Embracing Automation Enables Effective IBM i HA/DR Planning
June 4, 2021
Automation is a boon for systems administrators. They can, for example, schedule jobs to run at specific times and days, considering issues such as job types and runtimes, differing time zones, end-of-day office closings and resource consumption. Although not entirely hands off—admins may have to respond to various job alerts—automation has addressed some particularly acute […]
ArticlesHow the Software World and Programming Practices Have Evolved
June 3, 2021
Programming, or writing software as it is commonly known today, has been my profession for 51 years, and for fun for 10 years before that. Like most things, it has changed dramatically as I have grown up with it. Starting out in 1960, we had only one manual of about 50 pages, a principles of […]
ArticlesAutomate the Execution of Python Scripts With Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler
June 3, 2021
In this tutorial, we will learn how to automatically execute Python scripts using the Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler. For simplicity, we choose to use a Python script that simply writes to a text file, the date and time that the script executes, every time it gets executed. Create a new, empty text file anywhere on […]
ArticlesThe Latest in RPG Built-in Functions
June 3, 2021
Jon Paris on the three new RPG Built-in Functions from the IBM i 7.4 TR4 announcement—%Upper, %Lower and %Split
ArticlesBound to Compile: Skipping the Source Code
May 31, 2021
I like interpretive and scripting languages: The source is the code so you never have to go hunting for the original text version of a program when updating it. But they do run much more slowly than compiled ones. Consequently, some scripting languages, like REXX, can also be compiled in order to speed them up. […]
Data Mining Tools Can Fuel the Evolution of Retail Strategies
May 31, 2021
A faster penetration and growth in internet usage worldwide have caused a veritable explosion in data generation in recent years. In 2006, Clive Humby, a noted data scientist, hailed data as the new oil, a phrase that is seemingly supported by the vast amount of digital data being created, captured, and replicated over the years. According to […]
ArticlesHow to Defend Your Mainframe From Various Hacking Techniques and Insider Threats
May 26, 2021
Many people think that their mainframe is totally secure. After all, why wouldn’t it be? For a start, they’re running an external security manager (ESM) that limits what people can do and what they can access. There’s the system authorization facility (SAF), a z/OS interface providing infrastructure-security administration tools that help prevent unauthorized access to […]
ArticlesNode.js on z/OS: How Real Is It?
May 24, 2021
Node.js is a popular environment to allow JavaScript to run outside of a browser. A 2020 Stack Overflow survey saw 50% vote Node.js as the most popular framework, library or tool. Anyone working with the open-source mainframe framework Zowe will be familiar with Node.js: it’s needed for both the Zowe server and Zowe CLI. But […]
ArticlesAfter Helping Clients Navigate Challenging Times, the AIX World Moves Forward
May 24, 2021
From the beginning, IBM AIX was touted for its reliability. That this characteristic has endured was never more evident than over the past year, as IBM clients relied upon the AIX OS and Power Systems hardware to manage their operations through a challenging time. IBM’s Carl Burnett, Distinguished Engineer, Power Systems software development, believes that AIX/Power […]
ArticlesAnnouncing Anaconda for LinuxONE and IBM Z
May 20, 2021
For many data scientists, having access to AI projects on any data platform is not only more productive, but very important to the success of the technology. In fact, according to the new “Global AI Adoption Index 2021,” commissioned by IBM in partnership with Morning Consult, 90% of IT professionals say that being able to run their […]