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May Speaker John de Roos Publications Mail Agreement No. 40907015 - Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: TUG, 850 - 36 Toronto Street, Toronto, ON M5C 2C5 - M5C 2C5 ON Toronto, Street, Toronto - 36 850 to: TUG, addresses Canadian undeliverable - Return 40907015 Mail Agreement No. Publications

www.tug.ca/tec TUG™ magazine is a regular publication of the TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems™ (a.k.a. TUG), and is distributed to members and industry associates six times per year. It contains updates on activities of the users group, as well as articles from members and non-members, which are of general interest to the “IBM® Power Systems™ community.” All rights reserved. Articles may be reprinted only with permission. Manuscripts should be submit- ted to the Editor via email. (See address below.) TUG is a not-for-profit organization that promotes knowledge of IBM® Power Systems™, System i™, System p™, iSeries™, pSeries™, AS/400™, RS/6000™, IBM i™, AIX®, Linux®, TUG Directors & Associates and other midrange technologies. Questions about the users group, TUG events, and for 2009 subscription enquiries, should be directed to our Association Manager, Lindsay Sutherland, President at the TUG office: Lefebvre, Léo 2010 (416) 606-5960 [email protected] 36 Toronto Street, Suite 850, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 2C5. Vice Presidents Phone: 905-607-2546 Email: [email protected] 2009 Bingham, Stephen (905) 821-2252 [email protected] Toll Free: 1-888-607-2546 Fax: 905-607-2547 Pangborn, Russell 2009 (416) 491-5050 [email protected] ™ Treasurer Rajendra, Kumar 2010 (416) 598-7319 [email protected]

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Deadline for the next issue: Friday, June 12, 2009 Printed in Canada Copyright © 2009 Toronto users group for Power Systems. All rights reserved. CONTENTSMAY 2009 VOLUME 24 NUMBER 5 President’s Corner 2 By Léo Lefebvre TORONTO TUG To Expand in 2009 USERS GROUP 3 TUG has formed a special membership executive team to facilitate peer-to- TM peer contact with our members. for Power Systems By Mark Buchner  TUG TEC Review Attend our regular 4 Our sixteenth annual technical education conference (TEC 2009) was held meetings on March 24-26 at the Sheraton Parkway. As usual, it was a huge success!  By Glenn Gundermann Network with hundreds of The Agenda 8 May 20, 2009 — TUG welcomes RIM—with special guest speaker John de knowledgeable Roos, partner solutions architect with Research in Motion. Learn all about executives how to integrate with the Blackberry Enterprise Server. and technical 9 Seneca Update professionals Focus on the School of Computer Studies at Seneca College with the  Receive our Centre for Development of Open Technology (CDOC) By Russell Pangborn association magazine (free of Jackie’s Forum 10 Business Views in Web Query charge for paid With a Business View you can select only the fields that you want the user to members) see. You can have two Business Views over the same table if you want to give different users access to different columns.  Enjoy the reduced By Jackie Jansen rate at technical The Gold Page conferences 11 Directory of TUG’s elite “Gold Members”  Attend special TUG Notes events sponsored 12 Things you need to know — including a summary of upcoming events by your users group Read these additional articles in the TUG eZine (at www.tug.ca.mag):  Join your peers on the golf course TUG Welcomes RIM 13 Here is a closer look at the lineup of subjects to be covered in the RIM at the annual presentation at our next meeting. “TUG Classic” golf By Mark Buchner tournament Take the “A” Track (or, an iGeek Meets AIX)  One low corporate 14 “I thought it was time I learned something about Unix, since my AIX knowledge was approaching zero, even after all my years with IT and the “i price includes your world”—so I sat in on some A-track sessions at TEC 2009. entire IS staff By Ken Davis Dashbboard Design for Maximum Effectiveness Be a Joiner ... 16 There are many definitions of a dashboard in the marketplace. Most of the definitions come from software vendors who tailor the definition to match what they are selling and then Magazine Subscription �� $72 claim everything else is not a true and correct dashboard. Individual Membership �� $199 By David Gillman Corporate Membership �� $495 It’s Back to Basics Gold Membership �� $1500 22 We are in the midst of a significant re-ordering of priorities, back to basics. By James Armstrong Telephone: (905) 607-2546 DR — Your Economic Bailout in a Disaster! E-mail: [email protected] 24 Some organizations have gone to the extreme of placing disaster recovery spending in the category of an unnecessary expense. Oops! Web site: www.tug.ca By Richard Dolewski

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 1 By Léo Lefebvre, President, TORONTO USERS GROUP PRESIDENT’S CORNER for Power Systems MAY 2009

ere we are again—and you Vaughn also complemented the new thought we would rest on magazine and e-zine publications by setting our laurels after so many up a monthly electronic newsletter which changes in the last few he named: TUG Buzz! Keep watching for months, and with another it in your e-mail inbox. Hannual TEC conference under our belts… You thought we would take a vacation and While a group of us in Glenn not see you until next Fall. Gundermann’s TEC committee were very busy preparing for TEC 2009 (more Well, I guess you were wrong! reviews about that later in this magazine) our newest Board member Mark Buchner At the beginning of 2009, our magazine and his crew were keeping busy on the editor Vaughn Dragland, expanded the TUG membership status, and offered to TUG publication offerings by digitalizing review every aspect of it in order to make it this famous magazine and putting it on- the most attractive proposition from a local line. That move allowed TUG to show users group. some action toward a greener planet while opening up more to the world. Mark is really looking at all aspects of our users group membership, from the attrac- tion to the reten- TUG President Léo Lefebvre tion of members, including the ben- cations on Power Systems”. See the presen- efits and advantag- tation abstracts on the Agenda page later in es of being a TUG this magazine. Don’t you think those types member. of topics are great attractions to become a TUG member? See you then on May 20th at One of the advan- the Living Arts Centre Mississauga. tages of being a TUG member is And we’re not done yet! I know you’re to have the chance just dying to get out there and hit some

www.the5thwave.com to attend meetings “white balls” different from those you were where great topics throwing all Winter long. Yes, the golf are presented by season has started (I don’t really have to great speakers. tell you that) and again this year, TUG

is presenting its “Annual Charity Golf © The 5th Wave, Wave, 5th The © Our upcoming Classic”. On June 25, 2009, it will be TUG’s May Meeting of 21st such event. What a great day it will be Members is one at the Glen‑ Eagle Golf Club. Don’t miss it! of those meetings. Register your foursome right now at www. John de Roos, part- tug.ca/reg_golf.php. ner solutions archi- REGISTER tect with Research As you can see, we do not have time to in Motion (RIM) sit and smell the roses, we always have will be discussing something to plan and prepare, to make the “Integration your TUG membership the most valuable of Blackberry De- of all memberships you may have. And, I vices into Your won’t restrain myself from asking you to tell IT Infrastructure” us what advantages or benefits you would followed by the like to see us evaluating for you. Send me “Development of your comments at [email protected]. TG Blackberry Appli-

