IBM is nearing completion of new software that will enable DB2/400 to power the open source MySQL database, according to industry sources. When complete, the new software will enable organizations that run PHP applications running on MySQL on i OS to access data stored in DB2/400, the i OS’s native database, without modifying MySQL or PHP. The software reportedly is in beta tests, with a formal announcement expected soon.

IBM first noted its intention to deliver a so-called DB2/400 “storage engine” for MySQL more than a year ago, when it formally announced support for MySQL running on i5/OS V5R4.

It’s been a little more than a year since IBM started promoting its previously mainframe-focused Enterprise Generation Language (EGL) as a way for System i shops to move to Java. Instead of writing RPG, the thinking goes, System i shops would develop in EGL, and then generate platform-neutral Java code. However, that plan did not address the problem of what to do with all that RPG code, and how to get started in EGL. Now, thanks to the work of PKS Software, IBM has a tool for converting RPG into EGL.

Since it was founded in 1988, PKS has

With all of the consolidation that’s hit the i5/OS ERP software market in recent years, there’s one name that hasn’t been called: Vormittag Associates Inc., or VAI as it’s now known. But it’s not for lack of effort by the consolidators, according to Bob Vormittag, the founder and CEO of the New York software company, who says he still turns down offers to sell the company. Instead of taking the quick buck, Vormittag has found that listening to customers and meeting their needs is more satisfying–not to mention profitable as well.

During VAI’s user conference last month in Las

Among last week’s IBM Power announcements was the debut of the System Storage 7214 Tape and DVD Enclosure Express, a new product that allows users to externally connect one or two DAT, LTO, or DVD drives to Power Systems servers via SAS connections. The 7214 Express is designed for use where there is no room for additional storage in the server’s internal bays, and where space is limited or non-existent in rack-mounted servers.

The 7214 Express attaches to Power Systems servers’ external storage through an external serial attached SCSI (SAS) adapter, which offers fast (3 GB per second) data transfer

BlueWare–one of thousands of small ISVs that previously made the AS/400 the strongest business computer platform in the world–recently unveiled plans to begin delivering access to its core Wellness Connection Electronic Health Record application using the software as a service (SaaS) method, thereby freeing its customers of hardware concerns.

BlueWare says the SaaS model means the customer will no longer be required to install and run the Wellness Connection software application from their own System i server, “which will eliminate the burden of maintenance, ongoing operation, and support for the customer,” the company says.

Running the software for customers

System i change management vendor ARCAD Software recently announced it has opened a new office in the Netherlands. The new Dutch office will provide a staging ground for the French company to target new System i customers in the region, and support existing ones.

ARCAD Software BV, as the new Dutch subsidiary of ARCAD Software is called, will provide local support for the company’s Dutch customers, in particular Van Lanschot Bankiers, a financial services company that’s one of ARCAD’s most strategic clients. It will also strengthen ARCAD’s presence in the Netherlands in terms of supporting deployed licenses with local professional

A Government of Bermuda Web site dedicated to connecting citizens with jobs in their native land is gaining the attention of thousands of Bermudians across the island nation. The Web site, which was created using created using LANSA tools, is running on an IBM System i server.

The Web site, www.careers.gov.bm, provides an on-line database of information about Bermudian college and university students and graduates, as well as jobs that are available to these young people.

Bermuda created the Web site as a tool to connect native Bermudians with jobs. Recruiting qualified Bermudian citizens poses a challenge for the

You do not mess with the Gladiator. That’s the message from System i banking software developer Jack Henry & Associates, which last week announced the Gladiator Enterprise Security Monitoring system for users of its System i-based core banking systems.

Developed by Gladiator Technology–which Jack Henry acquired more than a year ago, and which operates as a subsidiary of its ProfitStars division–the Gladiator ESM helps make customers more secure by monitoring their systems for security threats, informing them of the latest security issues, and helping them comply with security-related regulations through reporting and monitoring capabilities.

Gladiator Technology provides a

Computer Guidance last week unveiled eCMS version 3.7, the latest release of its construction and project management system for i OS and other operating systems. The new release includes more than 200 enhancements, and encompasses more than 7,000 hours of development, the company says.

eCMS is a suite of more than 30 browser-based applications designed to help companies manage various aspects of the construction business, including accounting, projects, personnel, operations, and equipment. The suite monitors and analyzes financial and operating performance, with advanced functions for tracking subcontractor performance, document compliance, and contract management, the company says.

Computer Guidance targeted several

Aviva Solutions recently started shipping a new release of its Aviva for Desktop emulation suite that provides 5250, 3270, and VT connectivity for PCs running the Windows Vista operating system from Microsoft.

Aviva has been developing host connectivity solutions and integration solutions for more than a decade from its headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. The company sells a range of host connectivity solutions that enable users to access servers from Windows PCs, Web browsers, mobile devices, Macs, Linux, and even Unix workstations over SNA and IP networks. Its Aviva Host Integration SDK offering, meanwhile, provides programmatic Java interfaces to legacy