Note from iSociety:

the V6R1 announcement can be found here:
http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/4/897/ENUS208014.PDF

1:00pm US Central Time February 6th, 2008

isociety says: Today's Fireside chat topic is V6R1 and features Craig Johnson and George Farr from IBM.

isociety says: We are privileged to have Craig Johnson and George Farr here today.

CJohnson says: Hi, thanks for joining

GeorgeFarr says: Hi everyone!

Question from Saul Rodriguez: What are the enhancements for RPG? Any RPG to Web features?

GeorgeFarr says: We bring you as usual, lots of RPG enhancements in V6R1. The highlights are as follows: Multi-threading support.. I should say truly multi-threading support. We're proud to introduce local file support in procedures. Many, many new keywords on the F-specs, and enlarged limits for fields, and many more. Many of those enhancements are to ensure RPG is a better fit for the Web.

Question from Saul Rodriguez: What are the enhancements for VARPG? What is the future of this product? Any enhancement to produce .NET apps?

GeorgeFarr says: VARPG continues to be supported and serviced. We are investigating newer technologies for our existing VARPG customers. Stay tuned.

Question from Saul Rodriguez: Several new packages are being ported to to run on a Linux partition of  System i, like 3COM VoIP solution. Has i5/OS environment been enhanced to support this packages under PASE? Since PASE is based on AIX 5L and this runs Linux apps, I wonder if these packages can be run under PASE as to avoid a separate Linux partition.

CJohnson says: No. The 3Com solution runs in a linux partition

Question from Saul Rodriguez: Is there a way to do Visual C on System i? Like VARPG product, but with C/C++ language.

GeorgeFarr says: no

Question from Justin Taylor: It is my understanding that the compilers and developer tools are going from a site license to a user license scheme, and that existing customers will receive a certain number of licenses based on their software tier.  What products (e.g. SEU, WDSc, etc.) will this include for existing customers?

GeorgeFarr says: Existing SWMA customers will receive x number of user licenses depending on the tier - for example, a P05 customer will get 4 user licenses for ILE, heritage compilers, and ADTS (ADTS= SEU, PDM, SDA, and RLU).

Question from Justin Taylor: Will there be more than one version of WDSc?  If so, what features will be included in each of the versions (e.g. GUI display and printer file support, EGL, etc.)?

GeorgeFarr says: WDSC will be available up to 7.0. Nothing changes for WDSC from before. However, we encourage people to move to RDi and RDi SOA.

Question from Jean André Mikhaleff: Does the product HATS for 5250 run with the new Integrated Application Server ?

GeorgeFarr says: HATS does not and webfacing does. Investigating HATS...will eventually.

Question from Mkirkpatrick: Are there any circumstances under which one is entitled to copies of RDi or RDi-S?  If not, what is the pricing?

GeorgeFarr says: No chance of entitlement. RDi and RDi SOA are NEW products. RDi is $795.

Question from Chat_user: Is there a tool that we can use to identify the objects that won't convert to V6R1?

CJohnson says: ITSO Redpaper:  i5/OS Program Conversion: Getting Ready for V6R1  http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redpieces/abstracts/redp4293.html?Open . This book talks about program conversion, and points to a tool that can run on V5R3 and v5r4 to indicate which programs do not have creation data. The tool is a PTF.

Jtaylor says: What is the price for RDi SOA, and what extra features does it have over RDi?

GeorgeFarr says: $1995 - and has all web tooling as well as RBD.

Question from Jean André Mikhaleff: About Rational Developer on System i for SOA construction : Does this new tool provide a new GUI designer with frameworks for RPG ILE programs exposed as WebServices via SOA integrated ?

GeorgeFarr says: RDi SOA has a web designer that you can use, RDI SOA contains EGL which allows you to do web services. RDi SOA contains also a wizard in RDi that enables you to turn and rpg or COBOL service program or program into web service.

Question from Jimfranz: are the intrusion detection and encryption enhancements part of the base i5/OS?

CJohnson says: There are two new options of i5/OS for encryption. They are priced options - one for backup, one for data on disk. The intrusion prevention and detection support is in the base i5/OS.

Question from Cliff Russell: Are the presentations from yesterday available for download yet?

isociety says: They are available here:

http://www.common.org/webcasts/08archivedwebcasts.html

Question from Jeanmikhaleff: what about natural web interfaces for RPG ILE?

GeorgeFarr says: RPG as you know does not have native web UI. However, RPG can be easily extended to the web with other languages like EGL which is shipped in RDi SOA.

Question from Cliff Russell: How different is RDi from WDSc, as for as learning it goes and PC hardware requirements?

GeorgeFarr says: Easy or easier to learn, since it focuses on specific developer role. PC requirement: 1GB memory is real nice, but half will do.

Question from Jimfranz: anything in the S36EE area changing? - am assuming Heritage compilers includes RPG36?

GeorgeFarr says: These compilers are STABILIZED - in CAPS :-)
No changes

Question from Mkirkpatrick: Can we use the RDi products and stay on v5r4?

GeorgeFarr says: You could, but you want to go to V6R1, cause feature in RPG will be different.

Question from Mkirkpatrick: Do the b/u encryption enhancements require BRMS?

Yes they do. BRMS helps with key management as well.

Question from Martinmedina: When can we expect V6R1 documentation on infocenter?

CJohnson says: its there now

http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/scope/i5os/index.jsp

Question from Francisd: Can you still run the old iNav Management Central since the new IBM director Systems Navigator does not have those features?

CJohnson says: yes, iSeries Navigator and Management Central are available with and support i5/OS V6R1.

Question from Rrperson: Is support and maint for RDi and RDi SOA covered existing s/w subscription agreements?

