In this episode, we meet Jerry McKee and do a deep dive into SSL, TLS, Self-Signed Certificates, and get some great tips on securing your networks from bad actors. And as an added bonus we get some fun stories about AS/400 reliability straight from the guy who soldered the chips that made them so in the first place. It’s a no-nonsense breakdown of how customers can keep their data and devices safe in a world wired for risk.

Configuring SSL for ADMIN wizard - IBM

Setting up IBM i to use SSL

Configuring Your IBM i System Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) Protocols and Cipher Suites

In this episode we finally meet one of the many talented people located in Sofia, Bulgaria. For 10 years, Stanislav Kolev has been relied on for his skill on our EBIZ team, and is well-versed in how customers can help make single sign-on work for them.

Troubleshooting Single Sign-on

IBM i Single Sign-on Configuration Planning Worksheets

When the normal day shift at the IBM i GSC is done, the OFFSHIFT team takes over. OFFSHIFT is a smaller global team of highly technical reps who are able to solve most issues on their own. In this episode, we meet Jim Shupe, a long-time OFFSHIFT team lead, and learn how customers can better open their cases so that they are resolved quickly and expertly.

Jim highly recommends that all customers install QMGTOOLS and keep it current.

The IBM i GSC has long had the benefit of the experience of Hugo Del Castillo, having worked in various places in both the US and South America as a Systems Engineer, in Technical Support, and even in Sales. In this episode, Hugo talks in depth about the ENDJOBABN IBM i command, and we get to hear the trust behind one of the most amazing IBM i support stories ever -- the history of how a customer ended his OWN job, in a very abnormal way....

Customers that have a job that will not end are encouraged to open a support ticket to IBM to get an expert involved who knows that area of the system best, and at a minimum, collect SERVICEDOCS before running the ENDJOBABN command so that the right diagnostic materials are collected. An IPL should be performed to clean up the system when possible.

Lael Daire has been a firewall between development and support for many years, and brings an expert level of knowledge to diagnosing complex issues with LIC and the Power Hypervisor. Not only does he possess an encyclopedic knowledge the intricacies of IBM Power Systems, but he is friendly and an excellent communicator. In this episode, we meet Lael and get to know how he approaches complex problem scenarios and is able to guide customers and reps to better understanding critical system issues.

The IBM i Large User Group (LUG) is an influential group of members from over 80 large companies around the world who have a significant investment in IBM i, and meet three times a year in Rochester, Minnesota, to help IBM direct the future of the IBM i platform. In this episode we are joined by IBM i LUG Liaison Brad Menges, and the two current co-chairs of LUG, Dutch and Dave. We learn about what the LUG is, how new members are admitted, and how this unique 30 year partnership has helped direct the development of IBM i, and benefited our customers, our development teams, and the IBM i GSC.

Join the LUG

Isaac Franco is a new member of the IBM i GSC from our Client Innovation Center in Costa Rica, who works on the EBIZ team. He joins the podcast to talk about common issues faced by customers who rely on digital certificates. We also talk about how we face new challenges, how members of the IBM i GSC work together to support customers, and find out that we take inspiration and get new perspectives for solving complex customer issues in unexpected places.

DCM FAQs

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/digital-certificate-manager-i-dcm-frequently-asked-questions-and-common-tasks

DCM Frequently used Concepts:

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=manager-concepts

During his career at IBM, Wayne Bowers has been focused on the Access Clients, and for many years has served as an IBM Access Client ambassador at multiple IBM conventions. In this episode, Kurt and Alex sit down with Wayne to discuss his career, favorite education delivery techniques, and the latest topics relating to the IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS) product.

"I thought I was sure, but each time he said it I became less sure." So goes one of the stories we hear from Carl Drayton about how he grew into his position at IBM. Carl is a beloved member of the communications team at IBM i Global Support Center, and in this episode we touch on aspects of his IBM Support role that affect everyone, from what customers teach us, to how we learn and project confidence. Carl also does a deep dive into communications traces, and shares tips on how to run them for efficient problem analysis. We also find out that both Carl and Alex were a bit surprised about where they would be working when they got hired...

Db2 is at the core of the IBM i, and making sure that databases are optimized is an important admin task. Holly Rademacher has been helping IBM i clients solve database issues for over 25 years, and in this episode she takes us on a deep dive into the Reorganize Physical File Member (RGZPFM) command. Holly talks about why it's important, how it works, when to run it, and what command options to look out for to make sure it runs correctly for you.

Use the following links to learn more about RGZPGM:

Memo To Users (Document 2023 changes to RGZPFM) https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/ssw_ibm_i_74/pdf/rzaq9.pdf

RGZPFM - Basics on Reorganize While Active https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/684543

RGZPFM options and comparison https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/668043

Viewing Status of RGZPFM through IBM i Access Client Solutions https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/684643