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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!

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Tuesday, April 28
 

8:00am CDT

Watch it Live: A Full AI Application Built on the IBM i in Less Than an Hour
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Your IBM i isn't going anywhere, but the systems around it keep growing. You have cloud platforms, third-party tools, and APIs that all need to talk to your core data and business logic. Getting them all to work together was already a challenge. Now, AI needs to fit in too.
In this session, we’ll show you how to bring AI to your current tech stack. We'll build a working AI application that connects to existing systems and data. We’ll connect to DB2 files, call RPG programs, and integrate with external APIs and cloud services. 
Along the way, we’ll cover the important decisions: data access controls, LLM selection, and AI governance so nothing touches your production environment without your say-so.
You'll leave with a clear picture of how AI connects to the data and systems you already have and how to build AI tools that fit into your business.

Speakers
avatar for Rick Hurckes

Rick Hurckes

Services Director, mrc
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Galerie 1

8:00am CDT

SQL Plan Cache Uncovered
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
This session explains how the SQL Plan Cache is used by Db2 for i to support the execution of your SQL & non-SQL queries. In addition, the session will review Plan Cache related tools & services that can help you identify query performance problems.

Learning Objectives:

Understanding of how Db2 uses the SQL Plan Cache Learn how to use Plan Cache tooling to identify and remedy query performance problems.
Speakers
avatar for Kent Milligan

Kent Milligan

Senior Db2 for i Consultant, IBM
Kent Milligan is a Senior Db2 for i Consultant in IBM Technology Expert Labs. Kent has over 25 years of experience as a Db2 for IBM i consultant and developer working out of the IBM Rochester lab. Prior to re-joining the Db2 for i Expert Labs practice in 2020, Kent spent 5 years... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony L

8:00am CDT

Web Services: Pull useful external data into your IBM i applications
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Obtaining information from external systems or data servers has come a long way since the introduction of EDI in the 1980s! Today, heaps of publicly available web service APIs offer a much more flexible and easier-to-integrate method for pulling pertinent data into your IBM i applications. Whether it be commodity prices, financial data, current weather information, demographic statistics or whatever else you can think of, there's no shortage of information available on the internet that could complement portions of your company's business, adding valuable real-time information to your user applications.

In this session we'll put this concept to work in a hands-on fashion. The presenter will use real-world examples to demonstrate how IBM i developers can quickly find and access public web service APIs to pull data into an RPG program or UI tool using SQL.

Attendees will see three simple 5250-based interactive examples in action, along with source code they can try on their own systems.

Learning Objectives:
- Introduce the concept of pulling data from external web services, and how best to find them
- Understand the difference (and benefits) of using SQL to pull data from RESTful web services, versus "old school" SOAP-based ones
- Master the steps required to integrate a web service-consuming SQL statement into an RPG program or dashboard tool
Speakers
avatar for Robert Swanson

Robert Swanson

Senior Partner, CNX
Rob has worked as an in-the-trenches IBM i developer since 1992, with the past 15 years focused on developing modernization efforts for legacy systems written in RPG. Currently serving as Senior Partner for CNX Corporation in Chicago, Rob is a strong advocate of introducing highly... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony I-J

8:00am CDT

AI Throughout Your Day!
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Tired of all the hype surrounding AI? Would you like to be more productive using AI - today – but you’re not sure where to start? Or maybe you’ve scratched the surface with AI, but want to learn more? Either way, this is the session for you! Here we skip the theory and dive straight into real-world applications that boost productivity and streamline daily tasks using AI based tools. Join us for this session and leave with tangible skills to supercharge your productivity, while producing better results, with less effort!

Learning Objectives:

Join this session to learn to: - Understand the art of prompt engineering - Generate professional emails, reports, and letters in a fraction of the time - Dive into data analysis without the headache - Help you write code better and faster - Unlock your creative side to make art you’ll be proud of - even if you can't draw a straight line! - Use AI throughout your day for personal and fun tasks as well as at work - Get the most out of the many diverse AI tools available today for maximum productivity - Whether you’re new to AI or just looking for practical ideas, you’ll leave with real examples and skills you can start using immediately for both professional and personal tasks. Join us to learn how to put AI to use for you today!
Speakers
avatar for Steven Wolk

Steven Wolk

CTO, PC Richard & Son
Steven Wolk is the CTO for PC Richard & Son. Founded in 1909, PC Richard is a family owned and operated chain of over 65 appliance, electronics, and mattress superstores located throughout NY, NJ, CT, and PA. Steve's deep background in retail began on the sales floor while in college... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony K

8:00am CDT

Tame the IFS with SQL Services
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
In this updated and award-winning session, you will discover how SQL and IBM i (SQL) Services can be used to bring order to the IFS. Whether you aim to further secure, manage, or utilize the IFS, SQL can help get the job done. The Db2 for i team has made consistent and noteworthy investments to bring SQL capabilities that can be used with the IFS. Come to this session to see, understand, and be ready to use SQL with the IFS.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives: 1. Understand what's possible with SQL and the IFS 2. Learn how to use SQL with the IFS 3. Gain awareness of the pitfalls and gotchas when using SQL
Speakers
avatar for Scott Forstie

Scott Forstie

Senior Technical Staff Member, IBM
Scott Forstie is a Senior Technical Staff Member within IBM i development and spends most of his time working as the Db2 for i Architect. He has worked on IBM operating system development since joining IBM in 1989.
Scott is a frequently published author, speaker at industry events... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Galerie 6

8:00am CDT

Building the Next Generation of IBM i Talent
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Technical excellence alone doesn’t build strong teams. Sustainable success on IBM i depends on leadership that inspires collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning. In this session, we’ll explore how empowering developers and encouraging innovation helps attract and retain IBM i talent. Through real-world stories and practical discussion, you’ll learn how a culture of curiosity, trust, and shared knowledge can transform your team’s performance, and the future of the IBM i community. Whether you are a leader, manager, or team member, experienced or new, we will explore and share stories together that you can bring back to the office tomorrow.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explore effective approaches to bridging the IBM i skills gap through team culture and mentorship. 2. Learn how to evolve from developer into confident leader. 3. Gain insights into fostering environments that empower others to lead and innovate.
Speakers
avatar for Brian Nordland

Brian Nordland

Director of Development, Fortra
Brian Nordland is the Director of Development for IBM Power Development at Fortra. Brian has been a prominent speaker at events, webinars, and user groups, including COMMON and LUG for over a decade. He is a co-inventor on multiple patents and has authored technical publications in... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Studio 3-4

8:00am CDT

From Insight to Autonomy: The Future of Agentic Operations on IBM Power
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
IT operations teams are under constant pressure to manage increasingly complex environments while maintaining the performance, availability, and security that mission-critical workloads demand. For organizations running on IBM Power, the next evolution of operations is emerging through agentic and AI-assisted capabilities that move beyond simple automation toward intelligent operations. In this session, we will explore how insights from telemetry, observability, and operational data are laying the foundation for a new generation of AI-driven operational models. You will learn how agentic systems can analyze system behavior, recommend actions, and increasingly execute operational tasks. Join us to understand the vision for agentic operations on Power, how organizations can begin their journey from insight to autonomy, and what their transformation could mean for the future of enterprise infrastructure management. 

Speakers
avatar for Brandon Pederson

Brandon Pederson

IBM i and Power Product Marketing Manager, IBM

Brandon Pederson is the Product Marketing Manager for IBM i and Modernization within the IBM Power business. Prior to this role, Brandon was Content Marketing Manager for IBM WebSphere and Content and Community Manager for IBM Power. He has a degree in Marketing from Concordia Uni... Read More →
avatar for Heather Lavergne

Heather Lavergne

Product Manager - IBM Power Autonomous IT, IBM
Heather Lavergne is a Product Manager for IBM Power, focusing on Autonomous IT solutions. With over 20 years of experience in business technology, she has held roles spanning sales, consulting, and product management. Prior to her current role, Heather served as Chief of Staff for... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony M-N

8:00am CDT

Code for IBM i – What’s New, What’s Next
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
The Code for IBM i family of extensions continues to grow with new tools and powerful enhancements. In this session, we will showcase recent improvements, highlight community contributions, and share a glimpse of upcoming features on the roadmap for 2026.

Learning Objectives:

• Share newly released features across all IBM i VS Code extensions • Showcase new tips and tricks to improve the developer experience • Share an overview of upcoming features in the 2026 roadmap
Speakers
avatar for Alan Seiden

Alan Seiden

Principal Consultant, Seiden Group
How to modernize and create something new while leveraging your valuable business logic. Supporting developers, mentoring, staff augmentation, architecture, development and programming. Seiden PHP+ Server for IBM i, 
APIs, IBM i, open source, web, PHP, Node.js, Python, RPG, ERPs... Read More →
avatar for Sanjula Ganepola

Sanjula Ganepola

Software Developer - IBM i App Dev & AI Toolchain, IBM
Sanjula Ganepola is a Software Developer at IBM working on IBM i application development tools. As an open-source advocate, he is an active contributor and maintainer of several Visual Studio Code extensions including IBM i Project Explorer, Code for IBM i, IBM i Testing, Source Orbit... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Studio 1-2

8:00am CDT

Introduction to Python on IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Come get your first look at Python and learn some of the basics! Also, learn about the product offerings that enable you to do software development with the language on the platform. Upon completing this class, you will be able to acquire, install, and use the language on IBM i, as well as extend its power using contributions from the larger open source community. We will also explore Db2 Data Access and IFS file system access as primary use cases for Python on IBM i.

Learning Objectives:

1) Installation of Python on IBM i. 2) Multiple methods of use and access 3) Db2 data access from Python
Speakers
avatar for Mike Pavlak

Mike Pavlak

Solution Architect, Programmers.io
Mike Pavlak has been working with IBM midrange solutions since 1992 and IBM Mainframes before that. After years of developing applications using RPG, CL and PHP he managed IT development and IT for power protection manufacturer Tripp Lite. Later Mike was instrumental in developing... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Galerie 4

8:00am CDT

RPG Excellence: Writing for Readability and Maintainability on the IBM i - The Code Style and Quality Standards Every Modern RPG Developer Needs.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Stop coding like it's 1985. Your legacy RPG habits are a financial drain and a massive headache for the next generation of developers. Kill the Clutter! Permanently eliminate fixed-format and arcane shorthand. This session is your urgent intervention.

Learning Objectives:

• Master Fully Free-Format RPG to write code that looks and behaves like a modern language. • Name Names: Adopt Descriptive Naming standards that remove all ambiguity. If you can't read it quickly, it's garbage. • Build Defenses: Don’t rely on the *PSSR subroutine. Implement Rock-Solid Error Handling using MONITOR/ON-ERROR to manage failure, log results, and stop programs from crashing like amateurs. • Enforce the Rules: Understand and apply consistent layout, indentation, and ILE modularization to create code that is instantly scannable and maintainable—or you'll be fixing it at 2 AM. This isn't about nice-to-haves; it's about reducing catastrophic failures and cutting your maintenance costs. You will leave this session knowing how to write RPG that future-proofs your career and the system.
Speakers
avatar for Doug Artis

Doug Artis

Manager, Managed Services, Fresche Solutions
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Studio 9-10

8:00am CDT

IBM i Security – What’s new in IBM i 7.6
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Come learn about the security features included in the latest operating system release IBM i 7.6. Whether exciting, mundane, or even a little scary to consider, there is something that will pique your interest.

Learning Objectives:

Understand new features of IBM i 7.6 including *SYSBAS encryption and a high level overview of the new integrated MFA.
Speakers
avatar for Robert Andrews

Robert Andrews

Principal Security Consultant, IBM
Robert Andrews is a Principal Security Consultant, Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM), and Team Lead for the IBM i Security Expert Labs team in Rochester, MN. An IBM Certified Thought Leader and The Open Group Distinguished Technical Specialist, Robert has specialized in IT security... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Studio 7-8

8:00am CDT

Navigator for i, The tools within!
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
As an IBM i administrator you’ve either used Navigator for I, or you’re living under an AS/400! While you’re getting this done though, you’ve likely missed many of the capabilities built into Navigator to make your job easier and a better fit for your specific needs and environment. In this session, Tim and Larry will go beyond the basic capabilities of Navigator and show you the buttons and the options and capabilities that are built into Navigator for I that turbocharge the capabilities of Navigator for i. Come for the Ooh’s and the Ah’s !!

