Hashes and How to Create Them on z/OS
January 10, 2022
Hashes can be really handy. Want to confirm that a file was received intact? Compare sender and receiver hashes. Want to see if a file has been updated recently? Compare hashes generated over time. Want a fast key for a lookup table? Use a hash as the key. But what are hashes, and how can […]
ArticlesLog4Shell Part 2: 3 Best Practices for Software Security
January 6, 2022
Security is as important a topic as ever! Organizations everywhere are grappling with their approach to cybersecurity. In my previous post, I addressed some basics about the highly-publicized “Log4Shell” security vulnerability. Log4Shell and others provide a constant reminder that IT security is a perpetual task. A properly protected technology stack requires certain best practices to be […]
ArticlesHow 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
System security is no laughing matter. Well, occasionally it’s a laughing matter, but I’ll get to that in a moment. On Dec. 15 IBM issued a security bulletin regarding a vulnerability in Apache Log4j that affects the Power HMC. Check the IBM PSIRT blog for the latest updates: “… Product teams are releasing remediations for […]
From 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 […]
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 […]