Before Investing in Data Archiving, Ask These Questions

Data has a way of growing so quickly that it can appear unmanageable, but that is where data archiving shines through. The tool of archiving helps users maintain a clear environment on their primary storage drives. It is also an excellent way to keep backup and recovery spheres running smoothly. Mistakes and disasters can and will happen, but with successful archiving, data can be easily recovered so as to successfully avert potential problems. Another benefit to archiving data is that companies are actually saving themselves the very real possibility of a financial headache! In the end, this tool will help to cut costs in relation to effectively storing and protecting your data. Who doesn’t want that? It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!

When It Comes to Archiving Data for Storage, Where Do I Begin?

It may feel stressful at first to implement a data archiving plan into your backup and storage sphere, but don’t be worried! To break it down, data simply needs to go from one place into another. In other words, you are just moving data! Sounds easy enough, right? If things get sticky however, software is available on the market that can help users make better decisions and wise choices when it comes to moving your data. In your preparation to incorporate archiving, you must ask yourself some important questions before you start. This way, companies will be guaranteed to be making choices that meet the demands of their particular IT environment. So, don’t stress-just be well prepared and ask the right questions! Right now, you may be wondering what those questions are. Below you will see a few of them that are most necessary to ask in order to guarantee your archiving success.


What You Should Be Asking:

1. With respect to your data, what type is that you need to store? “Cold” data may not be something you are familiar with, but this is a term used regarding data that has been left untouched for over 6 months. If this is the type of data you are trying to store, good for you! This particular type of data must be kept secure in the event that it is needed for compliance audits or even for a possible legal situation that could come up down the road. At any rate, all data -regardless of why it is being stored- must be taken care of appropriately so as to ensure security and availability over time. You can be assured you have invested in a good archiving system if it is able to show you who viewed the data and at what time the data was viewed. 

2. Are you aware of the particular technology you are using? It is essential to realize that data storage is highly dependent upon two factors: the hardware and the media you are using. Keep in mind that interfaces are a very important factor as well, and they must be upgraded from time to time. A point to consider when storing data is that tape has an incredibly long life, and with low usage and proper storage it could potentially last for 100 years! Wow! However, there are arguments over which has the potential to last longer...tape or hard disk. Opponents towards the long life of tape argue that with proper powering down of drives, hard disk will actually outlive tape. Here is where the rubber meets the road to this theory. It has shown to be problematic over time, and can leave users with DUDL (Data Unavailable Data Loss). This problem IS as terrible as it sounds. Regardless of the fact that SSD lack mechanical parts, their electronic functions results in cell degradation, ultimately causing burnout. It is unknown, even to vendors, what the SSD life is, but most say 3 years is what they are guaranteed for. Bear in mind, as man-made creations, these tools will over time die. Whatever your choice in technology, you must be sure to PLAN and TEST. These two things are the most essential tasks to do in keeping data secure over time!

3. Do you know the format of your data? It is important to acknowledge that “bits” have to be well-kept in order to ensure that your stored data will be usable over the long run. Investing in appropriate hardware to accurately read data as well as to interpret it is essential. It is safe to say that investing in such a tool is an absolute MUST in order to ensure successful long-term storage!

4. Is the archive located on the cloud or in your actual location? Did you know this era is one in which storing your data on the cloud is a viable means of long-term archiving? Crazy, isn’t it! Truth be told, access to the cloud has been an incredibly helpful advancement when it comes to storage, but as all man-made inventions prove, problems are unavoidable. Regarding cloud storage, at this point in time, the problems arise with respect to long-term retention. However, many enjoy the simplicity of pay-as-you-go storage options available with the cloud. Users also like relying upon particular providers to assist them with their cloud storage management. In looking to their providers, people are given information such as what the type, age, and interface of their storage devices are. You might be asking yourself why this is so appealing. The answer is simple. Users ultimately gain the comfort of knowing that they can access their data at anytime, and that it will always be accessible. At this point, many are wondering what the downsides are of using the cloud for storage. Obviously, data will grow over time, inevitably causing your cloud to grow which in turn will raise your cloud storage costs. Users will be happy to know however, that cloud storage is actually a more frugal choice than opting to store data in a data center. In the end, the most common compliment regarding cloud storage is the TIME involved in trying to access data in the event of a necessary recovery, restore, or a compliance issue. Often times, these issues are quite sensitive with respect to timing, therefore data must be available quickly in case of a potential disaster.

