by Sanjoy Dutta | Jan 13, 2024 | Software training
Mainframe computers, referred to as big iron in some circles, are used in areas that cannot be handled by a mini-computer. The mainframe’s architecture allows for high volumes of users and transactions. It has a large memory capacity and can process a high volume of data at a very rapid rate. This makes it ideal for processing large amounts of information and storing massive databases.
It is also capable of running multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single machine. Typical combinations include z/OS, z/VSE, Linux for System z, and z/TPF. These systems are highly stable and reliable, with mean time between failure measured in decades. The scalability of mainframes means that businesses can add or remove capacity without interrupting operations.
Uses of Mainframe Computer
Mainframes were once found in almost every business, but today they are used primarily by large companies for mission-critical applications. These include censuses, industry and consumer analytics, enterprise resource planning, and large transaction processing. These applications are so important to the company’s success that they must be available around the clock. Pausing them to update software could be costly for the organization, or even endanger national security in some cases.
Airlines use mainframes to keep track of flight networks and passengers, a huge task that requires the ability to handle enormous amounts of data quickly and accurately. These systems are also used by many traditional brick-and-mortar stores to manage inventory and by many online retailers as well.
Banks, both investment banks and plain-old retail banks, rely on mainframes to process the massive amount of transactions they generate. From credit card processing and ATM withdrawals to online account updates, these systems provide the reliability and scalability that commodity servers simply can’t match.
There were several mainframe competitors in the past, including Univac, Sperry, Amdahl, and GE. However, IBM now dominates the market for these computers. Until recently, mainframes were so expensive that only very large companies could afford them. However, recent advancements in cloud computing and clustering have made them more affordable for smaller businesses as well. For this reason, mainframes will continue to play an essential role in many industries for years to come.
by Sanjoy Dutta | Jan 12, 2024 | Software training
Selenium Helpful For Automation Testing that is widely known for its ability to help testing teams develop test scripts in a variety of programming languages. This helps in automating the tests and also ensures that the test results are accurate and reliable. It is also able to generate detailed reports of each test run. These reports can be used to identify areas that need improvement and take corrective action. The user-friendly interface of Selenium makes it easy for the entire team to create and execute tests.
Selenium Helpful For Automation Testing web applications on multiple platforms and browsers. It can help in identifying bugs and issues quickly and easily. Moreover, it can help in the development of automated tests to reduce the time spent on manual testing. This will allow the testers to focus more on improving the application and also get the highest ROI.
Besides, the Selenium tool is capable of running multiple tests in parallel, which will speed up the overall test process. This feature is particularly helpful in testing large web applications that have a huge number of pages and functions. It can also be used to perform end-to-end testing, which is not possible with other software testing tools such as QTP, UFT, and SilkTest.
The Selenium automation testing tool consists of several components, such as Selenium IDE, Selenium WebDriver, and Selenium Grid. Each component is designed to serve a particular purpose. For instance, the WebDriver is designed to communicate with a browser through different drivers. It takes a series of commands and sends them to the browser to initiate responses. The grid is another tool that can be used to test the web application in a variety of operating systems and browsers.
Selenium enables you to use a number of programming languages to write your automation test scripts, such as Java, Python, Perl, and Ruby. This is why it is considered one of the most versatile test automation tools in the market. Additionally, it supports various browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, and Opera. This means that you can run your tests against these popular web browsers without having to rewrite the script.
However, despite its many benefits, there are a few drawbacks to using Selenium for automation testing. It is important to note that this tool only works on web applications and does not support mobile or desktop applications. It is also not an all-in-one automation testing solution and requires third-party tools for additional functionality, such as image recognition. The most common tool for this purpose is Sikuli, which can be integrated with the Selenium framework to improve its functionality.
Another drawback of using Selenium is that it can be difficult to troubleshoot problems. Unlike licensed software, which comes with an in-house support team, you must rely on online community groups and chat rooms to address any issues you encounter while setting up the tool. This can be a challenge for larger enterprise projects, especially when you need to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
by Sanjoy Dutta | Jan 12, 2024 | Corporate Training
The importance of a mainframe computer is often overlooked. While PCs, tablets and the cloud get all the attention, the big iron is still doing heavy lifting in data centers around the world. The reason why is a bit surprising. In fact, the mainframe is probably the single most important tool your organization has to keep itself in business well into the future.
The term “mainframe” is a little confusing. It’s both an important part of the history of computers in general and a specific and rapidly disappearing type of modern hardware. When they were first invented, mainframes were incredibly expensive and huge. You could only find them in dedicated rooms/facilities and employees had to sign up for time slots to use them.
Over the years, mainframes have become more affordable and smaller. They’re also more multipurpose and capable of a wide range of tasks. However, the size of a mainframe and the technology involved means that they are still much more costly than distributed servers.
When IBM introduced its first mainframe in 1958, it cost about $100,000 to build. That’s equivalent to about $1 million in today’s dollars. When you add in specialized OS and database software, maintenance fees, and expert staff, total costs routinely run into the millions. But the high quality of a mainframe system, coupled with the ability to store massive amounts of data, make it worth the investment.
Another reason why mainframes are so important is that they offer a level of reliability and stability that’s hard to match. Unlike desktop computers and even the latest servers, which are vulnerable to failures and viruses, mainframes can go for long periods without ever stopping or slowing down. Their mean time between failures (MTBF) is measured in decades.
