Community Post: List of IBM i Content Providers

+Joe Hertvik compiled an in-process centralized shared list of all organizations or individuals who provide content-specific information on the IBM i platform. United Computer Group, Inc. is pleased to be included. Find the blog post and list here. 

Learn more about Joe by checking out Joe's Blog @JoeHertvik.com 

Thanks, Joe! 

5 ERP Business Benefits of 2014

Bob Vormittag

Excellent article in Manufacturing Business Technology written by our partner, Bob Vormittag, President & CEO, VAI. 

"2014 will continue to bring change and innovation to the ERP industry. It is imperative that companies continuously incorporate new technologies that will dramatically improve their business operations. It is also critical for businesses to do their homework when choosing an ERP vendor, so that they fully understand what they can expect throughout the implementation process and beyond. Executives must ensure that they are implementing flexible software solutions to meet their specific business needs and industry requirements in order to stay ahead of the competition and ensure growth and success throughout 2014 and beyond."  Read full article. 

When Things Go Wrong: A Techie’s Perspective

How to keep focused during a major IT incident 

Most of us have dealt with major IT incidents before. When a major incident occurs in an enterprise environment, all hands are on deck, from top management right down to the technical engineers resolving the issue. During this time, a lot of pressure is on us, the techies, to resolve the incident and bring the system back up and running again. Here are some tips on how to handle these types of situations and work efficiently to resolve the issue.

Adrian Mahendrata shares some tips on dealing with the challenges that a techie faces when a major incident occurs. +POWER IT Pro 

The ROI when moving your data backup to the cloud

Over the years we have spoken with hundreds of CIOs, CFOs, and CEOs about taking their data to the cloud. When the discussion turns to business issues and pain points, we often find that there is one underlying hurdle to overcome: price. And price should not be a final determining factor when making a key decision about an organization's data backup and DR solution. 

For those who take the time to understand and embrace its value, it goes much deeper. They know that United Computer Group's VAULT400 backs up an entire organization’s business-critical data to secure data centers, ensuring financial, HIPAA, and legal compliance for their clients. Safe and off-site, the encrypted data is available online at all times for immediate, user-initiated recovery. VAULT400 works seamlessly within an organization’s existing infrastructure while supporting all platforms and databases. For even greater peace of mind, hardware disaster recovery is available. 

Download  UCG's VAULT400 ROI Calculator

Nevertheless, the intangible benefits may be initially overlooked. This simple ROI chart will highlight the various management costs that come into play when assessing cloud backup costs and may help you focus on your core business competency. 

If you find this information helpful please pass it on. As Oscar Wilde penned, “The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on; it is never of any use to oneself.”

+Michael Seday 

What The System x Selloff Means To IBM i Shops

"As has been rumored for nearly a year and suspected for the past five years by many of us, IBM has finally gone and done it and sold off its System x server business to Lenovo Group for $2.3 billion. The details of the deal are complex, and there is no guarantee that the U.S. government will approve it, but given the strong presence that Lenovo has in North Carolina by virtue of its acquisition of IBM's PC business in late 2004, the odds favor the nod from Uncle Sam."  Read more:  - Timothy Prickett Morgan, IT Jungle, The Four Hundred

The Internet In 1981 Was Just So Adorable

A little fun for a Friday afternoon from the Huffington Post! 

"Imagine, if you will, sitting down to your morning coffee and turning on your home computer to read the day's newspaper."

So begins this adorable San Francisco newscast from 1981, chronicling how newspapers are starting to (gasp!) send newspapers over the Internet. Someone is even credited as a "home computer owner."

"Engineers now predict the day will come when we get all our newspapers and magazines by home computer, but that's a few years off," newscaster Steve Newman said.

Apparently it took more than two hours to get the whole newspaper to your computer over the phone. Never complain about your slow Internet again.

How Would You Rate Your Data Backup & DR Readiness Today?

It's Monday and you're already thinking about what's on the agenda for today. Chances are if your existing data backup plan is keeping you up at night, it's on your mind this morning. 


Let us help you with that; it will be simple and painless. 

First, take a moment to rate your data backup and DR readiness:


1.   100% prepared
2.   Above average
3.   Making progress
4.   Unsure
5.   I have my resume ready

Next, fill out this brief form to receive a complimentary risk assessment and pricing analysis from UCG. 

Your form will immediately be received by the data backup and DR experts at UCG. They will assess your situation and quickly get back to you with the answers you need, so you can put that resume away for another day.  

That's it! You're welcome.