Re: Tiger Tools

Justin,

>>1. Since the tool appears to work, will IBM release a PTF which will
disable it?<<

IBM plans to provide fixes across multiple releases of OS/400, re-stock
versions of OS/400 resident in IBM distribution libraries, and incorporate
code into future OS/400 releases. All of these efforts will be deployed in
the coming months to make adjustments to OS/400 as IBM strives to address
current and/or future  unauthorized enablement of unpaid for capacity.

>>2. What does it *actually* do?  Any nasty under-the-covers stuff, or is
it really simple, anyone with half a brain could do it sort of things?<<

The techniques used to alter the identification of interactive workloads in
the manner used by TigerTools is not a documented and/or published
approach. There are others who claim to have the knowledge and
understanding of how to "patch" programs to achieve a similar affect (A
patched program is a program that was created by the trusted translator and
then altered in a way that violates the definition of the Machine
Interface)

>>3. What will IBM say if you have a problem and they find you have TTools
installed?<<

IBM will honor it's service contracts with it's customers. In so doing, IBM
will require the machine to be in a serviceable state as outlined in the
service contracts. Installing the latest PTFs and/or removing code that may
be contributing to server problems are examples of how IBM and it's
customers can work together if a service situation arises.

>>4. Is there a legal aspect to this that IBM could use against customers?
<<

By asking this question, it is clear you appreciate the ethics of what
TigerTools is offering. Is it OK that Tiger Tools can sell interactive
capacity to you by circumventing the iSeries technology intended to manage
your server to purchased levels of interactive capacity? Clearly, IBM does
not think so.

Anyway, I'm not so sure you want to be asking legal questions on a forum
... there are to many dime store lawyers around these days. Your best bet
would be to check your licensing agreements and I think you will be able to
make your own decision. There are applicable Terms and Conditions in the
Agreement for Licensed Internal Code (LIC), the IPLA agreement, and in the
License Information Document (LID). All of these documents are sent along
with the IBM hardware and software when shipped to the customer. In
addition, each individual IBM Customer Agreement may have applicable Terms
and Conditions.

>>I firmly believe that IBM hardware/software is good. Any workaround on
that generally decreases your reliability and availability, in my mind.<<

Because patched programs do not obey MI, they can cause all sorts of
problems, intended and unintended, that will affect correct operation of a
system.  IBM has a program validation mechanism that can protect against
some forms of program alterations. IBM also advises customers to
retranslate any program that they do not trust as part of restoring it onto
a system.

Ed Fishel,
edfishel@US.IBM.COM