Remi Rouillot, Aumerial’s CTO, presents insights into developing a high-performance and secure solution that integrates .NET and IBM i.
- NTi provides better performance integrating natively with IBM i, without any use or need of ODBC drivers
- 3x better performance bringing the front-end application closer to the data, running .NET on Power with IBM i
- Better security using PowerVM internal networking
Presents
This Webinar replay focuses on .NET integration with IBM i using Aumerial NTi.
Rémi Rouillot, the CTO of Aumerial (an IBM Business Partner ISV from France), introduces their NTi Data Provider:
- NTi is a native .NET integration for IBM i.
- It allows .NET applications to connect to IBM i database, CL commands, and existing RPG or COBOL programs.
- NTi offers fast response times and doesn’t require special installation.
- It’s an alternative to ODBC and or JDBC.
Reasons for choosing .NET
- .NET Core became multiplatform, allowing the development of applications that run on various architectures (x86, ARM, Power).
- IBM released .NET 8 on Power last November, enabling customers to develop and run .NET applications on Power instead of x86.
Benefits of NTi and .NET on Power
- Improved performance and security with faster response times.
- Three times faster than x86 with an external network.
- Enhanced security using the internal PowerVM Hypervisor network.
- Easy porting from x86 to Power (“lift and shift”).
- Ability to move .NET workloads closer to IBM i and databases.
NTi use cases
- Web applications, APIs, websites, desktop applications, mobile applications, AI, and machine learning.
- Platform-agnostic, supporting various environments (Android, iOS, macOS, Linux).
Deployment scenario
- Adding a Linux partition to existing IBM Power servers that run IBM i.
- Running .NET workloads in containers (Docker or OpenShift) on the Linux partition.
- Fast deployment, scalability, and utilizing existing infrastructure.
Performance improvements
- Three times faster than x86 with an external network.
- Approximately 3 milliseconds for one query on the database.
Demonstration
This demonstration showcased how NTi allows for seamless integration between .NET applications and IBM i systems, providing improved performance, security, and ease of deployment compared to traditional methods like ODBC.
Environment Setup
- Used an IBM Power9 server with two VIOS (Virtual I/O Servers).
- Created an internal network between VIOS and partitions using the PowerVM Hypervisor.
- Set up two main partitions: a Linux partition and an IBM i partition.
- Added a small Linux partition hosted by the IBM i partition.
Application Architecture
- Created two containers on each Linux partition: one for a website (concert booking) and another for a QR code scanner.
- The IBM i partition hosts the database and is not directly exposed to the internet.
- Communication between containers and IBM i uses the internal network for improved security and performance.
Demonstration Scenario
- Showed a concert booking website where users can reserve tickets and receive QR codes.
- Used a phone to scan QR codes, simulating concert entry.
- Demonstrated real-time ticket validation against the IBM i database.
- Showed how the system prevents the reuse of already scanned tickets.
Security Features
- IBM i partition is not directly accessible from the internet.
- Containers use HTTPS with certificates for secure connections.
- NTi connector manages database access with limited user rights.
Performance
- Three times faster than x86 with an external network.
- Internal network connections were 15-20% faster than external connections.
- Demonstrated creating 10,000 database entries in about 7 seconds.
- Showed similar performance between the standalone Linux partition and the small Linux partition hosted by IBM i.
Key Benefits of NTi
- Three times faster than x86 with the external network.
- Version-agnostic: works with IBM i versions 7.1 to 7.5.
- Minimal footprint on IBM i: only requires one library with a product key file.
- Efficient resource usage: small container sizes and low CPU/memory requirements.
- Enables easy integration of .NET applications with existing IBM i systems.
Presentation
Thanks and credit to Rémi Rouillot and @Laurent Mermet
Thanks also to @dexter-sean-charles for the invitation to share live on the Power Showcase Webinar earlier this week
Connect .NET and your IBM i with NTi for immediate access to data, programs, and much more, with no constraints or limits.
Exploit the full potential of your IBM i, AS400, iSeries. Easily develop and deploy modern business applications with containerization for perfect optimization of your resources with a lightweight solution accessible to all.
CTO AUMERIAL
Partner Technical Specialist Power Systems
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