Want to bring your IBM i applications into the modern web era, but dread the thought of a complete rewrite? 

We’ve got good news. You can modernise your IBM i applications without massive overhauls using Presto from Fresche Solutions.

Presto quickly creates modern, responsive web-based interfaces for your IBM i (iSeries / AS400) green screens straight out-of-the-box. 

Greg Patterson is an IBM i modernisation expert. He is also the Presales Team Lead at Fresche Solutions. He will host a webinar on Tuesday, 4th March.

Title: “Beyond the Green Screen: Scale and Modernize on IBM i”

In this session, Greg will show you how other IBM i shops have changed their web applications using Presto. 

He will discuss practical, low-risk ways to modernise IBM i. These strategies will provide real results. The focus will be on improving usability, scalability, and integration. All of this will keep your core systems safe.

Real-World Examples of IBM i Modernisation

Greg will dive into two specific success stories, demonstrating how companies like yours have:

• Replaced outdated interfaces with modern, intuitive web applications.
• Overcome scalability issues with flexible, high-performing systems.
• Solved integration challenges to connect platforms seamlessly.

You’ll see the actual challenges these companies faced, the solutions they implemented, and the tangible business outcomes they achieved.

Why This Matters for IBM i Developers

This session will show you how to:

• Avoid costly, time-consuming rebuilds. Learn how to modernize incrementally and strategically.
• Enhance the user experience for your IBM i applications.
• Improve scalability and performance to meet growing business demands.
• Integrate your IBM i systems with other platforms and technologies.

>> Register for the webinar now

Greg has over 20 years of IT experience, including 15 years at Fresche. He’s a trusted advisor to IBM i organisations across the world. If you’re an IBM i developer or IT Director looking to modernise your IBM i applications without a complete rewrite, this session is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Modernise your IBM i applications without starting from scratch.
• Learn from real-world success stories.
• Focus on enhancing usability, scalability, and integration.
• Discover low-risk, practical modernisation strategies.

Don’t let outdated interfaces and scalability issues hold you back. Join Fresche Solutions on this session and learn how to modernise your IBM i applications for the modern web.

The post Webinar: Scale and Modernise your IBM i Applications appeared first on Proximity.

Join ourselves and Remain Software’s Chief Technology Officer, Wim Jongman, for an upcoming webinar where we will examine the power of ChatGPT and how it can be used by IBM i administrators and developers alike to write code faster and more efficiently.

What to expect

On this webinar, you will learn how ChatGPT can help you to write code faster and more efficiently through:

• Craft SQL instructions
• Creating code snippets
• Code checking for bugs
• Providing contextual suggestions
• Decoding IBM i programming languages
• Documenting IBM i applications

Plus, you’ll receive a free copy of Remain’s ChatGPT client, AI Chat, which integrates seamlessly with Eclipse-based environments such as Rational Developer for i (RDi) as well as Remain’s flagship IBM i change management application, TD/OMS and MiWorkplace, their fully integrated IBM i development environment.

The webinar starts at 14:00 pm (GMT) on Thursday 29th February 2024 (1 hr duration + time for Q&As)

Register Now >>>

Interested to see the webinar but can’t attend the date/time? Don’t forget to register anyway and you’ll be sent the live recording after the event!

The post Chat GPT Webinar: Using AI Chatbots as your IBM i Development Co-pilot appeared first on Proximity.

The architecture of the IBM i makes it less prone to viruses and other malware threats than other mainstream platforms. But there are always security fault lines and flaws that can be exploited — by actors outside or even within the organisation.

With IBM i playing a business-critical role, securing your IBM i should always be at the forefront of your mind.

Watch Fresche’s on-demand sessions to learn practical strategies for securing your valuable data from internal and external threats to your IBM i.

Practical advice for securing your IBM i

What Developers Need to Know About IBM i Security

Discover the essential elements of IBM i security that every developer should be aware of. Gain insights into industry-leading practices and equip your team with the know-how to build secure applications.

Watch Here

Zero Trust Security on Your IBM i

Learn how adopting a zero-trust security model can provide comprehensive protection for your IBM i environment. Understand how to protect against evolving threats and safeguard your critical assets in this session.

Watch Here

Top 5 Security Vulnerabilities on IBM i

Uncover the top vulnerabilities that pose risks to IBM i systems and learn effective methods to mitigate them. Stay ahead of potential threats by arming yourself with the knowledge needed to fortify your defences.

Watch Here

IBM i IFS Network Security

Protect your sensitive data by understanding the intricacies of securing the Integrated File System (IFS) on IBM i. Explore proven techniques to enhance your network security and maintain the confidentiality of your valuable information.

