IIUG Insider (Issue #104) February 2009

Highlights: Special conference discount for the IIUG Insider readers

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:

 


Editorial Back to top

We are experiencing difficult times. It has an impact on all of us world wide and the IIUG is no different. The IIUG board is struggling with problems with our real jobs back home and simultaneously managing the IIUG organization. So far we are maintaining the level of service that you are used to and I am sure we will keep doing so despite everything.

With a great deal of help from IBM we are setting out once again to deliver the best and biggest Informix conference in this century. This is an event that you cannot afford to miss, especially now. Nowhere else can you get this up-to-date Informix education, certification and access to the top Informix developers and support people all in one place.

If you are planning to attend, read the next section — there is a pleasant surprise for the Insider readers!

Gary Ben-Israel
IIUG Insider Editor
gary@iiug.org


Highlights Back to top

Save $100 on your conference registration

Dear Insider readers,

I am delighted to offer the Insider readers a $100 discount when registering to the 2009 IIUG Informix Conference.

This discount is valid only to the first 50 registrations and is valid until the end of March.

So hurry and register if you don’t want to lose this opportunity.

To receive the discount just type INSIDER (case sensitive) in the registration code box on the conference registration page at /conf/2009/iiug/register.php.

You probably ran out to register. I can only hope you continue reading when you are back.

I am looking forward to meet you all at the conference. Please look me up.

Cheers,

Gary


Conference corner Back to top

2009 IIUG Informix Conference, The Power Conference for Informix Professionals

IIUG Informix Conference Update

Join us in Kansas City for the second annual Informix Conference. 5 tracks, 88 technical sessions, Keynotes from IBM executives, Informix vendors, FREE Informix Certification and much more. You will also have lots of opportunites to network with fellow Informix fanatics, IBM Informix developers and support personnel. Here is the schedule full of fun for the week:

Sunday April 26, 2009 6:00 – 8:00 PM – Welcome Reception in the exhibit hall. Great food and drinks for all!

Following the Welcome Reception, the IIUG will be hosting a trivia event. Team up with your Informix friends for a few hours of competition and fun!

Monday April 27, 2009 6:30 – 8:30 PM- Speaker/Developer Reception

Join us in the Marriott Hotel for a party with all the attendees, exhibitors, speakers and the local IBM Informix Development and Support Staff from the Lenexa labs. The TOP Informix developers, support personnel and product managers will all be together in one place in a casual, conversation-friendly atmosphere.

Tuesday April 28, 2009 – 7:00 – 10:00 PM Conference Party (offsite)

More details to come soon!

Go to the conference website and check it out! Pre-conference tutorials were announced the week of February 16th and all the details are on the conference website.

/conf/2009/iiug/

Cindy Lichtenauer
IIUG Conference Planning Committee

IBM Information On Demand 2-5 June 2009, Berlin, Germany

To our valued Business Partners,

We will be holding our second IBM Information On Demand (IOD) Conference for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) next June at the Estrel Berlin. With a target audience of 2,300 attendees representing leading organisations from across the region, this is the premier Information Management event in the 2009 business calendar, and we encourage you to mark yours now.

This is a very key event for all our Business Partners — especially if you work with our Data Management, Enterprise Content Management, InfoSphere and Cognos products. This year we will be adding a specific Business Partner programme on the afternoon of Tuesday, 2 June, together with a Business Partner appreciation event that evening.

Right now, we would like to offer the opportunity for you and your customers to speak at the Conference. In addition, our Call for Exhibitors and Sponsors is now available, so please register your interest now to secure a premier sponsorship package.

Become a sponsor or exhibitor!

The Conference also provides you, our Business Partners, with a range of unique sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities that are designed to maximise your organisation’s presence at the event, and to showcase your solutions and services to this premier Information Management community.

For more information, please take a look at the Call for Exhibitors and Sponsors: http://www.ibm.com/software/uk/data/conf/how_to/. Or alternatively, please contact Melanie Bessem at mtb.bessem@nl.ibm.com.

