October 2007

• Industry Observer -
• Expand Your SQL Horizons with Control Statements - To get the most from SQL and more easily integrate it with code written in other languages, consider the use of control statements. With these tools, you can add some programming capability to your SQL code.
• A Concise Guide to SQL Triggers - Here's your definitive guide to creating SQL triggers, with emphasis on the different forms of SQL triggers and the SPL techniques unique to triggers.
• Hibernate Your JDBC - Hibernate is the de facto standard ORM tool and offers relief from the drudgery of JDBC programming. You can cut your amount of code in half when you replace existing JDBC applications with Hibernate.
• SQL Transaction Management with JDBC - Transaction management lets you control when and whether changes to the database become permanent. Until changes are committed, they can be rolled back and you can undo errors.
• Pattern Recognition: Adopting the Pattern - In a previous article, you learned how to change design patterns for ILE RPG programs. Now, it's time to put that knowledge to the test. Will the design hold up?
• Deliver Business Dashboards - Business intelligence dashboards are all the rage for enterprise managers, but too often these graphical displays are heavy on eye candy and light on useful information. Learn how to deliver dashboards your managers can really use.
• Database Management Essentials - DB2 for i5/OS is known for not requiring a database administrator — but that doesn't mean that it runs itself. Learn the many ways you can improve the management of your existing databases, and the best way to create new ones on the System i.
• Dr. I Doctor - Dr. I Doctor unburies a useful IBM i5/OS administrative aid and suggests an inexpensive, yet secure, server firewall approach.
• Tech Tips - Resetting Date Area in WDSc
• Killer Club Tech - Get Rid of TCP3602 Messages * Analyzing and Reporting from QAUDJRN on a Different System * Retrieve Time of Last IPL * Securing CL Commands * Receive Fixed-Length Data from a Socket * Perform a Partial Save with SAVSYSINF
• Feedback - Correction; Plays Well with WebSphere?; QShell Revelation; WDSc 7 License Issue?
• It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green - We all know that the System i contains state-of-the-art hardware, has advanced system architecture, and is secure, scalable, and reliable. But the green screen makes the system look old and creates a visual barrier to the acceptance of the System i.
• f.y.iSystem - How Many Letters Between i and p?; Analyst Reports Tout System i TCO; A Pinch of Salt in the Sugar?; Shearer Chats with iSociety on IBM Reorg; News in Brief
• IBM Announcements -
• The Recent Rash of System i Acquisitions: Is It Contagious? - The System i world has been at the center of attention during the past year's acquisitions. What's behind the marketplace consolidation, and should anyone be worried?
• Wanted: A Web Analytics App for i5/OS - Could the lack of a native web analytics application be contributing to the System i not being used more widely as a website host platform?
• Hot New Products -
• RPG Rules! - You can read this article's title two ways: "RPG is great!" or "RPG regulations." This piece encompasses both meanings, discussing not only why the language is magnificent but also urging you to adopt the modern programming techniques that RPG supports.
• Take a Fast Ride with RiTA Server - Many companies are looking for a way to speed payment processing, and VeriFone claims its new payment server, RiTA Server, does just that.
• System i Shops at a Glance - Earlier this year, over 630 System i professionals answered a web-based survey about their shops. They shared information about demographics, resources, key initiatives, application usages, and challenges.
• CRM Applications Product Roundup - This collection of customer relationship management solutions for the System i include the 11 that offer the most comprehensive set of features and capabilities for handling the whole spectrum of enterprise customer interactions.
• Using DB2 Web Query with SQL Views and Stored Procedures - DB2 Web Query is IBM's latest product for accessing database information. But adopting it doesn't mean you have to toss out all your other query-based reports. DB2 Web Query provides ways to blend old and new to retrieve the data you need from DB2.
• Emulate or Duplicate? - When it comes to processors, computer evolution is rife with mix-and-match mayhem. This month, Sean takes the temperature of two approaches to helping platforms play nicely together: processor emulation and heterogeneous servers.
• Need Help with Indexes? Call the Advisor - A good indexing strategy is crucial to a well-tuned database environment. With the Index Advisor, new in V5R4 of DB2 for i5/OS, you can beef up your indexing capabilities with optimizer feedback.
• Route Finder: The Twists, Turns, and Benefits of Application Generators - For developing new applications, especially web apps, application generators promise a faster, easier route than hand coding. This Route Finder describes how application generators work and examines the benefits and risks of using them.