IBM has announced IBM i 7.1 Technology Refresh 7

Today IBM announces the latest Technology Refresh for IBM i. This Technology Refresh provides many new functions and improvements like:

• An enhanced RPG IV programming language which includes new Free Format H, F, D and P statements. With the exception of old RPG Cycle Code like I, O statements this is the first time you can write RPG programs entirely in Free Form! more...
•  An improved DB/2 Version which can handle larger indices (1.7 TB) and new system management catalogs. Dynamic Compound Statements. New Possibilities to control the blocking size in sequential SQL reads and many other DB/2 Enhancements.
• Java has got some performance improvement and the API has updated to 1.7. more...
• TR 7 brings also support for new Hardware Options

You can find all other improvements in the announcement letter from IBM.

I think TR 7 was really worth the wait and should be available in November.

IBM System i Pre-Upgrade Verification Tool

On the next weekend i will upgrade our System i from V6R1 to V7R1 TR 6. One valuable tool for the upgrade preparation from IBM is the Pre-Upgrade Verification Tool. This tool runs on your windows workstation and checks if your system i meets all requirements and prerequisites to install the new release. To run the tool simply download and decompress the tool to a folder. In this folder run the "run_pruv.bat". An wizard opens, which will guide you through the process of the verification. After the wizard finishes the tool presents an overview with errors or warnings which could break the installation of the new operating system.

For every warning or error you will get a detailed description how to solve the problem.

So in my opinion a really cool tool to make your upgrade easier.