IDUG EMEA 2026: Full Schedule

9:00am BST

A201 Db2 z/OS Housekeeping Best Practices

Sunday September 27, 2026 9:00am - 1:00pm BST

This 4 hours workshop - knowledge transfer session will be conducted by following presenters: Toine Michielse, Michal Bialecki, Julia Carter, Emil Kotrc, Denis Tronin
In the world of Db2 for z/OS, "set it and forget it" is a recipe for performance degradation and wasted storage. As data volumes explode and batch windows shrink, traditional housekeeping—REORG, RUNSTATS, and IMAGE COPY—must evolve from manual chores into a streamlined, automated strategy.
This deep-dive workshop provides a comprehensive blueprint for modern Db2 maintenance. We will move past the basics to explore how to balance object availability with optimal performance. Attendees will learn how to leverage the latest utility enhancements to reduce CPU consumption, manage multi-terabyte objects, and ensure that the optimizer always has the "ground truth" through intelligent statistics collection.

Speakers

Emil Kotrc

Principal Software Architect, Broadcom

Emil is a software architect at Broadcom Mainframe Software, he holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Engineering, is a member of the IDUG Content Committee, and an IBM Champion since 2015.

Toine Michielse

Client Services Management | Mainframe Software Division | Broadcom, Broadcom

Toine Michielse believes the future of the mainframe depends on building bridges – between platforms, between generations, and between past and present ways of working. A four-time IBM Champion and long-time advocate for modernization, Toine has reimagined what it means to be a... Read More →

Sunday September 27, 2026 9:00am - 1:00pm BST
Arrabida

Track A, Workshop

Topic Best Practices, Latest and Features z/OS, Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

9:00am BST

B201 Hands-on Lab: Project Aura - Infusing Db2 for z/OS with AI

Sunday September 27, 2026 9:00am - 1:00pm BST

Porto

Artificial intelligence is transforming how database administrators manage and optimize enterprise data platforms. By integrating AI capabilities directly into Db2 for z/OS, organizations can streamline operations, gain faster insights, and reduce the time required to diagnose and resolve complex database issues.
Experience the enhanced and smarter solution built on top of IBM Db2 AI for z/OS. It provides a unified intelligent workspace that acts as a force multiplier for every DBA, enabling intelligent and automated database administration and accelerating troubleshooting. This helps application and AI initiatives move faster.
With these enhanced capabilities, you will learn how to perform core DBA tasks such as catalog navigation, SQL tuning, and troubleshooting issues like deadlocks, timeouts, and lock escalations. You will also explore object management, Db2 health checks, and the AI agent that translates complex issues into simple, understandable explanations.
Please bring your la

Speakers

Jae Lee

Db2 for z/OS Development, IBM

Jae Lee is a Senior Software Engineer at the IBM Silicon Valley Lab, specializing in the development of Db2 AI for z/OS, SQL Data Insights, and the Db2 RDS component.

Brian Tsao

System Architekt, IBM

Architect of IBM Z Database Assistant and Technical Lead for IBM Db2 for z/OS Agent. Experienced in enterprise mainframe systems, modern cloud-native tooling, and emerging agentic workflows. Passionate about bridging Z systems with modernization, driving innovation that brings legacy... Read More →

Sunday September 27, 2026 9:00am - 1:00pm BST
Porto

Track B, Hands-On Lab

Topic AI GenAI and Machine Learning, Latest and Features z/OS, Modernization in Operations, Performance and Monitoring
Audience Beginner
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

A202 Db2 for z/OS modernized: Visual Studio Code deep dive

Sunday September 27, 2026 2:00pm - 6:00pm BST

Arrabida

4 hours Hands-on-lab workshop (BYOD - Bring Your Own Device)
Transition from legacy "green screen" interfaces to a modern, high-performance environment using Visual Studio Code. This workshop provides a deep dive into Zowe Explorer and the Code4z extension pack, streamlining both system and database management. You will learn to handle z/OS core tasks - including dataset and USS file operations, job submission, and CLI terminal commands - alongside essential Db2 DBA tasks like schema management and SQL execution. We will also cover best practices for managing VS Code setups and profiles to ensure your workflow is optimized for daily enterprise use. Master these modern tools to simplify and accelerate your Db2 operations.

Speakers

Jim Endler

Senior Lead, Database administration, Broadcom

Jim Endler is a Sr.Principal Technical Consultant at Broadcom who focuses on helping customers manage and optimize their Db2 for z/OS environments. He works closely with them to improve database performance and modernize operations through automation, ensuring mainframe systems remain... Read More →

Michal Bialecki

Principal Software Engineer, Broadcom

Michal Bialecki is a Db2 Technical Consultant at Broadcom, bringing over 20 years of experience to the role. Prior to joining Broadcom in 2025, he spent two decades working remotely for IBM Silicon Valley Lab, where he served as a member of Db2 z/OS Development SWAT team with John... Read More →

Sergei Osadchuk

Senior Software Engineer, Broadcom

Sergei Osadchuk is a Staff Software Engineer at Broadcom with over 10 years of experience in mainframe technologies. Currently based in Prague, he leads the development of the Broadcom Database Management Solutions for Db2 plug-in for Zowe CLI and its accompanying VS Code extension... Read More →

Denis Tronin

Product Manager, Broadcom Mainframe Software

Denis Tronin is an experienced IT professional and product manager, skilled in mainframe technologies (Db2 for z/OS, system performance, workload automation), API management (Zowe API Mediation Layer), and DevOps. He is an IBM Champion and a frequent speaker at major industry con... Read More →

Sunday September 27, 2026 2:00pm - 6:00pm BST
Arrabida

Track A, Hands-On Lab

Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

B202 Next Chapter for Db2 for z/OS Administration and Development - Workshop

Sunday September 27, 2026 2:00pm - 6:00pm BST

Porto

Join us for an exciting workshop to learn how you can benefit from the latest capabilities to boost your Db2 for z/OS user experience. During this workshop, we will present the overall architecture and showcase the recent features designed to transform the experience of database administrators and application developers.
The workshop attendees will have opportunity to interact with the presenters to simulate their daily tasks and test drive the solution. For example:

Db2 administrator personas, will experience a very intuitive way to tuning queries, catalog navigation, capture SQLs from different sources, stabilize and free SQLs, etc…
Db2 application developer personas, will experience how they can meet the fast-paced demands of today’s businesses by developing, testing and deploying applications, including stored procedures, via the most popular development tool integrated with Db2 for z/OS.

Speakers

Sueli Almeida

IBM Certified Thought Leader, IBM Silicon Valley Lab

Sueli Almeida is an IBM Certified Thought Leader and member of Db2 for z/OS development located at the IBM Silicon Valley Lab in San Jose, California. She has extensive experience with DB2, including database administration and systems programming. She has worked on DB2 for z/OS advanced... Read More →

Brian Tsao

System Architekt, IBM

Sunday September 27, 2026 2:00pm - 6:00pm BST
Porto

Track B, Workshop

Topic Modernization in Development, Modernization in Operations, Performance and Monitoring, Working with SQL
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

D202 IBM z Cyber Vault from a z/OS perspective Workshop

Sunday September 27, 2026 2:00pm - 6:00pm BST

Luis

As cyber threats against critical infrastructure grow in sophistication and frequency, organizations running mission-critical workloads on IBM Z require more than perimeter defences — they need proven, platform-native strategies to detect, contain, and recover from successful attacks with minimal business disruption.

