AS/400 Systems Programming

["Garnet MacPhee" <gmacphee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I'm new to the list, just got signed up today.
 
I'm an old mainframe systems programmer, been working with IBM 
mainframes since 1970. Our present system is a 9672-R21 (about 29 
MIPS) with 512M of main storage.
 
The powers that be have decided to down/right-size us to an AS/400, 
model not determined yet but at least as powerful a machine as our 
present 9672. The cut-over will be phased in over the next 2 years.

My function in all of this is as yet uncertain, but it appears as 
though I will be doing essentially the same functions I perform now, 
installing new releases of the operating system, putting on PTF's, 
tuning, backups, supporting the programmers. In addition, we will be 
phasing out the operations department, and so I will be taking over 
their functions, mounting tapes, setting up the schedule for batch 
jobs, etc.

My question is, are there any of you that have gone this route? What 
difficulties/obstacles did you encounter? Do you have enough to do 
now to keep you busy? What training did you have?

There are some functions we perform now that I am not sure how we 
will be able to do on the AS/400. For example, we have a product 
called DFHSM, which migrates files to tape if they have been unused 
for a given length of time. Is there a facility to do this on an 
AS/400? Also, how do you handle report distribution? We presently 
have a product called INFOPAC (from Mobius) that handles this.

Thanks much for your help.
Garnet MacPhee
Senior Systems Programmer
Kansas City School District
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