Project "Bob" availability date.

Feb 20, 2026

Project "Bob" announcement!

  

"IBM Bob 1.0.0 helps developers solve enterprise problems within real code bases while offering proactive improvement insights".

Planned availability date.
24 March 2026

 

The announcement can be found here 

IBM i Diagram and Shirt

Feb 20, 2026

People in the IBM i community are creative and supportive of the system. Always have been and always will be. Defending it to the max. With that said, these 2 pictures made me smile and hopefully they'll make you smile as well.

With that said, may I present:

Courtesy of @Callie Brown of @Meridian IT  

 

 

Courtesy of @Mark McDonnell of @Briteskies 

 

 

IBM i Webinar of Importance

 

Feb 19, 2026

 

Please note this IBM i Webinar of Importance. 

 

 

 

 

IBM i Guided Tours - "IBM i in 2026 - A Strategic Preview" on

Wednesday, March 18th, 2026 from 9:00 am - 10:00 am CST. The page to register for the webinar can be found here

 

I-Rays and OZGAR

Feb 13, 2026 

 

I was recently introduced to 2 pieces of software that I believe will be interesting to the IBM i community. I had the opportunity to view demo's of both and found them

to be fascinating.

 

The first is from the Specific Group out of Austria. The Specific Group has engineered IBM i Ai software named 'OZGAR.ai'. 

 

OZGAR is defined as:

"Your dedicated AI, trained in your environment to understand complex unstructured codebases, generate documentation and visualizations, and deliver actionable insights for engineers and developers. Clarity for critical systems."

Information about OZGAR.ai can be found on the IBM i Reference Pages Blog "Ai Page" here.  

 

------------------------------------------- 

 

The second is from Omnilogy out of Poland. Omnilogy has engineered IBM i software named 'i-Rays'. 

 

i-Rays is defined as: "IBM i Autonomous Observability. Observe, Understand and Act Before IBM i   Issues Happen. i-Rays continuously learns the expected behavior of your IBM i systems, detects early deviations, and identifies the most likely root cause long before performance drops or failures occur." 

 

Information about i-Rays can be found on the IBM i Reference Pages Blog 

"Vendor and Resources Page" here  

IBM i V7R5 vs V7R6 Comparison

Jan 30, 2026 

IBM has just put out a Q&A site for an OS V7R5 versus V7R6 comparison.  

That page can be found here             

 

                        

Beyond the Green Screen Series

Jan 19, 2026

 

The IBM i Reference Pages Blog has a treat for anyone using VS Code for development.  

@Sanjula Ganepola - Staff Software Developer @IBM brings you his

"Beyond the Green Screen" tips for VS Code.

 

You can reach the material 1 of 2 ways:

- By clicking on Sanjula's link above and opening his LinkedIn posts.

- By clicking into Sanjula's page listed on the "VS Code" page here.

 

As of this post, Sanjula has composed 14 VS Code development tips with more

to follow. A sample of his blog page looks like this: 

 

 

 

 

 

IBM i ACS Version 1.1.9.11

Jan 14, 2026

 

Take note !! 

 

IBM has announced an update to ACS (Access Client Solutions) from current 

version 1.1.9.10 to new version 1.1.9.11 due to a CVE (Common Vulnerability Exposure).

 

The announcement looks like this:

 

 

 

 

The download for it can be found here.

Info on ACS can be found on this blog on the "Helpful Tips by Category" 

page here.

 

 

IBM i MG (Must Gather) Toolkit.

Jan 13, 2026 

 

 

Sometimes we forget about some of the FREE tools that IBM provides. One of the most important IBM i tools is the MG (Must Gather) Toolkit. It is an integral piece of software that includes tools to help on the job along with tools to assist in the diagnosis of problems.

 

If your shop doesn't have this installed, it is easy to obtain. If your shop does have it, it is easy to update.

 

NOTE: In the last update of the Toolkit on Dec 11, 2025, the main page shown above changed significantly from the previous version. 

 

Once installed, it is easy to bring up the menu:

1- addlible qmgtools

2 - go mg 

 

Any and all information about the QMGTOOLS Must Gather Toolkit can be 

found here. This is the "IBM i Helpful Tips by Category" page on this blog. Page down to locate the QMGTOOLS section.

