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TechXChange Summit EMEA 2024 - From a young professional's view

  

With a little delay, I would like to share my experiences with TechXChange. I first had to process all the impressions I had gained.

The conference was very special for me, as it was my first conference of this size and, at 21, I was certainly one of the youngest participants.

I would like to start by thanking the Guide Share Europe User Group (GSE), at whose invitation I was there. I would also like to thank my company DATEV eG for the opportunity to attend.

The summit focused on technologies that are subject to constant change, but also include current trends such as AI. Keynote speakers and industry experts provided an overview of the latest developments, challenges and opportunities.

Breakout sessions: From AI to Cyber Security

After an impressive opening ceremony, it was time for the breakout sessions. The sessions I've attented covered a wide range of topics from modernization, current developments such as WebSphere Liberty, to various roadmaps for different technologies. As a young mainframer, I mainly attended mainframe-related sessions. For example, there also were discussions on DevOps on Z and an introduction to the "WatsonX Code Assistant for Z". Challenges in the area of cybersecurity were also discussed, once again underlining the enormous importance of security in the IT world. 

Hands-on workshops: Gain practical experience

The hands-on workshops were an excellent opportunity to gain practical experience with a wide range of technologies. In the workshops, I was able to deepen my technical know-how and learn directly from experts. This included various topics, from event streaming basics with Kafka to implementing state-of-the-art mainframe applications.

Networking: Connect with industry experts

A highlight of the summit was the opportunity to connect with experienced experts and industry leaders. These networking opportunities allowed me not only to learn from their experiences, but also to make valuable contacts and address current issues.

Innovation and future prospects: Mainframes through the ages

A central message of the summit was the continuous innovation and adaptability of the mainframe. The future outlook shows how mainframes are merging with cloud computing, edge technologies and other IT trends. This offers exciting career prospects, especially for young mainframers like me.

Attending the TechXchange Summit EMEA 2024 in Barcelona was an educational, valuable and inspiring experience for me as a young mainframer, which once again made it clear that the mainframe is still evolving today and can have many similarities to cloud systems. The combination of in-depth technical topics and broader discussions provided valuable insights.