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Heading to IBM TechXchange in Atlanta this year? If IBM MQ is part of your day-to-day work, you’ll want to make time for the MQ User Group on Monday, October 26.
It’s a chance to hear directly from IBM, see how others are approaching common MQ challenges, and connect with people who understand what it takes to keep enterprise messaging running.
Avada Software will be joining the afternoon vendor session to explore how AI can help make sense of MQ operational data. And there’s more happening throughout the week, including an AI agent session with some live guitar and a giveaway!
MQ User Group: What’s on the Schedule?
The MQ User Group takes place Monday, October 26, during the pre-conference activities at IBM TechXchange 2026.
Here’s a quick look at the sessions:
Monday, October 26 — Room B302, Level 3, Building B
- 11:00 AM–12:00 PM: Update from Hursley (MUP-4817) — Hear the latest from the IBM MQ team.
- 1:00–3:00 PM: Hear From Our Vendors (MUP-4818) — Join Avada Software and TxMQ for practical perspectives on AI, MQ operations, and financial messaging.
- 3:30–5:30 PM: Open Mic & Community Roundtable (MUP-4819) — Bring your questions, experiences, and MQ stories.
All times are Eastern.
Hear What’s Next for IBM MQ
The day kicks off with Matthew Leming and Callum Jackson from IBM, discussing what’s happening with MQ and where it’s headed.
Expect some interesting conversations about AI, including what IBM has learned from developing the MQ Agent, along with how MQ and event-streaming technologies fit into different enterprise use cases.
It’s a good opportunity to hear directly from the IBM team about the technologies and ideas shaping the future of enterprise messaging.
Join Avada Software: Using AI to Dig for Nuggets in Your IBM MQ Data
IBM MQ environments generate plenty of operational data. The challenge is often finding the information you actually need, especially when troubleshooting an issue or investigating something unusual.
During the afternoon vendor session, Avada Software’s Peter D’Agosta, Chief Product Manager, and Robert Sordillo, CTO, will present Using AI to Dig for Nuggets in Your IBM MQ Operational Data.
They’ll demonstrate how a private, on-premises large language model (LLM) can help engineers and administrators explore MQ operational information using everyday language.
Imagine asking questions about your queues, channels, or audit history and being able to follow the investigation with additional questions, without sending sensitive operational data outside your organization.
It’s an interesting look at how AI could help MQ teams find answers faster and make better use of the information they already have.
The vendor session will also feature John Carr from TxMQ, discussing IBM MQ’s role in banking, modern payment systems, and the challenges of supporting reliable financial transactions.
Bring Your MQ Questions to the Community
One of the best parts of a user group is getting to talk with people who work with the same technology you do.
Monday wraps up with an open mic and community roundtable. No formal presentations or sales pitches, just an opportunity to share experiences, ask questions, and learn from fellow MQ professionals.
Have an unusual MQ problem you’ve been trying to solve? Or a lesson learned the hard way? This is a great place to bring it up.
AI Agents, Live Guitar, and a Giveaway?
There’s another session worth adding to your schedule on Tuesday, October 27.
Gregory Hanson from The Options Clearing Corporation will lead Build Your Own MCP Enabled MQ AI Agent with IBM Bob on OpenShift.
The session explores how to build a custom AI agent that works with IBM MQ while keeping enterprise security and governance requirements in mind.
And there’s a fun addition to this one: Avada’s Peter D’Agosta will be playing guitar during the session, and there will be a guitar giveaway!
It’s not every day an MQ technical session comes with live music.
Tuesday, October 27 | 2:45–3:30 PM EDT
Room B208, Level 2, Building B
See You in Atlanta!
IBM TechXchange 2026 runs October 26–29 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Whether you’re interested in the latest MQ developments, practical ways to use AI, or simply connecting with other middleware professionals, we hope you’ll join us for the MQ User Group.
And if you’re attending the afternoon vendor session, be sure to say hello to the Avada Software team!
