Having participated in many board meeting debates over the years about the best place to hold meetings of the Baltimore/Washington Db2 Users Group, it’s a bit sad to learn that the 2021 IDUG North America Conference is already being planned as a virtual event, with the possibility of an in-person component.  Let’s hope we can all get together sometime in 2021!

In the meantime, it’s certainly worth noting that with so many people working remotely, many conferences and users groups have actually been quite successful adopting a virtual format.  Some changes resulting from the transition from in-person to virtual events are welcome improvements.  One of these is the more flexible session scheduling IDUG is offering.  I think it’s great, as one-size-fits-all is difficult to accommodate with technical topics.

To the many people I’ve spoken to who have said they have a topic but aren’t sure they have enough (or maybe have too much) material, IDUG 2021 may be a great option as, new this year, IDUG is offering three different presentation timeslots—30, 60, and 120 minutes. You can choose what length works best for you. You can also opt out of the live session and instead pre-record your presentation. To help inspire you, here are some of the most popular session categories:

New Db2 releases: migrating and effective usage
Analytics & Business Intelligence
New technologies: mobile applications, cloud, XaaS, etc.
Application development and data modelling
Db2 and packaged applications (ERP, etc.)
Performance, availability, & security
User experiences and best practices: what did you achieve with Db2?
Db2 and non-standard data types (JSON, etc.)

This is your chance to share your technical expertise and connect with the global community of Db2 users. If you’ve never presented at an IDUG event, this is a great opportunity. First-time speakers are always welcome, as is material geared toward beginner, intermediate, or advanced users.

To submit an abstract, visit IDUG at:  https://www.idug.org/p/cm/ld/fid=2495

I hope to “see” you at IDUG 2021!

I want to thank everyone who helped make the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Db2 for z/OS Users Group virtual meeting such a great success:

• my colleague, Kim May, for pulling the meeting together and for filling a void of timely technical content for this topic and this region
• our presenters for crafting and delivering a comprehensive new way of considering IBM System z
  • Andrew Austin, Red Hat
  • Clark Hale, Red Hat
  • Elton (the Wizard) de Sousa, IBM

The recording of the meeting is here: https://youtu.be/Am279HW1DDY

Individual presentations are as follows:

Db2 VUG – OpenShift Introduction – Austin + Hale

Db2 VUG – OpenShift on IBM z – de Sousa

Db2 VUG – Mainframe Modernization Field Notes – Fillmore

Please share this content with your colleagues.

Announcing the new Mid-Atlantic Db2 for z/OS Users Group!

With COVID-19 forcing Regional Users Groups (RUGs) to transition from in-person to virtual meetings, and with the support of the International Db2 Users Group and hearing about their regional affiliates’ success with virtual meetings, Frank and I decided to give a new virtual group a try.  We look forward to supporting the Db2 community with technical content that enables our System Z colleagues to remain active and valued contributors to the use of technology within their organizations.

Please join us for our first meeting! Register here.

September 17, 2020, from 10:00am-2:00pm EDT, will be the first virtual meeting of the System Z-focused Mid-Atlantic Db2 Users Group. The new group hopes to bring interesting, educational, and current technical presenters and sessions to mainframe users located in the Mid-Atlantic region. With a virtual format the meeting location, venue, commute time and lunch selection challenges disappear, so everyone from everywhere is welcome!

For this first meeting we will have three technical presentations and one brief interactive, bring-your-own-ideas session. The three technical sessions all focus on IBM’s efforts to use tools and technologies to support mainframe modernization. No, this is not another session on a magic code converter; these are proven tools and technologies available today that speed deployments and leverage the mainframe’s powerful resources to drive better and faster data access and new application development.

Presentations will be delivered by IBM’s Elton de Souza, Clark Hale and Andrew Austin of Red Hat, and Frank Fillmore of The Fillmore Group. The agenda, abstracts and speaker bio’s are below.

Agenda: Thursday, September 17, 2020

10:00 – 10:10 Welcome and Introductions
10:10 – 11:15 Containers, Cloud Paks, OpenShift – What Mainframers Should Know
11:15 – 11:20 Break
11:20 – 11:35 The New Replication Monitoring Tool Interactive Session – BYOI (Bring Your Own Ideas)
11:35 – 12:40 Red Hat OpenShift on System Z
12:40 – 12:45 Break
12:45 – 01:50 Mainframe Modernization – Field Notes
01:50 – 02:00 Q&A and Wrap Up

Sessions
Containers, Cloud Paks, OpenShift – What Mainframers Should Know, Elton de Souza, IBM
In this presentation IBM Chief Architect and Wizard Elton de Souza will cover the value proposition of OpenShift on IBM Z from a technical and business standpoint. Elton will also cover integration points between OpenShift and zOS services and data sources.

