IIUG Insider (Issue #36) 19 September 2003

Highlights: IIUG #s, Tech Conference, IDS WE 45% Cheaper and More…

Welcome to the International Informix Users Group (IIUG) Insider! Designed for IIUG members and Informix user group leaders, this publication contains timely and relevant information for the IBM Informix community.


Contents:

  1. IIUG by the Numbers
  2. Only Five Weeks Left Until IBM Data Management Tech. Conference
  3. IDS 9.4 Workgroup Edition Pricing Slashed 45%
  4. IIUG Fishin’ Fever Update
  5. IIUG FAQ Reminder & Feedback Request
  6. IIUG Board Loses Two Members
  7. New IBM Redbook – IBM Informix: Integration through Data Federation
  8. Informix/WebSphere Integration Website is Now Live
  9. Useful Links
  10. Closing and Credits

IIUG by the Numbers

We don’t often take stock of where IIUG is, but the numbers the IIUG board collects are telling a pretty good story. Here’s a selection of metrics that provide some perspective on the reach and health of our community:

Number of Hits at www.iiug.org during 2003: 7706860
Total Number of Active Members: 11300
New Active Members since 1 January 2003: 2173
Number of IDS 9.4 Downloads to Date: 3017
Number of Four J’s Downloads to Date: 1545
Number of Subscribers to IDS SIG Forum: 1158
Member Referrals to Date: 484
Number of Countries Represented in IIUG: 143

Note: All metrics above as of Thursday, 18 September 2003.


Only Five Weeks Left Until IBM Data Management Tech. Conference

Only 5 weeks remain until the IBM Data Management Technical Conference kicks off in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 27-31 October. As you probably already know, this is the premier training event hosted by IBM for its information management customers. It is also the epicenter of IIUG’s key events of the year: the Annual General Meeting, the Meet the (IBM) Executives session, and the Informix User Group Leadership Council meeting.

As an International Informix Users Group – IIUG – member you are entitled to a special $150 discount until the day before the conference, which cannot be used in conjunction with the “Early Bird” or any other discount.

This year’s conference will include over 70 Informix-related sessions which we know you won’t want to miss. Attend to get the latest technical information on Informix products and future roadmaps. Get trained with sessions like, “Unlocking the Mysteries behind Update Statistics” and “How to Survive the Worst: Disaster Recovery” for real-life and immediate applicability.

And don’t forget the FREE pre-conference tutorials, which you may sign up for at http://www.ibm.com/training/conf/us/dm. U2 tutorials have been recently included: “Building Applications Using IBM SB+ GUI”, and “Using U2 Sockets, Including Call HTTP and SSL”.

But, wait! There is more…

Get IBM Informix Certified for free. Complimentary IBM Informix professional certification testing will be offered at the Data Management Technical Conference For more information on the certifications available or to register please visit: http://www.ibm.com/services/learning/conf/us/dm/certification.html

And if you intend to continue building or enhancing your IBM Informix software skills, if you attend the IBM Data Management Technical Conference you become entitled to a 10% savings on the select IBM Informix training. http://www.ibm.com/services/learning/conf/us/dm/dt_offer.html

As in prior years, those in attendance to the conference will be able to participate in a lively panel exchange with senior IBM executives on topics of interest to all DB2 Information Management Software customers and business partners. Don’t miss this opportunity to go live with these key decision-makers at the IIUG-sponsored “Meet the Executives”. Questions for the panelists may be submitted via e-mail to conferences@iiug.org with “MTE Question” in the message subject line.

Another IIUG feature is its Annual General Meeting, where its leaders will present the year’s report and their plans for 2004. All conference attendees interested in IIUG activities and programs are welcome and encouraged to attend.

For more information on the conference or to register, please visit http://ibm.com/training/conf/us/dm – You must choose Attendee Type: “Informix IIUG” to get your $150 discount.


IDS 9.4 Workgroup Edition Pricing Slashed 45%

IBM has announced that effective September 16, 2003 the price for IDS Workgroup Edition Server license (and maintenance) has been reduced by 45%. As a result of this reduction, trade-up pricing from IDS 7 Workgroup Edition Server license to IDS 9 Workgroup Edition Server license has also been reduced by 45% and the SMB Gold Bundle pricing has been reduced by 27%. The new prices will be effective immediately and are applicable to both IDS 7 and IDS 9.

