I am happy to announce the return of distance learning to The Fillmore Group.  Our team developed and implemented a proprietary distance learning tool, built using a combination of WebSphere and DB2, with the free RealPlayer plug-in providing the ability to deliver streaming instructor audio and video, after the events of 9/11 made traveling for DB2 training a challenge.  Over the years we perfected the distance learning tool’s use and used it to deliver training to hundreds of people around the world - who would otherwise not have been able to attend classes.

A couple years ago IBM’s Information Management training group began evaluating distance learning technologies and limiting their use as they have been trying to find a methodology they can use consistently.   But progress hasn’t been as fast as anyone hoped, so the training team has given us the approval to again offer the public classes we deliver for IBM via distance learning.  Starting with the three classes below students can enroll in the IBM classes, use the same curriculum and lab exercise portal as the students in class, and “see and hear” the instructor lecture on the materials.  If you don’t have a travel budget, you can still join us for class!

Coming up soon are the following courses:

CE821, Using InfoSphere Data Architect, starting March 1

CF602, DB2 Connect for z/OS with DRDA, starting March 8

DW352, InfoSphere Warehouse Components, starting March 15

For course outlines and registration information go to www.ibm.com/training

Or Optim…not sure which.  Oracle is hosting an 11g technology day in Baltimore next week and I am hoping to get a sense of what Oracle users are talking about.  If you are in the area and would like to join me, I would be happy for the company!  Details are:

Discover How You Can Lower IT Costs While Building a Foundation for Innovation

Oracle is pleased to announce Oracle Technology Day featuring the latest updates on Oracle Database 11g Release 2 and Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g. During this interactive event, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Oracle experts while mingling with Oracle partners and industry peers.

This information packed technology day will include keynotes and breakout sessions where attendees will gain first-hand insights on new solutions offerings and related product developments.

Oracle end-users and partners will:
• Hear the latest on Oracle Database 11g Release 2 & Oracle Fusion Middleware 11g
• Meet face-to-face with Oracle subject matter experts
• Network with industry peers in an informal setting
• Visit with Oracle Partners
Don’t miss your chance to get the latest on Oracle’s world-class portfolio of industry-leading technology solutions - register today!

To register call 1.800.820.5592 ext. 6953.

Wednesday,
February 3, 2010
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Hilton Baltimore
401 West Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
+1.443.573.8700

In doing some co-marketing planning with the local IBM team there is clearly a lot of energy behind the push to move Oracle users to DB2.  With V9.7 the claim is that 95% of all Oracle application code will run - untouched - in DB2 V9.7.  So the IBM teams (and me) are looking at customers using both DB2 and Oracle as targets to move to 100% DB2 in 2010. 

I am accumulating information on the migration process and trying to figure out how to accomplish it quickly - and therefore as inexpensively as possible.  I want the ROI to show a return fast!  There is a tool to estimate the migration effort which can then be used to estimate the cost.  It’s 2010 - it’s so much easier than these things used to be…in fact, in looking at older migration plans, Frank dug up a white paper comparing Oracle and DB2 V6.1 that includes migration information.  It’s 148 pages long…take a look (at the link below) if you have absolutely nothing else to do.

Of course, in the world of new reseller programs, ValueNet and Software Advantage Plus, and so on, I must mention The Fillmore Group has a competitive migration VAP in place to enable us to sell DB2 to Oracle users for the best prices anywhere.  Call me if you want to make the change.  Go DB2!

http://eval.symantec.com/mktginfo/products/White_Papers/Application_Performance/indepth_db2_migration_wp.pdf

The Mid-Atlantic IBM technical team - specifically Linda Snow, Paul Westfall, Warren Heising, Brad Greeley and Martha Fields - were all on hand this past Thursday to assist customers interested in learning more about Optim products using the IBM Proof of Technology hands-on labs.  The PoT format is pretty straightforward, with an IBM tech team member introducing the product and giving a high-level technical product overview for about 30 minutes, followed by the attendees performing hands-on lab exercises for 30-60 minutes. 

