Talsco Weekly: IBM i's Modernization Crossroads

Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly

IBM i Brief: 🔧 ACS 1.1.9.10 brings security-focused enhancements. 💻 Power11 systems compete with Windows on price.
AI: 🔗 IBM's Bob goes beyond simple code assistance. ⚙️ AI agents struggle with legacy systems' hidden rules. 🤖 Prompt Engineering for LLMs, PDL, & LangChain in Action. 💼 CxOs prioritize AI and automation for 2026.
Development: 🔧 ACS 1.1.9.10 update released for IBM i. 🔍 WRKQRY removed from IBM i 7.6.
ERP: 🔄 Infor modernizes IBM i ERP portfolio.
Hiring: The Challenge of hiring IBM i & Mainframe Developers.
Leadership: 🔮 Foresight is the new playbook.
Modernization: ⚠️ IT managers repeat costly mistakes despite decades of warnings.
Open Source: 🔓 Open source extends far beyond software. 🐳 IBM launches OpenShift Platform Plus for Power Systems.
Trends: 🤖 m-Power adds AI capabilities to business data. 🛡️ Shield Advanced releases AAG Version 3.
Vendor: 📊 Shield Advanced bridges NagiosXI and Grafana seamlessly. ⚠️ Ransomware can exploit IBM i network shares.

IBM i Brief

🔧 ACS 1.1.9.10 brings security-focused enhancements IBM released Access Client Solutions version 1.1.9.10 with new features and fixes for IBM i users. The update includes interesting "Insert from Examples" capabilities specifically related to security functions. IBM Champion Steve Riedmueller highlighted the release, noting the enhancements continue IBM's commitment to improving development tools. Users can download the latest version using their IBMid through IBM's official support channels. 💻 Power11 systems compete with Windows on price

As usual, Timothy Prickett Morgan does the tedious work so you don’t have to.

His analysis reveals IBM's entry-level Power S1122 and S1124 servers running IBM i cost only 18-25% more per user than comparable Dell PowerEdge systems with Windows Server over three years.

When measured by throughput (CPW), the Power S1124 matches the PowerEdge R770's cost efficiency, while some configurations show Windows costing 34-42% more per CPW unit than Power11—an unexpected competitive advantage for IBM i shops.

AI

🔗 IBM's Bob goes beyond simple code assistance

Bob, the AI-powered VS Code plug-in that is expected in early 2026, offers far more than typical coding co-pilots.

When IBM i professionals finally get their hands on Bob, the new AI-powered tool currently in development in Big Blue’s labs, they will find that it is much more than just a code assistant. — Steve Will, IBM i Chief Architect

Bob provides expertise across six modes—understand, explain, refactor, generate, transform, and test—supporting RPG, COBOL, CL, SQL, Java, and Python.

It delivers security analysis, architectural recommendations, and modernization guidance, functioning as a system architect, database engineer, and security analyst combined—addressing IBM i's critical skills shortage.

What does this mean for the IBM i Developer?

Bob will force IBM i-ers to rethink what “being an RPG dev” really means — it’s not just about typing lines of fixed-format RPG anymore. Bob promises to understand your IBM i environment, refactor and modernize legacy RPG (even fixed-format II/III) into modern RPG or other languages, generate new code, spot security issues, and help test.

Which means clinging to “how we’ve always coded on IBM i” may no longer cut it — to stay relevant, RPG devs will need to embrace AI-assisted workflows and think more broadly about architecture, security, and modernization.

This of course, assumes that Bob is all “it” is cracked up to be.

Yet even as IBM promises Bob will "understand" legacy code and business rules, a deeper challenge lurks beneath the surface.

⚙️ AI agents struggle with legacy systems' hidden rules

As with anything new, it takes time to work out the kinks. While AI has proved to be an invaluable resource already, it does not come without it’s limitations.

When AI agents connect to enterprise systems of record, they execute commands correctly but often miss critical context like approval workflows and compliance checks.

The real challenge isn't technical integration—it's the gap between what agents are told to do and understanding why certain processes exist.

One company solved this by adding a policy-check layer that validates ownership, approvals, and context before any action reaches production, transforming silent failures into trustworthy automation.

The above article leads nicely into Martin Keen’s video.

🤖 Prompt Engineering for LLMs, PDL, & LangChain in Action

I think we are on the cusp of one of the biggest transformations in our lifetime.

