Doug McMaster
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From Migration To Maturity: The Cloud Reality For IBM i Shops
May 4, 2026 Doug McMaster
IBM i teams don’t need to be convinced that modernization matters. Modernization should acknowledge why IBM i continues to power critical business operations: its predictable performance, tightly integrated environment, and strong security – especially when properly managed. While cloud initiatives are often framed with the assumption that everything must move, that approach is rarely the most effective starting point for IBM i environments.
As cloud adoption has matured, a more grounded perspective has emerged. The real shift isn’t about infrastructure –it’s about the operating model. Most challenges don’t stem from technical limitations, but from misaligned expectations around cost, security responsibilities, …
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You Are Much More Than Power Systems, And So Are We
April 13, 2026 Doug McMaster
The AS/400 was born in the age of minicomputers, but that was also when the rise of the personal computer started and eventually led to the revolution of client/server distributed computing. Not only was computing shifted to the PCs on our desks, but also out to file servers, print servers, and application servers that ran all kinds of different platforms, including NetWare, SCO Unix, OS/2 Server, rarely a variant of Unix, what would become Windows Server, and more recently Linux.
Eventually, Windows Server and Linux became not only Web infrastructure and application serving platforms but ran relational databases and sometimes …
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CloudSAFE And Focal Point Solutions Group Combine Services, Unify Brands
November 27, 2023 Doug McMaster
IT solutions providers Focal Point Solutions Group and CloudSAFE are unifying under the CloudSAFE brand. Both providers have a history of delivering outstanding IT services, so joining forces follows a natural progression for both organizations.
“This unification represents a transformative step forward not just for us, but for our customers. By merging Focal Point’s specialized expertise in IBM technologies with CloudSAFE’s comprehensive IT service offerings, we are uniquely positioned to meet and exceed our customers’ evolving IT needs,” says Ron Venzin, chief executive officer at CloudSAFE.
Creating A Comprehensive Service Provider
Focal Point’s specialization in IBM technologies, including IBM i, …
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