New Generation Software, Inc. (NGS) has announced it is waiving the license fee on its entry-level Windows companion product to IBM Query/400 in order to help IBM Business Partners and customers shorten the V5R4 and 6.1 software upgrade process.
IBM support for V5R3 ends on April 30, 2009. Although V5R4 and 6.1 have now been available for months, according to NGS, many small to mid-size customers often wait for IBM to nudge them with a termination of support deadline before they begin planning their upgrades. This also is frequently the time when these customers consider purchasing new IBM hardware. That's especially true today with the new IBM Power Systems models and blades offering compelling price performance improvements over previous IBM System i and iSeries models.
While planning for an upgrade can be exciting, the top priority for most IT directors is to quickly get through the process without interrupting their company's production work, according to NGS. IBM Business Partners also count on a simple, straightforward upgrade process because it usually requires someone from their staffs working through the weekend to ensure the customer is ready to operate early Monday morning. If there is a new IBM software application to install during this time, they prefer one that can be installed quickly and doesn't require unexpected prerequisites. According to NGS, Business Partners have learned that with V5R4 and 6.1 upgrades, one new application that can significantly increase their work is IBM DB2 Web Query. While offering more functionality than Query/400, DB2 Web Query comes with a lengthy installation and implementation process that can require outside consulting and/or training, notes NGS.
No-cost, Two-Concurrent User License
In response, NGS is offering IBM Business Partners the opportunity to provide their customers with a no-cost, two-concurrent user license of NGS' Qport Office. Qport Office is an easy-to-implement product add-on that enhances Query/400 without adding complexity to the upgrade cycle, the company says. It can be downloaded and installed in under 15 minutes. Qport Office runs on the Windows desktop and acts as a front end to IBM Query/400 immediately enabling users to run their Query/400 queries from Windows and produce Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, Access tables, Word documents, Windows displays, and printed output on PC printers. When sending query results to Excel, users have the ability to create, replace, or append to an existing range within a sheet. Users can also link multiple queries together for automatic sequential processing so an entire job stream can be launched from a desktop icon. NGS says the product is easy for a non-technical user to master without a training class and customers gain useful new functions without installing DB2 Web Query.
NGS includes a 90-day software warranty and toll-free telephone support in the software license. Customers have the option of extending the warranty or adding users for a modest fee.
Bernard Gough, NGS president and CEO, explains, "For a customer wanting to give Query/400 users new capabilities, but not take the time to install, test, and learn a new query, reporting, or business intelligence solution, Qport Office can be the answer." He believes the software can buy a company some time to consider its next step. "Qport Office satisfies some common end-user reporting needs and gives management an opportunity to survey the market and evaluate several BI alternatives before making an investment. In the current business climate, that's very appealing," adds Gough.
Although IBM no longer markets Query/400 as a stand-alone product, the familiar software is included in the DB2 Web Query product license and customers moving to V5R4 or 6.1 can continue to use Query/400 as they always have. DB2 Web Query need not be installed, and customers need not pay for DB2 Web Query maintenance if they aren't certain they want to deploy the software. More information about DB2 Web Query can be found at www.ngsi.com/company/query400replacement.html and on the IBM Web site.
IBM Business Partners helping customers who use Query/400 to move up to V5R4 or 6.1 before April 30, 2009 can go to www.ngsi.com/company/qportoffice.html to order the Qport Office software. NGS is waiving all license fees for the first two concurrent users. Customers not currently working with a Business Partner can contact NGS directly at 800 824-1220. The Qport Office license fee waiver expires April 30, 2009.
About NGS
With more than 20,000 IBM i (System i, AS/400) users worldwide, NGS is an industry leader in developing high performance, field-proven software solutions and is an Advanced Member of IBM PartnerWorld for Developers. NGS-IQ is a versatile, scalable suite of integrated advanced query, enterprise reporting, performance dashboard, multidimensional OLAP, and BI solutions. The Concert Series provides modular, yet integrated applications for general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and human resources and a seamless interface with other business applications.
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