COMMON POWERUp 2026

Understanding IBM i licensing doesn't have to be complicated. In this session, the IBM i Product Management Team will break down key concepts, terms, and definitions to help you navigate IBM i licensing with confidence. We will clarify topics such as license transfers, Group SWMA, and the differences between non-expiring and subscription licenses. You will also hear answers to the most common questions received from clients throughout the year. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how IBM i licensing works and how to make informed decisions for their environment.

Learning Objectives:

•Understand key IBM i licensing concepts •Differentiate IBM i licensing types and entitlements •Navigate common IBM i licensing scenarios confidently

When upgrading to IBM I, the planning stage requires more effort than the actual upgrade. Once the planning is complete, the upgrade itself is simple. We will discuss at length the planning tips, prerequisites, and all preparation. Plus the post-installation requirements. Everything you need to know to do a successful upgrade. Your upgrade is not fully complete until this final step is done.

Learning Objectives:

What you need to check for when preparing your system for an upgrade. Also, identify the required PTFs before the upgrade to avoid problems, and ensure completion of the necessary steps for a successful upgrade.

In this session, Tim will go over:

1. Why COBOL shops are facing a talent and maintenance crisis
2. How to use Claude to accelerate modernization
3. Flattening COBOL: copybooks, file defs, I/O expansion
4. Generating free-format SQLRPGLE from expanded source
5. Prompt tuning, context limits, hallucinations & lessons learned
6. Results ^ Q/

IBM i ACS has several capabilities that are targeted for users who interact with multiple systems.  Join Wayne Bowers, IBM Support Team Lead, as he presents a quick, live demo over viewing these capabilities

SSL, now commonly referred to as TLS, and SSH are both important approaches to secure, encrypted, network communication. Though they do have some similarities, they are not interchangeable and there are reasons why one should be used vs. the other.

In this brief session, we will compare and contrast how they communicate across the network and discuss when and why they should be used.

Learning Objectives:
Understand how SSL (TLS) and SSH communicates across the networkUnderstand when each technology should and shouldn't be used

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

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.

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.”

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.

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

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

In this session, you will hear about visualizing performance data using Performance Data Investigator (PDI) in IBM Navigator for i. While I demonstrate some of the key features, you will be learning the basics of how to use Performance Data Investigator (PDI) to perform performance analysis and view performance trends over time.

Topic teasers: collection services, graph history, export, stacking, tabs, breadcrumbs, multiples, custom

Learning Objectives:
1. How to use Performance Data Investigator to perform performance analysis
2. How to use the Graph History feature of Performance Data Investigator to view performance trends over time.

AI is quickly becoming a practical tool for improving how IBM i teams analyze, modernize and deliver applications. But knowing where it fits and how to apply it effectively is key. In this session, we will examine how AI can be used to interpret complex IBM i code, generate meaningful documentation, and assist in modernization initiatives. We will also cover how these capabilities can be integrated into existing development workflows to improve speed and consistency without introducing unnecessary risk. With real examples and practical guidance, you will learn how to move from experimentation to execution with AI in your IBM I environment.


Learning Objectives:

• Understand AI-driven techniques for analyzing and documenting IBM I applications.
• Learn how AI can assist with code transformation and modernization strategies.
• Explore integration of AI into existing IBM I development workflows.
• Get practical guidance on moving from AI exploration to implementation.

Many IBM i environments still rely on tape vaulting or backup-only second sites for offsite protection, approaches that struggle to meet today’s recovery, security, and audit requirements. These models introduce operational overhead, slow restores, and increased exposure to ransomware and data integrity issues. This session examines what effective offsite data protection for IBM i should look like today, with a focus on recoverability, immutability, and operational efficiency. We’ll review where traditional offsite strategies commonly fail and clarify the practical differences between replication, backup copies, and offsite recovery data. Attendees will be introduced to a modern, fully managed offsite copy approach designed specifically for IBM Power environments. The solution integrates with existing IBM i backup tools, supports immutable retention, and delivers predictable restore performance, without adding infrastructure or changing day-to-day operations.

Session takeaway:
Attendees will leave with a clear framework for evaluating offsite data protection options for IBM i and identifying approaches that improve recovery confidence while reducing operational burden.

SQL is a very powerful language for processing data. There are many ways to write SQL statements to get the desired results. However, not all queries are created equal. This session will compare different ways to approach a problem from an SQL perspective in terms of code maintenance and performance. Taking the right approach for writing SQL helps Db2 for i help you.