Watch Here

Ready to secure your IBM i infrastructure, protect your valuable data, and validate your IBM i security strategy?

Book your free IBM i security audit with Andy Nicholson today.

The post Practical Advice for Securing Your IBM i appeared first on Proximity.

For many reasons, IBM i enterprises are overwhelmed with securing their IT infrastructure. 

You’re busy with the day-to-day maintenance, support and actual build of the IBM i applications that run your business. 

So, where does IBM i security fit in, what do you need to do and how do you manage it? 

Many IBM i shops already have systems, policies, procedures and tools already set-up that are working – and, despite a moving security landscape, many of these elements have been in place for years. 

If you’re considering reviewing, revising and replacing these systems, or you’re considering systems for the first time, check out our Cyber Security webinar with Andy Nicholson  to discover a foundation for cyber security on IBM i on the link below.

View the Webinar

Surveys highlight IBM i cyber security as top concern

For the sixth year running, cyber security has ranked as the number one concern for IBM i IT professionals in HelpSystems (always) insightful IBM i Marketplace survey.

Why is cybersecurity at the top of the survey’s concerns? 

Well, Fresche, IBM and Forbes asked that same question within their 2022 cyber security report.  

The findings made grim reading.

• 43% of organisation don’t have any cyber security in place
• 61% of SMBs reported at least one cyber attack in 2021
• A penetration testing study revealed cyber criminals can penetrate 93% of company networks
• 83% of organisation are not financially prepared to recover from a cyber attack
• Nearly 50% of IBM i shops have little to no security knowledge and skills (with concerns that there are indeed limited security knowledge or skills within the IBM i community as a whole).

[SOURCE: Fresche, IBM & Forbes Cybersecurity in 2022 Report]

But the IBM i is secure, right? Dispelling the myth that IBM i is impenetrable

IBM i is a safe platform, right? 

Well, not entirely.

For so many years, there’s been a general feeling that the IBM i is an impenetrable platform, immune to any kind of cyber threat.

And while the architecture of IBM i certainly makes it less likely than other platforms, unfortunately, there are always security fault lines in every business and flaws that can be exploited in every system.

And what about those particular fault lines and flaws? 

During the webinar, Andy will examine these  the top four risks as reported by IBM in greater detail – and crucially provide some practical guidance to combat these particular risks.

Malware

Malware or malicious software refers to worms, viruses, Trojans, and spyware — that provide unauthorised access or damage to the computer. 

Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that locks down files, data or systems, and threatens to make public, erase, encrypt or even destroy data unless a ransom payment is made to the criminal.

Phishing

Phishing is a form of social engineering that tricks users into providing their credential or sensitive information. These are normally delivered via email or text messages disguised as a legitimate company – say a bank, government institution or business.

Inside Threats / Credential abuse

Typically, these come in the form of former employees, business partners, contractors or anyone who has had access to systems or networks. These can be considered a threat if they abuse their access permissions and as a result are invisible to firewall and intrusion detection systems.

Laying the foundation for security on your IBM i

Now we understand the types of cyber threats that can impact our IBM i, we can lay the foundations for protecting our infrastructure – and the application running on it.

During the webinar, Andy will provide practical advice and suggestions for IBM i security ranging from 

• Profile management
• User privileges
• Managing passwords
• Restricting access to your IBM i (closing the backdoor)
• IFS security
• Preventing phishing attacks through staff education
• Backup and recovery 
• High availability
• Creating plans and policies
• Importance of applying PTFs in a timely manner
• Implementing field-level data encryption
• Gaining cyber security accreditation
• Having appropriate cyber security insurance.

Protecting your IBM i never stops

Cyber Security is not just ‘implement once’ and move forward, it’s a continually evolving landscape with new threats being introduced on a weekly, if not daily basis.  

Businesses need robust methods, policy and solutions in order to be able to counter and succeed.

Proximity has travelled this path, it’s not easy, but with support and some really terrific products on the market, it doesn’t have to be that difficult either. 

View the webinar today to learn the foundations for your cyber security

View the Webinar

In the meantime, if you’d like to discuss your IBM i security, do not hesitate to drop Andy Nicholson an email on andy.nicholson[@]proximity.co.uk.

Take a few minutes to evaluate your system’s vulnerabilities with the IBM i Risk Calculator

If you’re interested in learning more about IBM i security, why not check out this content?

Cyber security and the foundations for a more secure IBM i

IBM i security is the top issue and concerns (article from 2023)

Practical advice for securing your IBM i

And finally, why not view Fresche’s IBM i Security Suite of products (formerly Trinity Guard).

