IBM i DevOps TechTalk

In this episode, Ray Bernardi hosts Alan Ashley and Jeff Tickner to explore the challenges and opportunities of concurrent development on IBM i. They explain how moving away from traditional monolithic workflows and adopting Git can transform collaboration, enabling multiple developers to work in parallel without conflict.

Listeners will also hear how pull requests, merges, and automation streamline the DevOps workflow—helping teams detect issues earlier, improve code quality, and accelerate delivery. With Git and ARCAD, IBM i development becomes more transparent, reliable, and adaptable to modern practices.

In this episode, Ray Bernardi hosts Alan Ashley and Jeff Tickner to explore the latest DB2 database optimization enhancements in ARCAD’s V25 release. They share how these improvements streamline efficiency, from optimizing ALTER TABLE operations to managing SQL objects, physical and logical files, and complex dependencies like views, triggers, and constraints.

Listeners will also hear how detailed logs, spool files, and execution metrics provide greater transparency, making it easier to plan and optimize deployments. These improvements make DB2 management faster, more reliable, and less dependent on manual intervention.

In this episode, our experts explore common misconceptions about Git in the context of IBM i development. It highlights frequent misunderstandings—such as challenges with branching, collaboration, and tool integration—and clarifies how Git can fit naturally into traditional workflows. Listeners will gain practical insights to improve their development processes and unlock the full potential of Git within their organization.

In this Podcast, listen in as Arcad's Senior Solutions Architects discuss the importance of linking development workflow tasks to tools such as Jira and ServiceNow.

• Full visibility of projects across platforms.
• Built in bi-directional tracking for automated real-time updates. 
• Simple Arcad mapping to any ticketing system.
• Automation, efficiency, flexibility

Listen in on our 16th TechTalk podcast which features Jeff Tickner, CTO NA, on the topic of Azure and the IBM i.  This episode is Azure Part 2.

 In Azure Part 1, we covered building an Azure branching strategy, incorporating the IBM i, and our sync for .NET Developers.  In Part 2, we take it further and discuss:

• The many benefits and ease of linking Azure’s Task Management system with branches so work items are now part of change.
• How to go beyond just seeing status updates but also the IBM i code changes as well which is great for non-IBM i developers and auditors.
• Integration of automated code review and unit testing into the Azure process.
• How to remove the manual effort IBM i Developers do now with Azure.

This TechTalk podcast discusses the importance of having control over who does what in the DevOps process through user Roles and Responsibilities.  Join in to hear a great discussion with Ray Bernardi and Alan Ashley, Sr Solution Architects and guest speaker, Genyphyr Novak, Software Development Engineer, as she shares past and current experience around security, audit requirements, and how it’s addressed in ARCAD including:

• Why restricting access is key in meeting regulation and Auditor requirements.
• How to start planning.
• Flexible options to control the level of security needed from out-of-the box roles to granular functionality that allows for customized roles and securable commands.
• Internal logs and self-documenting reports for audits.

This IBM i DevOps TechTalk podcast is on a very popular topic, VS Code.  This is Part 2 and features Alan Ashley and Ray Bernardi, both Senior Solutions Architects. Listen in as they discuss VS Code for the IBM i and share great information and answers to questions:

• What are VS Code extensions?
• VS Code versus RDi?
• What enhancements and new VS Code extensions have been added to the marketplace?
• What is supported or not supported with VS Code?
• What is Arcad doing with VS Code?
• Arcad’s Elias extension which has been enhanced to manage and change Maintenance Reports, provide deeper information from the repository, tie into CodeChecker.
• How to install and get started.

Join us for the 12th episode of the IBM i DevOps TechTalk Podcast with Jeff Tickner, CTO NA, for a discussion on Azure and the IBM i. More and more businesses are using Microsoft’s Azure tool suite from workflow and Version Control with Git to Azure Pipelines and Boards. Jeff shares his experience integrating the IBM i including:

· How the open-system Developers and IBM i Developers differ yet work together with Azure Git from the builds to the branch strategy.

· How to bring the IBM i into the full CI/CD process and take advantage of different pieces of Azure.

· Arcad’s sync with front-end .net Azure Developers and back-end IBM i Developers.

· The drivers for success including education and finding the right partner for the journey, Arcad.

