RE: Exit Point Protection and Monitoring

Hi Larry.

Until PowerTech was bought by Help/Systems this past August, I was the
primary developer of its exit programs. During my time with PowerTech I
cannot recall any IBM PTF's pertaining to exit programs that required
retesting exit programs. They did require retesting IBM's servers to ensure
IBM's fix worked. An operating system release can require exit program
retesting. For example, an SQL string has gone from a maximum length of 512
bytes to 2 MB and a file server (*FILESRV server) entry at V6R1 can be 16 MB
in length.

The most recent ptf I remember had to do with the host servers under certain
conditions erroneously returning a reject to the client rather than the
allow value returned by an exit program. IBM fixed this for V6R1 and this
past summer were notified the fix needed to be brought back to V5R4.

- Gary Monnier


-----Original Message-----

date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 14:58:19 -0500
from: "Ketzes, Larry" <Larry.Ketzes@xxxxxxx>
subject: Exit Point Protection and Monitoring

Does anyone have a rough idea on the % of shops that write their own exit
point programs to monitor and protect their exit points as opposed to buying
3rd party products?
Also, what would be the best argument to buy instead of writing your
own exit programs. How often does IBM release ptf's or other updates that
would necessitate testing home grown exit programs?

Thanks, Larry

Larry Ketzes | Senior iSeries System Administrator | AIG / ALICO - American
Life Insurance Company
One ALICO Plaza, 600 N. King Street, AMIS | Wilmington, DE 19801 | *:
302.594.2146 | 7: 302.830.4524| *: larry.ketzes@xxxxxxx