MKS Offers Full Support for IBM i 7.1 in ALM Tool

September 7, 2010 Alex Woodie

IBM i shops that rely on application lifecycle management (ALM) software from MKS can now use all the goodies in IBM i 7.1 without worrying that the ALM tool, called Implementer, can’t keep up with the new technology. Implementer 2010, which shipped in late July, supports the IBM i 7.1 OS itself as well as new features, like the SQL capabilities. It also supports the new Rational Developer for Power development tool, and is improved for the Japanese IBM i market.

The 100-plus enhancements that MKS made with the latest release of Implementer can be grouped into two general categories. In the first are those new IBM i capabilities that makes MKS developers’ lives easier, or makes Implementer function better.

The second category includes all the new IBM i OS features that MKS customer requirements manager Marty Acks thinks will be used by MKS clients, which are primarily ISVs and large IBM i shops that do their own development. In this respect, the IBM i 7.1 features that MKS added to Implementer 2001 provides a glimpse into what leading-edge IBM i shops are doing, and what they think is important.

Today, only a small percentage of organizations that use the IBM midrange server have upgraded to i 7.1. (Heck, many iSeries and System i shops are still pondering the move to IBM i 6.1.)

But one day IBM i 7.1 will be a widely used OS, and its new technologies, like Open Access: RPG Edition, solid state drives, SQL and XML enhancements, and column-level encryption for DB2/400, will be widely used by mainstream IBM i shops. Until then, they will remain somewhat exotic technologies of the future, used only by the biggest and most advanced.

Some of the new features didn’t require much work to support. The new Rational Open Access: RPG Edition is one of the features that will work with older releases of Implementer, according to Acks. The elimination of the “classic” Java virtual machine (JVM) with IBM i 7.1 required a fairly minor patch, and is only a concern for customers that use the Implementer Server capabilities, Acks says.

Other new IBM i 7.1 features required more work. The new SQL field procedures, which enables column-level encryption (and decryption) in DB2/400 is one of those features. So is the new “rich” XML data type introduced with 7.1 and the use of solid state drives in Power Systems boxes running IBM i 7.1. MKS needed to adapt its code analysis tools to allow developers to use these new functions and have their work fully supported and tracked through Implementer.

MKS focused a lot of attention on improving Implementer’s support of SQL, which is really becoming a powerful tool that a lot more IBM i developers are starting to use, according to Acks.

To that end, MKS bolstered SQL support in a variety of ways, including: retaining field order in SQL tables; supporting long SQL names; supporting SQL sequences; and supporting materialized query tables (MQTs).

Implementer 2010 also adds support for the teraspace storage option, which is available under PASE and which is used with the new JVM that IBM i now shares with AIX. MKS says teraspace is useful for supporting very large executable files. Support for the new PDF printer file option was also added.

Another focus area for Implementer 2010 is support for Rational Developer for Power Systems Software, the new converged, Eclipse-based development tool that’s the follow-on to Rational Developer for IBM i (which itself was the successor to WDSc). MKS’ software can function as a plug-in for each of the supported IDEs from IBM.

MKS supports the current version 7.5 and 7.6 releases of RD for Power. For those IBM i shops who haven’t made the leap yet to the latest development tools (or, in other words, the bulk of all you all out there), MKS also supports RDi versions 7.5 and 7.1 and WDSc 7.0. (Heck, MKS is even making active enhancements to its support of the classic SEU and PDM tools, something that can’t be said of IBM.)

Improved support for CA Technologies‘ 2E environment was another focus area for Implementer 2001. MKS says it improved the reject and lock deletion processes for IBM i shops using these still-popular CASE tools.

Enhancements for Japanese users of Implementer occupy the fifth and final focus area for the 2010 update. Acks says the translations of product content–including RDP, RDi, and WDSc plug-ins–has been improved over Implementer 2008, the last release of the product to be translated into Japanese; MKS did not offer a Japanese version of Implementer 2009.

This release is fully enabled for the double byte character set (DBCS), and certified under the CCSID 1399 character set. MKS also certifies under CCSIDs 5026 and 5035; the company does not use Unicode for Japanese versions of its software because CCSID is more widely used, Acks says.

Implementer 2010 will likely be the last major release of the venerable IBM i-based change management system for some time. Acks says the development team at MKS is taking a more piece-meal approach that will see a higher frequency of smaller updates and service packs, instead of the “big bang” approach. It’s the same schedule that’s been adapted by many software companies as a way to deal with customer reluctance to take the time to install big updates.

Implementer 2010 runs on i5/OS V5R4 and IBM i 6.1 and 7.1 releases of the operating system. Implementer 2008 users have until the end of January to upgrade to a newer release before MKS ends support for that product. Implementer 2011 works with MKS Integrity 2007 and 2009, and will undoubtedly work with the new release of the flagship MKS product that is due out later this year.

For more information, see the MKS website at www.mks.com.

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Best Practices for Doing IBM i Cloud Backup & DRaaS Right

In the technology business for 30+ years including more than a decade in cloud backup and disaster recovery, we’ve learned a few things along the way. Here are best practices to follow – and land mines to avoid.

RELIABILITY. Up to 71% of restores from tape contain failures.

BEST PRACTICE: Use disk-to-disk technology for backups.

