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No matter how far you are down the road with your DevOps automation journey, or even if you’re not yet starting that journey, it’s probably a good idea to have a code checker; not everyone can have a Linus Torvalds review their work.

At this point in the history of programming, everyone pretty much knows what microservices are and everybody is more than acquainted with the legacy code – and often monolithic code – that has been created over decades by countless programmers who have evolved corporate applications to fit new conditions and new demands.

When modernizing development processes on IBM i, the most efficient thing to do, always, is to make use of enterprise tools already in place within the organization and integrate these into a cohesive IBM i workflow that shepherds code from idea to production all along the way.

As Gene Amdahl, the chief architect of the IBM System/360 mainframe, correctly observed and what was subsequently codified as Amdahl’s Law, any kind of system that implements any kind of process is only as fast as its slowest component.

The combination and automation of application development and IT operations, commonly known as DevOps, is itself like the processes it automates – it is a process of continual change through iteration and improvement. And so, like most things in life (other than vacation, maybe), it is a journey – not a destination.

In this article, we want to talk about the new features we are exposing in VS Code for users of the application development tooling available from ARCAD Software.

The choice of IDE should not hinder developers as they create applications for the IBM i platform, and moreover, the choice of the VS Code IDE commonly used by developers working on Linux, MacOS, and Windows platforms should not stop them from developing code for the IBM i platform.

Remember the Y2K problem, when companies had two-digit dates for years in their applications and the millennial turn was coming and they suddenly needed a four-digit date so all the math would work out right comparing the present, future, and past?

With the evolution of DevOps it is only natural that an important aspect of lean manufacturing, called value stream management (VSM), is being brought to bear in software development in general and now, starting with some new features being added to ARCAD V13.2, for IBM i shops in particular.

With open source technology revolutionizing how DevOps systems work, many businesses running on IBM i find themselves at a crossroads if they want to stay competitive: rebuild their entire codebase from scratch, or modernize their existing application.

ARCAD software has developed powerful automation tools, such as its i Unit and Verifier that can greatly automate and improve both your unit testing and functional test processes.

IBM’s legacy in the open world has been well-documented, from their work with Linux, Apache, and Eclipse in the early years of open source to more current work across all layers of the cloud stack, application development, blockchain, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and machine learning...

One of the main challenges in integrating Git into IBM i is is the ‘technology gap’ between Git and the antiquated change management systems still in use on the platform. To appreciate this statement, we need to take a look back at the recent history of the IBM i itself, and ask ourselves ‘why Git?’

The IBM i (aka iSeries, AS/400) platform has been embedded in the framework of tens of thousands of organizations for over 30 years, creating the systematic bedrock for businesses who rely on the security, dependability and low administration overhead that characterizes the platform.

There is an alternative to a big-bang transformation, a progressive path to a fully automated and modern development toolchain, yielding incremental returns. Start with unit testing automation.

IBM i applications have the same issues as people, as does all software running on any platform – although software is a bit different in that it can be replaced, renewed, rewritten, refurbished or simply left to rot in its swamp of technical debt.

New ARCAD for DevOps release enables rapid automation of IBM i application build and deploy within any existing Azure DevOps toolstack.

Economic downturns don’t cause technology shifts, but they do have a habit of accelerating them. The evolution of any technology follows its own path, as inventors and engineers try to meet customer wants and needs, and this transformation is fairly straightforward when the economy is robust and people feel they can invest time and money in something.

New DROPS release secures large-scale application deployments, coordinating the release of both legacy and modern code in an automated workflow.

ARCAD Software announces it has partnered with HCL Software DevOps to offer a full stack, enterprise-grade DevOps solution combining an end-to-end CI/CT/CD pipeline for IBM i (aka iSeries, AS/400) with best-in-class value stream management and test automation capabilities.

ARCAD created ARCAD API, a solution which takes heritage applications using the 5250 green screen protocol and allows portions of code to be accessed, wrapped up, and turned into a Web service that can be called like any other API by programming languages old and new.

For some time, IBM i shops have been behind the curve when it comes to using modern DevOps and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) technologies and techniques.

