If you’re on IBM i 6.1 and have not yet started to use IBM Navigator for i, there’s never been a better time to start using it! With the recently released Service Pack 8 PTFs (SI42186, SI42187, SI42188), you’ll find many new enhancements that were previously available only in 7.1.
The following are the significant updates now also available in 6.1.
This blog post is somewhat dated in that it describes support that was taken back to the 6.1 release in 2010. However, it remains in the archive for reference.
1. Multiple Sessions Allowed
You can now have more than one IBM Navigator for i session active for the same user. Prior to this PTF, only one session could be opened for the same user ID.
2. 5250 Emulation
You can now access the same 5250 Emulation portlet that is included with IBM i Access for Web from the System welcome page within IBM Navigator for i. Note: Customization of the 5250 Emulation portlet is not supported from within the Navigator console.
3. Set Target System
You can now select another system to manage, besides the IBM i system where you’re running IBM Navigator. You can select to manage another 6.1 system, or you can also manage 7.1 and 5.4 systems as well. Select the “Set Target System” task in the task navigation area to specify the system you want to manage. Blog post IBM Navigator Can Manage Target Systems describes this support further.
4. Database
- On Demand Performance Center: Support has been added for a new centralized authority model when working with all the SQL performance tools. SQL Details for a Job now has the capability to start a SQL Performance Monitor from the jobs lists. Index Advisor now includes a column with the time that an index was first advised. The Show Indexes list now includes columns for SSD and In Memory values.
- Health Center: New SQL0901 category has been added to the Environmental Limits tab to help log situations where the database engine has an unknown error and more data is needed to be collected.
- Database Management: Several usability enhancements to lists including saving list contents to various output formats and ability to filter lists.
- Maintenance Category: A new Maintenance category helps to organize database maintenance lists for check pending constraints and index rebuilds.
- Omnifind Text Search Functions: Support has been added for managing Omnifind text search servers and indexes.
5. Journal Management
- Show Journaled Objects action was added for a journal.
- Change Receivers action was added for a journal.
- Remote Journals action was added for a journal.
- Add Remote Journal action was added for a journal.
- Properties action was added for a journal receiver.
- Activate action was added for remote journals.
- Deactivate action was added for remote journals.
- Remove action was added for remote journals.
- Properties action was added for remote journals.
6. Integrated Server Administration
- The Create Server task was added for creating the IBM i hosting environment for an iSCSI attached BladeCenter or System x server.
- The Delete Server task was added for deleting the IBM i hosting environment for an integrated server.
- The Launch Web Console task was added for launching the service processor Web console for an iSCSI attached integrated server.
- Added support for iSCSI software targets.
- Several iSCSI configuration tasks were simplified.
7. File Systems
The user can now remove Integrated File System (IFS) objects listed in the Folder Attribute Information Report panel.
8. Disk Management
- The graphical view is now enabled
- Install Disk Unit is now supported in graphical view.
9. Performance
- Improved Performance Data Investigator (PDI) integration with Active Jobs, System Status and Disk Status. New menu actions and new buttons on these interfaces will allow a user to access relevant Collection Services performance data charts or tables found in the Investigate Data task. Options to start applicable performance tools such as Disk Watcher or Job Watcher are additionally provided on these interfaces.
- You can now view the QAPMJVM Collection Services database file from the Investigate Data task.
10. IBM Tivoli Directory Server for IBM i (LDAP)
All the LDAP management functions are now enabled. Please apply PTF SI43345 before you are willing to access IBM Tivoli Directory Server Web Administration Tool.
Go ahead – check it out! There’s nothing to install; just point your browser to the following URL for your desired IBM i 6.1 system: http://IBMiSystemName:2001
Here are some valuable resources on Navigator for i:
I’d like to thank Stacy Benfield and Tim Kramer for this week’s blog. Tim is the lead developer for IBM Systems Director Navigator and Stacy is the lead developer for the Performance Data Investigator. Thanks, Stacy and Tim!
This blog post was originally published on IBMSystemsMag.com and is reproduced here by permission of IBM Systems Media.