AAron Bartell In NH

Aaron Bartell spoke to the NHMUG user group on Thursday October 1, 2015

Links to presentation materials:

Here are the links to the presentation materials:

• http://bit.ly/litmis-node-intro-slides
• http://bit.ly/litmis-nodejs-db2-rpg-slides
• http://bit.ly/litmis-nodejs-expressjs-slides
• http://bit.ly/litmis-git-intro-slides

Intro to Node.js

Node.js is here. Yep, Javascript on the server side of things. Is this a good thing? That's what we'll be looking to decipher as we walk through the following points at a high level, all the while relating it to the RPG programmer mindset to more easily draw similarities.

In this session we will learn about the following:

• Why Node.js? We already have Java, PHP, Ruby.
• How to obtain and install Node.js
• Make Node talk to your RPG and DB2
• What's this i/o blocking stuff I hear about Node.js?
• Javascript syntax - brief intro
• Javascript callbacks - they're everywhere, but how do they affect your programming in Node?
• Create a simple "hello world" app without using frameworks.

Node.js, DB2, RPG - Talking at Last

Let’s say you’re considering learning Node.js but know one primary requirement is that existing DB2 tables and RPG business logic must be easily accessible from Node.js. Problem solved, because that’s where IBM's Node.js DB2 for i driver and XMLSERVICE fits in.

The Node.js DB2 for i Connector was provided by IBM and provides capabilities to interact with existing DB2 tables.

XMLSERVICE is a single library of open source RPG code that enables XML scripting calls of IBM i resources using most any language available on your platform.

In this session we will walk through the various features and ways to communicate with existing DB2 tables and RPG programs directly from a Node.js program that is running on the same IBM i! We will also be walking through how to do iterative development using the Node.js REPL capabilities (programming in a real-time response environment) - a great tool and approach for learning how to code in Node.js.

Node.js: Building Your First App With Expressjs

Node.js is a hot topic in IBM i circles because of its recent port. Doing a "Hello World" app in Node.js is very simple, but what about developing something more substantial with full model-view-controller capabilities? This session aims to take you beyond your first pass at Node.js and show how to use one of the most popular Node.js web frameworks, Express.js.

In this session we will learn about the following:

• Installing ExpressJs with npm (Node Package Manager)
• Model: DB2 for i access
• View: Template Engines and how to use them
• Controller: Routing requests
• Implement web sockets to make the app insanely interactive

Git on IBM i

Git is a free and open source distributed version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. Git is easy to learn and has a tiny footprint with lightning fast performance. It outclasses SCM tools like Subversion, CVS, Perforce, and ClearCase with its feature set. It is arguably the most popular way to manage source code versions industry wide.

Some things to know about Git:

• It keeps a history of everything that has changed in a source file
• You can group changes together so you can gain perspective of what all changed for a particular feature request
• You can create branches which have many purposes with one being you can eliminate the need to make backup copies of source members before making your changes. We often make backups so we can see how it originally was. Branches also make it easy to quickly test something and throw it away if it didn't work out without affecting the primary code base.
• Another feature of branches is to facilitate process flow (i.e. branches for development, test, staging, production)
• Git has some very excellent merging capabilities which is nice for when two developers were working on the same source member and their changes need to be combined back into one

Here's the kicker… did you know you can use Git on IBM i? Did you know you can use it for all your source including RPG?

Attend this session for an introduction to Git, install instructions, how it works, basic features, and how it can be used in your environment.

Biography

Aaron Bartell provides hands-on application development services using open source technologies for companies running on IBM i. Through virtual consulting engagements, Aaron is able to jump-start development initiatives while serving as an extension of your internal development team. Aaron facilitates adoption of open source technologies through internal staff training, speaking engagements at conferences, and the authoring of best practices within IBM i industry publications and www.litmis.com. As Director of IBM i Innovation for Krengeltech, Aaron pursues initiatives which enable IBM i shops to embrace today’s leading technologies including Ruby on Rails, Node.js, and Git to facilitate GitHub/BitBucket communications. Aaron is a passionate advocate of modern technologies and active within their corresponding online communities. Connect with Aaron via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Aaron lives with his wife and five children in Southern Minnesota. He enjoys the vast amounts of laughter having a young family brings, along with camping and music. He believes there's no greater purpose than to give of our life and time to help others.

