COMMON POWERUp 2026

You hear modern RPG but, what does that actually mean? we will look at converting from monolithic programs to modular programming including the use of service program and converting RLA(Record level access) to sql.

Learning Objectives:

Understanding what modern RPG means Understanding of what needs to be done to implement modern RPG.

iSee is all about helping our IBM i user community learn and use SQL to solve everyday life problems. This session is no exception, Scott and Tim will show via live demo some fun new way to solve problems with SQL. This iSee session will explore some of the brand new features recently delivered via 7.6 and the past Technology Refreshes.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how to put SQL to use in solving every day problems.

Learn to think like a spy! Many shops use journaling for a variety of reasons, but may not be familiar with how to use these journals for forensic purposes. Mining your journals for the who, what, when, where, how - and sometimes even why - can be very useful, not to mention fun! Come join us for a lighthearted and entertaining "Mission: Impossible" themed look at one of the most useful things you can do with your journals. This session will introduce journaling concepts and share tuning tips to optimize your journal environment for forensics. After reviewing the "old fashioned" way to dig into your journals, we will demonstrate how much easier this is with the right tools. The DMPJRN and CVTJRNDTA commands used in this presentation will be made available as a free download to all attendees, including source code!

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives - After participating in this session, attendees should have the skills and tools to: - Optimize your journal environment to maximize the forensic information available to you - Understand what your journals are trying to tell you, and how to interrogate them to get the answers you need - Dump your journals quickly and easily using the free software made available - Be able to interpret the content of your journals to determine what really happened to your data - Use the techniques demonstrated in the provided source code to develop your own tools - Save the world from evil-doers

With IBM's release of the IBM i Testing VS Code extension, Unit Testing is (finally) hot and happening on the i, everything at the engineer’s finger tips, including code coverage. In this session we will show you how to take these unit tests to the next level, how to embed them in your DevOps cycle, in your pipeline – making them not only crucial to the engineer’s code quality, but also running them as automated security policy every time your product is built.

Learning Objectives:

Mastering unit test basics Showing how their value grows exponentially when run as part of your CICD pipelines. Learn how IBM i unit tests and tests from other platforms can be seamlessly combined to have a 360 view Learn how Unit tests and automated regression tests can come together for a holistic view on code and product quality See how AI can help predict future failures

In this session we will discuss the various ways to implement using REST APIs in your existing applications. What they are, why they exist, and how companies are using them to communicate with each other.

Learning Objectives:

We will take an RPG service program and deploy it as an API using the IBM Integrated Web Services tool (IWS).

Worried about what artificial intelligence means for your job or your future? You’re not alone. As AI becomes capable of writing, coding, analyzing, and creating, it’s easy to wonder - what’s left for us humans? Join this session to learn exactly where your human edge lies - and how to use it to thrive in the AI era. You’ll discover how timeless human skills like creativity, empathy, communication, and judgment are not only irreplaceable, but also essential to getting the best results from AI - transforming it from a threat to an incredibly powerful ally!

Learning Objectives:

Through humor, relatable stories, and real-world examples, Steve will show you how to: - Apply human strengths to communicate better with people and AI - Collaborate effectively when your “teammates” include intelligent technology - Negotiate and resolve conflict with confidence and empathy using AI as your personal coach - Build stronger relationships with people – and yes, with your AI assistants! - Market yourself and your value in the age of automation - Stay adaptable, confident, and indispensable as work continues to evolve - Turn your human edge into your ultimate advantage!

Thanks to the Code for IBM i open source extension, VS Code became an IDE of choice for whoever wants to do some development on IBM i. Less expansive (as in "free") and more modern than RDi, it's already a daily driver for IBM i professionals and enthusiasts alike. But what does it have to offer we barely know? What are the less-known features that can make a developer's life easier? The legend tells that it's even possible to work locally on IBM i source code synchronized with Git or to use Visual Explain right from VS Code. But the best is yet to come and see for yourself! Whether you are a seasoned developer or just curious, join me to discover or rediscover the hidden gems that VS Code has to offer. Don't be a stranger and bring your questions along!

Learning Objectives:

`- Learn new ways of using VS Code for developing on IBM i - Hear it from one of the top contributor of the Code for i project - Discover how to use VS Code more efficiently - Live tips & tricks

When a job runs on IBM i it generates various status messages. When things go 'bump' the job issues additional messages. Where do those messages appear? Most of them appear in the job log, making the job log the 'go to' for identifying issues or determining status of the job.  In this session we will review how to control the job log detail and disposition. We'll show you ways to read the job log. We'll also discuss the differences between active and completed jobs and give some thinking about dealing with a large number of job logs.

Learning Objectives:
Learn how to control joblogs, when they are produced and how much detail is provided.  Learn how to read the joblog and get the most detail.  Learn how to identify who or what answered an error message and when that was done.

Join the hunt on Thursday afternoon! COMMON is hosting another scavenger hunt this year. Find clues and do tasks all while exploring New Orleans. Create or join a team of 3-5 players and be the first to find all the clues and post your completed tasks!

Discover how to build AI agents for IBM i from the ground up in this hands-on exploration of modern agent development. This session takes you on a practical journey from creating your first simple agent using open source frameworks to designing full-featured enterprise solutions that integrate with IBM i environments. You'll learn how to leverage tools like the IBM i MCP server to build agents that can interact with Db2 for i, automate system administration tasks, and enhance developer workflows. Whether you're a system administrator looking to automate routine operations, a database admin seeking to optimize query performance, or a developer wanting to bring AI capabilities to your IBM i applications, this session provides the foundational knowledge and practical patterns you need to start building effective agents today. By the end of this session, you'll understand the complete agent development lifecycle and be equipped with reusable patterns and best practices for implementing your own AI-powered solutions on the IBM i platform.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the core architecture and components of AI agents, including how they process requests, make decisions, and interact with IBM i systems Implement a functional agent from scratch using open source frameworks that can execute Db2 for i queries and system commands Configure and leverage the IBM i MCP (Model Context Protocol) server to enable seamless agent integration with enterprise IBM i environments Apply proven design patterns and best practices for building reliable, maintainable agents that address real-world system administration and database management challenges Evaluate different agent deployment strategies and select the appropriate approach based on use case requirements, from simple automation scripts to full enterprise solutions

We’re wrapping up POWERUp 2026 with a celebration at Generations Hall! Enjoy a night of live music with Amanda Shaw, delicious food, drinks, and a festive parade as we come together to celebrate our community and and incredible week of learning and connection.