ARCAD Software today announced the end-to-end integration of its CI/CD stack for RPG and COBOL application development within CloudBees CI (Core), continuous software delivery system based on Jenkins.

IBM i developers won’t have to leave the comfort of RDi and the LPEX editor to engage in application cross-referencing tasks, thanks to the recent integration between the ARCAD Observer cross-referencing software with LPEX.

ARCAD Software’s latest offering, ARCAD API, takes much of the pain and complexity out of the API generation process.

ARCAD Software today announced the V12 TR1 release of ARCAD Observer, introducing a powerful application-wide IBM i cross-referencing capability into the LPEX editor in RDi.

ARCAD Software today announced the launch of ARCAD API, for auto- generation of RESTful Web services directly from any native IBM i 5250 application interface.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” The famous management consultant Peter Drucker said those words to relate his philosophy on achieving business success. He didn’t know it at the time, but they would also apply to software development, including the testing of software, which is an area that ARCAD Software knows a thing or two about.

ARCAD iUnit was originally launched in 2018 to complement ARCAD’s functional test automation solution ARCAD Verifier. ARCAD iUnit allows procedures, functions and service programs on IBM i to be tested individually, defining test “success” or “failure” in terms of assertions on resulting parameter values.

There are many things that are important about creating good code, but perhaps the most important is the idea that there are good coding practices and that everyone coding, no matter what the programming language and no matter what the type of application they are creating, should adhere to some standards of quality.

Not every software project can have an all-knowing benevolent dictator looking through every line of code, and even all projects could have such a person to oversee the quality of the code, there is no reason to not automate as much of this very important code review job as is possible.

New UI modernization tooling completes ARCAD’s integrated offering for Modernization and DevOps on IBM i.

It is easier to change a system or a software development stack than it is to change the habits and preferences of people. People are the biggest friction in adopting new technologies – right up until the moment they are not. And then they are easy. So it is with any technology, and the transition from traditional software change management to open source DevOps tools is no different.

ARCAD announced their partnership with Skytap, global cloud provider delivering an industry-first, multi-tenant public cloud offering for IBM i.

ARCAD Software announced key V11 release launching a new graphical process manager for IBM i, continuous test automation and deep integration with Git and Jenkins for synchronized development in both traditional and modern development environments.

Depending on who you ask, there are about 1,000 IBM i shops that used the CA 2E (Synon) CASE tool to create their applications and are still using this tool to maintain those applications. This is not an easy task any more, and there is a much better way.

ARCAD Software announces today its participation in HEXATRUST, the alliance founded by the French leaders of cloud computing and cybersecurity to promote and build trust in Cloud and Cyber excellence.

The concept of a single repository for source is not necessarily a new one. When I interviewed with ARCAD back in 2011, I did so at the at the Rational conference called Innovate in Orlando.

ARCAD Software, market leader in Enterprise DevOps and Modernization solutions, today announced the launch of a new Pay-per-Use pricing system for DROPS, their flagship Application Release Orchestration solution.

If you want to employ modern software development and testing techniques, you have to move on from simple unit testing by developers and implement regression testing in your quality assurance (QA) organization. This is perhaps the best way to take the risk out of continuous development – something that companies have to embrace if they are to remain competitive.

ARCAD Software, leading vendor in DevOps and Enterprise Modernization solutions for IBM i, today announced the release of a new module in its DevOps suite: ARCAD-CodeChecker, for continuous source code quality analysis.

ARCAD has been in business for 25 years, and we have done a lot of technical innovation over those years. We started our business with traditional software change management, on the software change management at that time, which is the combination of having a set of tools to manage developer work and then to transfer from development to test to production.

Of the world’s most visited websites this month, GitHub rates 59 and climbing. Not bad considering that GitHub’s appeal is limited to software developers, whereas the other popular sites like Google and Amazon have a planetary audience. Is software becoming as important as the written word?

The financial incentives instigating investors to back companies that create software and provide services to the IBM i community continue to raise eyebrows and elicit surprise among those unfamiliar with the innovation taking place in the so-called legacy netherworld.

