IBM i And AIX Shops Pay A Hefty Premium Over PowerLinux Buyers
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

As anyone who has a past experience with multiple long-term relationships or more than one child will tell you, comparisons are odious. But when we are shopping for infrastructure or searching for a mate or figuring out which kid is going to get what when you finally shuffle off the mortal coil, you can't help but make comparisons. And even after you've made your choice, you keep looking to make sure you are getting a good deal. If you are a Power Systems shop running either IBM i or AIX, you are just not getting as good of a deal as the customers buying the new PowerLinux machines announced in April. READ MORE >

IBM i 7.1 TR4 Database Enhancements: What's Going On?
by Dan Burger

Even if you are not onboard with database modernization, IBM is moving forward and expecting that sooner or later the majority of the IBM i customer base will fathom the SQL/DDL emphasis that goes into DB2 for i. With the Technology Refresh 4 update that has just come warm out of the oven, the database enhancements that baked into TR4 include a little bit for everyone. That is, everyone who no longer hangs on to the traditional DB2/400 way of doing things. READ MORE >

State Of IBM i Security Remains Poor, PowerTech Says
by Alex Woodie

IBM i shops are still failing to enact basic security safeguards to prevent unauthorized access of the data in their systems, according to PowerTech, which issued its annual State of IBM i Security report this month. Even when it comes to basic security concepts, like changing default passwords, minimizing user permissions, and monitoring exit points, the average IBM i shop fails spectacularly. The upshot is that most shops are gambling with their data, with a heavy bet placed on security through obscurity. READ MORE >

As I See It: A House of Many Windows
by Victor Rozek

A friend of mine was having relationship troubles. His girlfriend complained that he seemed incapable of going deeper, meaning he was resistant to the level of commitment she craved--a lament many women will no doubt recognize. From his perspective, he didn't want heavy commitment, he wanted light companionship. He had a variety of interests, enjoyed doing a great many things, and wanted someone to share them with. Of course, one of his interests was sex, and therein, if you'll pardon the expression, lies the rub. Essentially, he wanted a woman in his life, but not in his house. And things were going swimmingly, or so he thought, right up to the time she threatened to end their relationship. READ MORE >