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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!
Venue: Balcony M-N clear filter
Monday, April 27
 

10:00am CDT

Introduction to the Navigator for i Performance Tasks
Monday April 27, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
Navigator for i has a rich set of tools to help you understand the performance of your IBM i. This session will review these performance tasks; from traditional performance management tasks, to System Monitors for real-time monitoring, the Performance Data Investigator to understand your performance signature, and Graph History for long-term trending. Attend this session to learn about these features and how to use them.

Learning Objectives:

Learn about the various tasks in Navigator for i to understand the performance characteristics of your system. Learn about Custom Charts, System Monitors, the Performance Data Investigator, and Graph History.
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 →
Monday April 27, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Balcony M-N
  Systems Management, Systems Management

11:15am CDT

Beyond Modernization: The Year Ahead for AI and Power Systems
Monday April 27, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
As enterprise AI shifts from experimentation to execution, Power Systems are becoming central to how organizations deploy and scale AI alongside mission‑critical workloads. This panel looks ahead at what’s next for AI on Power - examining emerging architectures, the impact of IBM Spyre, and how AI is shaping modernization efforts across applications and data. Panelists will share forward‑looking perspectives rooted in real customer environments, highlighting where change is happening, where focus matters most, and how Power customers can prepare for the next phase of enterprise AI without disrupting what already works.

Key Themes and Discussion Topics:
·       The shift to production‑scale AI on Power Systems
·       The role of IBM Spyre in advancing AI performance and efficiency
·       What agent‑driven and more autonomous AI means for core platforms
·       AI’s influence on application and data modernization
·       Extending existing IBM i and Power workloads with AI capabilities
·       Governance, security, and responsible AI considerations
·       Near‑term priorities for Power customers in the year ah

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 →
avatar for Dave Wiseman

Dave Wiseman

The Large User Group
avatar for Ashwin Srinivas

Ashwin Srinivas

Senior Product Manager AI for IBM Power, IBM
I am responsible for the driving AI SW offerings on IBM Power servers supporting use cases that are relevant to IBM Power customers. I am  responsible for the strategy, product roadmap and market success of AI with IBM Power products related to our ecosystem of ISV solutions and... Read More →
avatar for Chris Chapman

Chris Chapman

Director of AI and Engineering, PMsquare
Chris manages PMsquare’s AI and engineering teams, bringing nearly two decades of experience architecting and deploying advanced analytics, enterprise applications, and AI systems for enterprises of all sizes.
Monday April 27, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  Artificial Intelligence (AI)

3:15pm CDT

IBM i 7.6 and the latest TRs by the Architects
Monday April 27, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
The IBM i development team has just delivered a brand new release - IBM i 7.6 along with several Technology Refreshes. These deliveries are just full of new enhancements targeted to help your business applications run more securely. In this session, Scott and Tim will detail a number of the new enhancements, helping you understand what's new and be ready to target the sessions throughout the conference that provide a deeper dive. Many of you wait to upgrade, we are going to show you why IBM i 7.6 may be the release to break that trend!!! Attend this session to see the must-have technologies for your IBM i.

Learning Objectives:

Learn about 7.6 and the features deliver in the Technology Refreshes
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 →
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 →
Monday April 27, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  Systems Management, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Client Connectivity, Database, Programming: General, Security, Systems Management, Technologies Integrated with IBM i

4:30pm CDT

Using Navigator for i to Set Up Your TOTP
Monday April 27, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
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Evaluation Survey
Think that setting up a time-based one-time password (TOTP) for your IBM i 7.6 profile is complicated? It’s easier than you think! Join us to discover how quick and seamless it is using Navigator for i. This session will demonstrate how both traditional and non-traditional users of Navigator can generate a TOTP key and validate authentication codes using a client authenticator.

Learning Objectives:

`- Understand how to generate a TOTP key using Navigator for i - Learn how to validate authentication codes from a client authenticator
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.
Monday April 27, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  Security, Systems Management

5:05pm CDT

Explore the Audit Journal Data Mart
Monday April 27, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
The IBM i Audit Journal contains a wealth of security and system activity data, but accessing and analyzing that information efficiently can be a challenge. The Audit Journal Data Mart simplifies this process by transforming raw audit data into a structured format that’s easy to query and visualize. In this session, we’ll explore how the Data Mart enables deeper insights into system events, supports compliance reporting, and enhances security monitoring. Through practical examples and demonstrations, you'll learn how to leverage this powerful tool to make informed decisions and streamline audit analysis.