27th Annual New Hampshire / Vermont IBM i User Group Meeting

Tuesday, June 23, 2015 - Fireside Inn, West Lebanon NH

This event was free to IBM i professionals, and sponsored by NHMUG and VTMUG

IBM Announcements - Steve Fier, IBM

IBM has made some exciting new enhancements to the POWER family. POWER8 low-end I/O enhancements will be coming. Also, there will be new and additional functionality for both IBM 7.1 and 7.2 Steve Fier will review these latest updates.

Security Topics - Robin Tatam, CISM CBCA,PowerTech | A Division of HelpSystems

Part 1 - Security by Obscurity - Insight into a Failed Approach

PowerTech has audited thousands of IBM i servers over the past 12 years, gaining extensive, real-world insight into the deployment state of IBM i security controls.

The results of this wildly popular study, The State of IBM i Security, have revealed vulnerabilities that even auditors miss—providing invaluable insight in six configuration categories:

• Network-initiated commands & data access
• Server-level security controls
• Profile and password settings
• Administrative capabilities
• Public accessibility to corporate data
• System event auditing

Robin Tatam, analyst and author of the study for the past 6 years presents his personal insight into the shocking - and often scary - reality behind IBM i security.

Part 2 - Getting Started with IBM i Security

The IBM i operating system is lauded as one of the most secure available. But, as previously discussed, reaching this state requires many changes to system settings. Its time to take a critical step toward protecting your corporate data assets - regardless of regulatory compliance.

This session, hosted by certified auditor and renowned IBM i expert Robin Tatam, will teach you how to achieve better security through increased awareness of important considerations, including:

• What controls security configuration?
• Who has administrative privileges?
• How to do event auditing for free?
• What are “black hole” commands?
• What the heck is public versus private authority?
• How do users accomplish scary things?

Security and regulatory compliance, although not the same thing, are in the forefront of virtually every CIO's mind. Make sure that you are adequately prepared when the bad guys come knocking!

Robin joined HelpSystems' PowerTech division in 2009 extending an AS/400 and IBM i consulting career that extends more than a quarter century. He has consulted with domestic and international clients on security and compliance issues.

Application Modernization - David Andruchuk - CSDA, Inc

The Why and How of the iModerinze(d) Application Architecture

For most IBM i shops, an ongoing initiative is to take advantage of the new offerings IBM has made to the IBM i hardware and software that has defined and set our platform apart from competitors. The process of converting your non data centric architecture to a data centric architecture can appear to be beyond the reach of many IT staffs.

While the performance gains of modernizing can be easily quantified, the added benefit of flexibility often goes unheralded. Being able to provide faster response to constantly changing business requirements and ever increasing large data demands placed on our environments can be achieved without having to recompile your current programs.

Adapting your database access and software development practices is as much a necessity as changing your business to constantly changing market requirements and security concerns we are now required to comply with.

In this session we will discuss:

• The process of converting your DDS defined PF and LFs to DDL defined tables, views and indexes
• Taking advantage of the scalability and flexibility gains offered by modern technologies, both in hardware and in software engineering
• Adopting the use of views and stored procedures to gain separation between your data model and your programs
• Designing your system to become easier to implement your web based or graphical UI layer
• Adding encryption to your table columns using DB2 Field Procedures

 Larry Bolhuis presents to NHMUG

Larry Bolhuis - Tuesday March 17th, 2015

IBM i Systems Management Workshop

In this workshop we will cover the following system components and their management:

• Hardware Management Console (HMC) what it does, basic setup, user management, backup, HMC Updates
• Flexible Service Processor (FSP) updates, why, when and how
• PTFs for IBM i. Understanding them, PTF groups, PTF lifespan, Group PTFs, and when to do PTFs. (Including Fix Central overview) Overview of Image Catalogs
• Management Central - performance monitoring, PTF distribution, basics of central site inventory
• General things to watch: Memory usage, Disk I/O and storage, System Messages, avoiding dead cash batteries
• Storage Management - How much disk is enough (rhetorical question!), disk cleanup
• System values you need to understand
• Spool file maintenance including use of iASPs, Joblog Servers, and disconnected spool file functions.

