President's Message By Don Rima

Of course I’m joking.

I had the opportunity to attend a day of Linux world in New York a few weeks ago. It was really interesting to see the enthusiasm for this product and while there’s not the depth and breadth of offerings yet for Linux as there is for Windows and OS/400, it would appear than in 3-5 years we’re going to have to KNOW yet another operating system. If that long. Remember when we used to laugh at the idea of Windows running a mission critical application much less replacing an AS/400? We don’t laugh anymore.

We’re trying to keep aggressive in WAM by bringing the concepts and technologies that you will need to know not just today, but tomorrow and next week...presuming that you’re still interested in being gamefully employed, that is.

This month we have a great presentation on Linux for iSeries.

If you have been wondering WHY you would consider bringing Linux into your shoppe, this meeting will open your mind as to some of the possibilities.

Some of the items we’re going into this evening include:

1. Know the history of Linux.
2. Understand how and why open source projects work .
3. Know that open source products are ready for business applications.
4. Be introduced to a variety of open source applications such as SendMail, Apache, Tomcat, Gimp, sed, awk, PHP, Perl, and SAMBA.
5. Realize that Linux is a viable platform for serving Internet applications.
6. Consider Linux as their desktop operating system.system.
7. Have the information needed to make a decision on whether to run Linux on an iSeries in an LPAR or on an another platform such as Intel.

Our speaker is Don Denoncourt, the author of Java Application Strategies for the AS/400 and iSeries and AS/400:Java at Work (MC Press). Don's third book, Linux Web Hosting, was written as a college textbook for IBM's Partners In Education; it should be available for the Fall semester 2002. Don has authored close to a hundred articles on Java, Linux, and Web technologies for a variety of magazines including Midrange Computing, iSeriesNews, and WebSpherePro. He is also the Java Subject Matter Expert for Common and teaches seminars to AS/400 and iSeries professionals in various cities across the world.

I would expect this to be a full house event, so please make sure you register early to insure that we have a place reserved for you.

See ya on the 19th.

IBM Announcement Update

Here's a quick rundown of IBM's hardware and software announcements from 2/12:

1) Two new upgrade paths. They are from a 720-2063 (810 CPW) or a 740-2069 (3,660 CPW) to smaller processor features than were previously available -- 820-2436 (1,100 CPW ) and 830-2402 (4,200 CPW) processor features respectively. These upgrade paths do NOT meet the normal 40% additional performance criterial. However, compared to the previous minimum 8xx upgrade paths, they save $70,500 and $217,300!

2) Lower cost, easier to buy model 250 packages (Entry Package - 0297 and Growth Package - 0298). These packages essentially replace the existing processor features with more comprehensive packages.

3) Processor and interactive features within the 7xx models will be withdrawn effective July 2, 2002. This announcement makes it clear that the preferred upgrade path for 7xx customers is into the iSeries models!

4) New 35.16 GB 10K RPM disk drives for iSeries models. The drives are priced at $3,200 (vs. $2,010 for 17.54 GB disks). Using these drives can reduce the cost of a configured iSeries. The 35 GB drives cannot be used in pre-270/8xx AS/400 models. V5R1 plus PTFs is required. Note: All IBM AS/400 10K rpm drives can be 'rekitted' (converted) for use in iSeries system usnits and in PCI towers. The price to rekit each drive is now $150.

Also announced is the withdrawal of 8.58 GB disk from marketing effective 12/2/02. This will essentially make the 17.54 BB disk the capacity of choice for most customers.

5) New 1 Ghz Integrated xSereis for iSeries (IXS) processor features. vailable 3/29/02.

Also announced is a new xSeries 360. It is anticipated that the integrated xSeries adapter for the iSeries will be supported in some x360 models.

6) New PCI Quad Modem IOA ($1,600). This modem should be used in place of the 2761/4761 PCI modems ($3,400) that are being withdrawn onJuly 1,2002.

7) IBM 7208 Model 345 60 GB external 8 MM tape drive ($6,200).

8) Various hardware features are withdrawn

9) Planning Information stating future iSeries models will only supportHSL attached PCI towers (no SPD or migration towers) was formally announced via letter 102-034.

10) Planning Information and Product Previews include the following statements:

"In April 2001, IBM announced that V5R1 is the final release of OS/400 to be supported on the AS/400 4XX/5XX Models. IBM plans for the next release of OS/400 to run on other AS/400 and isereis models that support V5R1 today."

"IBM intends to provide technology upgrade options for Model 270 customers in the the second half of 2002."

11) V4R5 Program service has been extended until 12/31/2002 (was July 31, 2002). V4R5 of OS/400 and selected other products will be withdrawn from Marketing July 2, 2002 - about 2 years after V4R5 became available.

Bottom Line: Customers should begin looking at migrating to a true "iSeries" and replacing their SPD features (disk, bus, IOPS) with PCI replacement features. The PCI bus is 16 times faster than SPD, and PCI is IBM's statement of direction. Future versions of hardware and software WILL NOT support SPD - so the sooner they are replaced, the sooner customers will be able to leverage IBM's hardware and software offerings - including the Power4 chip and future follow on chip technologies...

V5R2 is coming in July - so if you're not at V5R1, it's time to start moving...V4R5 has been out for 2 years, and will be removed from support this year...

If you have any further questions or need addional detail, email Burton at bkloster@comappspec.com.

March 2002 Meeting

Tuesday March 19th, 2002
Holiday Inn in College Park at the Beltway and US-1
6:00pm networking/cash bar - 6:30pm Dinner - 7:15pm Presentation