The IBM Z Cyber Vault workshop brings together IBM technical specialists, product experts, and early adopter customers to explore the full spectrum of cyber resilience on the IBM Z platform. This focused session series covers architecture, tooling, and real-world experience across four core topics:

In this workshop, we’ll provide a comprehensive introduction to the IBM Z Cyber Vault architecture. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how an isolated recovery environment (IRE) is constructed, how data is protected through air-gap principles and immutable copies, and how Cyber Vault serves as the cornerstone of a mainframe cyber resilience strategy. We will exami

Speakers

Patric Becker

Principal Solutions Advisor, Rocket Software

Patric Becker is a Senior Director at Rocket Software within the IBM Db2 for z/OS Tools development organization, partnering with enterprise clients to optimize their mainframe strategies and deliver business-critical outcomes. He provides expert guidance on tooling solutions that... Read More →

Sunday September 27, 2026 2:00pm - 6:00pm BST
Luis

Track D, Workshop

Audience All
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

A1 Spotlight: Db2 for z/OS Trends and Directions

Monday September 28, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Infante

Come to listen to the architects of Db2 for z/OS explain overall strategy, review recent new features delivered in Db2 and also take a look at the future - where Db2 is going and why. We will talk about planning for the next version and you will learn what you need to know and actions you should start to take now to prepare for the future of IBM's flagship database.

Speakers

Haakon Roberts

DE, CTO, IBM

Haakon Roberts is an IBM Distinguished Engineer based at the Silicon Valley Laboratory in San Jose, California. He is the chief architect for Db2 for z/OS and Tools and CTO of IBM z Data & AI. He holds several patents and is a leading expert in database management, data integrity... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Latest and Features z/OS
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

A2 Hard Lessons Learned with High Performance DBATs for Db2 for z/OS

Monday September 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Infante

High Performance DBATs (HP DBATS) is a very important performance feature of Db2 for DDF workloads. If applied and used intelligently this feature can generate significant savings in CPU resource consumption. This session will cover the following topics: what is a connection?; what is a DBAT (THREAD)?; thread (DBAT) pooling and DRDA inactive connections; what are High Performance DBATs; good candidate application workloads for High Performance DBATs; general guidance for configuring High Performance DBATs; performance metrics and monitoring; WLM and High Performance DBATs; Issues; Summary.

Speakers

John Campbell

Customer Success Engineer - Data Strategic, Broadcom

John is an IBM Alumni, a retired IBM Distinguished Engineer, and now works as a Distinguished Technical Consultant for Broadcom Inc. He has worked with Db2 for z/OS for over 40 years and has extensive experience with Db2 in terms of systems, database and application design. He specialises... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Performance and Monitoring
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

B2 Assessing Your Db2 Security for z/OS Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Data)

Monday September 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Arrabida

As cyber threats grow increasingly sophisticated, ensuring the security of Db2 for z/OS environments is critical to protecting sensitive data and maintaining compliance. This presentation explores a comprehensive security assessment designed to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate access controls, and strengthen configurations. Experts with extensive mainframe experience will review key elements such as grants and permissions, DSNZPARMs, audit policies, and DDF settings, providing detailed findings and actionable recommendations. Attendees will gain insights into optimizing user privileges, securing data, while also preparing for an easier transition to external security. Enhance your security posture and mitigate risks with proven strategies tailored to Db2 for z/OS.

Speakers

Jørn Thyssen

Principal Solution Engineer, Rocket Software

Jørn Thyssen is a Senior Technical Staff Member at Rocket Software, working with mainframe and Db2 tools in customer modernization and performance projects. He has extensive experience with IBM Z and Db2 for z/OS, and collaborates closely with development teams on initiatives involving... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Security and Compliance
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

E2 Improved availability and modernization of legacy systems through the evolution of Universal Table Space (UTS)

Monday September 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Luis

Customers are constantly striving to perform essential DBA related tasks being driven by application improvements and evolutions. Non-Disruptive schema changes have been a major objective for the Db2 for z/OS ecosystem. Db2 will discontinue to support several legacy table space types and deprecated functions. Organizations must migrate to Universal Table Spaces (UTS) and remove unsupported functions prior to the deadline to ensure long‑term database viability. In addition to user‑defined objects, the work file database and many Db2 catalog tables that reside in deprecated table spaces must also be considered in the migration plan. This session highlights the invaluable online schema enhancement features in Db2 that can be exploited to achieve the highest level of availability.

Speakers

Frances Villafuerte

Senior Technical Staff Member, IBM

Frances Villafuerte is a senior technical leader in IBM’s Db2 for z/OS core engine development team, where she plays a strategic role in shaping the capabilities that drive Db2’s value proposition for enterprise clients. She has led the architecture for key features that enhance... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Data Movement and Analytics, Latest and Features z/OS
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

A3 What’s New in Db2 for z/OS Performance

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Infante

Db2 for z/OS continues to advance through Db2 13 continuous delivery, introducing performance‑focused enhancements that impact SQL execution, system scalability, resource efficiency, and operational behavior. Effectively exploiting these capabilities requires understanding not only what has changed, but how the changes interact with workloads, subsystem configuration, and the underlying IBM Z platform.
This session provides a technical deep dive into recent Db2 for z/OS performance enhancements, including features delivered through Db2 13 continuous delivery and insights gained from real customer experiences. We will examine how these updates influence critical performance areas such as CPU consumption, concurrency behavior, and subsystem scalability.
In addition, we will cover monitoring and instrumentation updates, discussing how to interpret new or enhanced metrics and how they can be used to validate performance behavior and guide tuning decisions.
Attendees will leave with concret

Speakers

Akiko Hoshikawa

Distinguished Engineer - Db2 for z/OS and Db2 AI for z/OS, IBM

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Latest and Features z/OS, Performance and Monitoring
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

B3 My new besties: the Utilities tables

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Arrabida

These two tables, SYSUTILITIES and SYSOBJECTEVENTS, have really became part of my daily inputs since the moment they arrive to my systems.
They are recording all the movements related to utilities in your system, so let's start deep diving on them :
Which ones are the most CPU consuming
The more time consuming
The ones that should probably not be running anymore
The ones that fail too often
The time slots when most of them are running
And how to use the information they provide to improve your system.

Speakers

Soledad Martínez

Db2 for z/OS consultant, Volkswagen Group Services

I am a pure IBM technology person, started as AS/400 developer in Cobol and RPG, and at some point move to zOS as Database Admin for Db2 and later to System Programmer. I am a DB2 lover, willing to learn and pasionate to teach what I already know.

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Latest and Features z/OS, User Stories, Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

E3 Autonomous Auditing: High Score on Db2 Security Features

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Luis

Stuck on a tough audit level? Tired of seeing the "Game Over" screen when a report asks: "Who had access three months ago?" Many Db2 sites rely on clunky log tools for this security quest. Get ready to discover the secret power-ups! We'll expose the relatively new, native Db2 security information stored right in the catalog—the hidden cheat code you need. Join us to unlock these features, score a Pixel Perfect audit, and conquer your compliance quest by augmenting your current processes. No extra quarters needed!

Speakers

Steen Rasmussen

Customer Services Consultant, Broadcom

Steen Rasmussen is a Customer Services Consultant currently instrumental in the ongoing development and support of the Broadcom Db2 solutions. In 1985 Steen started as an IMS/DB2 DBA at a major insurance company in Denmark working with all aspects of DB2 - like tuning, application... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Latest and Features z/OS
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

F3 Connect, Visualise, Predict: Visualization Db2 Data on z/OS using Python libraries and Machine learning tools.

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Miragaia

In the modern era of data-driven decision-making, leveraging the power of mainframe data, such as Db2 on z/OS, can provide deep insights into business operations. However, visualizing this data and utilizing advanced analytics can often seem challenging. This session will explore how Python libraries, along with machine learning tools, can bridge the gap by providing intuitive and powerful solutions to visualize and analyze Db2 data on z/OS.
We will begin by discussing the fundamentals of accessing Db2 data on z/OS using Python library ibm_db. Once data is ready we will explore popular python libraries to create clear and informative visualizations.
The session will then dive into the integration of machine learning tools, to uncover hidden patterns in the data, perform predictive analytics, and gain deeper insights.