For all other details about IOD EMEA Conference 2009, please take a look at our website: http://www.ibm.com/software/europe/data/conf

Please also make sure that your customers don’t miss out. Inform them about the event and suggest they visit the URL for more details.

We very much look forward to welcoming you in Berlin!

Tony Rummans
Vice President, Information Management Software
Southwest Europe IBM

Ivo Koerner
Vice President, Information Management Software
Northeast Europe IBM

Pawel Panecki
Software Sales Executive, Information Management Software
CEEMEA Region IBM


Education Back to top

Advanced DataTools announces instructor led remote Informix training!

Advanced DataTools is now offering web-based Informix Dynamic Server training classes.

Everyone’s budgets are tight this year. Save on travel costs and other expenses associated with training.

Classes will be taught over the internet using VOIP and hands-on labs. The first class offered will be the “Advanced Informix IDS Performance Tuning and Optimization class” – May 18-21, 2009, 9:00 AM EST – 4:00 PM with a 2 hour break in the middle of the day. This live virtual class offers the following benefits:

  • Instructor-led training, taught by Lester Knutsen – well known Informix expert
  • Utilization of the same lecture, exercises and lab computers as if you were on site
  • Interactive Q & A
  • Zero travel costs

This course is priced at only $1000 per student!

More information on the class can be found at:

http://www.advancedatatools.com/Training/OutlineInformixIDSPerfTuningOpt.html

To register or for more information on Advanced DataTools Training call (703) 256-0267 x101 http://www.advancedatatools.com

Sign up today!

Advanced DataTools is your number one source for Informix Training. Customized/on site training also available.

Assess and Save: Keep more money in your pocket

IBM Professional Certification is the way for skilled IT professionals to demonstrate their expertise to the world. In this challenging economic climate, we are introducing a new way for you to become an IBM Certified Professional and keep more money in your pocket, Assess and Save!

IBM offers online self assessment exams for each Information Management Professional Certification exam. These “practice tests” enable you to test your readiness for an exam for a minimal fee, helping you to be successful when you take the actual exam. With the Assess and Save Offer, candidates who purchase and PASS any Information Management Online Assessment Exam through Prometric Testing from February 1, 2009 to April 30, 2009 will receive a 50% off voucher good toward the purchase of the corresponding exam at the IBM Authorized Testing Provider, Prometric. That’s $100 right back in your pocket!

http://www.ibm.com/software/data/education/voucher.html?ca=FebAssess

Instructor-Led Online Courses – now more versatile!

Experience the new trend in training with Instructor-Led Online (ILO). ILO is now available in more scheduling options to fit in your calendar. Need to update your skills on a certain topic but faced with time and budget constraints? ILO Select provides targeted information in a packed lecture of three hours or less, at a much lower price than full training courses. ILO Flex Time offerings enable you to experience the full scope of ILO from anywhere in the world over several days so that you can balance both work and education. These two new ILO options give you the ability to enhance your skills when and where it is convenient for you.

Sign up today!
http://www.ibm.com/software/data/education/ilo.html?ca=FebILO

Build your SQL Skills!

The IBM SQL Workshop (3E120) course provides an introduction to the SQL language and applies to both Informix and DB2. It is appropriate for students working in all Informix and DB2 environments, including z/OS, VM/VSE, iSeries, Linux, UNIX, and Windows. This basic course is ideal for anyone needing to write, support, or understand SQL queries, including end-users, programmers, application designers, database administrators, and system administrators.

As a prerequisite, students should have basic computer literacy and editing skills. Database proficiency is not required!

Upon completion, students will gain vital skills such as understanding the use of SQL arithmetic operations and scalar and column functions, coding SQL statements to retrieve data from a DB2 table, including the select, from, where, group by, having and order by clauses, and coding simple create table and create view statements.

Enroll today!
/url/ibm_sql_workshop.html

Take the next step in Training

With Information Management Curriculum Guides

The Information Management Training Curriculum Guides have been created to help provide you with a comprehensive listing of the training courses currently available in each product line of Information Management Software. These guides break courses down by job role, skill level, delivery method and duration.

IBM Training courses will develop and broaden your expertise. Whether your skill level is beginner, intermediate, or advanced, you will accelerate your learning as experts take you through essential concepts and fundamentals.

Download one or more of the guides and take the next step down the path to building and acquiring your Information Management Skills!
http://www.ibm.com/software/data/education/curriculumdocs.html?ca=FebCurric

Who doesn’t love a bargain?
Never pay full price for training

The IBM Education Pack-online account, a prepaid electronic debit account, automatically saves you up to 12% on most U.S. public classes, on-site training, e-Learning and technical conferences. That’s a 20% increase in savings compared to last year’s Ed Pack discount levels. You can track your account online, so you’ll always know how much you have to spend. Plus, we’ll automatically notify you when your account is low, so you can always train for less. These new discount levels go into effect on March 3, 2009.

Get all the details!
http://www.ibm.com/services/learning/ites.wss/us/en?pageType=page&c=a0000155

Plan your 2009 Training
Check out the Spring e-catalog!

In today’s market, knowledge and time have become the two most valuable business assets. With IBM Training’s Spring 2009 e-catalog, you’ll spend less time browsing and more time planning your education. You can find the type of training you need that is relevant to you – fast! With this comprehensive new e-catalog, get all the details you need to plan your training, including class schedules and locations. You’ll find the latest information on professional certification programs, IBM technical conferences, class history, hands-on labs, money saving offers, and much more.

Become an expert!
http://www.ibm.com/services/learning/us/pdfs/catalog/fall_ecatalog.pdf

Meet our Consultants

IBM Information Management Software Services consultants go beyond technology to consider business impact. They strive to understand our customers’ ultimate business goals and use technology to gain a competitive advantage. By linking technological solutions and business success, Software Services consultants help drive customer innovation. Take advantage of their experience and expertise and discover how they can give your business that competitive edge you’ve been looking for.

Check them out today!
http://www.ibm.com/software/data/services/consultants.html?ca=FebConsultExt


Developer corner Back to top

New in DeveloperWorks

Configure IBM Informix Dynamic Server with InfoSphere Change Data Capture for heterogeneous replication
/url/ids_iscdc.html
The IBM Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) provides support for heterogeneous data replication using InfoSphere Change Data Capture. Heterogeneous replication enables the sharing of transactional data across a variety of servers and databases and with external clients. This removal of barriers opens a wide range of possibilities for developers who are building solutions to address their customers’ data sharing needs. For example, a retailer with a mix of different servers spread through their operations, could replicate data between headquarters and stores and perform real-time sales and inventory analysis. This article shows you how to configure InfoSphere Change Data Capture on an IDS server.

16 Feb 2009

Deploy 4GL functions as Web services
/url/4gl_web_svcs.html
Learn how IBM Informix 4GL functions can be deployed as Web services. Get an overview of a user interface (UI) tool called ‘w4gl’ and a back-end tool called ‘w4glc’ that is in-turn used by the ‘w4gl’.

12 Feb 2009

Create IBM Data Web Services using IBM Database Add-Ins for Visual Studio
/url/vs_addins.html
Learn how the IBM Database Add-Ins for Microsoft Visual Studio tool set supports IBM data server Web services development. Walk through the creation of a data Web service, and see how it can be deployed to easily access IBM DB2 or IBM Informix from your Web applications.

2 Feb 2009

For more information go to DeveloperWorks — Informix:

/url/dw_informix.html

Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) & Virtualization

IBM Just announced:

All editions of IDS are now available and supported in a virtualized environment. Sub-capacity pricing is now available to all IDS V11.50 editions and corresponding components, helping you reduce costs and maximize your investments with server consolidation and reduced administration. IBM is responding to your tremendous interests in high availability and business continuity. With IDS V11.50, you will be able to deploy High-availability Data Replication (HDR) with no additional feature charge for the Workgroup Edition, deploying up to two secondary servers in either Idle standby or Hot active read mode. Hot active secondary servers are now eligible for sub-capacity pricing on the Processor Value Unit metric.

