IDUG Db2 Table Talk

How often do you interact with a mainframe each day? More than you might think...Eddie Roe and Paulo Queiroz discuss the longevity and the future of the mainframe platform, and how that may translate to career success for the next generation of Db2 professionals. It seems that old dogs could learn from these new tricks - present company excepted from "old," of course.  Learn more about I...

Sheryl Larsen, IBM Gold Consultant and Hall of Fame speaker, shares how she was “forced” from robotics and assembler into DB2 and turned it into a lifelong passion for optimizers and performance tuning. Sheryl also discusses the surprising growth of mainframe MIPS in the AI era, security driven hybrid cloud realities, and war stories from rescuing real world workloads under extreme pressure. Learn...

Twenty years at IBM will teach you a lot about technology, but Marcin Marczewski believes relationships matter just as much. An active member of PDUG, Marcin is on a mission to make UG meetings as engaging as they are educational. The fun doesn't stop at city tours, though; Marcin goes deep on what's changing in the Db2 world. (For example: if you're wondering what your job is going...

From quantum chemistry to Db2, Jørn Thyssen’s journey is anything but typical. What started with a PhD and a few too many acid-damaged lab coats led to early work in neural networks, and eventually to Db2 via a “weird platform” called the mainframe.  His story shows there’s no single path into our community, and his advice is simple: learn by doing, even when things break. Along the way, he shares...

Kacper Kubica didn't exactly ease into Db2 - he was "thrown into the ocean" and ended up sailing (pun intended). In this episode, we learn how saying yes has helped Kacper become a recognizable name in the Db2 community. Kacper shares his perspective on community found within user groups, why he blogs as a learner as much as an expert, and how being a sailing captain shapes his work...

Consultant Mark Gillis describes the early days of his career as a series of events that happened “completely by accident.” More than 30 years later, it all seems to have worked out... In this episode, Mark shares how he anticipates the next big impacts in Db2 technology, discusses some favorite pastimes, and tells the story of the time he received advice from himself via generative AI. A fascinat...

IBM Db2 for z/OS SWAT Team leader Anthony Ciabattoni discusses his unconventional start in Db2, including an early realization that prompted him to adjust his career path. Hear about his mentors and career progression, a corporate hostage situation that was resolved by Jimmy Carter (not that one), and his responses to the the "rabbit hole" questions that Marcus & Julia identified in...

Executive IT Specialist Cuneyt Goksu has more than 25 years' experience in Db2, and has volunteered with IDUG for nearly as long. Cuneyt discusses his start with mainframe back in the days of Db2 v2 and Db2-L  – in the mists of ancient times, per Marcus – and discusses life as a passionate mainframe enthusiast, former IBM Gold Consultant and long-time instructor. Learn how marriage changed hi...

In this episode, Marcus asked guest Haakon Roberts to "unpack the sweeties from the box of delights that is Version Next" of Db2 for z/OS. (With an ask like that, how could Haakon refuse?) Hear a preview of Haakon's planned IDUG #EMEA25 session, including why users can now have their cake and eat it relative to Db2 stability and product quality. Haakon also shares some recent update...

In this upbeat conversation, Steen discusses his Db2 career of more than 40 years, and the revolutionary nature of his favorite but "very boring" Db2 feature. Of particular note are Steen’s innovative method to save on IDUG travel costs, an eye-opening conference-related beverage experience, and the total number of IDUG Conferences Steen has attended. (Hint: it’s more than 60.) Don'...

Recently retired IBM Fellow Namik Hrle discusses his journey from the beginning, where he grew up in "a country that doesn't exist." He shares the realization that inspired him to broaden his perspective beyond the mainframe, the technology that any Z customer running cloud should be interested in, and how retirement feels a bit like keeping a plane in flight. An intriguing - and at...

In this special edition of IDUG Db2 Table Talk, Julia and Marcus chat with a group of attendees who are relatively new to the IDUG EMEA Db2 Tech Conference, with varied levels of professional experience. The panel share insights about key conference benefits that will help justify management approval for attendance, plus easy ways to plan ahead and secure space in special sessions and events. They...

After hearing John Campbell speak at GSE Nordic 2025, Marcus had questions...What is a high-performance DBAT? How do you make a thread "high performance"?  John Campbell – Db2 guru, consultant, and former IBM Distinguished Engineer  – starts at the beginning of the distributed journey within Db2 for z/OS. Tune in to learn about cheap connections vs expensive threads, whether a large or s...

Famous for his globally recognised presentation, ‘Things About Db2 I wish I'd Remember When’, BMC Software’s Principal Solution Engineer, Michael Cotignola is the latest victim of Marcus and Julia’s latest podcast.  Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Perhaps it's natural for Henrik Loeser to share Db2 tips and guidance since he comes from a family of educators. Tune in to learn how Henrik's blog began, what it's like to be a translator from bits & bytes to benefits, and what prompted this next statement: "Brahms Requiem is a banger." (Hint: Will there be an IDUG House Band performing in Dusseldorf?)   Learn more ab...

What do IBM Champion Frank Filmore and the late Tupac Shakur have in common? Marcus and Julia discuss this connection, plus Frank's favorite Db2 feature of all time, and why you'll have to wait 5 years to hear his views on AI. Don't miss these insights, plus his "peculiar" watsonx.data use case example and a few stories from the road. Learn more about IDUG, the Internation...

IBM Champion and Gold Consultant Craig Mullins shares how he got into Db2, plus the most common error found in almost every Db2 shop, his thoughts on AI (“both brilliant and awful”) and the single most interesting experience in his IT career.   Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Marcus and Julia are joined by a few of Robert's closest colleagues and friends from the last few decades to reminisce and share stories about the Perfect Man, who very sadly left us too soon. Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

It's not every day that one gets to "unbox" a product with IBM Gold Consultant and Champion Iqbal Goralwalla! Join Marcus and Julia as they explore what's cool (AI-powered Query Optimizer) and what's confusing (fidgety vs. reliable cluster managers) about Db2 12.1 for LUW. Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

A fireside chat about Db2 disasters, and recovery best practice, starring John Campbell, Emil Kotrc and Bill Pothoff. Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Julia and Marcus interview guests old and new for a "fireside chat" retrospective of IDUG EMEA and GSE UK  2024. Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

Join our hosts, Julia and Marcus, as they interview a panel of distinguished Db2 guests, and interact with the audience in the Motivational Keynote session of the IDUG EMEA 2024 Conference in Valencia, Spain, to find out what drives us to do what we do. Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

In this episode, we chat to David Simpson about his career, wherein he gives some terrifying advice to would-be speakers... Face the Wall... in The Pit. Learn more about IDUG, the International Db2 User Group, at www.idug.org. 

It's a privilege to speak with a DB2 expert who has been around since the beginning - literally. Dusty Rivers is a 47-year industry veteran who has his own quantum chip and can explain why it was called Db2 in the first place (at least in theory). He also suggests that if you're new to the Db2 community, you should know who you'd like to meet at conferences...especially if Dusty him...

What do a long line at the DMV, a packet of chewing gum, and your bank balance have in common? Miran Badzak explains while reflecting on Db2's best year on record (2023). He also teases some new product announcements that will be shared at IDUG's 2024 EMEA Db2 Tech Conference this fall. (Think AI optimization, performance and UX improvements, and driver support for a certain "fruity...