High Availability for DB2 on AWS

If you're running an IBM product that requires a DB2 backend, you should really consider running DB2 on AWS. Here's a great article that provides you with the CloudFormation template to set it all up for you very quickly:

https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/database/creating-highly-available-ibm-db2-databases-in-aws/

If you're concerned about running your infrastructure in the cloud, please contact us so we can give you the information you need about the tight security and incredible flexibility that AWS provides.

Update 8/8/2023: One important note: this still uses TSAM for failover. What this means is that if your primary DB2 instance has a problem, the entire VM hosting that instance is rebooted. So if you have multiple databases on that instance, they're all failing over to the backup. If you have any other processes running on that VM, they're all going away. You can definitely architect your application to work fine with this, but it is definitely something you have to keep in mind before simply implementing DB2 HADR.

Netcool and other IBM ITSM products upgrades due to Java6 EOS

Problem

IBM has announced End of Support dates for quite a few products in 2018.  In many cases, this stems from the impending end of support for Java 1.6.  You can search for IBM products and the EOS date here: https://www-01.ibm.com/software/support/lifecycle/

Solution

Gulfsoft Consulting can help you move to a supported release in a short time period, or we can get you upgraded to a product with more features (like moving to NOI from Omnibus). We have helped hundreds of clients over the years upgrade and migrate in situations exactly like this.  The typical time needed is a few weeks, not months.  For more information contact:

frank.tate@gulfsoft.com 304 376 6183
mark.hudson@gulfsoft.com 816 517 7179

Details

Some of the products whose support ends in 2018 are:

Product	Version	EOS Date
IBM Tivoli Monitoring	6.2.2	4/30/2018
IBM Control Desk	7.5.x	9/30/2018
Tivoli Workload Scheduler	8.6.x	4/30/2018
Netcool Operations Insight	1.2, 1.3.x	12/31/2018
Network Mgmt	9.2.x	12/31/2018
OMNIbus	7.4.x	12/31/2018
Impact	6.1.x	12/31/2018
IBM Tivoli Network Manager	3.9.x, 4.1.x	12/31/2018
Netcool Performance Manager	1.3.x	12/31/2018
Netcool Performance Flow Analyzer	4.1.x	12/31/2018
Network Configuration Manager	6.3.x, 6.4.0, 6.4.1	12/31/2018

IBM recommends upgrading to later versions of the products as soon as possible in order to maintain full support. After April 2018, support for Java™ 6 will be limited to usage and known problems with possible updates for critical security fixes through the end of 2018. After April 2018, WebSphere Application Server (WAS) 7 support will be limited to non-Java defects. Support for other components will continue as usual.

More information about Gulfsoft can be found here: https://www.gulfsoft.com/about

We've got a few open time slots for one-on-one meetings at #Think2018

The #Pink18 ITSM conference was a great success for us, and we're now looking forward to #Think2018. It's going to be a jam packed week, but we've still got a few time slots open to schedule sit down discussions with existing and potential clients and partners. Contact Frank (frank.tate@gulfsoft.com) or Mark (mark.hudson@gulfsoft.com) today to set up a 30-60 minute meeting!

#Pink18 is off to a Great Start

The #Pink18 ITSM conference kicked off last night with a reception, and it looks to be another great conference this year. Pink Elephant always has great thought leaders presenting at the sessions, and this year will continue that tradition.

If you're at the conference, please stop by our booth, #601, in the exhibitors showcase.

IBM Maximo named a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Asset Management!

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/a9ba1efe-b731-4317-9724-a181d6155e3a/entry/IBM_Maximo_named_a_Leader_in_Gartner_Magic_Quadrant_for_Enterprise_Asset_Management?lang=en

Something very important to note is that the IBM Control Desk product is built entirely on Maximo. So almost all of the features and capabilities that put Maximo into Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Asset Management are also included in IBM Control Desk.

Gulf Breeze Software Partners is now Gulfsoft Consulting

Gulf Breeze Software Partners was started 15 years ago as a consulting firm that also had small
aspirations to write software at some point. Along the way, we realized that we really prefer
implementing and customizing software over writing new applications from scratch. And while
we've advertised that we're specialists in the implementation and customization of the IBM suite
of products up to this point, we're now marketing the fact that we have experience in and offer
services on a much larger array of products from multiple vendors. To effectively market our
capabilities to new customers, we decided to change our name from Gulf Breeze Software Partners
to Gulfsoft Consulting. We've still got the same amazing people and the same drive to make customers
successful, and now we've got a name that more accurately describes what we do. Here’s a link to some of the technologies we work with every day.

We look forward to continuing our relationships with existing customers and making new ones.

We will be at multiple conferences this year: Pink Elephant's Pink18, IBM's Think 2018, and ServiceNow's Knowledge18

We are growing in size and capabilities! That's why you'll see us at three great conferences this year:

Pink18 Feb 18-21, 2018 at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes

Adopt, Adapt & Apply!

DevOps, Agile, Lean IT, ITIL® & More

The conference theme will be covered in over 120+ sessions and 12 tracks to show how you can master the dynamics of today's business environments by adopting, adapting and applying tried and true best practices. Subjects include: ITSM, ITIL, Lean IT, Agile, Scrum, DevOps, COBIT®, Organizational Change Management, Business Relationship Management, and more!

Think 2018 Mar 19—22, 2018 Las Vegas, NV

Think Campus

100s of core sessions, Think Tanks, and opportunities to get out of traditional sessions. You’ll experience face to face conversations with experts and product developers, network with clients that face similar challenges as you, and meet with 100s of IBM strategic business partners.

Think Academy

1000s of labs, certifications, client and technical deep dives that provide the info you need to take back to your organization and make it your own.

Knowledge18 May 7-10, 2018 Las Vegas, NV

Spark Your Transformation

Create smart, delightful experiences for your employees and customers