IBM publishes a new IDS Proof of Technology (PoT) on Enterprise Replication!

In mid-February IBM published another in a growing library of IDS PoTs titled “Discovering and Using Informix Dynamic Server Enterprise Replication Topologies.” IBM IDS PoTs are one-day, customer-oriented events generally held in IBM locations world-wide that give customers the opportunity to “kick the tires” and evaluate one or more pieces of technology to understand how it works and the value it could have in their business. The events are free of charge and include an educational session followed by guided hands-on practice with the feature(s) in a virtual machine environment.

Typically, a PoT session requires 5 or more confirmed attendees to be held. If your company has sufficient attendees, the class can be brought to you if a suitable local IBM location is not available. If not, the IBM coordinator will work with you to get other people in your area who might be interested in attending in order to hold the class. While the PoTs are taught world-wide, the materials are in English so basic read fluency is required. Some prerequisite knowledge of IBM Informix Dynamic Server is very helpful but not required. It is recommended that those attending have an understanding of data server technology, data server administration as well as general data programming. The labs will be executed in a Linux® environment so a basic fluency in Linux/Unix commands, including the vi editor is helpful.

The following PoTs are currently available and more are coming shortly:

  • Discovering and using Informix Dynamic Server Enterprise Replication Topologies (PoT.IM.09.1.076.00)

    Provides a hands-on experience for those needing to understand and use Informix Dynamic Server’s market-leading Enterprise Replication technology. Participants will create a multi-node Enterprise Replication (ER) cluster using update-anywhere, hierarchical push-down and push-up as well as selective round-robin topologies to gain experience in creating a truly global-based replication environment. They will also get experience using the serial data type in replication and how to administer a cluster using this type of data. Additional topics will include monitoring and troubleshooting, cluster recovery, on-going cluster administration as well as database management in a clustered environment.

  • Informix Dynamic Server 11.50 – delivering MACH-11 part 2 (PoT.IM.08.1.068.00)

    Attendees will create and use the full spectrum of MACH-11 technologies in IDS 11.5 including Updatable Secondaries, the Online Connection Manager and Server Monitor agent, Service Level Agreements and the Failover Arbitrator to create a cluster of instances that can provide virtually uninterrupted data services within a business environment.

  • Discovering Informix Dynamic Server 11 Administration and Performance Tuning (PoT.IM.07.1.050.01)

    Provides a hands-on experience to understand and use many of the new features administration and performance tuning features in IDS 11.

  • Discovering and using Informix Dynamic Server replication technologies (PoT.IM.07.1.051.00)

    Participants will gain an appreciation for the MACH-11 technology and how it can be used to create an availability solution that covers server, disk, and network or instance failure. Participants will also create a multi-node Enterprise Replication (ER) cluster using update-anywhere rules to gain experience in creating a truly global-based replication environment. Finally, the ER and MACH-11 clusters will be joined together creating the [UTF-8?]industryb..s most robust, secure and fastest complete availability solution.

  • Discovering and using the Advanced Technology in Informix Dynamic Server 11 (PoT.IM.07.1.049.01)

    Attendees will gain an appreciation for the new technology in IDS 11 including an introduction to the MACH-11 technology and how it can be used to create an availability solution that covers server, disk, network or instance failure. Additional topics will include the modular and silent installation process, advanced security features such as Label Based Access Control (LBAC), security procedures, the SQL-based administration API and several of the newly bundled DataBlades which provide for much easier and richer application development.

So how can you go to one of these PoTs? Contact your authorized IDS sales resource. If not with IBM, they can coordinate with IBM to hold a class in your area.


Informix News Back to top

IBM to Deliver Software via Cloud Computing With Amazon Web Services

ARMONK, NY – 11 Feb 2009: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a new agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc., to deliver IBM’s market leading software to clients and developers. The new “pay-as-you-go” model provides clients with access to development and production instances of IBM DB2, Informix Dynamic Server, WebSphere Portal, Lotus Web Content Management, WebSphere sMash and Novell’s SUSE Linux operating system software in the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) environment, providing a comprehensive portfolio of products available on AWS. vBusinesses today are looking for ways to quickly build, deploy and take advantage of the flexibility that cloud computing environments can bring. This is challenging for organizations that are constrained by limited resources, technical skills and capital, as they look to their IT infrastructure to help them gain a competitive advantage. IBM and Amazon Web Services are helping to address these challenges by making it easier for software developers to build solutions based on open standards and backed up by the necessary technical resources to help simplify the process.

