As previewed exclusively by PowerWire back in November last year, Maxava has released a new version of Maxava HA with fully dynamic multi-threaded IFS replication.
Replication speeds have long been an Achilles heel for some real-time solutions that have only been able to run IBM i IFS replication in a single-thread mode or with very limited fixed number multi-threading. The effect is that data is drip-fed to the backup.
Multi-thread IFS enables faster processing of data between primary and backup systems so that the IFS is backed up, not just sitting in a queue waiting to be processed on the production system. The new version of Maxava HA supports up to 255 parallel IFS replication processes.
Peter Kania, Maxava’s director of technical services and development, says: “Maxava genuinely feels like the guys riding to the rescue. Even before the latest version was released, we had customers whose replication time was halved since moving to Maxava HA. Now it’s going to be even better, and organisations who have historically struggled to back up data efficiently and effectively should look to Maxava to change that.”
Released as a PTF, the multi-threading enhancement is available for Maxava HA Enterprise+ customers to download from the Maxava customer support portal.
The IFS is also HelpSystems’ focus in the latest release of its Robot CONSOLE message management and resource monitoring software.
Robot CONSOLE version 6 introduces the ability to monitor applications by capturing log data in the IFS that can indicate major issues in application availability or health.
Jody Dahl, HelpSystems’ software development manager, says: “As more IBM i applications become Java- or web-based, they are less likely to send their important messages to a message queue such as QSYSOPR. The new application monitoring functionality goes beyond message queue monitoring and enables users to effectively monitor these business-critical applications.”
With the new feature, users need only define the directories or files to monitor and the events for which they need notification. Setup of this feature is available only through the recently refreshed graphical user interface in Robot CONSOLE version 6.
Three new resource monitors for data queues, writers, and MQSeries channels have also been added to the new version. There are enhancements to its job resource monitor, which can now monitor the number of threads being used, and the output queue and job queue resource monitors.
HelpSystems has also announced a partnership with SoftLanding Systems. SoftLanding is integrating Help’s application development tool ABSTRACT with its TURNOVER for iSeries v100 change management software to deliver an enhanced development solution.
TURNOVER for iSeries supports repeatable procedures for developing and maintaining IBM i applications, unifying the software development process. ABSTRACT speeds application development with its set of cross-referencing, documentation and programming tools.
Jim Fisher, SoftLanding’s operations manager, says: “The partnership provides SoftLanding with a platform through which its built-in product interfaces to newer versions of ABSTRACT can be ratified. The continued compatibility with ABSTRACT through our application lifecycle management solution, TURNOVER for iSeries v100, and also our menu management solution, CENTRAL for iMenu v100, will be of great benefit to our mutual customer-base going forward.”