Speakers

Niraj Garudkar

Senior Db2 LUW Consultant, BMC Software

I am a Data Scientist at BMC Software, where I work on integrating agentic AI with mainframe systems. My work focuses on applying modern AI techniques to mission‑critical enterprise platforms, with a strong emphasis on DB2, IMS and intelligent automation across mainframe environments... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic AI GenAI and Machine Learning, Data Movement and Analytics, Modernization in Development, Working with SQL
Audience All
Platform z/OS

3:20pm BST

A4 Supercharging Db2 with Generative AI: From Natural Language Queries to Autonomous Performance Optimization

Monday September 28, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST

Infante

Enterprises are under pressure to deliver faster insights and streamline operations - the ultimate Boss Fight of managing large Db2 for z/OS environments. Generative AI is your new power-up for development and administration and your secret weapon against complexity. This session will show how to flip on the Auto-Pilot to tune SQL with expert-level precision, master complex schema management, and drive utilities intelligently for object maintenance. We'll walk through real speedruns (use cases) that demonstrate how GenAI simplifies workloads, cuts troubleshooting time, and improves efficiency, giving your team the cheat codes to unlock Db2's full value and achieve the High Score in productivity.

Speakers

Chris Crone

Distinguished Engineer, Broadcom

Chris is a Distinguished Engineer for Database Technology and a lead architectfor the Data Management portfolio within the Mainframe Division of BroadcomSoftware Group. He oversees strategy and architecture decisions for theBroadcom database products IDMS and Datacom, as well as for... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic AI GenAI and Machine Learning, Modernization in Operations, Working with SQL
Audience All
Platform z/OS

3:20pm BST

E4 Smarter Db2 REORGs : A Real-World User Story

Monday September 28, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST

Luis

Many Db2 environments still depend on inherited, legacy home-grown housekeeping processes, increasing cost, risk and instability. This session shares a customer journey that modernized REORG strategy using data-driven principles and operational criteria. We discuss organizational challenges, architectural decisions, and unexpected outcomes, offering guidance for a more sustainable and scalable Db2 housekeeping model.

Speakers

Shivam Pratap Singh

Database Performance Specialist, Kyndryl CIC S.R.O., Brno

Shivam pratap singh is a Senior Lead Database Administrator specializing in Db2 Z/OS, with extensive experience supporting large enterprise environments. His work focuses on Db2 operations, performance optimization, automation and modernizing existing processes. He works with customers... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Automation, Best Practices, Modernization in Operations, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories, Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

3:20pm BST

F4 Insights and experiences from GarantiBBVA's Fast Traverse Block index implementation in production

Monday September 28, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST

Miragaia

The presentation is aiming to explore the introduction and evolution of Fast Traversal Blocks (FTB) in IBM Db2 for z/OS, focusing on the initial implementation in Db2 12 and the subsequent enhancements delivered in Db2 13.
The session will outline the architectural concepts behind FTB, key eligibility criteria, and the functional improvements introduced in Db2 13 for z/OS. The major focus of the presentation will be a real-world case study from GarantiBBVA, highlighting their experience implementing FTB in their Db2 for z/OS systems. This includes practical insights into planning, configuration, and deployment strategies, as well as challenges encountered and lessons learned during adoption. It will also examine how to identify suitable indexes for FTB and the tangible benefits of FTB usage at GarantiBBVA. The session will also be aiming to demonstrate how to measure and validate performance improvements using key metrics, system statistics, and monitoring tools. By combining theoreti

Speakers

Ayşenur Başoğlu

Senior Consultant, GarantiBBVA

I am a Database Administrator and System Engineer with 7 years of experience in Db2 for z/OS at Garanti BBVA. My work focuses on Db2 migrations, function level activation, and RSU maintenance, as well as maintaining the IBM Db2 Analytics Accelerator (IDAA) environment. I am also actively... Read More →

Gülfem Öğütgen

Db2 for z/OS, Data &AI on IBM Z Systems mainframe db2 systems programmer and dba, IBM

Gulfem has over 30 years of experience in mainframes and in Db2 for z/OS. She has worked as a database administrator, system administrator in financial institutions including leading banks in Turkey and also as a database consultant in IBM business partners and consultancy companies... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

4:30pm BST

A5 Starter’s Guide to Db2 for z/OS Group Buffer Pool Monitoring and Tuning

Monday September 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST

Infante

Db2 group buffer pools are an important component of a Db2 for z/OS datasharing environment. They help to insure data consistency across members of aDb2 data sharing group.As such, group buffer pool interactions represent additional work that Db2 hasto perform in a data sharing environment, and are one of the main contributorsof Db2 data sharing overhead.Therefore, from a performance perspective it is important that your group bufferpools are in good shape.This session will introduce group buffer pool concepts, but focusses on how tomonitor group buffer pool performance, the available options and metrics touse.

Speakers

Bart Steegmans

Db2 for z/OS L2 Performance, IBM

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 over 35 years of experience in Db2. Before joining IBM... Read More →

Monday September 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Performance and Monitoring
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

4:30pm BST

B5 Beyond the Basics: Backup and Recovery for Resilient Db2 Environments

Monday September 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST

Arrabida

This session explores backup and recovery strategies for Db2 for z/OS, emphasizing the critical importance of compliance and recoverability in today’s data-driven world. Attendees will learn about various backup types, tools, and recovery processes, with a focus on creating resilient systems that align with modern compliance requirements. Through use cases, the session will demonstrate how to ensure recoverability, data integrity, minimize downtime, and maintain availability.

Speakers

Rahul Bajaj

Software Engineer, Broadcom

Rahul is a Db2 for z/OS professional at Broadcom Inc., working as part of the Db2 tools development team. His work focuses on supporting and evolving database management solutions that power critical enterprise systems.

Aysen Svoboda

Product Owner, Broadcom

A former System Programmer and DBA with 17 years in the mainframe space. Currently a Product Owner, dedicated to bridging the gap between software development and the real-world needs of the Db2 z/OS community.

Monday September 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Database Resiliency
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

4:30pm BST

F5 When REORGs Go Wild: Managing Unexpected Partition Growth in DB2 PBG Tablespaces

Monday September 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST

Miragaia

The reorganization of a DB2 tablespace is primarily performed to optimize access path performance, but it also constitutes a critical database maintenance operation. This presentation will cover our experience as users following a sudden increase in the number of partitions in partition-by-growth tablespaces after executing partition-level REORGs, as well as the approach we took to address the issue.

Speakers

Zoe Andreopoulou

Db2 Sysprog, Eurobank

Zoe Andreopoulou is a Senior Db2 for z/OS Database Administrator with over 20 years of experience in the banking industry, having held key database administration roles in two leading financial institutions. She specializes in Db2 performance tuning, problem determination, and the... Read More →

Michal Bialecki

Principal Software Engineer, Broadcom

Monday September 28, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, User Stories
Audience All
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

A6 Strategic Efficiency: Maximizing Db2 Utilities

Tuesday September 29, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Infante

Are you running maintenance because it’s Sunday, or because the data actually needs it? With shrinking windows and massive data growth, "business as usual" is no longer an option. This session explores how Broadcom Db2 utilities provide the precision and confidence needed to manage modern environments. We will discuss establishing data-driven housekeeping practices, leveraging recovery toolkits to validate resilience without production impact, and optimizing high-speed data movement to support DevOps and rapid testing. Learn to transform your batch utilities from a routine expense into a high-performance engine.

Speakers

Denis Tronin

Product Manager, Broadcom Mainframe Software

Tuesday September 29, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Database Resiliency, Data Movement and Integration, Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

F6 Scripting Db2 for z/OS

Tuesday September 29, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Miragaia

Integrating Db2 for z/OS with non-mainframe processes is easy if you learn how to use Db2 with scripting languages, particularly exploiting Db2 client capabilities and ZOWE. This presentation explains how to do this, and shows some classic use cases in database administration and DevOps.

