IIUG Insider (Issue #45) February 2004

Highlights: Cindy profiled, news from LUG, European DMTC, more support for Informix Products & 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. Cindy Lichtenauer Profiled
  2. LUG Info
  3. BeIUG Meeting
  4. IBM Information Management Conference in Madrid
  5. The Board in Madrid…
  6. Querix “Modernized 4GL & ESQL/C Developer Workshop” in Madrid (Spain)
  7. Informix and WebSphere: Integrated for e-Business
  8. Washington (DC) Area Informix Users Group Forum 2004
  9. Informix ESQL/C Beta Program
  10. BaaN IV & V Certify IDS v9.4 and DB2 Ports
  11. Informix Platform Support for Linux
  12. Useful Links
  13. Closing and Credits

Cindy Lichtenauer Profiled

Cindy is our new LUG nut, let’s discover a little more about her.

Q: How do you use Informix in your “real” job (DBA, Consultant, Developer, etc.)?
A: I am a Systems Engineer for an IBM Business Partner, Computer Software Alliance. I currently do pre and post sales support for the entire Informix product line.
Q: How long have you been using Informix products?
A: I started using Informix in 1989. At that time, I was working for Southwestern Bell Corporation. That project used Standard engine and ISQL. In June of 1990, I was hired by Informix, in Lenexa Kansas. I was the first systems engineer in the TeleSales Department. I worked for Informix for 7 years, and continued on at the Lenexa site for an additional 5 years as an EDS employee.
Q: What is your role on the IIUG Board?
A: I am the secretary/Treasurer. I am also taking over the responsibility of the “lugnut”. (great title isn’t it?) As the lugnut, some of the things I am responsible for are:

  • Maintaining the events calendar.
  • Sending out email blasts to promote events and Local User group meetings.
  • Keeping the LUG information page updated on the website
  • Communicating with the IUGLC.
Q: Why did you volunteer to be on the board?
A: I want to be able to spread the word about Informix products and how wonderful they are. I would like to help Informix users build a better relationship with IBM, so they are happy, not frustrated. I also would like to be able to influence IBM on the future direction of Informix products.
Q: What do you want to accomplish this year on the Board?
A: I want to promote Informix and see some excitement again amongst the Informix community. I would like to be able to help the Local User Groups grow their membership and see more interest in their meetings. I hope to be able to convince IBM to “listen” to the Informix users.
Q: Where are you from?
A: I have lived in Lenexa, Kansas (a suburb of Kansas City) for almost fourteen years and consider it home. I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.
Q: Best Informix story?
A: Kickoff, 1991, Phoenix Arizona.
Q: Worst Informix nightmare.
A: Phil White. Enough said?
Q: Can you tell us about your family and hobbies outside of IIUG?
A: I have been married for 11 years and have 2 children, a daughter who is 9 and a son who is 6. My family is very sports oriented. We all participate in athletic events and are avid football and college basketball fans. I enjoy decorating, landscaping and have recently become involved in “scrapbooking”!

LUG Info

IIUG’s LUGNut, Cindy Lichtenauer, wants to remind you to send her your local user group’s (LUG’s) current meeting/event information for 2004 so they may be included in the IIUG web site. To contact Cindy, please use the form posted at /iiug/board.html#LICHTENAUER.

Also, please review your LUG’s information on our website to make sure it is current and accurate. Send any changes or additions to Cindy as well.

Events Calendar: /calendar/events.html#February2004

Local User Group page: /community/lug.html


BeIUG Meeting

In the previous edition of the Insider, we announced the BeIUG (Belgium Informix User Group) meeting. Unfortunately, it has been rescheduled. Please contact Guy Dillen for more information at guy.dillen@skynet.be.


IBM Information Management Conference in Madrid

Communication from IBM:

IBM IT Education Services is happy to invite you to the IBM DB2 and IMS Information Management Technical Conference that will take place on 1-5 March 2004 in Madrid, Spain – including one Informix special day.

Come and take advantage of the IBM’s experts from Informix Database Development providing an update on the latest trends and new functionality coming in IDS, XPS and Redbrick. The sessions will also cover IBM’s strategy for the Informix databases, how Informix technology plays a key role in IBM’s DB2 Information Management strategy.

As a special offer this year, you can benefit of a totally free of charge certification program! Take this opportunity to become IBM Certified Professionals. Have access to an unlimited number of exams at the latest release levels for IBM Informix and DB2 products and save up to 175 USD per test!

So, don’t hesitate and enroll to the IBM DB2 and IMS Information Management Technical Conference or attend to the Informix special day on Wednesday March 3rd.

