
International DB2 Users Group - IDUG
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About this event
International Db2 Users Group (IDUG) — IDUG NA 2026 (NA26)
The IDUG NA 2026 North America Db2 Tech Conference (NA26) is scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026 to Thursday, October 29, 2026. We are excited to meet our members in Atlanta, United States, where NA26 will be hosted and presented as a full Db2-focused technical program.
This year, IDUG NA 2026 will be co-located with IBM TechXchange. As stated on the official event page, an IDUG NA registration provides full access to both events so attendees can participate in the combined week’s offerings. After NA26 registration is complete, the IBM team will reach out to confirm access to IBM TechXchange, and registration for both events is required to access the shared space in Atlanta.
Event Theme & Program Structure
Technical sessions are organized by theme so attendees can build a custom agenda aligned to their areas of interest. Sessions will be tagged by theme/category, platform, and experience level. The conference content themes include:
- AI, Data Mining, and Machine Learning
- Back to Basics
- Backup, Recovery, and Data Movement Strategies
- Cloud, Warehouse, and Data Lakes
- Database Practices
- Db2 Features, Improvements & Tips
- Db2 Solutions, Utilities, and Tools
- Operations & Automation
- Performance, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting
- Security, Compliance, and Governance
- SQL, Application Development, and Modernization
Workshops & Hands-On Labs
In addition to conference sessions, IDUG NA 2026 includes workshops and hands-on labs for in-person attendees on Thursday afternoon. These sessions are described as complimentary with paid conference registration, with limited registration for attendees who have already purchased their IDUG NA 2026 tickets. Registration for these workshop and lab activities is expected to open in the summer.
IDUG Essentials for Db2 z/OS & LUW
The conference also features an Essentials track for Db2 fundamentals across both z/OS and LUW. This track runs alongside technical and breakout sessions, allowing participants to strengthen core Db2 skills while staying engaged with other conference programming. The official description notes that the Essentials track is included with conference registration, making it a practical option for both new teams and experienced professionals who want to refresh fundamentals.
Certification & Badging (z/OS & LUW)
IDUG NA 2026 includes certification and badging opportunities for in-person attendees. Per the event page, IDUG and IBM are offering certification and badging at no additional cost for each attendee’s first exam. In this event year, one complimentary exam per attendee is included with paid IDUG NA registration, with additional testing available for a fee of $200 per exam.
The official event page specifies that four certifications will be offered, including the following exam:
- C1000-078: IBM Certified Administrator - Db2 12 for z/OS
Call for Presentations & Technical Sessions
The official page confirms that the IDUG NA 2026 Call for Presentations has closed. It also notes that the conference “Grid” will be published mid-summer. Technical sessions are expected to be available by theme, with scheduling that supports attendees in building an agenda based on their interests.
Quick Event Details
| Event name | IDUG NA 2026 (North America Db2 Tech Conference / NA26) |
| Dates | Monday, October 26, 2026 to Thursday, October 29, 2026 |
| City | Atlanta |
| Country | United States |
| Venue | (Not specified on the provided official event page text) |
| Co-location | Co-located with IBM TechXchange |
| Access note | IDUG NA registration provides access to both events; registration required to access shared space in Atlanta |
Data sheet
| Event Name | International Db2 Users Group - IDUG NA 2026 |
| Event Date | October 26, 2026 to October 29, 2026 |
| Event Status | Upcoming |
| Venue | Not publicly confirmed in the provided official text |
| City | Atlanta |
| State / Region | GA |
| Country | United States |
| Organizer | International Db2 Users Group (IDUG) |
| Official Event Website | idug.org/events/idug-na-2026 |
| Event Type | Technical conference / user group conference / training and certification event |
| Primary Category | IT & Technology |
| Secondary Applicable Categories | Business Services, Education & Training |
| Audience Reach | National with targeted international relevance |
| Estimated Attendance / Expected Footfall | Attendance figure not publicly confirmed by the organizer. |
| Attendance Data Reliability | Moderate for dates and theme; low for attendance volume and venue because those items are not fully disclosed in the provided official text. |
| Main Purpose of Event | Db2 education, technical sessions, workshops, certification, hands-on labs, and peer networking for database professionals and enterprise users. |
IDUG NA 2026 is the North America Db2 Tech Conference hosted by the International Db2 Users Group. The official event page confirms four days of technical content in Atlanta, including themed sessions, workshops, hands-on labs, essentials courses, and certification/badging opportunities for in-person attendees. The event is co-located with IBM TechXchange, which expands the technical audience and increases cross-event exposure for vendors, service providers, and enterprise technology teams.
