• Data Needed to Debug Authority Failures, Part 2

  September 28, 2011 Patrick Botz

  In the first article in this series, I introduced the concept of debugging authority failures and described how the operating system determines whether an executing job should be allowed to access an object. Armed with this information, the topic of this second article, data needed to debug authority failures, will make much more sense. In my third article, I will describe how and where to find this information. Data needed for debugging authority failures can be classified into the following categories: Who, What, When, Which, and Why. Some of this information helps you find other pieces of data. All of

  …

  Read more

• A Better Way To Read a Job Log

  September 28, 2011 Ted Holt

  Note: The code accompanying this article is available for download here. A job log is a wonderful thing to have when you’re trying to figure out why a good program went bad. The problem with job logs is that the few messages that point out what went wrong are entombed within myriad irrelevant messages. And job logs can be long. Just recently I dealt with one that was over 400 pages. I wrote a utility to help me make sense of job logs. Maybe it will help you, too. My utility, which I call Convert Job Log (CVTJOBLOG), reads

  …

  Read more

• Checking Cache Battery Status Without STRSST

  September 28, 2011 Hey, Joe

  Concerning your article about debunking cache battery rumors, did you know that there’s another way to see cache battery information without going into System Service Tools (STRSST)? IBM is offering a new program called QSMBTTCC that allows you to display cache battery status from the command line. It’s enabled by PTFs. –Steve As a refresher, IBM uses batteries in its disk controllers to provide caching for its disk drives. The batteries have a useful life of about 2.75 to 3 years and the system will start sending warning messages to change your batteries when your controller cache batteries are

  …

  Read more

• Aldon’s LMi Gets a Web Portal, Mobile Device Interface

  September 27, 2011 Alex Woodie

  New software unveiled by Aldon last week allows IBM i developers to manage and monitor the code deployment process from any location–even the neighborhood pub. Thanks to new Web portal and mobile device user interfaces unveiled by the Rocket Software subsidiary, many of the administrative tasks that previously required a 5250 green-screen interface can now be handled in a friendly Web GUI, or even on the go from an iPhone or Android device. The new functions delivered in Aldon Web Portal Plus should make life easier for harried development managers, who are constantly worried whether the rollout of code changes

  …

  Read more

• Public Sector IBM i Users Living in the Cloud

  September 27, 2011 Dan Burger

  A lot of people would say that government organizations lag behind private industry when it comes to efficiency. But here is some evidence that in the IT arena that may not be true. It also goes to show that the IBM midrange community is not necessarily mired in the past. Let’s take a quick look at one of the largest IBM i-based clouds in North America, where governmental organizations using SunGard Public Sector’s NaviLine software is being protected by Maxava disaster recovery and high availability software. SunGard has a specific division referred to as SunGard Public Sector that serves primarily

  …

  Read more

• Tributary Gets Closer to Quantum with Hardware Deal

  September 27, 2011 Alex Woodie

  Tributary Systems, a developer of storage virtualization software for IBM i and z/OS systems, unveiled a tightened partnership with storage hardware provider Quantum last week. Under the new partnership, Tributary will be selling Quantum’s DXi-Series line of data de-duplication appliances, as well as its Scalar line of tape libraries, into its IBM i and z/OS customer bases. The DXi-Series deal will provide Tributary a solid platform upon which to build virtual tape library (VTL) solutions. Tributary Systems is a Bedford, Texas, company that has a long history developing storage technology for minicomputers and mainframes. In 2009, Tributary entered the

  …

  Read more

• RJS Updates Signature Capture Software

  September 27, 2011 Alex Woodie

  RJS Software Systems last week unveiled a new release of SignHere, a software product that allows users to apply a digitally captured signature to an electronic document, including those originating from IBM i systems. The new release of SignHere brings better integration with RJS’ own content management system, support for new signature capture hardware, and improved customization options for the end user. RJS introduced SignHere last year to help bridge the divide between paper documents and digital documents. When a document, such as an invoice or a bill of lading, requires a signature, the RJS software automatically applies a digitally

  …

  Read more

• Shield Now Distributing Easycom PHP Connector in North America

  September 27, 2011 Alex Woodie

  Organizations eager to connect their new PHP applications with their existing IBM i data and programs may be interested to know that Shield Advanced Solutions is the new North American distributor for the Easycom software from the French developer AURA Equipments. Easycom was previously the IBM i-to-PHP integration glue that shipped with Zend Technologies‘s PHP stack, until it was replaced with the open source XML Toolkit, creating a minor controversy. The new XML Toolkit takes over integration tasks like making RPG program calls accessing DB2/400 data. It’s been available as a beta since Zend Server 5.1 for IBM

  …

  Read more

• Apps Get Faster with Saved Search Function, mrc Says

  September 27, 2011 Alex Woodie

  Developers and end-users alike will benefit from a new saved search function announced by mrc last week. The new feature in its m-Power development tool will allow users to quickly pull up complicated searches, specific views of reports, and other previously defined views in their Web applications. It will also save time for developers. Programmers are always looking for a faster way to write applications, and users of mrc’s m-Power rapid application development tool are no different. The tool already gives developers a leg up on the application creation front, by virtue of how it works, which is by generating

  …

  Read more

• Cyber-Ark Launches Cloud MFT Service

  September 27, 2011 Alex Woodie

  Cyber-Ark Software has extended its managed file transfer (MFT) solution to the cloud. Its new Inter-Business Vault as a Service, unveiled two weeks ago, starts at $1,900 per month. Cyber-Ark serves a variety of data security needs with its Digital Vault, a proprietary Windows-based application that’s designed to be an impenetrable silo. All communication with the Digital Vault is handled through its proprietary “vault protocol,” and is encrypted and extensively logged. The Digital Vault provides the foundation for several Inter-Business Vault (IBV) solutions, ranging from password and user session management to MFT. The company’s MFT solution supports the company’s proprietary

  …

  Read more

Previous Articles Next Articles