Learning Objectives:

Learn how to be more effective when utilizing Nav4i.
Speakers
avatar for Larry Bolhuis

Larry Bolhuis

Principal IBM Power Systems Architect, Service Express
Larry has grown up with computers since his father became a CE in 1967. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Calvin College in 1982.After 2 years working with early PCs and servers her began working on IBM midrange equipment with the S/34 and S/36 He moved to AS/400 at its introduction In 1988. Early in his career he was a developer, then migrated to networking, system design, upgrades and general systems... Read More →
avatar for Tim Rowe

Tim Rowe

STSM - IBM i Business Architect, IBM USA
Tim Rowe is a Senior Technical Staff Member within IBM i development and spends most of his time working as the Architect for Application Development and Systems Management. He has been working on the IBM i operating system since 1989. Tim is a frequent author, industry speaker and... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Galerie 5

8:00am CDT

Intro to MCP (Model Context Protocol)
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Discover how Model Context Protocol (MCP) is making it easier than ever to integrate intelligent AI capabilities with your existing business applications. In this introductory session, you'll learn what MCP is, why it matters, and how this game-changing technology allows AI models and tools to tap into data and applications you already have in place. We'll explore practical examples of how MCP can transform everyday business processes—from creating conversational interfaces that let users ask questions in plain English, to automating routine tasks and generating insights from your company's data. Whether you're a developer, IT manager, or business stakeholder curious about AI's potential, this session will demystify the technology and show you concrete steps to begin your AI journey without the typical complexity and cost barriers.

Learning Objectives:

See live demonstrations of MCP in action Understand the basic concepts behind this emerging standard Walk away with clear ideas for how to start experimenting with enhancing AI tools with MCP
Speakers
avatar for Brian May

Brian May

Principal Technology Evangelist, Profound Logic
Professional IT Leader, Speaker and WriterSpecialties:Team Building, Development and RetentionTechnical SalesSolutions ArchitectureSoftware DevelopmentEnterprise Systems Manufacturing ProcessesApparel IndustryAccounting Principles
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Galerie 3

8:00am CDT

Live Demo of No-Touch Modernization: RESTful Microservices for Legacy Files Using IBM Rational Open Access + noxDB Access Layer
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Many IBM i teams face a dilemma: decades-old physical files (some internally described, no DDS) are accessed by hundreds of RPG and COBOL programs — many without source. Redesigning files breaks logic. Rewriting programs takes years. But modern apps need clean JSON APIs — now!

This session shows how to expose any legacy file as a full-featured REST/JSON microservice — without changing a single line of existing code. Using IBM Rational Open Access: RPG Edition, we intercept all file I/O (READ, WRITE, UPDATE, CHAIN) and route it through a generic ILE RPG handler layer. One service program handles all operations for all files — supporting: Multi-format logicals Field mapping & validation JSON in/out via noxDB or SQL Integration with modern Frontends, Node.js, or any HTTP client

Live demo includes:
A 1970s RPG-II program writing to CUSTMAS.
Open Access handler intercepts the WRITE, logs to audit table, validates data, returns JSON response.
Call from Postman → POST /api/customer → data lands in legacy file, old program runs unchanged.
Auto-generated OpenAPI spec from handler metadata.

You’ll learn:
- When Open Access beats file conversion
- How to build one reusable microservice for all files
- Patterns for gradual modernization: old 5250 + new web apps in parallel
- Bonus: auto-API docs + full audit trail from intercepted ops

Result: Immediate API enablement, zero risk, no downtime. Technologies integrated: IBM i, Rational Open Access, ILE RPG, SQL, JSON, REST, OpenAPI — all on your existing system.

Learning Objectives:
- Understand how IBM Rational Open Access intercepts file I/O without changing legacy programs.
- Build a generic ILE RPG microservice layer to expose any physical file as a REST/JSON API.
- Implement automatic API documentation (OpenAPI) and audit trails from intercepted operations.
- Apply gradual modernization patterns to run old 5250 apps alongside new web/mobile frontends.
- Evaluate when Open Access is superior to file redesign or program rewrites.
Speakers
avatar for Markus Glaser

Markus Glaser

IBM Champion | Software Developer, i and me - IT Training and Solutions GmbH
Proud to be IBM Champion! I am also a Software-Developer and coding enthusiast
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Galerie 2

9:00am CDT

Student Job Fair
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Don't miss the Student Job Fair if you are interested in hiring an intern, or your next colleague.

Over 40 students and educators are attending POWERUp 2026, many of whom are looking for employment opportunities, so don't miss out on your chance to meet with them and connect.

It will be set up in a Reverse Job Fair format, where each student will be assigned a table and potential employers can go from table-to-table and talk to each person.

If you are looking to connect with the next generation of IT talent, this is your chance to maximize your company's benefit of attending POWERUp 2026.
Speakers
avatar for Donna Del Muro

Donna Del Muro

Community Outreach Manager, COMMON
Retired IBM i solution‑based sales professional with over 25 years in the IBM i ecosystem. My career spans sales, sales management, and project management across both hardware and software environments, helping organizations align technology with real business needs. I’m currently... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

9:15am CDT

Elevate your SQL Capabilities with Lateral Joins, Pivots, and Window Functions
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Take your SQL skills to the next level with this session on Lateral joins, Window functions, and Pivoting. Discover how LATERAL joins simplify complex queries, learn new insights with Window Functions, and master the art of pivoting data for dynamic reporting. Whether you're an SQL pro or beginner, join us to unlock the full potential of these powerful tools and techniques (and get free code).

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how and when to use the Lateral keyword (along with correlation and cross joins). 2. Learn all the available Window Functions and how/when to use them. 3. Learn what pivoting is and how to setup an SQL procedure to do it dynamically.
Speakers
avatar for Mike Zaringhalam

Mike Zaringhalam

Developer, PC Richard & Son
Have you ever wanted to meet someone who started Hawaiian Shirt Fridays at their work place? 
If the answer is 'Yes!', then feel free to reach out with any questions you have regarding Hawaiian shirts... Or IBM i related topics. 
My main focuses are RDi, DB2, Modernization, and D... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Studio 3-4

9:15am CDT

What I Wish I Had Known When I Started My IBM i Career
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
What I wish I knew when I started my IBM i Career is a practical roadmap for early-career and aspiring IBM i professionals looking to build momentum within the ecosystem. Drawing from real-world experience, this session explores how conferences, mentorship, community involvement, and side projects can accelerate growth and create meaningful career opportunities.
Attendees will learn how to engage strategically at IBM i events, approach interviews with confidence, identify skill gaps, and build credibility within the community. The session also addresses common misconceptions about networking and professional development in the IBM i world.
Participants will leave with clear, actionable steps they can immediately apply to strengthen their career trajectory and become active contributors to the IBM i ecosystem.

Speakers
avatar for Jacob Anderson

Jacob Anderson

Associate Software Engineer, Fortra
Jacob Anderson is an IBM i developer focused on bridging traditional business systems with modern technologies. He works with RPG, SQL, and IBM i development tools to deliver practical, modern solutions on the platform. Jacob is passionate about integration, modernization, and making... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony M-N

9:15am CDT

Getting Started with SQL Functions and Procedures
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
SQL includes a full-fledged programming language, SQL PL. Come learn about the programming constructs, including error handling, that this language contains. You will leave with all the knowledge you need to start writing your own SQL functions and procedures.

Learning Objectives:

`- Understand the difference between SQL procedures, scalar functions, and table functions. - Become familiar with the SQL statements used for writing SQL routine logic.
Speakers
avatar for Ryan Moeller

Ryan Moeller

Software Engineer, IBM
Ryan Moeller is a software engineer working on Db2 for i, specifically on the SQL Query Engine (SQE) team. He joined the team in the Rochester, MN development lab in 2020. Ryan specializes in SQL, database development, and query performance analysis.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Studio 7-8

9:15am CDT

The Technology Has Arrived. Is Your Organization Ready?
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
The numbers are in — and they tell a story most AI vendors don't want you to hear.
 
79% of enterprises are experimenting with AI. Only 8.6% have made it to production. 94% have adopted AI tools, but fewer than half have the governance frameworks to support them. 72% have scaled pilots — but only 33% have governed what they scaled. And after everything, only 6% can point to measurable EBIT impact.
 
And the pace isn't slowing. The CEO of the lab most associated with measured, conservative AI claims is now describing the rate of change as a civilizational tsunami — one most organizations haven't recognized yet. The window to close the readiness gap is not a planning horizon. It's a competitive one. AI-native companies aren't waiting for organizational alignment — they're likely already in your market, and they're building on day one what it took your organization a decade to construct.
 
The IBM i community has always known how to build systems that last. The platform didn't fail. But technology that arrives without organizational readiness doesn't transform — it accumulates. And when Naval Ravikant publicly declares software "uninvestable," he's not making a valuation call. He's pointing at the only layer that still holds durable value: governance, trust, and the organizational infrastructure to deploy at scale.
 
This session is a practitioner's account of what actually happens when you run a technology transformation and an organizational transformation in tandem — not sequentially, not siloed, not hoping the tech carries the org when it's finally ready.
 
This session will explore what transformation actually looks like at both layers — the technology and the organization — and why the sequence and structure of that work matters more than the tools you choose.
 
The organizations that close the gap first won't be the ones with the best technology. They'll be the ones who understood what the technology was actually asking of them.

Speakers
avatar for Reggie Britt

Reggie Britt

CTO, American First Finance
30+ years on various Midrange platforms from IBM S/36 through the current IBM i platform.  My primary focus has been developing Fintech software solutions in Banking, Consumer Finance and BNPL.  I have been involved in all aspects of IT including Full Stack Development, DevOps... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Studio 1-2

9:15am CDT

DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLES AND HOW TO TEST THEM
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
As businesses modernize there are multiple types of software requiring support. We will discuss the types of software lifecycles all needing different testing. Specifically covered are the development types V-model, Waterfall model, and Iterative model. From there we will talk about component, integration, system, and acceptance testing and where and how to use each.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the various software development lifecycles. Understand test types. Design and implement structured test levels
Speakers
avatar for Yvonne Enselman

Yvonne Enselman

Owner, Yvonne Enselman Professional Services
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony K

9:15am CDT

Meet Bob - Your New AI Software Development Partner
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Join me in exploring Project Bob, a new AI-powered software development partner. We’ll look at how Bob supports the entire software development cycle through intelligent modes, tools, commands, and workflows that understand your code, intent, and standards. We’ll also dive into practical demos for IBM i developers, showcasing how Bob can explain, understand, refactor, transform, and test even monolithic or legacy codebases.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore what Bob is and how to use it • See how Bob understands your code, intent, and standards • Explore practical examples of using Bob as an IBM i developer • Learn how Bob excels at modernizing legacy codebases
Speakers
avatar for Sanjula Ganepola

Sanjula Ganepola

Software Developer - IBM i App Dev & AI Toolchain, IBM
Sanjula Ganepola is a Software Developer at IBM working on IBM i application development tools. As an open-source advocate, he is an active contributor and maintainer of several Visual Studio Code extensions including IBM i Project Explorer, Code for IBM i, IBM i Testing, Source Orbit... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Galerie 3

9:15am CDT

Handling JSON with DATA-INTO and DATA-GEN in ILE RPG
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Two of the most significant features added to ILE RPG recently are the DATA-INTO and DATA-GEN opcodes. The most common use case is to read and/or create JSON files. Since JSON has become crucial to IBM i businesses, these are must-know features!

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn the basics of the JSON format. 2. Learn about DATA-INTO and how to use it. 3. Learn about DATA-GEN and how to use it.
Speakers
avatar for Scott Klement

Scott Klement

Managing Partner, ORC LLC
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Galerie 4

9:15am CDT

Securing Your System Without Destroying Your Business
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
The potential to break a critical process when changing your security configuration is real. But with the proper investigation and analysis, security changes can occur without disrupting your business. During this session Steve Riedmueller and Carol Woodbury will provide the methods they use to investigate a system prior to making changes. Their goal is to give you the confidence to make system value, user profile and object authority changes with confidence and without fear of breakage.