Speakers

Philip Nelson

Senior Database Software Engineer, Lloyds Banking Group / ScotDB Limited

Philip Nelson has worked with Db2 since 1989. He likes to explore new functionality and is always exploring new techniques for enhancing Db2 usage. He is a frequent presenter at IDUG and has also supported IDUG in many other ways, including the IDUG EMEA CPC and the Content Commi... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic AppDev, Automation, Modernization in Development, Modernization in Operations
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

A7 Db2 for z/OS Utilities Best Practices

Tuesday September 29, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Infante

As IBM continues to deliver new utility enhancements, it's important to take a step back and review what options really matter and how to get the best performance and availability from utility executions. This session will explain general recommendations for utility performance as well as look at specific utilities to see how they can be optimised to make a real difference to performance, application availability and usability.

Speakers

Haakon Roberts

DE, CTO, IBM

Tuesday September 29, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

B7 Revisiting Query Parallelism: Targeted Use of zIIP Processors for Db2 Queries

Tuesday September 29, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Arrabida

This presentation explores the nuances of query parallelism in Db2, focusing on how to effectively tune queries for optimal zIIP exploitation. Attendees will gain insights through real-world query examples that will illustrate these principles in action, showcasing tangible improvements. Additionally, we will discuss how ChatGPT can assist in the query tuning processs. Join me to rediscover the power of parallelism and leverage zIIP processors to their fullest potential.

Speakers

Thomas Baumann

Data Evangelist, Swiss Mobiliar

As Data Evangelist at Swiss Mobiliar in Bern, Switzerland, Thomas is dedicated to optimizing databases and managing database risks. When he's not in the office, he can be found sharing his expertise on database optimization and risk management at various speaking engagements. Thomas... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic AI GenAI and Machine Learning, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories, Working with SQL
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

F7 The Anatomy of Universal Tablespaces

Tuesday September 29, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Miragaia

Universal Tablespaces (UTS) have been the strategic tablespace types for Db2 for z/OS since Version 9, effectively rendering legacy tablespaces obsolete. But what truly lies beneath the surface? Why has IBM designated UTS as the future of data storage?
In this session, we will place the Universal Tablespace on the operating table for a surgical comparison against legacy objects. We will examine the internal anatomy of Partition-by-Growth (PBG) and Partition-by-Range (PBR) tablespaces. By dissecting the underlying page structures, space map management, and segmentation logic, we will reveal exactly what makes UTS special.
Join us for a deep dive into the bits and bytes of Db2 storage to understand why the transition to UTS is not just a recommendation, but a necessity for modern database performance and management.

Speakers

Emil Kotrc

Principal Software Architect, Broadcom

Emil is a software architect at Broadcom Mainframe Software, he holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Engineering, is a member of the IDUG Content Committee, and an IBM Champion since 2015.

Tuesday September 29, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Back to Basics, Database Resiliency
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

A8 BMC AMI Db2 Utilities - What's New

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Infante

Quickly and Easily solve your most demanding Db2 utility challenges using the latest capabilites available in the BMC AMI Db2 utilities. This presentation covers the latest enhnacements in the BMC utilities for Db2 zOS. Come learn how BMC customers solve their hardest operational problems every day using the Db2 utilities from BMC. Gain deep insights on the advanced performance, useability and automation features available today in the BMC Db2 Utilities that set us apart from the competion.

Speakers

Michael Cotignola

BMC Db2 Solution Engineer, BMC Software

Michael Cotignola is a Principal Software Consultant supporting BMC's DB2 Mainframe Solutions. In this role, he helps his clients maximize the value they receive from BMC's DB2 products. Michael has worked in IT since 1975 in numerous IT disciplines, including operations, application... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

B8 Get Cozy with WLM: Why Every Db2 DBA Needs to Understand Workload Management

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Arrabida

Many Db2 DBAs treat the z/OS Workload Manager (WLM) as "the system programmer’s problem," but WLM is actually the engine that determines if your SQL succeeds or fails. In this session, we will demystify WLM from a DBA’s perspective. We’ll cover the basics: defining service classes, importance, and goals. You will learn how WLM distinguishes between "local" work (like batch) and "remote" SQL (using enclaves), and why this matters for your daily performance monitoring. We’ll wrap up with simple best practices and a look at how to spot WLM issues before they become outages. Join this session to learn how to speak the language of WLM and ensure your Db2 workload gets the priority it deserves.

Speakers

Denis Tronin

Product Manager, Broadcom Mainframe Software

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Performance and Monitoring
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

E8 "No pain - no gain - story of optimizing DELETE purge processing"

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Luis

A critical Db2 for z/OS purge batch is repeatedly abending after hitting CPU limits—without deleting a single row. What followed was a six-month troubleshooting marathon. With the batch spending over 80% of its time in I/O wait and racking up 500 million GETPAGEs on a 2-million-row table, standard tuning simply wasn't enough.This session dives into the gritty reality of complex performance tuning: the dead ends, the false starts, and the eventual breakthroughs. We will walk through the entire investigation—from utilizing monitoring tools to experimenting with UTS conversions and dedicated buffer pools. Finally, we’ll reveal how rethinking our DELETE index strategy, host variables, and leveraging ON DELETE CASCADE NOT ENFORCED transformed a CPU-crushing failure into a consistent, 20-minute purge process. Attendees will leave with a practical, battle-tested methodology for rescuing failing batch processes.

Speakers

Tereza Binarova

Technical Lead zProducts, Kyndryl

Tereza Binarova is a Db2 for z/OS Database Administrator at Kyndryl, where she has worked since 2021. She specializes in performance optimization, concurrency tuning, and complex production problem resolution in enterprise mainframe environments. Her responsibilities include maintenance... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Back to Basics, Best Practices, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

F8 Ready Player One? Db2 vNext Migration (Made Easy)

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Miragaia

Are you, and all of your sub-systems, ready for Db2 vNext that is coming to an enterprise near you soon? Are you aware that you cannot even get to Db2 13 FL511 if you have any of the specially announced “deprecated” items that we all have hanging around? Do you have a plan to get you out of this mess?
This session explains how you can find all the migration blockers that exist in your system and how to fix nearly all of them as well. It will also delve into VTAM/SNA and workfile usage to round off everything that can bite you!

Speakers

Roy Boxwell

Senior Software Architect, Software Engineering GmbH

Roy is an IBM Champion with more than 40 years of experience in MVS, OS/390, and z/OS environments – 39 of those in Db2. He specializes in installation, migration, and performance monitoring and tuning. Roy leads the SEG development team responsible for the real-time database maintenance... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Latest and Features z/OS, Security and Compliance, Working with SQL
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

3:20pm BST

A101 Your GenAI Journey Takes CenterStage

Tuesday September 29, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST

Infante

Sponsors

Broadcom

Tuesday September 29, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST
Infante

PSP, PSP

Topic PSP
Audience All
Platform z/OS
Company Broadcom

4:30pm BST

A9 Db2 zOS Utility Internals — and How to Get the Most Out of Them

Tuesday September 29, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST

Infante

Db2 utilities are fundamental to database availability, performance, and recoverability—yet many sites treat them as black boxes.
This session explores the internal behaviour of key Db2 z/OS utilities such as REORG, RUNSTATS, COPY, and LOAD. We examine how these utilities interact with data, logging, locking, and system resources, and how understanding their internals helps DBAs run them more efficiently and safely.