The session is based on IBM i 7.1 although at least 90% of the content is applicable to IBM i 6.1 or 5.4 as well.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the basiscs of the HMC and the System Console
• Understand IBM i PTFs
• Understand basic IBM i daily management
• Understand Management Central and how it can help you
• Understand System Values and Spooled File Management

Audience:

IBM i System Administrators or developers tasked with System Admin.

Level:

This session is intermediate and expects attendees know a little about IBM i.

Biography:

Larry has grown up with computers since his father became a CE in 1967. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Calvin College in 1982 and soon after began working on IBM midrange equipment with the S/34 and S/36. Larry began working on the As/400 at its introduction In 1988.

After spending many years as a developer Larry began working on communications, networking, and systems management tasks. Years of working with SNA, SDLC, SNADS, APPC, APPN followed by Token Ring, Ethernet, and TCP/IP tought strong communications troublehooting skills. In addition to networking on the IBM side Larry learned the infrastructure components of the network including switches routers and firewalls, working chiefly with Cisco equipment.

In 15 years as an IBM Business partner Larry worked with IBMs systems from design through implementation and migration. He has worked on the smallest and largest and everything in between. He has been involved in many Beta and other early release programs with IBM. Larry has held more than 30 IBM certifications on the AS/400, iSeries, System i and Power Systems, including IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert and is a contributing author to many IBM Certification tests.

Larry is a frequent and award winning speaker at users groups around North America covering Systems design and management, networking and connectivity, work management, PTF, and Hardware Management Console topics. He has been a long time volunteer and speaker with COMMON and has been awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and also it's highest Honor the Distinguished Service Award.

Charles Guarino presents to NHMUG

Charles Guarino - Wednesday January 14th, 2015

Get With The Program! It's Not Your Gramdma's RPG Anymore!

Based on the community’s requirements IBM continues to evolve the language. This recent modernization iteration brings sweeping changes to the design, syntax and overall look and feel. We will examine the actual enhancements to each of the four changed specifications. Finally we will show a side-by-side comparison of programs written in both styles.

From STRDBG to the RDi Debugger

Making the decision to abandon the green screen development environment takes a lot of patience. Once you make the leap though you’ll be very glad you did. This session examines our old comfort-zone friend STRDBG and shows the similarities, differences and productivity improvements in this new world of application debugging.

Learning Objectives:

• Grow confidence in using the Rational Developer for i debugger
• How to run, debug and control programs using the debugging environment and perspective.

Audience:

Programmers who have little or no knowledge using the new RDi debugger.

Introduction to Processing XML in RPG and SQL Too!

XML has quickly become a standard method of encoding data. It can be used for full document transmittals or data provided via a web service. The extraction of this data into useable information is called parsing. RPG provides two different methods for parsing. This session goes step by step through the entire process of receiving an XML document to successfully parsing it to a database file. The XML-INTO and XML-SAX statements will be reviewed. The challenges and requirements of both statements will be discussed. At the end of this session, you will be able to identify which parsing method works best for your particular situation. Included with this session are program listings that you can take back and put to use immediately. Updates to this session include i7.1 TR6’s exciting SQL XML processing.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a basic understanding of XML syntax
• Learn how XML parsing has been implemented into RPG
• See live examples of the XML parsers at work.

The Business, Science and Uses of ILE Service Programs

Service programs have been around for some time. In fact, quite some time. Perhaps you’ve even bumped into one in your professional travels. You will certainly find them on the road to application modernization. This session focuses on what they are, how to implement them and making them a regularly used asset during your application development. Topics include service programs, program signatures and using binder language source.

Biography

With an IT career spanning over 30 years, Charles Guarino has been a consultant for most of them. Since 1995 he has been founder and President of Central Park Data Systems, Inc., a New York area based IBM midrange consulting and corporate training company. In addition to being a professional speaker, he is a frequent contributor of technical and strategic articles and webcasts for the IT community. He is a proud member of COMMON’s Speaker Excellence Hall of Fame and also Long Island Software and Technology Network’s Twenty Top Techies of 2009. Charles currently serves as a member of COMMON’s Strategic Education Team (SET) and is also Immediate Past President and monthly Q&A host of LISUG, a Long Island IBM i User’s Group www.lisug.org

Charles can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/guarinocharles

Twitter - @charlieguarino