Pre-Conference Workshops
Sunday, September 18, 2005 * Orlando, Florida

Get a "JUMP START" on your iSeries education with a pre-conference workshop at the Orlando COMMON conference

When you register for COMMON's Fall 2005 Conference & Expo in Chicago, sign on for additional education by registering for any of four pre-conference workshops. The all-day workshops will take place on the first day of the conference (Sunday, September 18), beginning at 8 a.m. Each will break from noon to 1:30 p.m. so that attendees can go to the confernce Opening Session. The workshops will end before the start of the iSeries Town Meeting at 4 p.m.

Lecture workshops cost $295, and the lab workshop costs $395. Only registered conference attendees can participate, and pre-registration is required. Sign up for a workshop when you register for the conference. Space in each workshop is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Workshop information may be subject to change without notice.

WORKSHOP #1: LAB: Everything You NEED TO KNOW about HMC! - John Davenport, IBM
Learn the installation, configuration and operation of the Hardware Management Console (HMC) for IBM eServer i5 servers. Start the journey with an overview of HMC functions, followed by detailed information on how to install a new HMC, configure network settings and HMC user profiles, create a connection to a managed i5 system, and upgrade an existing HMC. This journey will include exploring the HMC's Graphical User Interface (GUI) to manage an eServer i5 system. Through online presentations and quizzes, develop the basic skills for backing up HMC and managed system configuration data, performing HMC and microcode software maintenance, and creating logical partitions (LPAR). Additionally, learn how to configure the HMC as a Service Focal Point, enabling the service call home function and to add or replace hardware. By the time you complete this extensive workshop, you will have the knowledge you need to take full advantage of HMC in your IT shop.

WORKSHOP #2: There's More to IBM Virtualization Engine Than Meets the Eye (lecture/demo) - Amy Anderson and Lynn Winkelbauer/IBM
IBM Virtualization Engine is a portfolio of technologies that is often misunderstood. The technologies and tools fall under two product categories: IBM Virtualization Engine for Systems and IBM Virtualization Engine for Enterprise. IBM Virtualization Engine for Systems focuses on the technologies inherent in the hardware and OS. The POWER5 Advanced Virtualization Feature is a great example of a Virtualization Engine for Systems technology. However, there is more to the IBM Virtualization Engine story than the systems technologies. The IBM Virtualization Engine for Enterprise is a collection of technologies to help simplify the management and monitoring of your IT environment. Through the use of products such as IBM Enterprise Workload Manager (EWLM), IBM Director Multiplatform, IBM Tivoli Provisioning Manager and the IBM Virtualization Console, you gain consolidated monitoring and management capabilities. Many of the IBM Virtualization Engine for Enterprise technologies are packaged with the i5/OS Enterprise edition, so they may already be available for you to take advantage of today.

WORKSHOP #3: SQL for the RPG Programmer - Paul Tuohy
SQL is being used more and more by the RPG programmer. Not only is SQL replacing DDS for defining databases but it is being used extensively within RPG programs themselves. This workshop introduces SQL for the RPG Programmer with a lot of emphasis on the use of iSeries Navigator. This workshop is designed for experienced RPG IV programmers.

WORKSHOP #4: LAB: Modularize with RPG IV Prototypes and Subprocedures - Jon Paris & Susan Gantner
To be considered a modern RPG programmer, two essential skills stand out: Coding and using prototypes, and building and using subprocedures. This hands-on workshop provides the information and practice that will set you on the path to mastering these essential skills. Learn to enhance application reliability and productivity by using Prototypes for all your calls to programs and procedures. Prototypes defend against passing parameters with the wrong data type and/or size. In fact, in many cases they can be coded in such a way as to take care of the differences for you!

Subprocedures are the cornerstone of modular application design. Using subprocedures, you can create your own callable functions as powerful as IBM's Built-in Functions. This workshop will introduce you to the basics of writing Subprocedures so that you can begin to build more powerful, modular applications. We will also learn how and why to create Service Programs to make sharing your subprocedures easier.

This workshop will give you the foundation skills you will need to fully understand and exploit many of the more advanced sessions to follow at COMMON, such as sessions on using APIs, the IFS, calling C functions and Java Methods from RPG and more advanced subprocedure sessions. A good follow-on to this workshop would include participation in the “ILE From A to Z” Focused Education Roadmap in the main conference. What you will learn: how and why to replace your old CALL/PARM combinations with prototyped program calls; how to create basic subprocedures; How to return a value from a subprocedure; and how to combine subprocedures into Service Programs to simplify reuse.