IBM i hardware updates, AI integration in IBM i development, AI‑enhanced RPG coding and SQL tools, Node.js XML parsing challenges, Maxis database modernization for IBM i, manufacturing modernization with RPA, AI and ERP, AI and quantum technology trends, IBM Db2 Web Query alternatives, and opportunities to connect with IBM i professionals.
Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly
- IBM i Brief: đź’» Power11 packs big iron into small form factor.
- AI: đź’ˇ IBM reinvents AI through programming principles.
- Development: 🔧 AI supercharges RPG development. 💻 SQL retrieval tool streamlines database exploration. 🧩 Node.js XML parsing challenge solved.
- Modernization: 🔧 Maxis modernizes IBM i databases. 🏠Modernizing manufacturing tackles uncertainty.
- Trends: đź’» AI & Quantum: Tech leaders face dual innovation challenges. đź“Š McKinsey identifies 13 frontier technologies reshaping business.
- Vendor: 🔍 IBM Db2 Web Query alternative emerges.
IBM i Brief
💻 Power11 packs big iron into small form factor IBM’s Power S1124 server represents a return to the traditional workhorse form factor while delivering mainframe-class performance. With dual Power11 processors per socket offering up to 60 cores with SMT8 threading, these systems pack unprecedented computing power into a compact 4U enclosure. Running at 2.8-3.4 GHz with boost capabilities up to 4.2 GHz, the S1124 leverages Samsung’s enhanced 7nm process technology and DDR5 memory to meet modern IBM i workloads in an efficient package.
AI
đź’ˇ IBM reinvents AI through programming principles
IBM’s generative computing framework transforms how large language models are used in enterprise settings. Rather than treating LLMs as unpredictable oracles, this approach structures them as programmable components with explicit controls.
Led by David Cox and Ruchir Puri, the methodology introduces runtime orchestration layers that break complex tasks into verifiable steps, enabling testing, validation, and error handling—just like traditional software.
IBM’s Granite models already support this paradigm shift from “prompting to programming.”
Development
🔧 AI supercharges RPG development
Modern IBM i developers are leveraging AI tools to breathe new life into legacy RPG code without complete rewrites.
Technologies like ChatGPT and Claude help decode complex legacy logic, while GitHub Copilot assists with snippets and modern code. RDi automation templates save 10-20 minutes per program.
As George VanEaton emphasizes, these tools don’t replace developers but amplify their capabilities—creating cleaner code, better documentation, and faster onboarding.
đź’» SQL retrieval tool streamlines database exploration
Have you ever asked this or a similar question:
Is there any way to retrieve sources for all QMQRY objects available inside a library in one go?
There is a lot to unpack. Dive into the details.
🧩 Node.js XML parsing challenge solved
If you have a large XML file (around 2–3 GB) and I want to parse it within a few seconds using Node.js. And then tried packages like xml-flow and xml-stream, but they take 20–30 minutes to finish.
Is there any faster way to do this in Node.js or should a different language/tool be used?
Modernization
🔧 Maxis modernizes IBM i databases
Missouri-based Maxis Technology has expanded its Alchemize data tool to support IBM i systems via JDBC connection. The enhancement helps organizations modernize legacy databases without extensive rewrites or structure changes.
Maxis recognizes IBM i’s unique position - critical for many businesses while often requiring modernization attention. The server continues to power operations successfully, yet frequently needs updates or complete overhauls.
Alchemize automates critical tasks like data migration, mapping, and transformation while recognizing Db2 for i syntax specificities.
For businesses considering modernization but hesitant to touch stable IBM i workloads, this announcement may lower the barrier to entry, enabling gradual transformation while preserving trusted systems.
The tool allows businesses to maintain stable IBM i operations while preparing for eventual cloud migrations to platforms like Snowflake or Databricks.
🏠Modernizing manufacturing tackles uncertainty
Mixing RPA, AI and ERP. Is this the solution to ERP modernization in manufacturing?
What is RPA: Robotic Process Automation
As manufacturers face market fluctuations, tariffs, and workforce shortages, technology adoption becomes crucial. Cloud-based ERP systems provide real-time visibility and centralized data management, eliminating silos present in legacy systems.
When paired with AI for demand forecasting and predictive maintenance, plus RPA to automate repetitive tasks, manufacturers gain significant advantages.
These integrated technologies reduce costs, improve accuracy, and help address skilled labor shortages—creating a resilient operation ready for market challenges.
Trends
💻 AI & Quantum: Tech leaders face dual innovation challenges Decision-makers in technology are simultaneously navigating two major disruptions. While still implementing artificial intelligence solutions, they must now prepare for quantum computing’s emergence. This new paradigm promises exponential processing gains through qubits, though practical applications remain future-focused. Due to complex infrastructure requirements, most organizations won’t own quantum computers but can access them via cloud services, allowing broader participation in this technological revolution. 📊 McKinsey identifies 13 frontier technologies reshaping business
McKinsey’s 2025 Technology Trends Outlook spotlights AI as both a standalone force and foundational amplifier of other innovations. The report introduces agentic AI and application-specific semiconductors among its “baker’s dozen” of transformative trends.
Key themes include autonomous systems, human-machine collaboration, infrastructure scaling challenges, and intensifying global tech competition. Despite market fluctuations, investment has rebounded in critical areas like cloud computing, bioengineering, and space technologies.
Vendor
🔍 IBM Db2 Web Query alternative emerges Following IBM’s sudden withdrawal of Web Query for i, businesses faced a critical reporting gap. IBM i consultant Rick Flagler evaluated multiple BI vendors against a comprehensive requirements list, eventually recommending MRC’s m-Power. The low-code platform met key criteria including browser-based interfaces, template-driven reports, and native IBM i operation. m-Power successfully mimicked WQ’s functionality while providing responsive support and intuitive user interfaces, offering organizations a viable path forward.
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