The format was well-received and the attendees all stayed until the last exercise was completed.  Each attendee received a lab manual and collateral on the Optim products. 

Warren Heising tells me there are many, many product PoT’s available.  He’s promised me a list; I will share it when I get it.  I encourage anyone interested in learning more about a particular product to call their local IBM team or Business Partner to see if a PoT on the product is available.  These are great!  And oh, by the way, these were delivered at no charge to our customers or us!!

Just announced - The Fillmore Group will host four Optim sessions with the IBM team, featuring Paul Westfall, on Thursday, January 7th, from 9am - 3:30.  If you are “local” and interested in learning more about Optim (regardless of your database of choice), I hope you will join us.  More info below:

Enterprise applications and databases don’t just help run your business - they ARE your business.  And every year, they grow in size and complexity - making them harder and more complicated to manage.

IBM® Optim™ gives you the power to manage enterprise application data through every stage of its lifecycle – regardless of the relational database your organization uses.  These sessions will introduce the Optim products that can enable you to meet your service level agreements, decrease maintenance costs and protect data privacy and security, reducing your legal liability exposure, whether you use Oracle, SQL Server, Sybase, DB2 – any or all! Read More…

I was finally able to confirm all the speakers for the LUW track at the December meeting and - wow! - here’s the lineup summary:  Curt Cotner and Paul Westfall from IBM, and the BWDB2UG board’s own Steve Rosenberger from FEPOC doing a user case study on their archiving implementation.  If you are in the area on Wednesday, December 9th, PLEASE join us - it should be great…the z/OS track includes Rick Weaver from BMC and Roger Miller.  Great presenters and great networking.  Hope to see you!  The full agenda is included after the jump and all the registration and PayPal access is through our (new) website at: www.bwdb2ug.org.

Read More…

I am back from IOD in Las Vegas.  It was a great conference, but clearly priced beyond the budget of many Information Management software users.  For those of you in the Mid-Atlantic area, here’s another option that will give you a better understanding of IBM’s Information Agenda and where it can benefit your organization.  If nothing else, it will help you understand the products subgroups -Optim-InfoSphere-Filenet-Cognos-Data Servers.

The session is titled, “Unlocking the Business Value of Information“, and will be held Tuesday, November 17th at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in DC.  It’s *free* but you must register on the IBM site here.    Hope I will see you.

My colleague, Kim May, will be leading a birds-of-a-feather (BOF) session at IBM’s Information On Demand Conference today - ”Becoming an Information Champion for Dummies”.  The particulars are:

BOF-1631A; Wednesday, October 28, 6:00 p.m.; Tradewinds F

Hope to see you there.

I’m at IBM’s Information OnDemand Conference (IOD) in Las Vegas.  The blog posts will be shorter, but more frequent.

The Balanced Configuration Unit (BCU) became the Balanced Warehouse.  The new name is the Smart Analytics System.  The best news for small and medium businesses is that a virtualized VMWare image will  be available in the entry level “C” class.  This means the entire stack - including operating system - is available for deployment after a few minutes of configuration.

We offer implementation assistance and training.  Let me know if you need more information.

I am ready to leave for IOD and had some thoughts on this year’s conference based on what I’ve heard (unconfirmed, ok?)  It’s sad to hear from so many customers that they cannot attend.  IOD and IDUG offer DB2 users the broadest perspective on what’s happening in the world of OUR technology, and it seems the many incentives of attending - great training and lots of discussion about what new features and functionality are being planned, or have already been added (but no one knows about).  One vendor I spoke to estimated IOD attendance will be 80% vendors and IBM’ers, and 20% customers.  Bummer!

I think it’s important that every DB2 user get a sense of the strategy to merge all the acquired products into a comprehensive toolkit.  For those of you who won’t be at the conference, here are some suggestions: Read More…