Learning Objectives:

`- Understand the structure and purpose of the IBM i Audit Journal Data Mart - Learn how to query and analyze audit data for security and compliance use cases
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.
Monday April 27, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  Security, Systems Management
 
Tuesday, April 28
 

8:00am CDT

From Insight to Autonomy: The Future of Agentic Operations on IBM Power
Tuesday April 28, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
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
  NDA, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
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
  Developing Business Skills

10:45am CDT

Hidden Gems of IBM i
Tuesday April 28, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
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
  Systems Management, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Database, Programming: General, Security, Systems Management

3:15pm CDT

AI Use Cases for System Management Workshop
Tuesday April 28, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
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
  NDA

4:30pm CDT

Case Study on the Use of QSYS2.Active_Job_Info
Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
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
  Systems Management, Systems Management

5:05pm CDT

AI Over IBM i: Concepts, Patterns, and Live Examples
Tuesday April 28, 2026 5:05pm - 5:25pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
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
  Artificial Intelligence (AI)
 
Wednesday, April 29
 

8:00am CDT

SQL Services for the Developer
Wednesday April 29, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
IBM i offers a wide array of SQL services to allow programmers to interact with database and system resources. In today’s modern SQL world, SQL can replace coding to many APIs, all while being more flexible and easier to use. This session will cover a wide variety of powerful SQL services, including how to view and manage data areas and data queues, an example of interacting with IFS files, running CL commands from SQL, and much more.

Learning Objectives:

`- Learn how to manage data queues and data areas with SQL - Learn to read/write from IFS files with SQL - Learn strategies for debugging SQL procedures and functions - Learn how to develop more efficiently with the help of SQL services (SPLIT, SEND_EMAIL, SPOOLED_FILE_DATA, QCMDEXC, RELATED_OBJECTS)
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.
Wednesday April 29, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony M-N
  General Programming, Database

9:15am CDT

Agentic AI: Let's Design the Future
Wednesday April 29, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
The IBM i team wants to try something with the participants of POWERUp. We have a chance, at this conference, to collaborate with you on the kinds of things you'd like to see IBM i accomplish with AI in the future. Come to this session to participate as we use collaboration and design concepts to dream about what IBM i might do in the future.

Speakers
avatar for Steve Will

Steve Will

IBM i CTO & Chief Architect, IBM

avatar for Kris Whitney

Kris Whitney

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

Adam Shedivy

Software Developer, IBM
Adam is a software Developer working on Agentic AI solutions for IBM i
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 Jesse Gorzinski

Jesse Gorzinski

STSM and Senior Business Architect - AI and Open Source, IBM
Experienced business architect from IBM and a specialist in the IBM i platform. My passion is enabling enterprises to adopt artificial intelligence and open source technologies.
Wednesday April 29, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony M-N
  NDA, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

10:45am CDT

Embracing Change - A Customer's Journey From Legacy to WOW!
Wednesday April 29, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
We’ve all heard the saying: Don’t be afraid of change - be afraid of not changing. But let’s be honest - change is hard. Whether it’s outdated technology, entrenched processes, or resistance from within, modernization can feel like an uphill battle. Does it frustrate you when your applications are labeled legacy? You're not alone. This session is a real-world case study of how one retailer navigated the journey to modern application development using IBM technologies, including Power, IBM i, Ansible, and more. Along the way, they didn’t just modernize their apps—they transformed how IT is perceived within the company. IT is in a prime position to drive meaningful change. But how do you start? How do you overcome resistance and build excitement? In this session, you’ll learn practical strategies to shift mindsets, gain leadership buy-in, and turn legacy into WOW!

Learning Objectives:

`- The key differences between modernization and modern application development—and why it matters. - Proven strategies to lead people through change and turn skeptics into champions. - How to demonstrate the business value of IT and secure executive buy-in. - Lessons from a company that successfully transitioned to modern application development—and its approach to IT.
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 →
Wednesday April 29, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony M-N
  IT Strategy, IT Leadership & Management

3:45pm CDT

IBM Power11 for IBM i P05 Clients
Wednesday April 29, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
The next generation of IBM Power11 processor-based servers are bringing new capabilities to entry-level environments, helping smaller and mid-sized organizations run mission-critical applications and workloads while preparing for emerging AI-driven use cases. In this confidential session, attendees will receive an early look at the upcoming Power11 entry-class servers designed for IBM i P05 clients. We will explore how these next-generation systems are designed to deliver enterprise-grade performance, integrated security, and modern infrastructure capabilities in a compact and cost-effective form factor. The session will also highlight new features such as integrated AI acceleration, scalable memory, high-speed networking, and hybrid cloud readiness. Because this session includes forward-looking product information, attendance will require signing a non-disclosure agreement prior to entry.

Speakers
avatar for Todd Boyd

Todd Boyd

STSM, IBM Power Product Mgmt., IBM Corporation
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 Jesse Gorzinski

Jesse Gorzinski

STSM and Senior Business Architect - AI and Open Source, IBM
Experienced business architect from IBM and a specialist in the IBM i platform. My passion is enabling enterprises to adopt artificial intelligence and open source technologies.
avatar for Lisa Stampe

Lisa Stampe

Leader of Power Support Product Management, IBM
avatar for Fiona Tang

Fiona Tang

Power Product Manager, IBM
Wednesday April 29, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  NDA

5:00pm CDT

Powering What’s Next: The Evolution of Power11 Scale‑Out Systems
Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
The Power11 scale‑out family brings a new level of performance and efficiency to IBM i environments, and this session will walk through what makes the latest systems a major step forward. We’ll highlight key hardware enhancements, expanded capabilities, and the performance improvements that matter most for real IBM i workloads. Attendees will get an inside look at how Power11 SCO systems support modernization, resiliency, and future‑ready growth. Whether you're planning your next upgrade or just curious about what Power11 brings to the IBM i community, this session will give you a clear, practical overview of what’s new and why it matters.