Effective immediately, IBM is making available new Amazon Machine Images (AMIs) at no charge for development and test purposes, enabling software developers to quickly build pre-production applications based on IBM software within Amazon EC2. The new portfolio will over time extend to include Service Management capabilities from IBM Tivoli software for Amazon EC2 to help clients better control and automate their dynamic infrastructures in the cloud.

The IBM software images for full production running in Amazon EC2 will be launched in beta in the coming months, with pricing to be announced. All developers and customers will have the operational capability to run development and production instances of IBM software for an hourly price per instance.

Additionally, customers will also be able to run their already-purchased IBM software on Amazon EC2.

“IBM is offering yet another way for our partners and customers to build solutions that can help them meet their business goals,” said Dave Mitchell, Director of Strategy and Emerging Business, IBM Software Group. “This relationship with Amazon Web Services provides our customers with a new way to use IBM software and broadens our distribution channels.”

We are pleased to be working with IBM to extend this new model for building and deploying applications to companies of all sizes,” said Terry Wise, Director of Business Development for Amazon Web Services. “Extending IBM software to the cloud via Amazon EC2 will help even more businesses take advantage of the benefits of the reliable, scalable and cost efficient infrastructure in the cloud.”

The new development AMIs can be accessed by visiting the new IBM Cloud Space on developerWorks or the IBM section of the Featured Partners page.

http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26673.wss


IIUG Events Back to top

Attention all New York Area Informix users

An attempt is being made to resurrect the wayward New York Area Informix Users’ Group. In today’s tight economy, user communities provide a priceless resource for you and your employers to network to find talent, to keep up with new product features and third party products, to share solutions to your everyday problems, and to produce and maintain contact with key resources in the user community for free or otherwise unobtainable help keeping your Informix servers alive and well. If you are interested in attending a meeting of the re-fledged (is that a word?) group, or at least want to be kept in the loop about meetings, please, contact Art S. Kagel at art.kagel@gmail.com and include your contact information and optionally your version and platform details and and your employer. Nothing will be shared outside the IIUG and the NYAUG organizers.

Thanks,

Art

Proof of Technology will take place in Noisy-Le-Grand (Paris), 12 March 2009

The purpose of this event is to discover features of IDS 11.50 through presentations and labs as MACH11 and Open Admin. We will discuss about migration too.

All IBM customers are invited. The PoT and the presentations will be displayed in French only.

The skills required to attend this event are a good knowledge of Informix and Linux in order to prepare for our labs on VMware Linux.

To participate in this event just confirm to:

laurent.valenza@fr.ibm.com


IIUG board activities Back to top

Should IBM Benchmark Informix?

Responses to the January 2009 Insider Article
Kate Tomchik, kate@iiug.org

Last month I gave survey results on why the IIUG community would like to see TPC benchmarks on Informix. So now the question is: What are the reasons for NOT benchmarking Informix?

Jerry Keesee was recently asked about the need for Informix benchmarking at the January 29 Chat with the Labs: The Road Map of Informix. He pointed out a few good reasons why IBM does not want an Informix benchmark at this time.

  1. DB2 is already being benchmarked, so adding Informix as a competing database would make one of these be second best, and that would be bad press for IBM.
  2. Many of the companies that choose Informix over Oracle did so after performing their own internal benchmarking. Few companies are going to make a purchase based on the benchmark alone, so these companies will want to verify the results with an in-house test. This occurs regardless of what the TPC study might say.
  3. Benchmarks are expensive, and once you start them they become a repeated expense. Those dollars are better spent as an investment into new technology that is relevant to Informix partners and customers. (Would Informix users prefer MACH 11 or an Informix benchmark published?)

