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.

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.

The Time is NOW!
Upgrade to Db2 12 for z/OS!

Date:           Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Time:          11:00am EDT
Register:     HERE

You are invited to join a live webcast hosted by IBM Gold Consultants to learn why this is the right time to upgrade to Db2 12.

Gold Consultants are an independent voice, delivering Db2 consulting and support to  customers worldwide. Learn more about the Golds and how they can help your organization by visiting the IBM Gold Consultant webpage.

During this webcast expert Golds will discuss:

• The benefits of upgrading to Db2 12
• Continuous availability and potential cost savings
• In-memory Features
• Pre-planning tasks and their importance
• Costs and risks associated with failing to migrate by September 30, 2020

The session will close with a live Q&A session with several of the Golds who contributed recommendations and content to the presentation.

The session was developed and will be delivered by the following IBM Gold Consultants.  Bio’s for each presenter are below.

Julian Stuhler
Triton Consulting

Julian has over 30 years of Db2 experience in application programming, database administration, technical architecture, performance tuning and systems programming, working within the insurance, telecommunications, banking, financial services and manufacturing sectors. He is an IBM Redbook and White Paper author and IDUG Best Speaker, and has lectured widely on DB2 subjects in the UK, Europe and US. In 1999 Julian was invited to join the IBM Gold Consultants program, and in May 2008, Julian was recognized as one of IBM’s inaugural Data Champions. Julian served on the IDUG Board of directors from 2003 to 2010, and is an IDUG Past President.

Frank Fillmore, Jr.
The Fillmore Group, Inc.

Frank is the Founder and President of The Fillmore Group, Inc., a Premier IBM Business Partner.  Frank is an IBM Gold Consultant and IBM Champion for both Analytics and System z.  The Fillmore Group’s areas of expertise include data interoperability, replication and high availability, InfoSphere, Db2 Server for VSE&VM, competitive migrations and technical Project Management. Frank oversees a staff of talented employees and contractors, and manages projects ranging from new database implementations to health checks.  In addition to consulting Frank and his team deliver IBM Authorized Training and are IBM software resellers.

Isaac Yassin
DBX-Consulting

Isaac is an IBM Gold Consultant and Champion with over 40 years of experience consulting on IT and security at cross-industry customers covering areas of global system tuning including Sysplex and Parallel Sysplex, Security (RACF, Top-Secret, Guardium) and large-scale projects involving Data Warehouse / Big Data and Machine Learning as well as data analysis in heterogeneous environments.

Isaac has vast knowledge in DB2 (both Z & LUW), IMS and other major DBMSs and has installed and migrated every release of Db2 starting with V1.2 and up to V12, including “skip & jump” migrations and worked on a variety of migrations to and from other vendor databases.  Isaac’s Db2 technical work includes wide-scale problem analysis, performance, troubleshooting, education/training, security problems and audits and BCP/DRP scenarios.  Isaac is an active IDUG contributor and frequent presenter.

Gerald Hodge
HLS Technologies

Gerry began working with Db2 V2 in 1985 while a First Vice President at Security Pacific National Bank. While there he headed the Capacity Planning and Performance Planning for 11 of the bank’s data centers. In 1990 he moved to BMC Software’s International Sales as their SME for their Db2 products, and was the primary on sight support for sales and Db2 Products in both Europe and Asia.

In 1995 Mr. Hodge started HLS Technologies, Inc. His company developed the following DB2 products: Avoid Bind, DBRM Check, Path Check, and Express Hints. He was invited to join IBM’s Gold Consultants the year the program was formed. He has been an active member every year since.  HLS Technologies has provided detailed planning and support for Db2 migrations since V5 and is currently supporting a large V12 migration project.

Dan Luksetich
DanL Database Consulting

Dan is a Db2 DBA consultant, an IBM Gold Consultant and IBM Analytics Champion. He works as a DBA, application architect, presenter, author, and teacher. Dan has been in IT for over 34 years, and has worked with Db2 for over 29 years. He has been an application programmer, Db2 system programmer, Db2 DBA, and DB2 application architect. His experience includes major implementations on z/OS, AIX, i Series, Windows, and Linux environments. His industry experience includes retail, banking, fraud detection, analytics, government, and utility. He specializes in highly available, high-volume transaction processing against very large database systems.

Dan’s experience includes, but is not limited to:

· Application design and architecture
· Business analytics
· SQL consulting and education
· SQL coding and application programming
· Database administration
· Complex SQL
· SQL tuning
· DB2 performance audits
· Replication
· Disaster recovery
· Stored procedures, user-defined functions, and triggers

Extending appreciation to all who participated in the IBM Db2 Analytics Accelerator (IDAA) v7.1 webinar on August 28, 2019.  If you weren’t able to join us, here is the webcast recording.  In a fast-paced 90 minutes we covered:

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

The Fillmore Group’s exclusive IDAA Buyer’s Guide compares these IDAA form factors and deployment options:

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

And this is the handout: IDAA Webinar 2019-08

Please note: if you would like the exclusive IDAA Buyer’s Guide referenced in the webinar, contact my colleague, Kim May (kim.may@thefillmoregroup.com).

Join replication experts Frank Fillmore and Ed Lynch for this information-packed webinar with news and announcements about IBM’s replication solutions. Whether you are a current IBM replication user, investigating replication for a new deployment, or working with a competitor’s solution, this webinar will help you understand what IBM offers today, and the enhancements that will help you succeed with replication in 2019.

At a sprint!

In forty-five minutes Ed and Frank will deliver an overview of IBM’s current offerings, the four most important 2019 enhancement announcements, and 3 special pricing offers that can help your organization realize significant savings. We know you want your data to be available when you need it and where you need it, and fast. We can help.

Registration is required. Please register HERE.

Date: Thursday, 2/7/19

Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm EST

Presenters:

Frank Fillmore is the Founder and President of The Fillmore Group, Inc., an IBM Business Partner specializing in replication solutions in the IBM Analytics portfolio. Frank has been a Db2 Gold Consultant since 1998 and is currently an IBM Champion for both Analytics and System z. Frank frequently presents on cutting-edge topics at regional and international Db2 Users Group meetings and is an IBM authorized instructor for delivery of replication courses including Q Replication, ICDC and pureScale. Frank leads a team of expert consultants delivering presales, implementation and enablement support to IBM customers. Frank is currently supporting a pureScale implementation for a US Federal agency.

Ed Lynch was with IBM for over 25 years as a leader and innovator in Data Analytics and Information Integration.  Leveraging his balanced and diversified knowledge of data and Information Technology with business needs and capabilities, Ed consistently recommends and delivers best of breed technical solutions. A trusted advisor to his customers and colleagues, Ed’s cross-industry knowledge enables him to be an effective go-to resource, particularly for difficult and complex challenges, and his success in many diverse roles at IBM, including development, technical team management, marketing and sales, showcase his flexibility. Ed is currently supporting a complex replication implementation for a large, US-based financial institution.