I have been wrestling with this for some time. There is a lot of noise out there. And a lot of signals that all lean towards AI making a massive impact across all tech stacks let alone society at large.

The bottom line is, that “the output of LLMs are not predictable.” They are rather, problematic.

The truth of the matter is, while LLMs are pretty good at getting you the answer, they sometimes, just like humans, don’t.

Sometimes LLM’s drift.

When you incorporate LLM software, prompt engineering is important.

Prompt engineering is evolving from art to engineering 🔧

Here, Martin Keen explains how LangChain and Prompt Declaration Language (PDL) help large language models (LLMs) produce structured, reliable results. Discover how these tools transform prompts into powerful AI workflows.

💼 CxOs prioritize AI and automation for 2026 Constellation Research's 2025 surveys reveal 52% of executives see improved business climates, with nearly half planning IT budget increases. Strategic differentiation commands 52% of budgets, while 61% are launching AI proofs of concept. Hyper-scalers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google Cloud lead as co-innovation partners. However, only half report modest AI returns, with just one in five achieving expected investment returns.

Development

It sure is a good thing, we have IBM i-ers out there that are “tuned in” to what is going on with regards to the TRs and other updates from IBM. 🔧 ACS 1.1.9.10 update released for IBM i A new version of the Application Configuration Server (ACS) tool has been released, bringing enhancements and bug fixes to IBM i users. The update continues IBM's commitment to improving development tools for the platform, helping developers stay current with the latest capabilities. The update is available for download now through IBM's support channels. 🔍 WRKQRY removed from IBM i 7.6

In a related modernization move, IBM has eliminated the popular WRKQRY (Work with Query) command starting with IBM i 7.6, marking a significant change for longtime users. The removal affects developers who relied on this legacy tool for query management. IBM encourages users to migrate to modern alternatives like SQL and ACS's Run SQL Scripts interface—a capability enhanced in the latest ACS release. Together, these updates reflect IBM's continued push toward modernization and the evolution from older green-screen utilities to contemporary development tools on the platform.

See all the ACS updates.

ERP

🔄 Infor modernizes IBM i ERP portfolio At inPOWER 2025, Infor unveiled plans to support IBM i 7.6, introduce REST APIs, and launch System i Workspace Liberty—a browser-based UI for XA, LX, and System21 ERPs by 2026. The company is investing in cross-ERP frameworks like Infor ION and OS to enable integration, cloud migration, and workflow standardization, signaling long-term commitment to legacy IBM i systems rather than replacement.

Hiring

The Challenge of hiring IBM i & Mainframe Developers

As noted in this LinkedIn post:

The IBM i market is facing the same talent crisis the mainframe world has been battling—but we still have time to solve it.

Mid-level RPG developers aren’t appearing out of thin air. The educational pipeline dried up years ago, and companies can no longer rely on poaching the few remaining mid-career developers. The math simply doesn’t work.

But there is a sustainable path forward.

At Talsco, our Hire, Train & Mentor model helps clients bridge this gap strategically:

Hire: We help you secure the senior-level IBM i talent you still need today—experienced developers, architects, and engineers who can keep the business moving.
Train: Alongside that hire, we guide you in bringing on an entry-level developer who can learn your environment, absorb your business rules, and grow into a long-term asset.
Mentor: Your senior hire becomes the internal mentor who transfers decades of expertise to your new junior developer—preserving institutional knowledge before it walks out the door.

This paired strategy solves the impossible search for mid-level IBM i talent by creating it internally—on your terms, in your culture, and with your technology stack.

Interested in learning more, schedule a call.

Leadership

🔮 Foresight is the new playbook

Here is an interesting take on leaders and how they should consider approaching the future.

Imagine being assigned to repair a complex machine without proper instructions. You know it should function, but you’re not sure whether the leftover screws, washers and roll of red wire are optional or the reason it doesn’t turn on.

Frank Diana, a futurist, at TCS treats foresight as a manual of many possibilities, using “possibility chains” to link disruptions like AI, climate policy and demographics.

He teaches five moves—pick pressure, chain effects, craft scenarios, rehearse, codify—within a polyintelligent framework.

History as a lesson

The printing press, the Industrial Revolution, the electrification of cities—all carried lessons in disruption, resistance, and adaptation. Leaders who study those echoes are less surprised when the rhyme shows up in their own industry.

There have been countless predictions about the IBM i market. And as this article points out, it is impossible to predict the exact outcomes in the future.

