This new VM brings with it known impacts - good and bad - to compatibility, performance, and long-term migration. These impacts are outlined, along with IBM's plans for their automatic detection and mitigation in most cases.

Impacts that defy automatic mitigation are expected to be rare; i5/OS facilities for their identification will be described and demonstrated.

By the end of this session, you will understand: Java support in i5/OS, and how it is changing; the timeline of the change, and where we are in it; the impacts of the change, both good and bad; and how to determine whether to try the new VM for yourself.

Later, when Java was first being introduced to the AS/400, Blair designed and implemented the Java Native Interface (JNI) on AS/400, and then helped develop the Remote Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT). Since V5R2 Blair has been working on a variety of projects, while remaining involved with Java, and is currently involved in rolling out information about the new IBM Technology for Java VM, being introduced to System i5 in V5R4.

Blair has a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, and an M.S. in Computer Science from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. For fun, Blair enjoys playing the guitar, and loves a good game of foosball