5. What facts do you know about your particular data? There is often sufficient knowledge of storage capacity, but many are not able to bring to mind how much data is stored per application. Also, many do not know who the owner of particular data is, as well as what age the data may be. The good news is that there is software on the market that helps administrators quickly figure these factors out. This software produces reports with the above information by scanning environments. With the help of these reports, it can be quickly understood what data is needed and in turn, will efficiently archive that data. All it takes is a push of a button to get these clear-cut reports with all the appropriate information on them. What could be better than that?
In Closing, Companies MUST Archive!

In a world that can be otherwise confusing, companies must consider the importance of archiving in order to make their data and storage management easier to grasp. Maybe if users understood that archiving is essential in order to preserve the environment of their IT world, more people would quickly jump on board. The best news is that archiving can occur automatically, taking the guesswork out of the process. Archiving is a sure step to keeping systems performing well, budgets in line, and data available and accessible. Be sure to prepare yourself before investing in data archiving by asking the vital questions laid out above. This way, you can be certain you have chosen a system which will fully meet your department needs!

Guest blogger:

Writer Jason Zhang is the product marketing person for Rocket Software's Backup, Storage, and Cloud solutions.

Finding the Right Tools to Manage Data in Today’s Modern World

A common concern among companies is if their resources are being used wisely. Never before has this been more pressing than when considering data storage options. Teams question the inherent worth of their data, and often fall into the trap of viewing it as an expense that weighs too heavily on the budget. This is where wisdom is needed with respect to efficient resource use and the task of successful data storage. Companies must ask themselves how storing particular data will benefit their business overall. Incorporating a data storage plan into a business budget has certainly proven to be easier said than done. Many companies fail at carrying out their desires to store data once they recognize the cost associated with the tools that are needed. You may be wondering why the failure to follow through on these plans is so common. After all, who wouldn’t want to budget in such an important part of company security? The truth of the matter is that it can all be very overwhelming once the VAST amount of data that actually exists is considered, and it can be even more stressful to attempt to manage it all.

When considering what tools to use for management of one’s data, many administrators think about using either the cloud or virtualization. Often times during their research, teams question the ability of these two places to successfully house their data. Truth be told, both the cloud and virtualization are very reliable, but are equally limited with respect to actually managing data well. What companies really need is a system that can effectively manage huge amounts of data, and place it into the right categories. In doing so, the data becomes much more valuable.

Companies must change their mindsets regarding their stored data. It is time to put away the thoughts that data being stored is creating a money pit. Many times, people adopt an “out with the old, in with the new” philosophy, and this is no different with respect to storing old data. The truth is, teams eventually want new projects to work on, especially since some of the old data storage projects can appear to be high maintenance. After all, old data generally needs lots of backups and archiving, and is actually quite needy. These negative thoughts need to fade away however, especially in light of the fact that this data being stored and protected is a staple to company health and security. Did you know that old and tired data actually holds the very heart of a company? It is probable that many forget that fact, since they are so quick to criticize it! Also notable is the fact that this data is the source of a chunk of any given business’s income. Good to know, isn’t it?! Poor management of data would very likely be eradicated if more teams would keep the value of this data on the forefront of their minds. It is clear that the task of managing huge amounts of company data can be intimidating and overwhelming, but with the right attitude and proper focus, it is not impossible.

The best news yet is that there are excellent TOOLS that exist in order to help companies take on the magnanimous task of managing company data. In other words, administrators don’t have to go at it alone! The resources out there will assist users with classifying and organizing data, which is a huge relief NOT to have to do manually. When teams readily combine these tools with their understanding of business, they have a sure recipe for success when it comes to management. To break it down even further, let’s use a more concrete example. Imagine you are attempting to find out information about all the chemical engineers in the world. You must ask yourself how you would go about doing this in the most efficient manner. After all, you would clearly need to narrow down your search since there are more than 7 billion individuals that exist on this planet. Obviously, you wouldn’t need to gather information on every single human being, as this would be a huge time waster. On the contrary, to make things more streamlined, you would likely scope out and filter through various groups of people and categorize them by profession. Maybe you would consider a simple search in engineering graduates. The above example in organizing information is probably the method most people use to organize simple things in their life on a daily basis. Keep in mind, having these tools to help streamline data is one thing, but one must also possess a good understanding of business plans, as this will assist for a better grasp on corporate data. With these things in line, businesses can be assured that their data management systems will be in good hands and running smoothly.


