Five Reasons We Use Git to Manage IBM i Source Code
If recent customer requests for Git training are any indication, this popular, free, open source tool for managing source code is gaining momentum and will soon be mainstream on IBM i.
Integrate Python into CL and RPG on IBM i
Python has been gaining momentum for building utility applications on IBM i, such as creating/reading Excel files, data transfer, process automation, calling REST APIs such as Salesforce and ServiceNow, and application monitoring.
Although some have said that Python would become the “new CL,” one limitation remains. While Python can easily call CL, RPG, and COBOL programs, calls in the other direction—from CL, RPG or COBOL to Python—required extra effort.
Free encryption for Node.js on IBM i
When you browse a secure web site or API whose address starts with “https,” what makes the site secure? The site uses a special certificate, provided by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA), to prove that it is legitimate. Until recently, IT shops had to pay for these certificates and generate them manually.
In the last few years, Let’s Encrypt has earned the thanks of technology professionals. Let’s Encrypt, a CA run for the public’s benefit, offers certificates at no charge, along with scripts to generate and regenerate certificates as needed, reducing the effort of keeping certificates up to date, and keeping sites secure.
CIO Summit Features DB2 for i Briefing with IBM’s Scott Forstie
Scott Forstie (left) with Alan Seiden at a previous CIO Summit
In recent years, Db2 for i Business Architect Scott Forstie and his team have rapidly strengthened the IBM i database, improving the sophistication of its SQL query engine, and adding to its galaxy of IBM i services. What’s more, they have several years’ worth of new enhancements in the pipeline.
CIOs and IT Directors can meet Scott at the CIO Summit on March 25, 2019, Charlotte, North Carolina, for an IBM i strategy briefing.
Node.js Process Manager PM2 on IBM i
To manage Node.js application processes in production on IBM i, we recommend PM2 Runtime. As stated in PM2’s official documentation, PM2 “…allows you to keep applications alive forever, to reload them without downtime and facilitate common DevOps tasks.”
Node.js, Ruby and Seiden Group
With IBM’s delivery of open source capabilities on IBM i, Seiden Group has been there to apply the technology to application modernization initiatives. Starting with PHP and the PHP toolkit, then Python, and now Node.js and Ruby, we’ve worked with IBM and customers to flesh out the capabilities of the technology, teach best practices at conferences and directly with clients, and develop award-winning solutions.
Python Training from Seiden Group
As big fans of Python, Seiden Group now offers Python training for IBM i developers. Our training covers not only the popular Python language, but all the pieces necessary to succeed on IBM i, including how to use the Python toolkit to call RPG and COBOL business logic as well as best practices for accessing Db2 and SQL from web applications with Python.
Configure IBM i Apache Threads For Higher Traffic
When your site gets busy, your web server may need a configuration change to handle the load. We often start with the Apache web server’s ThreadsPerChild directive.
ThreadsPerChild controls how many connections can exist at once. Defaulting to 40, its value can be set in your Apache instance configuration file (for example, /www/zendphp7/httpd.conf):
Installing Composer on IBM i
The open source Composer tool, which manages PHP project dependencies, has become standard equipment for modern PHP. New to this tool? I recommend this introduction to Composer.
Composer automatically installs or updates required components, known as dependencies, and any others required by those initial components. The required components are defined by the developer in an easy-to-read JSON-formatted text file.
Salesforce talks to IBM i and PHP: suggestions for successful integration
Salesforce’s cloud platform has become a leading choice for enterprises seeking to automate their sales process. Known primarily for customer relationship management (CRM), Salesforce also offers broad integration with functionality such as marketing automation. Salesforce can also be integrated with core systems, such as those running on IBM i.
Here are a couple of suggestions from Seiden Group’s IBM i and cloud integration specialists.