last week that it has chosen MKSs change-management software to manage its internal development. Vision, based in Irvine, California, develops high-availability software primarily for OS/400, but is breaking into other platforms as well. The company will install several MKS products --including MKS Source Integrity Enterprise Edition, MKS Integrity Manager, and Implementer, MKSs OS/400-based change management system--on the soon-to-be-released cross-platform HA system called Orion. Orion has been in development for about two years and is expected to be released by the end of September. Visions goal with the new MKS-based change management is to unify development for Orion. By adopting MKS, Vision says it will reduce the total number of change-management tools supported; lower administration, support, and maintenance costs; and increase overall team productivity.
  
  
• Business-intelligence-software vendor MicroStrategy announced last week that OReilly Automotive has chosen its software for a new sales and inventory reporting and analysis system. OReilly, a Missouri-based specialty auto-parts retailer that received accolades in June for its successful OS/400 planning system, looks to be augmenting its highly tuned Evant supply chain software for even higher inventory turns. "We chose MicroStrategys industrial-strength business-intelligence technology for its ability to consolidate and present valuable corporate performance data in an easy-to-understand format, over the Web," says OReilly president Greg Henslee. OReilly hopes to gain a consolidated, dynamic view of sales and stock information across all 1,011 stores as a result of its MicroStrategy implementation. MicroStrategys software runs on Windows, Unix, and Linux operating systems.
  
  
• California Software recently announced that, with Version 6, its Mortgage Loan Production System (MLPS) software now has the capability to interact directly with Freddie Macs online Loan Prospector service. Freddie Mac is a publicly traded company that was established by Congress to provide funds to banks in order to provide low-cost home loans to individuals. Freddie Mac recently certified the two-way interface between MLPS 6.0 and the Loan Prospector service, which should streamline the mortgage origination process and eliminate redundant data entry for lenders that use MLPS to request funds from Freddie Mac through www.loanprospector.com. The MLPS system provides mortgage lenders with a complete end-to-end loan origination system, including functions such as pre-qualification, pre-approval, auto-underwriting/scoring, fulfillment and closing/funding. The software was originally developed by ALE Systems, which was acquired by California Software. After the acquisition, California Software used its BABY line of OS/400 rehosting software to develop a Microsoft Windows version of MLPS, which was originally written for the AS/400.
  
  
• Window manufacturer Atrium Companies has gone live with a new barcode data-collection system for its core iSeries-based MAC-PAC XE ERP system, it was announced this month. Atrium is using Nutech Systems Viewpoint for MAC-PAC package, a collection of modules for collecting data related to inventory, time and attendance, and transactions, and importing it into the TDCI MAC-PAC ERP system. Although Viewpoint for MAC-PAC can be implemented on either a Windows or an iSeries server, Atrium chose to install the Windows version, along with the TDCI Integration Server, which sits between the Viewpoint data collection software and the MAC-PAC system. Atrium chose this three-tiered approach to protect itself from downtime; transactions can still be collected if either MAC-PAC or Viewpoint is offline. The Viewpoint software is now being used at one Atrium factory, in Anaheim, California, and will be rolled out in the coming months to the four other Atrium factories that use the MAC-PAC software. Interestingly, MAC-PAC was also the OS/400-based ERP system of choice for another popular Windows maker, Microsoft, although that company says it has long since moved to another system.
  
  
• OS/400 shops looking to learn more about what storage area networks (SANs) can offer may want to check out a Webinar being held Tuesday, July 29. The one-hour Web event, titled "iSeries SAN--Newest Way to Manage Storage Outside the Box," is being sponsored by Key Information Systems, a Los Angeles iSeries reseller. Presenting information will be Keys president, Lief Morin, and Tim Werts Sr., a SAN consultant at Brocade Communications Systems, a provider of Fibre Channel switches for SANs. The event will also include information specific to IBMs Enterprise Storage Server ESS-800, code-named Shark. The event starts at 11 a.m. Pacific time. To register, click here.
  
  

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