2 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 Next, we want to reach out to our UNIX TUG to Expand in 2009 and Linux brethren by researching our market and featuring TOPICS OF MU- By Mark Buchner TUAL INTEREST. For instance, at the recent TEC 2009, Jay Kruempke held some outstanding sessions on AIX. These were equally interesting to both AIX and i users. ur Toronto Us- The anticipation and excitement around a Our next MOM, featuring John De Roos potential SUN acquisition makes this even from RIM, will be discussing Blackberry in- ers Group for more exciting! tegration and development. Our team will Power Systems go to work, in collaboration with IBM, to O At TUG, we have formed a special mem- get the word out about the expanded TUG. has some great things bership executive team, including myself—Mark Buchner, along with Ken Finally, we want to look at additional ways happening in 2009! Davis, Vincent Forbes, and Rick Powell. to provide education and networking by in- Our goals for TUG in 2009 are simple troducing special interest lunch and break- 1. In today’s suffering economy, both em- and are founded on the basis of peer to fast sessions. Through the TUG BUZZ you ployers and employees find enormous value peer contact. will be periodically asked to participate in in local networking, education and com- surveys to identify topics that are of inter- munity-building. As an employer, it is the First, we want to connect directly with est and then host TUG special interest ses- most economical way to keep staff up-to- our constituency. Our team will be calling sions according to these topics of interest. speed on trends and technical competence. the entire database of over 1,000 compa- For employees it is the best way to network nies. We want to listen! What is your firm The membership committee encourages all with peers and maintain technical vitality. doing? What is the role of IBM Systems of you to stay on top of trends and keep up in your IT department? What challenges your technical vitality. We look forward to 2. IBM’s strategy to include AIX, Linux, are you facing? What topics are you inter- talking with you soon! TG and i within the scope of their POWER ested in? How can TUG be of greater ser- systems means that we have a much larger vice to you and how can you be of greater Mark Buchner, Chairman, TUG audience and potential participation group. service to TUG? Membership Committee ([email protected])

TUG Membership Team: Rick Powell, Vincent Forbes, Mark Buchner, and Ken Davis

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 3 TEC TECREVIEW 2009 Technical Education Conference

By Glenn Gundermann market the conference, to what new nother TEC has passed... technologies to include, to what we do in You might think that after the evening on Day One. For example, this Dragland Vaughn organizing this conference for year we held our regular May Meeting of sixteen years now that it would Members (featuring speaker David J Von Abe old hat. If you did, you’d be wrong. Eper) on Tuesday night at the same venue We constantly look at new ideas in every as the conference. This allowed attendees aspect of the conference, from how we and the general public to visit the TEC Léo Lefebvre

Showcase in the afternoon and stay for the MoM in the evening (all at no charge). It was very well attended, as was our Keynote Luncheon on Wednesday, with special guest speaker James Armstrong. (See his article later in this issue.)

With the IBM Power Systems come both i & p technologies and a lot to learn for everyone. This year we had a track dedicated to AIX both days, and AIX-specific labs held at Mid-Range. The other tracks were i-oriented and the i-specific labs were held at AIX Lab at Mid-Range the IBM Toronto Software Lab in Markham. Léo Lefebvre

i Lab at IBM Toronto Software Lab

4 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 TUG MEMBERS Vaughn Dragland Vaughn Does Your Company Use Query/400?

You Need Qport Office, the Windows Front-End to Query/400

Qport Office lets Windows users run and output Query/400 queries in one click to:

• Excel Kumar and Léo draw the lucky winner (Eden Watt) of a free golf • Word game at the TUG Classic Tournament to be held on June 25, 2009. • Access I’m going to guess it is the economy that never stop, and hence you should never caused us to have somewhat fewer people at stop taking education. this year’s conference compared to previous TUG Members Pay years. Other users group conferences are We have an amazing team of people that No License Fee!* experiencing the same thing. If you’re comprise the TEC Committee and this supposed to do more with less (as they conference would not be possible if it weren’t License Qport Office and say) then education should be at the top of for them: Ed Jowett, Glenn Gundermann, everyone’s list, to make sure you can. Jay Burford, Kumar Rajendra, Léo tell us how you’re using it Lefebvre, Lindsay Sutherland, Stephen by August 15, 2009 and By taking education, you are developing Bingham, and Vaughn Dragland. WIN A CHANCE to have your mind. Developing your mind should NGS pay your TUG Annual Membership Renewal Fee.

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TEC 2009 Keynote Luncheon

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 5 TEC 2009 Showcase Exhibitors and Sponsors Léo Lefebvre

TEC 2009 Showcase www.the5thwave.com

TM © The 5th Wave, Wave, 5th The ©

6 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 Léo Lefebvre

I encourage you to make the effort to buy the latest new book “The Remote “Bite off more than you can chew, then chew expand your mind: join and attend your System Explorer”; learn the RSE, and it. Plan more than you can do, then do it.” local user group Meeting of Members as start using it; join one or more of the IBM often as you can (TUG MoMs happen Rational Cafés (COBOL, C/C++, EGL, “Dare to be wise.” only five times per year); RPG); learn about Rational Team attend a technical education Concert for i, … and the list goes on. “Your education is worth what you are worth.” conference (e.g. TUG TEC); attend Webinars; read System Before I sign off, I would like to thank all “If you put a small value upon yourself, rest i Network, MC Press of our terrific sponsors, without whom the assured that the world will not raise your Online, and conference would be impossible. price.” other technical newsletters; I love sayings, so here are a few “Education is not filling a bucket but education-related sayings that I will lighting a fire.” —William B. Yeats, poet share with you: We are already starting to make plans for “A closed mind is a good thing to lose.” next year’s conference, so stay tuned for more information about TEC 2010! See “Those who say it cannot be done should you around. :-) TG TEC 2009 keynote speaker not interrupt those who are doing it.” Glenn Gundermann, TEC committee chair James O. Armstrong Vaughn Dragland Vaughn

TEC 2009 committee, L-R back row: Vaughn Dragland, Jay Burford, Ed Jowett, Léo Lefebvre, front row: Stephen Bingham, Glenn Gundermann, Lindsay Sutherland, Kumar Rajendra

