Author: Jeff Eveland

By Wendy Sanacore
Mainframe is best described as a style of operations, applications and operating system facilities. What used to be described as a mainframe is now updated to be called a server.
A mainframe is the central hub in a corporation’s data processing center, linked to users through less powerful devices such as workstations or terminals. Mainframe presence often implies a centralized form of computing, as opposed to a distributed form of computing.
By centralizing the data in a single mainframe repository, customers are saved from having to manage updates to more than one copy of their business data, which increases the likelihood that the data is current
Early mainframes were very large and cumbersome, sometimes taking up an entire room in size.
More recently, mainframes have begun to scale down in size and in some cases, it’s possible to run a mainframe operating system on a PC that emulates a mainframe.
The common misunderstanding is that mainframes are complex, unmanageable systems. This isn’t so. A stable mainframe system is very productive when run by a competent staff.
In fact, the proper use of mainframes can actually decrease the cost of maintenance and improve overall user satisfaction.
Mainframes have evolved over the years and those companies with the understanding that mainframes are complex are more than likely still using the same mainframe they always have in the same capacity.
Mainframe updates and evolution allows for the incorporation of new technical capabilities and are successfully being used to support innovation.
So will mainframes ever be rendered obsolete? I don’t think so. There is so much information housed on mainframes now that a shift from mainframe technology is not foreseeable anywhere within the near or even distant future.
About TxMQ
Since it’s inception, TxMQ has specialized in Mainframe software and mainframe systems support offerings. As mainframe software and mainframe applications and subsystems like DB2, z/OS, CICS, MQ, and DB2 continued to grow in popularity, so too did TxMQ’s offerings.
These expanded to include technologies like virtualization solutions including linux virtualization, network virtualization (cloud computing), and desktop virtualization, as well as mainframe modernization.
As the web became more prevalent and a part of the enterprise, we followed IBM’s offerings and added skilled resources and SME’s in areas like websphere, bpm and soa, including both Lombardi, and metastorm (now a part of open text), as well as Datapower.
Contact us today at 716-636-0070 ext 29 or email wendy@txmq.com to find the solution that’s right for you.

By Wendy Sanacore
2011 is going to be a big year for WebSphere. The main focus is to utilize it to help companies achieve agility, and users are seeing several trends to help them get there.
Hybrid Cloud Integration
Hybrid Cloud Integration is one of two key initiatives for 2011. The other is private cloud.  IBM’s foundation for Hybrid Cloud Computing is “Cast Iron.” This is pre-fabricated support right out of the box.
It includes integration, security, monitoring and governance and allows a company to responsibly integrate on-premise services with off-premise services.
This on-demand integration allows customers to directly focus on the essence of the integration and not get caught up on the logistics. The cloud integration supports hundreds of applications.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
IBM PaaS is an integrated system designed to provide customers with a virtualized, optimized stack for middleware applications.
It aims to allow companies the ability to pack more services into a smaller space.
The workload-based, middleware patterns will simplify administration and deployment. Its integrated and optimized hardware infrastructure and middleware dramatically lowers costs.
Workload Optimized Systems
This system focuses on bringing hardware and software together in a way that it never really has before. The goal as Jerry Cuomo from IBM stated, is to make 1+1=3.
Ultimately, the goal is to make the hardware and software equal something greater than what it is individually.
The optimization engineers all components to behave as one and not as a separate entity.
Scale and Accelerators
The main focus for 2011 is performance, response time, scalability, and resilience.
WebSphere extreme Scale (XS) Technology allows for extreme performance and scalability for data-intensive applications and web applications.
This will allow you to intelligently offload weak links in your applications and can be optimized without doubling your IT spend.
Extending to Mobile

Jerry Cuomo referred to this initiative as a “really exciting progression.” He said he felt it was one of the most exciting in WebSphere.
The WebSphere platform is emerging as a world class Mobile Application Platform. IBM is currently investigating the mobile capabilities within its suite of products.
This mobile initiative will allow applications to be written once and then used on many platforms.
There are a lot of neat changes and upgrades on the horizon for WebSphere in 2011. So I guess if you’re anything like me, you will just keep your eyes peeled and ears open for the latest developments and of course, I will always share them here when I hear about them.
You can always keep me up to date as well! Let me know what you hear out there about WebSphere.
(Information in this blog from IBM webinar BWC Lab Chat: “WebSphere 2011 Trends” presented by Jerry Cuomo.)
About TxMQ
Since it’s inception, TxMQ has specialized in Mainframe software and mainframe systems support offerings. As mainframe software and mainframe applications and subsystems like DB2, z/OS, CICS, MQ, and DB2 continued to grow in popularity, so too did TxMQ’s offerings.
These expanded to include technologies like virtualization solutions including linux virtualization, network virtualization (cloud computing), and desktop virtualization, as well as mainframe modernization.
As the web became more prevalent and a part of the enterprise, we followed IBM’s offerings and added skilled resources and SME’s in areas like websphere, bpm and soa, including both Lombardi, and metastorm (now a part of open text), as well as Datapower.
Contact us today at 716-636-0070 ext 29 or email wendy@txmq.com to find the solution that’s right for you.

