Talsco Weekly: Are you new to the IBM i?

Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly

IBM i Brief: New Year Power Systems Updates. Vulnerability in Db2 Web Query.
AI: IBM Chief Arvind Krishna is About Merging AI with Coding Practices.
Career: Are you new to the IBM i?
Development: IBM i OSS - Setup Node.js, Node-Red, and Creating Your First Flow. 7 Foundational Skills for Developing Modern APIs.

IBM i Brief

New Year Power Systems Updates IT Jungle writes that there were a few updates late last year and recently that are noteworthy for Power Systems. December 12, 2023 AD23-1087: IBM has put some 5250 Enablement features back on the books so customers can buy through October 20, 2025. Machines include: Power S924, and the Power H924. January 9th, 2024 AD24-0090: IBM is offering new memory and processor feature conversions from the Power E1080 to the Power E1080 Solution Edition for Healthcare. January 9th, 2024 AD24-0849: IBM says that it is now requiring new orders of Power10 systems to include what it calls a Power Segment feature indicator code, which specifies AIX, IBM i, or Linux. You can get the rest of the details. Vulnerability in Db2 Web Query If you have not started your migration off of Db2 Web Query, you might want to get a move on it.

IBM last week disclosed a slew of security vulnerabilities in the soon-to-be-discontinued product, two of which are of the critical variety and four of which have high severity ratings. IBM has issued patches for all of the flaws for the product running on IBM i 7.4 and 7.5.

In case you missed it, IBM announced in October that they are discontinuing support for Db2 Web Query and followed up with their comments.

AI

IBM Chief Arvind Krishna is About Merging AI with Coding Practices AI is anticipated to be a key driver of IBM i's expansion in 2024 and the following years. According to Krishna, AI's integration will enhance developer productivity and optimize business operations. Viewing AI as a strategy for the next decade, Krishna foresees a powerful synergy emerging from the combination of skilled professionals, AI technology, extensive data repositories, and eventually, the integration of quantum computing.

Career

Are you new to the IBM i? Whether you are just starting your career or you come from another platform as a developer or an IT leader, you are in the right place at the right time. We have been serving the IBM i community for 25 years and have been through several different markets and we believe there could not be a better time to be a part of the IBM i community. Why? It’s an amazing platform with amazing people. Steve Will, CTO, at IBM (It’s hard to find someone more knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the IBM i platform) overseeing the IBM i, recently spent time with a group of individuals that are new to IBM i (N2i). Here are some of the key aspects of why Will believes the IBM i is such a great platform. IBM i's Uniqueness: IBM i, dating back to the 1980s, is noted for its unique architecture in that it differs from traditional kernel-based operating systems like Unix, Linux, or Windows. Future Proof Architecture: IBM i's layered architecture ensures that code compiled on it or its predecessors remains operational for decades without changes, thanks to a machine interface (MI) that separates user code from hardware code. Operating System Security and Complexity: The architecture of IBM i prevents third-party interference like driver development, making it more complex and costly but offering higher security and benefits to its users. Single-Level Storage: IBM i treats all data as if it's in main memory, simplifying storage and database management, and optimizing performance over time. Object-Oriented Design and Security: Designed as object-oriented from the start, IBM i maintains strict data and executable object controls, offering heightened security against viruses and Trojan horses. Myths and Misconceptions: Will discusses the misconceptions about IBM i, such as its ability to run open-source software and support for both old and new technologies. Profitability and Customer Satisfaction: Despite not being as large as in its AS/400 days, IBM i remains a top revenue earner in IBM's Power family, with high customer satisfaction and return on investment. IBM's Commitment: IBM recognizes IBM i's value, leading to continued investment and ensuring its ongoing strength. You can find the rest of the article.

Development

IBM i OSS - Setup Node.js, Node-Red, and Creating Your First Flow Looking to get into Node.js? Here is a quick tutorial from “The Bearded Geek on IBM i” showing “how to install Node.js and Node-Red on your IBM i, how to import a flow, and how to add a new element to the flow from scratch. Here are some additional resources.

7 Foundational Skills for Developing Modern APIs One of the most important skills that an RPG developer should have in his or her toolbelt is the ability to build modern APIs that extend the reach of IBM i applications. The essential skills that IBM i developers should acquire are:

REST APIs: Understanding REST principles and learning to design and build RESTful APIs is crucial due to their role in integrating business applications over the web.
JavaScript: As the most widely used language for web development, developers should learn JavaScript basics, including syntax, data types, functions, and objects.
Node.js: With its support on IBM i, learning Node.js, a server-side JavaScript engine, is beneficial for building web applications and APIs on the platform.
NPM (Node Package Manager): Developers should familiarize themselves with NPM to access and manage over 2,000,000 open-source packages, manage dependencies, and integrate third-party modules
TypeScript: This extension of JavaScript provides strong type checking. It's important for developers to learn TypeScript to enhance code quality and maintainability, especially for sophisticated enterprise applications.
Git: Given its status as an industry-standard source control tool, learning how to use Git is essential for version management, maintaining audit logs, and coordinating code changes within teams.
SQL: Strengthening SQL skills is vital for database interaction, adopting IBM's latest database features, and connecting with relational databases on other platforms.

Modern API development on IBM i requires skill sets beyond the traditional IBM i development stack. Are you interested in picking up one of these skills? Get the free training links.

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