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 7 Speaker: John de Roos AGENDA is a Partner Solutions Architect TUG MoM — WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2009 at Research in Motion. He is part of the Alliances Team assist- AGENDA AT A GLANCE ing Service Providers to create, Time Event REGISTER ONLINE maintain, and expand Black- Berry deployments for their 4:30 Registration customers—engaging them in 5:00 Integrating Blackberry Mobile Devices architectural and design discus- Into Your IT Infrastructure sions as well as communicating RIM’s product direction. Prior to 6:00 Intermission / MoM & Networking (complimentary buffet) his current position, he was a 7:00 Developing Blackberry Applications on Power Systems manager of the Investment IT group at the Ontario Teachers’ Session Abstract: Pension Plan for 12 years, where helps organizations boost busi- Blackberry BES he managed successful devel- ness performance by increasing opment projects, steered the In addition to trends and direc- productivity and allowing work- launch and delivery of a wide tions for the Blackberry, we plan ers to make decisions based on range of technologies, managed to address two topics, and have timely information. the IT relationships and expec- the sessions be of equal interest tations of investment staff, and and value to IBM systems users, The 7:00 session will explore the built teams and departments. whether you are developers or choices that developers will face operators, AIX, i, or Linux! when integrating the Blackberry John has an Honors Bachelor of with their Power Systems. That Arts in Business Administration The 5:00 session will focus on is, we want developers to un- (HBA), from the Richard Ivey what you need to do from an derstand the options available in School of Business, UWO, and has architectural and operational developing Blackberry applica- worked at Apertus Technologies perspective if you want to in- tions. Specifically, they will want Inc. an SNA to TCPIP solutions tegrate Blackberry mobile de- to know how existing applica- company, London Life Insur- vices more tightly into your IT tions running on the System i ance Company as an Network infrastructure. This will involve and p can be extended to Black- Specialist, Wellington Insurance understanding the BlackBerry berry. Techniques include MDS, Company as a Senior Business Enterprise Server (BES) which Web and Java programming. Systems Integrator, SHL Sys- temHouse/ComputerLand, and Procter and Gamble Inc.

John lives with his three sons in Aurora, Ontario; and was recently honored with a community service award for over 10 years of coaching soccer and hockey.

MoM Location

Living Arts Centre Mississauga (BMO Room) 4141 Living Arts Drive, Mississauga ON L5B 4B8 Highway 403 & Highway 10, West of Square One (Free underground parking) John de Roos See map on page 12.

Please register in advance at www.tug.ca/t_agenda.html Send your suggestions for future topics to: topics [email protected] future suggestions for Send your 8 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 Seneca Update

By Russell Pangborn currently has some students working for Many of you know that IBM has a world the Eclipse Foundation with IBM being class software lab in Markham and a close n the September issue of TUG, I one of the major sponsors. Jordan told association with Eclipse and the process of talked about a strong open source me that the students are encouraged to providing tools for creating web applications. presence in the School of Computer contribute to the community in any way Angel Vera and Lawrence Mandel from Studies at Seneca College with they feel comfortable in the first semester IBM visited Seneca Computer studies Iour Centre for Development of Open run through. This could involve writing classrooms in this first winter semester of Technology (CDOC). Since that time code to fix bugs, testing solutions, writing the Seneca/IBM partnership. Angel’s topic Seneca has received a $50,000 grant from documentation or developing tutorials. His of discussion was “Extending WTP Server IBM involving work on the Eclipse Web subject is set up to facilitate the students’ Tools for your Application Server” and Tools Platform (WTP) project. It is integration into the Eclipse community. He Lawrence talked about “Eclipse Plug-in gratifying to see IBM making an investment teaches techniques to identify, reproduce, Architecture: Techniques for Developing to support the advancement of upcoming and fix bugs from the Eclipse Bugs database. WTP”. Their classroom presentations are Computer professionals in Canada at the The URL for this is found at (https://bugs. available at: http://zenit.senecac.on.ca/ college level. eclipse.org/bugs/ ). wiki/index.php/Discussion_and_Helping_ Corner.

It is great to see students tackling real world projects. This always revs up the level of excitement for a subject. Senior semester students are immersing themselves in various aspects of the task to provide tools and APIs for allowing simplified development of Web Services.

Jordan told me, “IBM, as any member of the Eclipse community, is expecting that our students become valuable contributors to the success of Eclipse projects.”

I am sure that Seneca students will make our college proud.

In other news, I sometimes get email from Peter & Jordan (centre) with the OSD600/DPS909 class my students about what they are doing in the work force. A recent one from a newly Dan McPhee, client manager, Higher Another Seneca Professor, Peter Liu is also minted grad let me know that the person Education and Research, IBM Canada working with the OSD600/DPS909 class. was able to apply techniques successfully was quoted in our college publication His experiences with the class and Jordan that were learned in some iSubjects I the Senecan as saying, “IBM believes has led him to conclude that “Seneca taught. You should all know that iSubjects educational programs like Seneca’s Centre STUDENTS can FIX WTP Bugs. They is an invented term and will be copyrighted. for Development of Open Technology can do it if they collaborate and receive Next year it will be changed to Subjectsi and are extremely important for the continued mentoring from college professors and eventually will morph into PowerSubjects. development of Canada’s skilled workforce.” professional WTP developers.” (He Hopefully, by that time, my urge for … “Our development team looks forward actually doesn’t converse with bold name changing will have dissipated. to working with talented students on letters—I got this information in an TG challenging software projects.” email.) Russell Pangborn is a In the 2009 January semester, Professor Peter has an interesting blog that professor at Seneca College, Jordan Anastasiade assumed the role talks about this process. Read all and a vice president of TUG. of spearheading this collaboration as a about it at http://pliu.wordpress. He can be reached at russell. liaison. His subject OSD600/DPS909 com/ [email protected].

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 9 JACKIE's Forum Business Views in Web Query

