Day 1: Systems, Strategies and Architectures
8:30a.m. - 4:00p.m.
Dress Code: Business Casual

Topics Covered on Day 1 Include:

  • e-Business and e-Insomnia
  • dot.com vs. not.com
  • Centralized vs. Distributed Computing
  • IT Success and Failures
  • Thinking Strategically
  • System/Vendor Strengths & Weaknesses
  • Computing Economics, Cost of Ownership

    Special Presentation: "IT Strategy in the Trenches"
    Presenter: David Hines, Director, Business Operations and Support Services ( BOSS Organization), Progressive Insurance
    David Hines manages so many areas at Progressive that its hard to keep count. That is why sound IT strategy is key to staying productive and keeping the organization responsive and nimble. Come and hear David share lessons learned in managing the diverse and complex IT challenges that his company faces daily. He'll provide practical tips on how to look at a situation from all sides, then apply a common sense, get-back-to-the-basics approach to almost any issue.

    Dave has been in the computer industry 43 years. Most of those years were on the vendor side of the fence; Control Data Coproration, Amdahl, Fujitsu ICL in various Sales, Marketing, and Services functions. After seeing the light, he crossed over to the light side of the FORCE and became a customer. He has a background in Supercomputing (both Vector and Parallel processing), and has run the gamut of working with systems from PC's to mid-range to mainframes.




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Day 2: Servers and Operating Systems
8:30a.m. - 4:00p.m.
Dress Code: Business Casual

Special Presentation: "Comparing Server Architectures"


Dr. Gururaj Rao, zSeries Chief Design Engineer and IBM Fellow
Dr. Gururaj Rao is an IBM Fellow, the highest honor awared to an IBM technical contributor. Working through the dramatic decline and rebirth of the mainframe during the eighties and early nineties, Dr. Rao was a key technical leader at IBM responsible for the S/390's resurrection. Now he is focused on solidifying the zSeries e-Server's position as the backbone for e-business, at the same time articulating the long-term strategy for this highly-strategic server. Dr. Rao is an energetic speaker and brings with him a wealth of knowledge about enterprise servers in general, and IBM's specific plans for e-Servers. In his presentation he will review IBM's technical direction and hardware strategy, and highlight the architectural strengths and limitations of the PC, mid-range, and enterprise servers.


Topics Covered on Day 2 Include:

  • Server Comparisons: PC, Mid-range, High-end
  • eServers Overview: xSeries, pSeries, iSeries, and zSeries
  • Clustering Overview
  • 64-bit Addressing
  • OS Comparisons: Windows 2000, UNIX, zOS, and zVM
  • Linux in the Enterprise



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Day 3: The Internet - Issues and Answers
8:30a.m. - 2:30p.m.
Dress Code: Business Casual

Special Presentation: "The Evolution from Client/Server to Network Computing to Web Services"

Mr. Dennis Wunder, ACTS advisory board (co-instructor for the day)
Dennis Wunder is a dynamic and entertaining speaker and a member of the ACTS advisory board. Dennis has an extensive technical background working with operating systems and networks. Dennis currently works for IBM in their briefing center where he advises hundreds of organizations every year on the most efficient ways to design web applications. In his presentation Dennis will show practical examples of how companies are successfully implementing web services, and the valuable lessons learned from the Client/Server and Network Computing eras.


Topics Covered on Day 3 Include:

  • Internet Overview
  • Business Issues and Opportunities
  • Using OS/390 or zOS for web serving
  • Using Linux 390 on the Internet
  • Growth Issues, Performance
  • Internet Security
  • Trends, Directions, Predictions


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    Day 4: Enterprise Applications and Paradox Management
    8:30a.m. - 4:00p.m.
    Dress Code: Business Casual

    David Hanks Special Presentation 1: "Enterprise Data Warehouse 'Principles'"

     This presentation examines the uniqueness of Data Warehouse design, the complexity of its tools, and the political implications of managing the environment. It also outlines 7 critical success factors that will allow you to steer clear of disaster!

    David Hanks Special Presentation 2: "Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) in the Real World'"

     This presentation gives a view of EAI from the trenches. While some companies are starting to talk about EAI, Sprint PCS is doing it. Come and hear the valuable lessons learned.

