22
Fri, Nov
1 New Articles

Observations from My Round-the-World Trip for IBM i

IBM i (OS/400, i5/OS)
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Speaking and consulting engagements took Carol around the world—literally. Read about what she learned.

Recently, I had consulting engagements in both Singapore and Sydney, and then I was speaking at a conference in London. Rather than make three separate trips, I strung them all together and literally flew around the world in three weeks. All activities were IBM i–related, and I found some interesting differences in each location and some things that were the same, regardless of where I was. Let’s start with the differences.

What’s Different?

I had a hard time adjusting to the later start to my day in Singapore. They typically start business between 9:00 and 9:30 and work until 6:00 or 6:30. I didn’t find a specific reason for that. I’m certain it’s cultural, but it was an adjustment, given that I usually start my day no later than 7:00 a.m. when I’m home in Seattle!

Getting around these cities was so easy compared to my mass-transportation-challenged home of Seattle. While car traffic is a problem in all three cities, there’s at least the option to use mass transit, which is not the case in many cities across the U.S.

While English is spoken in all three countries (duh!), every country had its own accent, and I had to adjust how I was listening to make sure I caught everyone’s words. That made me appreciate the struggle visitors to the U.S. have and was a reminder that I need to slow down and use “plain” English when doing webinars for our (HelpSystems) international locations.

While I used a credit card for major transactions, I used cash for meals and other minor purchases. Thus, I ended up carrying four stashes of currency: U.S. dollars, Singapore dollars, Australian dollars, and UK pounds. I loved and appreciated Singapore’s “plastic” bills, which I’m sure were developed to withstand the heat and humidity of that region!

I also ended up carrying three sets of power adaptors as all three countries use different electrical plugs. My fear as I packed was that I’d forget one and be that person searching through the travel stores at the airport in search of the right plug!

If I got homesick, I could always find a Starbucks or a McDonald’s. So, you say, isn’t that a similarity? Yes, but every country had at least one different thing on their menu. Like the cheddar and mushroom crescent at the Starbucks in London or the red rice porridge on the McDonald’s breakfast menu in Singapore.

What’s the Same?

Regardless of my location, every IBM i shop seems to be short-staffed. In the era of trying to move off the system, organizations didn’t hire or replace administrators who were let go during the recession, or retired, or switched to work for another organization. Now that those companies are finding that the system is staying around, they’re realizing that they need to hire and/or train more employees on IBM i.

More organizations are starting to realize the value of the data residing on their IBM i systems. It’s certainly not 100 percent of the organizations, nor even the majority. But it’s moving the right direction. This realization causes organizations to start paying closer attention to the security configuration of their IBM i systems.

Requirements to comply with various laws and regulations are universally on the rise. The exact law or regulation may be the same, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), but some are unique by country—for example, the Singapore Cybersecurity Bill. Notice, however, that I didn’t list the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as a law that’s different by country. Many believe that it pertains only to companies operating in the EU, but that’s not true. For example, suppose a bed-and-breakfast in the U.S. hosts a couple from Germany. Although the German couple’s information doesn’t fall under GDPR while the couple is on holiday in the U.S., it is under GDPR requirements as soon as the couple flies home! I think many organizations outside of the EU are going to be surprised one day when they realize that they must be in compliance with GDPR.

Organizations continue to struggle with having sufficient knowledge of IBM i security to feel comfortable enough to implement its features and secure their data. That’s probably why my one-day IBM i Security workshop at the i-UG User Group was so well-attended. Attendees were eager to both learn the basics and hear about the more advanced features and recent updates.

Around the World and Back

While it was an exhausting trip, I met many interesting people and loved re-visiting some of my favorite countries and sights as well as catching up with colleagues in the UK. But one of the most refreshing highlights was seeing the renewed passion people feel about IBM i. Witness the IBM i 30th Anniversary celebration at the i-UG User Group Conference in Milton Keynes, UK. The centerpiece of the celebration took us back in time with a cake that was a replica of a B-series AS/400!

Observations from My Round-the-World Trip for IBM i - Figure 1 

Figure 1: The B-series AS/400 lives on…as a cake!

Fortunately, we’re no longer living in that era, and Steve Will’s keynote presentation at the conference highlighted how numerous companies are using today’s sleek, modern, and securable IBM i to update their technology, streamline their businesses, and stay ahead of their competition. Long live IBM i!

Carol Woodbury

 

Carol Woodbury is IBM i Security SME and Senior Advisor to Kisco Systems, a firm focused on providing IBM i security solutions. Carol has over 30 years’ experience with IBM i security, starting her career as Security Team Leader and Chief Engineering Manager for iSeries Security at IBM in Rochester, MN. Since leaving IBM, she has co-founded two companies: SkyView Partners and DXR Security. Her practical experience and her intimate knowledge of the system combine for a unique viewpoint and experience level that cannot be matched.

Carol is known worldwide as an author and award-winning speaker on security technology, specializing in IBM i security topics. She has written seven books on IBM i security, including her two current books, IBM i Security Administration and Compliance, 3rd Edition and Mastering IBM i Security, A Modern, Step-by-Step Approach. Carol has been named an IBM Champion since 2018 and holds her CISSP and CRISC security certifications.


MC Press books written by Carol Woodbury available now on the MC Press Bookstore.

IBM i Security Administration and Compliance: Third Edition
Don't miss the newest edition by the industry’s #1 IBM i security expert.
List Price $71.95

Now On Sale

Mastering IBM i Security Mastering IBM i Security
Get the must-have guide by the industry’s #1 security authority.
List Price $49.95

Now On Sale

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: