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IIUG Insider (Issue #2)
May 31, 2002

Other Issues

Welcome to the International Informix Users Group (IIUG) Insider! It contains timely and relevant information for the IBM Informix community. You are receiving it because you are an IIUG member or a local Informix user group leader.

Contents:

  1. New Informix Product Strategy Update Page Goes Live!
  2. IBM Seeks Your 4GL Feedback
  3. IBM Software Symposium 2002 Opens In Vienna June 10th
  4. Office Connect 3.0 Eval Now Available for IIUG Members
  5. Pre-Announcing 2003 Board Nominations
  6. Shopping for Informix Software? Shop Software Mall!
  7. June 18 Webcast: Best Practices for Informix Database Performance
  8. Useful Links
  9. Closing and Credits

New Informix Product Strategy Update Page Goes Live!

If you haven't checked out this huge Informix portfolio portal for IBM Informix products' strategic planning, visit and bookmark this site:

http://www.ibm.com/software/data/informix/pubs/portfolindex.php

Beginning with an introductory letter from Janet Perna, General Manager, IBM Data Management Solutions, the site continues with the latest Informix Dynamic Server road map. You can find out what the plans are for Data Blade Modules, new Finance and Law Enforcement Foundation bundles. Learn where IBM plans to go with RedBrick, XPS, U2, 4GL, Cloudscape and just about everything else Informix through 2004 and beyond. Even Informix plans for third-party products such as SAP's, BaaN's and PeopleSoft's are featured.

If you would rather download an Adobe Acrobat version and are an IIUG member, please do so at www.iiug.org/members.

A good complement to this material is IIUG's Blue Tuesday Anniversary Webcast, which you may replay by visiting:

http://www.iiug.org/resources/webcasts/webcast_replay_24apr02.html

IBM Seeks Your 4GL Feedback

IBM Informix 4GL family customers and partners have traditionally made up nearly 50% of the Informix customer base. Back in the 80s, Informix originally sold application development tools, and threw in the database for free!

There are an estimated 4 million active Informix 4GL runtime seats in use today. Informix Product Management has been collecting future plans from the 4GL customer and partner base via webcasts and personal meetings, but could use more information from the IIUG membership to finalize plans.

Within IBM, there is support to continue to pursue new features for 4GL, but they still need your help in confirming that if they add new features enhancements to 4GL, they will get support from the customer and partner base to extend the life of the 4GL family of products in your shops.

So, if your organization benefits from the venerable 4GL tools and you would like to see them get even better in the future, you will want to take the on-line survey that is available for a short time now on the IIUG web site.

Let IBM know what you think of the 4GL family of tools by providing them immediate feedback via:

http://www.iiug.org/cgi-bin/fglcl.cgi?toolsurvey

IBM Software Symposium 2002 Opens In Vienna June 10th

There is still time to register and attend this exciting journey through the "universe of IBM software" as this premier event kicks off in Vienna, Austria June 10th.

The event combines four traditional yearly software events: DB2 and IMS Technical Conference, WebSphere, LotuSphere Europe and Planet Tivoli. The Symposium will run through June 14th and promises to serve as a starting point to explore IBM's entire software portfolio, including Informix products.

The Symposium will feature a number of Informix sessions, including IDS Enterprise Replication, Moving from IDS 7.X to 9.X, Informix Classics and Tools Update, Data Management Tools and a session on Informix and DB2 integration. For more information on the IBM Informix product track sessions, please visit:

http://www.iiug.org/calendar/conference_corner.html

If you are able to attend, be sure and visit the IIUG "pedestal" located at the entrance to the exhibit area. Board members and other IIUG leaders will be at the booth and would like to greet you and discuss your Informix interests.

On Monday, June 10th, at 11:15 AM, the IIUG Board will host an open meeting for all Symposium attendees with an interest in IBM Informix products. The meeting's objective is to enhance the impact of IIUG in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Janet Perna, IBM Data Management General Manager will be our featured speaker.

To register, please visit http://www.ibm.com/events/software/symposium2002 and use this registration code: 02DM78.

Office Connect 3.0 Eval Now Available for IIUG Members

Visit the Members Area at www.iiug.org/members right away to download an evaluation copy of IBM Office Connect v.3.0!

Please note that to have access to this download, you must be an IIUG member with a current profile. IBM doesn't support this software and you may not use it to run production applications.

IIUG would like to thank Omkar at IBM's Data Management Solutions for his work to make Office Connect available to our members.

Pre-Announcing 2003 Board Nominations

The current IIUG Board will complete its term at the upcoming IIUG Annual General Meeting, to take place in Anaheim, California, in early September. Therefore, the Nominating Committee, chaired by outgoing IIUG President Fred Hubbard, will kick into gear toward mid June to find candidates to run for the 2003 IIUG Board.

If you have a passionate interest in Informix products, and the drive, vision, and commitment to lead and represent the most influential community of Informix users, please give it serious thought. The IIUG web site [www.IIUG.org] will soon have more details.

Shopping for Informix Software? Shop Software Mall!

The latest level of Informix software products is now available at exceptionally low prices in the Software Mall! This Internet-based shopping mall contains products for evaluation, development, testing or demonstration. The Software Mall is just one of the many benefits available to members of PartnerWorld for Developers. Please visit at:

http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/developer/welcome/softmall.html/?b=n4dv

June 18 Webcast: Best Practices for Informix Database Performance

Do you have enough CPUs and memory for your application workload? What are the best practices for table fragmentation? How many indexes are commonly used in a database?

These questions and many more will be addressed in this upcoming IIUG Webcast, which will offer a chance to understand how over 60 different servers from 40 different organizations are currently deployed.

Discover details on tuning in the real world from Marty Lurie, long-time systems engineer. Please join us!

Here are some questions and answers about the webcast:

Q:Is this a complete survey?
A:No, it is a non-random sample of over 40 sites. Both larger and smaller Informix instances exist.
 
Q:How can I use the survey?
A:Look at the ratios in the survey -- for example the number of CPUs you have vs. the total data you have. Also look at the number of extents and what percentage of your tables is fragmented. Your values will be different from the survey averages. It is up to you to decide if you want to have an average value, a high value, or a low value. For some things it is obvious -- you want a low value for number of extents and the number of virtual memory segments added by the engine. Look in the survey.ksh file to see how some of the values were defined.

Marty will explain the results of the survey and how you can use it at your site. We hope to see you at the Webcast! For logistic details, please visit:

http://www.iiug.org/resources/webcasts/webcast_18jun02.html

Useful Links

Closing and Credits

The International Informix Users Group (IIUG) is an organization designed to enhance communications between IBM and its worldwide user community. IIUG now approaches 14,000 members and enjoys the support and commitment of IBM's Data Management division. Key programs include local user groups and special interest groups, which we promote and assist from launch through growth.

Sources: IIUG Board of Directors
Editors: Fred Hubbard and David Smith, IIUG Board of Directors

For comments, please send an email to ug@iiug.org.