• Deal For Windows Server 2012 On System x Expires Today

  March 31, 2014 Timothy Prickett Morgan

  As you all know well, the IBM i platform exists in a sea of hostile Windows Server waters. In many IBM i shops, Windows is the other application and database platform, and sometimes it is running the application layer for code that uses DB2 for i as its main database. So maybe it is not hostile, but cooperative. No matter. The fact is, Windows Server is part of the IT budget, and as long as IBM sells System x servers and as long as IBM i shops buy them, then any deal IBM gives for the Windows platform leaves more

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• DB2 For i Table Function Performance Considerations

  March 19, 2014 Michael Sansoterra

  In my prior tip, I covered some guidelines on when to use scalar user defined functions (UDF) and the potential performance hit they can impose on a query. In this tip, I’m going to follow up with a few additional guidelines about user defined table functions (UDTFs) in DB2 for i and show how they may impact query performance. Once again, I’m using data from the Microsoft AdventureWorks sample database that has been exported to DB2 for i. Shown below is a sample UDTF named “Transactions” that combines the data from the transaction history and transaction history archive tables:

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• Quick And Handy RPG Input

  March 19, 2014 Ted Holt

  Life was so much simpler when terminals and printers ran on twinax, Java was an island or coffee, and all my data was structured in records. I don’t have to fool with wiring at present, and the Java programming language is to me only an occasional, plodding nuisance, but data is a different story. Unstructured, non-relational data comes at me from all directions at an ever-increasing velocity, and no wonder, as stream I/O is the standard for much of the computing world. (For the benefit of anyone who’s interested, I’ve added a second article to the end of this article.

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• Graphically Setting Up TCP/IP Host Routes With System i Navigator

  March 19, 2014 Hey, Joe

  I read your article on setting up IBM i TCP/IP host routes. But the article only contained green screen commands for host routing. Is there a way to graphically set up IBM i routes? –Jose You can graphically work with TCP/IP Host Routes by using the System i Navigator program that comes with IBM i Access for Windows (OpsNav). To get to a partition’s host routes for IPv4 configurations in OpsNav, open the Network→TCP/IP Configuration→IPv4→Routes node under your target partition. To work with a partition’s IPv6 host routes, open the Network→TCP/IP Configuration→IPv6→Routes node. Your OpsNav tree will look something

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• Attachmate Brings Full-Function Emulation to Mobile Devices

  March 18, 2014 Alex Woodie

  If the TN5250 products you tried with your iOS or Android device left you feeling sad and frustrated, you might want to check out the latest release of Attachmate‘s Reflection suite. The company is now providing mobile touchscreen devices with the same type of emulation experience that customers are used to getting from a full Windows-based TN5250 product. The new TouchUX interface should add convenience when entering data, while the new SmartUX API will allow developers to extend functionality with buttons. The TN5250 and TN3270 products you see on the app stores don’t bring much value to the users,

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• CNX Ups the Ante in Mobile App Development for IBM i

  March 18, 2014 Alex Woodie

  CNX Corp. yesterday unveiled a major new release of its flagship Web and mobile development tool for IBM i, the Valence Framework version 4.0. The new version is based on Sencha Architect 3, which CNX says allows IBM i shops to develop Web and mobile apps almost completely in a drag-and-drop manner. The updated portal also has a place for accessing 5250 apps that haven’t yet been rewritten or modernized for the new HTML5 world. CNX has been beating the drum around Valence 4.0 for some time now, with promises of a major new release delivering many new features. “This

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• ‘ALL Out’ Effort Improves Security Tool’s Look

  March 18, 2014 Alex Woodie

  It’s no secret that IBM i applications suffer from an image problem. The green text interface of 5250 applications is arguably the platform’s biggest liability. While efforts to improve the user experience (UX) typically focus on user-facing applications, ALL Out Security is benefitting from an overhaul of its IBM i security product, courtesy of looksoftware‘s UX modernization tools. ALL Out Security developed TRACE to help IT managers detect suspicious activity on the IBM i server. The software is basically a data mining solution for the IBM i audit journal and gives users the capability to detect when potentially criminal

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• Stay-Linked Enriches Wireless Emulation Suite

  March 18, 2014 Alex Woodie

  Running wireless environments in industrial surroundings, such as warehouses and distribution centers, is not as simple as it might seem. You won’t have any trouble checking your Twitter feed using the WiFi at your local Starbucks, but there are big hurdles to accessing 5250 host applications wirelessly over TCP/IP networks. A Southern California company by the name of Stay-Linked has a proven track record addressing this challenge. Founded in 2002, Stay-Linked has developed a reputation among distributors and logistics firms for its capability to provide stable and secure connections to IBM i hosts from wireless RF devices, such as barcode

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• ASC Improves IBM i Chops of Cross-Platform Job Scheduler

  March 18, 2014 Alex Woodie

  Advanced Systems Concepts (ASC) has recently enhanced its ActiveBatch job scheduler with more useful integration and management functionality for the IBM i server. ASC last month announced the release of ActiveBatch version 9 SP3, which focuses on improving the product’s capability to work in IBM i environments and with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) systems management tool. On the IBM i front, ASC says the enhancements focus on improving the ActiveBatch execution agent’s integration with IBM‘s native IBM i job scheduler. “The execution agent leverages the existing AS/400 scheduler,” ASC says in its announcement, “but adds all of

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• IBM Updates Online IBM i Resources

  March 18, 2014 Alex Woodie

  If you find yourself perusing IBM‘s website looking for information about the IBM i operating system and Power Systems server, don’t be surprised if things look a little different than you remember them. That’s because IBM recently rolled out several updates to several online IBM i resources, including a new IBM Knowledge Center, a refresh to the IBM i 7.1 Redbook, and a new look and feel for the IBM i section of the developerWorks site. IBM Redbooks are a great source of in-depth, technical information about IBM products. If you have a question about how to do something

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