Talsco Weekly: AI and the IBM i

Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly

IBM i Brief: 🔗 LightEdge Acquires Connectria. 🚀 Rocket DevOps Receives Major Update.
AI: IBM AI Adoption Index. AI and the IBM i.
Development: ❓ A Basic Node.js Question. A Deep Dive Into Node.js Streams.
Data: 🔍 CD Query emerges as an alternative to DB2 Web Query.
Training: Boost Your IBM i Skills with RPG Lunch & Learns.
Modernization: 💻 Strategies to Manage Technical Debt.

IBM i Brief

LightEdge Solutions' acquisition of Connectria Hosting is driven by the shared goal of offering networking, compute, and storage capacity to premium IT customers. Both Midwest-based companies, backed by private equity, unite to target the IBM Power install base and hybrid cloud market.

LightEdge Solutions: Offers a variety of solutions, including IBM i cloud. Their focus has been, and will continue to be, on the infrastructure side.

In addition they will now expand beyond compute to include storage, networking, and power, ensuring our solutions are more cost-effective than typical customer purchases.

Connectria Hosting: Offers cross platform cloud management platform called TRiA, which is one of the reasons LightEdge has been interested in them.

"TRiA can manage on-premises infrastructure based on VMware and PowerVM hypervisors and Kubernetes containers as well as instances on AWS and Microsoft Azure."

Summary: Following its merger, LightEdge now serves over 2,000 customers, merging two renowned brands. Over the next six months, the focus will be on integrating these companies.

🚀 Rocket DevOps Receives Major Update

Rocket Software's change management tool for IBM i, version 10.3.1, introduces enhanced support for VS Code, Free Form RPG, and regulatory compliance with the EU's Digital Operations Resilience Act (DORA).

This update enhances code testing capabilities and aims at providing a seamless experience for IBM i developers transitioning to modern coding environments.

AI

IBM AI Adoption Index

Data Suggests Growth in Enterprise Adoption of AI is Due to Widespread Deployment by Early Adopters

AI Adoption in Enterprise: Over 40% of large companies have implemented AI, while another 40% are in the experimental phase. Among those already involved, 59% have ramped up their investments in the technology. Barriers to deployment include skill shortages, data complexity, and ethical considerations.

IBM Global AI Adoption Index

AI and the IBM i

Within the IBM i market there seems to be interest in exploring what AI can do for them. At this time, it seems be within the development community itself, that is how can AI be used as a development tool. And as we have covered in the past, there are some IBM i vendors that have already released some early AI product offerings.

As with any new and emerging technologies it is easy going at first and then as the adoption curve start to kick in, more and more vendors and enterprise client use cases will start to kick in.

If you are currently using AI as a way to enhance your IBM i environment in any way, I would love to hear about it. Feel free to contact me.

If you are interested in learning about how the IBM i community is looking at using AI, consider attending the IT Leadership Summit : POWERUp 2024 in Dallas, TX.

There, the discussion will revolve around how AI can assist in dealing with the skills gap through recruitment, training, and retention.

Development

❓ A Basic Node.js Question

Are you an RPG developer who is new to Node.js?

If so, you might have a similar question to this.

Node.js is single-threaded, so how does it handle multiple requests efficiently? Does it heavily rely on the developer's API design? If a synchronous API call is made, do other requests need to wait? Comparing Node.js and Akka actor paradigms for handling multiple requests or processing.

Find the answers.

A Deep Dive Into Node.js Streams

"Streams are the lifeblood of many Node.js applications, enabling efficient data processing and manipulation. But their evolution has been anything but straightforward."

What are Streams?

Streams in Node.js are objects designed for continuous data reading and writing, ideal for processing large files or network communications efficiently without high memory usage. They handle data in chunks, optimizing both data processing and management.

Here is a masterclass that dives into stream development, exploring:

Why are streams fundamental in Node.js development?
How to consume a stream?
The evolution of streams across the versions of Node.js
How to write a stream? -How to process a large amount of data using streams

Data

🔍 CD Query emerges as an alternative to DB2 Web Query CD Query stands out with user-friendly features, including query conversion, dashboard creation, and visualizations. Its integration capabilities and readiness for advanced analytics make it a versatile solution. Cost-effectiveness is a highlight, providing a comprehensive toolset without high costs. In comparison, DB2 Web Query offers extensive BI functions beyond basic querying. Transitioning users must evaluate their needs, considering the advanced features DB2 Web Query provides.

Training

Boost Your IBM i Skills with RPG Lunch & Learns

One's success as an IBM i developer, and any developer at that, depends on his or her ability to hone in on their craft.

Some are naturally gifted and just get it. Their ability to ramp up on new technology seems effortless to those around them.

But for the rest of us, myself included, we have to put in the extra time and train.

So, if you are ready to get to work and train, join RPG experts Susan Gantner and Jon Paris for free online Lunch & Learns covering the latest IBM i enhancements and tools.

Attend 75-minute sessions from April 30-May 16, featuring expert tips, development tool demos, and live Q&A. Select sessions now for improved IBM i proficiency!

Pick from the list of trainings below, or why not, attend them all.

From Quick Wins to Full Transformation Success with Application Modernization
Cost-Efficient Form Generation on IBM i: TLAForms vs AFP
Migrating DevOps Tools like Git to the Cloud
No-Code Business Data Integration and Automation
Query to BI to AI on IBM i
Top 3 Use Cases: Real-World IBM i Integration Trends
Scaling IBM i DevOps Practices: Performance and Integration Challenges
AI Enable Your Existing Applications with Profound AI
Build a Phenomenal Web App on IBM i in Under 10 Minutes - required!

There are no excuses, simply join from the comfort of your home office.

Modernization

💻 Strategies to Manage Technical Debt

Technical debt, arising from legacy software issues, poses challenges to innovation and agility, especially post-pandemic cloud migrations. Addressing this debt is crucial, as failure to do so can impede transformation and hinder market responsiveness, particularly in regulated sectors burdened by outdated systems.

In this article, Gartner highlights the financial implications of technical debt, stressing the need for organizations to track, manage, and reduce it effectively through diligent monitoring, architectural frameworks, cloud adoption, risk evaluation, and automated testing practices.

Join

Contact us

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