Four Hundred Monitor, April 5
April 5, 2017 Dan Burger
Technically, you don’t need SQL to survive. However, if you’re not using it, you should know what you are missing. Here’s a conversational introduction to SQL that can open the door to modern programming techniques that can modernize applications and databases by reducing the amount of coding and moving business logic to the database.
This week’s Monitor also has articles about tech start-ups in unlikely places in the United States heartland, a new IBM Cloud and Red Hat Linux partnership built on OpenStack, IBM’s change of heart regarding work-at-home programs, and a piece on why people should and should not fear open source technologies.
Top Stories From Outside The Jungle
(IBM Systems Magazine) One of the first things to know about SQL is that it allows very fast access to data. It is also very economical. It can be used to dramatically reduce the amount of code in RPG programs and to move business logic into the database. If you haven’t been properly introduced, let this be your first introduction.
(TechCrunch) The author of Hillbilly Elegy, a best-selling book on the plight of middle America as well-paying jobs in manufacturing continue to disappear, is part of a team that is raising awareness of startups outside of California, New York and Massachusetts, where nearly 80 percent of venture capital funds found homes last year. The project is called Rise of the Rest and its mission is to establish emerging startup ecosystems.
(Computer Business Review) “A cloud-first strategy has become the new normal for a majority of our enterprise clients worldwide,” says Zane Adam, vice president of IBM Cloud. IBM and Red Hat are now collaborating using open source products and OpenStack cloud software as the strategy’s building blocks.
(LinkedIn) Companies are divided on work-from-home policies. Employees appreciate the opportunity to regain some balance in work-life high wire act. But some employers, IBM being one of them, are rounding up the work-at-home troops and making location the driving force behind innovation.
(Network Computing) Implementing open source technologies and getting involved in open source projects scares the devil out of some people. Worries about the support needed for enterprise computing need to be addressed. And the longevity of open source products are questioned. There are also concerns about intellectual property. Sorting through this might be your job and you’ve become aware that the devil is in the details.
Redbooks, White Papers, and Other Resources
(PSAI) The Power Systems Academic Initiative has job listings for entry-level and experienced professionals – separate job boards for each category. For companies with positions to fill, there are no fees. For job seekers, it’s easy to upload a resume and browse job opportunities.
(COMMON) During this 40-minute recording, Scott Forstie explains the new and enhanced DB2 for i features being delivered on March 31, 2017, to IBM i 7.2 and IBM i 7.3.
(Vision Solutions) “Power Talk” is a podcast series dedicated to insights and discussion surrounding IBM Power Systems. Archived sessions include remote journaling expert Larry Youngren, high availability strategist Ron Peterson, and “Father of the IBM i” Frank Soltis.
(IBM) The IBM i announcements for the 7.2 and 7.3 TRs don’t mention the three upcoming RPG enhancements that will be available through PTFs at the same time as the TRs. The PTFs will be available individually, and they will also be part of the upcoming 7.2 and 7.3 DB2 group PTFs.
(The Second Machine Age) As the full impact of digital technologies is felt, we will realize immense bounty in the form of dazzling personal technology, advanced infrastructure, and near-boundless access to the cultural items that enrich our lives. Amid this bounty will also be wrenching change. The Second Machine Age is a book that will alter how we think about issues of technological, societal, and economic progress.
Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings
April 10-12 — Framingham, Massachusetts – The Northeast IBM i User Group Conference features more than 70 educational sessions in six skills categories. It offers the opportunity to learn about new technologies, engage with vendors to discuss packaged software advancements, hear IBM i executives and lead developers discuss products and roadmaps for the platform, and gain knowledge that can benefit your company and your career. The user groups of the Northeast come from the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
April 13 — Nashville, Tennessee – This meeting of the Tennessee IBM Mid-Range User Group will feature a presentation titled “APIs and Web Services in the Era of Digital Business Transformation.” Guest speaker Jeff Oldham, a software engineer at IBM i ISV Rocket Software, will discuss modernization technologies that apply to businesses of all sizes and IT skill sets. The meeting will be held at Shoney’s restaurant located at 2645 McGavock Pike. It begins at 5:30 p.m.
May 2 & 3 — Markham, Ontario, Canada – The Toronto User Group’s annual technical education conference, TEC 2017, features IBM i-centric subjects that include: RPG application development, Web and mobile development, application modernization, accessing and optimizing DB2 data, performance management, and system management. The conference will take place at the SAVOY Conference Centre (Monte Carlo Inn) located at 7255 Warden Avenue in Markham. Early registration discounts are available.
May 7-10 — Orlando, Florida – The 2017 COMMON Annual Meeting and Exposition is the largest IBM i educational event of the year. It includes more than 300 sessions related to IBM i, as well as AIX and Linux. Open source, high availability, security, DB2, and application development are a few of the popular skill-building topics. The agenda includes all-day pre-conference workshops, open labs, and a wide variety of lecture-type sessions presented by subject matter experts. An early registration discount ($1,595 for members; $1,895 for non-members) is available through December 30.
May 22-26 — Orlando, Florida – IBM Systems Technical University is a training and skills event featuring Power Systems, z Systems, and storage. Sessions are tailored for executives, business managers, data center managers, tech support managers, project managers, systems and application programmers, IT architects, and systems and database admins. Thirty-nine IBM i-specific session are on the agenda.
