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Top ‘IntelliMagic zAcademy’ Webinars of 2024

AIOps: Performance and Capacity Management|Camila Vasquez|Dec 5, 2024

As year-end approaches I wanted to continue the tradition of looking back on the IBM Z IntelliMagic Academy webinars that resonated most with our mainframe audience.

Since 2020, IBM Z IntelliMagic Academy has been providing free, educational z/OS webinars to the mainframe community. In 2024, we reached our 64th zAcademy webinar, covering a wide range of topics including gap skills, CICS, SMF data, and much more. But, as with any top-5 countdown, we can only highlight five.

The Top 5 IBM Z IntelliMagic Academy webinars of 2024, as determined by total registration and attendance numbers, are:

Honorable Mentions:

Although these sessions didn’t make it into the top 5, their significance cannot be overlooked. Each brought unique and valuable perspectives to the mainframe ecosystem. From visionary leaders shaping the future of technology to a new generation of passionate professionals breaking stereotypes, these roundtables are a must-watch for anyone interested in the world of mainframes.

Roundtable: The Leaders

In this session, you’ll hear from some of the most influential voices in the tech industry as they discuss the perception and evolution of mainframes. Despite often being viewed as outdated and complex systems, leaders from the Z ecosystem, including CEOs, founders, and executives, will share their personal experiences, the challenges they’ve faced, and their vision for the future.

Bringing such a distinguished group of experts together on a single call is an incredible opportunity, so if you haven’t already, I highly recommend viewing or listening to the recording.

View Recording: Roundtable: The Leaders

Roundtable: Challenging the Skills Gap – The Next Generation Mainframers

Despite the prevailing belief that no new talent is emerging in the world of mainframes, a group of passionate newcomers is challenging these expectations. In this roundtable discussion, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from young mainframe professionals about how they entered the industry and their unique perspectives on the future of mainframes.

View Recording: Challenging the Skills Gap – The Next Generation Mainframers

#5) Insights into Subsystem and Hardware Configurations through Topology Views

Kicking off our top 5 is an insightful webinar that dives into the increasing complexity of mainframe environments. This session emphasizes the critical importance of visualizing and understanding the interconnections between hardware and software components.

Todd Havekost and John Ticic will showcase practical examples of topology views that enable dynamic exploration of these relationships. They’ll also discuss how utilizing these tools can enhance application resilience and ensure robust performance in increasingly complex systems.

View Recording: Insights into Subsystem and Hardware Configurations through Topology Views

#4) Should There Be a Sub-Capacity Processor Model in Your Future?

Continuing our list, the fourth most attended session of the year brought together brilliant minds for an insightful discussion. In this webinar, Frank Kyne and Todd Havekost delved into the key considerations for making informed decisions about transitioning to lower speed ranges. Historically, many installations have preferred to remain with 7xx processor models during CPC upgrades. However, this trend is evolving as the significance of processor cache efficiency in capacity delivery becomes increasingly clear. Organizations are now reevaluating their options and exploring the untapped potential of sub-capacity models, marking a significant shift in approach.

View Recording: Should There Be a Sub-Capacity Processor Model in Your Future?

#3) Enhanced Analysis Through Integrating CICS and Other Types of SMF Data

Taking the third spot on our top 5 list, this session goes beyond CICS-specific Transaction and Statistics data (SMF 110.1, 110.2). It explores how CICS analysis can be enhanced by incorporating SMF data from other components across the z platform.

This recording is highly recommended for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of how integrating insights from various z/OS data types can enrich their analysis and provide a more comprehensive view.

View Recording: Enhanced Analysis Through Integrating CICS and Other Types of SMF Data

#2) New to z/OS Performance? 10 Ways to Help Maintain Performance and Cost

Our second most viewed z/OS session of the year featured experts John Baker and Jerry Street, who shared 10 essential strategies for optimizing performance and controlling costs in your mainframe environment. This session offers valuable insights and actionable strategies for anyone looking to improve their z/OS performance management.

Whether you’re an experienced mainframe professional refining your skills or a newcomer navigating the complexities of z/OS, this webinar provides the tools and knowledge needed to optimize performance, control costs, and drive operational excellence in your organization’s mainframe environment.

View Recording: New to z/OS Performance? 10 Ways to Help Maintain Performance and Cost

#1) A Mainframe Roundtable: the SYSPROGS

By far the most viewed zAcademy session of the year, this one delved into the crucial role of system programmers (SYSPROGs) with industry experts. In this session, Ed Jaffe from Phoenix Software International, Ray Mullins, Steven Perva from Ensono, Marna Walle from IBM, and Aileen Wynne from Allied Irish Banks, moderated by John Baker from IntelliMagic, shared their perspectives on the future of system programming. This brief and illuminating discussion provided key insights and valuable strategies for professionals in the field.

View Recording: A Mainframe Roundtable: the SYSPROGS

Looking Towards 2025

Whether you haven’t had the chance to watch any of this year’s zAcademy live sessions or recordings, or if you’re a dedicated learner who signs up for every session, remember that all zAcademy webinars – both past and upcoming – are available to access here.

IBM Z IntelliMagic Academy will continue into 2025 with exciting insights and deep dives into several new areas of the z/OS mainframe. If you had a favorite session you’d like to share feedback on, have questions about any of the material covered, or if you’d like to suggest a topic for future sessions, feel free to reach out to us through our community page, and we’ll get back to you.

Thanks for watching – tune in next year!