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iSeries Distributor Agilysys Helps Resellers Learn New Skills

The iSeries distributor Agilysys recently showed it is moving to the beat of IBM's drum as it completed a round of training and certifications for its network of iSeries resellers. Changes that IBM made last year to its iSeries sales channel strategy, which placed a greater emphasis on solutions selling, upset some of the smaller iSeries resellers, but IBM says the changes were necessary in order to move the box forward and to protect resellers that had invested time and money to refresh their skills (see "IBM to iSeries Resellers: Learn New Skills or Be Left Behind").

Agilysys, based in Cleveland, Ohio, says that it sponsored the education session and certification testing to ensure that solution providers in its network are fully trained and are capable of carrying IBM's vision to the user community. "We understand the cost of obtaining and retaining IBM certifications is a significant investment of time and money for a solution provider," says Bob Bailey, Agilysys executive vice president. Certification tests focused on the Domino, Linux, WebSphere, Windows consolidation, and iSeries sales disciplines. IBM and the Agilysys KeyLink Systems Group will hold more iSeries training and testing sessions this summer.

JDA Reports 34% Increase in Revenue

Things are finally looking up for JDA Software Group, which reported last week that it nearly broke even in its first quarter, ending March 31, with total revenues and software license fees rising significantly from a year ago. The company, which develops enterprise software for OS/400, Unix, and Windows servers, reported total revenues of $55.2 million, a 34 percent increase from the first quarter of 2003, while software license fees were up more than 89 percent, to $14.6 million, and consulting services revenues rose by 28 percent. JDA, which develops software used by retailers and distributors, didn't entirely pull out of the red for the quarter, with a net loss of $437,000, but that marks a substantial improvement over the $2.2 million loss from last year. JDA's chief executive, Hamish Brewer, attributes the improvement to increased demand in the Americas and Europe, where software license fee revenues increased by 134 percent and 101 percent respectively. "With a robust pipeline, a rebounding economy, and numerous indicators suggesting increased IT spending, I feel confident about JDA's prospects for 2004," Brewer said.

Metavante Acquires Developer of OS/400 Banking Solutions

Kirchman, a developer of bank automation software, is being acquired by Metavante, it was announced last week. Kirchman, which was founded 36 years ago, introduced a new Web-enabled core banking system, called Bankway, in 2001 that runs on OS/400, MVS, and Solaris operating systems, and it includes modules for ATMs, telephone banking, Internet banking, and ACH. Privately held Kirchman, which is based in Orlando, Florida, and has 800 customers throughout the world, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, based Metavante, which is itself a subsidiary of Marshall & Ilsley, whose stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close in May, pending regulatory approval, were not disclosed.

CA's Kumar Steps Down As Chief Executive but Maintains Innocence

Sanjay Kumar stepped down as chief executive officer and chairman of Computer Associates last week as the Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Attorney's Office continued their two-year criminal investigation into accounting irregularities at the software giant. The company announced that Kumar will remain with CA as chief software architect, and Lewis Ranieri, who has served as the board's lead independent director since 2002 and is the founder of Hyperion, will become its chairman. CA said it will quickly appoint an interim CEO and is searching for a permanent replacement for Kumar, who has maintained his innocence in accounting irregularities that so far have led to the firing or resignation of at least 14 CA employees, and four employees have plead guilty to criminal charges, according to Reuters. Employees at the $3.2 billion Islandia, New York, company, which sells application software, systems management tools, and programming languages for everything from mainframe and OS/400 servers to Linux and Windows systems, have been accused of prematurely booking revenue from software fees. The company itself has not be charged. CA says its audit committee has found that changes made to financial reporting in October 2000 are working and that the company's financial reporting from fiscal year 2002 remain unaffected by the prior accounting practices.

Vision Hires Industry Veteran to Lead Development At Orion

There's a new star in Orion's belt. Vision Solutions, developer of the cross-platform Orion high availability software system, last week announced the appointment of Henry Martinez to the position of vice president of engineering. Martinez comes to Irvine, California, based Vision Solutions from CCC Network Systems, where, as a senior vice president for new product development and technology, he helped build the company's business for browser-based server management products. The industry veteran, who has more than 21 years of engineering experience, including heading a start-up that had a laser-drilling system and developing failure-prognosticating algorithms for Northrop Electronics Division, where he began his career, will lead development on the next generation of Orion, Vision said.

Get the Latest OS/400 PTF Guide

Our partner DLB Associates has been keeping track of IBM's PTF updates to OS/400 and its related programs. Here are the latest OS/400 PTF Guides:

March 27

April 3

April 10

April 17

April 24