After five busy days of presentations, discussions, networking and knowledge sharing, another IDUG EMEA conference has come to a close.
This year, Porto provided the backdrop for an event that brought together Db2 professionals from across Europe and beyond, with strong representation from the Triton team. Throughout the week, our consultants attended a wide range of sessions, shared their own expertise, caught up with friends and colleagues, and explored the technologies and challenges shaping the future of the Db2 community.
Having already shared daily updates from the conference (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4), we asked our speakers and attendees to reflect on their experience and highlight what stood out most from the week.
AI Continues to Dominate the Conversation
It would be impossible to talk about IDUG 2026 without mentioning AI.
Whether in keynote sessions, technical presentations or informal discussions between delegates, AI was everywhere. However, the conversation felt noticeably different this year. The focus has shifted from speculative discussions about the future to practical conversations about implementation, adoption and getting value from AI-enabled technologies.
Damir Wilder and Iqbal Goralwalla presenting at IDUG EMEA 2026.
For Damir Wilder, one of the most memorable moments came during the opening keynote:
“AI is not there to replace us (DBAs), but to assist us so that we can do our jobs in a better and more efficient manner.“
However, there was also an important reminder for those reluctant to embrace new technology:
“Those engineers who do not embrace AI will be replaced by AI.“
Mark Gillis noted just how prevalent the topic was throughout the conference:
“Everyone is very focused on AI. In fact, if your presentation doesn’t have AI in it somewhere, it’s probably not going to be selected for next year.”
Mark Gillis presenting at IDUG EMEA 2026.
As Damir succinctly put it:
“We have already entered the AI era, whether we like it or not, but this may not be such a bad thing after all…“
Learning from the Best
One of the strengths of IDUG has always been the quality of the presentations.
Mark highlighted two sessions that stood out for him. The first was Liam Finnie‘s AI Query Optimizer: Smarter Plans, Less Tuning, which was particularly relevant given Mark’s own presentation on customer experiences with the AI Query Optimizer.
The second was Michael Tiefenbacher‘s SQL in Action: One Statement to Rule Them All – MERGE and Integrated SQL Operations.
“I thought I knew this stuff pretty well, but Michael always finds something else.”
Expert Panel featuring Iqbal Goralwalla at IDUG EMEA 2026.
Damir’s standout session was DB2 Backup and Recovery – Back to the Basics by Dale McInnis:
“Always nice to hear stuff coming straight from the source, delivered with passion and confidence.”
For Iqbal Goralwalla, the Women in Technology keynote particularly resonated:
“Ann Wauters encouraged a new way of thinking. Building a solid base with good habits and then being courageous enough to pivot to identify different options and opportunities.”
Meanwhile, Rob Gould highlighted The Db2z Game: From 90% to ‘The 1% Club’ by Julia Carter and Michel Bialecki as a memorable and entertaining way to end the day.
Michel Bialecki presenting at IDUG EMEA 2026.
Community Remains at the Heart of IDUG
While many people attend IDUG for the technical sessions, the networking and community are often just as valuable.
Team Triton enjoying some tasty seafood at Papavinhos in Porto with Adrian Collett.
For Iqbal Goralwalla, the people remain the biggest highlight:
“Reconnecting with Db2 friends and making new ones. Sharing our real-life experiences so that others would have less hair-pulling moments.”
Looking Ahead
Beyond AI, there was a strong focus on staying current and preparing for the future.
As organisations continue upgrading their Db2 environments and exploring new capabilities, many attendees were looking ahead to upcoming features, emerging technologies and evolving best practices.
As Damir observed:
“People are looking ahead. Some discussing the upcoming features and technologies and what they will bring us, some upgrading to the latest Db2 level to stay current.”
Porto Delivers the Perfect Backdrop
Of course, no IDUG recap would be complete without mentioning the host city.
Alfândega do Porto Building.
The historic Alfândega do Porto proved to be an impressive venue, providing a spacious and memorable setting for a week of learning and collaboration.
As Damir put it:
“I really liked the venue – Porto’s historical customs house. Vast, spacious and perfect for conferences such as IDUG.”
And while the technical content was undoubtedly the main attraction, there were plenty of memorable moments away from the presentation rooms too.
Perhaps the most entertaining came courtesy of Rob Gould, whose taxi was allegedly “stolen” en route to his presentation, resulting in a last-minute arrival just two minutes before he was due on stage.
Rob Gould presenting at IDUG EMEA 2026.
Fortunately, he made it in time and received a warm round of applause as he entered, leading Mark to suggest that he may try the same tactic before one of his future presentations.
Final Thoughts
Damir Wilder, Mark Gillis, Rob Gould and Iqbal Goralwalla at IDUG EMEA 2026.
IDUG EMEA 2026 was another excellent event. Iqbal summed it up perfectly:
“Great conference, organised by a great team of volunteers, delivered by great speakers, and attended by a great Db2 audience.”
A huge thank you to the organisers, volunteers, speakers, sponsors and attendees who made Porto such a success. We look forward to continuing the conversations over the coming months and seeing everyone again at future IDUG events.
