Cybersecurity best practices require regular security assessments, including for PHP.
PHP is actively maintained, with a new update released every month. Each release includes bug fixes, performance improvements, and, most important, security patches for newly discovered vulnerabilities. Staying on an old version for too long leaves your applications exposed to risks that the PHP community has already fixed.
At Brussels Airport recently, I noticed airline staff working from paper passenger lists because their digital systems were unavailable. The EU Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA) later confirmed the disruption was caused by a ransomware attack on a third-party airline system (Reuters report).
In recent months, I have seen an unmistakable, growing wave of younger professionals choosing to invest their energy and creativity in the IBM i platform. This trend was particularly evident at the 2025 PowerUp conference.
We’ve been receiving about one request per week to help clients troubleshoot or fix SMTP email issues on IBM i systems—especially when sending to Microsoft (Office 365) and Gmail accounts.
These problems can affect a wide range of systems, including:
A friend in the IBM i vendor community asked me about Mapepire from a popularity and security perspective. He had read about Seiden Group’s support for the Mapepire Db2 for i driver. I have provided his questions and edited versions of my answers below.
Seiden Group is pleased to announce that we now provide production support for the open source Mapepire database connector for IBM i. This includes support for Node.js applications and cloud-based or containerized workloads that connect to Db2 for i—whether from IBM i itself or from external systems.
Many developers already rely on Mapepire every day—sometimes without realizing it—because it’s the back-end to the Db2 for i extension for VS Code. We’re excited to help clients adopt this lightweight, high-performance connector.
Using a job queue or scheduler to run PHP scripts helps ensure that PHP-based processes are run successfully and on time.
To make it easy for Seiden PHP+ users to schedule jobs, we provide job scheduler or queue functionality and support with our Seiden PHP+ SmartSupport.
Benefits include the ability to:
I’m pleased to share that over the past year, we’ve rebranded our PHP distribution as Seiden PHP+.
When we first created CommunityPlus+ PHP, it was meant to fill a gap—providing a stable, supported PHP environment for IBM i after Zend Server Basic was discontinued. The new name, Seiden PHP+, better reflects our team’s role in offering and supporting this full-featured, enterprise-grade PHP stack that businesses rely on for speed, stability, and security.
For those who want hands-on help, our Install & Learn service is a great way to get started, and our SmartSupport program keeps your system secure and running smoothly. Whether you’re using PHP for new APIs or modernizing legacy web apps, Seiden PHP+ is designed to support you.
Thanks to all our clients and partners who’ve helped us improve this platform. We’re proud to continue developing tools and services that move IBM i forward.
Contact us to schedule a complimentary PHP upgrade assessment. I’d love to hear what you’re building.
Update: New installations of Code for i include the +uninhibited option by default, as described here.
The open-source TN5250 emulator provides a handy way to launch IBM i 5250 sessions from within VS Code for IBM i.
The one drawback I’ve found in TN5250 is the Cursor in protected area of display error when I accidentally type on a protected area of the screen—an area where input isn’t allowed. The error must be cleared before I can continue to work.
IBM i Services are a growing, innovative use of SQL on the IBM i platform. These SQL-based functions and views provide convenient access to system functionality. For example, VS Code for i uses the LIBRARY_INFO table function.
Because these SQL-based services are added and enhanced over time, each service has an operating system release and Group PTF level at which it became available.
I had wished there was a list of minimum release levels for all the IBM i Services. As it happened, at our latest Code for IBM i Fridays meeting, Scott Forstie, the DB2 for i Business Architect, provided the resources that I’d been looking for.