By Wendy Sanacore
IBM announced that program services for WebSphere® MQ V 6.0, WebSphere® MQ V 6.0.1 and WebSphere® MQ for z/OS V 6.0  will be discontinued as of September 2012.
IBM had previously announced an end to support effective September, 2011, but has since extended the date.
With the discontinuation of WebSphere V6, it is time for companies utilizing it to begin thinking about an upgrade to V7.
The latest version of WebSphere supports Java EE5, Web Services Enhancements and Web 2.0 Feature Pack.
About TxMQ
Since it’s inception, TxMQ has specialized in Mainframe software and mainframe systems support offerings. As mainframe software and mainframe applications and subsystems like DB2, z/OS, CICS, MQ, and DB2 continued to grow in popularity, so too did TxMQ’s offerings.
These expanded to include technologies like virtualization solutions including linux virtualization, network virtualization (cloud computing), and desktop virtualization, as well as mainframe modernization.
As the web became more prevalent and a part of the enterprise, we followed IBM’s offerings and added skilled resources and SME’s in areas like websphere, bpm and soa, including both Lombardi, and metastorm (now a part of open text), as well as Datapower.

By Wendy Sanacore
March is flying by. Here’s what’s new in the wonderful world of WebSphere this month.
1. IBM, Wholesale Applications Community partnering with Telecom to make building App stores simple
The storefront is built on the WebSphere Commerce customer interation platform and will provide mobile operators with a virtual space they can populate with apps.
It’s called the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC), and it has a catalog of more than 12,000 apps. Click here to learn more.
2. IBM addressing server workload demands
IBM is making additions to the zEnterprise System, including a new support for the IBM WebSphere DataPower X150 integration appliance.
They also introduced Storwize Rapid Application Storage Kit, which IBM states is quick to implement and allows simplified ongoing administrations and management. IBM states that it boasts a reduced downtime of almost 90% when compared to backups in SAP, oracle and Microsoft Exchange.
3. Nolio ASAP 3.1 available for IBM WebSphere
Nolio 3.1 was released earlier this year and was designed to minimize the possibility of human error during routine maintenance and upgrades as well as provide a clear, fully documented audit trail of interventions and process work flows. Learn more, here.
4. CapitalWare unveils new WebSphere MQ auditing tool
MQ auditor (MQA) enables an organization to track all MQ API calls performed by MQ applications that are connected to a queu manager, according to CapitalWare, which specializes in creating WebSphere MQ utilities. Here’s some further information on the subject.
About TxMQ
Since it’s inception, TxMQ has specialized in Mainframe software and mainframe systems support offerings. As mainframe software and mainframe applications and subsystems like DB2, z/OS, CICS, MQ, and DB2 continued to grow in popularity, so too did TxMQ’s offerings.
These expanded to include technologies like virtualization solutions including linux virtualization, network virtualization (cloud computing), and desktop virtualization, as well as mainframe modernization.
As the web became more prevalent and a part of the enterprise, we followed IBM’s offerings and added skilled resources and SME’s in areas like websphere, bpm and soa, including both Lombardi, and metastorm (now a part of open text), as well as Datapower.
Contact us today at 716-636-0070 ext 29 or email wendy@txmq.com to find the solution that’s right for you.

By Wendy Sanacore
Oracle and IBM have been at it regarding who has the better Middleware solution…IBM WebSphere or Oracle Database?
Just as recently as last week, IBM released claims that “businesses using IBM WebSphere middleware on Power 7 hardware can get the lowest cost for performance in the industry.” In addition, IBM claims that it has “proven 76 percent higher performance than Oracle.”
IBM has even launched a new website proclaiming that they are better than Oracle and even sending some jabs in Oracle’s direction.
But there’s more to this story apparently…
In September 2009, the Transaction Processing Performance Council (TPC) fined Oracle over an advertisement Oracle placed in the Wall Street Journal, which claimed that systems using Oracle hardware and software ran faster than systems using IBM, based on TPC benchmarks. However, Oracle did not have the TPC results to support the claim at the time, and TPC ordered Oracle to pull the ads.
With the ongoing battle, it’s important to note that both IBM and Oracle are major players and therefore in strong competition in the middleware industry. So tell me, which middleware do you use? Oracle or IBM?
About TxMQ

TxMQ, headquartered in Buffalo, NY provides flexible staffing and software solutions across all divisions and departments within a company.
As a leading staffing and solutions agency, TxMQ provides placement of permanent and contract professionals within a wide variety of skill sets including Information Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing Operations, Accounting and Finance, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources, and Administrative Management.