The post IBM i Security, it’s Not Easy but it Doesn’t Have to be Hard Either… appeared first on Proximity.

Businesses that implement a modern and intuitive web-based interface report increased productivity, streamlined workflows and improved access to information.

These benefits are crucial for companies that are prioritising digital transformation as a key driver for revenue growth.

In an upcoming webinar hosted by Greg Patterson & Yuval Ore from Fresche Solutions they will introduce you to WebSmart 13.4 – a key template-based rapid development tool for creating RPG, PHP, and Node.js desktop and mobile applications on IBM i.

There will be a live product demonstration of WebSmart 13.4 to discuss its new features and show you what’s possible.

What’s New in WebSmart 13.4

On this webinar, you will learn:

• How WebSmart enables you to quickly develop professional web applications.
• What you can build: mobile, eCommerce, web services for integration & more.
• About the significant new changes in recent WebSmart releases including: SFTP, IDE improvements, new PHP templates for API-based & report applications.

Join us at 18:00 pm (BST) on Tuesday 13th September 2022.

Register Now >>>

Follow the link to read more about developing RPG and PHP web applications on IBM i with WebSmart.

The post What’s New in WebSmart 13.4 appeared first on Proximity.

As you map out and implement your digital-first strategy, it is important to utilise the right technology & latest tools to give you an edge over competitors.

In an upcoming webinar hosted by Greg Patterson & Yuval Ore from Fresche Solutions they will introduce you to Presto’s latest update, with new features including: enhancements to the Visual Editor​, Dark Mode, and improvements to Presto’s IDE rendering engine.

There will be a live product demonstration of Presto 9.3 to show you what’s possible with the latest update.

What’s New in Presto 9.3

On this webinar, you will learn:

• How to create an instantly accessible web GUI.
• How Presto 9.3 improves user productivity by adding new functionalities.
• How Presto has evolved through enhancements to the Visual Editor, Dark Mode, and improvements to Presto’s IDE rendering engine.

Join us at 18:00 pm (BST) on Wednesday 7th September 2022.

Register Now >>>

If you’d like to read more about Presto 9.3 you can visit the product page.

The post What’s New in Presto 9.3 appeared first on Proximity.

Watch our video below to:

Understand what the pressing concerns are for the IBM i, find out how X-Analysis can provide insight & understanding into your IBM i applications, automate the documentation and mitigate risk to your IBM i.

The post Document, Manage, Enhance and Evolve Your IBM i Applications with Confidence with X-Analysis appeared first on Proximity.

RPG continues to be the backbone of IBM i development. So the big question is:

How can we leverage our investment in IBM i to create web applications?

RPG is one of the most common development languages used on the IBM i, with thousands of existing business apps built on the platform, thanks to its’ ease-of-use, versatility, and open-source nature.

Modern RPG also looks and acts like other programming languages, making it easier to teach which may help to close the IBM i skills gap in the future. the use of RPG as the language for new IBM i development has been on the rise in recent years, due in part to its’ free-form nature.

Using specialist tools, you are able to modernise existing RPG applications to deliver a modern web-based GUI and to develop new technologies for web and mobile.

WebSmart from Fresche Solutions is a rapid development tool for creating desktop and mobile web applications using modern programming languages for your IBM i utilising your existing RPG code. It is a tool that has been created to combat these issues and enable IBM i shops to bridge the skills gap and create exceptional digital experiences.

Rapidly Developing Modern Applications on IBM i

Join Andrew Nicholson from Proximity and Greg Patterson from Fresche Solutions on their upcoming webinar: Rapidly Developing Modern Applications on IBM i to learn:

• How WebSmart can provide you with the power to rapidly develop modern desktop and mobile applications using responsive templates
• How diversifying into modern programming languages can reduce the risk for your IBM i, by providing the opportunity to attract modern developers
• Exactly how WebSmart can help you rapidly develop modern mobile and desktop applications on the IBM in a live demonstration.

Join us at 3:30 pm on Wednesday 27th April 2022.

Register Now >>>

If you can’t make it to the live webinar, register anyway and we’ll send you a recording of the session once it finishes.

The post Leverage Your Existing RPG to Create Web Applications appeared first on Proximity.

Right from the very first days of System/38, through various iterations and name changes (System/36, AS400, iSeries and System i), the IBM i has been designed with a built-in database to enhance the transactional prowess of any application that ‘sits’ on it.

Launched back in 1988, the AS400 has always been about creating, number crunching and processing data, in a reliable and secure fashion.

Somewhat of a black box, being able to communicate and integrate and interact with other systems wasn’t really part of its original remit.

Whoever thought that applications would be required to ‘communicate’ with each other?

