Island Pacific is putting the finishing touches on a cutting edge user interface (UI) framework that delivers Web 2.0-style ease of use on top of a new Web services interface into its core IBM i-based merchandising software. The Southern California software vendor has already won rave reviews from analysts and early adopters for the new framework, which it dubbed SmartRetail. IBM i professionals may be interested in how Island Pacific developers selected the tools that got them there.

Island Pacific has a long history of developing merchandise management systems on the IBM i platform, and like most other midrange software

Is remote journaling a benefit or a hindrance in IBM i high availability solutions? Since it debuted in OS/400 more than 10 years ago, HA software makers have touted remote journaling as a technological godsend, claiming it simplifies the development of HA solutions, and streamlines its operation. However, not all HA software developers are singing that tune any more, and at least one is saying that the fact that its HA solution is not based on remote journaling gives it a technological advantage.

For those who have been watching the soap opera that is the IBM i HA software market,

A few years ago, I-O Corp. developed a software version of its hardware-based host print adapters, which convert AFP, IPDS, and SCS print jobs from IBM System i and System z servers into regular PCL jobs that can be executed on less expensive, non-IBM printers. Last month, the Salt Lake City, Utah, company announced that sales of this software product, called Adaptio, increased by a whopping 300 percent in 2010, and expectations for 2011 are just as high.

Founded in 1977, I-O Corp. has sold a variety of hardware devices designed for IBM midrange and mainframe environments, including print protocol

Organizations can feel a little more secure that their IT workers aren’t abusing powerful user profiles as a result of integration work done by Lieberman Software and Q1 Labs. The two security software companies teamed up to ensure that every use of Lieberman’s Enterprise Random Password Manager is tracked by Q1 Labs’ security information and event management (SIEM) software.

Lieberman’s ERPM is designed to streamline and secure the process of granting IT workers elevated authority on a server or application. ERPM controls access to powerful user profiles, such as ALLOBJ on the IBM i OS or ROOT on Unix,

When GUESS? first contacted Manhattan Associates about helping it to streamline its distribution and warehouse management activities in 1999, the jeans maker was “exploding at the seams” due to huge demand, according to the IBM i software vendor. Over a decade later, GUESS? attributes some of its supply-chain successes to Manhattan’s ability to efficiently manage inventory.

GUESSS? was struggling to keep up with demand for its products when it called up the consulting firm KSA, which recommended that it open a second distribution facility. At the time, most of the company’s customers were on the East Coast, but its only

Computer Lab International last week announced that it is now shipping the Ubuntu distribution of the Linux operating system with two thin client terminals. The goal in switching Linux operating systems was to maintain a high level of performance while providing greater flexibility and usability, the vendor says.

CLI is delivering Ubuntu Linux with two terminals the ST6800 and the MT2300. The ST6800 is a high-end terminal that’s powered by a 1.6 GHz VIA Eden C7 processor and can support dual video displays. The MT2300 is one of CLI’s value terminals, and is equipped with a 500 Mhz VIA Eden

McLeod Software, which develops IBM i-based applications used by trucking companies, recently announced that it recorded a 56 percent increase in revenues for 2010 compared to the previous year. The Alabama-based company says its customers are realizing higher operational efficiencies as a result of its software.

Tom McLeod, the president and CEO of McLeod Software, says he is seeing strong growth in IT investments with his customers in the transportation industry. “2010 was a much better year overall for freight transportation,” he states. “Every category of product and every type of customer segment we measure generated double-digit growth for

Computer Generated Solutions, a New York City developer of enterprise software, yesterday announced that Weyco Group, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based designer and distributor of men’s shoes, will expand its use of the IBM i-based ACS Optima ERP system to support its expansion in Australia.

Weyco Group sells several lines of men’s shoes to specialty retailers and department stores, including the Florsheim, Nunn Bush, Stacy Adams, and Umi brands. In addition to distributing the shoes to stores, Weyco sells them online.

For nearly 20 years, the $225 million company has run its core business systems on the super-durable and ever-fashionable IBM

Superior Bulk Logistics, an Oak Brook, Illinois-based trucking company, has licensed the Coda Financials package from UNIT4 CODA, the software company announced last week. The trucking company was looking for an IBM i-based accounting system that was flexible enough to be used by each of its divisions.

Superior Bulk Logistics operates four divisions, each of which provides a different service, including transporting hazardous and non-hazardous materials, food- and non-food grade materials, and liquids and dry bulk products. A fourth division focuses on cleaning and sanitizing the trucks of the other divisions.

Donna Hudson, an accounting manager for Superior Bulk,

IBM‘s Business Continuity and Resiliency Services (BCRS) is now providing local data recovery services with its cloud-based backup and recovery solution. The offering, which bears the unwieldy (yet IBM-esque) name “Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud – onsite data protection,” promises to keep customers’ data safe in a cloud infrastructure, while simplifying management and recovery tasks.

According to the IBM United States Services Announcement 611-017 of January 25, the new Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud – onsite data protection service offering is a service that includes “disk and/or tape.” Customers have the option of utilizing shared