As IT Manager/VP IT, my role is to drive innovation while ensuring the stability and continuity of my core systems.
Blog
Our expertise around DevOps, Modernization and Anonymization solutions
Why we should stop using punched cards?
Discover the hidden potential of RPG Free Form and why it's time to upgrade to modern features and tools for creating cutting-edge business applications!
Putting the CT in your CI/CD pipeline
We have all heard about the CI/CD pipeline in DevOps. This is the standard phrase. But what is often left out of this is the CT - the Continuous Testing aspect. Automation of the testing is vital to the success of the CI/CT/CD pipeline and with the Arcad testing suite of tools, we fit right in with the use of automation, regardless of the pipeline used.
Moving to Git (centralized) from Classic Source Control with your IBM i
Whether you are a current Arcad Customer or one just looking to move from your current or nonexistent source control process to one that makes use of Git, then you have found the right blog.
A “Wizard” for Application Development and Modernization on IBM i
Merlin is a joint solution from IBM and ARCAD to help streamline new next-generation application development on IBM i and automate modernization of existing ones.
DevSecOps – Automating Quality and Security in your IBMi source code
When you begin your process to develop a new application or an enhancement to an existing application, one of the areas that is often at the bottom of the list is security. So, this is where Arcad Software’s Code Checker can step in.
Avoiding the pitfalls of legacy application migration [There is another way]
"90% of CIOs have experienced failed or disrupted migration projects, for many and diverse reasons. There is a better way to approach migration of your legacy applications, don’t do it!"
IBM i: the challenge of generational transition
IBM i was born over thirty years ago and has seen many innovations that have kept the platform ahead of the field. With looming staffing changes comes the inherent challenge of closing the knowledge gap and keeping the legacy of IBM i alive and well...
Should I Stay or Should I Go? ARCAD Dashboards Reveal Key Insights Into Your IBM i Application
In this article, you'll discover how Arcad dashboards give managers both visibility to their value stream, and the tools to ensure real Application Intelligence.
ARCAD Value Stream Management (VSM) Helps You Manage Your IBM i Applications
With Arcad dashboards, managers can feel in control of their application, getting a full view of the flow metrics essential to understanding how value is constantly moving through the system and where things can be improved.
Field Size Expansion to Automatically Transform Your IBM i Source Code
As databases begin to age, so does their source code, and their purpose may also change. Refitting a database to meet the current needs of business often requires modification to the database at the field level, which can have all kinds of undesirable consequences if it is not executed with the greatest of care.
The Key to IBM i Automation
The twenty-first century is well underway and automation has radically changed nearly every industry across the planet. And this is just as true in the world of DevOps where automation is no longer just another handy tool, but is often the key to whether a business survives or thrives.
DevOps maturity on IBM i: let go of the past
When speaking of the IBM i and the lifecycle of application development, it would be easy to stick to the old ways of working. But in today’s world, those old ways just do not cut it. Forward thinking enterprises have massively adopted the Agile and DevOps philosophy.
Managing IBM i: CIO challenge or opportunity?
A constant challenge for a Chief Information Officer in a transactional, data-heavy industry is leveraging the legacy of their IBM i platform to adapt to current needs, essentially using it to its fullest potential. Keeping that potential tapped translates into a flexible and agile platform, driving growth for your business, an important aspect to keep in mind when approaching the demands of IT.
3 steps to modernize your IBM i
First let’s answer the question: why modernize your IBM i applications anyway? Well, many IBM i modernization projects don’t start until after a major production failure, so getting out ahead of problems saves you time, pain and resources. Secondly, many IBM i specific skills like RPG or 4GL development are becoming more and more scarce, meaning time could be running out.
Git DevOps going on IBM i
A practitioner’s guide to easy CI/CD on IBM i with Git (or, why are you waiting?). I have a question for the IBM i shops out there. What are we waiting for? Why aren’t we doing DevOps yet? I’m going to suggest that a lot of shops fall into the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” category. That’s pretty much been the culture of traditional IBM i shops.
Transforming a traditional ‘green screen’ team into an Agile Pod for IBM i
A personal and sympathetic view of taking a traditional AS/400 development team to an Agile POD using a fully automated CI/CT/CD DevOps pipeline with Agile methodology on the IBM i, by Adrian Tully
‘True Git’ – the right and wrong approaches to Git on IBM i
Until now, the current change management (CM) tools have dominated the IBM i market providing some elementary versioning of application releases, only ONE version of the source per release. But today the term ‘source control’ - or SCM - has taken on a whole new meaning.
How to manage test data for smarter, faster testing?
Why test data can be hard to manage, what are the best practices and which tangible benefits you stand to gain from a consistent set of test data?
CI for RPG/COBOL with ARCAD and CloudBees
Similar to GitHub’s relationship with the open source project Git, CloudBees is the company built around the open source project Jenkins.
Legacy modernization: 10 preconceptions to urgently dispel
With the major economic crisis we will face for at least the next twelve months, it is high time to take a fresh look at our existing application assets.
Unit Testing: Beating technical debt
In this article we will examine the importance of unit testing in general and assess how relevant the technique is on IBM i.
