Kisco Delivers Interactive Twitter-to-System i Connectivity

April 13, 2010 Alex Woodie

System i professionals who might be wondering how they can use Twitter may want to check out the latest release of Kisco Information Systems‘ SNDTWEET utility. With version 2, Kisco is allowing users to submit i/OS queries and commands via the social networking service. While it may not replace a 5250 emulator anytime soon, the Twitter function is a surefire way to impress coworkers and Web friends alike.

Kisco unveiled SNDTWEET one year ago as the Twitter service was just beginning to gain popularity. The first version of the product offered only one-way communication, and users were restricted to receiving Twitter messages from the System i server. This provided an easy way to automatically distribute server-related messages, such as DASD error messages or confirmation of a batch job completing, to selected people.

Version 1.03, which debuted last June, introduced limited two-way communication and the capability to respond to i/OS Twitter messages with confirmation “tweets.” Version 1.08, which hit the market in September, brought file monitoring capabilities to the product, enabling users to get notification when, say, an RPG program completed a sales report and it was ready for viewing.

Version 2.01, which debuted earlier this month, adds a number of new interactive and systems management capabilities. On the interactive front, SNDTWEET now allows users to submit commands to their System i server via the Twitter service. This function enables any authorized individual to send a command with parameters to the System i for processing.

The second remote feature enables users to run a query with up to three parameters via SNDTWEET. Depending on how the query is set up, it will respond in different ways. Because of the potential security impact of exposing System i servers to remote commands and queries, SNDTWEET gives administrators the option of turning off these functions.

The new release of SNDTWEET also brings several pre-configured remote status inquiries that will prompt the System i server to respond (or tweet) its current status. Kisco has developed status inquiries that provide a system activity summary, a batch activity summary, a summary of interactive users, and a status of SNDTWEET monitored message queues. The company plans to add additional status displays in the future.

Last but not least, SNDTWEET gets a price increase with version 2.01. A license to use the product in a single server or LPAR now costs $395, a $100 increase. Multi-LPAR licenses are now $595, also a $100 increase. The software requires OS/400 V5R3 or higher. For more information, see www.kisco.com.