11
Fri, Oct
6 New Articles
  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. IT Infrastructure
  4. System Administration
  5. OpsNav and Client Access Express: Two Products, One Goal

OpsNav and Client Access Express: Two Products, One Goal

Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

For some time now, AS/400 developers have been using the APIs in Client Access to create a communications mechanism for their client server applications. This method made a lot of sense for developers, as it eliminated the need to create or use third-party middleware that would do the same thing. The only problem with this model was that Client Access hadn’t been adopted by the entire midrange market. Instead, a slew of emulation and connectivity tools hit the market and blurred the choices facing most AS/400 shops, as many settled on RUMBA, WRQ’s Reflection and the like while spurning Client Access and its emulator, PC5250. Combine these market forces with the overhead associated with the APIs, and you’ll realize why Client Access was locked into a no-win scenario. Right?

Wrong. Alert developers who were already developing software based on these APIs got a glimpse of IBM’s long-term goal when they read about Operations Navigator. When IBM released OpsNav several years ago, I think it’s fair to say that most AS/400 sites didn’t give it a second thought. It wasn’t so much that a GUI for viewing spool files wasn’t going to be nice to have, it just certainly wasn’t earthshaking. It was clear, though, that IBM finally had a single place where it could tie all OS/400 functions together in a graphical Explorer-like interface.

Rochester likewise trimmed down Client Access to Client Access Express, allowing OpsNav to communicate with the host that much faster. Indeed, as long as IBM standardizes on OpsNav, it doesn’t even make sense for third-party tools that work with OS/400 to consider using their own middleware, since that is exactly what Client Access Express has become for OpsNav. To make it even more enticing, IBM gives OpsNav away as a free component of Client Access Express, making it a no-excuses reason to begin using it. The same is true for using Client Access Express as middleware—you install the free components (OpsNav and/or ODBC), and you’ll have all of the communication engine APIs at your disposal.

Some interesting scenarios result from the OpsNav initiative. The third-party emulators that were once so popular stand to lose the most in this brave new world. Since IBM made OpsNav a free part of Client Access Express, it can be installed anywhere, including on PCs that have another emulator already running. In the short term, these emulation companies cannot create software that is competitive with OpsNav, so many people will wind up using everything (including emulation) within Client Access Express.


In the long term, 5250 emulation will become a thing of the past, and OpsNav and Client Access Express will then truly be one product.

You may be wondering why this connection exists—why wasn’t OpsNav developed on its own without this dependence on Client Access? First, you must remember that OpsNav development was begun years ago, and IBM correctly assessed that Client Access already had 70 to 80 percent market penetration. Since the APIs had already been developed, using them was the path of least resistance for the OpsNav team. The software was created using C++ (Java wasn’t in vogue then), and eventually IBM encouraged other developers to create their own plug-in software.

Now that IBM has begun writing enhancements in Java, one might assume that OpsNav will ultimately be used anywhere, whether Client Access Express is installed or not. The truth is that there are over 2 million lines of C++ code that OpsNav is based on, and it all depends on Client Access Express APIs. It would take years for IBM to rewrite this in Java, and IBM is surely asking itself: to what end? OpsNav is based on the look and feel of Microsoft Windows, and I don’t see many people throwing away their PCs any time soon. These two companion products are here to stay in their current environment, and the goal is the advancement of Operations Navigator.


BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: