MC Press Online Launches New Online Bookstore for IT Professionals

Redesigned from the ground up, the new MC Press Bookstore sports a clean new interface, more product information, and new training materials and e-book sections.

Ketchum, ID, March 10, 2011 --(PR.com)-- MC Press Online, LLC has announced the launch of its new feature-rich online MC Press Bookstore (http://www.mc-store.com) enhanced with new training materials and targeted at information technology professionals who need to keep their skills up to date.

The pace at which technology is moving today has never been faster, and many programmers, system administrators, and IT managers are under intense pressure to keep up with the new advances. In fact, according to leading IT staffing agencies, their jobs depend on it.

As the leading book publisher serving the IBM midrange channel, MC Press Online offers many titles on emerging and open-source technologies in addition to those developed and supported by IBM. A growing list of college textbooks and IT management books rounds out the product line. MC Press also publishes five high-tech newsletters and a news portal, MC Press Online (http://www.mcpressonline.com).

While MC Press has been offering books online since 2002, its original online store had several limitations and, eventually, a dated interface, all of which have been redesigned and completely redeveloped from the ground up, according to David M. Uptmor, MC Press Online publisher.

"The new store has more robust product listings and is far more informative than the old store was," says Uptmor. "We also have completely reorganized all store products to make everything much easier to find. There are now many different ways to view the products. It's a completely new experience from the user's viewpoint, one we believe will make customers want to return again and again."

A major enhancement to the store's content is the addition of a full line of training materials from Manta Technologies, Inc. (http://www.mantatech.com), the leading provider of training to the IBM i community. MC Press customers will receive an exclusive 5 percent discount off Manta's best price when they purchase Manta training through the MC Press Bookstore, according to Jeff Phillips, MC Press Online director of marketing.

"We now actually offer a price for training from Manta that is lower than Manta's own price," says Phillips. "However, you must click through from the MC Press Bookstore in order to get the extra 5 percent discount."

In line with current publishing industry trends, the MC Press Bookstore has opened a new e-books section where visitors will find a number of their favorite titles available in Kindle Edition via Amazon.com.

While the content, user interface, and functionality of the store have all been redesigned, so too has the pricing structure, says Phillips. Not only is the MC Press Bookstore now offering free ground shipping on orders of $100 or more for customers in the continental U.S., but prices on the current inventory of books have been adjusted in every case to ensure readers get the absolute best value possible, he says

For the budget-minded buyer interested more in the content than the wrapper, the Bookstore now offers a new "Scratch and Dent" section.

Because readers are generally interested in what people who have read a book think of it, the Bookstore has a review section where visitors can post their thoughts online. The Bookstore also has a new blog hosted by Katie Tipton, MC Press Online book editor, who will be writing about various authors and upcoming new titles.

Tipton noted that book code downloads are now available directly from the book's Web page, along with a link to the reader discussion forum. A popular feature of the MC Press Bookstore is the ability for readers to see a book's table of contents, index, and a sample excerpt—all in realistic PDF format—for every book.

As polished and attractive as the new Bookstore is, MC Press isn't finished with all the enhancements planned for the new site, according to the publisher. Among the major upcoming features will be a display of competitive pricing alongside the MC Press price, and inclusion of an affiliate program where other businesses can place an ad with a special link and receive a percentage of any resulting sales.

About MC Press Online, LLC

MC Press Online, LLC is the leading complete information resource for the IBM Power Systems (IBM i, AS/400, iSeries, System i, AIX, and Linux) community. Through its books, Web site, e-newsletters, and other products, MC Press Online delivers hands-on, up-to-the-minute information about Power Systems so users—from programmers to CIOs—can be more productive and better informed. MC Press Online provides information in a variety of formats to suit different needs. It publishes books, electronic publications, multimedia offerings, computer-based training, and Web-based education. Its Web site contains hundreds of technical articles, lots of code, and useful forums hosting discussions on topics related to the IBM midrange field. For more information, visit http://www.MCPressOnline.com.

Contacts for new book ideas and affiliate marketing opportunities:

Jeff Phillips
Marketing Director
208.629.7275 Ext. 503
jphillips@mcpressonline.com

Katie Tipton
Book Editor
208.629.7275 Ext. 505
ktipton@mcpressonline.com

This article was originally published at: Press Releases

Get White Papers on IBM i App Modernization: Web Enablement and PHP

I received an interesting news from BCD Software and I have copied below for your convenience

Read the white papers to learn how you can deliver modern web applications with these two BCD solutions: Presto gives all your IBM i green screens a Web GUI in one minute with no code changes. The white paper discusses why you should modernize your 5250 applications and how Presto can accomplish this. WebSmart PHP helps you rapidly develop IBM i and multi-platform PHP apps in minutes using templates and wizards. The white paper discusses why you should consider writing web apps in PHP and how WebSmart helps you do that. Bonus Draw: Every IT person at any organization that purchases a BCD software product by January 31, 2011 that is registered in this draw will be entered in a second drawing to win a free iPad. Request a White Paper or 30-day Trial to enter iPad draw Discuss your needs Call today: 630-986-0800 Email: info@bcdsoftware.com Website: www.bcdsoftware.com

IBM DB2 e-kit for Database Professionals

IBM allows you to download a free ebook on DB2 for database professionals.

If you are interested click the following link:

==> IBM DB2 e-kit for Database Professionals

VAI Software ERP Solutions for IBM i

I found an interestng document on the ERP solutions for the IBM iSeries proposed by VAI

ERP solutions from large-scale software vendors are not always the right choice for those midsized organizations. “Many midsized companies need ERP solutions that can address their particular business needs without extensive in-house software customization,” says Kevin Beasley, CIO of
VAI. “They also need solutions that can be deployed quickly. And of course, cost is a prime factor. Companies need to reduce the costs of acquisition and ensure a rapid return on their investment.”

VAI provides targeted ERP solutions

In a very competitive marketplace, VAI has remained successful for more than 30 years by delivering targeted solutions more rapidly and cost-effectively than the competition. Designed for the mid-range market, VAI S2K ERP solutions have been adopted by businesses throughout North America and increasingly across the globe, in the Middle East and Europe.

You can read the full document at:

==> VAI Software for IBM i

IBM i Pops Up on eHow.com

Just when I thought I'd seen it all (well okay, not everything), a Google Alert shows up in my inbox with an IBM i article from, of all places, eHow.com. You know, that website that pops up when you Google "how to make paper mache" (don't even ask—or at least, don't try to hurry the drying process by putting it in a warm oven!).

Seriously, in regards to IBM i (or more commonly on eHow.com, the iSeries) you can learn:

How to Install, Upgrade or Delete i5/OS & Related Software, which really looks like an article on how to connect to a server running IBM i from a PC.

How to Create XML From an iSeries File, which describes how to turn data files stored on an i system into XML files.

How to Restore an iSeries on Another System, which looks like how you might put the contents of a single database stored on an i system onto a diskette.

How to Restore From an iSeries Tape, which sounds like it might really work, except that the author's maple syrup has won awards in competition, leading me to believe that then again, maybe it won't.

How to Remove an iSeries Password Cache, which sounds like few too many instructions to do something complex, but the author has a degree in computer science.

How to Print From iSeries to Ricoh, which seems like basic info.

At first I thought this was a totally cool phenomena, that IBM i had claimed a decent presence on a mainstream website. But now I'm not so sure. Most of these instructions are written in 3 to 5 steps and most are by authors whose backgrounds have nothing to do with technology, which leaves me wondering:

Are there SMBs (or dare I say, enterprises) out there that have some form of an i system sitting amongst their Wintel servers with no clue about what to do with it? And suddenly a day comes when they want to take some data off it and put it on a Wintel system but have no one in-house who knows how to do that and so ventures to the web where they find these instructions on eHow.com?

Naw.

Seeing as how most entries are written by self-proclaimed writers, and that eHow.com offers $15 to $20 per hour to folks willing to write 3 or so entries in that hour and offers fame and glory on a website with high hits as a benefit, I'd have to guess that these writers are covering everything and anything to make a buck.

—Rita-Lyn Sanders, Senior Industry Editor

The article was originally published on the SystemINetwork website

Zend Gently Nudges Customers to New PHP Runtime

I noticed an interesting article on PHP for the IBM iSeries on the IT Jungle website and I copy it below for your attention.

by Alex Woodie

There has been some confusion in the marketplace regarding Zend Technologies and its IBM i offerings. To summarize, Zend is moving away from Zend Core and Zend Platform offerings, and encouraging all IBM i customers to start using the new Zend Server, or at least begin planning the migration, because Zend will stop supporting the Core and Platform runtimes this July.

Zend announced Zend Server 5.0 for Linux and Windows in October 2009, and launched the IBM i version of that product in April 2010. At some point, the Cupertino, California, company announced the end of life for Zend Core and Zend Platform, which for years have been the primary PHP runtimes for Windows, Linux, and IBM i servers.

Zend has already stopped distributing Zend Core for i5/OS, which was free, as well as Linux and Windows versions of the free PHP runtime. And it has (mostly) stopped selling Zend Platform, which was the enterprise-strength version of the PHP runtime that added things like performance optimization and application monitoring capabilities. (The company will still sell a Zend Platform license in special circumstances, it says in its end of life statement. But this probably only relates to Windows and Linux.)

The vendor announced that, as of July 1, it will no longer support Zend Core or Zend Platform on any environment. However, there are some caveats to that as it relates to the agreement it has with IBM, which for years has been distributing copies of Zend Core for i5/OS with the i5/OS and IBM i operating system and paying for its customers to get full year of technical support from Zend. IBM has taken these steps to encourage i5/OS and IBM i shops to adopt PHP for application modernization, and it has worked pretty well, by most accounts.

One of the caveats is this: If an existing IBM i customer has just begun the one year of free technical support from Zend that IBM offers to all customers adopting Zend Core for i5/OS, then Zend will abide by that agreement and continue to support that customer on Zend Core for i5/OS, according to a Zend Server FAQ on the Zend Web site that discusses the options for Zend Core and Zend Platform for i5/OS customers. Similarly, Zend Core for i5/OS customers who are under contract, and who need extra capacity, will be allowed to buy additional licenses up until their support contract runs out. After that, they'll need to upgrade to its replacement, Zend Server (Community Edition) for IBM i.

While Zend will (grudgingly) support the old Zend Core for i5/OS product for the full 12 months for customers who have already started their year of tech support (or sell them extra capacity), Zend says it "strongly recommends" that customers instead move to Zend Server CE for IBM i.

Any new IBM i customers who want to start taking advantage of their free year of tech support from Zend will not be allowed to get support on the old Zend Core product. Instead, they will be required to move to the new Zend Server CE for IBM i product if they want to get support. (Or, they could just use Zend Core for i5/OS, but they won't get support from Zend.)

All IBM i customers, including those in the middle of their free year of tech support, have the option of upgrading from Zend Core for i5/OS to Zend Server CE for IBM i. When IBM i customers get to the end of their one year of free technical support, customers who desire tech support will need to migrate to Zend Server CE or the full Zend Server or IBM i product, which starts at about $5,000 per year on a Power System Model 520.

The Zend Server CE and Zend Server for IBM i products are basically the same product, the only difference being that customers who have upgraded to Zend Server for IBM i get a key that unlocks additional features.

So, why would an IBM i shop want to move to Zend Server, aside from the fact that it's the only way to get technical support? According to Zend and IBM, the Zend Server product family is a big improvement over the Zend Core and Zend Platform products, in a number of ways.

Perhaps the biggest enhancement is the fact that Zend Server for IBM i requires only a single Apache Web application server instance. Thanks to IBM's FastCGI technology, the need to have two Apache instance--one in IBM i and another in AIX accessed via PASE--is eliminated. This boosts performance, and simplifies installation and maintenance, the vendors say.

Customers moving up to the full Zend Server for IBM i product will benefit from other new features, such as integrated code-tracing that enables developers to build faster, more efficient apps; new job queue functions that enable PHP apps to better control the execution of application and maintenance tasks; and new page- and data-caching functions that boosts performance and scalability.

For more information, see http://www.zend.com/en/products/server/zend-server-ibm-i-faq.

Linoma Adds Enterprise Features to MFT Offering

by Alex Woodie

Linoma Software last week unveiled a new release of GoAnywhere Director, its managed file transfer (MFT) solution. Version 3.5 brings a number of enterprise-level capabilities, including support for message queue (MQ) technologies and CIFS file shares, auto resume features, and file locking capabilities. New IBM i-specific command shortcuts were also added.

Transfer Anywhere debuted about three years ago as Linoma's do-it-all data movement utility for IBM i and other platforms. The Java-based software, which grew out of Linoma's earlier Transfer Anywhere product, allowed users to do all kinds of things with their data, including distributing it via SFTP and FTPS; translating among different file formats; replicating data among databases; encrypting data via OpenPGP; compressing data via ZIP and TAR; and managing all this from the comfort of Web browser interfaces.

In 2009, Linoma rolled out GoAnywhere Director as it simultaneously introduced a version of the product called GoAnywhere Services that was primarily designed as a "data storefront" to make it easy for customers to share data with their customers or partners over the Web, without requiring a formal client installation of the full MFT product on a supported server.

Organizations that do a lot of heavy lifting with their data movement activities and need a centralized solution for ease of management and compliance are better off with the full GoAnywhere Director product, which installs on IBM i, Windows, Unix, and Linux servers.

Linoma has fleshed out the product with GoAnywhere version 3.5, which features various enterprise-level features. For example, support for fault-tolerant MQ technologies like WebSphere MQ (MQ Series), SonicMQ, and ActiveMQ (via the Java Messaging Service, or JMS, standard) makes the software applicable to these high-volume, business-critical environments.

Small businesses communicating with a lot of Windows servers will be interested in the new support for the common Internet file system (CIFS) protocol. Linoma says support for the SMB/CIFS protocol will enable the software to manage, encrypt, and transfer files to and from network shares in Windows, Linux, and Unix environments.

Customers who have been stumped when large file transfers unexpectedly fail or timeout will be interested in the new auto-resume feature that debuts in version 3.5. This feature is commonly found in more expensive MFT solutions that use proprietary protocols to help ensure delivery. Linoma says the auto re-connect feature works with FTP, FTPS, and SFTP protocols.

Another enterprise-level feature in version 3.5 is support for file locking capabilities. Since GoAnywhere Director has the capability to directly connect to relational database management systems such as DB2/400, SQL Server, MySQL, Oracle, Postgres and others, the capability to lock data files on read and write operations will help to ensure data integrity and minimize any conflicts.

Linoma also added a new high availability feature that ensures GoAnywhere configuration settings can be recovered in the event of unexpected outage. This feature works with DB2/400, MySQL, and SQL Servers, and also stores log data collected by GoAnywhere. \r\nIBM i customers will also be interested to hear about the new command shortcuts that Linoma added. These shortcuts will streamline access to popular functions from the IBM i command line, including SFTP gets/puts, Open PGP encryption/decryption, ZIP and UNZIP.

File monitors have also been added that constantly scan for new or modified files in certain folders. When GoAnywhere detects a change, it can automatically execute a process workflow against the file. The product's scheduling and workflow functions have also been adapted with new templates that streamline the setup process for certain functions.

Linoma chief architect Bob Luebbe hopes his customers take advantage of the new functions. "As its feature-set continues to grow, GoAnywhere Director can be used to streamline even more data transfers while providing the audit trails and security needed for compliance," he states in a press release.

GoAnywhere Director 3.5 is available now. Pricing starts at $3,495. For more information and trial downloads, see the product website at www.goanywheremft.com.

The article was originally published on the IT Jungle