Learning Objectives:

Learn: - how to effectively communicate the need to make security changes. - which configuration changes can be made without a huge project - how and when to use the audit journal to perform analysis - about authority collection analysis
Speakers
avatar for Steve Riedmueller

Steve Riedmueller

Director of Security Services, Kisco
avatar for Carol Woodbury

Carol Woodbury

IBM i Security SME and Senior Advisor, Kisco
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Galerie 6

9:15am CDT

Wizardry & Security: Using Navigator for i to Manage TLS and Certificates
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
In today’s evolving threat landscape, securing your IBM i environment is no longer optional—it’s essential. Unencrypted sessions invite credential theft and often violate compliance standards. This session will guide you through practical, step-by-step strategies to secure your IBM i using TLS encryption, with a special focus on the powerful capabilities of Navigator for i. We’ll also explore the latest administrative enhancements in Navigator for i, including new wizards and interfaces that simplify day-to-day tasks and help you lock down your system with confidence. Bonus: See how to use the Navigator TLS Wizard to lock down non-secure host servers in IBM i 7.6. Whether your goal is compliance, modernization, or simply better security hygiene, this session will equip you with the tools and knowledge to do it right. Learning objectives: ⚙️ Configure TLS across IBM i servers to protect data in transit. ️Update Access Client Solutions (ACS) configurations to be secure. ➕ Create and manage digital certificates, including using IBM i as a Certificate Authority (CA) or integrating with trusted third-party CAs. Secure Navigator for i using self-signed certificates to ensure your administrative interfaces are protected.

Learning Objectives:

⚙️ Configure TLS across IBM i servers to protect data in transit. ️Update Access Client Solutions (ACS) configurations to be secure. ➕ Create and manage digital certificates, including using IBM i as a Certificate Authority (CA) or integrating with trusted third-party CAs. Secure Navigator for i using self-signed certificates to ensure your administrative interfaces are protected.
Speakers
avatar for Ann Wilkerson

Ann Wilkerson

Software Developer, IBM
Ann Wilkerson is a lead user interface developer in IBM i. She joined the Rochester lab in 2021 and has since worked on Navigator, IBM i Services, and IBM i Migrate While Active. Her focus areas include security, networking, and the IFS.
avatar for Amy Williams

Amy Williams

Principal Security Consultant, Fortra LLC
Amy Williams is a Principal Security Services Consultant at Fortra, where she has worked since 2015. She holds CISSP, CISA, and PCI-P certifications and has nearly 30 years of experience on the IBM i platform across system administration, architecture, and application security in... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Galerie 5

9:15am CDT

BRMS Beyond the Basics
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
This session will discuss some of the advanced topics in using BRMS for your back up and recovery. Featured topics will be tape and library management, BRMS Networking, control group and list controls, BRMS Policies and how they affect the overall operation of BRMS, and using SQL to manage BRMS. Recovering from a BRMS back up can be extremely easy, but it can also present some opportunities for trouble. This session will discuss some of the landmines in a BRMS recovery and how to avoid them. Both BR2 GUI and BR1 controls will be demonstrated.

Learning Objectives:

1. Ultilize control groups and lists to fully customize BRMS backups 2. Set up and manage BRMS Networking 3. Learn how to make a BRMS recovery simple and as easy as possible 4. Using SQL services to manage BRMS and reports
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Jacob

Sarah Jacob

VP of Customer Experience, Agile Technology Architects
Sarah Jacob is the Vice President of Customer Experience at Agile Technology Architects. She is a Subject Matter Expert in Power Systems Administration and a volunteer for COMMON. Sarah specializes in Backup and Recovery planning and recovery testing. Additionally, she acts as primary... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony L

9:15am CDT

The IBM i Benefits of “Instant Disk Copy” and the Differences Between ‘FlashCopy’ and ‘Snapshots’ External Storage Features Explained
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
All IBM external storage units can perform “instant copy” of all the disks of your IBM i LPAR.
Historically made using the ‘FlashCopy’ technology, these “instant copies” are now possible with a new method called ‘Snapshot’ or ‘Policy based FlashCopy’.
Discover the differences and how to use those two technologies to simplify and secure operations on your IBM i partitions:
  • To create easily manually a copy of your prod to test a change on it (or create a backup copy before a version change)
  • To perform daily several planned “instant copy” to create regular protection against ransomware or data corruption
  • To reduce, using IBM i commands, the backup window to less than 2 minutes
  • To refresh nearly instantly your test/acceptance/preprod environment
 
See how to use and automate this capability with the powerful product “Flash for i

Speakers
avatar for Pascal Ruckebusch

Pascal Ruckebusch

Président, Technical Director, M81
Pascal Ruckebusch adopted IBM i at the exact beginning of AS/400, three decades ago, and never left it … Pascal's experience on IBM i covers system and application development, training and operations. Twice CTO of 2 major IBM business partners in France, his technical skills and... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Galerie 1

9:15am CDT

Understanding Various Parts of the Save Process
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Understand the different ways to save your system, such as using BRMS, Flashcopy, or traditional native commands. Along the way, tips will be given on best practices and ensuring you have what it takes to recover. Your recovery is only as good as your backup, lets make sure you are backing up the right stuff.

Learning Objectives:

1) The various Save commands 2) Restricted state and your console 3) What makes up a full System Save 4) Tape libraries pros and cons. 5) What is Flashcopy and what are its requirements.
Speakers
avatar for Pete Massiello

Pete Massiello

IBM i Advisor, Massiello Holding Corp.
Pete Massiello has been working with the AS/400, iSeries, IBM i since 1989, focusing on systems management and technical support. He has held numerous technical positions through out his career. He is the President of iTech Solutions Group, an IBM Premier Business Partner delivering... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony I-J

9:15am CDT

IBM i: The First Agentic Native Operating System
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
While the tech industry races to retrofit systems for AI agents, IBM i has been quietly agent-ready for decades. This session uncovers how IBM i's core design principles, established long before the AI revolution, make it remarkably well-suited for today's agentic workloads. We'll explore IBM i's integrated database architecture, object-based security model, and unified storage architecture, demonstrating why these aren't just legacy features but the exact characteristics modern AI agents require. You'll discover how IBM i's design philosophy of "everything is an object" maps perfectly to how AI agents need to understand and interact with enterprise systems, and why the platform's stability, rich SQL services, and programmatic interfaces make it the ideal foundation for autonomous AI workflows. By the end of this session, you'll see IBM i through a new lens—not as a system that needs to catch up to AI, but as a platform that was architected for intelligent automation from the start.

Learning Objectives:

Understand how IBM i's integrated database architecture (Db2 for i) eliminates the middleware complexity that hampers AI agent deployments on other platforms, and why tight database-OS integration accelerates agent decision-making and reduces operational overhead. Analyze the object-based security model and single-level storage architecture of IBM i, recognizing how these design patterns provide AI agents with consistent, granular access control and unified object addressing that modern containerized systems struggle to replicate. Identify the key metadata and introspection capabilities built into IBM i (including QSYS2 services, system APIs, and object attributes) that enable AI agents to autonomously discover, understand, and interact with system resources without requiring external documentation or configuration files. Evaluate the strategic advantages of deploying AI agents on IBM i compared to cloud-native or traditional Unix/Linux platforms, considering factors such as system stability, API consistency, security boundaries, and the elimination of infrastructure sprawl. Recognize practical use cases where IBM i's agentic-native architecture delivers immediate business value, including automated system monitoring, intelligent database optimization, security remediation workflows, and autonomous operational tasks that leverage the platform's comprehensive SQL services and system interfaces.
Speakers
avatar for Adam Shedivy

Adam Shedivy

Software Developer, IBM
Adam is a software Developer working on Agentic AI solutions for IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Galerie 2

9:15am CDT

Modernizing IBMi Applications - From Monolith to Future-Ready
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
According to Fortra Survey 2026, IBM i Skills & Modernizing Applications figure in “Top 3” concerns of IBM i shops. In this session, we explore a framework to help customers modernize their core IBM i applications in-place leveraging their existing IBM i infrastructure & engineers. 
Start with an IBM i monolithic application written in fixed RPG with display files for menus and Db2 as the datastore. Explore how to transform it into a modern & future-ready IBM i application with techniques such as Code Transformation, AI-powered Unit Test generation, DevOps Integration, UX & UI Modernization and Integration with modern applications.

Learning Objectives:
Understand the challenges associated with IBM i monolithic applications while appreciating the robustness and decades of proven performance of the IBM i platform itself. Explore techniques to modernize the applications in-place on the IBM i platform.
Speakers
avatar for Kuldip Vikram

Kuldip Vikram

Senior Technical Staff Member, Architecture & Technology, Rocket Software
Kuldip is a Senior Technical Staff Member at Rocket Software responsible for modernizing IBMi applications/workloads and their development through a combination of Generative AI and pure/hybrid cloud deployments. He has a rich and diverse experience architecting, designing, developing... Read More →
avatar for Andrew Clark

Andrew Clark

Andrew Clark is the Senior Principal Software Engineer for IBM i at Rocket Software.  Andrew has over 35 years of experience on IBM i beginning with the "secret Mankato Project" on a pre-release version of OS/400, and an internship at IBM Rochester working on the Query team.  He... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Studio 9-10

10:15am CDT

Coffee Break
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT

Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:15am - 10:45am CDT
Grand Ballroom

10:45am CDT

Code to Clarity: AI You Can Trust in Production
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
AI for IBM i is everywhere - AI you can trust in production is rare. IBM i teams don’t struggle because they can’t run analyzers or generate diagrams; they struggle because critical logic is scattered across code, data, and workflows - and “best‑guess” answers create validation loops, rework, and surprise blockers. This becomes even more visible as teams start introducing AI-generated code: without shared context and evidence, speed quickly turns into uncertainty. In this session, we’ll share a practical framework for trustworthy AI outcomes on long‑running systems - grounding, completeness, and traceability - and how to apply it without refactoring or disrupting existing workflows. We’ll also show how teams can use system-level understanding to validate and preserve knowledge as new (human- or AI-generated) changes enter production. The session closes with a live walkthrough of real IBM i questions to show what “good answers” look like in practice.
Speakers
JS

Josef Schiefer

Product Lead
RM

Robert Moratti

VP Sales North America

Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Galerie 5

10:45am CDT

Revving up SQL Performance with Indexes
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
One of the most important things needed to improve SQL performance is to have the proper indexing over tables, especially as table grow in size. Indexes are so important that the database provides index advice for assistance. However, advice is no substitute for knowledge and proper understanding of indexes. As with all advice, it must be reviewed and good judgment applied on when to create them.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn about the importance of indexes on SQL performance 2. Learn how to use ACS tools to process Db2 Index Advice  3. Learn a methodology for identifying and ordering the key definition for new indexes.
Speakers
avatar for Kent Milligan

Kent Milligan

Senior Db2 for i Consultant, IBM
Kent Milligan is a Senior Db2 for i Consultant in IBM Technology Expert Labs. Kent has over 25 years of experience as a Db2 for IBM i consultant and developer working out of the IBM Rochester lab. Prior to re-joining the Db2 for i Expert Labs practice in 2020, Kent spent 5 years... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Studio 3-4

10:45am CDT

Modern CL Programming
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
IBM Made a huge number of enhancements to the CL language starting with V5R3 through i 7.1. WHile the changes slowed after that most CL programmers ignore all these changes and continue to write unreadable code with gotos and tags. Come to get a detailed look at examples of the new functions including DOFOR, DOWHILE, DOUNTIL and SELECT, and how they allow programming CL in a much more structured format, and allow you to banish goto to the bit-bucket. Learn about the many new process flow options and variable types in the CL language such as integer, signed integer, and pointer variables and how to use them. Get tips on how to simplify the compiling of CL programs and command objects. Find out how to provide direct feedback to IBM on your needs for the CL language -- they want to know if these changes are helping you and what to enhance next.