Description:
How Db2 utilities really run
How Db2 utilities use buffer pools, logging, IRLM, and the catalogWhy utilities should be treated like normal Db2 work, not background jobs
REORG utility explained
What happens during each REORG phase: unload, sort, reload, rebuild, and switchHow REORG affects locking and loggingWhen REORG improves performance and when it provides little or no benefit
RUNSTATS and the optimizer
Difference between table statistics and index statisticsHow histograms and sampling influence query plansWhy the timing of RUNSTATS matters for access pa

Speakers

Preetham Kannan

Director of IT Services, Rocket Software

I am a Principal Software Engineer at Rocket Software India and a Subject Matter Expert for Db2 on z/OS, with over 20 years of experience supporting critical systems across Retail, Banking, and Manufacturing industries. I’m passionate about solving real‑world Db2 challenges and... Read More →

Kiran Seela

Senior Director, Rocket Software

I am a Senior Director at Rocket Software India with more than 25 years of experience driving technical excellence in mission‑critical enterprise environments. With a strong foundation in Db2 on z/OS and enterprise architecture, I lead modernization and innovation efforts that bridge... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Utilities
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

4:30pm BST

B9 Buffer Pool tuning process with a reverse application analysis

Tuesday September 29, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST

Arrabida

The presentation is based on real life BPool tuning process for one of the Ensono clients. The "reverse application analysis" reveals the opportunities the IFCID(199) usage gives to every Db2 SYSPROG.
The standard Ensono BPool tuning process presented with a multiple charts.It also was enhanced with IFCID(199) implementation, giving amaizing results.
How to use IFCID(199), different characteristics SYNC I/O, ASYNCH I/O, GetPages can be involved into the the analysis uncovering the hidden performance bugs.

Speakers

Pawel Hryb

Senior Mainframe DB2 Systems Programmer, Ensono

Started as a System Programmer for VM/ESA and then z/OS in 1997.With Db2 v4 from 1998.For a couple of years a developer in Cobol, PL/I, REXX (ocasionally is still doing this for admin purposes :-) for a smaller polish software company.In 2005 started my longest carrier span for the... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Modernization in Operations, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

4:30pm BST

E9 Seamless SNA/VTAM migration (preconditioning for next version of Db2)

Tuesday September 29, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST

Luis

This session provides a technical overview of migrating Db2 for z/OS connectivity seamlessly from SNA/VTAM to TCP/IP. We will outline key configuration updates, and performance considerations involved in the transition, with a special focus on strengthening security through modern encryption using TLS and AT‑TLS for secure Db2 traffic. Attendees will gain practical guidance, best practices, and lessons learned to ensure a smooth and secure migration to an IP‑based infrastructure.

Speakers

Derek Tempongko

PM, IBM Silicon Valley Lab

Derek Tempongko is a Senior Software Engineer on the Db2 for z/OS distributed development team at the IBM Silicon Valley Laboratory. With over 20 years of experience in Distributed Data Facility (DDF), presented at previous IDUG events, authored a Redpaper on TLS/SSL which has been... Read More →

Tuesday September 29, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Latest and Features z/OS
Audience All
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

A10 Linuxification of Db2 for z/OS - a journey from ISPF and JCL to Shell and Playbooks

Wednesday September 30, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Infante

This session will be about bridging existing legacy programs with "modern"interfaces, such as the Unix shell and Ansible. Next-generation mainframers are typically well-versed in Unix shells and scripting, largely due to Linux's dominance in the server market. But how does this apply to traditional mainframe tools? That is what we want to show you.

Speakers

Emil Kotrc

Principal Software Architect, Broadcom

Emil is a software architect at Broadcom Mainframe Software, he holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Engineering, is a member of the IDUG Content Committee, and an IBM Champion since 2015.

Marketa Muzikova

Software Architect, Broadcom

Markéta is an experienced software engineer with expertise in mainframe automation, including Ansible and Zowe. Markéta is a recognised expert on Ansible and facilitates the Broadcom Ansible Collection.

Wednesday September 30, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Automation, Latest and Features z/OS, Modernization in Operations
Audience Beginner
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

B10 Db2 13 latest real customer experiences - new functions, best practices and some more…

Wednesday September 30, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Arrabida

This presentation will provide the ongoing success story Db2 z/OS Version 13 and covers the latest experiences with Db2 13 at Commerzbank AG. It will talk about some key important areas which are essential for the success and how to prevent some known avoidable pitfalls. We share the important latest experiences of the last 12 months, explains the upcoming and validated best practices in several key areas. This session will also dive into Function Level dependencies, maintenance aspects, some tooling dependencies, and some performance aspects as well as base utilities and system functionalities.

Speakers

Ute Kleyensteuber

Senior Technical Staff Member, Commerzbank AG

Ute Kleyensteuber is a Principal Product Owner, Senior Infrastructure Engineer and Director at Commerzbank AG in Germany, responsible for Db2 for z/OS since more than 35 years. Knowing and working with Db2 since Version 1.2 I've extensive experiences of Db2 in terms of system- and... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Database Resiliency, Latest and Features z/OS, Security and Compliance, User Stories, Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

E10 “Stabilize your Dynamic SQL and don’t let it remain Unpredictable”

Wednesday September 30, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Luis

In the world of Db2 for z/OS, SQL performance tuning is one of the most critical and often most complex of DBA tasks. While static SQL has long been the standing order for traditional mainframe applications, the growing use of dynamic SQL - driven by modern applications, APIs, and distributed workloads - has changed the tuning game.Dynamic SQL’s agility and flexibility introduces a new layer of complexity that can hinder performance if not well managed and cause inconsistent performance and even be unpredictable. Dynamic SQL is becoming more prevalent as agile development and hybrid workloads become the norm. But with the flexibility of dynamic SQL comes responsibility - DBAs must adapt and develop new ways of monitoring and tuning dynamic workloads in real-time and across the application lifecycle. Colin Oakhill will share a proven approach to bring order to chaos by giving DBAs the visibility, control, and insight they need to ensure that dynamic SQL performs efficiently and predic

Speakers

Colin Oakhill

Db2 LUW DBA, Insoft Infotel Software GmbH

Colin has been working with mainframes since 1974. Along his career he has worked as a systems programmer, DBA and developer. He started with CICS & IMS systems and with Db2 since 1988. He founded InSoft in 1986 and was chief architect and developer for the Db2 products. As part of... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Latest and Features z/OS, Performance and Monitoring
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

A11 From Pay Slips to P1 Incidents: Db2 for z/OS in a Payroll Company

Wednesday September 30, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Infante

In this session, I provide an inside look at how Db2 is used, operated, and evolved within SD Worx, a payroll/HR service provider, running running a mixed COBOL and .NET application landscape.
The presentation walks through the Db2 environment at SD Worx and illustrates real-world production workloads (with its struggles). We'll explore trends in Db2 growth, the impact of data integration (including the migration from IDMS), and how replication technologies are used to offload reporting, analytics, and decentral processing without impacting core workloads.
Special attention is given to Db2 Connect and connection management challenges in distributed .NET environments. Including real‑world P1 incidents (don't trust your distributed teams blindly!) and how to avoid them using Db2 Profiles, driver configuration and monitoring.Db2 Profiles are also used to regain control over legacy clients and get rid of the soon to be deprecated (and this time for real!) synonyms, which will be explained

Speakers

Tim Vermeulen

Senior Technical Staff Member, SD Worx

Tim Vermeulen started his career where many Db2 problems are first observed: as a mainframe operator, watching production at 3 a.m. and wondering who scheduled that job. From there, he grew into an application DBA, then a Db2 for z/OS system DBA - a role he still actively performs... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic User Stories
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

B11 Bringing Mainframe into the Future: OpenTelemetry for Db2 for z/OS

Wednesday September 30, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Arrabida

OpenTelemetry is rapidly becoming the industry standard for application observability —offering a unified approach across distributed platforms. But did you know that even mainframe applications and subsystems can now be part of this modern observability ecosystem?
In this session, we’ll dive into what OpenTelemetry means from a Db2 for z/OS perspective. You’ll learn its core concepts, why they matter for mainframe environments, and how to take your first steps toward OpenTelemetry-based end-to-end monitoring of Db2 for z/OS applications with minimal effort. We’ll also highlight common pitfalls and explain why OpenTelemetry complements — rather than replaces — traditional Db2 monitoring.

