AS400 Weekly Brief: May 27–June 2, 2025
From IBM’s latest AI initiatives impacting the platform to critical hardware updates and security alerts, here’s the most relevant AS400/IBM i industry news from the past week:
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IBM Unveils watsonx AI Labs & Acquires Seek AI
IBM announced the launch of watsonx AI Labs in New York City on June 2, 2025, establishing it as a new, developer-first innovation hub dedicated to accelerating enterprise AI adoption at scale by co-creating domain-specific AI solutions with clients and startups. As part of this strategic move, IBM also acquired expertise and licensed technology from Seek AI, a New York City-based startup specializing in building AI agents for enterprise data, which will form a foundational component of watsonx AI Labs. The labs aim to supercharge AI builders and leverage “agentic AI” to extract significant value from enterprise data, focusing on critical challenges such as customer service, supply chain optimization, and cybersecurity. This initiative highlights IBM’s strategic shift towards AI that actively performs tasks for enterprises, influencing how IBM i applications interact with and leverage AI capabilities. It points to a future where IBM i data and applications become active participants in AI-driven workflows, driving new modernization requirements for AS400 professionals.
Published: June 2, 2025
IBM Unveils watsonx AI Labs: The Ultimate Accelerator for AI Builders, Startups and Enterprises in New York City -
Advancing IBM i Development with AI: Watsonx Code Assistant for i Public Preview on the Horizon
IBM is making significant progress with Watsonx Code Assistant for i, an AI-powered coding assistant specifically designed for the IBM i platform. A public preview of this tool is expected next month, and it will initially focus on RPG code understanding capabilities. This development is poised to boost developer productivity, simplify knowledge transfer, and assist in modernizing legacy RPG applications by automating tasks like code analysis and refactoring. The imminent public preview represents a direct application of IBM’s broader AI strategy to the IBM i platform, addressing the long-standing skills shortage and accelerating modernization. It promises greater efficiency and innovation by shifting focus from manual, time-consuming efforts to AI-assisted transformation.
Published: June 2, 2025
RPG Code Generation And The Agentic Future Of IBM i - IT Jungle -
Critical Update: IBM Withdraws RDX Disk Backup Units
IBM announced the withdrawal of marketing for RDX disk backup units and the removal of 1 TB and 2 TB removable disk cartridges, effective May 27, 2025. This decision stems directly from the bankruptcy of Tandberg Data, the original manufacturer of these units. This situation creates a significant gap in backup and archiving options for entry-level and some midrange IBM i shops that relied on these specific solutions, necessitating an immediate re-evaluation of their data protection strategies. The abrupt withdrawal highlights supply chain vulnerabilities and serves as a critical reminder for organizations to diversify their backup solutions and regularly review vendor stability to ensure continuous data protection.
Published: May 27, 2025
Tandberg Bankruptcy Leaves A Hole In IBM Power Storage - IT Jungle -
Critical IBM i PTF Updates & HTTP Server Authentication Alert
The latest IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 27, Numbers 21 and 22, was released this week, bringing important updates and fixes to the platform. Alongside these routine updates, a critical flash alert has been issued regarding the IBM i HTTP Server Validation List Authentication. This authentication method has been found to suddenly fail after applying certain IBM i HTTP Group Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs). Users are strongly advised to review the provided information and take necessary precautions to address this potential service disruption, which could impact web services reliant on this authentication.
Published: June 2, 2025
IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 27, Numbers 21 And 22 - IT Jungle
Tools & Tips
- 1. Immediate Action Required: IBM i HTTP Server Validation List Authentication Alert: A critical alert has been issued regarding the IBM i HTTP Server Validation List Authentication, which can unexpectedly fail after applying certain HTTP Group PTFs. This can disrupt web services reliant on this authentication method. IBM has provided further details and guidance to resolve this issue.
- Actionable Tip: If recent IBM i HTTP Group PTFs have been applied, it is crucial to immediately check the HTTP Server Validation List Authentication functionality. Consulting IBM’s documentation or support channels for the specific resolution steps is advised to prevent or mitigate service interruptions.
- Source: https://www.itjungle.com/
- 2. Embracing AI for IBM i Application Analysis: As AI-powered tools like Watsonx Code Assistant for i gain traction, considering how AI can enhance application analysis and refactoring efforts is becoming increasingly important. Solutions that offer “85% Faster IBM i Impact Analysis with AI” are emerging, promising to streamline development, maintenance, and management operations.
- Actionable Tip: Investigating AI-powered impact analysis tools for IBM i codebase is a proactive step. These solutions can help understand complex legacy applications more quickly, identify dependencies, and accelerate modernization projects, thereby freeing up valuable developer time.
- Source: https://programmers.io/blog/ibmi-as400-security-risks-and-best-practices/
Fun Fact
Did you know that the IBM AS/400, announced in June 1988, was originally developed under the codename “Silverlake”? This name was inspired by Silver Lake in Rochester, Minnesota, where the project was officially started in December 1985. The AS/400 was a groundbreaking system, intended to replace both the System/36 and System/38 platforms, and it became one of IBM’s most successful products, shipping nearly 500,000 systems by the end of 1997. The “Silverlake” codename and the AS/400’s origin as a consolidation project highlight IBM’s long-standing strategy of integrating and evolving its midrange platforms, a philosophy that continues today with IBM Power Systems. IBM AS/400 - Wikipedia
We’d love to hear from you! Have you participated in any AS400 events or utilized new AS400 tools recently? Share your experiences or insights with us—we’re featuring selected community voices in next week’s edition.