Please see http://www.ibm.com/software/data/informix/ids/ for complete details on IDS pricing.


IIUG Fishin’ Fever Update

Have you noticed that funny little graphic in the lower right-hand corner of http://www.iiug.org titled “Play Fishin’ Fever”?

Some of us had forgotten about it and realized that the game is still available online and people around the world are playing. In fact, here is a listing of the current top five scorers:

1. Chris Tincher: 23487 (What a champ! Does he have a job?)
2. Joe Boh: 15142
3. Dave Pomroy: 14580
4. Edwin van den Berg: 12892
5. Juergen Buck: 8951

IIUG FAQ Reminder & Feedback Request

IIUG has compiled and posted a list of Informix-related questions frequently asked (FAQ) by its members. We submitted them to IBM and they have kindly provided the corresponding answers and a promise to work with us to continue improving the resulting document over time and based on feedback received from the IIUG membership.

This FAQ document is now available for download at /resources/IBM_Informix_FAQ/ in both 8.5×11″ and A4 formats.

We are very interested in your feedback!

Please send us your comments to ibmfaq@iiug.org. These will be compiled and passed on to IBM. It is our intent to revise this FAQ on a regular basis to incrementally improve it and make it more useful.


IIUG Board Loses Two Members

Regrettably, the IIUG Board of Directors has seen two of its members depart recently. David Smith, past lead editor of the IIUG Insider, and Chris St. Aubin, who had been appointed to the board only in July stepped down for personal reasons.

They will both be missed. We appreciate their effort, commitment and enthusiasm and wish them well in their new endeavors.


New IBM Redbook – IBM Informix: Integration through Data Federation

IBM has published the second IBM Informix Redbook, titled “IBM Informix: Integration through Data Federation”, describing how to create and implement a federated data management environment. That environment can enable access to, and use of, multiple heterogeneous data sources as if they were all resident in the same data management system.

This Redbook uses Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) and DB2 as the primary data sources, along with Informix Extended Parallel Server (XPS), Red Brick Warehouse, Oracle9i, and Microsoft Excel as data sources. It also uses data management tools, such as IBM DB2 Information Integrator and Informix Enterprise Gateway Manager, to implement data federation.

For data access tools, this Redbook uses DB2 Command Center, Server Studio JE for Informix, and Brio Explorer to show data federation in action. With the combined functionality of the Informix and DB2 database management systems and the DB2 Information Integrator, you can implement a very powerful federated data management environment.

IBM says that Informix customers will be well positioned to take advantage of the expanded capabilities for integration through data federation, as well as future enhancements.

Online at http://publib-b.boulder.ibm.com/redbooks.nsf/RedbookAbstracts/sg247032.html?Open.


Informix/WebSphere Integration Website is Now Live

A brand new website dedicated to the integration of IDS and WebSphere products has launched at ttp://www.ibm.com/software/data/informix/websphere/.

Contents include:

  • Informix and WebSphere Interoperability Matrix
  • Webcast Replay: “Using IDS with WebSphere”
  • Tech Guide: “Using IDS with WebSphere”, and
  • Why Informix and WebSphere?

Useful Links

In response to your input, we have created a new page on the IIUG web site containing all the links we used to include. Please find it at:

/quicklinks.html


Closing and Credits

The International Informix Users Group (IIUG) is an organization designed to enhance communications between its worldwide user community and IBM. IIUG’s membership database now exceeds 18,000 entries and enjoys the support and commitment of IBM’s Data Management division. Key programs include local user groups and special interest groups, which we promote and assist from launch through growth.

Sources: IIUG Board of Directors
Editors: Fred Hubbard, IIUG Board of Directors, and
Jean Georges Perrin, IIUG Board of Directors
For comments, please send an email to ug@iiug.org.
Published
Categorized as Insider

By Vicente Salvador

Board member since 2014, a user since 1989 and Informix fan. I'am software architect which allow me to combine technical and business skills.