MB Software & Consulting, Inc. finds and fixes the root causes of IBM i (AS/400, iSeries) performance problems, then helps you modernize the applications, databases and websites that depend on them. Our Workload Performance Series software does the measuring; our application and database specialists do the tuning.
Most performance problems are not a shortage of hardware. They come from a handful of jobs, files and access paths that use far more of the system than they should. We find those, fix them where they start, and leave you with a faster, more stable system and lower running costs, often without the upgrade you were planning.
We run diagnostics across your systems, applications and databases to track down the performance and security issues that hold them back. Every finding is tied to the job, program or file responsible, so you know exactly what is costing you capacity.
We then recommend the fix, rank it by the return it brings, and help you carry it out, whether that is a system setting, a database index or a change to the application itself.
Older applications often carry design limits that no amount of hardware can overcome. We remove those platform and infrastructure bottlenecks so your existing software keeps up with today's workloads.
When it's time to move on, our application and database experts migrate your existing applications to new platforms, protecting the business rules and data you have built up over the years.
We design, code and host fully functional, mobile-friendly websites built around your business goals. That includes the databases behind them, so your site can work directly with the data your business already runs on.
From a simple company site to a customer portal tied to your IBM i, one team handles the design, programming, hosting and database work.
Cost-effective, high-quality software development for businesses of all sizes, from small changes to complete applications:
- RPG, CL, C, COBOL and Java for new programs and changes to existing ones
- JSON and XML for exchanging data with other systems and services
- TCP/IP protocols and socket programming for direct, fast connections
- Client/server applications that connect your users to your IBM i
Good performance starts before the first line of code. We scope and plan your projects, design the processes and systems around how your business actually works, and then implement them properly.
The result is a scalable, flexible and secure architecture that connects your data and business processes, and keeps working as you grow.
Your data is your business. As we review your systems we look for security exposures as well as slowdowns, and we make sure your data is protected and your processes are working as intended.
Because the same team tunes and protects your systems, security improvements don't come at the cost of performance.
Every engagement follows the same proven approach, so you always know where things stand and what comes next.
- Set the goals. We start with a clear understanding of the performance objectives you need to reach, such as faster batch windows, quicker response times or room to grow.
- Measure. We analyze the systems, applications and databases you have deployed and measure how they perform today, so every improvement can be proven against a baseline.
- Pinpoint the bottlenecks. We identify the infrastructure constraints and the exact jobs, files and processes slowing you down, using the Workload Performance Series.
- Tune and eliminate. We remove the bottlenecks at the source instead of only reducing their impact, so the same problem doesn't come back next quarter.
- Keep watching. We monitor performance over time and catch new issues early, before they reach your users.
Performance tuning is not a silver bullet; it's a continuous process. The Workload Performance Series measures and tracks system activity in real time, so performance issues and potential threats show up early, before your users feel them.
With our monitoring in place, you see how your system is trending, which workloads are growing and where the next bottleneck is likely to appear, and you can act on it while it is still small.
The screen shown here is from Workload Navigator, one of the seven modules in the suite. It breaks system activity down job by job, so the work using the most of your system stands out at a glance.
Because the data collectors are easy to customize, we can focus them on the areas that matter most in your environment, and the Automated Alerts (ALERTS) command warns you as problems develop. Between reviews, you always know where your system stands.
Alongside the suite, our software, commands and API bundle gives your team everyday tools such as Work with Active SQL (WRKACTSQL), Analyze Job Log (ANZJOBLOG), Work with Record Locks (WRKRCDLCK) and Work with Temporary Storage (WRKTMPSTG), so they can look into a problem the moment it appears.
Every plan also includes monthly GoToMeeting training and consulting sessions. We review the results with you, explain what the numbers mean for your business, and agree on the next fixes, so tuning becomes a steady habit instead of a one-time project.
- Performance tuning and improvement: faster, more stable systems
- System tuning: settings, memory and work management
- Database optimization and index advising: the right access paths for your queries
- Application tuning: programs and job streams that use less of the system
- Application modernization: remove design limits or move to new platforms
- Data protection: find and close security exposures
- Project scoping and planning: clear goals, steps and costs before work starts
- Process and system design: built around how your business works
- Process and system implementation: delivered and working as designed
- Real-time monitoring and analysis: with the Workload Performance Series
- Custom website development: design, code, hosting and databases
We help businesses get the most from their IT systems and processes while reducing downtime and overall expenses. Whether you need database tuning, application tuning or index advising, contact us to talk through your performance goals.