id you know that DB2 Web might be confusing to your power users Query has a feature very similar to who are developing queries then you can Logical Files, with which we are protect them by creating a Business View all familiar? If you want to change containing only one CUSTNO field. Dfield names or headings, eliminate fields, Jackie Jansen reorder fields or even logically group fields If you have defined virtual or computed you can use Business Views in Web Query. columns in your underlying master file right click at the top level of the file and synonym, these can be select “Create Business View”. This will included in your Business then open up the Business View window View. The Business View where you will see all the fields, filters etc. can also include any global from the original file on the right. You filters that you might have simply drag and drop the fields from the previously created in the original file to your new Business View master file. on the left. You can use the properties window to change the name of any folders Another nice feature of you might create. To create a new folder Business Views is the for fields, you would simply right click on capability to subset the the root folder and select “New Folder”. fields into different folders Note that while the synonym editor will within the view. In the allow you to create folders with spaces in example here the fields the name, Report Assistant can’t handle have been subset into them. Ensure that your folder names do not four folders ORDER_ contain any spaces. DATA, MEASURES, GEOGRAPHY and P R O D U C T _ I N F O . MEASURES contains all the numeric fields that users might want to report on. In this case the aim is If you have a table that has many, many to simplify our record layouts for users who columns—even hundreds of columns— might be creating their own queries. that table is a great candidate for Business Views. With a Business View you can select If you can’t see the property panel at the only the fields that you want the user to see. bottom of the Business View window, You can have two Business Views over the select Business View from the toolbar same table if you want to give different users and ensure that Property Bar is selected. access to different columns. Remember that The Property window allows you add a you can now segment your metadata. You description for the Business View. It also can have two different Business Views, each allows you to override field names, field If you delete and recreate the underlying located in a different “application”. If this headings and field descriptions. Notice master file, the Business View is unaffected. concept of metadata “applications” is new in our example, that I have taken the field TG to you, look for this column in the previous called SALESREP in the original table TUG magazine. and renamed it to CUSTSERVREP in the Business View. Jackie Jansen is the IBM i When you join two tables you often end Solutions Manager for Information up with two columns with the same name. To initially create a Business View, you Builders specializing in DB2 Web For example, you might have CUSTNO must have Developer Workbench. With Query. Jackie is a frequent speaker from your transaction file or fact table and Developer Workbench you can select your at Technical Conferences and User CUSTNO from your customer master file. master file and open it in the Synonym Group meetings. Contact her at If you think that seeing this column twice Editor. Once the file is open you simply [email protected].

10 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 Mid-Range Computer Group 34 Riviera Drive, Markham ON L3R 5M1 • Disaster Recovery Plans • Disaster Recovery Tests • Disaster Recovery Hot Sites

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TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 11 NOTES

Upcoming Events TUGsudoku # 24.5 By Cornelia Dragland Improve your memory! Solve this TUGsudoku puzzle, and bring your solution to the May 20, 2009: TUG MoM TUG Meeting of Members on May 20, 2009. You will win a free 1 GB memory stick. (Living Arts Centre Mississauga) Blackberry BES TUGsudoku rules: ▶ Speaker: John de Roos, 38 i x Every row and every from Research in Motion column, as well as every 36 p major block of nine squares must contain each of the following characters: 400 x 34 36 3,32,34,36,38,400,i,p,x. (No duplicates.) 32 36 400 March puzzle solved: 400 i 32 36 x p 34 38 3 400 i 36 3 38 p 3 38 400 x i 34 36 32 i 34 400 32 36 3 38 x p

34 38 32 x 3 400 p i 36 34 38 i 400 36 x 3 i p 34 400 32 38

400 i p 38 32 36 x 34 3 June 25, 2009: TUG Golf Classic 32 3 (twenty first annual charity golf 3 32 34 36 400 p i 38 x tournament and banquet) x p i 34 38 32 36 3 400 x 34 400 38 400 36 3 i x 32 p 34 September 23, 2009: TUG MoM November 18, 2009: TUG MoM

Reminder TEC 2009 Showcase Door Prize Winners! Please remember to register on-line for each Meeting of Members. It helps us to plan for seating and food, and you could Donor Company Prize Winner win a fabulous door prize! Able One Golf Chair Shirley Hing Find TUG on Facebook Able One Golf Chair Bill Boland We like to keep as many channels open ARCAD Vintage Tequila Jackie Byrnes as possible with our members. That’s why Databorough Golf Balls Andre King we have this magazine, as well as regular End to End Networks Golf Gift Bag Jackie Byrnes meetings, email blasts, conferences, our online eZine, social outings, golf tournaments, I365 IPOD Jack Black etc.; and now there is something new! We IBM Canada Digital Photo Frame John Bullock have created a TUG group within Face- IBM Canada Rational Shirt Jerry Dmytrazs book. Check it out at www.facebook.com. Looksoftware Centre Developer Licence Chris Vinkas You’ll probably find that many of your friends are already there! Mid-Range Digital Camera Josee Labonte MKS 500 GB Hard Drive Vendana Mallempati Present Set of Knives Ben Chen Prodata Digital Photo Frame Jackie Byrnes Syntax.net $100 Golf Town Gift card Jennifer Huang System & Method SQL for DB2 Book (unknown) TUG 1 Free TUG Golf Tournament Eden Watt Zend Technologies $1000 Training Varsha Kambli

12 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 TUG Welcomes Dragland Vaughn RIM

By Mark Buchner

e are very pleased and proud to feature RIM at our next TUG MOM on May 20th. No one in the IBM Power WCommunity will want to miss this meeting!

Most of us in Canadian IT are familiar Mark Buchner with John de Roos at RIM’s Mississauga office with Research in Motion Limited (RIM). RIM is on the world-stage as a leader in management, and enterprise data. They also ◊ BlackBerry Solutions Platform design, manufacturing, and marketing get access to applications such as customer of innovative wireless solutions for the relationship management (CRM), sales ◊ BlackBerry Enterprise Server worldwide mobile communications force automation (SFA), field service and Architecture market. Through the development of automation (FSA), and network & systems integrated hardware, software, and management (NSM). Mobile users also ◊ BlackBerry Professional services that support multiple wireless enjoy business intelligence and personal Software and Architecture network standards, RIM provides productivity tools including phone, web platforms and solutions for seamless browsing, and more. ◊ Developing Java® access to time-sensitive information, & Browser Applications including email, phone, text messaging BES provides tools for organizations to go (SMS & MMS), and Internet & intranet- wireless: BlackBerry® Enterprise Server soft- ◊ Hosted BlackBerry Service based applications. RIM technology ware with advanced security features, Black- • What is Hosted vs. Managed Services? also enables a broad array of third- Berry® Mobile Data System, BlackBerry® Mo- • Dedicated vs. Shared ? party developers and manufacturers to bile Voice System, BlackBerry® smartphones, enhance their products and services with plus support services and programs to help or- ◊ BlackBerry Internet Service wireless connectivity to data. ganizations get the most from their solution. and Architecture

RIMs portfolio of award-winning products, RIM BlackBerry ◊ Wi-Fi Architecture services, and embedded technologies are IBM Systems Solutions used by thousands of organizations around Outline – May 20, 2009 ◊ Mobile Voice System the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, BlackBerry smartphones, ◊ BlackBerry Momentum ◊ Security software development tools, radio- • Significant Accomplishments in 2008 modems and software/hardware licensing ◊ Wireless Networks – agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in ◊ Next Generation Superior Wireless Performance Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in Smartphones North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. ◊ Growing the Value Proposition: RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market ◊ Power of BlackBerry Core Mobilizing Applications (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Strengths & Competitive Exchange (TSX: RIM). Advantage ◊ Leading Edge Wireless • Push Technology Enterprise grade Applications With the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, security, Powerful Administrative mobile users get wireless access to messaging Capabilities, Scalable ◊ New BlackBerry App World and collaboration tools including email, • Tailored functionality Core instant messaging, personal information Messaging, PIM, Browser, Apps TG