Speakers

Christoph Theisen

Db2 Security Architect, Rocket Software

Christoph began his career in IBM’s Global Services unit in 1991, working on numerous client engagements — primarily focused on Db2 for z/OS — as an application developer, database administrator, architect, and consultant. Over time, his role evolved into that of a Client Technical... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Latest and Features z/OS, Modernization in Operations, Performance and Monitoring
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

E11 Exploring Db2 explain facility for the next Gen of Db2 DBAs and using AI to bridge the skills gap.

Wednesday September 30, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Luis

Poorly written or optimized Db2 SQL queries can use huge amounts of CPU and render applications unusable causing business impact.
This session will cover the different types of access paths the Db2 Optimizes uses to return data for queries and discuss their merits and use cases. We will look at the data written by the DB2 optimizer in the EXPLAIN tables and how we can interpret the data using AI to determine if an SQL is going to be cheap or expensive to run.
The session will cover filter factors and the role of RUNSTATS on access path selection and cover how one can influence the access path.

Speakers

Phill Baker

Software Consultant, BMC

A passionate technologist specializing in BMC mainframe solutions. Twenty plus years experience working as a Database engineer across Db2, SQL Server, MySQL and Oracle. Working on mainframe z/OS, AIX, Linux, UNIX and Windows, supporting large scale data warehouse applications to... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Back to Basics
Audience Beginner
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

A12 Db2 13 for z/OS – DDF Connection Security controls

Wednesday September 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Infante

Db2 for z/OS offers advanced capabilities to strengthen security management in distributed environments. This session discusses best practices for establishing secure connections including protected ID authentication using SSL, IDT, or trusted connection. This session also reviews the key system parameters that govern distributed access and discusses how system profile tables can be leveraged to enforce granular connection controls and secure TCP/IP connectivity.

Speakers

Gayathiri Chandran

Customer Success Manager and Principal Consultant, IBM

Gayathiri Chandran is a Senior Technical Staff Member in Db2 for z/OS development at IBM Silicon Valley Lab driving Db2 security strategy and delivery. She provides technical leadership across enterprise security initiatives, contributes to database security standards, and is a frequent... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Security and Compliance
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

B12 Db2 critical events monitoring

Wednesday September 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Arrabida

Db2 for z/OS environments generate thousands of system messages and codes every day, only a small subset of which indicate truly critical conditions. This session focuses on how Db2 DBAs can effectively identify, interpret, and respond to critical events that threaten system availability, data integrity, resource consumption, and security. Starting from the structure and meaning of Db2 messages, reason codes, and return codes, the presentation walks through real-world scenarios such as log space exhaustion, storage shortages, dataset access failures, and recovery-related errors. Attendees will learn how to distinguish symptoms from root causes and how timely detection can prevent hangs, outages, and data loss. The session emphasizes a proactive monitoring and troubleshooting approach based on SYSLOG and Db2 address space analysis. It is aimed at Db2 DBAs who want to strengthen operational resilience, improve incident response, and consistently meet SLA and recovery objectives.

Speakers

Roberto Cason

Sales Engineer Manager, BMC Software

Wednesday September 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Performance and Monitoring
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:00pm BST

F12 Hidden in Plain Sight: Unlocking Db2 for z/OS Recovery Capabilities at NatWest

Wednesday September 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST

Miragaia

In 2025, NatWest undertook a comprehensive reassessment of its Db2 recovery strategy to align with evolving banking regulations and to take advantage of modern platform capabilities. This review aimed to uncover limitations in existing processes, improve operational performance, and strengthen compliance.
As part of this effort, the bank evaluated Db2 utility features and automation tools that could streamline recovery activities, enforce consistent best‑practice standards, and reduce the need for continual manual tuning of utility options. Future resilience was also a priority, with the strategy designed to support NatWest’s planned adoption of Cyber Vault technology.
This session explores the challenges encountered throughout the transformation, the solutions implemented to overcome them, and the best practices that emerged—highlighting how NatWest is modernising its Db2 recovery landscape while preparing for the future.

Speakers

Dhiren Chaudhary

VP of Development and IBM Fellow, IBM Software, NatWest Group

I am a Technical Lead for Db2 at NatWest Group responsible for Db2 strategy and direction at the Bank. I oversee design for Db2 related new applications or changes to existing implementations. I also maintain the various standards related to Design, Performance, Utilities, Naming... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Back to Basics, Best Practices, Database Resiliency, User Stories, Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

3:20pm BST

A102 Z Data and Application integration for Analytics and AI

Wednesday September 30, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST

Infante

Sponsors

IBM

Wednesday September 30, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST
Infante

PSP, PSP

Topic PSP
Audience All
Platform z/OS
Company IBM

3:20pm BST

B102 I Know Why I’m Seeing Red: Db2 Performance Dashboards

Wednesday September 30, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST

Arrabida

Sponsors

Broadcom

Wednesday September 30, 2026 3:20pm - 4:20pm BST
Arrabida

PSP, PSP

Topic PSP
Audience All
Platform z/OS
Company Broadcom

4:30pm BST

A13 Db2 for z/OS Expert Panel

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST

Infante

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:30pm - 5:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Expert Panel

Topic Expert
Audience All
Platform z/OS

5:40pm BST

A14 DDF Best Practice

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST

Infante

Db2 Distributed Data Facility (DDF) is the gateway to delivering business enterprise data in our modern world of cloud computing. DDF is widely exploited in the information technology space and this session aims to share best practices and success stories to optimize your business with DDF. Some of the topics includes, infrastructure, security, protecting data over the network, monitoring resources (threads/connections), sysplex workload balancing, and so forth. The objective of this session is provide you with practical, useful knowledge that you can take back to your work and manage DDF confidently.

Speakers

Derek Tempongko

PM, IBM Silicon Valley Lab

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Database Resiliency, Performance and Monitoring
Audience All
Platform z/OS

5:40pm BST

B14 The Db2z Game: From 90% to "The 1% Club"

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST

Arrabida

Think you’re in the elite 1% of Db2 for z/OS pros? Or just starting your journey to the top? Ditch the slides for a high-stakes, 1% Club style tournament! We’ll scale the heights of Db2 knowledge together, from SQL basics to zIIP offloading and hex-level internals. It’s a no-shame game where every wrong answer leads to a deep-dive technical debrief. Come for the fun, stay for the insights, and level up your Db2 skills!

Speakers

Michal Bialecki

Principal Software Engineer, Broadcom

Julia Carter

Db2 Technical Consultant, Broadcom

Julia Carter has 20 years' experience with Db2 and is a Db2 Consultant at Broadcom in Europe. Previously she has worked as a Database Administrator for banks in the UK and Mexico.
She is a member of the IDUG Content Committee and Global Marketing Committee and is co-host of the IDUG Db2 Table Talk podcasts. Julia has been an IBM Champion for Data and AI since 2020... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices
Audience All
Platform z/OS

5:40pm BST

D14 Db2 for z/OS Tuning Techniques: Practical Strategies for Maximum Performance

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST

Maria

With growing data volumes, mixed workloads, and strict SLAs, effective tuning demands a structured, end-to-end approach.
This session focuses on practical, real-world Db2 tuning techniques that deliver measurable performance improvements in production systems. Attendees will learn how to identify high-cost SQL using Db2 accounting and statistics data, analyse access paths with EXPLAIN, and apply targeted tuning at the SQL, object, and subsystem levels.
Topics include SQL and predicate optimization, index design best practices, EDM pool and sort tuning considerations, and understanding performance differences between static and dynamic SQL.
Participants will leave with actionable techniques they can immediately apply to improve response times and control Db2 CPU usage.