With disk-to-disk technology, your backup data resides on disk drives, proven to be far more reliable than tapes. When your backup completes, you know the data is secure and accessible on the disk drive. With tapes you never really know if your data is usable until you try to restore it, at which point it’s too late.

BREADTH OF OFFERING. Choice in product and service offerings meet your business’ needs.

BEST PRACTICE: Don’t settle for less than what you need.

Vendor offerings vary widely. Some are designed primarily for consumers and others for enterprise data centers. Choose a solution that scales and offers the features you need to provide the level of service you expect. De-duplication and delta-block technologies will improve performance, reduce your data footprint and save you money. Find out if their de-duplication offering is at the file level or the block level. Make sure the solution can back up servers, PCs, and laptops as well your applications.

SECURITY. 60% of organizations using tapes don’t encrypt their backups.

BEST PRACTICE: End-to-end encryption with no “back door.”

Using encryption with tape makes backups run slowly and often takes too long to fit within a backup window. As a result, most people simply turn encryption off, creating a security risk. Even with the physical safety of disk-to-disk backup, encryption is essential. Look for 256-bit AES. Find a solution that encrypts your data during transmission and storage. Make certain there isn’t a “back door” that would let someone else view your data.

ACCESSIBILITY. Companies waste thousands of hours waiting on tapes.

BEST PRACTICE: Ensure that you can get your data back with minimal delay.

You should have direct access to your backups, with no time spent on physical transport (no trucks, no warehouses). Restores should take minutes, not hours or days. Set yourself up to work with your data, not wait for it. Make sure your solution provider can meet your Return-to-Operations (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) which determine how quickly you can recover your data and maintain business continuity. Inquire about onsite and offsite replication that provide both improved performance and a solid disaster recovery strategy.

CYBER SECURITY. More than 80 percent of U.S. companies have been successfully hacked, according to a Duke University/CFO Magazine Global Business Outlook Survey.

BEST PRACTICE: Regular cyber security training and phishing tests for all employees using company email are essential to your organization.

Your end-users are the weak link in your network security. Today, your employees are frequently exposed to advanced phishing attacks. Trend Micro reported that 91% of successful data breaches started with a spear-phishing attack. Be sure your vendor of choice includes cyber security training as part of their backup and DR package.

SCALABILITY. Some backup systems can’t scale readily.

BEST PRACTICE: Invest in a data protection architecture that can grow with your business.

You should be able to back up your data no matter how large it grows. Starting small? Look for an option that handles your backups automatically. Then, as you grow, gives you tools to manage complex environments. Look for “changes-only” and compression technologies to speed backups and save space. And insist on bandwidth throttling to balance traffic and ensure network availability for your other business applications. Make sure that their solution offerings rely on common technology to scale easily as your business––and data––grow.

COST-EFFECTIVENESS

BEST PRACTICE: Calculate the true total cost of tape-based back up.

A 2019 Server OS Reliability Survey found that one hour of downtime costs at least $100K for 98% of companies to over $5 million for 34% of surveyed companies. When you do the math, the dollars make sense: Go with disk-to-disk. Unlike tape, there are close to zero handling costs—no rush deliveries, loading, accessing, locating, or repeated steps. And there’s one benefit you can’t factor directly: Reputation. Reliability and security can make an incalculable difference with just one avoided breach or failure.

COMPLIANCE. Most companies have problems satisfying privacy, security, and data retention regulations.

BEST PRACTICE: Choose a data protection partner who has deep know-how about compliance, and the technology to ensure it.

Disaster Recovery. Most companies lack a comprehensive, tested plan for disasters.

BEST PRACTICE: Find a vendor that delivers a complete DR solution.

You can’t say your data protection is complete until you have a disaster recovery plan that is itself complete and tested. Your backup vendor should have both the product mix and professional services team to help you prepare for a worst-case scenario. Make sure they can help configure your backups so you rebound quickly. Best bet: A vendor who can train you to deal with disasters confidently, based on your company’s actual configuration.

EASE OF USE. Some companies don’t —or can’t—manage their backups from one place.

BEST PRACTICE: Get control and reporting you can use anywhere, with ease. Managing your backup environment should be simple, and the software you use should eliminate any guesswork that could lead to lost data. You should know at all times if your data is protected across your entire network—including remote offices—by simply looking at a dashboard. The software should be simple to configure using wizards, yet powerful enough to meet your specific needs with customizable views, job propagation, and roles-based security.

OPERATING SYSTEM AND PLATFORM SUPPORT. Most backup vendors support a limited range of OS, server types, and applications.

BEST PRACTICE: Look for broad and deep technology that supports your complete environment. Your backup solution should accommodate your environment, not vice versa.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT. Backup vendors’ product support varies widely.

BEST PRACTICE: Find a vendor whose support is passionate, maybe even slightly obsessed. Customer support should be one of your vendor’s main selling points. You shouldn’t have to wonder if they’ll be there to help when you need them most. Do they offer phone support or email only, and who exactly are you talking to when you call that 800 number? Find a vendor that will treat your data as if it were their own.

REPUTATION. Does your backup vendor have a quality reputation and the financial resources to stay in business for the long haul?

BEST PRACTICE: Find a vendor with strong financial backing and customer references. There are a lot of vendors that have come and gone. When you consider a service provider, look for one that has strong financial backing, a solid business plan and the ability to be in business as long as your data needs to be stored. Ask for customer references and case studies as their customers are the best validation you can get.

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