Contact us today at 716-636-0070 ext 29 or email wendy@txmq.com to find the solution that’s right for you.
(View article source)

By Wendy Sanacore
Apple just launched the iPad 2. It crows the benefits of being lighter, thinner and featuring a front-facing video camera for video chat and a souped-up processor.
The new iPad will release on March 11, but in my opinion, this absolutely begs the question…Why should we buy anything as a version one anymore when we know there will be a newer, more updated version just down the road?
Case in point, there have already been 4 versions of the iPhone with tease of an iPhone 5 launching this summer. What happened to all those people who ran out and waited in lines for Version 1? Are they now obsolete?
Apple has a great marketing plan. By hyping up the most recent version of its product, they can persuade the people who spent $499 on the previous product to go out and spend the exact same amount for Version 2. It’s all in the name of technology, I suppose.
What about you? Do you purchase the new Apple products as soon as they hit the shelf? I know one thing, I didn’t own the original iPad, but I sure do want the iPad 2…
About TxMQ

TxMQ, headquartered in Buffalo, NY provides flexible staffing and software solutions across all divisions and departments within a company.
As a leading staffing and solutions agency, TxMQ provides placement of permanent and contract professionals within a wide variety of skill sets including Information Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing Operations, Accounting and Finance, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources, and Administrative Management.

Contact us today at 716-636-0070 ext 29 or email wendy@txmq.com for more information.

By Chuck Fried

Chuckenomics 101

Yes America, the Great Recession is at an end.  Sorry, while I do have a degree in finance, I won’t claim to be an economics guru, so let’s call my field of expertise “Chuckenomics.”  The study of reality, as I see it, through my own version of Steve Jobs’ oft quoted ‘reality distortion field’ if you will.

Yes, I work in the IT consulting field, and thus have a tremendous amount of exposure to job seekers and hiring managers. That certainly colors my view.  However, I also travel a bit for work and even manage to get in some vacation time now and then.

Recently, my wife and I took some of our kids to Orlando, where we spent one day in Disney World and one day at Universal Studios.  Unless I miss my guess, these trips were a pretty good indicator of some significant improvements in the economy.

Remember now, I’m admitting to a biased point of view here and not claiming any scientific accuracy by a long shot, but it was pretty clear to us that people were not only jamming those parks, but also spending mad money on everything from $35 Harry Potter wands (can you say $.99 molded Chinese plastic), and $4 Butter Beer (can you say overly sugared cream soda), to $30 Mouse ears (see earlier comment on molded Chinese plastic).

Lines? Really. How about more than an hour wait for Space Mountain and another hour wait to get a table to buy overpriced, under prepared food, and so on.

We had a good chance to discuss this with the kids, as well as with my mother in law who was a real trooper and tagged along, and we all came to the same conclusion: Someone’s got money to spend if they come to Disney and Universal. It’s not a cheap trip.

Thus America, this concludes today’s lesson in Chuckenomics 101.  Any questions?

By Wendy Sanacore

What is Private Cloud?

Private Cloud has generally been mainly used by large enterprise customers. This is an internally hosted Cloud service which is very secure. Large companies have been using it as a continualization of their previous virtualization efforts. Private Cloud is most often defined by companies that want their file backup to be in house or their software to be hosted on site.

Private Cloud is generally used by larger enterprises because of the requirement of IT expertise in house. Many smaller companies cannot afford to staff the IT department needed to run on a private cloud.

What is Public Cloud?

Public Cloud is the ability of companies to have their files backed up in externally hosted data centers. Public Cloud will back up and handle a number of different platforms and many enterprises have been effectively using private Cloud for many years.

This is particularly useful for small companies who have been using email as a file storage system. Switching to public Cloud will allow them to easily store their information off site.

However, many large enterprises don't want to explore the avenue of public Cloud because it takes the control of security out of their hands. They need to fully trust their hosting provider to handle all security measures. And while the data is encrypted, many companies feel more comfortable knowing that it is being watched over by their team of IT professionals.

According to a Redmond Channel Partner Webcast entitled "How Cloud Services Help Your Bottom Line," small and large companies alike are projecting a 30% spending increase for public IT Cloud services in 2011.