COMMON POWERUp 2026: Full Schedule

Unlock the Power of IBM i at POWERUp 2026!

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

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8:00am CDT

IBM i Shops: Prepare for DevOps

Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

DevOps is a long twisting road that has no destination. But even more harrowing can be the tasks needed to prepare before embarking on this life-changing adventure. In the session we will explore several aspects that should be explored before embarking down the DevOps Road, all based upon open source implementations which means there is no price of admission! We will cover concepts like preparing the code, developers, management and users. In additional we will review a basic open source road map for leveraging DevOps features in an IBM i environment.

Learning Objectives:

1) Learn the basics of DevOps. 2) Explore how best to prepare the environment for a DevOps journey. 3) Review open source tooling and references for educating the team on DevOps.

Speakers

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 →

Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony I-J

General Programming, DevOps

9:15am CDT

Modern RPG Arrays: Best Practices and Real-World Applications

Thursday April 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

Arrays are a powerful but often underutilized feature in modern RPG. This session explores how free-format RPG makes declaring, initializing, and manipulating arrays easier, more efficient, and more readable than ever before. Attendees will see practical examples of dynamic arrays, built-in functions, and real-world scenarios where arrays improve program performance and clarity. From batch calculations to temporary data storage, this session provides actionable techniques RPG developers can apply immediately to modernize existing applications and write cleaner, more efficient code.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to: - Understand modern RPG array syntax and features. - Declare, initialize, and manipulate both static and dynamic arrays. - Apply arrays effectively in real-world RPG programs for improved performance. - Use built-in array functions like %LOOKUP, %SUBARR, and %SORT.

Speakers

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 →

Thursday April 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony I-J

RPG, Programming: RPG

10:45am CDT

Real Time Access to the Integrated File System

Thursday April 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

The green screen isn't the only place where users can interact with IBM i file system data. Find out how and when to share your integrated file system with other platforms to let your users get more done with less effort. The latest updates to these file sharing methods will be included.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the file sharing options on the IBM i and their differences. 2. Understand how to set up/use the file sharing options on the IBM i. 3. Understand how policy settings can affect IBM i NetServer functionality.

Speakers

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 →

Thursday April 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony I-J

IFS

1:00pm CDT

What’s New with Open Source & IBM i

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

Open source solutions have been on the IBM i platform for many years but recently the number of solutions deployed here has blossomed. Join Mike as he explores the latest news regarding packages and solution features available in IBM i Open Source Package Management and beyond.

Learning Objectives:

1) Review updates to the popular languages like PHP, Python and Node.js. 2) Explore new(er) packages available via the ACS: Open Source Package Management. 3) See examples of how the community is contributing to IBM i open source.

Speakers

Mike Pavlak

Solution Architect, Programmers.io

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Balcony I-J

General Programming

3:00pm CDT

IBM Bob Success Stories: As told by the community

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

IBM Bob was first talked about back in October. For then till GA a select group of folks from the IBM i community have take the opportunity to put Bob to work. This is their stories. How has Bob changed how they approach problems, projects and task, and how IBM Bob has made a difference.

Speakers

Marina Schwenk

Senior Programmer/Analyst IBM i Admin, Innovative Software Solutions

Todd Stewart

Application Architect, Heartland Co-op

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

Karl Haggart

Architect, OMF

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 →

Thursday April 30, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Balcony I-J

Artificial Intelligence (AI), DevOps

4:15pm CDT

Demystifying DCM

Thursday April 30, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm CDT

Balcony I-J

Evaluation Survey

In this session we will explain what digital certificates are, how they work, and how to manage them on IBM i with Digital Certificate Manager (DCM). We will cover the basics of cryptography, hashing, signatures, SSL/TLS, PKI, Certificate Authorities, and more.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the basics of public-key cryptography 2. Understand the purpose for digital certificates 3. Understand how to store and manage certificates in DCM

Speakers

Patrick Behr

Senior Consultant & Instructor, Seiden Group & imPower Technologies

Thursday April 30, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm CDT
Balcony I-J

Security, Systems Management

8:00am CDT

9:15am CDT

10:45am CDT

1:00pm CDT

3:00pm CDT

4:15pm CDT

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