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 13 Take the “A” Track (or, An iGeek Meets AIX)

By Ken Davis

his year I volunteered to be the On Day One I learned that there were Day Two introduced session monitor for TUG TEC’s significant upgrades to AIX 6.1 over 5.3 me to concepts very first AIX track for Power p. I (we iGeeks might say V5R3 and V6R1), such as WPAR (Work thought I might learn something, including “Role Based Security”. I learned Partitions), and VIOS Tsince my AIX knowledge was approaching that there are many ways to monitor system (virtual IO Systems), and showed how to zero, even after all my years with IT and the activity, that people are still learning to make them more efficient and how to make “i world”. I can only give a general impression move live partitions, and that AIX has these partitions more mobile. Several tips of my experience over the two days, for I many of the same concerns with systems and techniques for migrating from V5R3 felt I had entered a whole new world. and disaster recovery as Power i. For me, to V6R1—oops! I mean 5.3 to 6.1—were the AIX Trends and Directions session presented. And the whole track was This needs to be short, so just know that all by Jay Kruemcke gave the best, most wrapped up with a nice overview of some of the sessions were well received, and that each comprehensible overview of the AIX the security features of 6.1, including using of the speakers was highly knowledgeable world and how it is structured. (A similar Role Based Security. in their field, and that their speaking styles overview was presented later at the TUG ranged from animated to conversational to MoM by David J Von Eper, which was also There was a “core” of people who attended dry, just like Power i speakers. You can visit good.) But Jay Kruemcke should give his nearly every session, and often they knew www.tug.ca/tec to see nice bios and capsule presentation at a regular MoM, because, for each other, with some being speakers descriptions of the speakers and sessions. me, it seemed to be the most clear. interested in what their colleagues had to say. And among this group, nearly everyone had a laptop, usually open, usually with the listener dividing his attention between the machine and the speaker. The speakers never seemed to mind, and in one case, a

Léo Lefebvre systems question raised in one session was answered in another, thanks to connections via the Web!

Biggest surprise of all: I was actually beginning to understand some of the discussions. I eventually realized that under the covers, both systems have similar issues, we just approach things differently. AIX (UNIX) is here to stay; and we in the “i World” and we in the “p World” have much to learn from each other, because—like it or not—we are now married, in the eyes of the Power System.

IBM wasn’t so crazy after all—in making the i and the p share the same bed! TG

Ken Davis is an independent programmer/analyst and serves as Ken Davis (seated far left, back row) at David J Von Eper’s a volunteer on TUG’s membership presentation on the New Power Equation for Dynamic committee. He can be reached at Infrastructure at the “MoM at TEC” March 24, 2009 [email protected].

14 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 Must-Read IBM Power White Papers Click & Download Now!

The One Essential Guide toThe Disast Onee Essentialr Recove rGuidey: to Disaster Recovery: How to Ensure IT and The Essential Guide to How to Ensure IT and The Essential Guide to Business Continuity The Essential Guide to Business Continuity IBM i Disaster Recovery visionsolutions.com/TUG09-1

System i Optimization SByestte Pmra ic Oticpteismization Best Practices System i Management Best Practices visionsolutions.com/TUG09-2

Assessing the Financial Assessing the Financial Impact of Downtime ImUndpaerstcat nodf thDeo fawctnotrism thea t Ucondnterirbustaten dto t hthee f accotsotr so ft hdaotw ntime Assessing the Financial contribute to the cost of downtime Assessing the Financial contribute to the cost of downtime Assessing the Financial caondnt raibuccurtea ttoe ltyh eca clcouslta otef ditos wtonttaiml e Assessing the Financial and accurately calculate its total coandst ainc cyurouart eolyrg caanliczualtaioten .it s total cost in your organization. Impact of Downtime visionsolutions.com/TUG09-3

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 15 Dashboard Design for Maximum Effectiveness

16 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 By David Gillman

ood dashboards are not easy to What a Dashboard Is Not! Almost as important in implementation is to define create if you don’t understand what a dashboard is not. As an IT person, you will have some basic principles. The easi- to explain why a user’s suggestion is not a dashboard est way to see the limitations is much more often than you will quote to them what a simplyG to look at your computer’s monitor dashboard is. and then think of all the information that can The following are some of the common misconceptions be displayed. This disparity between the that you will undoubtedly have to dispel. small screen and the enormous amount of A dashboard is not for detail data. Like the dashboard information to be presented should start you of your car, a business dashboard should not display thinking about how to do it right. specific information at the transaction level. On most car dashboards, you can see a rough gage of the voltage The first thing you will need to do is communicate what dashboards of the electrical system but you do not see the voltage are and what they need to be useful to your organization. or current usage of specific subsystems. Likewise, a dashboard should display a sales total but not display What is a Dashboard? details about individual transactions. That detail is what There are many definitions of a dashboard in the marketplace. Most reporting is for. of the definitions come from software vendors who tailor the definition to match what they are selling and then claim everything Related to the above point, a dashboard is not a else is not a true and correct dashboard. substitute for reporting. Most companies have a voracious consumption of data for use in spreadsheets. A Likewise, IT professionals do the same thing—what a dashboard dashboard is not a replacement for delivering that level should be is based on their experiences. There is nothing wrong with of detailed information. While you can and probably that perception except that their experiences vary widely and are not will include some tables in your dashboard, those tables always reflective of current trends and common expectations. should not contain vast amounts of data nor will they probably have computational capabilities. That is why Here is a simple definition that seems to encompass almost any need: your users love their spreadsheets. “a dashboard is a series of graphs and tables organized to distribute highly summarized information to decision makers.” A dashboard system is not a “do-it-yourself ” application for the end user. Just as there are very few business users Why the Definition Matters who generate their own reports, there are very few This definition is very broad. While it encompasses a lot of business users who will create their own dashboards. possibilities, it does express the key tenet of visual presentation of Although an IT person can make the dashboard summary information which is within every other definition of a development process simple, the average businessperson dashboard. It does not specify technology, delivery mechanism, wants it done for them. This preference has side benefits. refresh rate, or any other operational characteristic. It creates standards, and ensures that people look at the same information in the same way. During initial If all parties in the dashboard process—developers, users, and planning, IT people will often hear a couple of users say maintainers—do not have common definitions for the descriptions that the dashboard environment has to be something that and purposes, the dashboard development process will be extremely is constructible by the end user; however, that scenario is painful. There will be many attempts but few successful deployments. not likely to be successful for the majority of end users.