Created 25 years ago and present in Europe, USA and Asia, Arcad Software is among the top 3 global vendors specializing in Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and Enterprise Modernization for IBM i (aka iSeries, AS/400) environments.

New agreement allies leading DevOps solutions vendor with global equipment lessor and top provider of IT solutions, services and support.

Finding an IBM i software vendor in the Gartner Magic Quadrant is sort of like finding a four-leaf clover. It doesn’t happen very often and it feels like a lucky day when you do. Last week, ARCAD Software made it into the coveted quad in the Application Release Automation category.

Chavanod, France — Oct 24, 2017 – ARCAD Software today announced that it has been recognized in Gartner’s 2017 “Magic Quadrant for Application Release Automation” report for its DROPS solution.

Peterborough, NH, 13 September 2017 – ARCAD Software, leading vendor in DevOps and Enterprise Modernization solutions for IBM i, today announced the inclusion of their DevOps technology within IBM’s product offering, distributed under the name ARCAD Pack for i.

While RDi development gets some help from one IBM i vendor, another vendor is enhancing its RDi-specific software. ARCAD Software, makers of ARCAD Pack for i, has enhanced its IBM UrbanCode Deploy and improved support for deployment to IBM i.

Stockholm, Sweden, 30 May 2017 – ARCAD Software, leading vendor in DevOps and Modernization solutions for IBM i, today announced its partnership with Apper Systems AB, to support major expansion of ARCAD operations in the Nordic region.

One platform. One island. One epic story of survival. That may be over dramatizing the IBM i environment, but it makes a point about the dangers of single-platform thinking in a world that is multi-platform oriented. That thought occurred to me when I first heard that ARCAD Software, an IBM i vendor specializing in application development and DevOps, was partnering with GitHub, a collaboration-oriented software company focused on code sharing and reducing software delivery schedules.

Peterborough, NH, 28 April 2017 – ARCAD Software, leading vendor in DevOps and Modernization solutions for IBM i, today announced a strategic partnership with GitHub, builder of a web-based collaboration platform used by more than 21M software developers, to advance code sharing and reuse on IBM i, and shorten software delivery schedules.

Peterborough, NH, 13 April 2017 – ARCAD Software, leading vendor in Enterprise Modernization and DevOps solutions for IBM i, today announced the inclusion of two key ARCAD modernization solutions within IBM’s Configurator e-config (AAS) ordering system, automating the conversion of RPG source code and the analysis of existing IBM i applications.

ARCAD RPG Converter for IBM i, V1.1 and ARCAD Observer for IBM i, V1.1 strengthen support for developers of business applications

For IBM i shops that have been using change management software for years, DevOps looks very familiar. Both improve quality and lower risk. And both make use of a framework and collaborative achievements. The major distinction for DevOps is that the collaboration involves a much wider universe of contributors. It takes into account other IT platforms and blows up the individual siloes by integrating tools and processes. And it further integrates IT and business with incremental improvements and enhancements continuously tested and put into production.

Annecy, 13th of January 2017 DROPS Software, is a start-up and subsidiary of the ARCAD Software Group, which counts more than 24 years of experience in software Release Management. Our ...

The IBM i platform has a reputation that is both good and bad. It is powerful, dependable, securable, manageable, but highly proprietary. Being proprietary means the system and the people who support it on ...

Peterborough, NH, 3 October 2016 – ARCAD Software, leading vendor in Enterprise Modernization and DevOps solutions for IBM i, announces October 30th GA release of Version 3.0 of ARCAD-Builder, an ...

If you could improve your application and systems software management, what would be the overall effect on your organization be? Greater efficiency and higher productivity come to mind. And the ripple effect touches nearly ...

Stockholm, 10 March 2016 – ARCAD Software, leading vendor in Enterprise Modernization and DevOps solutions for IBM i, today announced the launch of a new subsidiary, ARCAD Software Nordic.The creation of this ...

Helping companies modernize is the reason ARCAD Software, the IBM i software vendor, is opening a subsidiary office in Germany.