This event matters because it brings together active Db2 users, administrators, developers, architects, and managers who are focused on database performance, modernization, security, automation, cloud, and operational reliability. For suppliers, it is a strong lead-generation environment for database tooling, modernization services, training, managed services, infrastructure, and related enterprise technology offerings. For attendees, it is a practical buying and education venue with direct relevance to procurement, implementation, and technical decision-making.
| Buyer / Attendee Segment | Typical Organizations | Buying Role or Influence | Relevance to Exhibitors / Suppliers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database Administration and Platform Teams | Large enterprises, banks, insurers, retailers, public sector agencies | Technical evaluator, user, and solution recommender | Direct audience for Db2 tools, monitoring, automation, backup, and performance solutions |
| Enterprise Architecture and Infrastructure Leaders | Fortune 500 enterprises, system integrators, financial institutions | Technology strategy, standardization, platform selection | Relevant for modernization, hybrid cloud, and database infrastructure vendors |
| Application Development and Modernization Teams | Software-heavy enterprises, shared services organizations, public agencies | Influence on migration, integration, application performance, and tooling | Strong fit for modernization, DevOps, testing, and data integration providers |
| Security, Compliance, and Risk Teams | Regulated industries, government, healthcare, finance | Control owner, approver, governance stakeholder | Relevant for data protection, audit, access control, and governance offerings |
| IT Operations and SRE/Production Support | Enterprises with mission-critical databases and 24/7 operations | Operational owner, escalation point, tool evaluator | High relevance for observability, automation, backup/recovery, and incident management vendors |
| Managers and Team Leads | IT departments, database centers of excellence, shared services | Budget input, training approval, team enablement | Likely buyers for certification, training, support, and consulting services |
| IBM Ecosystem Partners and Systems Integrators | Consultancies, implementation partners, managed services firms | Partner sourcing, solution integration, referral generation | Useful for channel development and alliance-building |
| Technical Educators / Trainers | Training firms, consulting organizations, in-house enablement groups | Course selection, training budget influence | Strong fit for certification, courseware, and workforce development offerings |
| Geographic Area | Likely Attendee Origin | Buyer Concentration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta host city | Local enterprise IT teams and partners | Medium | Major metro with strong corporate, telecom, logistics, and financial services presence |
| Georgia / Southeast US | Regional Db2 users, consulting firms, and system integrators | High | Likely travel corridor for banks, utilities, insurers, and enterprise IT teams |
| Major US business hubs | New York, Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte, Houston, Washington DC | High | Strong concentration of enterprise databases, regulated industries, and technology procurement teams |
| North America | Primary target audience for IDUG NA | Very High | Core audience is regional but broad across the United States and Canada |
| International Db2 community | Select attendees from global enterprises and IBM ecosystem partners | Medium | The event is North America-focused but has international technical relevance |
| Reach Level | Assessment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| National | Primary classification | The conference is explicitly North America-focused and is expected to attract attendees from across the United States and Canada. |
| Secondary reach: Regional and targeted global relevance | Supporting classification | While not a global trade show, Db2 expertise and IBM ecosystem participation can draw select international attendees, especially enterprise practitioners and partners. |
| Buyer Company / Organization | Buyer Type | Why It Is Relevant | Website | Best Job Titles to Target | Evidence Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | Technology provider / ecosystem anchor | Co-located event relationship and core Db2 ecosystem relevance | ibm.com | Product Manager, Technical Architect, Partner Manager, Brand/Field Marketing | Confirmed Speaker Organization |
| Bank of America | Financial services | Large enterprise Db2 user with strong need for database reliability, security, and modernization | bankofamerica.com | CIO, VP Infrastructure, Database Manager, Security Architect | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| JPMorgan Chase | Financial services | Highly regulated enterprise environment with mission-critical data platforms | jpmorganchase.com | Director of Database Engineering, Platform Lead, Procurement Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Wells Fargo | Financial services | Enterprise database operations and modernization needs | wellsfargo.com | VP Technology, Data Platform Director, DBA Lead | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| American Express | Financial services | Transaction-heavy enterprise with strong governance and performance requirements | americanexpress.com | IT Director, Database Architect, Procurement Lead | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| U.S. Bank | Financial services | Likely use of enterprise databases and regulated data workloads | usbank.com | Infrastructure Director, DBA Manager, Security and Compliance Lead | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| AT&T | Telecommunications | Large-scale operational systems and performance-sensitive data environments | att.com | Enterprise Architect, Database Operations Manager, Program Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Verizon | Telecommunications | High-volume data operations and modernization opportunities | verizon.com | CTO Office, Data Platform Lead, DBA Director | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Delta Air Lines | Airlines / transportation | Atlanta-based enterprise with mission-critical enterprise systems | delta.com | IT Director, Infrastructure Manager, Data Operations Lead | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| The Home Depot | Retail | Headquartered in Georgia; enterprise retail data and modernization relevance | homedepot.com | IT Procurement, Data Engineering Director, Enterprise Applications Lead | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| UPS | Logistics and transportation | Atlanta-based global logistics operator with significant enterprise data operations | ups.com | Operations Director, Data Platform Architect, Procurement Manager | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| State of Georgia | Government administration | Public-sector data platform and procurement relevance in the host state | georgia.gov | CIO, IT Procurement, Database Administrator, Security Officer | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | Government administration | Large federal data environment with compliance and modernization needs | va.gov | Contracting Officer, IT Director, Database Platform Lead | Strong Market Fit, Attendance Not Confirmed |
| Priority | Job Title / Function | Department | Seniority Level | Why This Role Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chief Information Officer (CIO) | IT / Executive | C-Level | Owns enterprise platform strategy and large technology investments |
| 2 | CTO / VP Technology | Technology | C-Level / VP | Influences platform modernization and vendor selection |
| 3 | Director of Database Engineering / DBA Manager | Data / Infrastructure | Director / Manager | Core technical buyer for Db2 tools, performance, backup, and monitoring |
| 4 | Enterprise Architect | Architecture | Senior / Director | Shapes standards for database platforms and integration |
| 5 | Security Architect / Security Manager | Security / Risk | Senior / Manager | Relevant for compliance, access control, and governance solutions |
| 6 | Infrastructure Director / Operations Director | Infrastructure / Operations | Director | Responsible for uptime, resilience, and operational tooling |
| 7 | Procurement Manager / IT Sourcing Manager | Procurement | Manager | Manages software, services, and support buying cycles |
| 8 | Application Modernization Lead | Applications / Engineering | Lead / Manager | Likely attendee for migration, optimization, and integration solutions |
| 9 | Program Manager / PMO Lead | Program Management | Manager / Senior Manager | Coordinates large-scale upgrades, migrations, and transformation initiatives |
| 10 | Training / Enablement Manager | Learning & Development / IT Enablement | Manager | Fits the certification, essentials, and upskilling angle of the event |
| Priority | Apollo Industry | Why It Fits the Event | Best Buyer Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Information Technology & Services | Core umbrella for enterprise DB2 users, teams, and consultants | Database tools, services, and modernization |
| 2 | Computer Software | Relevant for software vendors selling DBA, automation, integration, and analytics tools | Software evaluation and procurement |
| 3 | Financial Services | Major Db2 user base in banking and capital markets | Compliance, security, performance, resilience |
| 4 | Banking | High concentration of enterprise database buyers | Core banking platform support and modernization |
| 5 | Insurance | Data-heavy and regulated, with longstanding enterprise platforms | Data governance and database optimization |
| 6 | Government Administration | Public-sector data environments often require mainframe and Db2 support | Procurement, compliance, migration planning |
| 7 | Telecommunications | Large-scale data operations and performance-sensitive systems | Automation, observability, resilience |
| 8 | Retail | Enterprise retail data platforms and high-availability workloads | Analytics, integration, modernization |
| 9 | Logistics & Supply Chain | Mission-critical operational databases are common in logistics | Operational continuity and reporting tools |
| 10 | Computer Hardware | Relevant for mainframe, storage, and infrastructure ecosystem vendors | Platform sales and upgrade cycles |
| 11 | Management Consulting | Consultants frequently influence database modernization and transformation decisions | Advisory, implementation, and assessment services |
| 12 | Computer & Network Security | Security is a named session theme and a major enterprise concern | Access control, audit, encryption, monitoring |
| Metric | Figure | Status | Source / Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated total footfall | Not publicly confirmed | Unconfirmed | Organizer page does not state an attendance figure in the provided text | Use conservative planning assumptions for lead targets |
| Exhibitor count | Not publicly confirmed | Unconfirmed | Official page references partners and exhibitors but does not provide a count in the supplied content | Potentially useful for exhibitor-list outreach if directory is published |
| Buyer count | Not publicly confirmed | Unconfirmed | No official attendee segmentation was provided | Buyer count should be modeled from registration and session topics |
| Speaker count | Not publicly confirmed in provided text | Unconfirmed | Call for presentations is closed; the schedule grid is pending | Technical agenda suggests a meaningful speaker lineup |
| Historical attendance | Not provided | Unavailable in supplied source text | No prior-year attendance figure was included in the provided official content | Attendance figure not publicly confirmed by the organizer. |
| Focus Area | Typical Buyer Need | Buyer Engagement Opportunity | Relevant Supplier Offering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database modernization | Upgrade legacy Db2 environments and reduce technical debt | Migration planning and roadmap discussions | Assessment services, modernization software, system integration |