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 17 frequency of use. Put the most important and most often used metrics on a front screen. Allow for the drill down into other dashboards that contain the less important and less frequently used metrics.

Useless Decorations A little decoration will make a dashboard more attractive in the sense that people will be drawn to its visually pleasing display. But overuse of decoration will quickly detract from the effectiveness by obscuring the business purposes behind using the dashboard.

Adding in decorations and a broad color palette also invites comments and criticism. Some of these opinions will be constructive, but much of it will be based on personal preferences and taste. To avoid endless arguments over color choice, create a “Too Little” Looks like a car dashboard but what a waste of screen standard palette very early in the design space for only 6 numbers. process. Enforce that palette over the entirety of the dashboards created. Argue this once and then move on.

Dashboard than eight different KPIs (key perfor- Here is one side note on color: consider Enemy Number One mance indicators, a.k.a. metrics) on one those that are color blind. The entire The worst problem that occurs with screen. Violations of this rule abound and concept of the dashboard is to take dashboards is overcrowding the screen work well when appropriate. If the dash- advantage of the colors to convey meaning real estate. The natural tendency for most board contains many single data points, to numbers. However, those that are color IT and business users is to put as much as more is possible. If a KPI has a lot of trend blind will likely miss some of the message. they can on the screen. Go back to the car information (lots of data points within the Obviously, working directly with your users dashboard analogy. If your car dashboard single KPI) then more screen real estate who are color blind will be best during the displayed ten times the amount of data it may be needed. design phase, but sometimes that is not now displays, could you quickly glance at always feasible in a large organization. it to determine your speed? Probably not! More Than a Single Screen Using more than one screen is both One way to attempt to accommodate these Therefore, do not overcrowd the screen real common and complicated. Very few people users is to print any color dashboard in color estate on your dashboard. At this point, will be able to display all of the relevant and then make a copy of the dashboard on you might say that the driving analogy KPIs on a single screen. The problem is that a black and white copier. Then, you can see breaks down because you can study the the more screens people have to navigate how the page might look through their eyes. dashboard over a much longer time period through, the less likely they are to use a than when you are driving and cannot dashboard system. Also, use the top left corner for something glance away from the road for a long time. more than a logo. When software vendors However, the concept of focus does come The best saying I have heard on this topic is, demonstrate their software, they will into play. When you create a dashboard “Depth hurts but scroll kills.” more than likely put their logo in the top that has too many metrics, your business left corner of the dashboard. Why? That users are never sure on what to concentrate. Dashboards that make the user scroll to is typically where most people look first Focused dashboards that are specific to different points within the screen are not on the screen. When implementing a each business user or department are more as useful and friendly as those that provide dashboard internally, employees probably effective than a single dashboard that a tab or multi-page method of drilling into already know what company they work covers the whole enterprise. different portions of the dashboard system. for so there is no need to use valuable real estate to remind them of your company’s There are no exact rules for how many met- Generally, a tab or multi-page dashboard name. rics should be displayed on a single screen. can be more logically broken down, with A rough rule of thumb is to have no more metrics ordered in importance and

18 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 Inappropriate Graph Choices Another common mistake is to use a pie Average or Above? As has been stated several times, creating chart to display more than a handful of People also like to compare numbers. and maintaining a dashboard is an iterative comparative values. Most people are not Comparisons give a sense of perspective. and evolving process. The most common good at comparing the relative areas of The most common comparison points are substantive change regards the choice pie wedges when there are more than between entities. Different regions’ sales of charting object. It may be as simple ten slices of the pie to examine. Keep will be weighed against other regions for as changing a bar chart to column chart. your pie charts to only hold eight or less the same period. The same region’s sales can While the first choice of graph type (pie values, and they will be read more easily be viewed over time to see a trend. chart, bar chart, line graph, etc.) will likely and accurately. be appropriate; over time you will have to If there are goals associated with the change the type of many charts. Gauges are also a popular display graphic. metrics in the dashboards, make all efforts They dominate some demonstration to use them in the presentation. A common One of the most common mistakes relates software because they epitomize the way is to use the traffic light effect. Green to line charts. Many times, people will metaphor of the dashboard. Though useful, color is above the goal; yellow, close to

“Normailizing Line” Visually placing goals or targets gives the viewers a relative sense of what the number means. create line charts only to realize that they they are often poorly and overly used. A the goal; and red, below. Other ways may are not appropriate. Line charts indicate gauge usually covers a lot of screen real include flashing of objects that fall below trends between related entities that have a estate to display a single number. That is a threshold. These techniques are highly sequential relationship. Time is the most all a gauge is—the graphical representation visible versions of exception reporting. common business example. Breakdown of one number. A gauge works for the categories like regions have no logical speedometer of your car because it is Otherwise, also consider putting in a transition from one to another. A line usually the most important number during normalizing line or point. For example, chart using regions as category labels is normal driving conditions. But for business seeing individual salespersons past twelve not appropriate because there is no logical purposes, rarely is one number so relatively months sales can be supplemented by transition from one region to another and important to operations. putting in several lines that add depth no logical ordering. to the understanding. A user may derive

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 19 perspective from seeing lines on the The best dashboards are concentrated and presentation and seemingly crystal clear, graph that also show the average for the directed for specific purposes. and then someone will want to see that salesperson over the time period, an average information in a table. Sometimes people for all salespeople over the time period, the Clouding a dashboard with related but are just being difficult, but more likely they goal for that salesperson, the average goal unnecessary information will not only have a need to see several exact numbers. for all salespeople, etc. More than a couple detract from the utility of the dashboard of lines or points can become distracting, but will also decrease its use. It is better to Exact numbers are usually the realm of so like most other things about dashboards, create separate dashboards that are more reporting, not dashboarding but reasonably consultation with the end users as to what targeted. Each of the individual dashboards and expectedly, there is some overlap. Many is meaningful and additive is crucial. will be more useful than a single dashboard small tables will probably work their way that is difficult to interpret. If there is any into any dashboard project. Sometimes the Unnecessary Detail need for interpretation, then the dashboard data in the table will be a duplicate of the To expand on the last point, too much is probably too complicated. graph, while other times it will add more information can lead to confusion. The information to the graph associated. Either tendency for most designers and IT people Tables way, be prepared for the request for tables is to throw every imaginable data point Tables still work. That message is a tough from business users. into the dashboard in the hope the business one to communicate in the context of user never comes back to ask for anything a dashboard discussion. Many times, a additional. That strategy never works. finished dashboard will be stunning in its

“Table” Sometimes a table is useful when there are not too many lines of detail.

20 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 “Balanced View” This view gives a 2 year trend but also several exact numbers for the last period. Not too much information, either.

