Does Our PHP API Need a Framework? A Q&A with Rob Allen
To follow up on Rob Allen’s article about choosing a PHP framework for APIs, here is an edited discussion between Rob and a developer at a Seiden Group client regarding their new API. In this...
View ArticleHow to Query IBM i Data with PHP and PDO_ODBC
Of the PHP extensions that can connect to IBM i Db2, we recommend PDO_ODBC whenever possible. Although the classic extensions (ibm_db2, PDO_IBM) and older ODBC continue to work, we prefer PDO_ODBC for...
View ArticleEasy Security Improvements for Apache Websites
Some key security measures, such as using TLS encryption (https://) are taken for granted. Others are often missed until they are flagged by a security scan. Here are two easy changes that have helped...
View ArticleLiam Allan’s Next Adventure
To say that Liam Allan is a powerhouse in the IBM i community would be an understatement. Liam burst onto the IBM i scene in 2016 as a Club Seiden member and the recipient of COMMON’s Student...
View ArticleUsing Yum to Install or Update the IBM i ODBC Driver
The IBM i ODBC driver for Db2 has become easier to install. Formerly available only as a download requiring several steps, the driver can now be installed and updated on IBM i with Yum or Access Client...
View ArticleWhat’s in Your ODBC Driver?
Since IBM announced Yum support for installing the IBM i Db2 ODBC driver, as documented in our recent tutorial, users can update their driver more easily. To help users determine what’s changed, IBM...
View ArticleApache for IBM i: Where to Find Documentation
HTTP Server for i (Powered by Apache) is the IBM i integrated web server. Although this unique implementation of Apache is well documented by IBM, that documentation can be hard to find. Internet...
View ArticleIBM Champion Jack Woehr Joins Seiden Group
I’ve admired Jack Woehr’s contributions to the IBM i community—and his practical approach to IBM i modernization—for several years. This spring, I asked him if he would deliver my ODBC session for...
View ArticleRequests for Enhancement are now “IBM Ideas”
IBM i users have a new way to request enhancements from IBM. The Request for Enhancement (RFE) site has been replaced by the IBM Power Ideas Portal. I immediately noticed an advantage of the new...
View ArticleBe Careful When Using Yum Remove
The Yum install command installs open source packages. It also installs any sub-packages upon which the desired package relies. Yum remove does the reverse. It will remove a requested package. What...
View ArticleIT Leadership Summit on Security — A Recap
Many thanks to IBM and COMMON for their recent IT Leadership Summit on Security, held August 3, 2022, at IBM’s Astor Place offices in New York City. This free, noncommercial event for IT executives...
View ArticleUse IBM’s Apache Directive Finder Instead of Google
When it comes to finding information on HTTP Server for IBM i (based on Apache), Google is NOT the way to go! Recently Calvin did a web search for Apache’s ServerUserID directive. It returned old forum...
View ArticleEncrypting IBM i ODBC Connections from Linux
Several clients have asked how to encrypt ODBC connections between Linux and IBM i to keep their Db2 data safe in transit. To encrypt ODBC data, IBM recommends the industry-standard TLS encryption...
View ArticleLearn about Merlin for IBM i
You may have heard about IBM’s new Merlin tools for modern RPG development methodology. But what is it, really, and how would it benefit your shop? Seiden Group’s Jack Woehr, one of the top Merlin...
View ArticleCase-Insensitive Queries using ODBC on IBM i
When querying for character data using SQL, case matters. That is, “A” is not equal to “a”. The case of the search string may not match that of the data stored in your database. Even so, you might want...
View ArticlePHP 8.2 for IBM i Now Available — PHP 7.4 Frozen
It’s time to upgrade your PHP! If it seems like you just heard this from us, you’re not wrong. By gradually deprecating features and techniques that no longer represent best practices, PHP nudges...
View ArticleInstall and Use Node.js iToolkit for IBM i
Node.js has joined other popular IBM i open-source technologies, such as PHP and Python, for web application and API development. A server-side runtime for JavaScript, Node.js can run both on IBM i and...
View ArticleConnecting to IBM i Db2 with the Laravel PHP Framework
Laravel has been inspiring loyalty among PHP developers for its documentation, community, and many built-in features. Like most PHP frameworks, Laravel is cross-platform and can work with IBM i and Db2...
View ArticlePatrick Behr Joins Seiden Group
I’ve admired Patrick Behr’s work in the IBM i community for many years. One of the most talented IBM i developers I know, he draws on an impressively broad range of skills to build future-minded...
View ArticleIBM i Apache Security Fixes for PCI Compliance
A few months after we published the article Apache for IBM i: Where to Find Documentation, astute reader Paul Nicolay of Cegeka shared yet another hard-to-find Apache resource with us. Paul recommends...
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