05
Sat, Oct
2 New Articles

Simplifying the Management of IBM i Environments

Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

IBM i provides a wealth of valuable system management information, but third-party tools are required to put it to effective use.

 

Editor's Note: This article is extracted from the white paper "Executive Overview: Simplifying the Management of IBM i Environments" available free at the MC White Paper Center.

 

Despite being one of the easiest systems to administer, IBM i is neither self-managing nor self-optimizing. Consequently, even a formerly well-tuned IBM i system may develop bottlenecks over time.

 

All of the data required to evaluate performance and storage usage is collected and maintained by IBM i. However, accessing and analyzing that data are complex and cumbersome tasks when using only the operating system functionality. Tools from independent software vendors (ISVs) are needed to scrutinize the data effectively and then take cost-effective corrective action when appropriate.

Storage Housekeeping

Wasted disk storage is a common problem. For example, user profiles often linger long after employees leave. "Temporary" files may never be deleted. Out-of-date business data may take up space without adding value.

 

A good storage analysis tool can provide significant value by selecting, cataloging, cross-referencing, and sorting comprehensive data about all objects and files. Administrators can use this functionality to track down, delete, and/or archive obsolete data.

 

To increase productivity and reduce human error, the tool should also allow the definition of archiving and deletion rules. The tool can then use these rules to perform storage-housekeeping tasks automatically.

 

In addition to the problem of obsolete files and objects, most IT professionals are aware of the need to reorganize database files regularly. This need arises from the fact that "deleting" records in a file does not physically delete them. They continue to take up space until the file is reorganized.

 

Storage costs are not the only issue to consider in this regard. Database queries read all potentially relevant records into buffers—even if they've been logically deleted. The "deleted" records are then filtered out, but this process consumes processor and disk I/O resources. Consequently, the more disorganized the file, the worse the system's performance will be.

 

Many companies limit the frequency of file reorganizations because traditional reorganization tools typically require that applications be halted during the reorganization. Even when applications can continue functioning, the applications may slow to a crawl.

 

New ISV tools eliminate this problem by providing low-impact, reorganize-while-active capabilities. These tools often also allow reorganizations to be broken into smaller tasks that can be scheduled to run during a business' slow periods.

Regulatory and Audit Compliance

Deleting obsolete files and objects reduces storage requirements, but doing so might conflict with the requirements of auditors and regulators. A sophisticated system management tool avoids this conflict by first archiving deleted data offline on a less expensive media, while also maintaining an audit trail of its archiving activity. This audit trail is often more than just good business practice. Depending on the nature of the business and the industry it operates in, government regulations, such as Sarbanes Oxley (SOX), may insist on it.

 

In addition, by establishing rules for storage housekeeping activities and then using the software to enforce those rules, you can significantly reduce the probability of unintentionally deleting a file that should be retained for regulatory or auditing reasons.

 

The software that performs these housekeeping functions must be relatively advanced because the rules that it must follow can be complex. For example, consider a purchase order (PO) that covers services that will be provided over the course of multiple fiscal years. A rule that says simply "delete all POs that are more than two years old" will be acceptable for most of the POs that an organization processes, but it will delete this example PO while it is still active.

Comprehensive Monitoring and Analysis

As stated above, all of the data you require to monitor and manage the performance and storage usage of your server is gathered by IBM i without the need for ISV tools or additional action on your part. The challenge is accessing and viewing that data in a way that will allow you to achieve your system-tuning goals. A good IBM i housekeeping tool will make it easy for you to analyze performance bottlenecks throughout the day, identify system resource usage trends, recognize the need for file reorganizations, and find obsolete files and objects. The facilities available within IBM i alone do not provide this functionality.

 

Delivering these capabilities is more complex than it might appear on the surface. Data and objects can reside in a number of places, including attached storage, the Integrated File System (IFS), auxiliary storage pools (ASPs), and independent auxiliary storage pools (iASPs). To offer optimal value, a system management tool must work with all types of storage, preferably from a single user interface.

 

Due to space limitations, this article has been able to review only the high-level requirements of an IBM i system management tool. For more information, please download Vision Solutions' "Executive Overview: Simplifying the Management of IBM i Environments" from the MC White Paper Center.

Bill Hammond
Bill Hammond directs Vision Solutions' product marketing efforts for information availability software solutions. Hammond joined Vision Solutions in 2003 with more than 15 years of experience in product marketing, product management, and product development roles in the technology industry. As director of product marketing at Vision Solutions, Hammond is responsible for product positioning and messaging, product launches, and marketplace intelligence for the company's high availability, disaster recovery, systems management, and data management solutions. 

 

 

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 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. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • 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. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) 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:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. 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:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot 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:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business 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.

  • 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:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic 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.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? 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: