COMMON POWERUp 2025: Full Schedule

Unlock the Power of IBM i at POWERUp 2025!

Join us in Disneyland, California, for POWERUp 2025, the premier conference for IBM i professionals. Whether you’re an experienced expert or just starting your IBM i journey, this event offers unparalleled education, hands-on workshops, and valuable networking opportunities. Stay ahead of the curve with insights from industry leaders, explore the latest innovations, and connect with a thriving community that shares your passion for IBM i. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your knowledge, grow your skills, and power up your career!

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8:00am PDT

Preparing Your IBM i for the Next Generation

Wednesday May 21, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT

Room 12

A critical challenge facing IBM i organizations today is attracting and retaining next-generation talent while preserving the deep expertise that makes our platform great. In this session, we'll explore how modern development tools, practices, and cultural changes can make your IBM i environment attractive to new developers without alienating experienced team members. We'll discuss real-world success stories of organizations that have successfully bridged this gap, and provide practical strategies for implementing change while maintaining stability.

Speakers

Mike Samboy

Chief Commercial Officer, Eradani

IBM i integrations, APIs, DevOps

Wednesday May 21, 2025 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Room 12 1150 Magic Way, Anaheim, CA 92802

IT Strategy

9:15am PDT

IBM i Client Innovation Stories

Wednesday May 21, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am PDT

Room 12

IBM i clients around the world in industries such as retail, distribution, consumer products, and more spent another year in 2024 innovating on the platform. These clients found new ways to modernize with open source technologies, automate routine tasks to increase productivity, optimize business processes in the cloud, and more. Join this session with Brandon Pederson, IBM i and Power Product Marketing Manager, and Steve Will, IBM i Chief Technology Officer, to hear the latest client success stories from this past year. You'll leave this session with new ideas for your business and fresh ways on how to innovate with the platform.

Speakers

Steve Will

IBM i CTO & Chief Architect, IBM

Steve is the CTO and Chief Architect for the IBM i Operating System. Spending the past fourteen years of his IBM career in this position, he has become an award-winning speaker, author of the influential blog "You and i," (https://bit.ly/You-and-i-blog) and is one of the most sought-after voices at customer briefings and events. Steve has worked on IBM i and its predecessors since before the creation of the AS/400, and is currently responsible for setting the strategy of the IBM i operating system, as well as deciding which enhancements will be implemented. In his role, he talks to clients and pa... Read More →

Brandon Pederson

IBM i and Power Product Marketing Manager, IBM

Brandon Pederson is the Product Marketing Manager for IBM i and Modernization within the IBM Power business. Prior to this role, Brandon was Content Marketing Manager for IBM WebSphere and Content and Community Manager for IBM Power. He has a degree in Marketing from Concordia University... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
Room 12 1150 Magic Way, Anaheim, CA 92802

IT Leadership & Management

10:45am PDT

SQL Error Logging Facility (SELF)

Wednesday May 21, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am PDT

Room 12

Have you ever been faced with “strange” SQL Errors or SQL Errors that were not trapped but simply ignored? How to find those problems?
SQL Performance Monitors can help, at least if you know where to start, i.e. which job, which program caused the problems. But SQL Performance Monitors come with significant overheads, just by gathering everything.
SELF is an additional tool for finding understanding and fixing SQL Errors and Warnings. SELF can be started without modifying any programs and can safely run in production.
This session will show what are the components of SELF and how to use them.

Speakers

Birgitta Hauser

Database and Software Architect, IBM Champion, Birgitta Hauser - Modernization - Education - Consulting

Birgitta Hauser worked on the IBM i and its predecessors since 1992. She graduated with a business economics diploma, and started programming on the AS/400 in 1992. She worked and works as traditional RPG Programmer but also as Database and Software Engineer, focusing on IBM i application... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 10:45am - 11:45am PDT
Room 12 1150 Magic Way, Anaheim, CA 92802

Programming: General

3:45pm PDT

DIY AI: Small Language Models at Your Fingertips

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT

Room 12

Dive into the exciting world of small language models and learn how to bring their power right to your personal computer.

Speakers

Charlie Guarino

CEO & IBM Champion, Central Park Data Systems

Charles Guarino believes in the “power” of IBM Power Systems. His career reflects his dedication and interest in bringing the platform and its solutions to others and as a result has been recognized as an IBM Champion.He is a member of COMMON’s Speaker Excellence Hall of Fame... Read More →

Wednesday May 21, 2025 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
Room 12 1150 Magic Way, Anaheim, CA 92802

Artificial Intelligence (AI)