Speakers

Devanand Karunakaran

Senior Technical Advisor, BMC Software

Senior Solution Engineer at BMC, help our customers get the most out of our BMC AMI Data for Db2 and IMS products. Also, help our customers modernize their mainframe environment to meet their business and market demands. Have expertise on IBM MVS zOS DB2 and IMS mainframe platforms... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST
Maria

Track D, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

5:40pm BST

E14 Detect, analyze and reduce IX Splits using RTS History.

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST

Luis

Index pages splitting is a normal DB2 process when inserting or updating rows into table. However, this process can consume CPU resources and generate latch contention especially in a Data Sharing environment. Index page splits in also the main cause of index disorganization. In this presentation we will see how to identify costly index page splits and reduce their frequency with the help of RTS history tables.

Speakers

Laurent Kuperberg

Db2 technical consultant, SQLK

Laurent has 30 years of experience in the DB2 world as a consultant. He has acquired expertise ranging from database design to system administration and data sharing.
He has developed his own REXX tools, which he makes available to everyone.
He also provides DB2 training... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

5:40pm BST

F14 Beyond COPY: Modern Recovery Strategies in Db2 for z/OS—Balancing Speed, Resilience, and Automation

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST

Miragaia

In modern DB2 for z/OS environments, delivering efficient, resilient, and reliable services depends on the alignment of multiple critical components. With the introduction of DORA regulations, the focus has evolved from simply ensuring service continuity to enhancing it by making recovery processes faster, more robust, and easier to manage.
While many technologies and strategies already support service continuity, real-world scenarios still reveal gaps, particularly when unexpected errors lead to temporary service disruptions impacting customers.
Starting from a legacy disaster recovery framework based on traditional batch jobs, we conducted a thorough assessment to identify limitations in flexibility, performance, and reliability. Building on this foundation, we redesigned and enhanced recovery processes by introducing new strategies, improving automation, and increasing customization to better align with business objectives.
In this presentation, we share our journey: from understand

Speakers

Andrea Luca Boaretto

DB2 Administrator, Nexi Payments

I am a dedicated Database Administrator (DBA) at Nexi, a leading European PayTech company. I specialize in managing, optimizing, and securing complex database infrastructures that support mission-critical payment systems. With a strong focus on performance tuning, high availability... Read More →

Martin Crippa

Senior Solution Enginner, Nexi Payments

DB2 System Administrator with two years of experience working with IBM Db2 on z/OS. Currently working at Nexi Payments, managing DB2 environments supporting payment systems.
Experienced in both DBA and system-level activities, including database object management, system maintenance, and migration projects. Focused on ensuring performance, stability, and reliability in mission-critical environments... Read More →

Wednesday September 30, 2026 5:40pm - 6:40pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Database Resiliency, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

9:00am BST

A15 JC Greatest Hits, War Stories and Best Practice 2026

Thursday October 1, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am BST

Infante

This session will share experience from client studies and engagements: sharing proven recommended best practice; learning good, bad and ugly; providing answers ti important, frqeeunt or difficuly questions. This session will cover the following topics: Complacency about component failure and ability to absorb workload failover in a dat asharing environment; missed opportinity for elapsed time performance improvementnfor skip sequnetial batch processing; misteps in evaluating the performance benenfit of CICS-Db2 thread reuse and RELEASE(DEALLOCATE); SQL coding to avoid update anomaly when using cursor stability isolation; misadventures when using High Performance DBATs;monitoring WLM policy achievement; options for mass data recovery following logical data recovery and data loss; performance issue with remote DDF batch workload; tuning ogf GBPs; thorough Disaster Restart testingh.

Speakers

John Campbell

Customer Success Engineer - Data Strategic, Broadcom

Thursday October 1, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Database Resiliency, Latest and Features z/OS, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

9:00am BST

B15 Db2 Analytics Accelerator: V8, Migration experiences, future and customer updates

Thursday October 1, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am BST

Arrabida

This session is deep dive technical details about Db2 Analytics Accelerator on IBM Z with latest V8 product updates, new capabilities, with migration details.
There will be z17 and LinuxONE 5 Migration Experiences with V7 and V8, platform specific details, migration planning and deployment details.
Session will contain IBM Z platform specific details z17 and LinuxONE 5, in the context of Accelerator such as machine configuration, CBU and Flex Capacity usage, different architecture alternatives for different business needs including GDPS usage with 2-, 3-, 4- site GDPS alternatives.
There will be Lessons Learned from PoCs, current implementations, architecture discussions and health checks.

Speakers

Cüneyt Göksu

Executive IT Specialist, IBM

Cüneyt Göksu is an Executive IT Specialist for IBM® Z solutions in the context of Data and AI in IBM Germany Development Lab as a member of Center of Excellence team. He holds MBA, Bachelor’s degree and PhD in Computer Science. He has been working with Db2 for z/OS and IBM Z... Read More →

Björn Broll

Product Manager, Db2, IBM

Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM) for IBM z Data and AI in IBM Germany Research and Development Lab.

Thursday October 1, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Data Movement and Analytics, Latest and Features z/OS
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

9:00am BST

F15 Db2 Load – Strategies to speed up loading very large tables

Thursday October 1, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am BST

Miragaia

With the push for more and more availability replacing the data in very large tables with many indexes can be problematic especially when the business is enforcing small outage windows.
This presentation outlines how we designed a process to replace the data in a 1.6bn row table in the required outage window when the initial load time was nearly 5 times the available window.

Speakers

Rob Gould

Database Consultant, Triton Consulting Ltd

Rob is a Consultant at Triton Consulting, a UK based company that specializes in Hybrid Data Management, Digital Transformation and DB2 database and Information Management services for the z/OS and Midrange platforms.
His area of expertise is the Mainframe platform, but he has also worked with Db2 LUW. He started working as a DB2 Systems programmer in 1988 has been active in the Db2 world since then. Rob also worked for IBM as a Systems programmer and then a Technical Sales Specialist. Thro... Read More →

Thursday October 1, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Audience Beginner
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

A16 Get ready for Db2 version 13+1

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Infante

In the next version of Db2 for z/OS IBM is removing some deprecated functions. I will describe how to find the affected objects and functions and how to convert them. I will also touch on some pitfalls and share our experiences. Some examples are non-UTS tablespaces, but there are more. And there are some more things that is not documented yet.
The presentation will not cover the conversion from VTAM to TCPIP.

Speakers

Martin Ålund

STSM (Senior Technical Staff Member), Handelsbanken

Started my Db2 career in 1998 as a development DBA. Since 2020 working as a system programmer and tech lead for Db2 for z/OS.

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Latest and Features z/OS, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

B16 From Lilliput to Brobdingnag. Compression flavors in Db2 for z/OS

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Arrabida

There are several flavors of compression in Db2 for z/OS.
You can reduce the space required for a table by using data compression. Compressing the data in a table space can significantly reduce the amount of disk space that is needed to store data and can help improve buffer pool performance.
You can also compress your indexes to significantly reduce the physical space requirements for most indexes.
You can also reduce the size of data in a LOB table space to ensure that the LOB table space and its associated base table space remain available for inserting data.
In this presentation you will learn the different algorithms used for compression in Db2, comparing the cost and benefit of each of them. You will learn how to measure the effect of compression, the space savings but also the effect on applications and utility processing and of course the recent changes in the latest versions and function levels of Db2 for z/OS.

Speakers

Ramon Menendez

Senior Technical Staff Member, BMC Software

Ramon Menendez is a Principal Solution Engineer from BMC Software in Spain, specialized in the DB2 family of products. Started in IT as a QUEL developer and INGRES administrator. Worked for several years for IBM with DB2, mainly in competitive analysis, implementation and performance... Read More →

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Back to Basics, Best Practices, Latest and Features z/OS, Performance and Monitoring, Utilities
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

E16 Getting Started with OpenTelemetry for Db2: Metrics, Traces, and What They Really Mean

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Luis

OpenTelemetry is becoming a standard for observability,but what does it mean for Db2? This introductory session shows how metrics and traces help you understand what’s really happening in your Db2 workloads. Learn how SQL activity can be exposed as meaningful metrics, and how distributed traces can follow transactions end-to-end into Db2.We focus on practical outcomes: where time is spent, where bottlenecks occur, and whether issues originate in Db2 or upstream systems. Designed for DBAs and performance specialists, this session gives you a clear starting point to understand what these signals really mean, and how to begin using them in your day-to-day work.

