The purpose of this blog is to stress the importance of Disaster Recovery testing. What made this topic important to me is that recently we completed a DR test for one of our clients. The DR test revealed that their system backup was bad, which came as a shock to the client. Understandably, the client was unhappy to pay for the test only to learn their DR plan could not work because the backup was bad. So, let’s stress the importance of understanding how to do a clean backup. I have included … [Read more...]
Getting A New IBM i (iSeries/AS400) POWER Server? Stuff You Might Not Think About And Should
The purpose of this blog is to highlight many factors that you want to consider when you are about to buy a new IBM POWER server. These factors will save you delays, unexpected costs and painful expensive oversights. Disclaimer: iSeries and AS400 are servers. IBM i is an operating system. I use them interchangeably so folks to more easily find what they are searching for on the web. As an IBM Business Partner, I work with many IBM i users that want new servers.… and seem not to want my … [Read more...]
How To Scrutinize Your IBM i (AS400/iSeries) Cloud Provider
The purpose of this blog is to highlight important factors to consider when evaluating IBM i cloud hosting providers. Hosting IBM i is very different than hosting other technologies. This type of evaluation is unique and it is an activity that most IBM i users rarely have done because it is relatively new. My intent is to share aspects that will give you a better idea of what to look for when you are in the hunt for a successful IBM i hosting solution. Disclaimer: AS400 and iSeries are … [Read more...]
7 Unexpected Costs When You Buy A Used IBM i (iSeries/AS400)
The purpose of this blog is to highlight the extra expenses related to putting a used IBM POWER server into production. In my experience, all too often the buyer of used IBM POWER hardware is unfamiliar with the needed steps and related costs to put a used server into production. Disclaimer: IBM i is an operating system. iSeries and AS400 are names for IBM servers. I use them interchangeably to make it easier to find this information on the web. An IBM i 8202 user contacted me this week to … [Read more...]
Assess On-Premise IBM i (iSeries/AS400) Server Total Cost Of Ownership To Understand Your Options
The purpose of this blog is to identify the elements to make up the on premise server total cost of ownership so you can determine your options to upgrade to a new on premise server or move to the cloud to host your IBM I (iSeries/AS400) applications. Disclaimer: IBM i is an operating system. iSeries and AS400 are servers. I use them interchangeably to make it easier for users to find this information when searching on the web. Every day I speak to IBM i (iSeries/AS400) users to help them … [Read more...]
IBM i (iSeries/AS400) Business Continuity Options
One of the frequent concerns we currently hear from many of our clients is what options do they have for business continuity beyond basic tape backup. Disclaimer: IBM i is an Operating System of POWER servers. iSeries and AS400 are IBM servers. I use IBM i, iSeries and AS400 interchangeably in my title and text to make it easier for internet users to access information like this for their research. Recovering From Unexpected Down Time First, let’s consider the causes of … [Read more...]
10 Common Landmines When Evaluating New ERP Software
You may know it is time to change your ERP software. Even so, there is a lot more to select the right fit then compare 4 or 5 software choices. Software Evaluation Has Complexities And Risks That Cannot Be Overlooked Software evaluation and implementation is fraught with risks and unpleasant surprises, even for competent IT teams and business executives. Neglect to investigate the “landmines” and you dramatically increase your chances for a failed implementation…and a career … [Read more...]
How To Dramatically Increase Productivity
In the last 6 months, Richard Koch’s books on the 80/20 Principle, The Star Principleand Simplify have crystalized my thinking. Many of us have heard about the 80/20 rule -- 20% of our inventory generates 80% of our sales, 20% of our sales team generate 80% of our revenue, 20% of our customer generate 80% of our profit, and so forth. Even so, I have never had anyone so thoroughly make the case for the 80/20 principle as Richard Koch. Or articulate it so well. This 10 minute video easily … [Read more...]
Reliable. Redundant. Responsive. 3 Reasons Cloud Hosting Is WAY Better Than On-Premise
Sometimes bad events can lead to insight. That is what happened to me this week. Power Failure Results In 4-Day Delay To Final Repair. My company maintains older hardware that IBM no longer supports. One of my favorite client’s legacy Intel server with Windows 2003 failed on a Saturday afternoon due to power failure that affected their entire building. This server was flat non-functional. From what little information we could gather remotely, it took one of my top engineers and myself 4 … [Read more...]
Leasing’s Sneaky Tricks — Part 3 of 3
If you don’t know how leasing can hide sneaky tricks in their finance agreements, you may find out that you agreed to pay WAY too much money – certainly, a lot more than you ever figured. I want to show you what to look out for so you can protect yourself from these unsavory practices. In this part of the three-part series, I will cover: Sneaky Trick #7 – The “Last-Minute” Addendum to be Approved by the Directors Sneaky Trick #8 — Unlike Our Competitors, We Take a Bigger Residual … [Read more...]
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