SkyView Partners, Inc. has announced a new release of the popular SkyView Policy Minder for IBM i and i5/OS.  This new release features several enhancements including a browser-based graphical user interface (GUI).

SkyView Policy Minder is a security policy compliance management tool for, IBM i, i5/OS and OS/400 that helps companies stay in compliance with their own security policies. The need to automate procedures associated with compliance has become an overwhelming issue for most organizations. Organizations have spent huge amounts of time and money proving compliance with laws, regulations, and standards and are now faced with the need to drive down the costs of compliance. SkyView Policy Minder has been developed to run on the Power, System i, and iSeries platforms, and replaces a largely manual compliance effort by automating the procedures and documentation associated with security policy compliance.

The new release features a browser-based GUI interface that only requires the Apache server that is shipped with i5/OS. The user interface operates like any browser application and goes a step further by establishing a multisystem view from a single screen. One of the beta testers for this new release, Robin Tatum of MIS said, "As someone who makes a living helping companies secure their IBM Power i systems, I have long been a fan of Policy Minder. With the introduction of the new GUI interface, Policy Minder emerges from the shadows, and proudly presents itself as an indispensable solution in this era of regulatory compliance. The power of Policy Minder has really been harnessed by the enhanced interface as it provides a new level of point-and-click usability--even for a green-screen power user like me. The idea of having a system self-validate at night, and an internet home page set to indicate server compliance in the morning, provides my clients with both peace of mind and a rapid return on their investment. I can't even imagine having to monitor all of this manually any more!"

Another beta tester, Suhas Narayan of International Rectifier, put it this way: "The new Policy Release 1.4 is ‘Security with simplicity'. The GUI interface provides an easy way to manage single or multiple systems. It is a one point display to know the status of policies, create/manage policies, fix non-compliances and run reports, all at a click."

"Most companies that we talk to are way beyond the ‘proving compliance' stage. They've seen the cost associated compliance continue to escalate and they are looking for a way to drive that cost down," said Carol Woodbury, president of SkyView Partners, Inc. "That is exactly what Policy Minder was created to do. Whether you choose to stick with the ‘green screen' interface or use the GUI, our goal was to create a product that automates the compliance process and produces a measurable return on investment. With this new release, we've accomplished that goal." Policy Minder version 1.4 is scheduled to ship on Nov. 17th.

About SkyView Partners Inc.

Led by Carol Woodbury, former Chief OS/400 Security Architect for the IBM System i product line, SkyView Partners is a security policy compliance software and consulting firm working with IBM System i, iSeries and AS/400 customers and Business Partners. SkyView Partners provides security policy management and risk assessment products and as well as remediation services. SkyView Partners assists its clients with the development of sound security practices and automates security policy compliance for the i5/OS (OS/400) platform. For references and further information, visit the SkyView Partners Web site at www.skyviewpartners.com or call 425.458.4975 ext 715.

SkyView Partners is dedicated to providing software to help you solve your security compliance and policy issues. SkyView Partners was founded by John Vanderwall and Carol Woodbury. Prior to forming the partnership with Woodbury to focus on developing a security practice, Vanderwall most recently spent several years as a founder of the software division of an AS/400 security firm and served as vice president of sales and marketing. Woodbury worked for 16 years with IBM in Rochester, Minn., and served for more than 10 years as the AS/400 Security Architect and Chief Engineering Manager of Security Technology for IBM's Enterprise Server Group. During this time, Woodbury provided security architecture and design consultations with IBM Business Partners and large AS/400 customers. She is known worldwide as an author and speaker on security technology, specializing in i5/OS and IBM i security issues. Woodbury has published her third book, IBM i and i5/OS Security & Compliance: A Practical Guide from 29th Street Press, has written numerous articles on security, and is a contributing author on security for MCPress Online and other IBM midrange publishers.

Find out whether your system's security configuration is in compliance with your security policies with SkyView Policy Minder. Find out your system's vulnerabilities lie, receive an explanation of the issues and suggestions on where to start with SkyView Risk Assessor. Generate the audit reports you need for security and compliance without having to understand the complexities of the IBM i audit journal with SkyView Audit Journal Reporter . Let SkyView Partners' Support Team install and configure SkyView products and schedule your automated security compliance reports through the SkyView IBM i Security Compliance Solution.