But that’s very much the remit these days.

And there lies the problem.

Enterprises running applications on IBM i can sometimes struggle with integration. The very benefits that IBM i delivers in terms of security and reliability can make it difficult to get data in and out of it.

Let alone automate those processes.

Thinking outside the (black) box

If you’re looking for ways to bring data into your IBM i enterprise or take data out, then tools designed and developed by Utilities 400 might provide just the answer.

These tools give you the ability to push data out of your IBM i, pull data in, and automate the process.

More importantly, though, they do all that without removing any of the security capabilities inherent in your IBM i.

This webinar aired on Thursday 10 February at 2 pm GMT explaining how developers and IT professionals can use the Utilities 400 to help them to expand the capabilities of their IBM i applications. Catch the full webinar above with your host, Andy Nicholson, from Proximity.

Got any questions about Utilities 400 or your IBM i?

Book a Call with Andy

What you’ll learn

Each Utilities 400 product has been built with multimodal operations, offering feature-rich answers to perennial problems of IBM i data integration and automation.

In this webinar, Andy is going to introduce four solutions from their integration and automation suite, which together allow you to access or leverage your data in a meaningful manner.

RouteOne enables you to extract meaningful information from the IBM i, transform it to a format of choice and distribute it by multiple ways.

iRoute is the mirror of RouteOne. It captures information from a mix of databases and file types and parses this information within your database enterprise system, with full validation.

iKeyer allows you to automate data entry via a 52/50 green screen session using a virtual terminal.

ProActive is a rules-based workflow automation solution that utilises native IBM i triggers.

About the Presenter (and Proximity)

As Proximity’s General Sales Manager, Andy Nicholson is a trusted advisor, supporting businesses to become more productive and profitable with enterprise IBM i software and services.

For over a decade, Proximity has worked with organisations across the UK, Europe and further afield to design, develop, manage, support and maintain innovative and scalable business-critical IBM i applications with our team of 40-plus UK-based IBM i specialists.

Proximity is a trusted reseller of Utilities 400 products within the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Utilities 400 has been servicing the IBM i market for over 20 years. In this time they’ve grown from their HQ in Bolton, Lancashire, to add offices in the USA and Australia, and are the largest independent software vendors dedicated to developing robust solutions for IBM i based in the UK.

As a result, RouteOne, ProActive, iRoute and iKeyer are designed by people who really understand the problems faced by the modern IBM i Enterprise.

The post Control Your IBM i Data Flow: Manage, Extract, Connect & Distribute IBM i Data with Utilities 400 appeared first on Proximity.

It is an architectural IT bedrock that serves as the ideal launch pad for your move into the future.

Using Fresche Solution‘s wealth of IBM i application development and modernisation tools (X-Analysis, WebSmart, Presto & Formtastic to name but a few), and our own in-house IBM i specialists, we’ve helped countless IBM i businesses across the UK, Ireland and Europe to transform digitally.

Fresche themselves, have delivered over 400 successful IBM i modernisation projects.

Dated and monolithic IBM i applications hurt productivity, but they are extremely valuable. With Proximity and Fresche, you can turn them into agile, secure, maintainable systems that deliver even better ROI.

If your business uses IBM i applications, this modernisation webinar series from Fresche is not to be missed!

Session 1:

Developing Your Modernisation Plan: What Are Your Options? Fresche IBM i Webinar

Date: Thursday 21st October 2021
Time: 1pm BST (2pm CET)

Register Now >>

Four key reasons to sign up to these online sessions:

There are some great benefits to signing up to these online sessions with Fresche around modernising your IBM i applications:

1. Fully Harness Existing Applications
2. Minimise Risk and Become More Agile
3. Boost Productivity and Streamline Employee Training
4. Increase Return on Investment (ROI)

What will your learn in this first free online IBM i session?

Here’s everything that you’ll learn by signing up to the first in a series of online IBM i sessions with Fresche:

• See how other Fresche customers succeeded with example roadmaps of incremental and automated approaches
• Quick wins with UI modernisation
• APIs & integration capabilities
• Code & DB conversion
• Architectural & infrastructure options

The first Fresche online session ‘Developing Your Modernisation Plan: What Are Your Options?’ is happening on 21st October 2021 at 1pm BST (2pm CET)

Register now for your link to the event and to be sent a reminder for the Fresche Session on 21st October. We hope to see you there!

Register Now >>

We partner with Fresche to help you maximise your investment in the IBM i, providing tools to meet all your development, modernisation and IT management needs:

The post Developing Your Modernisation Plan: What Are Your Options? Fresche IBM i Webinar appeared first on Proximity.