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Crossroads Systems' virtual tape appliance for IBM i promises to dramatically shorten backup times.
chris_smithWritten by Chris Smith

The COMMON Directions and Focus educational conferences were held this week, and about 200 users attended the converged Indianapolis events. About 20 vendors also supported the show by sending representatives to explain, and in some cases demonstrate, their products during the one-day exhibition.

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Virtualization has multiple meanings and purposes. Learn how you can use it to increase data and application availability.

bill_hammondWritten by Bill Hammond
Virtualization can serve a number of valuable purposes in IT departments, but exactly what is virtualization?

 

There are at least two definitions of the term. Server virtualization allows multiple logical servers--possibly using different operating systems--to run on a single physical machine. On IBM Power Systems, server virtualization services are provided primarily through PowerVM. Its hypervisor can run multiple instances of IBM i, AIX, and Linux in separate partitions on a single physical system.

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HACMP and data replication each serve different needs in the high availability and disaster recovery arenas. Combining the two delivers the best of both worlds.

rich_krauseWritten by Rich Krause

Many AIX shops protect the availability of their applications by using IBM's High Availability Cluster Multi-Processing (HACMP) to closely link multiple servers connected to shared storage. HACMP monitors the health of the cluster and can automatically recover applications and system resources on a secondary server if the primary server is unavailable. Because the cluster typically operates in a shared-disk environment, as depicted in Figure 1, failover times are very short in this scenario because the failover occurs entirely within the local cluster.

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Employ effective strategies for timely data protection and recovery.

john_gayWritten by John Gay

Editor's Note: This article is a distillation of the free white paper "The One Essential Guide to Disaster Recovery: How to Ensure IT and Business Continuity on i5/OS and AIX" available at the MC Press White Paper Center.

   

System downtime and data loss pose intolerable risks to every business. From IT departments to the boardroom, managers have seen the importance of business uptime and data protection to continued success, productivity, and profitability. This article provides effective strategies and technologies to protect data and provide fast recovery should data be lost or corrupted due to accidental or malicious action.

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A number of free Linux tools can recover data from even the most damaged disk drives.

chris_smithWritten by Chris Smith

I've been riding bicycles a long time, but the funniest thing happened on the way home from cappuccino-land last Sunday: I cracked up.

 

I don't know if I was more worried about my $1,000 bike or the blood that was trickling down my jaw when I finally dragged myself out of the intersection, but I'll tell you one thing: I was extremely surprised it occurred, and I want to make darn sure it never happens again.

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Outsourced virtualized recovery services provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to secure aggressive RTO at a manageable price.

peter_briggsWritten by Peter Briggs

Note:  This article is based on SafeData's white paper titled "Best Bets for iSeries Rapid Recovery with Virtualization," which is available as a free download from the MC Press White Paper Center. 

 

In a difficult economy, one of the challenges for business owners is to secure the right backup and disaster recovery solution--one that fully protects their business from costly downtime and disruption, while preserving precious financial and staff resources. There are many IBM iSeries recovery options available, but not all of them are right for every business. Many of the solutions that meet the most aggressive recovery time objectives (RTOs) may be too expensive for your business. Yet the most inexpensive solutions may put your business at risk of downtime.

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Recognizing that many small but growing businesses are short on IT skills to adequately protect critical data on Windows servers, IBM offers an easy way at a price that makes sense.

chris_smithWritten by Chris Smith

One of the things that I have discerned about IBM over the years is that the company tries to give customers what they want, which undoubtedly has led to its success. While the company I'm sure has principles, it isn't weighed down by dogma. Its solutions may not always be the most popular in the marketplace, but there usually is a solution that works, and it's one that is more likely than not put together with some thought behind it.

 

Recognizing that many small but growing businesses are short on IT skills to adequately protect critical data on Windows servers, IBM offers an easy way at a price that makes sense.

 

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Disasters are rare, but when they occur, they can bankrupt an unprepared organization. Here are 20 quick tips than can help you to minimize a disaster's impact on your IT assets.

bill_hammondWritten by Bill Hammond

Disasters happen. They're uncommon, but they happen. Pretending otherwise serves only to amplify their negative effects.

 

In many people's minds, a "disaster" means a hurricane, earthquake, flood, fire, or other natural calamity or, possibly, a terrorist attack. Those clearly qualify as disasters, but for the purposes of this article, "disaster" has a broader meaning.

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

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    If your business is thinking about modernizing your legacy IBM i (also known as AS/400 or iSeries) applications, you will want to read this white paper first!

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  • Profound Logic Solution Guide

    SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation.
    Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects.
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  • 2022 IBM i Marketplace Survey Results

    Fortra2022 marks the eighth edition of the IBM i Marketplace Survey Results. Each year, Fortra captures data on how businesses use the IBM i platform and the IT and cybersecurity initiatives it supports.

    Over the years, this survey has become a true industry benchmark, revealing to readers the trends that are shaping and driving the market and providing insight into what the future may bring for this technology.