What a great gift to be alive during this time, with the easy access to modern tools which help make management of data much more understandable to those in charge. These valuable resources also help to create confidence in administrators so that they feel well-equipped to navigate the sometimes harsh IT world. For example, during the changes with data types and volumes, these tools assist in helping to lower the storage capacity needs, lower costs on backup and recovery, and aid in the passing of compliance with flying colors. In fact, many in charge can rest their heads at night knowing their companies are totally in line with modern-day regulatory compliance rules.


In the end, the value of wisdom with respect to making various decisions in an IT department is incredibly important. Arguably one of the most areas which this applies to is in the sphere of data management. The truth is, dependence upon tools alone to navigate the sometimes rough waters of the IT world will not be enough to get teams through. As stated above, wisdom and the right attitude regarding data and its importance to company health and security are vital to proper management. In addition, clients ought to be looking for resources to assist them with organizing and classifying their systems of files. The point is clear: intelligence paired with the proper tools will give companies exactly what they need for efficient and effective data management. At the end of the day, users can rest easy with the knowledge that their data -which is the bread and butter of their companies- is in good hands. What more could you ask for?


post by Guest blogger:

Writer Jason Zhang is the product marketing person for Rocket Software's Backup, Storage, and Cloud solutions.

The Top 4 Ways to Handle Difficult Backup Environments

It may come as a surprise to you, but the administrators of backup, networks, and systems are essentially the backbone of the IT world. Did you know that these heroes are responsible for some very difficult tasks? These tasks include -but are not limited to- keeping critical business data secure and up-to-date, getting more out of existing hardware, and keeping auditors happy. Overall, they are the ones who keep the whole sphere in line.

In recent days, however, the jobs of these individuals has changed quite a bit. Virtual tape libraries (VLTs), virtual machines (VMs), and additional technologies with respect to backup have made the job of a Backup Administrator much more complicated. Also, there is more to be managed when corporate acquisitions occur. With the addition of the fact that all departments want special reports that communicate factors most relevant to them, and that finance departments want each sphere to pay for their own storage, it seems that administrators have a lot on their plates! The truth is, the plates of most Backup Administrators are full, and we haven’t even touched on compliance reports yet!

On the upside, most Backup Administrators are well-equipped to handle the large load of work now required of them. However, they are still human, and that makes them limited in terms of how much time they can spend in a particular area. For instance, because of the list of tasks mentioned above, everything takes longer. What this means is that less time can be spent on management of the entire backup sphere. This should not surprise anyone, as even administrators can only do so much! The good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. If you are in a situation where you have too many proverbial pots on the stove with respect to your backup environment, don’t worry! Here are 4 essential tips that will help you to wrangle in those testy backup spheres.

1. Create a client backup status every day.
You must remember the importance of making the backup status of your clients clear on a daily basis. In order to do this, figure out the job information to use as your base. You can depend upon your applications to supply indicators that make this easier. Next, you must consider your backup window. Typically, you will see something like 7pm to 7am, meaning that the status of your daily backup doesn’t follow the calendar day. Bear in mind the reality of missed jobs and that everything might be communicated as “ok” because of no job to report. However, the truth is, this missed job ought to be marked as “missed.” This can be done by checking on scheduler rules. In the event of an external scheduler, this data needs to be associated with the client data in the backup product. In the end, you must decide on how you want to handle the load of many jobs. It is important to ask yourself how you would view failed jobs in the midst of several daily running jobs. In other words, would you consider something like this a success, a failure, or a partial? These factors need to be determined before you implement a daily backup status. After going through these steps, you simply need to start programming, obtaining and aggregating data, and saving the results in order to produce accurate reports.

2. Report on individual business units.

Most people that are reading this article are looking after a large amount of PCs, servers, and databases. Many of these devices are simply names on a screen, and the challenge of valuing the data on each machine is very real. In order to make these names more significant to you as the administrator, it is a good practice to pair the backup clients with the company configuration management database. This way, you will be able to collect information such as business units or the application names in a much more memorable fashion. You will also be able to begin reporting at the application or business unit level and thereby share the information with end users. Bear in mind that there are many CMDB tools in existence, and the difficulty involved in extracting specific data programmatically can be significant. In order to get this information, some people obtain an extra copy of the CMDB in a CSV file, and that way, the information is organized by columns that show the hostname, business unit name, and the application name. With the availability of this information, administrators can then map it to the storage or backup status for each individual client. As mentioned above, it can also be shared with end users, which is a huge benefit to all.