But one thing is certain: IBM i succession planning, modernization pressures, and integration challenges aren't going away—making now the time to invest and plan for the future.

Modernization

⚠️ IT managers repeat costly mistakes despite decades of warnings

IEEE Spectrum analyzes 20 years of software failures, finding projects like Canada's Phoenix payroll system and the UK Post Office's Horizon scandal cost billions and ruined lives.

Despite extensive documentation of failure patterns, organizations ignore past lessons, claiming their projects are "unique."

The article argues AI won't solve management problems and calls for accountability, transparency, and ethical considerations in all IT systems.

Open Source

🔓 Open source extends far beyond software

The term "open source" originated in software development to describe publicly accessible code that anyone can inspect, modify, and share.

Today it represents broader values including transparency, collaboration, and community-oriented development.

Open source software powers much of the internet's infrastructure, from Linux to Apache servers. People prefer it for greater control, enhanced security, better training opportunities, and stronger community support.

Why does open source matter?

It creates a shared foundation so developers, businesses, and even regulators can collaborate across technology stacks without vendor lock-in.

Eliminating vendor lock-in gives power back to the enterprise through its community nature. Because there is a community involved, open source is often more secure—more eyes reviewing code means vulnerabilities are caught faster—and it opens the door to a wider range of talent who can contribute, customize, and support the technology.

🐳 IBM launches OpenShift Platform Plus for Power Systems

IBM announced Red Hat OpenShift Platform Plus is now available for Power Systems servers running Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

What is OpenShift Platform Plus?

OpenShift Platform Plus is a unified platform for building and deploying applications at scale, providing multicluster security, compliance, and data management across hybrid cloud infrastructures.

The AI-enhanced platform includes OpenShift Container Platform, Advanced Cluster Security and Management for Kubernetes, OpenShift Data Foundation Essentials, Quay registry, and OpenShift Lightspeed—a generative AI assistant.

This comprehensive stack provides IBM i shops with an integrated, enterprise-grade Linux container platform for modernization.

Why this matters for the IBM i:

OpenShift Platform Plus gives IBM i shops a modern, secure way to build and deploy new services—especially APIs, microservices, and AI-driven components—without disturbing their core RPG or COBOL workloads. It creates a consistent platform for modernization and AI adoption across Power and cloud environments.

Crucially, running natively on IBM Power allows them to co-locate containerized services with IBM i data for low-latency, secure integration while leveraging existing infrastructure.

Trends

🤖 m-Power adds AI capabilities to business data mrc's latest m-Power update introduces AI Assistants, Workflows, Chatbots, Content Retrievers, Tool Functions, and Agents that run over existing systems with IT-controlled security. Users can bring their own LLM, deploy on-premise or cloud, work with operational data, and extend current applications without per-user limits. The platform maintains perpetual licensing while adding AI features to automate tasks, route workflows, and transform documents into searchable knowledge bases. 🛡️ Shield Advanced releases AAG Version 3 The new At-A-Glance monitoring update delivers faster, more efficient IBM i environment monitoring with significantly reduced communications traffic. Version 3 introduces connection filtering security enhancements that restrict accepted connections to trusted sources only. The release continues Shield Advanced's commitment to evolving AAG using the latest IBM i/OS APIs and commands, with customer feedback shaping future development.

Vendor

📊 Shield Advanced bridges NagiosXI and Grafana seamlessly

Shield Advanced successfully integrated Grafana with NagiosXI by leveraging the rrdexport API to pull performance data in JSON format, avoiding conflicts with native NagiosXI graphs. Using the Infinity data source, they created identical dashboards with no performance impact.

The remote Grafana instance supports multi-organization security, allowing customers view-only access while maintaining admin controls.

⚠️ Ransomware can exploit IBM i network shares

A ransomware attack in your network can traverse IBM i IFS directories that have been shared via Netserver. If your IFS /root directory is shared, ransomware can infiltrate your system folders and bring down your entire system.

Kisco's SafeNet exit point software addresses this vulnerability by continuously monitoring IFS Netserver activity logs for ransomware-like behavioral patterns. When suspicious activity is detected, SafeNet sends immediate alerts and can automatically block the affected user or disable Netserver entirely based on your configured response settings.

In development since the late 1990s, SafeNet delivers comprehensive visibility and control over all network-connected IBM i server activity with minimal system overhead and an intuitive interface.

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