Moreover, the multipurpose nature of a mainframe allows it to handle a large number of different applications and tasks at once. This makes them ideal for processing real-time business transactions. The scalability of mainframes also means that they can be easily expanded or modified to meet increasing demands. This is particularly useful for organizations that have to deal with a sudden influx of customers or other variables.
A final benefit of mainframes is that they are designed to protect data security. By storing data and programs on a single system, administrators can enforce security policies and prevent unauthorized access. They can also allocate processor time and resources among logged-in users so that certain types of work have priority over others.
Suppose you’re looking for a platform that can deliver high pure CPU and I/O processing power, top-tier security, flexibility, scalability, and a cost-effective solution. In that case, the mainframe is a clear choice. It’s no wonder that multibillion-dollar companies rely on it to help them survive in the modern business landscape.
by Sanjoy Dutta | Jan 6, 2024 | Software training
SAP Basis is the software that manages and runs your SAP landscape. It is an essential tool for organizations to ensure that their SAP systems are running smoothly and efficiently. Without a strong, well-managed SAP Basis team, your organization could face costly outages and other issues that can impact business operations.
In our latest Q&A series, we spoke with experts Deb Donohoe and Christian Baessler from Syskoplan Reply (formerly Enowa) to learn more about the importance of SAP Basis administration. They also discussed how SAP HANA has changed the role of the Basis administrator and provided some tips on how to successfully manage your SAP environment.
SAP Basis, more commonly known as NetWeaver, is the underlying layer of an SAP system. It provides the functionality needed to connect all of your applications, systems, and databases. It enables businesses to integrate business processes across all applications and departments, increasing efficiency and productivity.
It allows users to create custom applications and web pages using ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) or Java stacks. The software can be used for both on-premise and cloud computing environments, making it flexible and accessible to companies of all sizes. In addition to connecting your SAP applications, NetWeaver also helps you integrate your IT infrastructure and data with third-party tools such as BI Portal, PI, and SRM.
With a robust architecture, SAP Basis also supports enterprise-level integrations and offers built-in security features that make it more secure than other database platforms. The ability to replicate data enables administrators to set up and test new database upgrades without affecting production systems.
The software consists of multiple components, including the SAP NetWeaver Application Server (ABAP), and SAP Solution Manager. ABAP and SAP Solution Managers are the main tools that help you monitor your SAP system, transfer changes from development to a production environment, analyze logs, create reports, and perform other tasks.
Many people think that SAP HANA has made the job of SAP Basis admins easier. However, this is not entirely true. While HANA has automated many monitoring tasks, it has not eliminated the need for a strong and skilled Basis administrator team. This is particularly true for businesses with large and complex SAP landscapes, where a single issue can cause severe financial losses.
While building an in-house SAP Basis administration team is a viable option, it can be costlier than outsourcing the work to a third-party company that can provide 24/7 support. When choosing a provider, look for one that has extensive experience managing complex SAP landscapes and can offer an end-to-end support service, so that you don’t have to worry about anything other than running your business. This is especially important when you are planning for a major project like SAP migration to S/4HANA. Having a team of professionals handle your SAP Basis will save you time and money in the long run. If you’re interested in hiring a dedicated SAP Basis administration team, contact us today for more information!
by Sanjoy Dutta | Jan 6, 2024 | Software training
Microsoft’s Azure platform is an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) cloud computing system that uses large-scale virtualization in Microsoft data centers and offers over 600 different services. It is a pioneering leader in the field of IaaS and offers businesses several key benefits to help them become more competitive.
One of the unique features that Microsoft Azure provides to its customers is a set of machine learning models called Cognitive Services. These are machine-learned tools that can be run through the Azure portal by customers without the need to write code to do so. These machines learned tools can be used to solve a variety of tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible for noncoders to do.
Another way that businesses can leverage the unique capabilities of Azure is by using its scalable infrastructure to grow with their business needs. This allows businesses to quickly add more computing resources or storage capacity to handle additional workloads without the need for costly upgrades in their IT infrastructure.
Additionally, Azure offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model that allows businesses to scale their usage based on the amount of work they do. This helps them to avoid spending more than they need, as well as save money by only paying for what they use.
Other features that are provided by Azure to its customers include the ability to create a Content Delivery Network which can be used to cache the output of some services so that they load faster for users around the world. This service is easy to set up and configure through the Azure portal for any users with an appropriate subscription level and can be done at no extra cost.
Finally, Azure has a wide range of security tools that are designed to protect customer information from being accessed by malicious parties. These include security policies, role-based access control, encryption, and other features that can be used to keep sensitive information safe. These are the types of features that businesses can use to be more secure, which is becoming increasingly important in an era when cybersecurity threats are on the rise.
For businesses looking to take advantage of the unique features that Microsoft Azure has to offer, they can sign up for a free trial or contact one of the many authorized resellers of the system in their area. These resellers can assist with getting a business up and running with Microsoft Azure, as well as provide the necessary training and support to help them make the most of it. These resellers can also help with migrating any data that a business may need to carry over to the Azure platform. This is important for small to medium-sized businesses that don’t have the time or budget to spend on an in-house IT team. Having a partner that can help them get started with Azure and migrate any existing systems to it is a good way for these smaller companies to make the most of their resources and stay competitive in the modern marketplace.