IBM Database Magazine decided to follow our lead at The Insider by making benchmarks the topic of the monthly poll. The question posed is “How do you use vendor benchmarks when making purchasing decisions?” As of Feb 20, the results were:

24% I always consult them, they help convince management
48% I consider them, but I verify the results in house
18% I use them to glean best parameter setting tips
10% I never consider them

To get the latest results, log in to http://www.ibmdatabasemag.com/ and go to the “Polls” section.

It is important to understand that there are many different categories for benchmarks. An interesting one for Informix database would be the TPC-E On-Line Transaction Processing benchmark. From the web site http://tpc.org/tpce/default.asp “The TPC-E benchmark simulates the OLTP workload of a brokerage firm. The focus of the benchmark is the central database that executes transactions related to the firm’s customer accounts. Although the underlying business model of TPC-E is a brokerage firm, the database schema, data population, transactions, and implementation rules have been designed to be broadly representative of modern OLTP systems.” This is a good place for an Informix benchmark for IBM since there are no DB2 LUW results in this category. The problem is there are no results from Oracle either. Right now, the only database listed is Sql Server. So, until Oracle puts their results out there it is not logical for IBM to do so.

I heard a rumor that this issue may have been discussed in some other forums that I do not monitor.

If you have any comments you would like to send me on this article, please email them directly to me at kate@iiug.org.

Kate Tomchik
IIUG Board of Directors


Informix resources Back to top

Informix blogs and things

  • The IIUG forums at /forums/technical.php **** these are very good****
  • Blogs, Videos, News and more at http://planetids.com
  • IDS Experts at http://www-03.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/idsteam
  • Guy Bowerman at http://www-03.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/gbowerman
  • Madison Pruitt at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/roundrep
  • Jacques Roy at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/jacquesroy
  • Informix blogs at http://www.ibmdatabasemag.com/blog/main/archives/informix/index.html
  • Kate Dawson at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/katedawson
  • Fernando Nunes at http://informix-technology.blogspot.com/
  • Virtual Worlds, MMOGs, Serious data – Informix Technology for Persistent Worlds http://informix4virtual.wordpress.com/
  • IBM DATABASE MAGAZINE at http://www.ibmdatabasemag.com
  • The Informix Zone at http://www.informix-zone.com
  • The Informix mag at http://www.informixmag.com/
  • IIUG developers Desktop /devnews/Vol_1_Iss_4/Home.html
  • There is now an Informix group on LinkedIn. The group is called “Informix Supporter”, so anyone loving Informix can join, from current IBM employees, former Informix employees to users can join. It will also be a good occasion to get in touch with others or long-time-no-seen friends. If you fancy showing the Informix logo on your profile, join. To join, simply go to: http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/25049/5E4B2048E558

 


Calendar of events Back to top

March – 2009
Date Event Location Contact
12 Informix 11.5 Proof of Technology Noisy-Le-Grand Paris Laurent Valenza
17 Southern California Informix User Group Meeting IBM Facility, Costa Mesa Bruce Marchu
19 Buenos Aires Informix User Group Meeting IBM Facility, Buenos Aires Michael Hiskey
19 CHIUG Meeting – Informix 11.5 Proof of Technology IBM Tec Center, Chicago Rob Beal
April – 2009
Date Event Location Contact
2 50th German IUG Workshop,’Database, Internet and Authoring Tools’ Friedrichshafen Elisabeth Majeric
26-30 2009 IIUG Informix Conference Overland Park, Kansas Cindy Lichtenauer
June – 2009
Date Event Location Contact
2-5 IBM Information on Demand EMEA Conference 2009 Berlin, Germany Gayathri Srinivasan

 


Useful links Back to top

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

/quicklinks.html


Closing and credits Back to top

The International Informix Users Group (IIUG) is an organization designed to enhance communications between its worldwide user community and IBM. The IIUG’s membership database now exceeds 25,000 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: Gary Ben-Israel
Tammy Frankforter

For comments, please send an email to gary@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.