Halcyon Software: Halcyon Software Launches Systems Operations Suite 3.0 Software For IBM i

Halcyon Software, specialist developer of multi-platform automated operations software, today announced the release of Systems Operations Suite 3.0 the latest version of its real-time systems assurance, security auditing and alerting software for the IBMi platform. In addition to handling IBM i messages, job queues, output queues and devices for issues or threshold breaches, this new software release allows for the proactive monitoring of key business applications, FTP activity, the security audit journal, the automatic management of system events as well as supporting flexible scheduling of critical tasks. Outsourcers, corporate data centers and end-users can now be confident that their IBMi is running at its full potential and their system uptime is maximized.

Donnie MacColl, Technical Services Director, said, "Systems Operations Suite empowers system administrators to never be caught off guard should a server, job, subsystem, critical line, device or other resource become unavailable as the software automates system assurance. It constantly monitors for potential issues and alerts administrators to problems, automates the correction process and logs its actions. This eliminates repetitions of the same issues, avoids late night support calls and significantly reduces manual tasks and troubleshooting without the need for additional staff. System Administrators can also avoid unplanned outages by removing points of failure and scheduling essential system backups and housekeeping tasks, to reflect their business processes and escalation policies, in a completely unattended environment"

This major new release with enhanced functionality is based on feedback from the Halcyon's User Group to ensure Systems Operations Suite continues to address specific and common operational challenges and the need for organizations to do more with less resource. For example, the specialist monitoring of business applications facilitates improved process visibility, greater operational efficiencies and responsiveness. Automatic monitoring, using specialist templates, allow critical business applications such as Movex (Lawson M3), SAP, JD Edwards, Misys, Infor as well as high availability solutions to be effectively managed and controlled. Systems Operations Suite's new framework enables further integration into other Halcyon specialist tools so that monitoring of any web browser-based business applications can now be achieved.

Systems Operations Suite also offers proactive monitoring of the IBM audit journal for security-related events. Users can monitor for and see at a glance system value and configuration changes, authority failures, periods of inactivity, invalid sign-on attempts, specific commands being run or types of objects being created or deleted on the IBMi including the Integrated File System (IFS) as well as user profiles that become disabled or are enabled.

MacColl added, "The QSECOFR user profile is the most powerful profile on the system and therefore extremely important to control access to it. Using 'rules', the software allows system administrators to create and maintain a secure system. For example, they can ensure QSECOFR is not left signed on and inactive for a defined period of time, and monitor and be alerted to its usage".

By also monitoring the system history log (QHST), Administrators can see at a glance various system events such as job start and end times and the number of objects not saved in the most recent back-up.

A logged event produces a message, allowing users to define appropriate actions such as running a command or receiving notification by SMS, email or by an alert being sent to the advanced graphical console. From a security aspect, this helps protect organizations from attempted security breaches and also allows users to demonstrate best practice security management to auditors.

Another new feature is the FTP monitor which alerts users to any directory being created or deleted, if a file is sent, received, deleted or renamed or when a FTP command is executed.

To reduce downtime, and ensure continuous operation of critical IT systems, the new software introduces intelligent templates. These pre-defined templates significantly enhance productivity and facilitate ease of monitoring for virtually any object, job, subsystem or device on your IBM i systems by automating repetitive tasks and rolling out 'rules' to execute an action or procedure. For example, System Administrators can monitor system or interactive job response times and status, subsystems being inactive at certain times, if customizable system thresholds are breached, memory and CPU activity both overall and on an individual job basis, disk space utilisation (ASP%), cache battery life as well as capped and uncapped processors. Additionally, users can install the software and test the configuration and updates without affecting their live environment. These features combined with remote installation means that software can be deployed and configured within minutes.

"It's a solution that works as promised, is easy to use and manage and is backed by people who know the products and are always available. This has helped us guarantee our users the performance levels they expect from the System i," commented Abhay Kulkami, Senior Systems Engineer, Tyco Electronics.

About Halcyon Software:

Halcyon Software is a global leader in multi-platform systems management software. With more than 20 years experience of delivering proven software solutions and first class customer support, Halcyon's products proactively monitor, manage and automate IT operations. Large multi-nationals, corporate data centres, outsourcers and small to medium-sized organizations throughout the world rely on Halcyon Software to ensure their mission-critical systems, core applications and services are available 24/7.

Halcyon solutions support the IBM enterprise class systems, including the IBM i , AIX as well as Windows , UNIX and Linux platforms.

Halcyon Software reduces the complexity of systems monitoring and automation. Solutions deliver real ROI by automating routine tasks to free up valuable resources, reduce operating costs and minimize the risk of human error.

Regional clients are supported by a global network of technical centres located across Europe, USA and Asia Pacific.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

1. To provide users with more in-depth monitoring of any web-based business application, Halcyon Software are offering a free licence of Network Server Suite 6.5, its Intel monitoring tool with every new licence or upgrade of Systems Operations Suite 3.0.

2. Systems Operations Suite 3.0 - image

http://www.halcyonsoftware.com/press-releases/enterprise-console.png

Caption: graphical user interface (GUI) provides a single dashboard view of your infrastructure (Windows , AIX , UNIX or Linux servers) with colour coded options to help identify different servers and types of alert.

3. For more information about Systems Operations Suite IBMi real-time automation of systems assurance, security audits and alerting, visit www.halcyonsoftware.com/sos

CONTACT: Sandie Simms, Halcyon Software Tel: +44 (0)1733 234 995 Fax: +44 (0)1733 234 994 e-mail: sandie.simms@halcyonsoftware.com WWW: http://www.halcyonsoftware.com

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