COMMON POWERUp 2024

Quality Assurance in software development is known to be an important factor for IT teams and goals. Regardless if testing is done by developers or testers it is crucial. We will talk about concepts and practices defined as the foundation of testing by ISTQB methodology. This will covering topics such as defects and ramifications, how testing is part of the larger quality assurance model, the definitions of error, defect, fault, and failure. We will discuss the difference between debugging and testing, the objectives of testing, and how testing changes at different parts of development and in different development lifecycles.

Learning Objectives:
Describe how a defect in software can cause harm to a company. Distinguish between the cause of a defect and its effects. Give reasons why testing is necessary by giving examples. Describe why testing is part of quality assurance with examples of how testing contributes to higher quality. Explain and compare the terms error, defect, fault, failure, and the corresponding terms mistake and bug. Recall the common objectives of testing.

IBM i has the capability of hosting an IBM i Logical Partition (LPAR) to provide virtual disk storage for other IBM i partition. IBM i has provided „hosted disk” for Windows servers and AIX or Linux partitions for several years, but the ability to host another IBM i LPAR is new. See the step by step process in creating hosted virtual partitions. Learn the requirements, the prerequisites, and all the steps needed to create this once your back in the office. This will be great for creating a virtual partition to test your 7.5 upgradeI

Learning Objectives:
1) Understand the relationship between all the components of a virtual LPAR. 2) How to create virtual storage. 3) How to use this knowledge back at your shop to build your own.

This session explains how the SQL Plan Cache is used by Db2 for i to support the execution of your SQL & non-SQL queries. In addition, you'll learn about the various Plan Cache related tools & services that you can leverage to identify and remedy query performance problems.

Learning Objectives:

Best Practices is all about meeting IBM system compliance to achieve optimal results. Don’t let old myths or newly formed bad habits be the difference between success or a failure in service delivery. This session will examine V7R4/R5 System configurations, BRMS Backups, Disaster Recovery, and Security Management. Examine assumptions, technical gaps, blunders, and recommendations. Hear actual lessons learned so you do not make the same IBM i assumptions others have made. IT is not a game of chance

Learning Objectives:

What are PTFs? Why do I need them?  How do I get them? Which ones do I need? Does my technology really need a refresh? In this session we will describe PTFs, Cumultative PTFs, and other PTF Groups. We'll discuss how to find out what you have, how to get them, and how to put them in place. We'll help you determine what PTF strategy is the one for you and your system.

Learning Objectives:
1. What PTFs, and PTF Groups are and why you need them.
2. How to get PTFs and load them onto IBM i.
3. The use of Virtual Image Catalogs and Virtual DVD drives to save time and problems in the PTF process.
4. How to determine which PTFs you need for your system.

Sure, Ninjas are cool, and they're fun to talk about. And more importantly, there's a leadership lesson there... Ninjas are always 100% ENGAGED! They equate their personal success with the success of their team, and of their mission. How productive would your teams be if they were always completely engaged, like Ninjas? Whether you're a leader looking to learn the secrets behind building strong teams and keeping them engaged, or a team member who wants to better understand team dynamics, you'll find this session illuminating.

Learning Objectives:
During this session you'll learn:
* Hiring tips to ensure you get the people you need on your team (and to communicate better with them)
* Learn to interview candidates like a pro (or to ace your next interview)
* Techniques to build your bench by creating a reserve of good will
* How to keep your people motivated (and yourself!)
* Methods to align your team's success (as well as your own) with that of your organization

By the end of this session you'll have the tools you need to build a team of the best and brightest, and keep them as engaged as... Ninjas!

In my work with real-world environments, I have found a number of very common configuration settings that are not optimal for today's environment. Whether it be system values, job descriptions, memory pools, many shops have configuration settings at the system default value, or settings that were done years ago.

This session is a fast-paced session covering 20 configuration tips in 20 minutes.

IBM Navigator for i is a powerful new tool to better manage your i environment. Get expert advice for installation and set up to make sure you get this powerful tool up and running at peak efficiency. Step through the functionality of this product and learn how to leverage the Performance Data Investigator to turn the collection services data into graphs you can use to identify performance issues. Learn ways to protect your system from intrusions, as well as close security holes such as FTP. See how this tool can help you select and install Logical files on your system to improve performance. Learn about the enhancements to this valuable tool in the latest release, while we see how this tool provides tips and techniques for better and more easily managing your IBM i.

Learning Objectives:
1) Learn how to close down various TCP/IP servers like FTP from intruders. 2) How to use the Index Advisor to improve performance. 3) Identify if someone is trying to access your IBM i with Intrusion Detection. 4) Performance Management graphs.

Do you aspire to be a more effective leader? Are you tired of dull books about abstract leadership and management concepts? Perfect! Then come join this lively session!

Using clips from well known movies and TV shows, we will demonstrate key leadership traits and techniques you can develop within yourself. Seeing these approaches to leadership come to life on the big screen may just make you look at leadership in a whole new way. We will discuss each of the clips shown, to understand what they can teach us about leadership.

Learning Objectives:
Learning Objectives: After participating in this session, attendees should have the skills and vision to:
- Understand the difference between management and leadership
- Lead people more effectively
- Motivate your team to improve results
- Better recognize good leadership qualities in others

Open AI and specifically Online GPT has captured the latest in IT headlines. In this session we will discuss the history of Open AI, how it has matured and the goals of the team behind the technology. We'll also explore (speculate) on its impact to education, finance and most assuredly, Information Technology. We'll wrap up with a live demo of the Copilot application and how it might add productivity to the typical IBm i shop, but at what cost?

Learning Objectives: