IDUG EMEA 2024 Db2 Tech Conference Workshops & Hands-On Labs

Diego Cardalliaguet & Vincent Rabsatt, IBM

Get hands-on experience with IBM Db2 AI for z/OS, a powerful new offering built on machine learning. Learn how Db2 AI can: optimize SQL statements, provide Db2 system assessments with expert guidance for tuning your subsystem, use the Distributed Connection Controller to learn remote workload traffic and generate Db2 profiles to monitor and control remote connection access of Db2's distributed server for location, user ID, and application name, and monitor system performance with a new performance insight visualization dashboard.

Biographical information for our presenters coming soon!

Shaikh Quader, IBM

IBM Db2 offers a wide range of AI features, both built-in and external tools, for creating AI systems and solutions. These include over 200 built-in AI stored procedures and tools that work seamlessly with open-source AI ecosystems. In this workshop, participants will explore Db2’s AI support and use a selection of these features to implement practical AI models. The workshop consists of two parts. In the first module, participants will learn how to develop a supervised AI model using Db2’s built-in AI stored procedures. The entire model development and usage will be done using SQL within the database. In the second module, participants will learn how to create a Python model using popular Python packages outside of the database, and then deploy that model back into a Db2 database. By the end of the workshop, participants will have gained fundamental skills and hands-on experience in utilizing these AI capabilities. They will be able to apply these skills to their future AI projects. This workshop is designed to be beginner-friendly and does not require participants to have extensive knowledge in AI. Basic SQL skills and some Python programming skills are sufficient for attending and benefiting from this workshop.

Shaikh Quader is the AI architect at IBM Db2. His role involves developing product features to enhance database operations with AI and allow users in implementing AI solutions with Db2. Shaikh also manages research collaborations between IBM and Canadian universities. He and his team have created several Python frameworks to optimize complex data science tasks like exploring high dimensional datasets and improving data quality. Additionally, Shaikh has 12 scientific publications, 5 issued patents, and 11 filed patents. He completed his master's degree at the University of Waterloo and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in machine learning at York University. 

Toine Michielse, Broadcom

Are you exploring how to exploit Ansible on your DevOps journey? Or you may be well on your way towards standardizing on Ansible. Either way, our workshop will introduce you to a Broadcom developed Ansible collection that will empower you to automate your Db2 for z/OS Schema Management the Ansible way. This Ansible collection will be a powerful tool to enable a developer to provision the Db2 environment needed to test an application. It also has the necessary capabilities to automate deployment of any schema changes. In this workshop you will have the opportunity for an instructor-led hands-on experience with the Broadcom DBM-Db2 Ansible collection. You will learn ways to use the collection in ad hoc mode as well as understand how to develop Ansible playbooks to achieve your goal.

I have been working with Db2 for z/OS ever since V1. In my career I have worked as COBOL/IMS/DB2 programmer, IMS/DB2 DBA and DB2 system engineer. I have also worked a number of years as Db2 Lab advocate, supporting IBM customers worldwide.

Before joining Broadcom, I worked at SwissRe. Besides my function as their lead mainframe Architect, I also managed the Mainframe Capacity team as well as team of Db2 specialists providing education and consultancy to SwissRe development units.

I currently work at Broadcom as one of the Db2 Evangelists and Solutions Architect. I am also proud to be an IBM Champion since 2022.

When I am not working, I enjoy paragliding and I play drums in a rock band.

Ludovic Janssens, Infocura 

Cloud Pak for Data, we've all heard of it before, but what can it do? Which components are inside of this offering and why would we combine this with Db2? This presentation presents some key takeaways on the IBM Data Fabric solution and zooms in on its functional and technical architecture.

First, the presentation will explain how the Cloud Pak sits within a typical data architecture, with special attention to the used cases of Db2 Warehouse en Watsonx.data. Next, we will discuss the main components and how they differ from their non-Cloud Pak counterparts. Finally, we discuss the deployment and licensing on different platforms.

I graduated as an Archaeologist. Although ancient times still fascinate me, I got involved in IT and learned about databases, rexx and cobol.

In the past 20 years, I spent a lot of time being a Db2 for z/OS expert. I have been an IBM Champion for a few years, and I presented on several occasions on IDUG. 

Seven years ago, I decided to spread my wings beyond the IBM Db2 story and took interest in Cloud, Data and Information Architecture and Governance. During these past few years, I learned a lot on how things can, should or will work, but as well as common pitfalls that exist.

New data architectures tend to be complex and for that you need a strong foundation which IBM can offer with modern and open offerings. This is exactly why I returned to Infocura and Big Blue, where I am now building further on these capabilities as well as sharing them with my colleagues.

Lih Wang, IBM 

This lab session is providing the attendees the hands-on experience to explore how AI enabled monitoring solution, with a trained ML model, can help manage DB2 and z/OS performance to empower you to become more proactive before the problem damages the system.  The lab is hosted on an IBM live z/OS environment via internet.  The instructor will be on-site providing a lab guide and answering questions.  The lab guide gives step-by-step instructions to take you through Db2 problem solving scenarios with AI-ML scoring in action.  Bring your own laptop device, and we will set it up for you to login to this AI-ML lab on a live IBM Z system.

Lih M Wang is an Executive Client Technical Specialist at IBM Technology Software Group. She has over 30 years of experience in performance monitoring and tuning for IBM zSystems and Db2 in the software industry. For AI use cases, Lih has performed a variety of Proof-of-Concept projects with IBM Labs by taking client’s own data and showing the findings to prove how AI technology and IBM Z Anomaly Analytics software product can be used to accelerate problem determination and prevention. Lih co-authored and published IBM Redbooks on AI use cases and smart analytics topics has sponsored IBM Z Customer Council, a long-time IDUG member since 1991, a frequent speaker at SHARE and IBM technical conferences.

Greg Stager, IBM

A secure environment while operating Db2 has become of utmost importance as the cost of cyberattack and data breach increase year by year. The purpose of this hands-on lab is to provide guidance on building a secure Db2 environment with some of Db2’s latest security features. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn about Db2 security services including configuring TLS, Native Encryption, Row and Column Access Control, and the Db2 Audit Facility.

Greg Stager is the security architect for Db2 LUW at the IBM Toronto Lab. Greg has been a member of the Db2 security development team since 2000, where he has worked on all aspects of security within Db2, including authentication, authorization, auditing and encryption.

Andrew Badgley & Samantha Buhler, Broadcom

We hear a lot about the open mainframe, but what does it really mean?  Depending on your role and organization boundary, the definition of open mainframe can vary.  At Broadcom, our point of view on the open mainframe is essentially to enable those capabilities our customers need to effectively manage this critical component of their hybrid IT architecture, as services.  This is supported through our Database Management Data Service (DBM-DS) architecture built to be Zowe compliant, leveraging the many benefits provided by the Zowe API mediation layer (API-ML).  Come join our workshop to learn best practices for standing up a DBM-DS instance and API-ML which will then open the doors to many exciting use cases enabled through a web-based interactive user interface. 

Andrew Badgley is the Lead Product Owner for the Database Management for Db2 for z/OS
Administration, Backup & Recovery, and Utility products at CA technologies. He has 20+ years of
experience with these products as Developer, Support Engineer, Support Engineering Manager, and Product Owner. His areas of expertise include Db2 Log Reporting, Data Recovery, and Database Design. He is also the owner of the CA Db2 Tools 20.0 Validation Project and an IBM Champion. 

Samantha Buhler has always worked in and around the mainframe, starting her mainframe career at IBM as a pricing and investment analyst for Db2 for z/OS and IMS.  In that capacity, she not only helped to deliver Db2 versions 8 and 9 to market but was also instrumental in making zIIP engines a reality.  Samantha went on to lead product management for the Db2 engine and its surrounding tools for IBM, spearheading machine learning on z/OS.  In November 2023, she joined Broadcom as an offering leader in the mainframe data management space, working with the Broadcom team to bring innovation that help customers tackle their IT infrastructure challenges.

Bart Steegmans, IBM

When running a DB2 data sharing system; understanding global locking is critical to good application and system performance. This double session will describe how DB2 data sharing locking works under the covers. The session will also explain what information you have at your disposal to understand the data sharing locking characteristics of your system; and how to influence and tune your data sharing locking behavior for various types of problems that you may encounter.

Bart Steegmans is a Consulting Db2 Product Support Specialist from IBM Belgium. He is working remotely for the Silicon Valley Laboratory in San Jose and providing technical support for Db2 for z/OS performance problems. He has 35 years of experience in Db2. Before joining IBM in 1997, Bart worked as a Db2 system administrator at a banking and insurance group. His areas of expertise include Db2 performance, database administration, and backup and recovery. Bart is co-author of numerous IBM Redbooks publications about Db2 for z/OS.

Sowmya Kameswaran, IBM

Bring your own device to this workshop, where you will have a chance to perform a hands-on lab to experience the latest deliverables towards Db2 user transformation. 

• Db2 administrator personas can execute some of their daily tasks in a more intuitive way via Db2 Administration Foundation and its integration with Db2 Tuning Services, Query Workload Tuner and IDAA Administration services.  Last but not least, administrators can also benefit from Db2 DevOps experience (DBaaS) to “shift-left” database operations to application developers under their rules and administrative directives.
• Db2 application developer personas can develop / test and deploy application changes that also require database change in a speed that business demand. Using Db2 Developer Extension in IDE will simplify coding of SQL including native stored procedure code. Using Db2 DevOps Experience services (DBaaS), developers can, on demand, self-service database operations under the rules previously established by the Db2 administrators. 

Sowmya Kameswaran leads the modernization portfolio for IBM Db2 product line. My charter encompasses product design & development, vendor & customer relationship, external & internal product communication.

This leadership role includes mentoring and managing full-stack software developers alongside responsibility for Agile SDLC management and Customer POT (proof of technology) sales enablement sessions.

Sowmya speaks regularly at various IBM hosted conferences and present novel solutions to enable customer success.

Thomas Rech, IBM 

Db2 databases support the High Availability needs of many customers today. Db2 v11.5.5.0 saw the general availability of High Availability with Pacemaker on the Linux platform, providing a newer, Cloud-ready alternative to the TSA implementation. Newer releases have added support for AWS, Azure and Google Cloud environments, and many other refinements.

This workshop will give you hands-on experience for managing a Db2 HADR with Pacemaker Cluster on Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud or AWS. The session will cover the Cloud specific Implementation of Fencing and virtual IP Addresses. It will help you understand the information provided by the cluster utilities, across basic operations, diagnostics, and best practices from the IBM Labs This workshop will also demonstrate basic problem scenarios, troubleshooting and collection of essential support data to accelerate problem resolution in emergency cases.

Beck Tang has 22 years of experience as a member/team leader of the IBM SAP Integration and Support Center at the IBM Canada Software Lab. His current role includes certification testing of SAP NetWeaver with IBM DB2 LUW and assisting customers with problem analysis and troubleshooting. Mr. Tang is also a customer advocate providing custom-tailored support for large customer accounts running SAP and DB2 LUW. He is a SAP Certified Technology Associate for System Administration (DB2 LUW) with SAP NetWeaver 7.31. He holds a degree in computer engineering from University of Alberta (Canada).

Thomas Rech has been working in the Db2 area since 1996. Starting as a Db2 course instructor, he soon moved to the SAP on Db2 environment in 1997. He joined the SAP/IBM Db2 Development Team, followed by a role as technical sales consultant. He led several lighthouse projects like the first Db2/SAP implementation on HP-UX, the internal SAP implementation of Db2, and the world’s largest SAP Business Warehouse. He took over the role of IT architect and team lead in the IBM SAP Db2 Center of Excellence, helping customers in critical situations and everything around Db2 and SAP. Thomas now works as IT architect in the Db2/SAP development team out of the IBM Research & Development Laboratory in Böblingen/Germany. He holds a degree in computer science from the University of Applied Sciences in Worms.