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Edge computing addresses the interaction of sensors, monitors, and other simple devices with the rest of the world via the cloud. Not everyone is clear about its terminology even as its implications dwarf computing as we've traditionally thought about it.

By John Ghrist

The confluence of cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) is growing in importance, to the point where in less than a handful of years this intersection may become even more vital than standard computer processing and cloud data storage has already been. The point of contact is variously referred to as fog computing and edge computing, and some even consider the terms to be interchangeable. However, they're actually not. Let's start by differentiating between the two.

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Adapting your business to use artificial intelligence applications isnꞌt a matter of simply adding a new software package. Despite its potential benefits, AI can require significant changes to staff attitudes and corporate culture to be successful.

By John Ghrist

Forward-looking enterprises need to be considering adopting at least some aspects of AI, not because itꞌs in vogue but because your competitors are likely eyeing it if they arenꞌt already using it. Customer-facing services using AI are becoming common, critical business-information analysis apps are at work behind the scenes if not completely up front, and other AI apps are helping employees become more efficient in carrying out routine operations. That’s to say nothing of AI helping organizations find new lines of business, streamlining formerly thought- and labor-intensive procedures, and fundamentally altering business models and corporate culture.

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"Artificial Intelligence (AI)" covers more territory than many people realize. Compounding potential confusion is the ambiguity of language used to establish AI app categories, and the inability of some to recognize categories in AI at all.

By John Ghrist

One of the challenges of incorporating AI into existing business procedures is figuring out what sort of a pilot project to start with to prove that applying AI on a larger scale will suit your specific enterprise needs.

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A set of tenets can help deliver successful data and AI software projects. Each tenet is a continual journey, not a destination. Each must be practiced until it becomes second nature, and each tenet has multi-dependencies with other tenets.

By Mark Simmonds

There’s a set of symbiotic tenets and disciplines when it comes to building and delivering software products that can help drive success for both vendors and clients alike. Here are what I consider to be some of the top tenets.

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The escalating hacks of businesses and the mushrooming of ransomware show that cybersecurity is going to be a bigger part of future IT life than ever before. IBM Watson offers services that can help.

By John Ghrist

More than a year and a half ago, IBM Chairman Ginni Rometty was quoted in a Forbes report as saying that "cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world." Since then, we've seen hacking causing controversy in the U.S. election for president in 2016, the WannaCry ransomware attacks last May affecting more than 230,000 computers in more than 150 countries, and intrusions at U.S. power plants (including a nuclear facility) in early July resulting in yet-undefined consequences, to name just a few of the most notorious examples. Cyber warfare is here to stay, and no one can be complacent that their systems will remain immune forever.

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Last month, we started looking at how you can work with Watson. We began with one of the Watson “products” that IBM offers, the Virtual Agent. This month, we will look at the other product options in Watson’s stable.

Written by Dave Shirey  

IBM offers a number of products, off-the-shelf components that can be configured to work with your business and will provide benefit without your having to learn a new language or really do anything technical.

Read more ...

What are some of the tasks your enterprise must address to get started with using Watson? While it’s going to be somewhat different for everyone, Dayhuff Group’s methodology provides some general insights.

Written by John Ghrist

Dayhuff Group is a consulting company and longtime IBM Business Partner headquartered in Ohio that specializes in consulting for enterprises seeking to improve their business intelligence (BI) and enterprise content management (ECM) systems. Dayhuff characterizes their function as “helping companies move from enterprise search to cognitive exploration” and has a track record of more than 200 successful installations.

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A couple of articles ago, we looked at what an API was and even what Watson was, but we didn’t get into an example of the kinds of stuff Watson is mixed up in. Stand by to be amazed. 

Written by Dave Shirey   

In a previous TechTip, we started to get into what the new world of APIs allows us to do (interface complex applications, not just point functions, with your custom applications) and what Watson really is (a set of very fast processors running with a parallel architecture, DeepQA, to provide a new way to approach the question-and-answer application). But we didn’t talk about how you can get involved with that world.

Read more ...
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  • White Paper: Node.js for Enterprise IBM i Modernization

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  • Why Migrate When You Can Modernize?

    LANSABusiness users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.
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  • UPDATED: Developer Kit: Making a Business Case for Modernization and Beyond

    Profound Logic Software, Inc.Having trouble getting management approval for modernization projects? The problem may be you're not speaking enough "business" to them.

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  • What to Do When Your AS/400 Talent Retires

    FortraIT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators is small.

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  • Node.js on IBM i Webinar Series Pt. 2: Setting Up Your Development Tools

    Profound Logic Software, Inc.Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. In Part 2, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Attend this webinar to learn:

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  • Expert Tips for IBM i Security: Beyond the Basics

    SB PowerTech WC GenericIn this session, IBM i security expert Robin Tatam provides a quick recap of IBM i security basics and guides you through some advanced cybersecurity techniques that can help you take data protection to the next level. Robin will cover:

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    SB PowerTech WC GenericIn today’s threat landscape, upper management is laser-focused on cybersecurity. You need to make progress in securing your systems—and make it fast.
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  • Security Bulletin: Malware Infection Discovered on IBM i Server!

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  • Encryption on IBM i Simplified

    SB PowerTech WC GenericDB2 Field Procedures (FieldProcs) were introduced in IBM i 7.1 and have greatly simplified encryption, often without requiring any application changes. Now you can quickly encrypt sensitive data on the IBM i including PII, PCI, PHI data in your physical files and tables.
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  • Lessons Learned from IBM i Cyber Attacks

    SB PowerTech WC GenericDespite the many options IBM has provided to protect your systems and data, many organizations still struggle to apply appropriate security controls.
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    You will learn the steps you can take to avoid the mistakes made in these examples, as well as other inadequate and misconfigured settings that put businesses at risk.

     

     

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  • Node Webinar Series Pt. 1: The World of Node.js on IBM i

    SB Profound WC GenericHave you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.
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