For more information, and enrollment form, click: http://www.ibm.com/services/learning/conf/europe/index.php

We look forward to seeing you in Madrid.

The conference Team


The Board in Madrid..

The IIUG Board of Directors will come to the DMTC (Data Management Technical Conference) in Madrid.

Most board members will attend the special Informix Day (3 March 2004). Do not hesitate, come and meet us!

We would also like to get your feedback regarding the event. How did you hear about it? Are you going? Why? Why not?

Please take a few minutes and send us your impressions: enews@iiug.org. Thanks!


Querix “Modernized 4GL & ESQL/C Developer Workshop” in Madrid (Spain)

IIUG now offers more room for software vendors to express themselves in the Insider. In our last issue, Nicolas Taureau, Worldwide Marketing Manager, told us a bit about Awoma. This month, Hubert Hoelzl, Sales & Marketing Director for Querix Ltd, invites us to a full workshop in Madrid.

“Querix would like to invite you to our workshop ‘Querix – the Modernized 4GL & ESQL/C Developer’. The workshop is being held in conjunction with the Informix day of the ‘European Data Management Technical Conference’ on Thursday 4 March, in Madrid, Spain. The workshop is based on our soon to be released, development suite ‘Hydra Studio 4.1’. This workshop is targeted at developers who are currently working with 4GL and/or ESQL/C, or are interested in learning about application development with this highly robust, feature-rich and efficient development environment.

This full-day workshop will show you to how to develop new applications and migrate existing ones with our latest version of ‘Hydra Studio 4.1’. There will also be a session which addresses the new functionality of version 4.1 from the developer’s perspective. Examples will be shown of working with ‘Hydra Studio 4.1’ to leverage GUI customization, dynamic 4gl (Four J’s BDL) extensions, multiple database support via Dynamic SQL translation, and Web deployment.”


Informix and WebSphere: Integrated for e-Business

Discover a new integrated solution for e-business. During our Webcast, “IBM Informix and WebSphere: Integrated for e-business on demand,” you’ll learn how companies can Web-enable their businesses with new IBM Informix and WebSphere Bundles by combining the flexibility and advanced features of WebSphere with the power of Informix.

Register at: http://www6.software.ibm.com/reg/informix/ifxieod-i and view it today.

Webcast invitation brochure is attached below or available at: ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/data/informix/pubs/pdfs/infmx-ws-webcastltr.pdf


Washington (DC) Area Informix Users Group Forum 2004

Solutions for IBM Informix and DB2 Users: A One-Day User Group Technical Conference

Wednesday, April 21, 2004
8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Northern Virginia Community College
8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA

Pre-Registration: $20 – must be postmarked by April 12, 2004

On-Site Registration: $25 – all registrations after April 12, 2004

The Washington DC Area Informix Users Group (WAIUG) proudly announces its 6th user group technical conference: WAIUG Forum 2004. You are invited to join us on the beautiful campus of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) for the largest convocation for IBM-Informix users on the U.S. East Coast! This key event will feature multiple tracks concentrating on database engine performance tuning, management, SQL and effective product usage. Previous Forums have been extremely popular, with outstanding vendor support, dynamite presentations and excellent attendance. Sign up today!

This exciting event includes:

  • Technical presentations
  • Practical tutorials
  • Product exhibits and demos
  • CD with public domain software, and
  • A chance to meet and network with database developers, DBAs, and users.

At Forum 2002, we hosted more than 200 participants, 20 speakers and 14 exhibitors. Participants said they learned more practical information in the Forum than at any other event. Invitations for this Forum are being sent to over 5,000 Informix users. The following sessions are planned.

Planned Sessions:

Informix IDS Administration

  • Informix Database Design for Success
  • Monitoring and Tuning the Informix Server
  • Performance Tuning Stories from the Road (2 sessions)

Tools and Applications

  • 4GL Developers, Improve Productivity: FourGen CASE Tools Software
  • Using Perl and DBI/DBD with Informix Databases (with new tricks and tips)
  • Informix SQL Performance Tuning
  • WebSphere / J2EE Implementation made (very) easy
  • Websphere for DBAs

DB2 for Informix

  • Converting from Informix to DB2 from a DBA’s Perspective
  • DB2 V8 Data Warehouse Performance
  • DB2 SQL Performance
  • Mystery Sessions from DB2 development lab in Toronto
  • A Technical Comparison of DB2 and Informix

Forum 2004 is Sponsored by Advanced DataTools Corporation, Awoma, Four Js, Gillani, Inc.


Informix ESQL/C Beta Program

IBM’s Informix Beta team is looking for candidates to participate in the ESQL/C beta program. If you are interested, please respond no later than March 8th, 2004.