3. Report on your storage.
It is common desire for both managers and users alike to obtain knowledge about their storage usage. Likewise, teams want this information in order to accurately forecast future storage needs and additional storage purchases. Keeping a record of daily data points for all key elements is a good rule of thumb when reporting on your storage information. In order to achieve this, you must look at the raw data, compress it, and then de-dupe it, if necessary. Keep the level of granularity low, beginning with storage, and then moving on to storage pools, file systems, or shares, if applicable. Do remember that this data is only relevant for a few months after reporting. You might also want to keep track of the deduplication ratio over time when considering the VTLs or other devices relating to deduplication. The reason for this is because degradation will likely result in extra storage costs per TB of raw data, not to mention the additional processing cycles on the deduplication device.

4. Don’t wait! Be sure to automate!
You might be concerned that there will be loads of work you must do manually after reading this article. Do not fear! There are various solutions in the software world that will assist you in making many of the processes mentioned above automated. The best part of this is that your system will be equipped to perform in a proactive manner, instead in one that is reactive. By investing in appropriate software, you can be assured that your backup reporting strategy will be top-notch!

Guest blogger post by:

Amedee Potier joined Rocket Software in 2003 and is currently Senior Director of R&D, where he oversees several Rocket products in the Data Protection space. His focus is on solutions for data protection and management in heterogeneous multi-vendor and multi-platform environments.

With a Modern Storage Infrastructure, Companies Must Find an Excellent Data Management Tool

One of the more “weighty” questions within the IT world is in reference to the value of each company’s particular data. Many wonder what the true value of protected data is in the long-run, eventually view it as a cost center where money continuously gets used up. In order to make data work in the favor of a business and to help generate some income, companies must get smarter with their approaches to business and stop looking at their data this way!

The majority of companies out there admit to wanting a Big Data system as a part of their layout, but ultimately have nothing to show for these desires. There have been many failed implementations despite lots of money spent on resources to help. You might say that many businesses have the best intentions when comes to incorporating a data management plan, yet intention without action is arguably useless at the end of the day. You might wonder why companies fail to follow through on their desires for a Big Data system. Well, the answer is really quite simple. The amount of data out there is staggering, and trying to manage it all would be like trying to boil the vast ocean. You can imagine how difficult-if not impossible-that would be!

Many question if the cloud would be a good solution, and if everyone should just get started on moving their data up there. Or perhaps virtualization? Would that be the answer? These two tools are valuable, but the question stands on whether or not they are the best way to utilize company resources. What companies really need is a tool that will aid in organizing data into appropriate categories. In other words, this tool would be able to filter out what data should be implemented in order to create the most value for the company.

As stated above, the majority of corporations view their data as simply a cost center, aiding in the draining of company resources. As human nature would have it, a lot of times the attitudes in reference to existing data reflects the heart of "out with the old, in with the new," and new projects that allow for more capacity or faster processing take precedence in time and funding. It is as if the old data is a bothersome reality, always needing a little extra attention and focus, demanding greater capacity, and continuously needing backups and protection. What companies forget to keep at the forefront of their minds however, is the fact that taking care of this old and “bothersome” data is a great way to clear up space on the primary storage, and who doesn’t appreciate that? It also aids in generating a faster backup process (with a reduced backup size), which is again, a bonus for any company! It should not be so quickly forgotten that this nagging and consistently needy data is essentially the ESSENCE of the company. Would you believe that this “cost center” is also where it gains some of its income? If companies kept these points in their minds, we would not be seeing such poor practices when it comes to data management. One thing is clear however, and that is the point that initiative with managing data can be difficult, and many view the overwhelming ocean of growing data and the daunting task of trying to manage it as too great a calling to handle.

