Events News

 

IBM System z Technical University, 17-21 May 2010, Berlin DE - University Day
Students from University Leipzig and University Potsdam with Dr. Stephan Kammarer, Manager IBM System z Academic Initiative (left) at the GSE booth.	GUIDE SHARE EUROPE (GSE) is proud to report another successful event within the scope of the IBM Academic Initiative, organised by Dr. Stephan Kammerer (Manager, IBM System z Academic Initiative). The University Day was held in Berlin, Germany on 17 May, 2010, during the IBM System z Technical University Conference, and boasted an intense learning experience for attendees including 6 graduate and postgraduate PhD students from University Potsdam and University Leipzig and experts from IBM and IBM Business Partners. It exposed the long and solid history of the Mainframe to students of modern technology, promoting the Mainframe and confirming that it is here to stay, now and in our future. The students visited the GSE booth, and Dr. Michael Weiss, Region Manager of GSE Region Germany, also presented the organisation of GSE to the students, as highly valuable in its influential role in the IBM User Group Community, and the role of Mainframe in his company, HUK-Coburg. The students were given the opportunity, not only to learn about the Mainframe from experts in the field, but also to meet IBM and GSE representatives, as well as IBM Business Partners using and contributing to the Mainframe and its onward development. Feedback from the attending students shows their high regard for and enjoyment of the event, its revelations and opportunities offered. It proved helpful for their studies and projects, as well as providing a networking possibility essential to students looking to carve their way into effective careers. Feedback from Fred Stefan & Martin Gebauer, Postgraduate PhD Students, Leipzig University, Germany: "We would like to thank Dr. Stephan Kammerer, Manager, IBM System z Academic Initiative, and his colleagues for the successful, and for us at Leipzig University, very valuable University Day in the context of the IBM System z Technical University. This event confirms once more the solid presence of the Mainframe, often thought redundant, but still going strong. Students without specific Mainframe knowledge were introduced to the topic by experienced speakers. The event was complemented with a tour through the exhibition with short introductions by IBM Business Partners. After the close of the official programme, we were given the opportunity to strengthen contacts made, and to concentrate on speaking with potential partners on possible cooperation with us. After all, Leipzig University is owner, thanks to IBM, of a rare piece of property – a z9 server. We were able to gather some participants for our study on system integration, which addresses various integration problems including Mainframe issues. This study is expected to be available in the 3rd quarter of 2010."
European Enterprise Modernization for zOS, 27-29 April 2010, Frankfurt DE
	GSE's European Working Group "Enterprise Modernization for zOS" held its Spring Meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, 27-29 April. The biggest meeting yet, it hosted 99 attendees with customers from all corners of Europe, including Austria, Denmark, UK, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. The RDz-Lab was expertly represented, as always, by Dana Beaudreau and Venkat Balabhadrapatruni, with the new RDz Lead Architect William Alexander also in attendance. The newest features and functions for Rational Developer for System z were presented, as well as Team Concert for z (RTZc), IMS, CICS-Debug, Business Rules, Problem Determination Tools, and many more. Along with IBM-speakers including Francisco Anaya (Lead Architect for PD Tools) and Deepak Kohli (Senior Developer IMS lab), various Business-partners gave presentations on their contribution to making the product even more useful and valuable for the customer. Reports from real customer implementations completed the spectrum of information. Complementing the very interesting presentations were the opportunities during coffee breaks for networking and one-on-one discussions, which was highly appreciated by the attendees. Further, the last meeting slot dedicated to Requirements proved to be an enjoyable high-intensity session giving IBM representatives deep insight into their customers' needs.
European Operations Technical Conference (EOTC), 26-30 April 2010, Böblingen DE
	The European Operations Technical Conference 2010, held over 4 days in Boeblingen, Germany (26-30 April) was a resounding success. With almost 100 attendees, of which more than 40 customers and representatives hailing from a number of IBM locations, the usual 80 seat availability had to be extended to accommodate the expanding interest in this event. The high quality presentations and workshops offered much information, and more useful exchange of information and experience took place during the breaks and at the Wednesday evening networking event. All attendees gave very positive feedback on every session with only positive comments on the professional organization of the conference. Such an event translates into days of hard work for all, making the catering during the breaks and networking events an important factor in its overall success, and this was greatly appreciated by all. The overall satisfaction index is calculated at 1,16 - a job well done.
GSE Management Summit, 19-20 October 2009, Valencia ES
Please click here fornews on the GSE Management Summit in Valencia.
Mainframe Talents of the Future - A GSE and IBM Project in Collaboration with the University of Linz
	The Johannes Kepler University of Linz and IBM Austria along with GUIDE SHARE EUROPE are collaborating in the education and training of the IBM System z talents of the future. 35 students of the University were introduced to the Mainframe Architecture! The students visited the IBM Lab in Böblingen, Germany, where they discussed the recent software and mainframe developments. During the lecture "Linux on IBM System z" they got first insights into the system and the applications on it. Overviews of z/VM and z/OS were also part of the curriculum as well as the creation of a z/OS dataset and the configuration of a Linux network adaptor.
	Finally GSE and IBM invited the students to a System z speed-dating at IBM Austria. Here the students discussed their learnings and future careers with business representatives. Also potential diploma work and internships were discussed in intensive one-on-one meetings. Representatives of GSE, Raiffeisen Informatik, ILS Group and IBM answered the students´questions and presented their institutions. This collaboration will be continued next semester with seminars, to which IBM System z customers are invited to contribute. Alongside the theoretical approach to mainframe, it is hands-on exercise which aims to deepen the students’ knowledge of System z.