Hamburg, 8 December 2015 – ARCAD Software, leading vendor in Enterprise Modernization and DevOps solutions for IBM i, today announced the launch of its new subsidiary, ARCAD Software Germany GmbH. This ...

Peterborough, NH, 9 June 2015 –  ARCAD Software, leading vendor in Application Lifecycle Management and Enterprise Modernization solutions for IBM i, today announced its appointment of a new distributor Sanwa Comtec Technology, in Japan. Through this ...

IBM developerWorks article “Making IBM i Agile”, by Ray Bernardi

IBM‘s midrange computers and the applications they run never seem to get the recognition they deserve when it comes to advanced technologies and methodologies. It’s not exactly stealing intellectual property, but it is dishonest ...

If you’ve seen IBM‘s Redbook on modernization for i-centric customers, it’s clear the direction Big Blue recommends includes the DB2 for i database as an integral part of the modernization process. In application-first environments, which dominate ...

Peterborough, NH – April 14, 2015 – The ARCAD Software and IBM partnership today announced the release of a complete and comprehensive DevOps solution for IBM i, providing accelerated and ...

Peterborough, NH – October 24, 2014: ARCAD Software, leading vendor in software solutions for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) on IBM Power systems running IBM i, today announced a new suite of ...

“The only mistake is to do nothing” – the new Application Modernization Redbook Spring 2014 is a brisk time for IBM i users with new releases of Power hardware and the operating system in ...

Integrated Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) provides the ability to innovate while reducing overhead costs, thus improving time to delivery, quality, value, and predictability. The classic definition of Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) derives from the notion ...

The ARCAD 5250 Emulator allows you to start 5250 emulation sessions from within an Eclipse-based IDE.

The upcoming free format enhancements that will debut with IBM i 7.1 Technology Refresh 7 (TR7) are good for the programming language and good for the platform as a whole. But according to IBM i ...

ARCAD Software, a leading vendor in software solutions for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) on IBM Power, and Business Computer Design (BCD), a market leader in IBM i and multi-platform application modernization solutions, announced today ...

There’s a world of difference between old RPG and modern RPG. For one thing, if your code is written in RPG III or an earlier version, almost no one except for veteran RPG programmers can ...

IBM i 7.1 Technology Refresh 7 Highlights: Application Development by Tim Rowe Read this article

What's New in IBM i 7.1 TR7? Today IBM announces IBM i 7.1 Technology Refresh 7. Here are the details: RPG IV Is Free-Form Probably the biggest news in this announcement is the fact that ...

IBM i Technology Refresh 7 is bound to make some people bark. Any time you mention these three letters–RPG–the ears of the IBM midrange community perk up like a half sleeping dog that notices a ...

Native RPG development on the IBM i server was largely tamed long ago by change management and application lifecycle management (ALM) tools. But as IBM i shops extend their RPG investments with new Web-based ...

Zwei Experten in Sachen Software-Entwicklung für das Power System i begründen eine transatlantische Partnerschaft: Die französische Software-Schmiede Arcad verknüpft ihre Tool-Suite Skipper für das Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) mit der Entwicklungsplattformen Websmart ILE bzw. PHP ...

ARCAD Software,, a leading vendor in software solutions for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) on IBM Power, and Business Computer Design (BCD), a market leader in IBM i and multi-platform application modernization solutions, announced today a strategic ...

Download a free 5250 emulator designed to help you work with IBM i objects within the Eclipse framework.

ARCAD Software received the Innovation in Enterprise Modernization Development Award at IBM Innovate 2013. The award recognizes IBM Business Partner solutions delivering an enterprise modernization solution that helps customers extend the value and performance of ...

JDE Compatibility Read this article

ARCAD Software, leading vendor in software solutions for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) on IBM Power, today announced the compatibility of Version 9.2 of its solutions with Oracle JD Edwards World A9.3. With the latest ...

JD Edwards World shops that make a lot of customizations and modifications to their ERP environments may be interested in knowing that ARCAD Software just announced that its application lifecycle management (ALM) tool is ...