Learning Objectives:

Learn what IBM has added to the CL language since your learned it Learn how to leverage some of these enhancements to better access user spaces and APIs Learn what IBM has added to Command objects in recent releases.
Speakers
avatar for Larry Bolhuis

Larry Bolhuis

Principal IBM Power Systems Architect, Service Express
Larry has grown up with computers since his father became a CE in 1967. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Calvin College in 1982.After 2 years working with early PCs and servers her began working on IBM midrange equipment with the S/34 and S/36 He moved to AS/400 at its introduction In 1988. Early in his career he was a developer, then migrated to networking, system design, upgrades and general systems... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony I-J

10:45am CDT

Secure Coding on IBM i: Fortify Your Applications Against Real-World Threats
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Even well-designed IBM i applications can harbor hidden vulnerabilities. This session, built for developers working in ILE languages such as RPG, C, CL, and related languages, dives into the security nuances often overlooked during development. Through real-world examples drawn from sample applications, we’ll identify and correct issues involving object authority, adopted authority, and library list exposure. You will learn how these weaknesses arise, why they matter, and how to apply practical coding techniques to eliminate them. By the end of this session, you will have a clear roadmap to writing more secure IBM i software that is ready to withstand the threats in the wild.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the basics of IBM i object based security 2. Learn the basics of creating more secure software on IBM i
Speakers
avatar for Brian Nordland

Brian Nordland

Director of Development, Fortra
Brian Nordland is the Director of Development for IBM Power Development at Fortra. Brian has been a prominent speaker at events, webinars, and user groups, including COMMON and LUG for over a decade. He is a co-inventor on multiple patents and has authored technical publications in... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony L

10:45am CDT

DR Planning Yearly Checkup - Ensure your DR Plan Works in the Era of Cloud
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
You have a disaster recovery plan? Are you really prepared? We are now in the Cloud ! How does this affect my DR Plan going forward ? The difference in surviving depends on how well you prepare for the unexpected. This session breaks down the components of disaster recovery planning as it relates to the availability and recovery of your systems. Testing is essential to examining critical points of failure, assumptions, and technical gaps.

Learning Objectives:

1. Evaluate the effectiveness of your current disaster recovery plan in hybrid and cloud environments. 2. Identify critical dependencies, assumptions, and failure points in IBM i DR testing. 3. Develop a repeatable annual DR validation process to ensure readiness and business continuity.
Speakers
avatar for Richard Dolewski

Richard Dolewski

VP, Hybrid Enterprise Solutions, Lightedge
avatar for Josh Patterson

Josh Patterson

Sr. Solutions Architect, Lightedge
Josh is a Senior Solutions Architect and IBM Champion at Lightedge, focused on modernizing enterprise cloud solutions for IBM Power platforms.  Subject matter expertise in designing resilient, cost-effective hybrid-cloud strategies and high-availability architectures that align technology... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Studio 9-10

10:45am CDT

A primer for business professionals on Information and Cyber Security (a.k.a “Crash course on security from a security nerd”)
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
A primer for business professionals on Information and Cyber Security (a.k.a “a crash course on security from a security nerd”) This hour session is intended as a fast-paced background primer for the business or IT profession who wants to understand the big picture of “security” (everything outside the IBM i server). Terms, roles and why it’s important to the businesses to understand and address on an ongoing basis. Definitions of “information” and “cyber” security Explanation of threats. External attackers and Internal threats. (Threats are constantly evolving. Addressing them is never “once and done.”) Definition of security roles: CISO, Security Analyst, Incident Response Analysts, Security compliance auditor, security reviewer, Network Engineer, Firewall engineer and help desk. Vectors of attack - phishing (general), phishing (specific or “spear phishing”) and their respective probabilities BEC (Business Email Compromise) SOC reports - what are they? What is a SIEM? Why is it important? Supply chain - being on the receiving end of security reviews as well as assessing your suppliers security Security tools - firewalls, EDR (End point Detection and Response), email filtering, SIEM, DNS protection, name server for Domain, Active Directory, Access Controls Identity Access Management - User IDs for everything, passwords, Single Sign-On Compliance vs. Security (“check the box” vs. a program of continuous improvement) Table top exercises - what they are and why they are important Physical security - don’t forget this detail. Why hack the organization if all you need to do is to steal a backup tape? Recommendation - Develop a program of continuous improvement (Work to keep ahead of the bad guys - or at least not be low hanging fruit)

Learning Objectives:

Provide a big picture understanding for the IT or business professional on the security topic. Help them communicate with and understand us “Security Nerds.”
Speakers
avatar for Robert Nettgen

Robert Nettgen

Senior Consultant, Briteskies
Robert Nettgen wanted a career in radio broadcasting, but saw that profession declining and found better pay working in IT.  A PC developer in the ‘80’s, Rob started administering AS/400s in the early ‘90s for a Radio/TV group owner.  In 1999 Rob accepted a job as IT director... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Galerie 4

10:45am CDT

How to Think Like a Tester
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Unit testing is one of the most valuable skills developers can have but, not all developers can unit test properly. Its a learned skill and a paradigm shift. This session will go over Unit testing, development practices and thought processes in relation to unit testing and finally how to break apart your code and unit test it!

Learning Objectives:

Develop the paradigm shift that will allow you to start thinking like a tester Understand what Unit testing is How you can start unit testing today.
Speakers
avatar for Marina Schwenk

Marina Schwenk

Senior Programmer/Analyst IBM i Admin, Innovative Software Solutions

Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony K

10:45am CDT

Let's Build an RPG Service Program
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Service programs have been around for quite some time. Perhaps you’ve even bumped into one in your professional travels. You will certainly find them on the road to application modernization. This session focuses on what they are, how to implement them and making them a regularly used asset during your application development. In this session we will discuss service programs, program signatures and using binder language.

Learning Objectives:

We will go step by step to the creation of an RPG service program.
Speakers
avatar for Charles Guarino

Charles Guarino

CEO & IBM Champion, Central Park Data Systems
Charles Guarino believes in the “power” of IBM Power Systems. His career reflects his dedication and interest in bringing the platform and its solutions to others and as a result has been recognized as an IBM Champion.

He is a member of COMMON’s Speaker Excellence Hall of Fame and a proud recipient of the Al Barsa Memorial Scholarship Award. Additionally, he participates on COMMON’s Strategic Education Team. Other professional endeavors have included the roles of President and monthly Q&A host... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Studio 1-2

10:45am CDT

Case Study on Subsystem Configuration for HTTP Server instances and QSQSRVR Server Jobs
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
As applications are modernized, it is common to move from green screen interfaces to browser-based applications. In many cases, the associated HTTP server runs on the IBM i in the QHTTPSVR subsystem. These web applications access the database, perhaps directly, but also by using SQL CLI, which results in the database access running in an QSQSRVR jobs in the QSYSWRK subsystem. As environments become more complex, one may see several web instances using a large number of QSQSRVR jobs. This default configuration can make it difficult to understand system resources used by the application, as well as related challenges in troubleshooting problems. This session is a case study of using subsystems to isolate web applications to their own subsystem; the HTTP server instance and related QSQSRVR jobs running in the same subsystem.

Learning Objectives:

In this session you will learn how to: - Configure HTTP instances to run in their own subsystem - Set up the system so QSQSRVR jobs run in the subsystem of the requester - How to use the Performance Data Investigator to review performance by subsystem after the configuration changes are made
Speakers
avatar for Dawn May

Dawn May

Owner, Dawn May Consulting, LLC
Dawn has been involved with COMMON for over 20 years and has been a consistent volunteer since 2008. She's been a member of the strategic education team, a subject matter expert, and a speaker. As Immediate Past President of COMMON, she's focused on leading COMMON as the industry... Read More →
avatar for Matthew Neill

Matthew Neill

DB2 for i Database Engineer, Guild Mortgage
35+ years across IBM i application development, database engineering, modernization, and application integrations.
Expertise in Db2 for i SQL, SQL/PL, Modern ILE RPG AppDev, Service Programs, and IBM iDoctor performance tuning.
Enjoys mentoring teams, teaching modernization pra... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Galerie 1

10:45am CDT

Compliance and Security on i - Automation is the Key
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
 As digital threats evolve and regulatory pressures intensify, organizations running IBM i must adopt proactive, real-time strategies to safeguard their systems and ensure compliance. This session explores the cutting-edge technologies and practical techniques that enable continuous cybersecurity monitoring and enforcement on IBM i platforms.
Attendees will gain actionable insights into building a resilient IBM i security posture, reducing audit fatigue, and aligning IT operations with business risk management goals. Whether you're a security architect, compliance officer, or IBM i administrator, this session will equip you with the knowledge to modernize your approach to cybersecurity and compliance.

Learning Objectives: We'll dive into:
- Real-time threat detection and response using native IBM i capabilities and integrated endpoint protection solutions.
- Automated compliance enforcement and drift checking, aligned with frameworks like CIS and PCIv4.
- Visibility and accountability in support of internal or external auditing.
- Integration of authentication options such as Single Sign On (SSO) with corporate identity providers.
- Modern tooling such as the IBM PowerSC product to help enable automation, monitoring, and integration.
Speakers
avatar for Tim Hill

Tim Hill

Distinguished Engineer, Rocket Software
Tim Hill is a Distinguished Engineer and VP of Engineering at Rocket Software.  He’s responsible for security, cloud, and AI/ML products on Power and Z.  Technology areas of personal focus include model-based reasoning, deep learning, complex event correlation, network management... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Studio 7-8

10:45am CDT

Hidden Gems of IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Every few months the IBM i development team delivers new updates and features across the operating system. Keeping track and actually using these changes can be a difficult task at best. This session is the favorite new enhancements from a team of IBM i developers. You get to hear each of our favorite updates to the OS that have been delivered over the past bit. This session is new every time, often lots of fun and for sure there is something for everyone.

Learning Objectives:

Learn about the many new features of IBM i
Speakers
avatar for Ryan Moeller

Ryan Moeller

Software Engineer, IBM
Ryan Moeller is a software engineer working on Db2 for i, specifically on the SQL Query Engine (SQE) team. He joined the team in the Rochester, MN development lab in 2020. Ryan specializes in SQL, database development, and query performance analysis.
avatar for Justin Nelson

Justin Nelson

Advisory Software Engineer, IBM
Justin Nelson is a software developer within IBM i development. He has worked on the IBM i since joining IBM in 2015. He is a member of the integrated file system & servers (IFS) team and specializes in the Network Client File System (QNTC), host servers, and Network Authentication... Read More →
avatar for Scott Forstie

Scott Forstie

Senior Technical Staff Member, IBM
Scott Forstie is a Senior Technical Staff Member within IBM i development and spends most of his time working as the Db2 for i Architect. He has worked on IBM operating system development since joining IBM in 1989.
Scott is a frequently published author, speaker at industry events... Read More →
avatar for Ann Wilkerson

Ann Wilkerson

Software Developer, IBM
Ann Wilkerson is a lead user interface developer in IBM i. She joined the Rochester lab in 2021 and has since worked on Navigator, IBM i Services, and IBM i Migrate While Active. Her focus areas include security, networking, and the IFS.
avatar for Sanjula Ganepola

Sanjula Ganepola

Software Developer - IBM i App Dev & AI Toolchain, IBM
Sanjula Ganepola is a Software Developer at IBM working on IBM i application development tools. As an open-source advocate, he is an active contributor and maintainer of several Visual Studio Code extensions including IBM i Project Explorer, Code for IBM i, IBM i Testing, Source Orbit... Read More →
avatar for Tim Rowe

Tim Rowe

STSM - IBM i Business Architect, IBM USA
Tim Rowe is a Senior Technical Staff Member within IBM i development and spends most of his time working as the Architect for Application Development and Systems Management. He has been working on the IBM i operating system since 1989. Tim is a frequent author, industry speaker and... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony M-N

10:45am CDT

AI and Merge Conflicts in Git for RPG
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
AI has finally progressed to the point where it can be a useful tool for maaaging merge conflicts. Let's take a look at popular options and see how they can be used for the RPG language. What works and what doesn't? Ho can I optimize what's available for the best results? We will use real world examples and the currently available tooling to look at the options we have for dealing with the biggest headache in using Git. We will also talk briefly about best practice of managing branches to mitigate the impact of merge conflicts.

