1998 Summary of VM news and changes to the site

(This summary has been modified to remove old/non-functioning links).

December 1998

  • Announcing DB2 Server for VSE & VM Version 6 Release 1 (8 Dec 1998)
  • Columbia Energy Group turns up the heat with DB2 and Sterling Software's VM:DB.

  • New VM Redbooks!
    • VM/ESA Network Computing with Java and NetRexx, SG24-5148-00
      Programs used in the residency are available for download in the SG245148 package (download, or read description).

    • Exploiting Recent CMS Function: A User's Guide to CMS Application Multitasking, SG24-5164-00.
      Programs used in the residency are available for download: SG245164 package: description and download file.
  • Review the Redpiece (Redbook-in-process) for Web-Enabling VM Resources

  • VM/ESA is EuroReady! Euro

  • VM Usergroup Milestones!
  • VM Events reminder:
    • IBM VM and VSE Seminars in Orlando, Charlotte, Seattle, and San Ramon
    • 99th Meeting of MVMUA (Metro NY VM Users Association) on Thursday, December 2
  • Modernize your mainframe applications is the subject of a no-charge teleconference on Tuesday, December 8 hosted by Sterling Software, Inc.

November 1998

  • Helpful RSCS hints and tips for setting up LPR- and LPD-type links.
  • VM Events reminder:
    • VM and VSE Executive Briefing in Poughkeepsie (Nov 18-19)
    • VM and VSE Seminars (November and December)
    • Hillgang - Nov 19
  • The teleconference, VM Applications Development Hints and Tips scheduled for December 2 has been postponed until early 1999. We apologize for any incovenience and will announce the new date in 1999.


October 1998

  • Are your systems ready for the Year 2000? The list of products and service providers for VM and the Year 2000 has been updated to include Sterling Software, Inc.
  • Events:
    • Join these VM Experts (Chris Casey, Chuck Morse, and John Hall) in Detroit (Woodhaven) for the Oct 23 meeting of MVMRUG....(Midwest VM Regional Users Group).
    • Enroll now in the October 28 VM Teleconference Call, "VM Customers' Creative Solutions for your I/T Challenges". (sponsored by IBM North America, all are welcome to listen )
    • Enroll now in one of SIXTEEN IBM VM & VSE Roadshows in North America.
      Charlotte NC, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Toronto, Dallas, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia Orlando, Seattle, San Ramon.

    • The Value of S/390 to Your Business is the theme for the Nov 18-19 IBM seminar for Executives interested S/390 Medium- sized VM and VSE enterprise.

  • The IBM JavaTM Port for VM/ESA, Developer Release 1.1.4 is available for download.

  • The next WAVV (World Alliance of VSE and VM) user group is planned for October 23-26 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

  • We had initially scheduled some planned outages this this week in anticipation of the migration to VM/ESA V2 R3.0 from V2 R2.0. As it turned out, we barely needed an hour for changeover and verification. We hope you enjoy running on your VM/ESA V2 R3.0 system as much as we do ours.

  • Help us to keep current the of VM-related user groups by sending us changes via VM Feedback.
  • The Sterling Software, Inc. VM:Webgateway helps Trans World Airlines to leverage their investment in existing applications without costly reengineering.


September 1998

  • Words from IBM VM Product Owner, Ron Thomson.

  • Software Vendor News:
    • Independent Software Vendors:
      S/390 Technical Disclosure Meeting will be held November 2-5, 1998 in Poughkeepsie, NY
      (with a full-day track of VM/ESA future plans and technical details)
    • IBM SW Vendor Marketing agreements: (United States)
      • 298-295 19980825 Software Vendor Marketing: EnterpriseWeb Mail Handles Mail for a Mobile Workforce
      • 298-294 19980825 Software Vendor Marketing: EnterpriseWeb Secure/VM Delivers a Secure, Powerful Web Server
      • 298-293 19980825 Software Vendor Marketing: VM:Webgateway and VM:Webgateway OfficeVision Interface Deliver Full-Function, Secure Mainframe Web Server

  • Announcements
    • General Statement of Direction for ADSM V3 for VM/ESA
    • IBM enhances solutions for Medium-sized S/390 Enterprises
      • OS/390 Automated UNIX System Option for VM, VSE and OS/390
      • New member of S/390 family: S/390 Integrated Server
    • For those who share VSAM datasets with MVS (or OS/390) and VM or VSE:
      • VSAM and Year 2000 white paper.
      • H&W's DataShare Y2K suite of products.