Making it easier to upgrade to IBM i 7.1 Read this article

Agility Matter | Simon Webb, RTC, RDP, ARCAD-Rational Power Pack Read this article

Highlights from Spring COMMON 2013 by Tim Rowe in Modern-i-zation

ARCAD Software recently rolled out a new piece of freeware that might interest RPG programmers who use Rational Development for Power Systems (RDp). The new product, called Data Area Editor, provides a way for RDp ...

ARCAD Software, leading vendor in software solutions for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) on IBM Power, today announced the compatibility of Version 9.2 of its solutions with Oracle® JD Edwards World A9.3. Read ...

ARCAD Software Inc, PETERBOROUGH, NH – 2 June, 2013 – ARCAD Software, a leading vendor in software solutions for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) for IBM Power Systems running IBM i operating software, is helping Kenco ...

ARCAD Software announces Version 9.5 of their IT Service Management solution ARCAD-Customer – to optimize communications between users and the service desk, and simplify the adoption of ITIL best practices in any organization. Version ...

ARCAD Software has achieved Unicode compliance with version 9 of its application lifecycle management (ALM) tools, thereby enabling the French company to address new markets for its IBM i software, particularly China and Japan. ...

Considered the ‘globalization’ version, the V9 is without doubt the most significant release to date. ARCAD Software, vendor of software change management and application modernization solutions in the IBM i environment and for open ...

here's pretty much no getting around it: New software applications have to be tested before putting them into general use. However, unless producing software for sale is your primary line of business and you already ...

ARCAD Software is now shipping version 8.12 of its application lifecycle management (ALM) suite for the IBM i OS. Among the enhancements is the capability of its regression testing product, called Verifier, to test multiple types ...

ARCAD Software is exposing more of its application lifecycle management (ALM) suite to third-party products, including Microsoft .NET, IBM Rational Team Concert, the popular JIRA bug tracker, and even Rocket Aldon, with version 8.15 of ...

Partner Plugins Read this article

The ARCAD ALM suite is a collection of tools used to aid developers in the development, testing, and roll-out of new and enhanced applications.

The entire ARCAD Software team is pleased to announce the release of version V9 of its software product line. Considered the ‘globalization’ version, the V9 is without doubt the most significant release to date. ...

ARCAD Software specializes in change management and application modernization solutions for the IBM i environment and open systems. Their products cover all change processes from user requests to testing through multi-platform deployments. ARCAD has ...

Major innovations in this new release include enhanced data monitoring in regression testing, offering a multi-platform capture interface, so that application tests can be recorded from green-screen, Web, and client-server interfaces. Read ...

ARCAD’s Application Lifecycle Management Software offers a new bridge between the IBM  Rational Team Concert and ARCAD’s deployment solution. At the IBM Innovate 2011 conference, ARCAD will receive an honorable mention in the category of ...

Version 8.10 of ARCAD’s ALM Software offers a new bridge between the IBM Rational Team Concert and ARCAD’s deployment solution and signals a new era in the overall ARCAD offering with a profound reorganization ...

Arcad has announced the release of version 8.12 of its ARCAD application lifecycle management suite. In this version the ARCAD-Verifier regression-test solution has been designed to maximize the scope and range of tests. Read this ...

New version challenges conventional approaches to ALM, realigns ARCAD’s product range by function group, and extends target market, company says. ARCAD Software, which develops solutions that manage change and modernize business applications in the IBM ...

ARCAD has announced the availability of version 8.10 of its application lifecycle management (ALM) solutions. ARCAD's integrated ALM solutions cover the software change process from user request management to multiplatform deployment, configuration/release management, and test ...

ARCAD has been moving toward more openness and platform support with its suite of tools for a while. In recent years, the company has moved beyond its original IBM i marketplace to deliver application lifecycle ...

Companies that use ARCAD Software‘s suite of application lifecycle management (ALM) tools are now able to mange the release and deployment of applications on open systems platforms, such as Windows, Unix, and Linux, as well ...

The most recent technological innovations in ARCAD version 8.09 open up new prospects for managing multi-platform deployments and distribution to Open Systems sites, while extending the integration of CASE tools within the ARCAD product ...