Learning Objectives:

Become knowledgeable about the current options in optimizing the use of Git and branch management
Speakers
avatar for Jeffrey Tickner

Jeffrey Tickner

Consultant, ARCAD Software
Jeff Tickner has worked in Change Management on the IBM I for 27 years at different companies. He  has long experience with all kinds Source Control and Change Management packages from SourceSafe to Subversion and of course, Git. Jeff currently works for ARCAD Software, an international... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Galerie 2

10:45am CDT

Power Processor Roadmap: Power11, Memory Architecture, Enterprise AI, and Chiplets
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
In this talk, Power Processor Chief Architect, William Starke, will describe the Power11 processor and the value drivers in the Power11 stack, including its advanced packaging technology, innovative memory architecture, and expanded AI strategy. Looking beyond Power11, he will provide details on the strength of Power’s emerging chiplet-based architecture, with comparisons to industry chiplet architectures.

Learning Objectives:

Gain insight into the Power hardware platform and its differentiated capabilities
Speakers
avatar for Bill Starke

Bill Starke

Power Processor Chief Architect, IBM
William Starke is an IBM Distinguished Engineer and Chief Architect for Power microprocessors. Since graduating from Michigan Tech University, Bill has been employed by IBM for over 30 years in several roles, spanning mainframe and Power systems performance analysis, logic design... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Galerie 6

10:45am CDT

Best Practice Design Principles for Browser-Based UIs on IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Most seasoned RPG developers have mastered the principles behind 5250-based (green screen) display files, deftly incorporating function keys, multi-line folding subfiles, overlaying windows and creative field abbreviations into text-based interfaces. But today's users — particularly younger ones — tend to demand more intuitive, browser-based interfaces to get their work done. To be effective with web-based applications on IBM i, we developers must apply substantially different design philosophies from what we'd become accustomed to in the green screen world.

This mostly non-technical session is focused on the art and science of designing effective web page layouts for business-centric applications, leveraging modern UI components like drop-downs, auto-complete, scrolling, accordion layouts, pop-ups, etc. We'll explore what makes an application visually appealing and user-friendly, with a discussion of web design best practices. We'll touch on the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle and "less is more" philosophy, ensuring your next generation of IBM i applications are both functional and engaging for your users.

Learning Objectives:

* Gain awareness of modern UI components, such as drop-down menus, auto-complete fields, vertical/horizontal scrolling, accordion layouts, pop-up elements, etc., and their roles in enhancing the user experience
* Learn page layout and wire framing strategies to help transition from 5250 green screens to clean, intuitive, browser-based designs
* Understand web design best practices, prioritizing clarity, consistency, and accessibility in your application interfaces
* Appreciate the benefits of applying a "less is more" philosophy to eliminate clutter, focus on essential elements, and create elegant & efficient screen layouts
Speakers
avatar for Robert Swanson

Robert Swanson

Senior Partner, CNX
Rob has worked as an in-the-trenches IBM i developer since 1992, with the past 15 years focused on developing modernization efforts for legacy systems written in RPG. Currently serving as Senior Partner for CNX Corporation in Chicago, Rob is a strong advocate of introducing highly... Read More →
avatar for Richard Milone

Richard Milone

Managing Partner, CNX
Richard Milone has worked as an application developer on the IBM i platform and its predecessors of various names for over 25 years. Richard served as Director of IT for Packaging Resources until co-founding CNX Corporation in Chicago in 1996, where his initial focus was on ERP enhancements... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Galerie 3

11:45am CDT

Expo Open with Lunch
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:45am - 1:45pm CDT
We’re bringing a full pickleball court right to the Expo floor! The court will be available throughout the conference - even outside of official Expo hours. Whether you’re a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time, come rally with fellow attendees. Watch social media and your inbox for details on joining the tournament bracket and competing head-to-head!

Lunch will be served from 12PM-1PM.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:45am - 1:45pm CDT
Grand Ballroom

11:50am CDT

Partner Solution Corner inside Expo
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:50am - 1:45pm CDT
Get the most up to date tools to maximize your systems.  Vendor Partner experts will be presenting 15 min Solution Sessions during mid-day and evening expo hours.  The Partner Solutions Corner is across from booth 111 and the daily schedule will be in your daily morning email.  Get all of your questions answered by knowledge leaders in POWER.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 11:50am - 1:45pm CDT
Partner Solution Corner in Grand Ballroom

1:45pm CDT

Keynote: From Core to Catalyst: How IBM i Teams Can Lead the Next Wave of AI-Ready Modernization
Tuesday April 28, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
IBM i has been the backbone of enterprise stability, but shifting expectations now demand more. IT modernization has become a strategic priority, driving efficiency, innovation, and enhanced customer experiences. In the next two years, 25–30% of IT budgets will focus on AI readiness, cybersecurity, automation, and data optimization. For IBM i teams, this is both a challenge and an opportunity to turn barriers like legacy complexity and siloed data into catalysts for growth and innovation.


In this keynote, Rashmi Agrawal, VP of Engineering at Rocket Software, will reframe IBM i not as a legacy constraint but as a strategic advantage. With the right modernization roadmap—spanning applications, data, infrastructure, and security—IBM i teams can accelerate digital transformation, enable AI initiatives, and deliver measurable business outcomes that resonate with the C-suite.


In this session, you’ll discover:
  • How AI enhances human-driven decision-making in workload modernization. With 54% of enterprises expecting AI-assisted migration and optimization, IBM i teams can leverage AI to augment—not replace—human expertise.
  • Why modernization maturity drives business performance. Modernization leaders report significantly higher gains in efficiency, innovation, and customer satisfaction, proving the direct correlation between IT transformation and business success.
  • What RPG, COBOL, and CL developers need to prepare for. From data quality and integration to AI-augmented coding and secure-by-design practices, developers must evolve their skills to meet new demands. AI-assisted development, testing, and infrastructure readiness will be critical.
  • How technical leaders can overcome modernization blockers. Learn strategies to address data silos, compliance complexity, and talent gaps while preserving the resilience and reliability that make IBM i indispensable.
  • Join us to discover how to transform your IBM i environment into an AI-ready, modernization-driven foundation for the next decade of innovation.

Speakers
avatar for Jeroen van Dun

Jeroen van Dun

IBM Champion & Product Manager, Rocket Software
avatar for Rashmi Agrawal

Rashmi Agrawal

Vice President – Engineering, App Mod Vice President – Engineering, App Mod, Rocket Software
Rashmi is a highly accomplished Global R&D leader with 26 years of experience driving product innovation and execution at enterprise-grade companies like IBM, Dell/EMC, and Rocket Software. Her expertise spans a wide range of products, including datacenter, cloud, AI, storage, developer... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT
Mardi Gras Ballroom

2:45pm CDT

Coffee Break
Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm CDT

Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm CDT
Grand Ballroom

3:15pm CDT

Beyond the Copilot: How Agentic Coding Automates Your Engineering Workflow
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Most AI coding tools make you faster at writing code. CoderFlow does something different: it finishes the work — and it keeps working while you don't. In this webinar, we will walk through how CoderFlow, Profound Logic's enterprise agentic coding platform, executes the full engineering workflow autonomously. From compiling and testing to fixing failures and iterating until acceptance criteria are met, CoderFlow delivers verified, ready-to-commit outcomes instead of suggestions that still require you to drive every step.

Unlike copilot-style tools that pause and wait for your next prompt, CoderFlow runs continuously in the background — tackling queued tasks, resolving issues, and closing tickets without requiring a developer in the loop at every stage. Think of it less like a coding assistant and more like a tireless team member that works in parallel with your existing engineers, around the clock.

We will cover how autonomous agents work inside isolated containers, how the build-test-fix loop actually runs, and what work automation looks like in practice — including how teams are restructuring their sprint workflows, reducing toil, and reallocating engineering time to higher-value problems.

If you have been exploring AI coding tools and wondering whether there is something more capable for complex, real-world systems — or if you are ready to move from AI-assisted development to AI-automated delivery — this session is for you.

Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the difference between AI assistance and AI automation — Learn how agentic coding platforms like CoderFlow move beyond suggestion-based copilots to autonomously complete end-to-end engineering tasks.
  • See the build-test-fix loop in action — Discover how CoderFlow runs inside isolated containers, iterates on failures, and delivers verified, commit-ready code without manual intervention at each step.
  • Explore real-world workflow transformation — Learn how engineering teams are restructuring sprints, reducing repetitive toil, and shifting developer focus from debugging AI output to reviewing completed work.
  • Assess the impact on team capacity and throughput — Understand how running autonomous agents in parallel with your existing team can increase delivery speed without proportionally increasing headcount.
  • Identify where agentic automation fits in your stack — Leave with a practical framework for evaluating whether CoderFlow is the right fit for your organization's complexity, systems, and engineering goals.

Speakers
avatar for Gary Jones

Gary Jones

Futurization Strategist, Profound Logic
Gary Jones believes in the transformative potential of the IBM i platform — not just as a legacy asset, but as a modern foundation for AI-driven business innovation. His career has been dedicated to helping IBM i shops move forward without leaving behind what makes the platform... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Galerie 1

3:15pm CDT

IBM Bob: A Day in the Life of an IBM I Developer
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Ann and Ryan are both developers in the IBM i development lab. They both have access to IBM Bob and have been exploring ways to leverage AI development assistance as a part of their daily development activities. Ann and Ryan will share areas of success and even things that did not work well. This session is intended to help you gain insight into how IBM Bob can be a valuable development partner.

Speakers
avatar for Ryan Moeller

Ryan Moeller

Software Engineer, IBM
Ryan Moeller is a software engineer working on Db2 for i, specifically on the SQL Query Engine (SQE) team. He joined the team in the Rochester, MN development lab in 2020. Ryan specializes in SQL, database development, and query performance analysis.
avatar for Ann Wilkerson

Ann Wilkerson

Software Developer, IBM
Ann Wilkerson is a lead user interface developer in IBM i. She joined the Rochester lab in 2021 and has since worked on Navigator, IBM i Services, and IBM i Migrate While Active. Her focus areas include security, networking, and the IFS.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Galerie 5

3:15pm CDT

Client Server Communications in a Modern Secure World
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Host Servers are the servers you likely use, but don’t notice. They offer functionality that ranges from remotely running commands to managing data queues. Attend this presentation to learn about these important servers on your IBM i and how your application and workflows are likely utilizing them. Included in the presentation is the newest host server that enables Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for remote services and how to configure the host servers using the new Configure Host Server (CFGHOSTSVR) command.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what the host servers are and what each one does. • Understand what the host connection server does and how it enables MFA. • Understand what the CFGHOSTSVR command does and how it works. • See how the host servers work from applications like Access Client Solutions (ACS) and others.
Speakers
avatar for Wayne Bowers

Wayne Bowers

IBM i Global Support, IBM
Wayne Bowers has been with IBM since 1997, where he works with the IBM i Global Support Center in Rochester MN. He is an Advisory Software Engineer specializing in the support of the IBM i Access (aka Client Access) products, Console, the TCP Telnet communications server, and the... Read More →
avatar for Justin Nelson

Justin Nelson

Advisory Software Engineer, IBM
Justin Nelson is a software developer within IBM i development. He has worked on the IBM i since joining IBM in 2015. He is a member of the integrated file system & servers (IFS) team and specializes in the Network Client File System (QNTC), host servers, and Network Authentication... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Balcony K

3:15pm CDT

SQL Views and UDTFs – Powerful Features for masking SQL Complexity
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
SQL has become very powerful. It includes for example recursions, multi-dimensional grouping, OLAP specifications, IFS and Webservice access ... But not everybody will be able to code those complex queries ... and this is not necessary as long as the average programmer or analyst can easily use the queries. With SQL Views complexity can be hidden. Since a SQL View can be used in a SELECT statement like any table even beginners can write reports based on complex SELECT statements. Sometimes information has to be set in the stored SELECT statement. With SQL global variables, values can be set on a job/connection level ... and SQL global variables can be specified within SQL views. How ever, sometimes more than one step is needed to retrieve the desired data. In this situation User Defined Functions (UDFs) or User Defined Table Functions come into play.

