February 2007

• Industry Observer - Open Java; Patents Remain Controversial; Document Retention Isn't Enough; Annual Salary Survey
• Hot New Products -
• PHP May Be for i, but Is It for Me? - Find out how PHP stacks up to Java and .NET, pick up some tidbits about the PHP environment, and get a brief intro to the language. Also garner suggestions for the best System i data access strategy and IDE to use with PHP.
• f.y.iSystem - 2007: The Year of Hyperdisruption and Slow IT Buying?; Rocket Software to Acquire Seagull Software; Now You Can IM 157 Million People; International Bank Blazes Trail with iSCSI Connectivity.
• Start Off Right with Browser-based Interfaces - It's time to take a deep breath and plunge into web-based application development. Here are some ideas for where to start.
• Feedback -
• NGS Offers OKI Bering a Suite Deal on Business Intelligence - OKI Bering implemented NGS's NGS-IQ solution to arm its sales force with customer data at their fingertips.
• Keeping Up with Downtime Threats - Unscheduled system downtime has moved from being an annoyance to becoming a threat to IT managers' jobs. Fortunately, the System i market continues to provide remedies.
• The More Things Change . . . - Think things have changed much in 25 years? Technologically, yes. But a retrospective of new product announcements from just the first three years (1982-85) of NEWS/34-38 shows that many of the early market players are still with us.
• 5 Essential Ways to Use iSeries Navigator - SQL Plan Cache - A centralized query plan cache has long been part of the SQL Query Engine. But until now, there hasn't been a graphical interface to this repository. If you run queries on a V5R4 system, iSeries Navigator can now provide access to valuable information.
• Use DOM and the XML Toolkit to Process XML with RPG - The XML Toolkit provides a complete environment for parsing, creating, validating, and transforming XML documents. The Document Object Model (DOM) API is one of its most powerful tools. See how it can work in your shop.
• Troubleshooting TCP/IP: Analyze Communications Problems - The Communications Trace Analyzer plug-in scans communications trace output to detect networking problems. By pinpointing the exact place in the trace where a problem occurs, the tool saves you from searching through a large communications trace output.
• Encore's Extreme Makeover from the Inside Out - Encore was looking for a modern interface to improve efficiency and reduce training costs. But by choosing a whole new design approach, Encore gained benefits far beyond a modern interface — it built a bridge to modern and future technologies.
• Tech Tips -
• It's Getting Hot in Here - Heat is a major problem for data centers, so in the context of data center facilities management, we all know that "hot" is definitely "not hot." So what is "hot"? Simple — what's "hot" is what makes data centers "cool."
• IBM Announcements -
• When Pros Become Cons: The System i DBA - The powerhouse System i doesn't need a dedicated database administrator to babysit it. Does this actually have a negative effect on the sale of the box?
• Upgrading to Vista: Is Now the Right Time? - Vista, Microsoft's new desktop operating system, is poised to make an entry into businesses at all levels. But should you make the upgrade a priority? And if so, which version do you need?
• A Multifaceted Approach to System i Security - With security threats coming from so many directions, a management solution that keeps an eye on all of them can be useful. Raz-Lee Security, Inc.'s iSecurity offers this kind of broad approach.
• The System i Thin Console - IBM has added the Thin Console to its catalog of choices for i5/OS. Should you upgrade to this new console? This summary of features and comparison with other available consoles will help you decide.
• Exploring SQL Union - SQL Union can combine the output from two Select statements while retaining separate rows. Find out how and when to use this lesser-known operator.
• Pattern Recognition: Ease Modern RPG Programming - Anytime you switch from one programming paradigm to another, you must learn new patterns. When you develop strong new design patterns in ILE, you'll be as proficient with it as anything you've learned in the past, and you'll gain the benefits that ILE offers.
• Software Design Patterns - Design is the key to software development. Experience is the key to design. How do you get the design experience that you need? An easy way is to use software design patterns, which call upon the experiences of developrs who came before.
• Dr. I Doctor - Dr. I Doctor explains Ethernet port speed negotiation failures, and solves an i5/OS TCP/IP startup problem.
• Considerations for a Successful ILE Implementation - An ILE implementation is less scary than you might think — all you need is a carefully thought out plan and these guidelines to lead you to success.