Andy Youens - PowerWire

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Andy Youens

An IBM Power developer for the past 45 years. IBM i Consultant at FormaServe IBM Champion since 2021 Wrote IBM i Developer Certification Wrote Redbook on Power Modernisation Ex Royal Navy

i-UG (UK) Announces 2026 Summer i-Power Event

i-UG (UK) Announces 2026 Summer i-Power Event

Join us for the 2026 Summer i-Power Event! The i-UG (UK) is thrilled to announce that the 2026 Summer i-Power event will be held at Leonardo’s Hotel in the heart of Milton Keynes on the 2nd and 3rd of June 2026. This event promises to bring together industry experts,

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MFA: A Complete Guide to Affected Areas - Part 2

This article continues our deep dive into Multi, Factor Authentication (MFA) on IBM i, focusing on the new features introduced in version 7.6. If you’re new to MFA or need a refresher, you can start with the first part of this series, What is Multi, Factor Authentication? available

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MFA: A Complete Guide to Affected Areas - Part 1

This article continues our deep dive into Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) on IBM i, focusing on the new features introduced in version 7.6 If you’re new to MFA or need a refresher, you can start with the first part of this series, What is Multi, Factor Authentication? available

What is Multi-Factor Authentication?

Why Your Digital Life Depends on It! IBM’s latest release, IBM i 7.6, brings a major security upgrade to our favourite server: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This built-in feature is a game-changer and it’s something every admin should know about. Implementing MFA can feel like a daunting task,

i-UG i-Power 2025: The Premier IBM i Event in the UK

The i-UG i-Power 2025 Conference is set to be one of the most exciting events for IBM i professionals in the UK. Taking place at the Mercure Northampton Hotel, this flagship event brings together industry experts, developers, and IT professionals to explore the latest advancements in IBM i technology. The

Your Guide to Using cURL

At the two recent i-UG (the largest IBM i User Group in the UK), I gave a presentation about three great open-source utilities on the IBM i. Those being: cURL LFTP rSync Having just checked, I have written about the last two on PowerWire, so for completeness, I must write

Say Hello to IBM i 7.6

Say Hello to IBM i 7.6

Big, Bold & Better Than Ever! Attention, IBMi fans! The wait is over, and the latest and greatest version—IBMi 7.6—is finally here. Who would have guessed that name! Let us have a quick light-hearted look at this release. We cannot be serious all the time. If IBMi

Mapepire Introduction

In my last couple of articles, I have shown python accessing data on the IBM i, accessing both DB2 for i and SQLite. The SQLite article used an SQLite package to get the data, and for the DB2 for i example I used ODBC to retrieve data from the IBM

noxDB Intro

In November 2024 I was invited to the Benelux Common conference in the Netherlands to give a couple of workshops, and what a great event it was. I had the opportunity to meet up with a good friend of mine Niells Liisberg from Denmark, where we had time to look

Open Ports on IBM i

Open Ports on IBM i

In this article I will talk about another great open-source utility for our IBM i. A couple of years ago I wrote an article on a great open-source utility called Service Command. It can be found at this link. As part of this package, we have a command called SCOPENPORTS.

PowerWire Article on DB2

Python DB2 for i Access

Introduction In my previous article, I wrote about how to access a SQLite database and output the SQL resultset in a neat table. If you need a recap, my previous article can be found at this link. In this article I will show you how to access a DB2 for

From SQL to Python: IBM i Database Queries

Introduction In this article I will show how we can use python on the IBM i to retrieve records from a SQLite database and output the results in a nicely formatted table. I will be using Python 3, which can be found in Open-Source Package Manager from ACS. Now we

i-UG's 2024 Summer Event Workshops

The iUG’s summer event is just around the corner & this year promises to be more exciting than ever. With a focus on innovation & practical skills, the workshops are designed to empower IBM i professionals with the latest knowledge & tools. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or

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Access for Client Solutions 1.1.9.5

As the seasons change, so does the tech landscape. And just like clockwork, IBM has graced us with the latest iteration of their Access for Client Solutions (ACS) product. Say hello to version 1.1.9.5! In this article, we’ll delve into the exciting updates, enhancements, and features

Nano – A Great Open-Source Editor

Nano – A Great Open-Source Editor

In this article I show you how to use a great editor called Nano for any editing we have to do with files on our IFS. Yes, I can hear half the readers screaming ‘I can use Rational Developer for i!’ and the other half of the readers shouting, ‘I

i-UG Springs into Life in 2024

i-UG Springs into Life in 2024

The IBM i User Group (i-UG) in the UK sprung into life in February 2024 with their first event of the year at sunny Rochdale. I say sunny, being from the south of the UK, ‘sun’ and ‘the North of the UK’ are not words that go together! The i-UG

Use SSH Keys to Stop User Password Access

Use SSH Keys to Stop User Password Access

This article shows how easy it is to use SSH keys to stop users, or yourself, from having to use a password to gain access to a SSH session. Why? The first question is always … Why should I bother with SSH keys when I can quite easily use a password?

Setup a User for Open-Source

Setup a User for Open-Source

In my article this month I will be taking you through the stages to allow a user to access, and use, open source on the IBM i. This has to be the most asked question of our client base. “I’ve installed open source on my Power server, but how

Node.js v20 on IBM i

Node.js v20 on IBM i

It is time to get back to Node.js on the IBM i! Node.js v20 is the latest version of this great programming language. Please note that Node.js v14 moved out of support from April 2023, so time for you all to upgrade, and what should you upgrade

An Ansible Environment Setup

Firstly, thank-you to all those who attended my Ansible workshop and presentation of Visual Studio Code at the i-UG conference at Northampton in June. It was great to be back presenting and meeting up with friends. This article is related to this event. The Power servers for the event, were