COMMON is the largest association of users of IBM Power Systems and IBM-compatible technology in the world. Power Systems are midrange computers, a class between mainframes and microcomputers.
The users' group is a private, not-for-profit organization that provides education, tools, resources and networking opportunities for IBM i users. Members include users, IBMers, vendors, industry experts, recognized speakers, business leaders, and academics.
History.
In 1969, the IBM System/3 became the first of IBM's mid-range computers, following by the System/34 and System/36. The IBM System/38, announced in 1978, was not very successful but its architecture was the basis of the IBM AS/400,
released in 1988. There were 250,000 AS/400s installed in businesses at the end of 1994 with a corresponding number of people supporting the operation of those computers. A strong culture and community grew up around the IBM platform in the three decades since the AS/400 was launched and underscores its popularity and success. The 1990s were the heyday of COMMON with thousands of members attending semi-annual educational conferences.
Financial problems.
The Late-2000s recession had a severe effect on COMMON activities. Event attendance, which had increased throughout the 1980s and 1990s, dropped substantially. IT professionals were working longer hours and had smaller budgets for training and education, which resulted in COMMON changing from two conferences per year to one and shortening the conference length from five days to four. Free attendance for volunteers was also eliminated and sponsorship was required for social events.
Current status.
In the 2020s, over 100,000 organizations used mid-range computers. Following a hiatus from COVID, bi-annual conferences resumed, as did additional educational offerings. As of 2021, there were over 26,000 members in LinkedIn's group for AS/400 and iSeries professionals.
Thousands of users have spent much, most or all of their careers using IBM i. A 2021 "Forta" poll showed 56% of respondents had over 30 years' experience with AS/400, many of whom would be retiring soon. Those who replace them will rely on user groups for education and help from peers, which was the reason Common was founded.
As of 2020, the IBM midrange systems held a 36.3% market share, especially prevalent in critical industries such as banking, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics and retail. Most enterprises depend on the AS400/iSeries/IBMi in these sectors, with most or all of their workload operating seamlessly on this system.
The platform remains an important IBM product with a bright future. IBM releases new hardware/software versions every two or three years that make quantum advancements in functionality and processing power. IBM makes new product announcements at Common events where users can ask IBM developers questions.
In a 2021 survey of users, 43% were running most or all of their business applications on Power Systems. This reflects the platform's enduring legacy. Over half of those users expected to stay with their current hardware; a small percentage of users planned to move to another platform.
Member resources.
Only members can utilize Common resources. Memberships can be acquired by individuals, company or user groups.
A popular feature of membership is the Common Conference, held twice a year at varying locations in the US. The spring conference is named "POWERUp"; the fall conference is named "NAViGATE". Nearly nine hours of educational sessions are scheduled each day; an exhibition expo is open on the second and third day, with about 40 vendors including IBM, offering software and hardware.
Common schedules internet-based education, including Webcasts and Webinars. A Career Center for employers and job hunters.
A new collaborative effort between COMMON and IBM has been launched. New 2 IBM i (N2i) seeks to help new IT professionals learn necessary skills and optimize the platform.