Comarch Is the 1st Polish IT Company to Join the Elite IBM-Focused Large User Group
As the first Polish IT company and the second Polish business overall, Comarch has officially become a member of the Large User Group – an association of 85 companies from all over the world that brings together top IT professionals specializing in IBM Systems.
The Large User Group (LUG) is an alliance of companies worldwide from various industries, such as manufacturing, insurance, retail, media, and IT. Recognized as leaders in their respective fields, these organizations use IBM Systems to conduct key business processes.
LUG has 85 members, and Comarch is only the second company from Poland to join them. Becoming a member of this esteemed association is a great recognition – but above all, it’s an amazing chance to get closer to the IBM community and environment. Joining LUG means getting direct access to management, system development, and technical knowledge regarding existing and future IBM solutions that are being tested by LUG before they hit the market.
By participating in the LUG meetings, the association members have the opportunity to make their own contributions and impact the future growth of IBM products. What’s more, such gatherings offer a unique chance to establish business relations with other IT professionals and co-create innovative solutions. This way, LUG offers its members, which now means Comarch, a real influence regarding the shape of IBM’s evolution.
"Having chosen IBM Power Systems to build its PowerCloud, Comarch has shown confidence and an active interest in IBM solutions. As an IBM service provider, Comarch perfectly understands the needs of companies with high transaction volumes while providing them with the security and scalability that Power and IBM i systems are known for," says Lynne Benedict, Director of Operations at LUG.
"Being a LUG member is a great opportunity for Comarch to develop its competence and strengthen relationships with specialists responsible for the operation and evolution of IBM systems. Joining this elite organization will bring tangible benefits for our entire company and will support the activities of all teams involved in working on IBM i/Power Systems - from production through consulting to sales," adds Grzegorz Gawron, head of ICT Consulting at Comarch.
The article above was created based on the interview with Lynne Benedict, LUG’s COO. Here’s the full version of that interview:
“Insights and Innovations: A Conversation with LUG's Leadership on Navigating IBM i's Future”
Comarch: Could you describe the LUG organization and its core mission within the IBM i community?
Lynne Benedict: LUG is a membership association of 85 companies worldwide that have significantly invested in IBM Power Systems, running IBM i in their infrastructure. These companies represent a total of over 260 million CPW. The purpose of LUG is to bring together the IT professionals responsible for running these systems to work with IBM to resolve issues and set requirements for future system design and enhancements.
Q: What characteristics define the companies that are members of LUG, and what are the requirements for joining?
LB: LUG companies run key processes of their company business on IBM i. The guidelines for becoming a LUG member company are having at least two Enterprise class systems running 30 cores or more, or Scale-out systems need to have at least 12 systems running 60 cores. However, the hardware guidelines are just that – guidelines. When considering a membership application, the LUG board reviews the use of newer technologies and innovative projects involving IBM i, as well as the complexity of the environment. Factors like the use of Power Enterprise Pools 2, modern application development, the use of Open Source, and managing a large number of LPARs are all important factors the board considers when reviewing applications. A few of the more recent LUG members did not meet the minimum CPU requirements but excelled in other areas.
Q: What are your key strategic goals for LUG in the upcoming years, and how do you see its role evolving in the IBM i community?
LB: Growing the membership is always a goal, but – while growth is key – it’s the engaged members that make the organization influential and significant to IBM and its community. Finding ways to further involve the membership in what the LUG delivers to IBM remains paramount to ongoing operations. Recently, LUG has been working with COMMON US and COMMON Europe to build a strong leadership pairing for the IBM i community. Other significant efforts include a discussion with the ISV Council that shared a process being developed by LUG to rate individual ISV products on modern OS features and licensing options.
Q: Could you share some of the most significant innovations or challenges the LUG has addressed recently in the IBM i environment?
LB: LUG was a key influence in the development of Db2 Mirror, first as a LUG requirement and then in working with IBM to bring the product to fruition. In recent memory, LUG responded passionately to IBM’s plans to release the HMC as a virtual appliance only. What’s more, LUG influenced the retention of the physical HMC as an option alongside the virtual.
Q: What unique advantages does LUG membership offer to companies like ours, and how does it enhance our technological capabilities?
LB: The most unique and valuable aspect of LUG membership is the direct access to IBM in both management and development. Relationships are established with IBM personnel who can answer LUG member questions and build innovative solutions. Also of note is IBM's sharing of projects under consideration and LUG member opportunities to provide input and direction. LUG meetings include about 80 LUG members, providing the opportunity to network closely with IT professionals you may not otherwise have encountered.
Q: From your perspective, what does the future hold for the IBM i platform, and how is LUG contributing to shaping this future?
LB: IBM i continues to prove its integrative qualities with new and open technologies. IBM has often stated its commitment to IBM i, and the roadmap continues to expand into the future and the transformation of business using Cloud, Open Source, and AI. LUG, in its advisory capacity, will continue to work with IBM and provide feedback, oftentimes unique to large IBM i installations.
Q: What advice would you give to new LUG members to maximize the benefits of their membership?
LB: Participation is the key to maximizing a LUG membership. Attend meetings, be active on the website, and join work groups. Take the time to establish relationships with IBM and other LUG members.
Q: How do you view Comarch's role and contributions within the IBM i community, given our company profile?
LB: Having chosen IBM Power Systems to build its PowerCloud, Comarch has shown confidence and an active interest in IBM solutions. As an IBM service provider, Comarch perfectly understands the needs of companies with high transaction volumes while providing them with the security and scalability that Power and IBM i systems are known for.
Lynne Benedict has been the Director of Operations for over two decades and was named COO in 2016. Lynne’s IT career began in the early 1980s with a degree in computer science and work at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, testing and building data sets for the onboard computers of the Space Shuttle.
To learn more about the services that helped Comarch achieve this distinction, we invite you to explore our specialized IBM Power Services and Power Cloud solutions.
Visit Comarch IBM Power Services to discover how our cutting-edge data center solutions can elevate your business operations. Additionally, check out Comarch Power Cloud to see how our cloud solutions can provide unparalleled power and efficiency for your IT infrastructure.
Join us on this journey of technological advancement and find out how Comarch can help drive your business forward.