Red Hat OpenShift, Clark Hale & Andrew Austin, Red Hat
Red Hat OpenShift is the industry’s most secure and comprehensive enterprise-grade container platform. This presentation will explain what OpenShift is, what value it can provide to your organization, and a brief demo of its operation. Special focus will be given to the System Z release of OpenShift.

Mainframe Modernization – Field Notes, Frank Fillmore, The Fillmore Group
Frank recently served as the System Z specialist for a mainframe modernization project led by a team from Red Hat. The goal was to develop a modernization template to be shared with other mainframe customers to accelerate the effort by incorporating the best tools and technologies available today. The customer struggles with a familiar list of challenges: legacy applications developed over decades, data in VSAM and Db2, and incomplete data, the result of a recent merger. Several approach and solution options were explored. Join Frank while he discusses how IBM’s acquisition of Red Hat is transforming how mainframe modernization is being approached – and realized.

Speaker Bio’s

Elton de Souza, IBM
Elton de Souza is the Chief Architect for Cloud Native Client Success focusing on IBM Z and LinuxONE. Since OpenShift GA’d on IBM Z in Feb 2020, Elton has helped several clients across various sectors and geographies implement RHOCP on IBM Z and LinuxONE. He’s spent almost his entire career on IBM Z starting from the Java compiler for Linux and zOS to working on Open Source Solutions (MongoDB, node.js, Spark, Docker, Kubernetes, etc.) to IBM Cloud Private and now Red Hat OpenShift on IBM Z.

Clark Hale, Red Hat
Clark Hale is a Senior Consulting Architect at Red Hat. With a focus on OpenShift and “cloud native” technologies, he specializes in assisting companies adopt modern technology and development practices. Before joining Red Hat, he was a multi-language developer (COBOL, C, Java) at Lowes Companies and an OpenSource Advocate at SUN Microsystems.

Andrew Austin, Red Hat
Andrew Austin is a Senior Architect with Red Hat Consulting’s Cloud Infrastructure Practice. His focus is on delivering solutions based on Red Hat OpenShift on the IBM Z platform as well as distributed systems.

Frank Fillmore, The Fillmore Group
Frank is founder and president of The Fillmore Group, an IBM Business Partner specializing in IBM database solution sales and services. Frank is an IBM System Z Gold Consultant and IBM Champion, as well as an IBM authorized instructor and frequent presenter at users group meetings and conferences. Frank leads a team of expert consultants delivering IBM solution implementation and enablement support services.

Join the Mid-Atlantic Db2 LUW user group members – and more! – for a virtual meeting coordinated by IBM Hybrid Data Manager Technical Sales Specialist and user group supporter extraordinaire Kay Groski this coming Wednesday, June 10th.  “And more!” means, of course, that anyone from any users group (or not) is welcome to join.  Please do!

Kay has scheduled Db2 Offering Manager Karthik Gopalakrishnan to introduce Db2 v11.5.4 aka “Nebula”. Karthik’s team is also working to deliver a series of webinars detailing the new features included in Nebula. The schedule for these sessions and details are below.

For next week’s Virtual RUG:

Topic: Db2 Virtual RUG Meeting June 2020
Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Time: 2:00pm – 3:15pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)
Meeting address: ibm.biz/June2020RUG
Program registration password: Db2RUG

The follow-on sessions will provide additional detail on specific new features.  Sessions currently scheduled are below.  For speakers, agenda and registration details go to:  http://ibm.biz/db2webinar[ibm.biz]

Overview of Db2 Editions
Overview of Db2 Editions and Entitlement migration paths from older editions to new.
June 9, 2020

Strategy and Roadmaps
Overview of Db2’s strategic direction and future Roadmap.
June 11, 2020

Container Strategy
Overview of Db2’s Containerization Strategy for Docker and Red Hat Open Shift.
June 16, 2020

Developer Features
Overview of Db2 REST Service, Python UDF and Drivers.
June 18, 2020

Unpacking 11.5.4
Deep Dive into Db2 Nebula release. We will go through exciting new features.
June 23, 2020

Graph Database
Deep Dive into Db2 Graph Capabilities.
June 25, 2020

Machine Learning
Deep Dive into Db2’s Machine Learning capabilities.
June 30, 2020

Enterprise Features
Deep Dive into Db2’s new Enterprise readiness capabilities.
June 30, 2020

Over 180 folks attended the “45 Minutes to Understand IBM Replication – Sources & Targets, Lower Latency, Costs” webinar on April 30, 2020 hosted by my colleague @KimMayTFG and me.  Thank you for joining us – along with the excellent questions and feedback.