  • Teleconferences, Events, and Seminars...
    • Mark your calendar and enroll in these upcoming VM Teleconference Calls
      • September 23: VM Platform Update
      • October 28: VM Customers' Creative Solutions for your I/T Challenges
      • December 02: VM Application Development Hints and Tips (postponed)
    • September VM related events include:
      • IBM S/390 Seminar in Omaha,NE
      • WAVV - World Alliance of VSE and VM user group in Albany NY
    • Register now for the October/November IBM VM & VSE Seminars in North America and Brasil.
    • European S/390 roadshows open for enrollment: IBM S/390 "Pathway to the Future" - held in 19 cities throughout Europe (some sessions in English, Deutsch, Italiano, Espanol).
  • Nominations closed 4Sept98 for ITSO Residency on Web-enabling VM Resources. Watch VM Redbooks for progress.
  • VM in the Press:
    An InternetWeek article (08/27/98) entitled Mainframes Stand Ground in Web Arena describes the growing popularity of mainframes for web applications, and in particular mentions the use of OfficeVision/VM and Sterling's VM:Webgateway by Trans World Airlines to provide web front end to their 22,000 OfficeVision users.
  • Links to other VM articles.

August 1998

  • VM/ESA support of IEEE floating point
  • Seeking candidates for ITSO Residency on Web-enabling VM Resources
    | Nominations closed 4Sept98. Watch VM Redbooks for progress.

  • Searching for online pubs for VM?
    Check out the new VM Internet Library and let our information developers know what you think.
    The (March 1998) VM CD Book Collection, SK2T-2067-14, is also available.
  • "How do I use the dynamic link library support in VM/ESA 2.3.0?" (You can find this information in the DLL chapter of the VM/ESA V2 R3.0 Application Developement Guide.
  • The VTAM for VM and VSE page has been restored.


July 1998

  • IBM is evaluating the VM installation and packaging process and is interested in customer experience.
  • Seeking your input.... which universities are teaching the mainframe" courses

  • Sample system configuration file statements for 2000, 2001, etc.
    Is your VM system ready for the Year 2000?
  • View the VM CD Book Collection, SK2T-2067-14 (March 1998)

  • OfficeVision/VM ReaderThief feature...open for Beta.
  • Looking to try something new? Check out the VM Beta page.

  • InformationWeek article, Mainframe Data Online describes numerous ways companies are serving legacy data for internet applications. Quotes from Brian Reaves (Beyond Software, Inc), Jeff Savit (Merrill Lynch), and Bob Nix (Lafayette Life Insurance Co.)

  • Beyond Computing article, The Mainframe Meets the Web by Jenny C. McCune, discusses how mainframes (& VM) put power and reliability into internet applications, with quotes from VM customers. July/Aug 1998, volume 7 no. 6

  • Mark your calendar with the date and location of the 1999 VM and VSE Technical Conference - May 24-27, 1999 in Orlando!


June 1998


May 1998

  • Enroll now in course S3740, VM/ESA Communications and Connectivity, which will be taught by Gary Detro one more time!
  • New to the collection of VM and VSE guest information is Bill Bitner's VM for VSE Guest Performance presentation.
  • More answers to your most pressing questions about VM/ESA V2 R3.0 (Thanks to Denny Refsnider) in light of the May 7, 1998 S390 Announcement.
  • New S/390 Generation 5 (G5) server!

  • VM customer success stories -- for AMP, HOMAG, and WERU AG use of S/390 and VM.
  • In response to your requests: Program Directories for VM base, feature, and related products. (Thanks to Tami Zebrowski-Darrow)
  • VM and OS/390 related info, including OS/390 AET, the OS/390 Application Enabling Technology.

  • June Teleconference calls of interest to both VM and VSE -- IBM Teleconference and Sterling Software, Inc. Teleconference.
  • We hope to see you in Reno the week of May 12-15 for the VM and VSE Technical Conference
  • Chicago Area VM Enthusiasts (CAVMEN) meets May 7 in Park Ridge, IL


April 1998

  • VSAM data sharing A white paper: across OS/390 and VM and VSE after Year 2000
  • Reusable Server Kernel (RSK) available for beta via download. (It was formerly known as VM Server Superstructure.)
  • New Redbook: VM/ESA Network Computing with Java and NetRexx, SG24-5148. Download sample programs developed during the residency