“Azure DevOps” Rhymes with “Arcad ‘n’ Drops”
Learn how your IBM i shop can utilize Microsoft’s most powerful development software, aside from perhaps Windows itself. Azure DevOps has existed in some iteration since 2006, but it seems to have hit its stride with the addition of git in 2013.
Why “Git”?
Git is still generating an enormous amount of buzz. What are the reasons behind its poularity? Is it really justified? And how relevant is Git in the world of IBM i development?
Code review: go automatic!
SonarQube is the de-facto standard code review tool for many modern languages today. But do you need to automate the same continuous quality checking for your RPG code and CL?
Empower your IBM i teams: the extraordinary potential of Git
The DevOps movement has created a refreshing “wind of change” in the way application development is managed, reaching the furthest corners of the industry and not least our beloved IBM i.
DevOps on IBM i: Beyond the hype
How do I get from where I am today to “real” DevOps? Here’s a good start.
RPG Free Form vs. Java: nothing compares
Can RPG Free Form and Java languages coexist in order to obtain "the best of both worlds"?
“Legacy” will never die!
Modernization vs. Migration : Discover how Legacy systems can provide oustanding competitive advantage, reduce operational risk and keep your business up and running smoothly and securely!
5 keys to integrating IBM i into your DevOps strategy
Discover how to secure your DevOps transformation on Legacy platforms (Mainframe and IBM i)
Fixing the “last bottlenecks” of test automation for Legacy IBM i (AS/400) with ARCAD
How Test Automation combined with Batch Testing and Defect Analysis at the Database level can optimize your DevOps process.
GIT a Jump in Your Step
Reflections on the rise of Git and the DevOps paradigm on so-called legacy platforms IBM i and z/OS – by Floyd Del Muro, DevOps Advocate
5 keys to IBM i Modernization Success
Whatever the driving reason for a modernization project on a so-called "legacy" system like IBM i, it is important to identify the key points that will help secure the success of the project.
Test Automation and Source Code Analysis for IBM i: why bother enforcing a new quality gate?
What’s in it for the developers and why is it needed for DevOps – a thought inspiring blog by ARCAD’s Director of Northern European operations, Nick Blamey
The rise of Enterprise DevOps: solving the IT silo challenge
Discover the rise of Enterprise DevOps and where it will lead.
The evolution of DevOps
Find out how the DevOps concept, which previously focused primarily on IT services, is spreading across the enterprise today.
DevOps Facts & Predictions – Infographic
DevOps adoption is growing faster than ever. Check out our infographic to discover the latest DevOps predictions, and how this agile corporate culture improves efficiency in all lines of business!
What is Source Code Management?
You would think someone who has been in the industry for as long as I have would have a simple answer to a simple question. What is source code management? My reply? Well, that depends.
Modernization process, application modernization roadmap
It’s 2018 – Have you modernized yet ? If not, you must be waiting for some kind of invitation. Consider this a formal invitation. You need to get with the times.
How Git can be used as the source repository for your native IBM i code? – Part 1
Imagine being able to branch and merge IBMi code as easily as you do your PHP code. Imagine adopting agile methodologies for native development, builds and deployments. Imagine never having to “check-out” code and jump through those hoops. That’s what Git allows, and it’s really not that hard to accomplish.
GitHub: How Developers Got to Run the World (sic)
Of the world’s most visited websites this month, GitHub rates 59 and climbing. Not bad considering that GitHub’s appeal is limited to software developers whereas the other popular sites like Google and Amazon have a planetary audience. Is software becoming as important as the written word?
Why DevOps?
In business today, there is a premium on the speed with which IT can deliver software and its reliability – and implementing DevOps is becoming a key competitive differentiator.
Why open source?
Technologies based on open source have advanced considerably over the recent years, in all the intricacies of the software development world. Is this just because the licenses are free?
Share your IBM i platform with open source tools
IBM continues to encourage greater and more extensive use of open source tools on the IBM i platform. This has helped IBM i become more popular, less “proprietary” and more accessible to young generations of developers. Further, it has opened the platform to a vast software offering produced via the open source model.
DevOps Would Have Saved the Dinosaurs!
I have been fortunate to attend many events and conferences throughout the years, several on an annual basis. These gatherings bring together industry leaders from all over the world to share their expertise and knowledge about the IBMi and open source ecosystems.
Relevance of a DevOps strategy
When we first heard the term “DevOps” and the buzz it was generating, we asked ourselves whether it was just another case of reinventing the wheel. It’s common in our business that a hot new term signifies an evolution, rather than a revolution. And DevOps is a good example.
RPG Free Form: Why is it so important for you?
The biggest concern that IBM i companies are struggling with is finding good RPG resources. For sure, if you look at things from only that angle, you have every chance of being very, very disappointed. The average age is above 50 and you can roughly get only one developer for the cost of two, not very exciting.
Evolution, not revolution
Back from a trip in different countries in Asia, I’ve clearly seen that the situation in the IBM i market is rather different from Europe and North America – apart from Japan of course, which definitely resembles these two large areas.
IBM i Trends: Managing application parameters
A strong trend is underway and is set to continue: businesses are adopting an increasing number of standard software packages, often in the cloud, into their Information Systems. Today’s period of major technological change fosters this trend.