Join us for this 11th episode of our Techtalk Podcast - Ray and Alan discuss the benefits and advantages of adopting a phased approach when moving to DevOps and Git. Transitioning to Git, especially in an IBM i environment, can seem like a daunting task, but our expert Ray explains how to make it a manageable and incremental process.

Discover how Arcad can play an important role in facilitating the smooth integration of Git into your DevOps journey!

Join us for the 10th episode of the IBM i DevOps TechTalk Podcast, where we discuss the topic of "Coding Standards" - a cornerstone for achieving usability and maintainability in coding.

In this session, Nicholas DeLessio, Developer and CodeChecker expert, joins forces with Ray Bernardi and Alan Ashley, senior solution architects, to provide a comprehensive view on coding standards. Together, they address key points:

• The significance of coding standards in modern software development.

• Advantages of implementing these standards for your organization.

• Specific challenges in the RPG coding environment and strategies to overcome them.

• How ARCAD can facilitate the integration of best coding practices.

Listen now to empower your coding strategies on IBM i!

In our 8th iDevOps TechTalk podcast, we’ll discuss an important Git topic – The Build. 
If you are not using Git for IBM i source control, you are likely planning for it.  A key part of the process you must understand is “The Build”.  You may ask, why? Isn’t it just a standard IBM i build? No! Tune in as Jeff Tickner, CTO NA and Alan Ashley, Sr. Solutions Architect, discuss:

• The differences between a standard IBM i build and a build with Git.
• Understanding options and advantages with ARCAD versus Better Object Builder (Bob).
• What are personal builds?
• Advantages of automated builds with tools like Jenkins and Azure.

Partner with the leader as you make the DevOps journey to modern, agile IBM i development.

Tune into this IBM i DevOps TechTalk on a key Git concept – Gitflow. Jeff Tickner, CTO NA, shares his knowledge and experiences from real-world implementations. Learn:

• What is Gitflow and the benefits.
• Bi-directional development with push/pulls and merging conflicts. Why you need this 2-way integration.
• Flexible Gitflow options.
• How Arcad’s tooling elegantly supports Gitflow for the IBM i Developer.

Listen to this episode to get a jump on Git and partner with an expert on your DevOps journey.

This IBM i DevOps TechTalk podcast is on a very popular topic -- VS Code. It’s the first in a series of informative discussions.  It features Andrew Clark, DevOps Product Manager, and Alan Ashley, Senior Solutions Architect, as they discuss VS Code for the IBM i. 

Listen in for great information and answers to questions:

• What is VS Code?
• What are the benefits of VS Code?
• What does ARCAD bring to VS Code?
• BYOT - Bring Your Own Tool. Choose your tooling!

The topic of this IBM i DevOps TechTalk podcast is “Getting Started with DevOps.”  It features Andrew Clark, DevOps Product Manager, and Senior Solutions Architects Ray Bernardi and Alan Ashley as they discuss why every IBM i shop should be moving to DevOps and how to get started:

• Basic Steps you can take today
• Leveraging your non-IBM i team
• Key recommendations around tools and process
• RIO gains
• How Arcad tooling and pipeline integration can create the ‘automagic’

The topic of this IBM i DevOps TechTalk is “Moving to Git.”  It features Jeff Tickner, Ray Bernardi and Alan Ashley as they discuss what is Git and how to best use Git with the IBM i.  Listen in for tips on:

·       Key Git Advantages

·       Git Considerations for a successful implementation

·       Working with branches and automated merges

·       Getting started and Arcad’s Centralized approach

The topic of this IBM i DevOps TechTalk podcast is “Testing Tools.” It features Jeff Tickner, Ray Bernardi and Alan Ashley as they discuss the importance of testing as we strive to ‘shift left,’ how to get started, methodologies, tools, and how testing can be automated and incorporated into your DevOps workflow. Listen in as the team shares key tips for success:

• Making testing more efficient with tools
• Take small steps
• Shift left – start with Unit testing
• Code free testing – use JUnit framework
• Create a process to manage test data
• ARCAD tools to make this all easier

In our 1st IBM i TechTalk podcast, experts Jeff Tickner, Ray Bernardi and Alan Ashley discuss “automation” in IBM i application development.  We’ll explore how to use the tools you already have (Jenkins, Bamboo, Jira, …) to automate a proven, repeatable process that improves quality, reduces the risk of defects, and frees your developers from tedious tasks!  Use Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to detect bottlenecks and automate step-by-step, demonstrating an ROI at each stage in the process!