Four Hundred Monitor, March 22
March 22, 2017 Dan Burger
When properly implemented, single sign-on is a beautiful thing for i/OS shops. It allows users to log on to their desktops and access all their servers without entering multiple passwords. But enabling SSO isn’t a cakewalk. Find out what went wrong in this instance involving iPads talking to the Apache Web Server and learn a lesson.
Also in this issue are articles on the aftermath of artificial intelligence workloads relieving workers from tedious tasks, IBM’s blockchain secure network investment, and an SAP implementation that has gone off the tracks resulting in a $100,000,000 lawsuit. Sounds like a fire that’s out of control.
Top Stories From Outside The Jungle
(Botz Security Bytes) A company is allowing users to access the IBM i internally with iPads through the Safari browser talking to the Apache Web server. Even though the Web server application is configured to accept Kerberos, the iPad users were still being prompted for their IBM i userID and password. Single sign-on was made for situations like this. So how difficult can this be?
(LinkedIn) If artificial intelligence is a replacement for tedious tasks, then what happens to the people who have been freed from the tedium? In theory, they will have time to be more productive and therefore more valuable. Connecting the dots should draw a picture of higher quality work that leads to higher revenue.
(TechCrunch) IBM unveiled its blockchain as a service last week. Blockchain is a public cloud service that s can use to build secure blockchain networks. At its core, blockchain is a transparent and tamper-proof digital ledger. It’s capable of tracking other types of data in private blockchain networks that allow the members to share information freely, knowing that only the members could see it, and the information couldn’t be altered once it’s been entered.
(ComputerWorld) MillerCoors is suing IT services firm HCL for allegedly failing to meet project deadlines and staff the project with a sufficient number of people. Compensatory damages exceeding $100,000,000 are being sought. The lawsuit also alleges defects in the software.
Redbooks, White Papers, and Other Resources
(PSAI) The Power Systems Academic Initiative has job listings for entry-level and experienced professionals – separate job boards for each category. For companies with positions to fill, there are no fees. For job seekers, it’s easy to upload a resume and browse job opportunities.
(The Second Machine Age) As the full impact of digital technologies is felt, we will realize immense bounty in the form of dazzling personal technology, advanced infrastructure, and near-boundless access to the cultural items that enrich our lives. Amid this bounty will also be wrenching change. The Second Machine Age is a book that will alter how we think about issues of technological, societal, and economic progress.
(COMMON) During this 40 minute recording, Scott Forstie explains the new and enhanced DB2 for i features being delivered on March 31, 2017 to IBM i 7.2 and IBM i 7.3.
(IBM) The IBM i announcements for the 7.2 and 7.3 TRs don’t mention the three upcoming RPG enhancements that will be available through PTFs at the same time as the TRs. The PTFs will be available individually, and they will also be part of the upcoming 7.2 and 7.3 DB2 group PTFs.
Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings
March 22 — Webinar – Building a responsive UI is not magic nor mystery. This online session “Making Rich Application Interfaces Responsive” provides tips for planning and building responsive applications. During this presentation, Profound Logic’s Brian May demonstrates techniques in the Profound UI Visual Designer and use custom CSS to make applications more responsive. Topics include using containers to organize related groups of data and using CSS Media Queries to control the data layout based on the size of a display. The session begins at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
March 23 — Markham, Ontario, Canada – Jesse Gorzinski, IBM i business architect of open source technologies, will present two sessions at the monthly meeting of the Toronto User Group. Gorzinski’s session, at 5 p.m., will cover the latest updates on the open source offerings, the open source community, and how to participate in open source. Gorzinski’s 7 p.m. session will examine the multiple techniques to integrate Web serving in the open source world. Topics include: IBM i basics related to Web servers, PHP, Node.js, and Python; integrating new IBM i languages into existing Apache web sites; alternatives available in open source; and Web application design techniques for consistent good performance. The meeting takes place at the Savoy Conference Centre (Monte Carlo Inn) located at 7255 Warden Avenue.
March 23 — Manchester, New Hampshire – The New Hampshire Midrange User Group is hosting a one-day technical session on security presented by Robin Tatam, global director of security technologies at HelpSystems. The session agenda includes encryption, security for programmers, IBM i auditing features, and evaluating your own state of security. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the first session begins at 9. The event will be held at The Yard Restaurant located at 1211 South Mammouth Road.
April 10-12 — Framingham, Massachusetts – The Northeast IBM i User Group Conference features more than 70 educational sessions in six skills categories. It offers the opportunity to learn about new technologies, engage with vendors to discuss packaged software advancements, hear IBM i executives and lead developers discuss products and roadmaps for the platform, and gain knowledge that can benefit your company and your career. The user groups of the Northeast come from the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
May 2 & 3 — Markham, Ontario, Canada – The Toronto User Group’s annual technical education conference, TEC 2017, features IBM i-centric subjects that include: RPG application development, Web and mobile development, application modernization, accessing and optimizing DB2 data, performance management, and system management. The conference will take place at the SAVOY Conference Centre (Monte Carlo Inn) located at 7255 Warden Avenue in Markham. Early registration discounts are available.
May 7-10 — Orlando, Florida – The 2017 COMMON Annual Meeting and Exposition is the largest IBM i educational event of the year. It includes more than 300 sessions related to IBM i, as well as AIX and Linux. Open source, high availability, security, DB2, and application development are a few of the popular skill-building topics. The agenda includes all-day pre-conference workshops, open labs, and a wide variety of lecture-type sessions presented by subject matter experts. An early registration discount ($1,595 for members; $1,895 for non-members) is available through December 30.
May 22-26 — Orlando, Florida – IBM Systems Technical University is a training and skills event featuring Power Systems, z Systems, and storage. Sessions are tailored for executives, business managers, data center managers, tech support managers, project managers, systems and application programmers, IT architects, and systems and database admins. Thirty-nine IBM i-specific session are on the agenda.