However, IT departments and administrators must bear in mind that there are tools out there to help them classify and organize data, which ultimately will be their proverbial life-boat when it comes time to accepting the challenge of managing data. Look at it this way. Let's say you are trying to find every single chemical engineer on earth. Does that sound a bit overwhelming? The question is, how would you go about doing this? After all, there are over 7 billion people on this planet! Where do you begin? Do you profile EVERY person? Of course not. What you would likely do, in order to simplify this complex process, is organizing people into broad groups, maybe by profession. After that, you would probably do something like research what particular people in that profession graduated with a degree in engineering. Though basic, you can use these same principles when narrowing down data and trying to sort through the piles of information in a company. One must use their intelligence and business knowledge to better grasp corporate data, and in return, this will help companies benefit from their data assets. In order to do this, there are tools available to help administrators better comprehend and manage their data.

These tools exist to give IT departments the upper hand in managing their spheres. Can you imagine trying to manage large amounts of company data on your own? Luckily, we don’t have to do such things, and we live in an age in which a variety of solutions are available to help companies not only survive, but thrive. These tools are out there to empower IT teams to successfully weather the storms and changing tides of data types and volumes. After using such tools, companies often experience improved storage capacity, less costs associated with backup and data protection -- and let’s not forget compliance! Compliance is a hot topic, and with the help of appropriate data management solutions, companies will be guaranteed to meet the various regulatory compliance rules in today’s business world.

In closing, it is important to note that more networking tools will not do anything close to what the appropriate data management solutions can do. Companies should be looking for solutions that can help them as well with tracking, classifying, and organizing file systems over their whole lifespan. When the right tools get into the right hands, IT managers are better able to do their jobs!


Guest blogger post:

About the author: Jason Zhang is the product marketing person for Rocket Software's Backup, Storage, and Cloud solutions.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

For a business to become optimally successful, it absolutely must incorporate a quality life-cycle management system. This begs the question: Why do so many vendors miss the mark when it comes to providing the necessary updates and enhancements? Developers and software companies should embrace their respective ALM systems as their staunch allies; and progressive IT organizations stay well ahead of the game by using progressive technology and best practices to ensure that high-quality products are on time and on budget while remaining fully compliant. The goal of any ALM supplier should be to cater to its clients by properly supporting them by staying abreast of platform enhancements and being familiar with new languages, new devices, mobile demands, ever-changing compliance regulations and other real-time demands that must be continually addressed.

The bottom line remains: in order for development leaders to not only survive, but thrive, they must make the transition to the most-updated ALM solution, possible. Surprisingly, however, development leaders can be hesitant to utilize a modern ALM solution; but the cost of doing nothing can be more expensive than one might imagine.

There are a handful of misguided reasons why an updated ALM solution might not be employed. A few of those fallacies can include the following:


A New ALM Solution Would Be Too Cost-Prohibitive
Being the lead dog and staying ahead of the pack in this competitive world is absolutely paramount which is why a vendor must provide the crucial components such as product enhancements, platform updates, etc. Research reveals some unsettling data:

• 84% of IT projects become overdue or over budget 
• 31% of IT projects never reach completion due to being canceled 
• Completed IT projects deliver, on average, only 42% of their expected benefits 

Accuracy and efficiency become the name of the game as it applies to profit; but developers' profit margins will be sorely compromised without up-to-date functionality and access to current tools via an up-to-date ALM system. Additionally, if no automated system is integrated, IT will be forced to spend a good deal of valuable time addressing compliance-related issues; and that can be costly.

Your vendor's R&D department should certainly be acutely aware of new trends in the industry as well as responsive to customer’s requests. A coveted ALM solution will incorporate 1) on-board templates for compliance reporting 2) compatibility and remote access with any mobile device 3) tools such as dashboards, real-time reports & analytics and automated work-flows – all, of which, enable every team-member to stay up-to-date.

The cost of doing nothing can take a titanic toll when one considers that not meeting app-release time-lines as well as opportunities that become lost in the shuffle plus valuable time addressing compliance concerns and/or audits all cost a business, big-time! The question, then, becomes obvious: You believe you can't afford the integration of a modern ALM solution – but can you afford NOT to??


Our Current ALM Solution Seems to be Working Fine
In order to effectively, efficiently and optimally monitor, manage and coordinate all the people, processes, changes and dynamics that are intricately involved in the application life-cycle, utilizing the most sophisticated ALM solution is key! Development personnel feel the demands of deploying functionality and fixes, very quickly. The IT setting is extremely complex; and in this environment, database servers, web servers, diverse clientele and every type of mobile device equate to sophisticated development and release processes. All this must be intricately orchestrated without a hitch; and a modern ALM solution is what it takes to fully ensure a flawless and seamless operations in every department.