These are the presentation materials IBM Data Replication Update 2020-04-30

You’ll find the recording of the webinar here.

This Thursday, April 30th, join Frank Fillmore for a fast, information-packed webinar, loaded with IBM replication solution information for both non-IBM and IBM replication customers.  Come join us and learn!  Details and the registration link are in the post below.

Yesterday was one of those, “Where were you when you heard the news?” days – I was at the gym (yes, I do go once in a very long while), watching the financial news and saw the headline announcing Arvind Krishna as IBM’s New CEO, effective April 6th.  I was so excited I ran out to my car, grabbed my phone and started calling Db2 people.

Arvind has been a great supporter of the Db2 community, is the executive sponsor of the Gold program, and the rare sort of leader who can hand you a challenge and make you feel honored to be asked.  I am so excited for IBM, their customers, and Business Partners to have Arvind in charge.

The photo below is from an IBM dinner I was invited to attend a few years back with two of the best IBM’ers I know – Arvind and Db2 and replication superstar Christian Zentgraf.  I am looking forward to an exciting 2020 for the Db2 community!!

If your organization is considering a year end CDC acquisition and plan a 2020 implementation, consider training and services from The Fillmore Group to accelerate your success.  The Fillmore Group is working to update the IBM Change Data Capture curriculum – course KM020G – adding optional sessions covering replication to Kafka and replication to and from PostgreSQL.  Please note: customers purchasing replication licenses prior to year end may qualify for free PostgreSQL or Kafka education.  Contact me if you are interested.

In addition, our team is also ready to assist with replication Quickstart services.  A TFG consultant will help your organization leverage the best features and functionality available in the IBM replication product family – quickly!

Training
2/3/20 – 2/5/20 Change Data Capture Essentials.  Prepare for planning, installing, managing and monitoring IBM replication with this IBM training class, KM020G.  Cost:  $2775.  View the course outline: KM020G Change Data Capture Essentials

2/6/20 – 2/6/20 CDC New Features – Kafka and PostgreSQL.  These 1/2 day sessions are designed to extend the KM020G class material with topics specific to Kafka and PostgreSQL replication.  Cost:  $350.  Outline: Kafka and PostgreSQL Replication Class Module Abstracts

Services

• Kafka Quickstart.  Leverage expert technical assistance for a successful implementation.  Overview: Kafka Replication Quickstart.
• PostgreSQL Quickstart.   The Fillmore Group’s PostgreSQL delivers a skilled consultant to work with your team to plan and execute a successful replication implementation.  View the offering summary: Postgres Capture Quickstart.
• Remote Capture Quickstart.  Work with a skilled replication expert to apply this new offering in your environment with services to help you design, install and administer replication away from System z, reducing MIPs consumption and lowering System z  data replication costs. View the offering summary: Remote Capture Quickstart.

Through a partnership with TechData, one of IBM’s select global training providers, The Fillmore Group delivers authorized training for the design, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of IBM Analytics solutions. This partnership allows The Fillmore Group to leverage the award winning IBM technical training content that is exclusive to IBM’s global training providers.

Several people who registered for The Fillmore Group’s Columbus IDAA class in July were unable to attend, so we’ve decided to borrow the “Db2 Night Show” format, with Frank hosting the “IDAA Afternoon Show” Wednesday, August 28^th from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. EDT.

Frank will deliver a fast-paced, content-rich 90-minute webinar covering:

1. A review of capabilities included in recent IDAA v7.1.x code drops
2. The return of the High Performance Storage Saver (HPSS)
3. Integrated Synchronization
4. The closer-to-real Hybrid Transaction Analytic Processing (HTAP) capability
5. Disaster Recovery and High Availability considerations

And as an added bonus we will step all registered attendees through The Fillmore Group’s exclusive IDAA form-factor Buying Guide to compare:

• IBM Integrated Analytics Systems (IIAS)
• Docker container running on System z
• Docker container running on LinuxONE

We’ll do this via webinar, so come-one-come-all.  We’ll upload the materials we used in the Columbus class so anyone who did not register for class but attends the webinar can access them.

I hope you will join us if your schedule allows, and invite any colleagues who may be interested in the material.

Registration is required.  Please register HERE.

Thanks to my colleagues, Kim May and Ed Lynch, for a terrific IBM InfoSphere Data Replication (IIDR) new features webinar delivered today.  The recording of the webinar is found here.    These are the presentation materials: Data Replication Update 2019-02-07 – Final