COMMON POWERUp 2026: Full Schedule

Unlock the Power of IBM i at POWERUp 2026!

Join us in New Orleans, Louisiana for POWERUp 2026, the premier conference for IBM i professionals. Whether you’re an experienced expert or just starting your IBM i journey, this event offers unparalleled education, hands-on workshops, and valuable networking opportunities. Stay ahead of the curve with insights from industry leaders, explore the latest innovations, and connect with a thriving community that shares your passion for IBM i. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge, grow your skills, and power up your career!

arrow_back View All Dates

10:00am CDT

DS8000 Enterprise Storage Product Overview

Monday April 27, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Galerie 5

Evaluation Survey

This session provides a focused overview of the DS8000 Enterprise storage server and dives into details of the recently released functionality. Attendees will gain practical insight into how these updates improve security, performance, and operational efficiency.

Speakers

Clint Hardy

Senior Technical Staff Member, DS8000 Storage Architecture and Development, IBM

Monday April 27, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Galerie 5

Systems Management

11:15am CDT

IBM i in 2026 - Collaborative Strategy in the Era of AI

Monday April 27, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT

Galerie 5

Evaluation Survey

The pace of change and innovation is accelerating with the advent of AI. IBM i, as an integrated solution platform, has a strong strategy and roadmap for the future. In this session, Steve Will, IBM i CTO and Chief Architect will partner with Kris Whitney, IBM i Chief Engineer, to explain the strategy, show the roadmap, and highlight the ways in which IBM collaborates with the IBM i community to set the direction of the platform.

Speakers

Steve Will

IBM i CTO & Chief Architect, IBM

Kris Whitney

IBM

Kris Whitney is a Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM Rochester. He is currently the IBM i Chief Engineer

Monday April 27, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT
Galerie 5

IT Leadership and Management

3:15pm CDT

How to Make the Most Out of Advisory Connect and Expert Labs Assets in IBM i Subscription Bundles

Monday April 27, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

Galerie 5

Evaluation Survey

Organizations running IBM i environments are increasingly looking for ways to accelerate modernization, strengthen resilience, and maximize the value of their platform investments. IBM i subscription bundles include valuable services such as Advisory Connect and IBM Expert Labs assets, but many clients are not fully aware of how to take advantage of them. In this session, you will learn how to unlock the full value of these resources and incorporate them into your IT strategy. We will explore how Advisory Connect provides direct access to IBM experts for guidance on architecture, modernization, security, and operational best practices, while Expert Labs assets can help accelerate implementation, troubleshooting, and optimization projects. Join us to understand what services are available within IBM i subscription bundles, how to engage with these resources effectively, and practical examples of how organizations are using them to drive faster outcomes and stronger platform value.

Speakers

Eric Barsness

Global Resiliency Practice Leader, IBM

Eric Barsness is theGlobal Resiliency Practice Leader for IBM i in Expert Labs and an IBM Master Inventor. Eric specializes in IBM i resiliency, performance and scalability and has led various IBM i performance teams for most of his career. Eric has been improving customer's IBM i... Read More →

Yan Zhuo

IBM i Product Management Leader, IBM

Monday April 27, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Galerie 5

Developing Business Skills

4:30pm CDT

Best Practices for Collecting IBM i Performance Data

Monday April 27, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT

Galerie 5

Evaluation Survey

IBM i performance data collection using Collection Services is enabled by default, but you may still be using default configuration settings. In this session, you will learn why you may want to adjust the Collection Services configuration settings for your performance analysis or trending needs.
Learning objectives:
1. How to use Navigator for i to configure Collection Services
2. Recommendations for changing default configuration settings

Speakers

Shauna Rollings

Senior Software Engineer - IBM i Performance Tools & High Availability Development, IBM

Shauna joined the IBM i development team in 2008. She has developed and supported IBM i performance data collector tools throughout her entire IBM career. From the very beginning of the Db2 Mirror for i project, she has also been the technical team lead for the Db2 Mirror Configuration... Read More →

Monday April 27, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Galerie 5

Systems Management

5:05pm CDT

SQL Services save the day at Heartland Co-op

Monday April 27, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT

Galerie 5

Evaluation Survey

By now, many of us are familiar with IBM SQL Services and how they can super-charge system management tasks. But have you thought about how these powerful tools can be used in business applications? This case study will take you through how SQL services were used to make a business-critical application at Heartland Co-op available 24/7 while allowing an important nightly batch process to run uninterrupted.

Speakers

Todd Stewart

Application Architect, Heartland Co-op

Todd has worked in IBM midrange computing since 1989, developing applications from the System/34 to IBM i on Power. He has held roles including Developer, Analyst, Project Lead, Solutions Delivery Manager, and Application Development Director in the retail, and bonding/insurance industries... Read More →

Monday April 27, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Galerie 5

Systems Management

10:00am CDT

11:15am CDT

3:15pm CDT

4:30pm CDT

5:05pm CDT

Get help with the event