V6R1 brings some nice enhancements to Run SQL Scripts—which is part of the Database function in System i Navigator–that provide more function and make it easier to use. One of these V6R1 enhancements is the ability to save, and retrieve or open an SQL script to/from a System i source file, in addition to saving it to a PC or a stream file.

The following example shows an SQL script called “custmstr3” that was originally saved as a PC file, and which will now be saved as a System i source file. The first step is to click on File

One of the annoyances of maintenance programming is that testing a program change often takes longer–even several times longer–than the process of making the change. One impediment to testing is the inordinate amount of time required to load a test database with the data appropriate for a good test. In the following paragraphs, I share a simple tip that in some situations reduces the effort to establish a good test environment.

Many shops maintain a separate system (either another computer or a logical partition of the machine that houses their production system) for program testing. This testing system may contain

The problem with 24×7 environments is that it’s difficult to make time to run complete system backups. Modern processing needs dictate that you can rarely, if ever, take down your machine to back up the entire system. This week, I’ll look at a hybrid backup scheme that lets you achieve the dual goal of performing occasional full system backups while still saving all your critical system and user data.

A Simple Strategy

The following is a simple save strategy that you may be able to use in your shop. It consists of two system backup elements that allow you to