Dan Burger
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PC Users Snag IBM i Data With iWebSrv
June 16, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreSomewhere there’s an IBM midrange shop struggling with getting data to frustrated end users. That shop is not alone in its struggle. The end users are not the only frustrated ones. Data queries and the creation of useful reports should not be so painful, so IT labor intensive, so slow, and so expensive. It’s been a long-held belief that direct access to IBM i data from people outside the system is a horrible accident waiting to happen.
A couple of guys with a company called iWebSrv think there’s a solution to this problem.
“Getting IT people in midrange shops to
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UCG Champions Technology Upgrade
June 16, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreBusinesses have a tendency to evolve. If they don’t, quite often, they aren’t in business long. A key part of the evolution is maintaining a technological infrastructure that supports change. Technological evolution is an essential component for businesses in growth mode, even in IBM midrange shops where high-mileage systems that are highly reliable are a source of pride.
The Ohio AFSCME Care Plan, which covers more than 41,000 public and non-profit workers in Ohio, realized it needed a technology upgrade to support not only its current requirements, but also its future growth. To assist with its technology upgrade planning and
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Modernization Train Makes A Run Through Europe
June 16, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreThe era of modernization is upon us. There are projects in the planning stages, in midstream, and completed—all indicators that IBM midrange shops interested in adopting new technologies where there are good reasons to do so. COMMON Europe recently concluded an IBM i Enterprise Application Modernization Tour that highlighted many of the topics and technologies that the IBM i community is showing interest in adopting.
There’s a multitude of ways to approach modernization, and no one knows that better than Tim Rowe, business architect for IBM i application development. Rowe, the designated modernization evangelist, provided the IBM presence on the
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Apache Web Server Upgrade Path Handled By i 7.2
June 9, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreThe Apache Web server should not be a mystery to anyone in the IBM midrange community. But the awful truth is that more IBM i advocates are familiar with SEU and PDM than any topic that’s within 10 miles of the Web. To everyone in that tribe, the latest enhancements to the Apache Web server and the WebSphere Application Server are sadly inconsequential. For those who see the Web in their future, this is an opportunity to keep current with technology.
Fresh from the oven IBM i 7.2 brings support for the Apache HTTP Server 2.4, which has been available
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Talent Management Programs Depend On Adjustments
June 9, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreIT staffing is a serious concern for IBM midrange shops. It is a concern for every company regardless of platform, but the IBM i community is “home” for IT Jungle readers, and the concerns of employees and employers echo across the confederacy. Understaffing and a lack of modern business computing skills are common references. So are cost-cutting measures and workforce rebalancing. Metrics such as servers per server support staff member and IT budget dedicated to application maintenance are highlighted on spreadsheets. Division of labor and the economies of scale factor into this as well. And I almost forgot the aging
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Your Priority Is Not My Reality
June 9, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreDecision making is greatly influenced by clearly defined purpose and priorities. In certain professions the purpose and priorities may share a common thread. IT is not one of them. The latest survey and report from Gartner proves that point. It found that issues experienced by CIOs are seldom universal and differences exist within narrow geographies defined at regional and country levels.
You mean not everyone has cloud at the top of their priority lists? Not hardly. Cloud, according to the Gartner report, is one of the universally agreed upon priorities.
“The CIO survey results clearly show that as digital opportunities
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Watson Tapped For Mobile Apps
June 9, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreIBM has big dreams for Watson, its quiz show champion that’s taken on more serious jobs such as cancer research and financial portfolio management. But on its way to rewriting the book on how to succeed in business, Watson still has some growing up to do. In several real world business engagements, the face of cognitive computing has been labeled a slow learner.
No one promised there wouldn’t be setbacks, but when Watson’s boss, CEO Ginni Rometty, puts a $10 billion a year revenue load on your potential, setbacks are not on anyone’s mind. The IBM public relations team is
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Calling the Shots with Flash, Disk, and Tape
June 3, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreIBM‘s investment in flash storage is an indication Big Blue believes enterprise-level computing is ready for flash. One of its moves is a partnership with Tributary Systems, a company that produces a high performance virtual tape library product called Storage Director. Tributary has just released a virtual backup application called flash tape, which combines Storage Director and IBM FlashSystem storage arrays.
IBM FlashSystem emphasizes performance and microsecond response times with reductions in transaction times, batch processing times, and energy consumption efficiencies. Flash tape combines speed and utility–like the creation of a 250 mph Ford Econoline van. Tape has
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Calling the Shots with Flash, Disk, and Tape
June 3, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreIBM‘s investment in flash storage is an indication Big Blue believes enterprise-level computing is ready for flash. One of its moves is a partnership with Tributary Systems, a company that produces a high performance virtual tape library product called Storage Director. Tributary has just released a virtual backup application called flash tape, which combines Storage Director and IBM FlashSystem storage arrays.
IBM FlashSystem emphasizes performance and microsecond response times with reductions in transaction times, batch processing times, and energy consumption efficiencies. Flash tape combines speed and utility–like the creation of a 250 mph Ford Econoline van. Tape has
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IBM i 7.2 Tightens Data Access And Security
June 2, 2014 Dan Burger
… Read moreRow column access control (RCAC) is the new set of security tools in town. They were released because the IBM midrange systems are not Fort Knox in a box. Even shops that have their security policies dialed in (and most of them don’t), RCAC, which became available in IBM i 7.2, is another layer of security that provides options to counter measures that are more expensive and detrimental to performance. If regulatory compliance concerns you, RCAC is particularly valuable.
Even if data leaks and security audits aren’t your biggest concerns, there are lessons that are better learned before trouble