Good Dashboards Are Made, Every company’s culture is different Not Born with differing needs for data being In any dashboard project, missteps will delivered to decision makers. Every happen. The important part of the process business user comes at it from a different is the accommodation for change. Prepare perspective and analytical ability, too. for it. Document where the data is coming But if you follow some of these basic from and all of the manipulations and concepts, your first dashboard creations calculations performed on it before it gets should be easier and more effective. to the dashboard. Then, new versions of the And the experience you gain from each same dashboard with a different flair will be dashboard project will help guide you easy to make. through subsequent projects. TG

Even if the business users do not return David Gillman works for New for more and better dashboards, be Generation Software Inc., and proactive and find new uses for the over the past few years has dashboards. If the dashboard designer given classes at COMMON and explores the company after the first few other places on Dashboard design rounds of dashboards, many other users principles. He can be reached at will probably come to light. [email protected].

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 21 quarter profit rose 8.6%, as care of an aging parent or It’s Back its sales were lifted by cost- two. Instead of sending Mom conscious customers who or Dad off to an assisted have decided to repair their living facility or perhaps a to Basics aging cars instead of buying nursing home, some baby By James O. Armstrong new ones. boomers are today choosing a house in the next chapter of erhaps not surprisingly, some For the quarter ended their life with Mom or Dad sales today are rising out of February 14, 2009, the in mind. Specifically, they sheer necessity, like buying food, largest US auto-parts may also be pooling assets/ clothing, and shelter. In fact, men retailer by sales reported net incomes in order to buy their andP women today are in the midst of a income of $115.9 million, next home together. In this significant re-ordering of their priorities or $2.03 a share, up from a way, for a spouse who stays back to the basics. year ago. As gas prices dropped last year, at home or for someone with a home-office parts retailers started to see gains. A few based company, you can literally see Mom For example, the basic necessities of life at weeks ago, the company’s key competitor, or Dad every day or even multiple times “everyday low prices,” has clearly accounted Advanced Auto Parts, projected a double- throughout the day. for Wal-Mart Stores’ 7.2% sales increase digit commercial same-store-sales growth during fiscal year 2008 to $401.244 billion. projection for 2009. (Source: The Wall St. Of course, this “new” approach actually In addition, operating income was also up Journal, March 4, 2009). represents a solution from an earlier by 3.0% to $13.254 billion. In fact, “Wal- generation in America, where three Mart recorded the strongest sales result in Oak Brook, IL based McDonald’s generations or more of a given family used its history in the fourth quarter, with $108 Corporation has also seen Americans and to sometimes live together under the same billion in sales,” said Mike Duke, Wal-Mart Canadians flocking to their stores for a roof. In fact, the Armstrong-Roush family Stores, Inc. president and chief executive cheaper mealtime alternative. Because owns a home and property right now officer. He concluded with this statement: this great company has been making (exactly like what I just described) where “We achieved this through the hard work of many “right decisions” on a global basis, our family has lived successfully together our associates, helping our customers save its same-store sales world-wide increased over the past 12 years. In a word, it’s back money so they can live better.” 5.4%. In fact, US same-stores sales have to the basics for all of us, as we investigate actually increased by 6.8% (Source: The new approaches and new ways of doing Nor was Wal-Mart the only major player Wall St. Journal, March 10, 2009). Overall, things in today’s challenging economic achieving some success recently, although McDonald’s has been on a roll since 2003, times in the United States, Canada, and this company has certainly been a standout when it chose to halt its rapid expansion around the world. TG exception in general in the current global in favor of other back to basic strategies, recession. Still another excellent example of which have collectively worked. James O. Armstrong, who swimming upstream in the current global serves as Editor and President economy would have to be AutoZone, It also may surprise you to learn that of NowWhatJobs.net, (www. which recently reported its fiscal 2nd Discover, the sixth-largest credit card issuer, nowwhatjobs.net) the resource for actually saw its earnings jump +57% in job transitions over 40, also wrote “Now What: Discovering Your the past fiscal year at a time when AmEX New Life and Career after 50.” In declined 34% and Capital One even addition, he is the Cofounder with experienced a $46 million loss. At a time of his wife of Armstrong Solutions problems in the mortgage market, Discover Inc., a counseling, coaching, and had earlier flagged borrowers with two career management practice home loans, keeping their credit limits with a reduced fee schedule to low, for example (Source: BusinessWeek, expand their services to a larger February 23, 2009). Discover also wanted group of men and women with to grow internationally, and so last needs. Armstrong also serves as President of James Armstrong summer picked up Diners Club, which is & Associates, Inc., which is a accepted in 185 countries, from Citigroup national and international media Management. In a tough economy, a basic representation firm serving credit card, which simply gets the job done, Central US and Canada out of his works just fine. Suburban Chicago base.

Finally, even on the housing front for some [ Mr. Armstrong, was the of my fellow baby boomers, it may be back keynote speaker at TUG TEC to the basics for a housing solution to take 2009, March 25, 2009. ]

22 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 IBM DB2 Web Query Webinar Series

DB2 Web Query is IBM’s replacement for the popular Query/400 product and has been distributed to over 25,000 IBM i customers. DB2 Web Query allows customers to create and deploy Web based dashboards and reports while leveraging DB2 for i query optimization for improved performance and manageability.

Come join us for a series of webinars covering the new enhanced features of DB2 Web Query. These 75 minute sessions will cover a variety of interesting topics, from automating report distribution to hints and tips on performance!

______

May 5: Integrating DB2 Web Query with Microsoft® products. Leverage the advanced spreadsheet client to embed DB2 Web Query reports directly into your favorite Excel spreadsheet. Extend the reach of DB2 Web Query with the ability pull in data from SQL Server® databases. Find out about how to connect .NET applications to DB2 for i data with Web Services. To register for this event please go the following link: http://ibmstg.connectpro.acrobat.com/power050509e/event/registration.html

May 19: Raising the analytics bar with DB2 Web Query Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) feature. See how OLAP reports are built and deployed to provide an end user experience that goes way beyond simple query and report writing and can eliminate many query/400 definitions with a single report! To register for this event please go the following link: http://ibmstg.connectpro.acrobat.com/powerb051909e/event/registration.html

June 2: Jump start implementations with DB2 Web Query ecosystem solutions! Several IBM Partners offer solutions that can hasten the roll out of a DB2 Web Query project. From instant meta data, to building a data warehouse, to a “BI in a box” appliance, these solutions can jump start your implementation! To register for this event, please go the following link: http://ibmstg.connectpro.acrobat.com/powerb060209e/event/registration.html

June 16: Are you getting the maximum performance out of your DB2 Web Query reports? Can you reduce a 6 hour query job down to 6 MINUTES? You may be able to!! In this session; performance hints and tips will be covered. Performance is a critical success factor of any good BI application - you won’t want to miss this! To register for this event please go the following link: http://ibmstg.connectpro.acrobat.com/powerb061609e/event/registration.html

June 30: Building and deploying Dashboards with DB2 Web Query Developer Workbench and Active Dashboards. Learn how to combine reports into a single interface that provides a single view of key performance indicators or other “state of the business” information. To register for this event, please go the following link: http://ibmstg.connectpro.acrobat.com/powerb063009e/event/registration.html

NOTE: ALL SESSIONS START AT 11:00 U.S. EASTERN TIME

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 23 DR — Your Economic Bailout in a Disaster!