Speakers

Rabah Beggar

Software Developer, Broadcom

Product Manager at Broadcom, part of the team shaping the strategy and roadmap for mainframe database and infrastructure tools (IMS & Db2). I focus on simplifying complex operations and enhancing the experience for enterprise customers running critical workloads on the mainframe... Read More →

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Topic Back to Basics, Data Movement and Analytics, Performance and Monitoring, Working with SQL
Audience All
Platform z/OS

10:20am BST

F16 Db2 Connect – New Challenges and New Opportunities

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST

Miragaia

Db2 Connect Version 12, released in November 2024, introduces a wave of enhancements—alongside changes that may challenge existing practices. This session will guide you through the most impactful updates in Db2 Connect V12 and its subsequent fix packs from a Db2 for z/OS perspective. We’ll explore critical topics such as strengthened TLS encryption, licensing transformations, and emerging capabilities in monitoring and observability. Join us to understand not only what’s new, but how these changes can unlock new opportunities for performance, security, and operational insight.

Speakers

Christoph Theisen

Db2 Security Architect, Rocket Software

Thursday October 1, 2026 10:20am - 11:20am BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Latest and Features z/OS, Security and Compliance
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

A17 DB2 for z/OS Workfile Deep Dive - How to Survive and Thrive

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Infante

This presentation explains how DB2 uses workfiles for a range of purposes, including SORT, scrollable cursors, and temporary tables. It also describes how workfile allocation and usage behave both before and after the enhancements introduced in V13 FL508. Finally, it reviews the workfile monitoring capabilities available today, with particular emphasis on the enhancements introduced over the past decade and how they can be leveraged to identify tuning opportunities.

Speakers

Adrian Collett

Consultant, Expertise4IT

Adrian is a partner and Senior DB2 Specialist for Expertise4IT S.r.l. based in Milan, Italy. Although specialising in System and Application Performance Tuning, Adrian has been involved in all aspects of DB2 for z/OS: from Systems Analysis, Data Modelling and Database Design to Implementation... Read More →

Bart Steegmans

Db2 for z/OS L2 Performance, IBM

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Latest and Features z/OS, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

B17 Leave the dark side – Turn on the lights in Db2 performance management

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Arrabida

In this session we will demonstrate how data can be utilized to gain valuable insights into system performance and optimization. We will provide an introduction of the newest and greatest capabilities in visualizing performance data for an easy step in, which can lead to significant performance improvements.
The objective of this session is to demonstrate some real-world examples mainly out of Db2 and WLM and how visualizing performance data helped the Performance Teams diagnose performance issues, better perform capacity planning and how attendees can learn easily more about their z/OS /CICS /Db2 environment.

Speakers

Tim Meisner

Teamlead zProducts, SVA GmbH

My mainframe career started in 2001 at an independent software vendor in Germany developing tools for Db2. I began as developer for a tool automating Db2 maintenance. Then moving forward as lead for a point in time recovery tool and later added a tool for homogenous system cloning... Read More →

Gerald Pfeiffer

Senior Database Administrator, SVA GmbH

After a few years as a bank clerk, I started my mainframe career in 1987.So next year, I 'm 40 years Mainframe Professional. I began as a developer, then moved to systems engineering and project management at banks and insurance companies. In 1997, I joined my first ISV. Primarily... Read More →

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Arrabida

Track B, Technical Session

Topic Best Practices, Performance and Monitoring, User Stories
Audience All
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

E17 Db2 13 for z/OS – Security updates

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Luis

Maintaining a secure Db2 for z/OS environment is essential for protecting critical business data and meeting continuously evolving compliance requirements. This session explores key Db2 security functions, including quantum safe encryption capabilities, online transfer ownership of application objects, and the process for removing private protocol authorization behavior. The session also covers enhanced usage capabilities of trusted contexts and column masks, as well as auditing security related catalog tables using temporal table support.

Speakers

Gayathiri Chandran

Customer Success Manager and Principal Consultant, IBM

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Luis

Track E, Technical Session

Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

11:30am BST

F17 Architecting the Perfect Restore: Mastering Db2 Copies, and Compliance

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST

Miragaia

Recovery is only as good as the backup that fuels it. While "taking an Image Copy" is a daily routine for every DBA, understanding the internal mechanics of that process is critical for modern data resilience. In this session, we go beyond the syntax to explore the physics of Db2 data protection.We will dissect the copy process showing how the choice of backup type directly dictates recovery performance.

Speakers

Ahmed Hamed

Software Engineer, Broadcom

Ahmed Hamed is a Software Engineer at Broadcom, specializing in the development and mission-critical support of Db2 Backup and Recovery solutions for z/OS. With nine years of experience in the software industry, the last seven are dedicated to the mainframe ecosystem. Ahmed focuses... Read More →

Vyacheslav Stebletsov

Staff Software Engineer, Broadcom

Thursday October 1, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm BST
Miragaia

Track F, Technical Session

Topic Back to Basics, Database Resiliency, Performance and Monitoring, Utilities
Audience All
Platform z/OS

2:30pm BST

A203 From Problem SQL to Proven Gains: Tuning Performance on Db2 for z/OS

Thursday October 1, 2026 2:30pm - 6:30pm BST

Infante

SQL performance tuning is a core DBA skill, yet many efforts remain reactive and inconsistent. This session presents a practical, end-to-end tuning workflow for Db2 for z/OS from identifying problem SQL to validating improvements. Attendees will walk through real tuning decisions using metrics, access path analysis, and supporting tools to achieve measurable performance gains.

Speakers

Carlos Davis

Back-End Developer, Rocket Software

Carlos Davis is a Solutions Advisor at Rocket Software with more than 20 years of hands-on experience powering mission critical Db2 environments across a wide range of industries. As a trusted advisor to his clients, he helps organizations maximize performance, minimize risk, and... Read More →

Thursday October 1, 2026 2:30pm - 6:30pm BST
Infante

Track A, Workshop

Topic Best Practices, Performance and Monitoring, Working with SQL
Audience Intermediate
Platform z/OS

2:30pm BST

B203 Hands-on Lab: Performing AI Queries with SQL Data Insights Pro

Thursday October 1, 2026 2:30pm - 6:30pm BST

Luis

Experience the new features of SQL Data Insights Pro, including unstructured text support, model training offloading to IDAA, and incremental retraining. SQL Data Insights Pro combines unsupervised deep learning with traditional SQL queries, allowing you to run similarity, dissimilarity, clustering, analogy, and commonality AI queries on your Db2 for z/OS data.
In this hands-on lab, learn how to train models using both structured and unstructured data to gain deeper insights from your enterprise data. With the new option to run model training on IDAA, you gain greater flexibility while saving valuable system resources. You will also learn how incremental retraining can save time and resources when updating models with new data.
With these capabilities, you can uncover hidden relationships across tables and views in your Db2 data, quickly gain actionable insights to address business problems as they arise, and confidently make better business decisions. In this lab, you will see how AI

Speakers

Jae Lee

Db2 for z/OS Development, IBM

Jae Lee is a Senior Software Engineer at the IBM Silicon Valley Lab, specializing in the development of Db2 AI for z/OS, SQL Data Insights, and the Db2 RDS component.

Thursday October 1, 2026 2:30pm - 6:30pm BST
Luis

Track B, Hands-On Lab

Topic AI GenAI and Machine Learning, Latest and Features z/OS, Working with SQL
Audience Beginner
Platform z/OS

9:00am BST

9:00am BST

2:00pm BST

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