How to run SQL query in Maximo without DB access using API Automation Script

From Maximo version 7.6.0.9, we can now build custom API using automation script. This is a powerful new feature yet it looks to be underutilized by the community.

The first obviously use case is it gives us the freedom to build any API we wanted without being restricted to the limitation of the Maximo Integration Framework. For example, we can build an API that returns data in CSV or binary format. Or we can use it to upload data and bypassing the business layer.

Since it allows us to use the browser to interact with Automation script, and the script framework itself has access to all Java functions of the MBO layer, We can exploit it to execute all sort of weird operations.

My failed attempt to get Maximo to work with Azure SQL database

Recently, I started playing with Azure by attempting to migrate a Maximo instance from my local VM to Azure platform. Although the attempt was a success. I didn’t realize SQL Server and Azure SQL are different databases (or more correctly, two different versions). There were a few issues during the process, but I figured out how to work around them and got Maximo running on Azure VM and Azure SQL. After sharing the result on LinkedIn, there were some comments that Maximo couldn’t be installed on Azure SQL and IBM doesn’t support it, so I spent a bit more time digging and thought I should share the details and some of my opinions on this matter.

First, let us be clear, Azure is a big cloud platform which offers many different services. I’m not a cloud expert, but from what I understand, we are talking about two main services:

Mess around with Azure: Migrate Maximo to Cloud

Last week, while attending a call to discuss an integration interface between Maximo and an Azure SQL database, the other consultant mentioned a few Azure terms like “blob storage”; I realized I didn’t know anything about Azure despite the fact that the cloud platform has been adopted by the large number of the clients I work with. So today, I decided I should play around a bit with it by trying to migrate a Maximo instance from my local VM to Azure.

Before I go into the technical details, for those of you non-technical readers, I like to sum up the whole experience I had with this platform in one word: magical. That’s it, I went to the website, signed up for a trial account, followed some wizards or clicked on a few buttons or menus that I think were features I need, and boom, I got a running Maximo instance on the cloud in just a few hours. No training, no muss, no fuss, everything just works. Not much else to say. I’m in love now. I think will spend the next couple of weeks, months or even years to learn more about Microsoft stuff.

IBM App Connect - Integrate Maximo with Google Sheet, SalesForce, and ServiceNow

While having a break between projects, I have some free time to play around with IBM’s new toy: App Connect. After several years working with Enterprise applications, I’ve got to a point where I can tell if a system is great or not after playing around with it for a short time.  Some examples of great systems or platforms I have experience with is Maximo (of course), React Native (for mobile development), and SAP. Some examples of *not so great* systems I played with include Oracle EBS, Infor SunSystems, Maximo Anywhere mobile platform.

With App Connect, I can tell this is an excellent tool after going through a few beginner tutorials. I can immediately come up with some useful use case using it to enhance Maximo by integrating it with other cloud applications. Below are two examples:

Unboxing Maximo SaaS Flex

I had never been a big fan of Maximo SaaS due to my background comes from a market where labour cost is cheap while license cost is outrageous. As such, we consultants prefer to spend some time building customized apps rather than spending lots of money buying more licenses or add-ons. (To give you a bit of perspective, in Australia, one Maximo license is worth about 15 days cost of an average engineer. In Vietnam, it is equivalent to about 1 year. Which means if you give an engineer a Maximo account; after a year, if it helps to save him or her 15 days, it worth the cost. But in Vietnam, it must save the engineer 1 year of labour to break even).

How to modify (almost) any Maximo data with no database access

Being Maximo consultants, we often come into a scene where the client gives us MAXADMIN access to the system but access to the database is an absolute No-No. This is usually the case with companies which have a clear separation of the App Admin and DB Admin roles. This is also one of the key restrictions with Maximo as a Service.

If you have been doing a bit of admin and config activities, you will surely understand the limitation of having no database access. It’s like having to work with tied hands. Luckily, we can use MXLoader to query/update almost any data tables in Maximo. Below is an example on how to do it.

Let say we're working with a Maximo SaaS and IBM only gives us front-end admin access, but no access to the back-end.