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IBM i Security in 2026: User Profiles, Object Authority, Adopted Authority, and Practical Security Patterns

AS400 Decoded / May 27, 2026

IBM i security is object-based and OS-enforced — bypassing the application does not bypass security. This post covers QSECURITY levels, user profiles and special authorities, object authority and the authority checking sequence, adopted authority for controlled privilege elevation, group profiles, authorisation lists, QAUDJRN audit journalling, Row and Column Access Control (RCAC), and the practical patterns IBM i shops use to maintain least-privilege configurations.

Operations & Admin

DB2 for i in 2026: IBM i’s Integrated Database, System Naming vs SQL Naming, Physical Files, the Query Optimiser, and How It Differs from Standalone Databases

AS400 Decoded / May 26, 2026

DB2 for i is not a database running on IBM i — it is part of the operating system. This post covers the integrated architecture of DB2 for i, the difference between system naming and SQL naming, physical and logical files versus SQL tables and views, journalling and commitment control, the System Query Optimiser, QSYS2 system views, SQL DDL patterns, temporal tables, global temporary tables, and how to connect external applications via JDBC and ODBC.

Operations & Admin

RPG in 2026: Modern Free-Format RPG IV, Prototyped Procedures, SQL Integration, and What Current RPG Actually Looks Like

AS400 Decoded / May 25, 2026

Modern RPG is not the fixed-format column-dependent code that gave the language its reputation. This post covers fully free-format RPG IV: program structure, data types, qualified data structures, prototyped procedures, embedded SQL with cursors and null handling, service programs, the monitor group for error handling, and what a current SQLRPGLE program actually looks like.

Operations & Admin

CL in 2026: ILE Control Language, MONMSG Error Handling, Batch Orchestration, and Where CL Fits in a Modern IBM i Stack

AS400 Decoded / May 24, 2026

CL is not a legacy language waiting to be replaced — it is the correct tool for controlling the IBM i environment. This post covers ILE CL structure, MONMSG error handling, library list management, OVRDBF, SBMJOB, SQL from CL, subprocedures, DevOps pipeline integration, and when to use CL versus Python or shell scripts.

Modern Integrations

Connecting IBM i to the Cloud: Azure, AWS, Power Virtual Server, and Hybrid Integration Patterns That Actually Work

AS400 Decoded / May 23, 2026

IBM i can integrate with Azure, AWS, and SaaS platforms without custom adapters or protocol gymnastics. This post covers five production-ready patterns: REST API layer, message queue integration, DB2 CDC replication, outbound cloud API calls via SYSTOOLS, and IBM Power Virtual Server with Direct Link connectivity.

Operations & Admin

IBM i Observability in 2026: Collection Services, QSYS2 Health Queries, Structured Logging, and Prometheus Dashboards

AS400 Decoded / May 22, 2026

IBM i has collected detailed performance data for decades — most shops only look at it when something breaks. This post covers Collection Services, QSYS2 health views, DB2 plan cache analysis, structured logging with Pino, Prometheus metrics from PASE, and a practical starting order for adding real observability to any IBM i environment.

Modern Integrations

IBM i in a DevOps Pipeline: Git, Bob, Automated Builds, and CI/CD for RPG in 2026

AS400 Decoded / May 21, 2026

IBM i DevOps is not theoretical — Git, Bob, RPGUnit, and GitHub Actions all run on IBM i 7.3+. This post covers moving source to the IFS, automated builds with Bob, CI pipelines via GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps, RPGUnit testing, and a step-by-step progression from manual releases to a working pipeline.

Modern Integrations

Building REST APIs on IBM i: Node.js in PASE, IAS REST, and connecting modern front ends to your RPG business logic

AS400 Decoded / May 19, 2026

REST APIs are the bridge between IBM i and modern front ends. This post covers every practical option — IAS REST, Node.js in PASE, PHP, RPG CGI, and API gateways — with enough detail to choose the right approach for your environment.

Modern Integrations

IBM i and the cloud: modernisation strategies, hybrid architectures, and what staying on IBM i actually means in 2026

AS400 Decoded / May 18, 2026

The “should we leave IBM i?” conversation has been happening for twenty years. The shops that handled it well are running modern hybrid architectures in 2026 — IBM i at the transactional core, cloud services handling front ends, analytics, and integration. Here is what that actually looks like.

RPG Programming

Source control for IBM i: managing your RPG and CL source with Git and RDi

AS400 Decoded / May 18, 2026

Most IBM i shops still manage source the same way they did in the 1990s — members in source physical files, no history, no easy rollback. Git changes that. This post covers RDi, VS Code + Code for IBM i, migrating source to the IFS, and a practical Git workflow for RPG and CL development.

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