 

  

 

IBM i Navigator Q1 2026 - Moving Toward Requiring all TLS connections

Dec 19, 2025   

 

Take note !! 

 

IBM Champion @Rob Berendt brings us this important info from IBM heading into

Q1 2026 about IBM i Navigator here. 

 

The corresponding IBM i site page can be found in Rob's post.

 

 

IBM Database Expert Query for i

Dec 12, 2025 

 

 

 IBM recently held a webinar via Common about the new 

"IBM Database Expert Query for i" 

 

It is the replacement for DB2 Web Query. Looks like it'll be subscription type pricing. The IBM announcement will be in Jan 2026.

You can find the replay of that webinar here 

It can also be found by opening the "IBM i Extras" page. Click on the "Guided Tours 2025 Replays" link. 

 

Note: You must be registered with Common to view the replay. It is easy to join and 

create yourself a logon ID / Password.   
 

Common PowerUp 2026

From April 27 - 30, 2026, The Largest IBM i Community Event in the World will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

Info can be found here 

IBM Support - Upcoming Migration of Secure File Transfer Service

Dec 2, 2025

 

From IBM:  

As part of IBM CIO’s ongoing commitment to enhancing platform security, streamlining operations, and optimizing infrastructure resources, we wish to inform you of the upcoming migration of the Secure File Transfer (SFT) service infrastructure, scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

 

The support page for this announcement can be found here 

IBM "(A)i on GRC - ISO 42001"

Dec 1, 2025 

John Flack - IBM i Engineer / GRC & Quantitative Risk Specialist                                                        has written the "(A)i on GRC" which has explored ISO / IEC 27001 clause by clause translating one of the world’s most influential governance frameworks into the language of IBM i security, audit, and modernization.

There was an ISO / IEC 27001 posting on this blog on Oct 21st, 2025 which can be found here

John states "ISO 27001 gave us a blueprint for control: how to protect data, ensure confidentiality, and maintain integrity." 

If ISO 27001 secures the system, ISO 42001 governs the intelligence that system produces. 

ISO 42001 is defined as:                                                                                                                        "The first international management system standard for artificial intelligence (AI), providing a framework for organizations to develop, deploy, and manage AI systems responsibly and securely. It helps organizations establish a governance system for AI, ensuring ethical use, managing risks, and promoting transparency and accountability throughout the AI lifecycle. The standard is applicable to any organization involved with AI systems, whether they are providers or users."
                                                                                                                                     
Key aspects of ISO 42001  AI Governance: 
It provides a structured approach to AI governance, helping organizations to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.  
      
Risk Management: It helps organizations identify and assess risks associated with AI systems, such as bias and security vulnerabilities, and implement strategies to mitigate them.       
                                                                                                                                                              Ethical and Responsible Use: The standard promotes the responsible and ethical use of AI by ensuring systems are explainable, auditable, and free from unfair bias.                                                                                              

Lifecycle Management: It provides guidance for managing AI systems across their entire lifecycle, from design and development to deployment and operation.       
                                                                                                                                                            Continuous Improvement: It includes processes for monitoring, auditing, and continuously improving AI systems to maintain compliance and reliability.      
                                                                                                                                                          Compatibility: ISO 42001 is built on the same high-level structure as other management system standards, such as ISO 27001 (information security) and ISO 9001 (quality management), allowing for seamless implementation alongside them. 
                                                                                                                                                                    In order, the clauses are: (Right click to open each clause in a new tab).

Context of the Organization 

Leadership and Accountability 

Planning for AI Governance 

Support as the "Infrastructure of Intelligence" 

Operations & "Governance in Motion" 

Performance Evaluation & When Governance Audits Itself 

The "Hard Edge" of Real Governance 

 

IBM i V7R5 TR7, V7R6 TR1 & ACS Version 1.1.9.10

Nov 21, 2025

IBM announced IBM i V7R5 TR7 and V7R6 TR1 Technology Rrefreshes in early Oct 2025.              They are available today (11.21.2025)

 

The V7R5 TR7 page can be found here 

The V7R6 TR1 page can be found here

 

IBM has also announced the latest version of ACS (1.1.9.10).

The details page for that can be found here

The Paradigm Shift

Nov 12, 2025

@NealWhittle brings us "The Paradigm Shift" - SDLC vs ADLC.

