The Mainframe Ecosystem: A Community Effort
January 10, 2022
Community. That’s the driving force behind the burgeoning IBM Z mainframe ecosystem, whether supported by IBM itself, ISVs, universities or end users—or more likely, all of the above. Indeed, each of these segments benefits from the others by working toward common goals, such as improving mainframe ease of use, cultivating skills for the future or developing open-source […]
ArticlesPaving a Path Forward on IBM i and AIX
January 10, 2022
As organizations accelerate their digital transformations, IBM i and AIX partners and customers are re-evaluating their approach and planning their path forward. While the pandemic added new challenges, many organizations are facing the same or similar challenges that were present before COVID-19 and now are just at a heightened level of importance. Modernizing RPG Applications […]
ArticlesHashes 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
Log4Shell and others provide a constant reminder that IT security is a perpetual task. Jesse Gorzinski highlights three security best practices you should follow to keep software secure.
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 […]
Never-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 […]
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 […]