Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly

IBM i Brief: 🔒 More Critical Security Vulns Reported In IBM i Components. 🧩 IBM i Subscription Model Updates. 🌏 Connectria to bring IBM and AWS architecture to Asia Pacific.
Career: 📈 IBM i Community Embraces PUB400.
Development: 🔧 Open source solution for IBM i. PHP frameworks to consider.
Modernization: SAP ERP modernization on Power (IBM i, AIX, and Linux).
Training: 💼 Elevate Your Skills with Top IBM i Education, Networking, and Growth at POWERUp 2024. Boost Your IBM i Team: The Power of Apprenticeships Inspired by IBM.

IBM i Brie

🔒 More Critical Security Vulns Reported In IBM i Components

The run of serious security vulnerabilities in IBM i components continued in early 2024, as IBM reported 10 new flaws exist across OpenSSH, the Apache Web Server, ISC, and Facsimile Support for IBM i in February and early March. All of the flaws impact IBM i 7.2 through 7.5 and IBM has patched all via PTFs. The most critical of the recent batch of security flaws exists in OpenSSH.

🧩 IBM i Subscription Model Updates

COMMENTSSome aspects of IBM’s pricing model for hardware and systems software are evolving. Recent documents reveal changes to subscription pricing for different software tiers. Notably, perpetual licenses for certain tiers are set to end on May 7, sparking concerns about the shift to subscription-based pricing and potential implications for customers. Clarity on these changes is expected around the upcoming user group conference, POWERUp 2024.

🌏 Connectria to bring IBM and AWS architecture to Asia Pacific

Connectria, a global leader in IBM Power Systems cloud services and AWS Premier Tier Services Partner, will open two data centers in Singapore with under 2 millisecond low-latency connectivity to AWS Asia Pacific. The facilities aim to enhance cloud adoption and modernization for IBM i and AIX systems in the region, integrating public cloud with traditional IT environments for Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service.

Career

📈 IBM i Community Embraces PUB400

PUB400 has been a staple free IBM i resource for over two decades, offering users invaluable hands-on experience with the OS/400, i5/OS, and IBM i operating systems. With 40,000 users benefiting from the platform’s resources, it’s time to give this pioneering initiative the recognition it deserves. Discover the history and community impact of PUB400.com, as well as insights into its creator.

Takeaway: Whenever I encounter developers who mention using PUB400 or POWERBunker for testing their applications, it’s a clear sign they’re committed to their craft. While leveraging these platforms isn’t the sole method for RPG developers to excel, it underscores the importance of going the extra mile to maintain expertise. Indeed, the IBM i community offers a myriad of resources for developers, but the essence lies in actively seeking out opportunities to enhance one’s skills.

Development

🔧 Open source solution for IBM i

Here is a quick story of a company that used Java to serve up their web applications. They ran into an issue when faced with the unsupported Tomcat plugin issue on IBM i 7.5. How did they overcome the issue? They turned to open source for the solution.

PHP frameworks to consider

PHP is a powerful server-side scripting language that has had a significant impact on web development. It is widely used to create dynamic web applications and seamlessly integrates with HTML.

PHP’s open-source nature and compatibility with different platforms (like the IBM i) make it a versatile tool for developing software applications of varying scales. It began as a language for dynamic websites and blogs, but has since evolved to power complex enterprise solutions, showcasing its adaptability and reliability. PHP offers advantages over other programming languages, setting the stage for further exploration of its frameworks.

If you are considering using PHP, here are the top 10 PHP frameworks to look at.

Many might not be aware, that the IBM i and SAP have a long business relationship.

SAP has supported their applications running on the IBM i and Db2 for over 20 years.

Source: IBM

In fact, “Over 4,800 customers worldwide choose to run their mission-critical SAP HANA environment on IBM Power servers. The SAP ERP workloads running on IBM Power AIX, IBM i and Linux environments can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud for Production, DR and Test & Development use cases.”

Modernization

SAP ERP modernization on Power (IBM i, AIX, and Linux)

Many might not be aware, that the IBM i and SAP have a long business relationship.

SAP has supported their applications running on the IBM i and Db2 for over 20 years.

Source: IBM

Training

💼 Elevate Your Skills with Top IBM i Education, Networking, and Growth at POWERUp 2024

The COMMON community will gather again in person to enjoy learning high-quality IBM i education and networking with peers, industry experts, and solution providers.

When you come to POWERUp, you’ll be able to customize your experience. Choose from 300 sessions, covering over 23 different category areas. This is the largest Expo of its kind where you get to rub elbows with fellow IBM i-ers and get the opportunity to meet the experts behind the solutions that make up this amazing platform.

This conference is structured to give you the pure education and professional connections needed to best enhance your career.

Mark your calendars for May 20-23 and head on down to COMMON in Forth Worth, TX.

Boost Your IBM i Team: The Power of Apprenticeships Inspired by IBM

IBM uses apprenticeships to address skills gaps and promote diversity in the tech sector. The program focuses on nurturing young talent, with 95% of apprentices being school leavers.

What are school leavers?

a term more commonly used in the UK and some other Commonwealth countries to refer to individuals who have recently completed their compulsory education, usually at the end of secondary school (High School), before moving on to further education, training, or entering the workforce.

Apprentices are provided with opportunities for career progression and are expected to work in client-facing roles from the beginning. The program also contributes to a high retention rate of 92% and successfully integrates former apprentices into diverse roles within the organization. IBM hopes to see the apprenticeship levy evolve to cover T Level training, which could further enhance its apprenticeship recruitment

High School IBM i Apprenticeships

Although technical colleges in the United States offer IBM i curriculums, options are limited. One such school, Muskegon Community College, will not be offering its Midrange Programming Certificate this coming fall (2024).

For companies dedicated to the IBM i platform and struggling to recruit RPG developers, an effective strategy is to target high school seniors for apprenticeship programs, thereby skipping the traditional college recruitment route.

Partnering with high schools enables companies to provide practical RPG development training, equipping students with the skills needed for the industry. This method allows businesses to tailor young talent to their culture and requirements while offering students a direct pathway to a career right after high school. Such an approach can bridge the skills gap often seen with new college graduates.

To successfully implement this strategy, collaboration with IBM i Training providers, like imPower Technologies, is essential for delivering hands-on training. Additionally, having RPG apprentices work closely with the company’s current development staff will further enrich their learning experience, giving them a comprehensive understanding of the business and its operations.

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Contact us

If you are an RPG programmer looking to explore opportunities or a client who is looking for a talented IBM i professional, please contact us. We look forward to assisting you.

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