  • Service page now includes list of VM products serviced via VM/RSU and VM/ESO
  • VM/ESA V2R3.0 Q's and A's updated to correct response to Question 51, VM MQSeries Client requirements.
  • VM Web tools info includes Sterling Sofware, VM:Webgateway
  • Seeking articles and Advertisements for Volume II, S/390 Business Solutions Journal
  • New pages for these related products, DITTO/ESA and SDF.
  • Hop on board the Railroad Syntax diagram page for help with VM command syntax.
  • 1998 VM Events added weekly...
  • ENROLL TODAY! VM and VSE Technical Conference, May 12-15 in Reno, NV.
    Come hear your favorite presenters from around the world including Mike Cowlishaw, Melinda Varian, Gretchen Thiele, Richard Lewis, Bill Bitner, Perry Ruiter, Mike Donovan, Vinnie Casale, Neale Ferguson, Gary Eheman, John Franciscovich, Chuck Morse, Tracy Dean.....shall I go on....Will Roden, Romney White, Alan Altmark, Rick Barlow, Chris Bolinger, Amanda Bright, Alice Crema, Ken Drysdale, George Madl, .......yes there are more... Karl Pesendorfer, Erich Amrehn, Barton Robinson, Pam Bryant, Marty Zimelis, Marty Ziskind, Bob Kusche, Mike Lude, Les Geer, Mark Vitale, Rae Ann Taylor, Marty Horan, Bill Scully, Ted Posner... ...and more...come to the conference to listen, learn and enjoy.

March 1998

  • VM/ESA V2R3.0 Generally Available on 27 March 1998

  • New collections of information to help our readers:

  • OfficeVision/VM Release 4 is Generally Available.

  • Join us in Frankfurt at the VM & VSE Technical Conference held concurrently with the OS/390 and Storage Conference. Topics include:
    • VM/ESA V2R3.0
    • VM Product Owner comments on Coexistence with OS/390.
  • Enroll for the March 26 VM teleconference about VM/ESA V2R3.0 Early Customer Experiences.
  • We hope to see you at one or more of the upcoming VM Events.
  • Think about attending one of the New VM Courses from IBM Education.

  • IBM S/390 Bulletin contains several VM articles
  • MicroTimes(tm) article, "Big Iron Meets the Web"
  • Recently published Redbooks:
    • Implementing Snapshot, SG24-2241
    • Virtual Tape Server Implementation Guide, SG24-2229
    • VM/ESA Year 2000 Migration: A Case Study, SG24-2042


February 1998

  • VM Future and Coexistence with OS/390
  • Messages from VM's Product Owner, Ron Thomson.
  • Our VM site now runs on a Parallel Enterprise Server.
  • The Year 2000 - Management Action Required document has been updated.
  • Catch up on RSCS news , including the LPR and TCP/IP suppport and enhancements not currently published.
  • Need a copy of the February 1998 edition DIRMAINT 1.5.0 program directory?
  • The next three VM teleconferences: 
       Feb 26   VM/ESA and Network Computing
   Mar 26   VM/ESA V2R3.0 Early Customer Experiences
   Apr 23   VM/ESA Guest Support
  • Visit the new IBM Enterprise Connection site at http://www.s390.ibm.com/events/
  • Read books on the web in the VM CD Collection Kit


January 1998

  • VM and VSE Technical Conference in Reno (12-15 May) - brochure and enrollment information.
  • European VM and VSE Technical Conference (30 March - 02 April) - brochure and enrollment information.
  • Head to Dayton, OH for Midwest VM Regional Users Group (MVMRUG) on January 23.
  • Meet with the Bay Bunch in San Francisco on January 23.
  • Hear about TCP/IP, RSCS, Web Security, DB2 Admin, and S/390 SUF in NYC on 2Feb at the next MVMUA, Metro VM Users Association. *No more Mondays...they meet on Tuesday now!
  • Velocity VM Performance DAZE,VM performance seminars continue in 1998.

  • Read The Value of VM to VSE Enterprises, a new paper from IBM S/390.
  • Sterling Software, Inc helps the US Defense Information Systems Agency enhance customer service with VM web servers.
  • S/390 Application of the Month: Beyond Software, Inc. helps Ducks Unlimited Canada work the web.

  • General Availability of Release 1 of the S/390 Service Update Facility.
  • New VM Service page which includes RSU and service FTP link.
  • New VM Batch Facility page.
  • New VM/ESA Spec sheet

  • New VM Courses from IBM Education and Training:
    BG93A - Creating the Ideal Web Server with VM/ESA
    BG940 - Managing the Year 2000 Transformation with VM/ESA


Link to the changes made during:
2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996.