    David Hanks, Director, Application Development, Sprint PCS
    Dave's responsibilities include overseeing the Decision Support Systems Environment, the Finance Applications and the Operational Data Layer at Sprint PCS. The DSS Environment includes data marts serving the Marketing, Finance, and Sales Operations organizations, and the Enterprise Management Information System. The Finance applications include PeopleSoft and Cost of Access systems, among others. The Operational Data Layer is the Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) middleware layer. Dave is an effective communicator and brings with him a wealth of knowledge gained from many years of first-hand experience building solutions for the large enterprise.



    Joe Sitter Special Presentations: Paradox Management
    Have you noticed all the TERMINOLOGY EVERYONE USES, BUT NOBODY UNDERSTANDS? Have you ever wondered if I.T. operations are critical, why do we OUTSOURCE THEM? Is it true that HOBBYIST AND RENEGADE PROGRAMMERS really do OUTPERFORM CORPORATE TEAMS? These are just a few of the paradoxes that will be discussed in the following topics by Joe Sitter:

    Topic 1: THE OUTSOURCING JUGGERNAUT AND THE POPSICLE TRUCK OF LIFE
    Outsourcing represents an irrestible force to be reckoned with in our I.T. industry today. This presentation will survey the development of this MEGATREND, focusing on the impact of outsourcing on both organizations and individuals. Join us for a fast-paced review of this crucial I.T. dynamic.

    Topic 2: THE OPEN SOURCE MOVEMENT - Value and Pitfalls For The I.T. Organization
    Unexamined until recently, the informal, worldwide collaboration efforts that have given us Apache, Linux, and Perl have become a disruptive 'wildcard'force in the computer world. Join us for a fast-paced examination of how a loosely-knit global community of hobbyist and renegade programmers can outperform well-funded corporate software development!


    Presenter: Joe Sitter
    Joe Sitter is an outstanding public speaker who is truly a legend…in his own mind. Joe has done the IT industry a HUGE favor by gracing it with his presence for the last 20 years.

    Since 1993, he has been part of the ACTS Advisory Board where he has pioneered new horizons in mediocrity displaying the wisdom of youth and energy of old age. Joe currently works for a prominent large computer company where he is recognized as a deadwood wageslave.

    Raised in North Dakota, Joe brings with him a type of wit, urbanity and sophistication which only natives of the frozen tundra can offer. His colleagues agree that Joe should go far - and the sooner he starts, the better.

Topics Covered on Day 4 Include:

  • Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)
  • Enterprise Application Trends: ERP, CRM
  • Java versus COBOL
  • Outsourcing
  • The Open Source Movement
  • J2EE versus .NET
  • Data Warehouses and Data Mining


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    Day 5: Storage Management - Issues and Answers
    8:30a.m. - 2:30p.m.
    Dress Code: Business Casual

    Special Presentation: "The Competitive Race for Storage Supremacy"

    Mr. John Kirschner, ACTS Advisory Board (co-instructor for the day)

    John Kirschner is a storage technology specialist and a member of the ACTS advisory board. John has over 20 years experience in IT. He has worked for IBM as a systems engineer, systems programmer, instructor, and over 25,000 hours as a consultant. He is a certified IT security specialist and helps establish US government security policies in regard to new technologies. John is the author of numerous white papers on systems architecture, availability, performance, and ADPE modernization. John will discuss current vendors in mainframe storage; covering disk, tape, tape libraries, and optical. He will compare and contrast current product offerings, discuss current industry trends, and will review expected future product developments in the industry.


Topics Covered on Day 5 Include:

  • Storage Technology Review
  • Distributed Storage Management
  • Storage Area Networks (SANs)
  • Disk, Tape, Optical Technology
  • RAID Systems
  • True Data Sharing
  • Extended Remote Copy
  • Trends, Directions, Predictions

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    For pricing, registration, and location information, or questions, please contact:


    ACTS Corporation
    410 Stanley St., Kingsland, TX 78639


    Please Call (915) 388-3525 or SEND US E-MAIL






    Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 ACTS Corporation, all rights reserved.

 

 

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