Learning Objectives:

In this session you will learn how to generate SQL Views. A lot of examples will demonstrate how even complex queries can be hidden. You will also learn how to call and write User Defined Table Functions
Speakers
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Balcony L

3:15pm CDT

Writing Programs with SQL Procedural Language
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
SQL includes a full-fledged programming language, SQL PL. Come learn about the programming constructs, including error handling, that this language contains. You will leave with all the knowledge you need to start writing your own SQL functions and procedures.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how to code in SQL PL (Procedural Language) from an RPG programmer perspective. You know how write an RPG IF, CASE, SELECT, loop, etc. but what’s the SQL PL equivalent.
Speakers
avatar for Kent Milligan

Kent Milligan

Senior Db2 for i Consultant, IBM
Kent Milligan is a Senior Db2 for i Consultant in IBM Technology Expert Labs. Kent has over 25 years of experience as a Db2 for IBM i consultant and developer working out of the IBM Rochester lab. Prior to re-joining the Db2 for i Expert Labs practice in 2020, Kent spent 5 years... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Galerie 6

3:15pm CDT

DB2 Mirror - Continuous Availability with Proven Business Outcomes
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Db2 Mirror for IBMi enables continuous availability for your mission-critical applications. Learn how Db2 Mirror synchronously mirrors database updates between two separate nodes in an active-active or active-passive (with read access on the secondary) mode. Presenting 2 case studies deigned to deliver near zero downtime and optimal application availability to their business.

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives: 1. IBM Lab DB2 Assessment 2. Building a proven reference architecture with Testing and Operations 3. Understand new features available for DB2 Mirror
Speakers
avatar for Richard Dolewski

Richard Dolewski

VP, Hybrid Enterprise Solutions, Lightedge
avatar for Scott Forstie

Scott Forstie

Senior Technical Staff Member, IBM
Scott Forstie is a Senior Technical Staff Member within IBM i development and spends most of his time working as the Db2 for i Architect. He has worked on IBM operating system development since joining IBM in 1989.
Scott is a frequently published author, speaker at industry events... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Studio 9-10

3:15pm CDT

Beyond Legacy: Thriving in a Modern IBM i Career
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
The IBM i platform is often seen as a legacy system, powerful but dated. As a young developer entering this space, I encountered that perception head-on. But what I found was a vibrant, evolving platform with modern tools, active communities, and incredible opportunities for growth. In this session, I’ll share my journey into the IBM i ecosystem: how I got started, the learning curve I faced with technologies like RPG and CL, and how I began working with security-focused tools like Powertech Encryption and Authority Broker. I’ll also talk about what it’s like joining user groups, getting involved with COMMON’s N2i initiative, and finding mentorship and community support along the way. Whether you're new to the platform, mentoring a junior developer, or trying to attract the next generation of IBM i talent, this session will offer practical insights, encouragement, and a fresh perspective on what it means to thrive on IBM i today.

Learning Objectives:

Understand what it's like to get started as a new developer on IBM i Learn about tools and communities that support early-career success Explore the value of mentorship, networking, and community involvement Discover how to build confidence and stay motivated on a legacy platform Recognize the importance of inclusion and support for new talent in tech
Speakers
avatar for Megan Olson

Megan Olson

Software Developer and Product Manager, Fortra
Megan Olson is a Software Engineer and Product Manager at Fortra. Megan began her career at Fortra in 2021 as a Software Engineer Intern after earning her degree in Software Development in 2020. She has a strong technical focus on system security, product development, and driving... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Studio 7-8

3:15pm CDT

AI Use Cases for System Management Workshop
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
As enterprise IT environments grow more complex, system administrators are exploring how artificial intelligence can help them manage infrastructure more efficiently, proactively, and securely. For organizations running mission-critical applications and workloads on IBM Power and IBM i, AI is opening new possibilities for improving system monitoring, performance optimization, capacity planning, and operational resilience. This interactive workshop will explore practical AI use cases for system management, showing how AI-driven insights can help administrators detect anomalies, anticipate issues before they impact users, and automate routine operational tasks. Participants will review real-world examples of how AI and agentic operations can assist with system monitoring, performance analysis, security event detection, and infrastructure optimization. Through guided discussion and hands-on exploration, attendees will learn how to identify high-value opportunities to apply AI within their own environments and how to begin incorporating AI-powered capabilities into their system management practices. 

Speakers
avatar for Brandon Pederson

Brandon Pederson

IBM i and Power Product Marketing Manager, IBM

Brandon Pederson is the Product Marketing Manager for IBM i and Modernization within the IBM Power business. Prior to this role, Brandon was Content Marketing Manager for IBM WebSphere and Content and Community Manager for IBM Power. He has a degree in Marketing from Concordia Uni... Read More →
avatar for Heather Lavergne

Heather Lavergne

Product Manager - IBM Power Autonomous IT, IBM
Heather Lavergne is a Product Manager for IBM Power, focusing on Autonomous IT solutions. With over 20 years of experience in business technology, she has held roles spanning sales, consulting, and product management. Prior to her current role, Heather served as Chief of Staff for... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N

3:15pm CDT

Pythonic Containers for Module Management (VENV)
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Dependency management when operating multiple python projects can get crazy without a solid plan. In this session we will explore the world of Virtual Environments on IBM i and also the application of Jupyter Notebooks. These tools facilitate stable development and production of Python implementations.

Learning Objectives:

1) Explore some of the complexities of Python Module version management. 2) Learn how int use Virtual Environments on IBM i and Jupyter Notebooks. 3) Live demo of virtual environments in action.
Speakers
avatar for Mike Pavlak

Mike Pavlak

Solution Architect, Programmers.io
Mike Pavlak has been working with IBM midrange solutions since 1992 and IBM Mainframes before that. After years of developing applications using RPG, CL and PHP he managed IT development and IT for power protection manufacturer Tripp Lite. Later Mike was instrumental in developing... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Galerie 4

3:15pm CDT

Breaking Up a Monolith
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Every RPG shop has them. Most developers avoid them like the plague. Large monolithic programs are a significant source of technical debt in all RPG shops. They limit your agility which in turn is detrimental to your business. So, once you are ready to deal with the issue, where do you start? There is no one answer, but there are steps you can take to begin dismantling and repurposing the code within these behemoths.

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss steps to refactoring monolithic RPG programs 2. Learn common pitfalls to avoid 3. Learn how to organize extracted procedures for ease of use
Speakers
avatar for Brian May

Brian May

Principal Technology Evangelist, Profound Logic
Professional IT Leader, Speaker and WriterSpecialties:Team Building, Development and RetentionTechnical SalesSolutions ArchitectureSoftware DevelopmentEnterprise Systems Manufacturing ProcessesApparel IndustryAccounting Principles
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Studio 1-2

3:15pm CDT

Transforming your Team with Procedure Driven RPG
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
RPG has always been about getting the job done, but shifting to a procedure-driven approach can completely change how you and your team build applications. In this session, we’ll start with the fundamentals of procedures and quickly move into real-world examples that highlight the benefits: improved readability, easier maintenance, and greater reusability. You’ll see how these advantages translate directly into a more efficient, more effective development team. To wrap things up, we’ll explore how today’s AI code assistants thrive in a procedure-driven environment, giving you a powerful edge in modern RPG development.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how Procedure Driven RPG will reduce technical debt, increase developer moral and allow you and your team to develop faster.
Speakers
avatar for Gregory Simmons

Gregory Simmons

Software Engineer, PC Richard & Son
Gregory Simmons is a Software Engineer at P.C. Richard & Son. He is a COMMON certified Application Developer – ILE RPG on IBM I on Power. He is also a registered instructor with IBM’s Academic Initiative and an RPG and IBM i instructor at Scott Regional Technology Center, where... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Galerie 2

3:15pm CDT

A Practical Guide to IBM i Authority Collection
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
This session explores practical applications for Authority Collection, including standard and "creative" use cases. Authority Collection can be used to reduce the security exposure of privileged user profiles and to lock down objects/libraries/IFS. This session covers the different types of authority collection, how to turn them on/off, how to review and understand the data, and how to turn that knowledge into action. We will cover these things in detail, along with some “outside the box” ways of using this technology to answer questions and solve problems.

Learning Objectives:

"Learn how to: 1. Enable the different types of Authority Collection 2. Analyze data from the Authority Collection repository 3. Turn the data into actionable information 4. Harness the power of Authority Collection in creative ways"
Speakers
avatar for Steve Riedmueller

Steve Riedmueller

Director of Security Services, Kisco
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Studio 3-4

3:15pm CDT

Can your IBM i Recover from a disaster
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Do you have what you need to recover from a disaster? It is too late to know if you have good backups when a disaster happens. Lets identify various types of disasters, how we store our backups, and what is needed for a recovery. We will start with the save, discuss the people you need, and where and how your recovery will occur. There are more things to a recovery than just your tapes.

Learning Objectives:

1) Understand what is required for a recovery 2) Know who is need to recover your system, where will we do the recovery, and what did you actually save. 3) items you should have in your recovery plan.
Speakers
avatar for Pete Massiello

Pete Massiello

IBM i Advisor, Massiello Holding Corp.
Pete Massiello has been working with the AS/400, iSeries, IBM i since 1989, focusing on systems management and technical support. He has held numerous technical positions through out his career. He is the President of iTech Solutions Group, an IBM Premier Business Partner delivering... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Balcony I-J

3:15pm CDT

AI-Driven Observability for IBM i: From Alerts to Predictive Insights
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Traditional IBM i monitoring often stops at surface-level events and alerts, such as CPU spikes or disk space warnings, leaving IT teams to diagnose the root cause. But what if you could predict issues well before they even show symptoms? By learning how your system behaves when healthy, AI-powered algorithms can Observe signals, detect subtle “heartbeat” patterns, and correlations between workload and processor-level time signatures. This enables IT teams to truly Understand the system behavior and Act proactively, addressing risks before they escalate into outages. In this session, we’ll go beyond theory and share a real-world example of how an IBM i environment leveraged AI/ML-driven observability to move from reactive alerts to predictive insights. You’ll learn practical steps to apply these techniques in your own organization, reducing business risk and keeping your IBM i running smoothly, well ahead of trouble.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the limitations of traditional IBM i monitoring and why component-level alerts are not enough. Learn how AI-powered observability applies the Observe, Understand and Act framework to predict and prevent issues. Explore a real-world case study demonstrating the transition from reactive monitoring to predictive insights. Identify practical steps to implement AI-driven observability in your IBM i environment to reduce operational risk.



Speakers
avatar for Maciej Wielgus

Maciej Wielgus

Omnilogy
Maciej Wielgus is an IT Architect at Omnilogy, where he spearheads development for i-Rays, the first observability platform developed for the IBM i ecosystem. He spent nearly 27 years as an AS400/IBM i SME and IT architect at IBM and another three years in the same role at Kyndryl... Read More →
avatar for Marek Walczak

Marek Walczak

General Manager for i-Rays, Omnilogy
Marek Walczak is a co‑author and serves as General Manager of i‑Rays, the first observability platform for the IBM i ecosystem, developed by Omnilogy. He has been deeply connected to the AS/400 and IBM i environment since the very beginning of his career. From 1997 to 2007, h... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Galerie 3

4:30pm CDT

Demo of IBM i ACS IFS
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Come and join Joey, IBM i ACS Support Team Member, as he presents a quick, live demo overviewing the usage and capabilities of IBM i Access Client Solutions IFS utility

Learning Objectives:

Gain familiarity with the IBM i ACS IFS utility
Speakers
avatar for Joey Fritz

Joey Fritz

IBM i Global Support, IBM
Joey joined the IBM i Global Support Center in 2021. He is a Technical Support Professional whose areas of expertise include Access Client Solutions, Console, and Navigator for i.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Galerie 4

4:30pm CDT

Fostering Positive Relationships
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Positive healthy relationships are vital to success in everything you do: whether it is excelling in your career, creating a vibrant and energetic work environment, or having a happy and rewarding personal life. Learning how to interact with others in a way that is respectful and constructive is essential.

Learning Objectives:

1) How to connect with others in a positive and proactive way 2) The impact of creating respectful and nurturing relationships 3) How to create long-term relationships that will accelerate your career 4) Tools and techniques to foster positive relationships
Speakers
avatar for Kim Greene

Kim Greene

President, Kim Greene Consulting, Inc.
Kim Greene is president of Kim Greene Consulting, Inc. specializing in providing consulting services for the HCL Collaboration Solutions portfolio for IBM i, Windows, and Linux. Kim has over 20 years of experience with IBM Domino and over 25 years of experience with the AS/400, iSeries... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Balcony L

4:30pm CDT

The Secrets to Making the Most of Online Meetings
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Now that virtual meetings have become the new normal for so many of us, it's vital that we learn to make the most of this approach to getting things done. Whether you use Zoom, Teams, Webex, or another product, come to this session to learn the secrets to supercharging your online meeting productivity and getting results!

