IBM i technology refresh and Q1 2024 financial results; PowerUp 2024 learning sessions on DevOps, SQL, RPG, and IBM Power; API modernization trends and MuleSoft/Red Hat collaboration; PHP 8.3.7 release; security headlines covering LockBit ransomware, AI export restrictions, and fraud investigations.
Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly
- IBM i Brief: Carol Woodbury's thoughts on the acquisition of DXR Security. 🌟 IBM unveils IBM i Technology Refresh. 📈 IBMs Financial Results for Q1 2024 and what it means for Power Systems.
- Learning:💻The future of the IBM i is found at PowerUp 2024
- Modernization: 🔗 Companies turn to APIs for Modernization.
- Open Source: PHP 8.3.7 Released.
- Security: 🔓Security headlines: Lockbit Targets Wichita, US Considers AI Export Restrictions, Pathfinder on Intel.
IBM i Brief
Carol Woodbury's thoughts on the acquisition of DXR Security
We touched on this in last week's issue of Talsco Weekly, via Kisco Systems' press release of their acquisition of DXR Security.
Here, IT Jungle, as they always do, digs into the thought process behind the acquisition by interviewing Carol Woodbury.
A couple of things have stood out to me over the past several years within the IBM i space. While there are some who just coast and do what they have always done, there are others who are pushing forward.
One of the reasons we wanted to partner with Kisco is that they’re under active development with their products, and that’s important to me, to have a company to partner with to make sure that they’re not just stagnant, but they will continue to improve. - Carol Woodbury
The IBM i is a great place to be.
🌟 IBM unveils IBM i Technology Refresh
IBM introduces updates in IBM i 7.5 TR4 and 7.4 TR10, including enhancements in various areas such as Merlin 2.0, Navigator for i, ACS, RPG, and SYSTOOLS.
The launch also marks IBM's shift to software subscriptions for smaller customers with specific Power10 servers.
Noteworthy improvements include a significant upgrade to Merlin, new capabilities in Navigator like ARE console, and features in ACS such as Visual Explain in RUNSQL Scripts.
Additionally, RPG compilers receive new features, SYSTOOLS commands are enhanced, and security-related updates are introduced, along with HA and DR advancements.
📈 IBMs Financial Results for Q1 2024 and what it means for Power Systems
In Q1 2024, IBM reported promising financial results, with overall revenues reaching $14.46 billion, a 4.1% increase year on year.
The Power Systems division saw a 6% sales growth, totaling $181 million, and additional sales to the Storage division brought total Power Systems revenues to $258 million, up 9.3%.
Despite past declines, recent trends show a positive trajectory for Power Systems sales, with a 5.2% growth forecasted for 2024.
IBM continues to focus on enhancing efficiency for existing IBM i and AIX workloads while avoiding direct competition with Arm and X86 platforms.
Learning
The Future of IBM i is at POWERUp!
Whether you are a seasoned IBM i professional, new to the platform, or somewhere in-between there are learning opportunities for everyone.
All you have to do is take a look at the session list for POWERUp and you will see for yourself.
There are sessions for:
Intro for IBM i Services (SQL) for Admins
SQL Coding Tips and Techniques
What's new and exciting in RPG
IBM Power: Innovation for innovators
As you scroll through the sessions, think about how much more secure your career would be with any of these skills under your belt.
Think about how much more resilient your IBM i shop would be by having a better understanding of the future of the IBM i platform.
If any of this appeals to you, it is not too late to register for PowerUp 2024.
Modernization
🔗 Companies turn to APIs for Modernization
Why? Because they help simplify development and manage costs efficiently:
MuleSoft, a Gartner®-recognized leader in API management, expands collaboration with Red Hat® and IBM®. Introducing Anypoint Flex Gateway on IBM Power, due for release in Q2 2024, offering ultrafast, lightweight API management across various environments.
Flex Gateway integrates smoothly with DevOps and CI/CD for high-performance applications and microservices, alongside robust security measures. This partnership promotes digital transformation, incorporating AI and enhancing customer experiences with streamlined API management to ensure data privacy and cybersecurity.
Other options: Keep in mind there are countless API management platform options on the market. Some that are a little closer to home might be Eradani and Profound Logic just to name a few.
What are APIs and why are they important?
“The API is a powerful and versatile means to connect diverse and disparate software applications. APIs allow a vast array of unrelated software products to integrate and interoperate with other software and data. APIs also allow developers to add features and functionality to software by utilizing a rich array of other developers’ APIs. Much of today’s enterprise, mobile, and web software depends on a wide range of APIs.”
If you are an RPG developer, you know that web applications have become an integral part of business operations. And, with the increasing demand for web-based services, there is an increasing need to know how to write APIs.
If there is one thing you can do as an RPG developer in 2024 it is learn the options-for-consuming-rest-APIs-from-RPG.
Open Source
PHP 8.3.7 Released The PHP development team announces the immediate availability of PHP 8.3.7. This is a bug-fix release. All PHP 8.3 users are encouraged to upgrade to this version.
Security
Lockbit claims responsibility for the Wichita cyberattack, demanding ransom by May 15th as the city limits payment options to cash or checks due to the disruption.
The US Commerce Department is considering export restrictions on AI models, possibly setting a computing power threshold to limit access to advanced AI that could enable large-scale cyber or biological attacks.
A multinational investigation has uncovered a scam network operating thousands of fake retail sites on orphaned domains, processing over a million fraudulent orders and causing €50 million in losses, linked to China-based IP addresses.
At the RSA Conference, major announcements centered on AI, including tools for real-time security awareness, AI model data access control, vulnerability discovery, software supply chain monitoring, governance solutions, and in-IDE LLM scanning.
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