Thursday, August 23, 2012

I know what IBM announced last summer : CICS

Unfortunately IBM doesn't stop making announcements because it's summer holiday. So I'm going to try and tell you about recent announcements. Let me start out with CICS. Afterwards I'll have another post on System z and on storage.

The first announcement is 'Software withdrawal: IBM CICS selected products part numbers - Alternatives available (ZP12-0314)'. IBM support will discontinue for IBM CICS Transaction Gateway (CICS TG) for Multiplatforms V7.1 (5724-I81) on September 30, 2013 and for IBM CICS Universal Client V7.1 on (5724-J09) on April 30, 2014. Of course replacements are available.

The second announcement is entitled 'Statement of general direction: IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS (ZP12-0417)'. There are some (intended) product enhancements : "IBM intends to update IBM CICS Transaction Server for z/OS ( CICS TS), to provide new application, platform, and policy capabilities that can help customers build private clouds from new and existing CICS applications". As far as support is concerned : "IBM intends to continue to support both CICS TS V3.1 and CICS TS V3.2 until at least third quarter, 2014" and "both CICS TS V4.1 and CICS TS V4.2 until at least third quarter, 2017". Mind you, these are Statements of Directions, subject to change etc.

While I'm on the CICS subject I'd also like to point out this System z event : 'CICS goes mobile'. The webcast is taking place on August 29, 2012 at 11.00 am EDT (17h in Brussels). The level is basic - introductory. To give you an idea of the content :

"In this (...) webcast you have the opportunity to hear from two of IBM’s expert speakers on how CICS is addressing the mobile marketplace. How does CICS help to empower the individual with a smartphone in his pocket? How does CICS make use of new smartphone features, such as GPS, mobile Internet and RFID NFC communications? We’ll show you how CICS Dynamic Scripting is an ideal method for deploying mobile applications quickly and easily. We’ll answer many common questions about where and how CICS fits in a mobile strategy, including : how CICS can speak to mobile when mobiles don’t understand typical CICS interfaces".
Don't forget to register !

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