The ESQL/C component of the Client Software Development Kit (CSDK) Version 2.90 will provide native connectivity to DB2 in addition to the existing Informix IDS connectivity. This new feature can be used in the following scenarios:

  • Customers migrating from IDS to DB2 Version 8.2 (Linux/UNIX and Windows) can use their existing Informix ESQL/C applications with DB2
  • Existing users of the Informix Enterprise Gateway with DRDA and traditional ESQL/C can now use their Informix ESQL/C applications directly with DB2 8.2 without the Gateway

Note that at this time, the product is not expected to work with DB2 on the mainframe.

The ESQL/C Beta Program is targeted to start on mid March 2004 and run for approximately ten weeks. Participants in this program will:

  • Attend a training session (via web conference) at the beginning of the program
  • Install DB2 Version 8.2 and CSDK Version 2.90 beta software in their test environment
  • Participate in conference calls with representatives of the Development team to discuss impressions, findings, issues, etc.
  • Receive technical support and assistance throughout the testing period
  • Fill out an evaluation questionnaire at the end of the program

Requirements:

  • Provide a point of contact for the testing activities
  • Identify hardware for testing and create an adequate test environment
  • Commit to providing feedback on a regular basis throughout the program
  • Sign a confidentiality agreement for use of the beta software

Details on Test Environment

Client Environment:

Since the IBM Informix ESQL/C product uses DB2 CLI to provide DB2 connectivity, client platforms are restricted to the following:

  • AIX 4.3.3 and above (32 & 64-bit)
  • Solaris 7 (32 & 64-bit)
  • HP 11.11 (32 & 64-bit)
  • Linux 32-bit
  • Windows 2000/XP or above

Participants will be required to:

  • Install the DB2 Runtime or Application Development Client on their client machine(s) for testing
  • Make modifications for unsupported SQL syntax and recompile their existing ESQL/C applications

Server Environment:

Participants will be given a copy of the DB2 v 8.2 beta software and will be expected to use it for all beta testing. Participants migrating from IDS to DB2 will find guidance in the DB2 Migration Tool Kit.

How To Apply:

If you would like to participate, please send an email to Helene Tur (turh@us.ibm.com) with the following information:

Full legal name of the company:
Contact name:
Address:
Country:
Phone:
Email address:
Client platform (indicate if 32 or 64-bit):
Server platform (indicate if 32 or 64-bit):
Current IDS version:
Current DB2 version (if applicable):

Please indicate your level of experience with DB2 on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being “very experienced”, and 5 being “no experience”).

If you have questions, comments or need additional information, please contact Helene Tur (turh@us.ibm.com, +1 (650) 926-6011).


BaaN IV & V Certify IDS v9.4 and DB2 Ports

29 January 2004

IIUG was recently informed by IBM that SSA Global’s BaaN ERP application suite has completed its certification of IDS v9.4 and DB2 UDB as follows:

IDS:

  • BaaN IV/9.4.UC2 certified, both drivers
  • BaaN ERP (V)/IDS 9.4.UC2 certified, both drivers
  • BaaN IV/IDS v9.4, porting set 6.1C.07.01, already released
  • ERP (V.x)/IDS v9.4, porting sets 7.1D.03, already released
  • New BaaN IV on Windows installations are supported, porting set 6.1C.07.0, already released
  • New ERP (V) on Windows installs to be supported, porting set 7.1D.04, expected to be released Jan 04

DB2:

  • Baan IV and BaaN ERP: DB2 v8.1, porting sets 50B & 50C
  • Baan IV supports porting sets 6.1C.07 and later
  • Baan ERP V.B & V.C support porting sets 7.1D.01 and later

IBM strongly suggested that customers formally obtain certification and porting information from SSA Global/BaaN representatives.

SSA Global: http://www.ssaglobal.com


Informix Platform Support for Linux

Excerpt from http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/informix/linux-sup.html.

“IBM Informix is committed to supporting the enterprise editions of the Linux distributions powered by UnitedLinux and Red Hat Enterprise Editions and ensures support of these distributions within a short time of their availability. There are many reasons for our commitment, but the most important one is support. IBM has an agreement with RedHat and UnitedLinux that ensures they will support us if we find an operating system (OS) bug and need help in debugging or with a resolution.”


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

Please visit the IBM Redbooks web site at http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/mail for more details and up-to-the-minute technical information.


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
IBM Corp.
Editors: Jean Georges Perrin
Ron Flannery
Sam Gentsch
Fred Hubbard
For comments, please send an email to enews@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.