How RESTful APIs Streamline RPA Efficiency on the Mainframe
January 6, 2022
Enterprises are increasingly investing in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), a software that automates repetitive tasks to save costs and increase productivity. RPAs are a beneficial way to modernize sequences that are running on the mainframe. However, current methodologies— namely, screen scraping—are proving an inefficient route. Luckily, Jerry Rackley, director of marketing, HostBridge Technology, has found […]
ArticlesNever-Ending IBM i Learning
January 5, 2022
I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, but I am big on continuous learning. Each day I try to learn something new, usually related to something I’m working on with various clients. Being an obsessive list-maker, I also have lists of subject areas where I want to broaden my knowledge or increase my […]
ArticlesApache Log4j Vulnerability, AIX Tips and Tools, a Look at Time Drift, and More
January 4, 2022
IBM Champion Rob McNelly on the Log4j security vulnerability, helpful AIX tips and tools, time drifts on POWER8 and POWER9 servers, and more
ArticlesFrom Educators to End Users: Leveraging Holistic Approaches and the Importance of Belonging Across the Tech Ecosystem
January 4, 2022
Join us for our first 2022 webinar of the Making Our Strong Community, Stronger collaborative initiative on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the mainframe industry. Register here. We’re mixing up the conversation by sharing the perspective of IBM Z educators and end users. In keeping with our previous discussions, we are continuing our bold, open and […]
PodcastsIBM Power Champion Birgitta Hauser on SQL and Modernization
January 3, 2022
Charlie Guarino: Hi everybody. Welcome to another edition of TechTalk SMB. Today I am joined by the queen of SQL for Db2 for i, a world—renowned expert on SQL, somebody who freely gives so much of her time in the IBM i forums, somebody who I've had the great pleasure of speaking with in many cities […]
ArticlesThe History of Business Computing Part 1: Counting the Benefits
December 20, 2021
How did we go from the joy of the freedom that personal, commodity computing brought us, to unidimensional cynicism about industrial-strength computing, valuing everything by gross costs without a consideration of the nature and amount of what was being delivered? For that matter, how did we get to a place where requests for proposals (RFPs) […]
ArticlesAre Containers on Mainframes Safe?
December 20, 2021
Let’s just start with some basics: What is a container? A container is a standard unit of software that packages up code and all of its dependencies, so the application runs quickly and reliably in different computing environments. In effect, this container can be taken from one computing platform to another, and it will still […]
ArticlesGeocoding and Mapping Data With IBM Db2 Web Query for i
December 15, 2021
Have you ever wanted to apply mapping technology to your data? Ever since Google and Apple Maps became popular, other vendors have used this same mapping technology to provide a basis for business intelligence data analysis. Several towns in my rural area have begun investigating how to improve internet access and have asked vendors to […]
ArticlesWhat Is the TLS Handshake Process?
December 15, 2021
A vast majority of web applications and websites today use the HTTPS protocol that enables data encryption between the client and server. It is, therefore, always a good idea to have at least a very basic understanding of how the whole encryption process works—how the encryption begins and how it is established, and that is […]
ArticlesLog4Shell Part 1: Answering FAQs on the Log4Shell Security Vulnerability
December 14, 2021
Jesse Gorzinksi on the Log4Shell security vulnerability, what it impacts and how to remediate the problem in Java programs
ArticlesAIX Tips, Tricks and Useful Tools
December 13, 2021
Periodically I like to remind everyone about the tools they have at their disposal as well as providing a few tips and tricks to help with maintaining systems. In this article we will look at some of the tools you can use to help in your day-to-day work. YUM and DNF If you’re dealing with […]
VideoLearning AIX and IBM i: Courses, Tracks and Certifications
December 7, 2021
IBM Champion Rob McNelly on courses, tracks or certifications you can use for developing IBM i and AIX resources internally
Articles‘When Your Employees Are Thriving, Your Business Is Thriving:’ Why DEI Strategies Should Be a Business Imperative
December 7, 2021
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are all vital components of a safe and respectful working environment. For a company to move in a positive direction, there must be a focus on DEI to ensure that every employee is treated fairly and can trust that their unique perspective will be valued. An expert on this topic […]
ArticlesPerformance and Management Tools for AIX and Power Systems: Features and Use Cases