Speakers
avatar for Todd Boyd

Todd Boyd

STSM, IBM Power Product Mgmt., IBM Corporation
avatar for Fiona Tang

Fiona Tang

Power Product Manager, IBM
Wednesday April 29, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  Hardware
 
Thursday, April 30
 

8:00am CDT

iSee with Scott and Tim
Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
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.
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 →
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 →
Thursday April 30, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT
Balcony M-N
  Systems Management, Database, Programming: General, Security, Systems Management

9:15am CDT

Navigator as seen by Scott (& Tim)
Thursday April 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
In a first-of-its-kind session, Tim Rowe and Scott Forstie will team up and tear apart IBM i Navigator.

Behind the scenes, Navigator uses all kinds of SQL. Scott will point out some of the limitations you might encounter, from an SQL perspective, and how you can "go beyond" Navigator, when needed.

Tim will explain the best and brightest features to be found in Navigator.

Come to this session to hear their fave features and more.
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 →
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 →
Thursday April 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am CDT
Balcony M-N
  Systems Management

10:45am CDT

Security for You and A(i)
Thursday April 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
Adopting AI-based Assistants and Agentic AI tools in your organization? While these technologies are enticing and extremely powerful, the need to consider security during your AI projects is something one must not forget. During this session Scott Forstie and Carol Woodbury will demonstrate the power of using IBM Bob for IBM i security tasks. In addition, they’ll discuss the security safeguards and proper configurations you’ll want to consider when implementing AI.

Learning objective:
Learn the power of using Bob and IBM i for IBM i security tasks as well as considerations for safeguarding your IBM i in the world of AI.
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 →
avatar for Carol Woodbury

Carol Woodbury

IBM i Security SME and Senior Advisor, Kisco
Thursday April 30, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Balcony M-N
  Security, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

1:00pm CDT

IBM i Migrate While Active Operating System
Thursday April 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
Migrating critical workloads to new infrastructure or cloud environments has traditionally required significant downtime and complex planning. With Migrate While Active, organizations running IBM i can now move production systems to cloud environments while keeping applications running and business operations uninterrupted. In this session, we will explore how IBM i Migrate While Active enables near-continuous system availability during migrations by synchronizing production data between the source and target systems in real time. You will learn how the process works and how the approach can reduce downtime from days to minutes or hours depending on environment size and network bandwidth. Join us to understand the architecture behind this solution, the supported migration scenarios, and best practices for planning and executing a successful migration. 

Speakers
avatar for Kris Whitney

Kris Whitney

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

Yan Zhuo

IBM i Product Management Leader, IBM
Thursday April 30, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  NDA, High Availability Resilience

3:00pm CDT

Keep Your System up to Date with Image Catalogs - How they Changed My Life!
Thursday April 30, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
Perform OS upgrades and PTF installs the modern way with Image Catalogs! This has become the standard way to install on IBM i, but what are you really doing? What can image catalogs be used for and how best to handle them? If you are not used to image catalogs come and see how they can change your life!

Learning Objectives:

What are Image Catalogs and how do you create them? What can they do? How can they change YOUR life?
Speakers
avatar for Jeff Carey

Jeff Carey

Midrange Engineer III - IBM i, Lightedge
Jeff Carey is an IBM i professional with over 30 years of experience on the platform, specializing in system administration. He currently is a Midrange Engineer for Lightedge, a company providing managed services for IBM i, VMware, Nutanix, AIX, AWS and Azure. He is on the Board of... Read More →
Thursday April 30, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  Systems Management, Systems Management

4:15pm CDT

Make Today Matter!
Thursday April 30, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N
Evaluation Survey
Every new day arrives with fresh potential, yet it’s all too easy to slip into routine, delay important actions, or wait for the perfect moment that never seems to come. What if you could break that cycle and turn each day into something meaningful, productive, and energizing? This session will inspire you to take ownership of your choices, strengthen your relationships, and use practical systems and tools to manage your time, energy, and focus with confidence. Join us to explore what holds us back - from hesitation and missed opportunities to outdated habits and the myth of “one of these days.” You will learn how to create momentum, stay organized, build deeper connections, and make purposeful decisions that move you forward. With a blend of motivation, practical strategies, and real-world examples, this session will help you transform your typical day into one that counts.

Learning Objectives:

`- How to recognize the value of each day and live with intention and enthusiasm - Techniques to direct your focus toward what truly matters and boost your productivity - Ways to use simple tools and repeatable systems to stay organized and reduce the mental load
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 →
Thursday April 30, 2026 4:15pm - 5:15pm CDT
Balcony M-N
  Developing Business Skills, Developing Business Skills, Personal Development
 

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