By Richard Dolewski

e are constantly inundated with news of how terrible the month and saving money by not testing makes no sense. You our economy is. A day does not go by without some are already paying for a service but not utilizing the true benefit. reference to an “Economic Bailout“ or stimulus Testing! How can you expect to be successful if you do need the package. Many of us know this all too well, as our service without testing? Wown RRSP’s have shared the true brunt of this recession. (Did I say the “R“ word?) These actions may save money for IT departments initially, but they will also do away with the current planned recovery strategies in place, Most IT organizations, regardless of size, are under constant pressure not to mention IT readiness! The potential for IT vulnerabilities are to reduce the cost of IT service delivery. Some organizations have heightened by these types of recessional cutbacks. gone to the extreme of placing disaster recovery spending in the category of an unnecessary expense. Some CFO’s are under the misguided assumption that less profit means a directly proportional need to spend less on disaster recovery. Nothing could be further from the truth! This questions the true merits of Disaster Recovery Planning. Neglecting this discipline can have detrimental consequences for organizations because you are now even less likely to bounce back financially after disaster. Why? Because you will be unprepared to do so!

As capital expenditures are frozen in many companies, IT projects that once seemed critical are now on permanent hold. The current cost-conscious environment in which we live will surely impact the ability to test and improve a company’s DR Plan. Many organizations today have a mixture of both internal and outsourced DR solutions. Some businesses will allow their disaster recovery Offline tape storage system contracts to remain idle, and testing activities to be cancelled for 2009, or postponed altogether. Is this really a cost saving measure? How many of you have considered saving the cost of tape media by Paying your commercial hot-site provider religiously on the first of over extending the life of a tape? The number of times a tape can be

24 TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 reused is determined by the type of balance between “recoverability” media and secondly by the specific and “affordability”. This may com- manufacturer recommendations. promise your ability to respond to Never overuse a tape! Many of a crisis so it is increasingly vital to you have intended to change your make the correct DR technology backup tapes soon, but now with investment and business decisions. the economic crunch, simply never do. Always make sure that Ask yourself the your tapes are in good working following questions order. during this economy: • Does it make sense to Secondly, by not testing, how change my DR Planning do you validate the tape backup expectations to the business? contents? Tape validation should • Can the business concede be performed with an active extended Recovery Point or Disaster Recovery test to ensure Recovery Time objectives? the Backup completeness, that the • Do I outsource recovery tape media is readable, and that the testing or do it myself? Can I contents meet the requirements afford not to? for full server restoration. • How do I address the risks for my organization? Is the Busi- Offsite storage is always under ness Aligned? scrutiny during tough times. Questions come from finance: “Do • How do I go about making the right technology choices for we really need to pick up tapes every day? Would weekly pickup disaster recovery? not suffice?” Ask yourselves this: “How much money does this save • Should I introduce new methodologies to recover critical an organization?” A typical daily pickup costs $20 – $30 per day business operations? plus a fee for the quantity of tapes in rotation. That means your monthly base service pickup charges range from $400 to $600 per There is a growing need for IT departments to demonstrate prov- month for daily pickup or $80 – $120 for a weekly pickup. Now en value, both internally and externally. Disaster recovery should let’s consider the consequences of your thriftiness. What happens be considered an essential methodology for ensuring business if a disaster occurs and all of your tapes are onsite? Imagine having continuity and survival in these tough economic times. A com- to tell your CEO that an entire week’s worth of company sales and prehensive disaster recovery plan is critical now more than ever. related business activities have been lost because you tried to save Your business depends on it (IT). Saving pennies and risking sur- the company the cost of $30 for new tape media cartridge or $400 vival dollars in a disaster does not make sense. (Now if only some in offsite charges. of this could apply to our own RRSP’s!) TG

Secondly, there go all of your previously stated and agreed upon Richard Dolewski recovery-point-objectives as well. I has extensive am 100% sure that the CEO would experience in override your cost cutting measure. disaster recovery I would suggest looking at the fact planning and that you are storing many of your backup and archived data tapes far too long recovery program in the forgotten storage container design. He offsite. has supported numerous An effective way to manage IT computer room spending and expectations is to en- disasters and conducted more than sure that the spending provides an 200 disaster recovery tests. Richard effective balance to meeting your is a frequent speaker at technical key business recovery-time-objec- conferences, including COMMON, IBM tives and recovery-point-objectives. Executive Series, and local users groups. Given the increasing visibility Richard has authored the book System i within your organization and risk Disaster Recovery Planning available at associated with DR readiness, it is www.mcpressonline.com. You can e-mail important to ensure an effective Richard at [email protected].

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 25 REGISTER Léo Lefebvre

26 Glen Eagle Golf Club

presents

all proceeds to

Thursday June 25th 2009

at the Glen Eagle Golf Club, Caledon Tee-off Time 8:00 am

Cost: $130 per golfer (including all taxes)

Includes greens fee, power cart, and a delicious New York sirloin steak and chicken dinner

Enjoy a great day of golf with your fellow “TUGGIES” and network with your peers! All are welcome! (not limited to TUG members!) Bring your business partners, clients, friends, neighbours and relatives! Sign up a Foursome!

Prizes and Surprises

Make your reservations early, as we are limited to 144 golfers.

For more information (www.tug.ca) contact the TUG office Phone: 905-607-2546 or 888-607-2546 e-mail [email protected] or you may fax your entry to 905-607-2547 REGISTER ONLINE AT: http://www.tug.ca/reg_golf.php PAYMENT IN ADVANCE (We accept Master Card and Visa)

Donations to our prize table would be greatly appreciated.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available

Glen Eagle Golf Club pro-shop: Telephone 905-880-0131 TORONTOwww.gleneaglegolf.com USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009 Three steps to marketing prowess: 1. Fear the wolf. 2. Dance with the wolf. 3. Become the wolf.

Release the inner wolf in your company. Advertise in the TUG magazine.

Call: Ron Campitelli 905-893-8217 or: Wende Boddy 905-820-0295 magazine

We are tightly focused on the Power Systems space.

TORONTO USERS GROUP for Power Systems – May 2009