Businesses face significant challenges integrating IBM i applications with modern analytical and operational platforms and systems. Traditional solutions involve complex middleware, extensive coding, and a patchwork of specialized tools. InfoConnect Platform connects IBM i to anything with little to no coding, empowering companies to unlock the value of core systems of record.
- Direct IBM i data replication
- Automatically replicate IBM i data to any JDBC-compliant database, eliminating middleware and coding requirements
- Green Screen Automation / RPA
- Convert user actions on the IBM i terminal to REST APIs with little effort and no specialized RPA middleware required
- Support for in-line scripts and Python extensions for advanced flow controls
- IBM i Data Queue Import
- Real time direct message import into IBM i Data Queues
- Can pull the data from most messaging and event platforms, with no additional middleware required
- Technical enhancements
- JSONata based mapping and payload transformation capabilities for Program Call definitions
- Ability to define program call parameters as optional
- Trim payload values to the maximum length defined in the program call.
- Dynamic CCSID mapping for program call based on request header to support multiple languages and IBM i code page sets.
- Azure Blob Storage support for license and truststore assets
- Java 17+ support
- Bug fixes and minor improvements.
- Performance improvements.
Next, we would like to highlight a new simple way to turn any green screen user activity into REST API. With simple in-line script definition, or optional Python screen navigation flow for advanced processing, customers can automate the user screen actions, map the input parameters from API payload or header to screen input fields, and extract the data from green screen to return back in API response. This feature could be a game changer for companies that may not have access to the underlying database or business logic programs and can only integrate with IBM i application via green screen.
Finally, we added support for Messaging -> IBM i Data Queue real time bridge flow. In the previous versions, there was an option to write to DQ via REST API call. Customers would have to leverage a middleware such as Mulesoft or Kafka, to pull the data from respective topics, message queues, or event streams, and call the Hub API to push the message to IBMi Data Queue. With this release customers can implement this process fully within the Hub, reducing or eliminating a need for separate middleware.
The main motivation for the three new features above is to make it easier for companies, who do not currently have any integration platform in place, to connect their IBM i based Systems of Record to other operational and analytical platforms with minimal effort and no additional moving pieces required. It is worth noting that the InfoConnect Hub, or a wider InfoConnect Platform, is not intended as a full replacement for comprehensive enterprise grade integration platforms such as Mulesoft or Confluent / Kafka. These time-tested and powerful tools have their rightful place and continue to be a glue and integration fabric for complex heterogeneous application environments. InfoConnect Platform has out of the box connectors to immediately extend the power of these platforms to IBM i applications with little to no coding and specialized knowledge required.
For customers that do not operate on any middleware, InfoConnect Hub provides a simple smart IBM i integration layer that can run anywhere and provides no code near real time bi-directional IBM i connectivity.
Enterprise Integrations are never easy. Solid architecture, specialized products, and agile battle-tested delivery teams are the key ingredients of success. Contact us to obtain infoConnect Hub v3.0.0 release or launch it on AWS or Azure marketplaces, share your use cases and modernization stories, and learn how other customers attack and solve similar problems.
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