Learning Objectives:

Understanding of SQL Set-based processing Learn SQL coding techniques to avoid for poor performances Tools to help capture SQL errors

When you need to connect IBM i to other systems, you face overwhelming choices. APIs, web services, message queues, file transfers, EDI, database replication... the list goes on. How do you choose? This session cuts through the confusion with practical guidance. You'll learn the fundamental patterns behind all integration approaches, understand the tradeoffs between different options, and see when each approach makes sense. We'll cover what questions to ask vendors, what red flags to watch for, and what matters versus what's just marketing hype. You'll see real examples of successful integrations using different approaches and learn from failures too. We'll discuss security basics everyone should understand, performance considerations that actually matter, and how to plan for growth. Whether you're evaluating vendor solutions, building integrations yourself, or just trying to understand what your options are, you'll leave with practical knowledge to make better decisions.

Join this session for an in-depth look at IBM i Migrate While Active. We’ll explore its core capabilities and highlight recently delivered enhancements designed to simplify migrations and minimize downtime.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the core features and concepts behind Migrate While Active and how it can minimize downtime during partition migrations.
2. Differentiate between the supported migration methods and understand when each method is most appropriate.
3. Explain the end to end migration flow for each migration method.
4. Recognize common migration scenarios and use cases where Migrate While Active provides clear advantages.

In a modern world, information gets exchanged over the web.

A request is send and an answer is returned. We do not care where the data is located. On the i data is stored within a relational database. Data access occurs with native I/O or SQL.

What if we could receive the request and provide the data directly by executing a SQL statement?

Wouldn’t that be great?

The HTTP Web Administration GUI interface can be used for deploying SQL Statements as REST APIs while the IBM Db2 acts as RESTful service provider

Learning Objectives:
- Create the integrated web services server
- Deploy the SQL statements as a RESTful web service, including how to define the database properties and how to depose the SQL statements for each HTTP-method
- Manage the deployed services

Do you still use DDS to create physical files?  Do you create an "extension" file when you need to add a field to an existing file?  Are you worried that moving to SQL is too difficult?  This session is for you.

Do you need to prevent bad data from getting into your system regardless of how it's being added? This session is for you.

Do you need to mask sensitive data, or protect data from unauthorized users? This session is for you.
If you love working really hard, enjoy cryptic column-oriented codes, or the thought of recompiling all your RPG programs gives you a thrill, then maybe this session isn't for you.

Learning Objectives:
1. Convert DDS physical files to SQL tables
2. Add audit fields that are automatically updated
3. Use constraints to ensure data integrity
4. Use Row And Column Access Control (RCAC) to control access to your data

With Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) now available as a no-charge feature in IBM i, you've gained access to a powerful feature that can significantly improve the speed of query execution. However, SMP must be approached carefully, as improper usage may produce lackluster results. This session will cover the inner workings of SMP, when to utilize SMP, and tools for controlling system-wide SMP usage.

Learning Objectives:

`- Understand how the SQL Query Engine utilizes SMP to accelerate query execution - Understand what workloads benefit most from SMP - Understand the controls available to the Database Engineer to control SMP

Audit journaling on IBM i doesn’t have to be complicated. With IBM Navigator for i, configuring and analyzing audit data is easier than ever. This session will demonstrate how Navigator streamlines audit setup with just a few clicks and simplifies the process of consuming and interpreting audit journal entries. We’ll also highlight performance enhancements that accelerate data analysis and expand the possibilities for leveraging audit data in security and compliance efforts.

Learning Objectives:

`- Learn how to configure audit journaling on IBM i using Navigator for i with minimal effort - Understand how to efficiently consume and analyze audit journal entries through Navigator - Explore performance enhancements and new capabilities that expand the potential of audit data analysis

Think IBM Navigator for i is just for system administrators? Think again! Navigator for i is a versatile, web-based interface that offers powerful tools for all IBM i users—including developers. In this session, you'll get an overview of how Navigator works and discover specific features that can simplify and enhance your development workflow. From accessing system information to managing objects and reviewing job details, Navigator provides developers with a modern and efficient way to interact with IBM i.

Learning Objectives:

`- Gain a foundational understanding of IBM Navigator for i and its relevance to developers - Learn how to use Navigator’s features to streamline development tasks and improve productivity