With the most modern ALM solution, users can enjoy the ease at which systems and work-flows come together in addition to the minimization of production errors and the maximization of collaboration efforts. Then, imagine all this coupled with data access from any mobile device, compliance reports with point-and-click ease and automation processes that are as easy as child's play.

Older ALM solutions are just that 'old' and with that, comes the inability for an archaic solution tool to offer the newest of technologies which equates to lost time due to fixing bad code and dealing with coding errors, as only a single example. And then, of course, there is the lost revenue. In the end, the growth of a company is stifled. Again, a modern ALM solution keeps a business in position as the 'alpha' and leader of the competitive pack since the people and processes involved are all humming like a fine-tuned engine – no, barricades, no inefficiency and virtually no errors.


Transitioning to a New ALM Would Be Too Time-Consuming
How one chooses a vendor can make the difference between reaping the benefits of a dedicated and seasoned professional with an unparalleled product that he or she is excited to share, verses a vendor whose interest in your goals and progress is marginal, at best. Assuming the right vendor has been selected, the time required to get the system fully running will be miniscule. Personnel can very quickly enjoy immediate visibility, coordination and management across distributed systems, teams and tools. In the end, previously-lost revenue due to outdated ALM systems becomes a distant memory since teams will no longer contend with drawn-out, manual processes but will, now, have the updated abilities to very quickly communicate, collaborate, update etc. regarding any and all application projects.

Not one single team-member needs to concern him or herself with transitioning into an updated system. A committed vendor will make sure the necessary and expected support is entirely available for everyone involved. Again, in the end, any time invested in becoming familiar with a new ALM solution will begin to immediately pay for itself due to optimized usability involving real-time visibility, flexibility, accuracy and automation.


Our Current ALM Serves Only Development
When a business chooses stagnation over progress, it can become the 'kiss of death' for the organization. Because technology will never slow down or even reach an apex, a business absolutely must stay on track with innovative ideas, processes and insights. An integrated ALM system ensures that users can take full advantage of managing, in real-time, every aspect of development and delivery. A top-tier ALM solution will provide instantaneous updates on every component ranging from code to work-flow to dashboards and everything in-between and beyond. Smarter, more-insightful decisions become common-place among everyone involved – whether development personnel, auditors, programmers, etc. Since DevOps departments evolve and advance in the enterprise, so too, must the ALM system by functioning as the centralized collaborative arena where inter-department communications are available whenever and wherever required.

After it's all said and done, switching to a modern ALM solution will, realistically, save money over the long haul since time is being dramatically saved – and time is money! Those few words serve as a cliché as well as a fact. Whether one is speaking of departments collaborating on changes at any level, or enhanced visibility that maximizes work-flow or whether one is talking about users gaining advanced capabilities resulting in succinct, precise and quick decision-making, it all adds up, once again, to saving copious amounts of time which translates into saving impressive amounts of revenue.

A reliable vendor will provide the kind of support one would expect from a supplier that operates as a top-tier contender in the industry. Vendor support should include:

• Access to the most up-dated interfaces and devices 
• Assistance with any existing OS 
• Intervention for all platforms, on which, code is being developed 
• Mobile and web development 
• Out-of-the-box plug-ins to converge with other tools 
• Compliance-report templates 
• Delivery of single-screen visibility with all IT involvement 
• Adjustable point-and-click distribution and deployment and mobile functionality with everything 

It is an ever-changing business climate where technology is king. And...

Adaptation equals growth and growth equals SUCCESS!



Guest blogger post:

About the author: Daniel Magid is Rocket’s IBM i solution leader and Director of the Rocket Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and DevOps lab. Having started his career at IBM in 1981 in the midrange computer division, Daniel brings to Rocket Software more than 30 years of experience in the IBM midrange marketplace. Prior to coming to Rocket as part of the acquisition of Aldon in 2011, Daniel was Aldon’s CEO and Chief Product Strategist. Daniel led the growth of Aldon from a small 4 person consulting company to the largest provider of ALM and DevOps solutions in the IBM i market. Daniel is a recognized expert in application development and DevOps in the IBM i market and a well-known presence at IBM i conferences.