Learning Objectives:

In just 20 minutes, you'll learn: - How to plan your meeting for success - How to run your meeting for maximum productivity - The best ways to take meeting notes - When and how to end your meeting - Tips and tricks to maximize your use of technology and supercharge your work from home environment
Speakers
avatar for Steven Wolk

Steven Wolk

CTO, PC Richard & Son
Steven Wolk is the CTO for PC Richard & Son. Founded in 1909, PC Richard is a family owned and operated chain of over 65 appliance, electronics, and mattress superstores located throughout NY, NJ, CT, and PA. Steve's deep background in retail began on the sales floor while in college... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Studio 1-2

4:30pm CDT

RPG Unit Testing Made Easy In VS Code
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Join us for an in-depth look at the IBM i Testing VS Code extension and IBM i Testing CLI. In this session, we will demonstrate how you can now write and execute RPGUnit test suites (supporting both RPG and COBOL) directly within the editor using local files or source members. We will cover the basics of the RPGUnit test framework, showcase how to generate test stubs that make it easy to get started, demonstrate how to execute tests with code coverage, and even run tests in a CI/CD pipeline with GitHub Actions. If you are looking to adopt new and modern tooling, come check out this exciting addition to the IBM i development ecosystem in VS Code.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to use the IBM i Testing extension for VS Code • Learn about the RPGUnit test framework • Learn how to execute RPG tests and view code coverage • Learn how to automate your unit tests in a CI/CD pipeline
Speakers
avatar for Sanjula Ganepola

Sanjula Ganepola

Software Developer - IBM i App Dev & AI Toolchain, IBM
Sanjula Ganepola is a Software Developer at IBM working on IBM i application development tools. As an open-source advocate, he is an active contributor and maintainer of several Visual Studio Code extensions including IBM i Project Explorer, Code for IBM i, IBM i Testing, Source Orbit... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Galerie 3

4:30pm CDT

How to Write Code That Doesn't Suck
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Great code doesn't just "work" - it survives change, catches mistakes early, and makes your future self say "thank you" instead of "who wrote this mess?". This session will dig into the habits that separate quick hacks from quality software. You'll learn why testing matters, how Test-Driven Development (TDD) can guide better design, and how to put it into practice with RPGUnit for the IBM i. Expect practical demos, a few war stories, and clear takeaways for building code that's clean, reliable, and - most importantly - doesn't suck.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand Test Driven Development 2. Look at RPGUnit 3. Investigate tools built into VS Code for IBM i that can help
Speakers
avatar for Patrick Behr

Patrick Behr

Senior Consultant & Instructor, Seiden Group & imPower Technologies
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Balcony K

4:30pm CDT

The 2040 Date Issue: Preparing IBM i Applications for the Next Pivot Year
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
The year 2040 may seem far off, but for IBM i professionals, it’s closer than you think. Many applications that use six-digit dates still rely on the “1940” pivot year rule — and that assumption will soon start causing real problems. In this session, Simon Hutchinson will explain why this issue matters, what systems and code are most at risk, and how to begin identifying potential trouble spots in your applications. He’ll also demonstrate IBM-provided tools and techniques that can help you prepare now, before the 2040 date challenge becomes an urgent crisis.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to: - Understand that the IBM i “1940” date rule will remain in effect and what that means for existing applications. - See why testing with a “1970” rule does not impact RPG date operations. - Implement practical methods to identify potential six-digit date fields that may cause issues as 2040 approaches. - Review examples of RPG remediation techniques to future-proof applications. - Gain insight into IBM’s tools and recommendations for managing date transitions safely and efficiently.
Speakers
avatar for Simon Hutchinson

Simon Hutchinson

Founder & author, RPGPGM.COM
Simon Hutchinson has worked with IBM midrange servers and the RPG programming language since 1988—starting in the U.K. and continuing in the U.S. for over 35 years. He is best known for his long-running blog, RPGPGM.COM, where for more than 12 years he has shared practical insi... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Galerie 2

4:30pm CDT

How AI is Transforming IBM i Security
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the security landscape, and IBM i environments are no exception. As AI-driven technologies become integral to enterprise operations, they introduce both unprecedented opportunities and new vulnerabilities. This session examines how AI is influencing IBM i security—from accelerating threat detection and predictive risk analysis to redefining compliance and access control strategies. We’ll explore practical examples such as free and company endorsed AI chatbots and how they can enable inexperienced users to bypass security configurations. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of AI’s dual role as a security enabler and a potential attack vector, along with actionable guidance for enhancing IBM i security approach to this evolving paradigm.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will leave with a better understanding of AI’s dual role as a security enabler and a potential attack vector, along with actionable guidance for enhancing IBM i security approach to this evolving paradigm.
Speakers
avatar for Sandi Moore

Sandi Moore

Sr. Solutions Engineer & IBM Power Champion, Fortra LLC
Sandi Moore is a Senior Solutions Engineer at Fortra with over 20 years of experience supporting systems monitoring and security software. She works extensively with IBM i environments and has been involved in product demonstrations, implementations, support, training, research, and... Read More →
avatar for Amy Williams

Amy Williams

Principal Security Consultant, Fortra LLC
Amy Williams is a Principal Security Services Consultant at Fortra, where she has worked since 2015. She holds CISSP, CISA, and PCI-P certifications and has nearly 30 years of experience on the IBM i platform across system administration, architecture, and application security in... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Studio 7-8

4:30pm CDT

Simplifying Access: Single Sign-On Strategies for IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can feel like a hassle. Users groan at the extra steps, while IT teams wrestle with implementation. On the other hand, Single Sign-On (SSO) is often seen as the holy grail of convenience: one login, seamless access. But what does SSO really look like on the IBM i platform? And how is it different from MFA—not just in function, but in purpose? This session will break down the key differences between SSO and MFA, and dive into how SSO works specifically on IBM i. We’ll explore common protocols like Kerberos, SAML, and OAuth, and look at some Identity Providers (IDPs) such as MS Entra, Okta, and IBM Security Verify. You’ll learn which use cases are best suited for SSO, when MFA still makes sense, and how to align both with your broader security strategy.

Learning Objectives:

`- What are the differences between SSO and MFA - What SSO might look like on the IBM i - Protocol trade-offs
Speakers
avatar for Hrithik Govardhan

Hrithik Govardhan

IBM Champion & Software Lead, Rocket Software
Long time Rocketeer working in the Security/MFA/Cloud spaces on Power and Z. Ask me anything about MFA and SSO on Z and i!
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Balcony I-J

4:30pm CDT

Call Home Automation: Enablement, Enhancements, and Improvements
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Call Home Automation is changing the way IBM systems detect and respond to issues, cutting down manual work and speeding up resolution. In this session, we will walk through what Call Home is, how the automation works behind the scenes, and how recent enhancements create an improved customer experience by improving accuracy, efficiency, and overall system reliability.

We will cover how these updates reduce noise, prevent duplicate actions, and get the right information where it needs to go faster. Whether you have are looking to have Call Home enabled or are looking to get more out of your current setup, you will walk away with practical takeaways you can leverage immediately.
Speakers
avatar for Jeff Cummings

Jeff Cummings

IBM Global Power Call Home Lead, IBM
Jeff Cummings joined IBM in 2021. He is currently the IBM Global Power Call Home Lead, responsible for driving automation strategy and enhancing support operations across IBM Power Systems worldwide. He leads initiatives that reduce manual effort, improve response times, and deliver... Read More →
avatar for Karyn Corneli

Karyn Corneli

STSM Product Engineering IBM Power Systems (HMC), IBM
With nearly three decades of technical leadership at IBM,  Karyn specializes in the HMC product line. Her career spans from support center operations to Product Engineering, giving her a unique perspective of the platform.  She transforms real-world client challenges into product... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Galerie 1

4:30pm CDT

Case Study on the Use of QSYS2.Active_Job_Info
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
QSYS2.Active_Job_Info is an easy interface to access information about jobs. But it can have significant overhead if used incorrectly or too often. This session reviews an example of over-use of this service, providing examples of the overhead of frequent invocations, along with the performance results of eliminating this excessive use.

Learning Objectives:

In this session, you will gain insight into the overhead of using QSYS2.Active_Job_Info. This session will also cover alternative solutions to getting similar information in a more efficient manner.
Speakers
avatar for Dawn May

Dawn May

Owner, Dawn May Consulting, LLC
Dawn has been involved with COMMON for over 20 years and has been a consistent volunteer since 2008. She's been a member of the strategic education team, a subject matter expert, and a speaker. As Immediate Past President of COMMON, she's focused on leading COMMON as the industry... Read More →
avatar for Matthew Neill

Matthew Neill

DB2 for i Database Engineer, Guild Mortgage
35+ years across IBM i application development, database engineering, modernization, and application integrations.
Expertise in Db2 for i SQL, SQL/PL, Modern ILE RPG AppDev, Service Programs, and IBM iDoctor performance tuning.
Enjoys mentoring teams, teaching modernization pra... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Balcony M-N

4:30pm CDT

License Management with Navigator for i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
With the transition from perpetual to subscription-based licensing, system administrators must stay informed about license expiration dates. Navigator for i has introduced several interface enhancements that make it easier to identify when operating system and other licenses are nearing expiration. In this session, we’ll showcase these improvements through a live demo, helping you stay ahead of license management challenges.

Learning Objectives:

`- Understand the impact of subscription-based licensing on IBM i systems and the importance of monitoring license expiration - Explore the Navigator for i interface enhancements that help identify and manage expiring licenses
Speakers
avatar for Ann Wilkerson

Ann Wilkerson

Software Developer, IBM
Ann Wilkerson is a lead user interface developer in IBM i. She joined the Rochester lab in 2021 and has since worked on Navigator, IBM i Services, and IBM i Migrate While Active. Her focus areas include security, networking, and the IFS.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Galerie 5

4:30pm CDT

Running Large Language Models (LLMs) on IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Learn how to deploy LLMs directly on IBM i and integrate with your Db2 integration.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how to deploy LLMs directly on IBM i and integrate with your Db2 integration.
Speakers
avatar for Adam Shedivy

Adam Shedivy

Software Developer, IBM
Adam is a software Developer working on Agentic AI solutions for IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Galerie 6

4:30pm CDT

Why Power 11 is the best hardware for AI
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
In this session, Power Processor Chief Architect, William Starke, will discuss Power11's AI-focused hardware capabilities.
Speakers
avatar for Bill Starke

Bill Starke

Power Processor Chief Architect, IBM
William Starke is an IBM Distinguished Engineer and Chief Architect for Power microprocessors. Since graduating from Michigan Tech University, Bill has been employed by IBM for over 30 years in several roles, spanning mainframe and Power systems performance analysis, logic design... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Studio 9-10

4:30pm CDT

Transforming 5250 Screens to React Framework with AI based tools
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
While we did a lot of Projects in the past two years where we used various AI Technologies in different ways, we also created a little tool that is able to convert your 5250 Display Files to html and then create React components out of that as well as other target UI Frameworks. Some might say that is not that hard, because 5250 DSPF DDS is not that complicated and you are right. Back in 2009 I already created a converter Tool that converted 5250 DDS to Microsoft XAML for using that within my c# programs. BUT - the difference of this tool is, that it includes the RPG code into the transformation process. Why? For example think about pressing F4 button in a 5250 screen. Where does the Data come from? How does the 5250 DSPF knows what to do? That is handled in the RPG / Cobol program in the background in one way or the other and the tool covers that with little to no manual effort. The Tool I show you combines the DDS from the DSPF with the RPG logic and uses both information to create the result. The result can be a React App or a Flutter App or an Angular App or .... whatever you want - OK - maybe no Windows Forms ;-)

Learning Objectives:

Learn about using different technologies to modernize your old stuff like 5250 DSPF with RPG or Cobol or transform it to something totally new. Learn a little bit about modern UI Frameworks like React as well as how you could and should use AI technologies to reach your goals in a much faster and better way. You will also see what is coming next with this approach we do like reusing all your (old) RPG Code without (or only little) effort to adapt. We are working hard on making things easier and faster for everyone and bring you into the present and a bright future.
Speakers
avatar for Markus Litters

