May 5, 2023, sees the availability of the latest technology refreshes for IBM i 7.5 (TR2) and 7.4 (TR8), and as always is feature packed. This blog focuses on the elements that will help System Administrators secure, protect and simplify the management of workloads running on IBM i.
IBM Navigator for i, the web-based interface that enables administrators to manage IBM i servers continues to be a focus for IBM. With the latest technology refresh, several new features and enhancements have been added, making it an even more powerful solution.
One of the most significant updates to Navigator for i is the ability to customize table filtering. This feature allows administrators to filter tables based on specific criteria, such as date ranges or user IDs, making it easier to find and manage data.
Another useful addition to Navigator for i is the ability to view and respond to QSYSOPR messages across multiple servers. This feature enables administrators to monitor and respond to system messages in real-time, even when working with multiple servers simultaneously.
In terms of networking, Navigator for i now supports DNS server configuration and management, as well as DDM and Net server configurations. This makes it easier for administrators to manage network resources and ensure that their servers are properly configured for optimal performance.
The integrated file system (IFS) capabilities have also received several new features, including the ability to upload and download files and a new tab-based feature useful for separating IFS functions being worked on. Object properties have also been improved, providing administrators with more detailed information about files and directories.
The server section of Navigator for i now includes a printable system status property page, with additional properties included for better system monitoring and management. Work management has also been enhanced with improved pre-start job support, allowing administrators to manage system resources and ensure that jobs are running efficiently more easily.
From a security perspective, cryptographic services support has been added to Navigator for i, providing enhanced encryption and decryption capabilities for sensitive data. Additionally, the advanced job scheduler has received several new features, making it easier for administrators to schedule and manage complex job workflows.
As with every technology refresh, IBM i Services sees some views that have been either enhanced or are completely new, the most notable being the view SAVE_FILE_INFO and SAVE_FILE_OBJECTS which are a modern twist on the 5250 Display Save File (DSPSAVF) command. Continuing the theme of providing up to date equivalents to older, traditional commands sees NETWORK_ATTRIBUTE_INFO give information similar to Display Network Attributes (DSPNETA) or the programmable Retrieve Network Attributes (RTVNETA) commands. Furthermore, a useful view in DEFECTIVE_PTF_CURRENCY has been introduced that identifies Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) that reside on the server that haven’t been corrected with another PTF.
IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS) version 1.1.9.2 is packed with enhancements, many of which in the functionality while running SQL scripts. It’s worth noting that many of these enhancements first surfaced as ideas raised by customers. To raise an idea or to vote on an existing idea visit https://ideas.ibm.com/ (IBMid required).
Several aspects of IBM’s high availability offerings Db2 Mirror for i and PowerHA also see some welcome changes. Db2 Mirror for i has significant enhancements that improve its quality, security, and usability. These enhancements will enable administrators to work more efficiently, with improvements to the GUI playing a significant role. Other enhancements include introduction of the Health Center monitor designed to simplify the administration and management of Db2 Mirror environments plus in addition the graphical user interface has been updated, resulting in a more user-friendly interface.
With regards to PowerHA, you can enjoy more flexibility and availability in geographic mirroring environments with the new multi-target feature, which enables replication between up to six nodes. Additionally, you can now change geographic mirroring parameters with minimal impact on the production workload, allowing for increased agility and adaptability. Finally, recovering from disasters is now easier with the ability to detach and vary on suspended copies of the IASP in Geographic Mirroring environments. These enhancements are expected to be available at the later date of June 23, 2023.
This article is written by Ash Giddings, Product Manager at Maxava