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…

It’s exciting to see business starting to heat up, particularly with the IOD Conference approaching.  One of my annual goals at the IOD Conference is to try to get more attention paid to the need for technical training in the DB2 world.  I am forever amazed at the excessive funding that goes into marketing faster/cooler/ better technologies and how little goes into teaching the DBAs expected to use them.  The “solution” everyone seems to be waiting for is some sort of e-learning that eliminates the need to travel and the need to “waste” any potentially productive business time learning…as if learning weren’t the best use of time to make one’s organization more productive. 

I finally decided to spend some time getting myself set-up to access the only IBM Information Management courses available through the free Learner Portal.  Read More…

I am excited to report that my IOD Birds of a Feather session on becoming an Information Champion was selected and will be held on Wednesday, October 28th, at 6pm at the IOD Conference.  Given that I am probably the least technical Information Champion I thought that if I could do it, so can anyone, and I thought it would be helpful to discuss the process with other future Champions.  If you are coming to IOD, I hope you will attend. 

IBM’s Amit Patel, who is serving as the communications focal point for the Information Champions, has offered to help, and I have asked another *technical* Information Champion to help as well.  When he accepts (I hope!) we will have an all-star cast ready (along with me) to assist our colleagues.  The session specifics are:

Becoming an Information Champion for Dummies  
Abstract:   IBM Information Champion program recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the Data Management community. Sounds kind of daunting, doesn’t it? Well, it shouldn’t if you have been working with IBM Information Management products and stay involved with the community. Read More…

After much (well-deserved) nagging from my colleague, uber-blogger and IBM Information Champion Kim May, I have vowed to be more active in sharing my random thoughts.  In order to *ease* back into the flow of blogging, I wanted to pick something in which many of you might be interested: entertainment at the upcoming IBM Information On Demand conference in Las Vegas, USA October 25 – 29.  Information On Demand Conference

Now, there are a few caveats.  I understand in these days of constrained budgets, travel and education dollars are hard to come by.  Moreover, many of our talented colleagues are looking for a gig to pay the mortgage right now – not worrying at all about getting to Las Vegas.

Still, IBM usually trumpets the entertainment to entice potential attendees, with the fabulous Donna Summer and (one of my all-time favorites) Earth, Wind, and Fire headlining previous conferences.  But to this moment, there’s nothing on the IOD website.  Bupkus.  So as a community service to our esteemed conference planner colleagues at IBM – and in light of the austere times in which we find ourselves – here are a few well-ruminated suggestions:

1. Last year: The Village People as the opening act.  This year: the Biker doing “Y”.
2. The Cher impersonator doing Sonny’s great American song catalog.
3. Three cast-offs from one of the dozens of different Cirque du Soleil shows juggling, spinning plates, and eating fire.
4. For those of you with long-enough memories back to early children’s television (you know who you are) here in the U.S.: Kukla, Fran, and Willie.
5. In the same vein…   For Kim – who has Jonny Quest, The Complete First Season (with director’s commentary) – Jonny himself explaining the actual relationship between Dr. Quest and Race Bannon, Jonny and Hadji, and how Bandit got those black eyes.

Of course, your suggestions are welcome.  The best three addenda will receive one (or more) adult beverages of your choice on me at a mutually convenient time and place at IOD.  The decision of the judges (me, and most probably, Kim) is final.

While at the conference, follow me on Twitter.  And connect with me on LinkedIn anytime.

I asked the 25+ people that attended the last Baltimore/Washington DB2 Users Group LUW track meeting if anyone had ever submitted a proposal to speak at either IDUG or IOD. The response? No one! Ever!

The call for presenters at IOD is out and proposals must be submitted by next Friday, May 29th. Please don’t say, ‘oh no, not me…’ – this is a great opportunity for anyone, at any organization using DB2, to be heard. Go for it!! It is worth it – see the note from Amit Patel below. By the way, Amit is the champion of Data Champions – something else everyone should consider becoming.

“…the call for speakers for the IOD Global Conference is open at the enclosed URL. The deadline to submit proposals is May 29. I have attached below the information on Speaker Entitlements for IBM Customers presenting at IOD. Thanks.

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/conf/speakers.html

Speaker Entitlements:

Customer Speakers
Customer speakers who are selected to deliver one or more Business Leadership or Technical Skill Building educational sessions will receive complimentary conference registration valued at USD $2,195. Conference registration entitles admission to all conference meals, education sessions, EXPO Solution Center, entertainment events and programs Sunday evening through Thursday. Customer speakers will also receive 3 nights (single room rate + tax) at an IBM-designated conference hotel if the customer is based in North America or up to 4 nights if the customer is based outside of North America. No other hotel or travel expense entitlements will be offered by the conference organizing committee. Only one customer speaker per session qualifies. The only exception is for a pre-approved customer panel, in which case prior written approval is required from Nancy Kreps, the conference education manager.

Customer speakers from government or public sector organizations must sign a document verifying that they are aware of IOD conference expense entitlements for customers and whether their organization allows them to accept. This documentation must be received by the conference team prior to IBM extending the conference fee or hotel night waiver.

Business Partner Speakers
IBM Business Partners who are invited or selected to speak are not entitled to registration, hotel or other expense entitlements offered by the conference organizing committee.”