Markus Litters

CEO, i and me - IT Training and Solutions GmbH
I start working with IBM POWER Servers and IBM i since I was 19 back in 1990 when it was called IBM AS/400 and from the beginning I was focused on Integrating the System with everything else (first of all DOS PC's, then Windows PC's and HP Unix and so on) and to modernize the existing... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Studio 3-4

5:05pm CDT

AI Over IBM i: Concepts, Patterns, and Live Examples
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Curious what AI actually looks like in an IBM i shop? In this session, we’ll break down key AI concepts and patterns, then show working examples of AI running over IBM i data. You’ll see what happens behind the scenes, what guardrails are needed to keep things safe, and how these patterns can fit into your existing environment. You’ll leave with concrete examples, a mental model you can reuse with any LLM, and a clearer picture of how AI can work with IBM i instead of around it.
Speakers
avatar for Rick Hurckes

Rick Hurckes

Services Director, mrc
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Balcony M-N

5:05pm CDT

Demo of IBM i ACS Printer Output
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Come and join Wayne, IBM i ACS Support Team Lead, as he presents a quick, live demo over-viewing the usage and capabilities of IBM i ACS Printer Output

Learning Objectives:

Gain Familiarity with IBM i Access Client Solutions Printer Output
Speakers
avatar for Wayne Bowers

Wayne Bowers

IBM i Global Support, IBM
Wayne Bowers has been with IBM since 1997, where he works with the IBM i Global Support Center in Rochester MN. He is an Advisory Software Engineer specializing in the support of the IBM i Access (aka Client Access) products, Console, the TCP Telnet communications server, and the... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Galerie 4

5:05pm CDT

How many indexes is too many?
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
The creation of indexes can have a positive impact on query performance. However, an index also has a cost since it has to be maintained every time rows in the associated table are inserted, deleted and updated. This session will the discuss indexing tradeoffs including the review of a benchmark test created to quantify the positive & negative impacts of indexes. In addition, you will learn about tooling that can be used to identify your most valuable and least valuable indexes.   "

Learning Objectives:

Understanding of index maintenance considerations. Introduction to tools help you to determine the value of index.
Speakers
avatar for Kent Milligan

Kent Milligan

Senior Db2 for i Consultant, IBM
Kent Milligan is a Senior Db2 for i Consultant in IBM Technology Expert Labs. Kent has over 25 years of experience as a Db2 for IBM i consultant and developer working out of the IBM Rochester lab. Prior to re-joining the Db2 for i Expert Labs practice in 2020, Kent spent 5 years... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Galerie 6

5:05pm CDT

Make RUNSQLSTM Even Better Using CL Commands
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
The RUNSQLSTM command lets you run multiple SQL statements in a single call, like a script. You can do even more now by calling CL commands directly. See how this can expand your options.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how to use the RUNSQLSTM command in CL programs 2. Learn how to call CL commands inside RUNSQLSTM scripts 3. Learn how to handle errors raised when using RUNSQLSTM
Speakers
avatar for Vern Hamberg

Vern Hamberg

Senior iSeries Developer, OneMain Financial
Vern has worked on IBM midrange systems for over 35 years, beginning with the System/38 and AS/400. At present he is a Senior iSeries Developer at OneMain Financial. He serves on the Strategic Education Team (SET) of COMMON and is one of the SMEs for Db2. He is also honored to have... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Balcony L

5:05pm CDT

SQL - Final/Old/New Table Statement
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Have you ever wanted the ability to see which records were affected by an Insert, Update, or Delete statement? Data Change Table References (FINAL/OLD/NEW Table) statements were created for this exact purpose. Join me in this session to learn how to use these statements.Learning Objectives:
  1. Learn how and when to use an SQL FINAL/OLD/NEW Table statement

Speakers
avatar for Mike Zaringhalam

Mike Zaringhalam

Developer, PC Richard & Son
Have you ever wanted to meet someone who started Hawaiian Shirt Fridays at their work place? 
If the answer is 'Yes!', then feel free to reach out with any questions you have regarding Hawaiian shirts... Or IBM i related topics. 
My main focuses are RDi, DB2, Modernization, and D... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Balcony K

5:05pm CDT

The Secrets to Negotiating and Resolving Workplace Conflict
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Do you dread the thought of negotiating on your own behalf? Are you unsure of the best ways to handle conflict in the workplace? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you need to attend this session! We'll cover time-tested techniques for negotiations and conflict resolution that could change your life!

Learning Objectives:

In just 20 minutes, you'll: - Learn to consider the value of an argument vs the cost - Find common ground to smooth the negotiation - Understand that all new ideas are great, and that we all make mistakes - Show respect and build a reserve of good will to allow everyone to leave the negotiation with their head held high
Speakers
avatar for Steven Wolk

Steven Wolk

CTO, PC Richard & Son
Steven Wolk is the CTO for PC Richard & Son. Founded in 1909, PC Richard is a family owned and operated chain of over 65 appliance, electronics, and mattress superstores located throughout NY, NJ, CT, and PA. Steve's deep background in retail began on the sales floor while in college... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Studio 1-2

5:05pm CDT

Supercharging CL with SQL: Modern Techniques for Everyday Tasks
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Did you know your CL programs can run SQL statements directly — no RPG required? In this quick, practical session, you’ll learn how to combine the simplicity of CL with the power of SQL to automate and simplify everyday IBM i operations. Simon will demonstrate how to use the RUNSQL and RUNSQLSTM commands to perform tasks such as clearing or updating data, saving results to output files, and even controlling system operations dynamically. You’ll see examples of using SQL for file maintenance, logging, and automation — all inside standard CL programs. If you still think CL is limited to DLTF, CPYF, and SAVLIB, this session will change how you write job control forever.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives = After attending this session, participants will be able to: - Use the RUNSQL and RUNSQLSTM commands within CL programs. - Perform file updates, inserts, and deletes directly from CL. - Capture SQL results and use them to control job flow. - Combine CL and SQL for more efficient batch and automation scripts.
Speakers
avatar for Simon Hutchinson

Simon Hutchinson

Founder & author, RPGPGM.COM
Simon Hutchinson has worked with IBM midrange servers and the RPG programming language since 1988—starting in the U.K. and continuing in the U.S. for over 35 years. He is best known for his long-running blog, RPGPGM.COM, where for more than 12 years he has shared practical insi... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Galerie 1

5:05pm CDT

Extend the Integrated File System by Writing Your Own!
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Do you want a file system that writes and reads data from the cloud? Are you unhappy with the currently provided file systems on the IBM i? Well, now you can your own file systems! Attend this presentation to learn about the newest addition to the IBM i integrated file system (IFS): the User-Written File System (UWFS). This will give you the ability to write your own file systems with their own tailored semantics, usable through standard IFS interfaces.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand what the UWFS is and where it fits in with the other file systems. 2. Understand what it takes to write your own UWFS. 3. See a demonstration of a UWFS in action.
Speakers
avatar for Justin Nelson

Justin Nelson

Advisory Software Engineer, IBM
Justin Nelson is a software developer within IBM i development. He has worked on the IBM i since joining IBM in 2015. He is a member of the integrated file system & servers (IFS) team and specializes in the Network Client File System (QNTC), host servers, and Network Authentication... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Galerie 5

5:05pm CDT

Mapping Cross-System Interactions with Static Analysis and AI Assistance
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Modern IBM i environments depend on complex data exchanges across systems. Static analysis—and now AI—can help map these interactions, but AI is not magic. This session focuses on combining automated insight with AI techniques to trace and document system connections, whether through messaging (MQ), APIs, or batch managed file transfer processes. We’ll show how to rebuild missing documentation, identify redundant paths, and improve visibility for modernization planning. Attendees will learn how to apply both practical engineering methods and AI to understand, validate, and improve cross-system integration on IBM i. A case study will also be presented

Learning Objectives:

`-Learn how to identify and map cross-system dependencies using static analysis. -Understand when to use AI assistance and when traditional analysis works better. -Apply hybrid AI/non-AI techniques for documentation, modernization, and reliability.
Speakers
avatar for John Rhodes

John Rhodes

CTO, CM First Group
Long time IBM i and z engineer. Work with Broadcom software primarily (CA 2E, Synon, CA Plex, CA Gen). Also Java and VSCode.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Studio 3-4

5:05pm CDT

Why Procedures Are Better Than Subroutines
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Discover the super powers that procedures have(and subroutines don't) and how they can help you create more reliable and more easily maintained programs. We'll talk about the benefits of input parameters: local variables, and return values, error handling with on-exit, and increased functionality with recursion.

Learning Objectives:

1. The benefits of using procedures 2. How to create a procedure 3. How to get the most benefit out of procedures
Speakers
avatar for Patrick Behr

Patrick Behr

Senior Consultant & Instructor, Seiden Group & imPower Technologies
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Galerie 3
  RPG

5:05pm CDT

IBM i 7.6 System Service Tools (SST/DST) Integrated MFA
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
This session will cover how to configure and use the new MFA support inside of SST. This is a first great bite to take on the way to full system MFA.

Learning Objectives:

Understand how to setup and configure MFA in IBM i SST
Speakers
avatar for Robert Andrews

Robert Andrews

Principal Security Consultant, IBM
Robert Andrews is a Principal Security Consultant, Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM), and Team Lead for the IBM i Security Expert Labs team in Rochester, MN. An IBM Certified Thought Leader and The Open Group Distinguished Technical Specialist, Robert has specialized in IT security... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Studio 7-8

5:05pm CDT

BRMS Recoveries
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
There's so much to cover in BRMS when setting up the backups that discussing recoveries sometimes gets lost. In this 20 minute session we will focus solely on the recovery process for both full system and single item recoveries. A few tips and tricks for making sure that you are able to recover exactly what you need when you need.

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn the steps to a full system recovery 2. Learn to recover single objects and IFS files 3. Take home a few tricks to make sure you are able to recover what you need
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Jacob

Sarah Jacob

VP of Customer Experience, Agile Technology Architects
Sarah Jacob is the Vice President of Customer Experience at Agile Technology Architects. She is a Subject Matter Expert in Power Systems Administration and a volunteer for COMMON. Sarah specializes in Backup and Recovery planning and recovery testing. Additionally, she acts as primary... Read More →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Galerie 2

5:05pm CDT

Modernizing IBM i Backups with IBM Cloud Storage Solutions for i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Move on from tape drives, cartridges, and courier services. In this session, you'll learn how Cloud Storage Solutions (ICC) can securely back up your IBM i systems to the cloud—simplifying your backup process and reducing reliance on legacy infrastructure. If you're already in PowerVS, then cloud storage isn't just convenient—it’s essential. We'll walk through how to use Backup, Recovery, and Media Services (BRMS) with ICC to transfer virtual save media to and from the cloud. You'll also see how ICC can support your hybrid strategy, whether you're bridging on-prem and cloud environments or looking for a reliable way to move data to the cloud.
Speakers
avatar for Hrithik Govardhan

Hrithik Govardhan

IBM Champion & Software Lead, Rocket Software
Long time Rocketeer working in the Security/MFA/Cloud spaces on Power and Z. Ask me anything about MFA and SSO on Z and i!
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Balcony I-J

5:05pm CDT

Using System Monitors in Navigator for i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Learn how to create and work with System Monitors in IBM Navigator for i. Also learn how to use the Performance Data Investigator (PDI) visualization tool to view System Monitor data.

Learning Objectives:
1. How to create a System Monitor
2. How to view system monitor data
Speakers
avatar for Shauna Rollings

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 →
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Studio 9-10

5:30pm CDT

All Attendee Reception in the Expo
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
We’re bringing a full pickleball court right to the Expo floor! The court will be available throughout the conference - even outside of official Expo hours. Whether you’re a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time, come rally with fellow attendees. Watch social media and your inbox for details on joining the tournament bracket and competing head-to-head!
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
Grand Ballroom

5:40pm CDT

Partner Solution Corner inside Expo
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:40pm - 7:55pm CDT
Get the most up to date tools to maximize your systems.  Vendor Partner experts will be presenting 15 min Solution Sessions during mid-day and evening expo hours.  The Partner Solutions Corner is across from booth 111 and the daily schedule will be in your daily morning email.  Get all of your questions answered by knowledge leaders in POWER.
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:40pm - 7:55pm CDT
Partner Solution Corner in Grand Ballroom
 

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