Free PHP still exists on IBM i (Zend Server Basic Edition)
UPDATE: As of 2020, we recommend using Seiden PHP on IBM i and LINUX for reliability, speed, and ease of maintenance.
I’ve been hearing from people confused about Zend Server editions on IBM i. Yes, Community Edition was removed with Zend Server 7/8, but Zend replaced that with the no-charge “Basic” edition. The Basic edition exists only on IBM i. It requires registration but at no cost. Zend Server for IBM i can be downloaded here.
While I often recommend the Professional or Enterprise editions of Zend Server for the value-added tools and for Zend’s professional support, rest assured that free PHP still exists, with the Basic edition.
For more information, here is the current list of Zend Server editions for IBM i.
[Update: See PHP 7 and Free Basic Zend Server Edition for IBM i ]
Thanks a lot! :-)
Markus
Markus, yes, rest assured, the Basic (free) license for IBM i is still available.
It’s explained most clearly in a comment on Mike Pavlak’s blog (http://mikepavlak.blogspot.com/2015/01/developingPHPwithZendServer8forIBMi.html):
After 30 days, [Zend Server] will kick down to Basic edition behavior. If you are new to Zend Server, then after 30 days, the admin GUI will prompt you to send a basic license. If you are not, the basic license is available from the Zend sales team. Just tell them you only want basic. No need to reload or reconfigure anything.
Alan
Hey, sorry for replying to a rather old posting, but:
Can you tell me if it’s still possible to run free PHP on an i5?
There was no “Basic” edition behind your link so I just downloaded what was there and installed the Zend Server Developer Edition. The license agreement states that the Developer Edition mustn’t be run on production machines, though.
At the moment, we need o run a PHP script for one very special task and we can’t spend thousands of dollars for a sledgehammer to crack a nut. If free PHP on i should be dead, I would install the PHP script on a Windows or Linux server and have RPG perform a web request on this machine. Of course I would prefer a running PHP installation on our i5, so I could persuade my fellow programmers to experiment with the new possibilities. Green screen modernization is always an issue (a first attempt with third-party software failed). With a basic PHP installation we could just play around or even use parts for production in a very first step.
Best regards,
Markus
Thanks! The CCSID tips are an accumulation of a number of painful lessons, so it seemed like a good idea to collect them in one place.
More information and tips on Zend Server 8, including Basic Edition, from Mike Pavlak: http://mikepavlak.blogspot.com/2015/01/developingPHPwithZendServer8forIBMi.html