How many sources of php?

I received an email this morning from Easycom-Aura about the i5 tool kit. Here is the content

Dear PHP developer,

AURA Equipments – the creator of the PHP i5 toolkit extension for PHP For i5/OS – introduces iStorage for MySQL, a new product that integrates DB2/400 databases into MySQL.
With iStorage For MySQL, data is stored on DB2/400, while it is accessible from external applications through MySQL API.

DB2/400 is now an engine that power MySQL.

iStorage For MySQL centralizes the data in one single storage, and gives access from all the interfaces.
It can move original MySQL tables to DB2/400.
Tables become accessible from MySQL applications, and OS/400 native applications as well.
iStorage For MySQL also connects existing DB2/400 tables to MySQL.

Now, when you install an existing PHP application on System i, you don’t have to change the script to use DB2 APIs. Just move the tables you want to access, from MySQL to DB2/400, and keep the MySQL API calls in PHP scripts.

Try iStorage for MySQL.
Get your trial copy from http://www.easycom-aura.com/us/iStoreRegistration.asp
or reply this message, describing your project and your needs in using MySQL on System i.

AURA Equipments is the creator of the PHP i5 toolkit extension for PHP For i5/OS.
Do you know you can get free support on PHP i5 toolkit, and additional features ?
http://www.easycom-aura.com/us/phpregistration.asp

Thank you.
Best regards

Now a couple of things really struck me as strange here?

Firstly I seem to remember IBM announcing via various forms that they would be providing a MySQL DB2 mapping that would allow you to store your MySQL tables as DB2 tables and still run MySQL queries against it? Is this not what this iStorage is offering us? If so why are we being offered a free trial? A free trial would indicate this will be a chargeable offering one the trial has finished?

Secondly, they are mentioning the i5 Toolkit and offering free support for it? Do we not already get this from Zend? What is the exact tie up between Zend and Easycom-Aura? The other point to note is the offer of additional features? does this mean you have to buy the additional features, if not why are they mentioning them?

I am a big supporter of the php language and I thinks its addition into the i5 collection of supported languages is a great thing, but to start creating this kind of confusion in the market is not going to help!

I am also still trying to track down the elusive i5_pconnect function, a note to the forum this morning said I should download the latest ZendCore and it is in there? Well I did that, I also ran the updater on the system to bring in the latest versions of all the extensions and while it did show 3.0.0.3-7 its does not have any mention of the new features? I think you have to get 3.0.0.7 of the easycom extension to get these features? This is not available anywhere and speaking with Zend Support R&D there have only just received a copy.

If you are reading this blog for its php content I strongly request that you get involved in the forums and blogs like this to start expressing your needs and wishes. IBM seems to be standing in the back row here and not getting involved in how this all fits together.

Chris…

9 thoughts on “How many sources of php?”

  2. Thats my point exactly, IBM has to take some responsibility for ensuring that the vendors don’t tear each other apart and the i5 starts to be seen as a bad choice or php development.

    This is all about helping the i5 gain popularity in the market place, allowing this kind of confusion isn’t helping that.

    Chris

  3. Hello,
    I’m in Aura team support, I can maybe try to response for there are not confusion.

    istorage is a product that Aura has completly developped.
    We sell our product and we can provide a trial version of this product for test it.

    For i5 toolkit, we provide the Easycom For PHP extension on i5/OS to Zend.
    If you are registred, you can directly contact the team support and have activation key for connect to a other i5.

    If you are more question, you can contact us on our WEB site
    http://www.easycom-aura.com

    Best regards,

  4. I understand fully that your company has developed the iStorage product and that you are able to offer this to the market. But IBM has a responsibility as well, I attended a Local User Group meeting where I was told IBM is looking to implement MySQL as a DB2 database? This would allow any php program to access the DB2 database using MySQL scripts. Is this not what you are offering? May be in the semantics, but I believe IBM is positioning your product as a solution to a problem many see with performance? The DB2 access will be quicker than the MySQL access (or so we have been led to believe?)

    Next point is the i5_* functionality. the question I raised with Zend was can I download the easycom extension and install it outside the normal Zendcore management? they felt it would be a problem but were not sure??

    If I can I would simply download your 3.0.0.7 version and install it to get the functionality you describe. however the fact that there is no documentation is a big downer!

    So while I agree with your statement about iStorage being your own offering and you have a right to develop and sell it to the i5 community, there is still confusion about what the i5 user is entitled to receive for free and what its not! Plus you have functionality available which may/should eventually get into the ZendCore release, should we need that functionality now can it be integrated with our current ZendCore install?

    Chris…

  5. yes, iStorage allow to use MySQL/PHP script with DB2 database.
    And IBM was announced similar product, but this product is already in development.

    i5_* functionality :
    there are two case
    the first is if you will free registre, you can have activation key, that you allow in your actually PHP script to connect to a another i5 that the local i5 and contact the support.

    the second, we sell Easycom For PHP in other environement as Windows and Linux.

    Maybe it is not clear enough!

    Best regards, Aura Team

  6. It is getting there, clearer anyhow.

    First of all I have to admit being a numpty! (I like that word) I had been looking at the Zend Core Update screen to get the Easycom extension information not the phpinfo() output! The update panel shows 3.0.0.3-7 as the version of the Easycom extension i5comm. phpinfo() shows 3.0.0.5 as the Easycom extension build level.. Thats made that clearer.

    OK iStorage is really clear, IBM is now going to compete with your solution? Nice one IBM looks like these guys saw an opportunity only to be beat to the post (well IBM says it will be available? Easycom have it available)…

    i5_functionaility Not so clear?
    Happy to register and probably will. I am not interested in the connectivity to other platforms for my specific requirements but I am sure other will be so they should register just for the cross platform support. But I really would like to get the persistent connection, if after registration, downloading and installing the extension I get this capability I will be much happier.
    The other problem which is still unclear is the ability to install an extension to the ZendCore which is not delievered by Zend? If I am able to install and run the extension will Zend Update simply remove it next time it runs? Also Zend seemed to say they feel it wont work if done this way? So I suppose the only way to get to the bottom of this is to register, download and install and see if I get the additional functionality?

    Chris…

  7. Chris,

    I fully agree with you Chris. I’am right now building a new application based on Zend PHP for the User Interface and modern ILE RPG as the server layer. This is done for a new company and will show the strengt of the System i plattform. The connection from the UI and the server layer in i5/OS is essential for the response time for the UI.

    The current i5_connect that for each i5_program_call creates a batch PHPJOB is not good enough to show the strengthness of the combination of Zend PHP and the stable and secure i5 layer.

    IBM, Zend and Aura must see to that they can deliver a solution for a persistant connection simular to the connection pooling availible for Java connection for i5 without trying to compete with each other.

    Best regards

    Mats

  9. I just noticed that there is an update to Zend core to 5.2.5-1

    I also saw that

    lib/i5comm Library providing communications to i5 OS 3.0.0.7-1

    was updated. I wonder if it now includes the i5_pconnect.

    Bryan

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