February 21, 2018
February 21, 2018 | Volume 12 Issue 18
- LEAD ARTICLE: Speculating About Speculative Execution
- FEATURED ARTICLE: IBM Partnering: Panacea or Peril?
- FEATURED ARTICLE: IBM i Security Event Logging and Active Monitoring: A Step by Step Guide
- NEWS HIGHLIGHT: Fresche Solutions Named One of Montreal's Top Employers For 2018
- WEBCAST: IBM i Resources Retiring?
- FEATURED VIDEO: Design an Invoice in 10 Minutes
- EVENT: WMCPA Spring Conference 2018
- MC PRESS MAGAZINE: A Small Intro to Big Data, Part 3: HFDS and the MapReduce Algorithm

Speculating About Speculative Execution
Pondering what we do about mitigating Spectre and Meltdown.
By Steve Pitcher
There's been a lot of talk about Spectre and Meltdown since Google developers first announced the vulnerabilities on January 3, 2018. Rightfully so, as this type of vulnerability is arguably the biggest security concern in the history of computing.
On January 10, 2018, in the PSIRT blog entry, IBM released information regarding the current Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, which affect almost every processor in the world, including IBM Power Systems. On January 13, they also released a set of operating system PTFs for IBM i 7.1 (MF64553), 7.2 (MF64552), and 7.3 (MF64551) along with firmware PTFs previously released. On January 26, IBM released additional PTFs for IBM i 7.1 (MF64571), 7.2 (MF64565), and 7.3 (MF64568).

IBM Partnering: Panacea or Peril?
Lately, IBM has been on an outsourcing spree, particularly with things that are core to the IBM i. How does that make you feel? Can we talk?
By David Shirey
It all started last summer. That feeling of queasiness, of uncertainty, a feeling that things just weren't quite right.
It's easy for me to feel that way. I'm pretty much a "glass half empty and cracked on the bottom to boot" sort of person. And living in the IBM i world probably hasn't helped alleviate that tendency.
What to Do When Your AS/400 Talent Retires
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:
- Why IBM i skills depletion is a top concern
- How leading organizations are coping
- Where automation will make the biggest impact
Enjoy!
Download your copy today!
2019 State of IBM i Modernization
The annual Profound Logic ‘State of IBM i Modernization Survey” takes a look at the trends and attitudes that shape the IBM i modernization market. We reached out to the IBM i community, and the response was outstanding: close to 800 people, nearly 300 more than last year, took the survey. This enthusiasm resulted in very interesting findings for how businesses plan to use and modernize the platform in the coming year.
As you read through each section of the survey, you will see our summary of the results and suggestions for the future. We hope the survey will help your business better understand what is possible for your IBM i platform in the coming year.
Node Webinar Series Pt. 1: The World of Node.js on IBM i
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.
Part 1 will teach you what Node.js is, why it's a great option for IBM i shops, and how to take advantage of the ecosystem surrounding Node.
In addition to background information, our Director of Product Development Scott Klement will demonstrate applications that take advantage of the Node Package Manager (npm).
watch now!
What Most IBM i Shops Get Wrong About the IFS
Can 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 month 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:
- How phishing attacks are becoming more sophisticated
- Three little-known ways malicious programs can reach your IFS
- Why the IFS is IBM i’s “Typhoid Mary”
You’ll also learn why some of the most common malware solutions still leave IBM i systems vulnerable—and what you can do to protect your organization.
Easiest Way to Save Money? Stop Printing IBM i Reports
The 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:
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- View online without delay
- Browser interface to make notes
- Custom retention capabilities
- Seamless product integration
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IBM i Security Event Logging and Active Monitoring: A Step by Step Guide
Active monitoring and log collection are at the top of the list of effective security controls. IBM i (AS/400, iSeries) users have to solve some special challenges to implement this critical security control.
by Townsend Security
Editor's note: This article introduces the white paper
IBM i customers often run multiple back-office applications on the IBM i server and it is a well-known repository for sensitive information and an active target of cyber criminals and state actors. In this eBook we discuss the core requirements for a successful active monitoring strategy, how to identify sources of security information on the IBM i platform, and steps you can take to implement an IBM i active monitoring solution.