| Performance and monitoring | Improve uptime, response time, and visibility | Product demos tied to real operational pain points | AIOps, observability, monitoring, diagnostics |
| Backup, recovery, and data movement | Resilience, disaster recovery, and workload mobility | Workshop-led value conversations | Backup software, replication, disaster recovery services |
| Security, compliance, and governance | Control access and satisfy audit requirements | Target security and risk stakeholders in regulated industries | Encryption, governance, identity, monitoring |
| Cloud, warehouse, and data lakes | Hybrid architecture and analytics expansion | Cross-sell to architecture and data platform leaders | Cloud migration services, analytics integration, storage |
| AI, data mining, and machine learning | Use trusted enterprise data for analytics and AI workloads | Position data quality, access, and governance offerings | Data management, analytics enablement, AI readiness services |
| Automation and operations | Reduce manual DBA workload and improve reliability | Automation demos, ROI messaging, and proof points | Runbook automation, orchestration, scripts, managed services |
| Factor | Assessment | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer relevance | Very High | The audience is highly specialized around Db2, making it ideal for infrastructure, software, services, and training vendors. |
| Decision-maker availability | High | Managers, directors, architects, and operations leaders are likely present; some C-level attendance is probable but not confirmed. |
| Data collection potential | Medium | Strong topical targeting is possible, but current-year attendee lists were not provided in the official text. |
| Apollo targeting potential | Very High | Excellent match for IT, software, financial services, government, and infrastructure-based prospecting segments. |
| Geographic targeting potential | High | Strong Atlanta/Southeast targeting opportunity with national enterprise reach. |
| Best outreach approach | Account-based outreach + technical content offers | Lead with technical pain points, modernization outcomes, and operational risk reduction. |
| Overall lead quality | Very High | This is a highly qualified niche conference with strong intent signals for enterprise technology buying. |
| Best use case | Attendee list sales, outbound prospecting, partner development, and solution marketing | Best suited to vendors selling database software, IT services, security, modernization, and training. |
| Limitations / risks | Moderate | Current-year venue, attendance totals, and participant lists were not fully disclosed in the supplied official text. |
| Filter Type | Recommended Filters | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo industries | Information Technology & Services; Computer Software; Financial Services; Banking; Insurance; Government Administration; Telecommunications; Retail; Logistics & Supply Chain; Computer & Network Security; Management Consulting; Computer Hardware | Capture enterprise Db2 users and infrastructure decision-makers |
| Departments | IT, Engineering, Infrastructure, Operations, Data, Security, Procurement, Program Management | Reach both technical users and buying stakeholders |
| Seniority | Manager, Director, VP, C-Level, Senior ICs with platform responsibility | Prioritize budget owners and technical influencers |
| Job titles | CIO, CTO, VP Infrastructure, Director of Database Engineering, DBA Manager, Enterprise Architect, Security Architect, IT Procurement Manager, Application Modernization Lead, Operations Director | Target exact buying committee roles |
| Geography | United States, Canada; prioritize Southeast, East Coast, Midwest, and major metro enterprise hubs | Match likely event travel patterns |
| Employee size | 1,000-5,000; 5,001-10,000; 10,001-50,000; 50,000+ | Focus on organizations with legacy enterprise data platforms |
| Keywords | Db2, IBM i, z/OS, LUW, database modernization, mainframe, data migration, backup recovery, performance tuning, observability, security, governance, certification | Identify active database teams and project-based buyers |
| Company type | Enterprise end users, regulated industries, public sector, SIs, managed services providers, IBM ecosystem partners | Separate buyers from channel and service partners |
| Technologies | IBM Db2, z/OS, mainframe, data warehousing, hybrid cloud, monitoring, backup and recovery, automation | Increase relevance scoring for technical buyers |
Suggested Apollo Search Logic: (Db2 OR “IBM Db2” OR z/OS OR LUW OR “database modernization” OR mainframe OR “database engineering”) AND (Director OR Manager OR VP OR CIO OR CTO OR Architect) AND (IT OR Infrastructure OR Data OR Engineering OR Operations OR Security OR Procurement).
| Source | Type | What It Verified | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDUG NA 2026 official event page | Official organizer source | Event name, dates, city, conference theme, co-location with IBM TechXchange, technical session themes, workshops, labs, and certification details | High |
| IDUG main website | Official organizer website | Organizer identity and broader user-group context | High |
| Provided official event text | Primary source excerpt | Confirmed the North America Db2 Tech Conference positioning and agenda themes | High |
| Venue website | Not available in provided content | Venue could not be verified from the supplied official text | Not verified |
| IBM TechXchange event page | Official co-location reference | Confirmed shared access and co-located event relationship referenced on the IDUG page | High |
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Tell us your work email and our AI instantly builds a buyer list matched to International DB2 Users Group - IDUG — the best‑fit companies to target, the exact decision‑maker job titles, and the industry filters that fit what you sell.