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    FortraBrunswick is the leader in bowling products, services, and industry expertise for the development and renovation of new and existing bowling centers and mixed-use recreation facilities across the entertainment industry. However, the lifeblood of Brunswick’s capital equipment business was running on a 15-year-old software application written in Visual Basic 6 (VB6) with a SQL Server back-end. The application was at the end of its life and needed to be replaced.
    With the help of Visual LANSA, they found an easy-to-use, long-term platform that enabled their team to collaborate, innovate, and integrate with existing systems and databases within a single platform.
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  • The Power of Coding in a Low-Code Solution

    LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed.
    Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

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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.
    In this white paper, you’ll learn how to think of these issues as opportunities rather than problems. We’ll explore motivations to migrate or modernize, their risks and considerations you should be aware of before embarking on a (migration or modernization) project.
    Lastly, we’ll discuss how modernizing IBM i applications with optimized business workflows, integration with other technologies and new mobile and web user interfaces will enable IT – and the business – to experience time-added value and much more.

     

  • 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.

    This Developer Kit provides you study-backed data and a ready-to-use business case template to help get your very next development project approved!

  • 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.

    This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn:

    • Why IBM i skills depletion is a top concern
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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:

    • Different tools to develop Node.js applications on IBM i
    • Debugging Node.js
    • The basics of Git and tools to help those new to it
    • Using NodeRun.com as a pre-built development environment

     

     

  • 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:

    • Reducing the risk posed by special authorities
    • Establishing object-level security
    • Overseeing user actions and data access

    Don't miss this chance to take your knowledge of IBM i security beyond the basics.

     

     

  • 5 IBM i Security Quick Wins

    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.
    There’s no shortage of actions you could take, but what tactics will actually deliver the results you need? And how can you find a security strategy that fits your budget and time constraints?
    Join top IBM i security expert Robin Tatam as he outlines the five fastest and most impactful changes you can make to strengthen IBM i security this year.
    Your system didn’t become unsecure overnight and you won’t be able to turn it around overnight either. But quick wins are possible with IBM i security, and Robin Tatam will show you how to achieve them.

  • Security Bulletin: Malware Infection Discovered on IBM i Server!

    SB PowerTech WC GenericMalicious programs can bring entire businesses to their knees—and IBM i shops are not immune. It’s critical to grasp the true impact malware can have on IBM i and the network that connects to it. Attend this webinar to gain a thorough understanding of the relationships between:

    • Viruses, native objects, and the integrated file system (IFS)
    • Power Systems and Windows-based viruses and malware
    • PC-based anti-virus scanning versus native IBM i scanning

    There are a number of ways you can minimize your exposure to viruses. IBM i security expert Sandi Moore explains the facts, including how to ensure you're fully protected and compliant with regulations such as PCI.

     

     

  • 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.
    Watch this webinar to learn how you can quickly implement encryption on the IBM i. During the webinar, security expert Robin Tatam will show you how to:

    • Use Field Procedures to automate encryption and decryption
    • Restrict and mask field level access by user or group
    • Meet compliance requirements with effective key management and audit trails

     

  • 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.
    In this webinar, you'll get insight into how the criminals accessed these systems, the fallout from these attacks, and how the incidents could have been avoided by following security best practices.

    • Learn which security gaps cyber criminals love most
    • Find out how other IBM i organizations have fallen victim
    • Get the details on policies and processes you can implement to protect your organization, even when staff works from home

    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.

     

     

  • The Power of Coding in a Low-Code Solution

    SB PowerTech WC GenericWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed.
    Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

    • Discover the benefits of Low-code's quick application creation
    • Understand the differences in model-based and language-based Low-Code platforms
    • Explore the strengths of LANSA's Low-Code Solution to Low-Code’s biggest drawbacks

     

     

  • The Biggest Mistakes in IBM i Security

    SB Profound WC Generic The Biggest Mistakes in IBM i Security
    Here’s the harsh reality: cybersecurity pros have to get their jobs right every single day, while an attacker only has to succeed once to do incredible damage.
    Whether that’s thousands of exposed records, millions of dollars in fines and legal fees, or diminished share value, it’s easy to judge organizations that fall victim. IBM i enjoys an enviable reputation for security, but no system is impervious to mistakes.
    Join this webinar to learn about the biggest errors made when securing a Power Systems server.
    This knowledge is critical for ensuring integrity of your application data and preventing you from becoming the next Equifax. It’s also essential for complying with all formal regulations, including SOX, PCI, GDPR, and HIPAA
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  • Backup and Recovery on IBM i: Your Strategy for the Unexpected

    FortraRobot automates the routine tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:
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  • Manage IBM i Messages by Exception with Robot

    SB HelpSystems SC 5413Managing messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events?
    Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:
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    Try the Robot Message Management Solution FREE for 30 days.

  • Easiest Way to Save Money? Stop Printing IBM i Reports

    FortraRobot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing.
    Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

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    SB HelpSystems SC 5413For over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i.
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