 

Neal states: "When hashtag#IBM announced a strategic partnership with Anthropic to accelerate the development of enterprise-ready hashtag#AI, it released a first-of-its-kind guide focusing on the Agent Development Lifecycle (ADLC). The report describes a paradigm shift from SDLC (Software Dev Life Cycle) to ADLC (Agent Dev Life Cycle). If you understand the three fundamental differences, you are well ahead of the crowd."

 

"From deterministic to probabilistic: software follows predictable execution paths, while agents make dynamic decisions."

 
"From static to adaptive: Software has fixed functionality while agents can learn and evolve."

 
"From code-first to evaluation-first: Traditional software metrics can't predict agent success, so the ADLC must rely on systematic measurement of agent behavior and evaluation of business outcomes." 

 

Here is a cheatsheet to help visualize "The Paradigm Shift" 

 

 

 

There is a corresponding IBM document titled: 

"Architecting Secure Enterprise AI Agents with MCP (Model Context Protocol) - A Strategic Guide to Agentic Development" which can be found here

 

@Gemini defines SDLC vs ADLC this way:

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

• Definition: A process used in the software industry to design, develop, and test high-quality software.
• Focus: A broad, traditional approach to software development, often viewed as more linear.
• Phases: Typically includes phases like planning, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
• Goal: To produce high-quality software, minimize costs, and complete the project in the shortest possible time.   
  Agent Development Life Cycle (ADLC)
  • Definition: A new lifecycle specifically for developing AI agents, addressing their unique probabilistic and adaptive nature.
  • Focus: Building reliable, robust, and adaptive AI agents, with a strong emphasis on tuning and optimization.
  • Phases: Combines continuous loops for experimentation (between build and test) and runtime optimization (between operate and monitor) with traditional phases like design, build, and deploy.
  • Goal: To ensure successful, reliable, and secure AI agents, with continuous adaptation and governance integrated throughout the process. 

IBM i on Power - Performance FAQ: November 2025

Nov 7, 2025

  

 

 

IBM has released the latest "IBM i on Power - Performance FAQ" dated Nov 2025.

The online PDF to it can be found here

Note: It is also listed on the "IBM i Extras" page. 

 

 

IBM Unveils Beta MCP Server to Transform AI on IBM i

Oct 31, 2025 

"IBM's release of the beta MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server for IBM i marks a groundbreaking moment ... " Read the article here

 

ITJungle article "Beta Of MCP Server Opens Up IBM i For Agentic AI" 

can be found here

 

GitHub MCP Server site can be found here 

IBM "(A)i on GRC - ISO 27001"

Oct 21, 2025 

   

 

 John Flack - IBM i Engineer | GRC & Quantitative Risk Specialist has written the      

 "(A)i on GRC" which has explored ISO / IEC 27001 clause by clause translating one 

 of the world’s most influential governance frameworks into the language of IBM i 

 security, audit, and modernization.

 John states "Together, these articles form a complete walk-through of the ISO 

 27001 management system as applied to IBM i." 

 

 ISO 27001 is defined as:                                                                                                                         The leading international standard that formally specifies the requirements for 

 establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an Information 

 Security Management System (ISMS).

 In essence, it provides a systematic, structured, and risk-based approach to  

 managing and protecting an organization's sensitive information assets to ensure 

 their:

• Confidentiality: Ensuring information is accessible only to those authorized to have access.

• Integrity: Safeguarding the accuracy and completeness of information and processing methods.

• Availability: Ensuring authorized users have access to information and associated assets when required.

The standard is applicable to organizations of all types and sizes across all sectors, helping them manage security risks, reduce vulnerabilities to threats like cyberattacks, and meet contractual and regulatory obligations.

  

 In order, the clauses are: (Right click to open each clause in a new tab).

 

 Leadership 

 Planning 

 Support 

 Operation 

 Performance 

 Improvement 

 

 John goes on to say:

 "Each installment follows the same principle: governance only matters when it  

 lives in the system.

 I hope you'll see in this series that a 'legacy platform' running decades-deep 

 workloads in some cases can meet modern standards of governance, risk, and 

 compliance when we learn to speak both its technical and organizational dialects.  

  

Together, these articles form a complete walkthrough of the ISO 27001 management system as applied to IBM i from intent to implementation, and from evidence to improvement."