May 16, 2018
May 16, 2018 | Volume 12 Issue 21
- LEAD ARTICLE: Forget the Future; ACS Is Now
- FEATURED ARTICLE: A Small Intro to Big Data, Part 4: Are Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence the Same Thing?
- FEATURED ARTICLE: Reusing Legacy Code in Business Applications for the Web
- NEWS HIGHLIGHT: Veridium to Use IBM Blockchain Technology to Create Social and Environmental Impact Tokens
- WHITE PAPER: IBM i Security: Event Logging & Active Monitoring
- FEATURED VIDEO: Design an Invoice in 10 Minutes
- EVENT: Common sense IBM i modernization

Forget the Future; ACS Is Now
IBM i Access Client Solutions’ requirement for LAN console may finally force tension for change.
By Steve Pitcher
A few short years ago, IBM released Access Client Solutions (ACS): a lightweight, Java-based application for basic user necessities like 5250 emulation and spooled file management. It had a link to the web-based Navigator for i product, data transfer, plus the ability to do 5250 console and access a virtual control panel. It also provided a link to the Hardware Management Console (HMC) web interface…so technically two features were links. Check out one of the original how-to videos describing what it did. Very bare bones compared to what the product does now. But you have to start somewhere.
Seiden Group Announces Free Access to CommunityPlus+ PHP for IBM i

A Small Intro to Big Data, Part 4: Are Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence the Same Thing?
I’ve been asked this question many times recently. The short answer is yes…and no. Keep reading to get a grasp on these two very important concepts and get to the long answer.
By Rafael Victória-Pereira
As explained in previous articles (parts 1, 2, and 3), having a lot of data is not, by itself, very helpful. You need tools (like the Hadoop Framework I covered in the last couple of articles) and techniques to extract value from the data. Machine Learning (ML) techniques are a good place to start. However, things get a bit fuzzy when you start reading about this topic, because it’s often mixed up with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and some articles go as far as saying that ML and AI are one and the same. This is not entirely correct. Let me start by explaining what ML is and how you can put it to good use with minimal effort.
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
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- Seamless product integration
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Reusing Legacy Code in Business Applications for the Web
Rather than rewrite older business applications, consider using a method such as APIs, stored procedures, or UDFs to access legacy app functions
By Laura Ubelhor and Christian Hur
Editor’s note: This article is excerpted from chapter 7 of Developing Business Applications for the Web: With HTML, CSS, JSP, PHP, ASP.NET, and JavaScript, by Laura Ubelhor and Christian Hur.
Making the decision to include Web applications as part of your business systems doesn’t mean you have to scrap the applications already in use. It might make sense to leave some of these applications as they are, and only deploy select applications on the Web. Many organizations already have applications in which they have invested considerable resources, time, and money. Many of these applications are stable and still well suited to the business requirements. There is no reason to rewrite all your applications unless a business need requires a change.