IBM i 7.2 TR6 adds significant function for IBM DB2 for i, enhances IBM i Access Client Solutions, and adds binaries for new tools into the IBM Open Source offering. In addition to extending these software functions, i 7.2 TR6 provides the necessary capabilities for supporting the newly announced IBM Power S812 hardware model.

• DB2 for i adds new and enhanced SQL capabilities for database application developers and system administrators. With these enhancements, SQL can be used to become more productive and effective at solving business requirements.
• The IBM Open Source solutions offering (5733-OPS) has been enhanced to include more tools that serve both the system administrator and the application developer.
• IBM i Access Client Solutions continues to be enhanced to provide additional function and value to users, system administrators, and database engineers, providing them with the tools to work with their i systems from the PC platform of their choice.
• IBM i now supports the newly announced, lower-priced 1-core Power S812 server for clients with modest processing and lower I/O needs.
• Serviceability improvements reduce the number of situations that require a mainstore dump and speed the analysis when a mainstore dump is required.

Overview

With i 7.2 TR6, DB2 for i continues to focus on new and advanced SQL capabilities and the ability to use SQL to access i operating system details. Further, DB2 for i delivers ease-of-use enhancements to help a database engineer accomplish the daily task of managing the data center.

With the latest IBM Open Source solutions additions, you can perform a number of network or file-related tasks. Existing support for git, a popular change control tool, has also been enhanced.

IBM i Access Client Solutions continues to focus on new and advanced capabilities for both the system administrator and database engineer. Updates to the Output Spool file support and the database function have been included.

IBM i support is extended to include a new model S812 with i 7.2 TR6 on a P05 software tier. The S812 is a 1-core, 2U server with an excellent entry price. This is an attractive offering for i clients on prior generations of smaller IBM Power Systems servers who have modest processing and I/O requirements and do not require virtualization of processors or I/O.

Power Systems adds new features for a SAS tape/DVD adapter to attach some of the older external tape drives and removable media that are not supported by the newer, faster 6 Gb PCIe3 SAS adapter.

Serviceability improvements with i 7.2 TR6 preclude the need to take a mainstore dump for some error scenarios, allow faster copying of mainstore dumps to tape and to the Integrated File System (IFS), and significantly reduce the time to load a mainstore dump for analysis.

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