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Looking Ahead to V6R1

IBM i5/OS V6R1 is coming in 2008. This release delivers several extras, at no extra charge. Let’s focus on two key aspects of V6R1:

1. Cool things are happening with programs.
2. You’ll want to prepare as recommended.

An Exciting Upgrade

With V6R1, IBM is exploiting the Machine Interface (MI) architecture’s inherent capability to upgrade programs. MI’s abstract definition of a complete, high-level interface, populated with encapsulated objects, allows those objects to be internally transformed without changing their behaviors. All MI-based programs, including Original Program Model (OPM) and Integrated Language Environment (ILE) programs, will be converted to better implementations, but will still run the same MI operations.

Each program gets a new hardware instruction stream. Memory use is more efficient—greatly so for programs that use teraspace. System integrity, already well respected, is even stronger. Application deployment is significantly easier.

And there's more. Programs that run on V6R1 retain sufficient creation data for conversion, increasing system value in several ways. First, you get the added integrity of being able to regenerate a program from its MI constructs at any time. Contrast the fundamental protection of the MI’s object encapsulation plus this conversion capability, with the need on many other systems to continually update virus-scanning software in a race to protect against new attacks. Secondly, this pervasive conversion capability provides extreme flexibility for the future.

Finally, i5/OS V6R1 introduces Adaptive Code Generation (ACG). With ACG, programs created or converted on a system with a POWER6 processor can immediately use its newest features. Yet these programs can also run on systems with older processors, where they’re automatically converted to use features available there. So you can get more bang for the buck from your new hardware investment without losing anything on older systems. ACG will similarly allow immediate use of new features on future processors.

It’s Time to Prepare

Preparation for V6R1 is important, even though all of these enhancements are integral to the release. Most programs can be converted, going all the way back to System/38. However, programs created for releases prior to V5R1 that have also had creation data removed can’t be converted. Instead, they must be recompiled. If you purchased an application that falls into this category and don’t have source code, ask the provider for a V5R1 or later version of the application. To give the application provider time to respond, you should prepare soon, well before you plan to upgrade to V6R1.

A great way to begin preparing is to read the Draft IBM Redpaper REDP-4293, "i5/OS Program Conversion: Getting ready for i5/OS V6R1," available on the IBM Redbooks Web site. It describes program conversion, reasons for converting programs now, and the analyze object conversion (ANZOBJCVN) planning tool. The tool estimates the time needed to convert each program and identifies programs that won’t convert. Download and run ANZOBJCVN on your V5R4 or V5R3 system to help you prepare for V6R1.

Another good source of information is the System i Upgrade Planning Web site. And look for my expanded article in the February issue of IBM Systems Magazine, i5 Business Systems edition.

With i5/OS V6R1, you’ll step up to a safer, faster, more flexible computing future.