Larry Bolhuis presents to NHMUG

Larry Bolhuis - Tuesday March 17th, 2015

IBM i Systems Management Workshop

In this workshop we will cover the following system components and their management:

• Hardware Management Console (HMC) what it does, basic setup, user management, backup, HMC Updates
• Flexible Service Processor (FSP) updates, why, when and how
• PTFs for IBM i. Understanding them, PTF groups, PTF lifespan, Group PTFs, and when to do PTFs. (Including Fix Central overview) Overview of Image Catalogs
• Management Central - performance monitoring, PTF distribution, basics of central site inventory
• General things to watch: Memory usage, Disk I/O and storage, System Messages, avoiding dead cash batteries
• Storage Management - How much disk is enough (rhetorical question!), disk cleanup
• System values you need to understand
• Spool file maintenance including use of iASPs, Joblog Servers, and disconnected spool file functions.

The session is based on IBM i 7.1 although at least 90% of the content is applicable to IBM i 6.1 or 5.4 as well.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the basiscs of the HMC and the System Console
• Understand IBM i PTFs
• Understand basic IBM i daily management
• Understand Management Central and how it can help you
• Understand System Values and Spooled File Management

Audience:

IBM i System Administrators or developers tasked with System Admin.

Level:

This session is intermediate and expects attendees know a little about IBM i.

Biography:

Larry has grown up with computers since his father became a CE in 1967. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Calvin College in 1982 and soon after began working on IBM midrange equipment with the S/34 and S/36. Larry began working on the As/400 at its introduction In 1988.

After spending many years as a developer Larry began working on communications, networking, and systems management tasks. Years of working with SNA, SDLC, SNADS, APPC, APPN followed by Token Ring, Ethernet, and TCP/IP tought strong communications troublehooting skills. In addition to networking on the IBM side Larry learned the infrastructure components of the network including switches routers and firewalls, working chiefly with Cisco equipment.

In 15 years as an IBM Business partner Larry worked with IBMs systems from design through implementation and migration. He has worked on the smallest and largest and everything in between. He has been involved in many Beta and other early release programs with IBM. Larry has held more than 30 IBM certifications on the AS/400, iSeries, System i and Power Systems, including IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert and is a contributing author to many IBM Certification tests.

Larry is a frequent and award winning speaker at users groups around North America covering Systems design and management, networking and connectivity, work management, PTF, and Hardware Management Console topics. He has been a long time volunteer and speaker with COMMON and has been awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and also it's highest Honor the Distinguished Service Award.