GeorgeFarr says: RDi and RDi SOA are not part of the group SS or SWMA. When you buy RDI and RDi SOA you can buy their own SWMA.

Question from Chat_user: is there a PTF for V5R1 for the conversion tool?

CJohnson says: no, the tool works with V5R3 and v5r4

Question from Rrperson: When will RPG get its own GUI/web front-end to replace green screen?

GeorgeFarr says: As you know have no native support for WEB UI. However, many langaguse can be used with RPG to coomplish this, example EGL can be used to extend RPG.

Question from Angus: What has been the response to the V6R1 announcement in general?

CJohnson says: Very positive - lots of interest and questions from customers on the various web casts we have run. Plan to come to COMMON to get hands on look at V6R1.

Question from Rrperson: Whats the cost of swma for RDi and RDi SOA?

GeorgeFarr says: I don't have the final price, but normally it is about 20-25% of the price for the year.

Question from Jimfranz: is the integrated web app server require anything to setup/start or part of base system startup? Will TCP app controls allow us to not start it?

CJohnson says: Yes it is up and running with V6R1. You can turn it off if you don't want to use the things it supports - ENDTCPSVR *HTTP should do it.

Question from Gunslinger: Where can we find details on RDi and RDi SOA?

GeorgeFarr says: following URL: http://www.ibm.com/software/rational/announce/systems/i/ . Just FYI, we will have many sessions on this topic at COMMON

Question from Rrperson: As RPG is the most popular language on the System i, would you not consider that its own native web UI should be a top priority?

GeorgeFarr says: Yes RPG is the most popular language on system i and we are proud of it. This is why we keep investing in the language. We are looking at ways for ILE RPG to participate in Web UI. EGL can extend existing RPG applications really nicely to the web.

Question from Jeanmikhaleff: why do you have two ways to get webservices : from the New Web Interface Director and from RDI SOA?

GeorgeFarr says: Nothing wrong in exposing how to get to webservices from multiple areas. In fact you can get at webservices from other different perspective, and webservices from HATS...etc.

Question from Jtaylor: How well does EGL interact with RPG?  Does it allow direct program calls with parameters?

GeorgeFarr says: Yes, that is easy. However, we like to have more seemless integration and expect more in that area.

Question from Angus: What is the CPW value of the new blade? How does it compare to the current 5xx servers?

CJohnson says: The JS22 4 core blade has a CPW of 11,040 - it has the processing capability to be an alternative to our smaller systems.

Question from Angus: Will the iNavigator database functions from iSeries Access be migrated to the new tool?

CJohnson says: There are lots of database functions in the new web based navigator for i5/OS, the On Demand Performance Center tool is a Windows iSeries Navigator function today.

Question from Jeanmikhaleff: Is EGL another language to compete with RPG ILE only for big companies ?

GeorgeFarr says: EGL is the newest business language for system i and it can be used by all customers. System i customers should take a look at it and consider using it to extend RPG applications to the web.

Question from Angus: What is the new V6R1 JVM performance?

CJohnson says: There are significant performance enhancement with Java with V6R1 in our test we saw 68-78% more transactions per second on the same power5+ based system with the difference being V5R4 vs V6R1. Of course your results may vary, but if you are running java and websphere,  take a look at V6R1.

Question from Angus: What does the future of RPG look like beyond V6R1?

GeorgeFarr says: We have been enhancing RPG IV since the inception of it back in V3R1. Every release of the system have seen many new enhacements to RPG IV. V6R1 is no different as you have seen. This is an indication to our customers that investment in RPG will continue

Question from SystemiBuddy: Where does DataMirror fit in i5/OS?

CJohnson says: We announced on 1/29 the datamirror products for i5/OS. They are now in our configurator to be sold by IBM and our BPs

Question from Angus: Why is the program conversion required?

CJohnson says: Program conversion is required with the move to V6R1. It will enhance our integrity, improve performance, and position i5/OS for future system enhancements.

Question from Angus: Where does the Screen Designer and Application Diagrammer fit in V6R1?

GeorgeFarr says: excellent question Angus! As you may recall, these features were in WDSC AE. Our customers will be thrilled to know that we have moved all System i function that was in WDSC AE into our entry level product, and that is RDi - which is much more cheaper than WDSc AE. In fact it is 6 times cheaper!

Question from Angus: Is V5R3 still supported?

CJohnson says: yes V5R3 is supported, we did announce on 1/29/08 that support will end for V5R3 on April 30, 2009

Question from Jtaylor: Will a GUI printer file designer (like CODE/Designer) be forthcoming as a part of RDi?

GeorgeFarr says: Yes we are looking into that - it is very high on our priority list.

Question from Angus: Now that you have RDi and RDi-SOA, what is the future for WDSc and WDSC-AE?

GeorgeFarr says: Another excellent question, WDSC and WDSC AE will be announced to have end of marketing and we will be ending support on both of these products in April 2010. We encourage our customers to take the step and move to RDi and RDi SOA.

Question from Angus: What is the new pricing option for DB2 Web Query?

CJohnson says: There is a new option for DB2 Web Query that has users being identified as authors or run time only group of users. This new option will make it more attractive for some customers to deploy web query solutions.

Question from Jeanmikhaleff: Someone said to me that EGL generates COBOL for System z. Is that possible to extend RPG interfaces with a 4GL ?

GeorgeFarr says: EGL extends RPG interface to the web

Question from Angus: If DB2 can now store infinity data, how much DASD is needed for infinity?

CJohnson says: A lot. Just kidding. Some would say an infinite amount.

isociety says: Thanks to Craig Johnson and George Farr

CJohnson says: Thank you for joining the chat

GeorgeFarr says: Thank you everyone, excellent questions. Special thanks to Angus :-)

isociety says: The chat transcript will be posted soon. Thanks everyone