This paper will discuss the various ways that IBM has enhanced its existing iSeries environments to make it easier for installed customers to migrate to and start to use Unicode data.

In today's world most software developers understand the need for Unicode and have a desire to start to use it. If you are designing an application from the start then it is easy to include Unicode. If you have a small set of data you can just say "change everything to Unicode". However, in the real world for existing customers & their data is it is not practical to just say "change every thing to Unicode". Especially if you have Terabytes of existing Data and you have limited budgets and a backlog of update requests already . If you are in that situation you want the ability to slowly move parts of your application base to Unicode in as much of a non-disruptive manor as possible.

This session will discuss the updates to such items as Database files, sorting, SQL, traditional screen interfaces, message handling, message catalogs, automatic conversion support to and from Unicode, use of ICU and other support items.