December 7, 2021
While monitoring and management solutions perform somewhat similar tasks, they’ve traditionally served different enough functions to keep them from being optimally paired as a collaborative unit. Management tools ensure that your system is available, configured properly or optimized and its components are connected correctly and as expected, whereas monitoring tools look for overall system, communication, […]
ArticlesTechChannel Webinars: Engaging Content Led by Industry Experts
December 6, 2021
As the COVID-19 pandemic effectively eliminated most in-person interaction in 2020, nearly every facet of daily life went online. From medicine to education to friendships, individuals around the world turned to digital measures to stay connected. This explosion of virtual communication also saw companies turning to digital methods to facilitate career development and employee knowledge […]
E-BooksTechChannel E-book: Streamline Your Modernization Strategies With Open Source and SQL With Db2 for i
December 6, 2021
Modernization strategies come in many forms—each with a unique blend of cost, risk and value. But some strategies are better than others, depending on your organizational needs. Some organizations still have hesitations about adopting the most effective modernization strategies—such as establishing a virtual layer of SQL views within physical data models or leveraging open-source technologies. […]
ArticlesLeveraging IBM Z for Digital Transformation
December 6, 2021
Some observers might doubt whether the mainframe can make any meaningful contribution to digital transformation. They might even view the mainframe as part of the problem, rather than the solution: an overly complex platform running decades-old applications. But that is a gross oversimplification. While it’s true that many of the applications running on the mainframe […]
PodcastsJohn Marconi on New and Old Technology in the Automotive Industry
December 2, 2021
Charlie Guarino: Hi everybody. Welcome to another edition of Tech Talk SMB. This is Charlie Guarino and normally when I'm doing these interviews, it's typically done online, and the special guest is at their remote location. This is a different situation because I'm actually on site today and I'm here in Tustin California at the […]
ArticlesDynamic LPAR on HANA, Support Docs Updated and User Group Session Replays
November 29, 2021
Dynamic LPAR is now available for SAP HANA databases. Get details on this, along with updated Power10 and AIX 7.3 documentation and more from IBM Champion Rob McNelly.
ArticlesFunction Usage Replaces Application Administration in New Navigator for i
November 29, 2021
In the Heritage Version of Navigator for i, Application Administration was used to allow or deny user access to functions—among them, the ability to customize what tasks were available to users in the Navigator console. Application Administration in Navigator for i had been ported from the original Client Access support and featured a very dated and cumbersome […]
Articles‘Being in a Minority of One Did Not Make You Mad:’ The Only Mainframer in the Room
November 29, 2021
How often have you been in a meeting where you explain the power and capabilities of the mainframe to a room full of intelligent people, who just don’t get what you are saying? And in your mind, you recall a similar meeting, perhaps three years previously, where a different group of people ignored your recommendation […]
ArticlesOpen Mainframe Project Mentorship, COBOL and IBM Z Skills
November 19, 2021
Mainframe and COBOL are not things of the past as some might believe. They’re important tools for businesses and organizations to use for progression into the future. The Open Mainframe Project Mentorship Program understands this, which is why it encourages mentees to expand their knowledge of IBM Z technology and contribute to simplifying the process […]
VideoWomen of COBOL Episode 1: Overturning Biases on COBOL and Women in Tech
November 15, 2021
Announcing the first episode in our TechChannel-hosted video series spotlighting women of COBOL, moderated by Misty Decker! This episode’s guests include: Moderator: Misty Decker, product marketing director, Micro Focus Maemalynn Meanor, senior PR manager, The Linux Foundation and Open Mainframe Project Keelia Estrada Moeller, senior editor, TechChannel Transcript Misty Decker: Hi and welcome to our very first episode of […]
ArticlesMeet the TechChannel Rising Stars on IBM Z
November 12, 2021
This year, TechChannel begins a new tradition—acknowledging Rising Stars in the mainframe community who have pushed the boundaries of what is possible on IBM Z since joining the ecosystem within the last five years. The TechChannel Rising Stars initiative—which will run once a year—aims to recognize the next generation of aspiring innovators within the IBM Z […]
ArticlesInteresting Points About the Power HMC
November 10, 2021
Jaqui Lynch on a real-life experience upgrading a 7063-cr1 HMC from 931 to 951, and new HMC upgrades