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In this Issue |
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From the Editor: |
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by Robyn Lorusso, Assistant Editor
Are you phasing out the mainframe for cheaper systems and applications?
The majority of you who responded to last week's editor's note said the answer is yes. You may not think this is the move to make for long-term stability, but it's still happening. As a result, some of you have had to scramble to learn new technologies - or worse, look for a new job.
I noticed a difference of opinion, however, when you offered reasons for this transition.
User #1 said software costs are "killing the mainframe." Prices aren't competitive and the high expectations associated with the mainframe market may be to blame. The same development and testing cycles that has made the mainframe famous for its reliability are also making it that much more expensive. He would prefer to implement Unix servers and work on mitigating the costs associated with their instability.
Meanwhile, user #2 believes a shift from the mainframe has less do with functionality and more to do with the skill sets of the candidate pool under 40. He said it's harder to find younger, college-educated individuals with mainframe experience. Looking at people costs alone, he does not find the trend from the mainframe to UNIX/NT surprising.
Do you agree with either opinion? If not, what is your reaction? Have you witnessed a transition from the mainframe to other technologies in your shop? Or do you take the opposing viewpoint - are companies are actually moving back to the mainframe for various reasons? Send us your thoughts. And when you have a moment, please take our poll on trends in the IT department of your workplace.
Have a good week.
Robyn Lorusso
Assistant Site Editor
Search390.com
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Featured Topic: |
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Web-enabling VSAM
by Robyn Lorusso, Assistant Editor
Decades before World Wide Web was invented for network-accessible information, there was VSAM (Virtual Storage Access Method) for file management. Today, viewing VSAM files on the Web can pose a challenge. See the resources in this week's Featured Topic for help.
Read more about this topic
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Expert Technical Advice: |
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Featured Expert Tom Moulder, Principal Consultant, BMC Software
Category: Database Management
Trying to manage your database, whether it's DB2, IMS, VSAM or a third-party system? Need help integrating precious legacy data with the rest of your company's business processes? Ask database management expert Tom Moulder for advice.
Pose a question to Tom
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This Week: In the forums
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Is there a utility to determine why a program abends? Search390 user "misi01" recently posed this question in the Developer forum:
"Sometimes, when a program abends, we have to try and find the reason for this in a job. All of our online IMS programs are called Z98MPP**. What I need is a utility that will perform a search for a specific string in the job output based on a job prefix. I have found various bits and pieces, but none of them seem to do the trick."
If you think you can help, post a response. |
| Tip of the Week: |
The zen of FTP -- WYPIWYG?
By Jim Keohane
On MVS, what is an EMPTY FILE? On Windows or Mac or Unix, you could say it is a file of zero length. How about a text file that consists only of the native newline convention. Are they empty files too? Or are they files containing a single line/record of zero length? For the answers you need to handle the unusual permutations of FTPing different files, check out this tip by Jim Keohane.
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Read full tip |
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Site Highlights |
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| The new SearchSecurity.com guide, "Managing Viruses in the Enterprise," provides a wealth of knowledge on virus prevention. Order today and take advantage of our no-risk offer. |
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