When LANSA launched its Data Sync Direct product years ago, the plan was to use it to pull product-related data from various data sources, such as DB2/400, so it can be merged into the global data synchronization network (GDSN). Over time, as the GDSN has expanded its reach, LANSA’s DSD has evolved, as well. In fact, for some DSD users, the product now serves as the original source of product data, or a product information management (PIM) application.

The trend toward omnichannel retailing is having a major impact on the GDSN exchanges, such as 1WorldSync, which is the primary data

Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers that use VAI‘s S2K ERP software are getting acquainted with a new tablet application that provides order entry capability to a mobile sales force. The app was announced in late June, but has been available since mid-May. For now, it’s available only for Android-based tablets, but the company predicts a mobile apps for Apple tablets and both Android and iOS smartphones in the first quarter of 2014.

The S2K Tablet Order Entry application is designed so that S2K customers can have their sales reps quickly take orders from the field with the convenience of a

Linoma Software last month officially unveiled a new Android app that allows mobile users to upload and download files to and from the IBM i server (or any other supported server). The new client, called GoAnywhere File Transfer, works much like Linoma’s Web client. It supports encryption, and even features the capability to insert download file links into emails.

The folks at Linoma have been working on the Android app for at least the past six months. The Android app has been available on the Google Play Store since late May, but Linoma waited until two weeks ago to

SystemObjects has adopted the jQuery mobile framework with the version 2 release of SmartPad4i, its mobile application development tool for the IBM i server. The tool now enables IBM i shops to take a hybrid approach to mobile application development, which enables them to utilize features such as GPS receivers and cameras that are common on mobile devices that run Android, iOS, and other mobile operating systems.

Development tool maker SystemObjects, which unveiled SmartPad4i in late 2012, developed the software with the aim of enabling IBM i shops to automatically generate mobile apps that reuse existing RPG and COBOL

IBM i shops that use MIMIX software can now monitor their high availability environments from a mobile device with the latest release of Halcyon Software‘s HA-MX Monitor. Version 11 of Halcyon’s tool allows administrators to check on the status of MIMIX replication and manage alerts from any iOS and Android smartphone and tablet.

HA-MX Monitor is a little-known member of Halcyon’s suite of systems management and monitoring tools for the IBM i server. The product, which Halcyon has not talked about much over the years, keeps an eye on MIMIX replication processes and errors, freeing administrators to work on

Shield Advanced Solutions has issued a major new release of DR4i, its remote journaling-based disaster recovery tool for IBM i servers. With V8R1, the company has overhauled the code base and added a new apply process that should give users more control and delivered a new PHP-based user interface.

DR4i is a scaled down version of the company’s flagship high availability product, called HA4i. Like HA4i, the DR4i product enables customers to replicate transactions across the network to a secondary IBM i system using IBM‘s remote journaling technology.

The big difference between the products is that DR4i doesn’t provide

Agilysys‘ IBM i-based Lodging Management System (LMS) will be used to automate processes at the new 132-room hotel that the Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma recently built at the site of its casino in Lawton. The Apache Casino Hotel also licensed the InfoGenesis point of sale (POS) system.

The new $27 million hotel will provide guests with amenities like a pool, gym, gift shop, business center, and 2,500 square-feet of meeting space, in addition to existing facilities, including a 100,000 square-foot casino, two restaurants, a coffee shop, and a bar.

The Apache tribe will be able to manage

We are in the midst of a business intelligence (BI) revolution. Exotic data stores like NoSQL and Hadoop and massive in-memory systems like Hana are giving big organizations incredible analytical capabilities. But these solutions are overkill for most smaller shops. For a small shop dipping its toe in the BI waters for the first time, mrc offers a refresher course on the essential features.

In its guide, titled “Essential Features of a Good Business Intelligence Solution,” mrc gets back to BI basics. What constitutes a good BI architecture? What are the must-have BI features? What advanced features would be nice

Jinfonet Software last week unveiled a new version of JReport, its Java-based reporting and analysis tool. Version 12 brings a new in-memory visual analysis features, as well as support for big data platforms like Amazon RedShift.

JReport is a lightweight suite of business intelligence tools that is often embedded into other Web applications. The software–which not only can pull data from DB2 for i but run on the IBM i server itself–includes a drag-and-drop report designer, a report distribution and management tool, an ad-hoc reporting and multi-dimensional module, a dashboard module, and mobile interfaces.

The Rockville, Maryland, software company introduced

The adoption rate of enterprise app stores by large organizations will grow at more than a 30 percent annual rate, according to a recent study by ABI Research. The growth is being driven by the bring your own device (BYOD) phenomenon, the firm says.

The app store concept was popularized by Apple several years ago as an easier way to browse, download, and install applications on mobile devices, such as its iPhone and iPad. Google followed with Google Play for its Android platform. Even Microsoft has its own store, for Windows 8.

But it’s not just consumer games