Companies interested in improving their IT department's effectiveness recognize ITIL's contribution in optimizing IT processes and thereby providing better service for their users. Editor's note: This article is an extraction from the free white paper ...

Companies getting into application modernization projects have their hands full. That’s not necessarily because the modernization project is a nightmare for IBM i shops. Nearly 100 percent of IT departments are struggling to keep up ...

In today's enterprise environment, very few companies have the luxury of having a single platform to support. This means multiple development tools supporting multiple applications on multiple platforms. You may even be supporting ‘separate but ...

Vendors continue to develop modernization solutions to enhance IBM i legacy code. Read this article

ARCAD Software CEO and Chairman Philippe Magne has been talking for more than a year about the importance of open systems and open software. Although indisputably IBM i oriented, Magne’s business compass is pointing the ...

Version 8.08 of ARCAD's ALM Software Brings Additional Open Systems Enhancements. Latest technical innovations offer new options for managing changes to software, critical data, and LANSA components, interacting with external apps, and more. Read ...

ARCAD's president and CEO Philippe Magne points to two critical factors that modernization projects need to address.The first is control over the knowledge of existing applications. The second is control over the change process. Certainly ...

New tool helps reduce downtime associated with data file updates for 24/7 business applications. Read this article

ARCAD, aka "The Kilt People," has opened a new office in Singapore.... Recently, the company has moved aggressively to fill the void for change management tools. ARCAD Software, aka “The Kilt People,” last week announced ...

ARCAD-Skipper unites and automates updates, changes, and other daily tasks. Read this article

ARCAD Software‘s president and CEO Philippe Magne points to two critical factors that modernization projects need to address. The first is control over the knowledge of existing applications. The second is control over the change ...

Plugins open up a whole world of opportunity to make RDi programmers more productive. Read this article

There's no reason not to forge ahead with new techniques such as SQL as long as you have the right tools in place. Structured Query Language (SQL) is a keyword-oriented language, which makes it easy ...

Philippe Magne innovates in rocket science, music, and software development. Read this article

New Dutch office will provide a staging ground for the French company to target new System i customers in the region... System i change management vendor ARCAD Software recently announced it has opened a new ...

ARCAD significantly enhances test automation capabilities; announces new interfaces and V6R1 compatibility. Read

New product offering enables updates of large data files while active and significantly reduces downtime. Read

Reseller EMYDIS announces successful sale of ARCAD products to rotary engine manufacturer Aerzener Maschinenfabrik. Read

Software developer selects Singapore as a regional hub for its Asia-Pacific expansion. Read

ARCAD Software BV will focus on the company's strategic clients, multinational businesses, and change management upgrades. Read

Oséo Anvar, The French Agency for Innovation, names ARCAD an “Innovative Company” and awards support for future software development. Read

Company consolidates its position in banking and insurance sectors; additional U.S. expansion and revenue growth projected in 2007. Read

ARCAD Software solution is now totally integrated with Eclipse to facilitate running System i applications in the Java J2EE environment or with SOA architectures. Read

Software developer selects Peterborough, NH, to expand operations; cites pool of qualified employees and quality of life. Read

ARCAD brings Microsoft Visual Studio developers under change management, and streamlines multi-platform "transfers to production" with Apache ANT. Read

With the latest launch of the ARCAD suite and an expansion of its office in New Hampshire, ARCAD is gearing up for a sustained push into the U.S. Read this article ...

The up-and-coming provider of programmers' tools for the System i platform, recently announced that it's giving away a 5250 emulator that plugs into IBM's WDSc development environment, and a utility for testing System i objects. ...

As your business needs evolve…structured software change management becomes a requirement not only for the IT staff, but for other departments within your company as well.

A good help desk solution not only provides answers to users’ questions, but also helps to manage assets and lifecycle changes. Read this article

ARCAD Software has rolled the multi-platform software management stone closer to its final destination by releasing Version 8.06.06 of its IBM System i-based application lifecycle management suite. For companies doing application development that spans more ...

IBM's development environment, WebSphere Development Studio Client (WDSc) for System i, is dramatically changing development on the platform. It all began in 2001 when IBM put $50 million into the Eclipse development environment and ...