February 2018 
Spring is just around the corner, and so is the 2018 PODS Forum in Houston, scheduled for May 8th (exact location TBD). As we prepare relevant and timely topics shared by our members and seek experts to serve on our panels, we want to provide you with a "Save the Date" here. An agenda will be posted and emailed at a later date.

FREE Lunchtime Webinar scheduled for March 8th
, where we will highlight the topics and format of the Forum.

Read on for information about the latest PODS Models being released, training videos for PODS members, Board Election Candidates , new volunteers who have joined our teams, and more.


2018 Board of Directors Candidates Posted
The list of Board of Directors Candidates for 2018 has been posted. Please review this list in preparation for the voting period, which will begin on February 21st.  NOTE that each member company has ONE designated Voting Member. If you are unsure of who your voting member is or you know that this person has changed since last year, please contact Jen at jen.gordon@pods.org so that she can update your voting member.

Volunteers - Call for Conference Committee and Welcome to New Volunteers
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We need volunteers to join the Conference Committee!  Have you attended PODS events and want to shape what they look like in the future? This committee is responsible for directing and guiding the joint committee of PODS, GITA and Pennwell for the 2018 Pipeline Week; and to analyze the delivery of PODS annual conference to provide recommendations. To learn more about this opportunity, contact Kathy Mayo at kathy.mayo@pods.org or fill out a submission form here:  Volunteer Interest Submission Form
 
We also want to welcome our new volunteers. In the past few weeks, we have vetted and selected eight new volunteers to help with the Membership, Communications and Next Gen Committees.  Thank you for your interest, dedication and time.
 
Interested in joining the team? Submit your information to us either online or with a downloadable form here: Volunteer Interest Submission Form
 
6.1 PODS Relational Now Available!
PODS Technical Committee on Data Modeling have completed the PODS 6.1 Relational Data Model, which provides for ECDA and Off Shore. The Spatial version will follow in the next two months.
 
Click HERE to access the Data Models download area on the PODS Member Portal and download the 87.7MB zip file .  (Note this and all PODS Models are only available to currently Active PODS Members. If you are not a member, click HERE to learn more about joining.)

PODS Member Portal 102 Training:
How to Use Community Forums
- Available 2/15/18!
Our second pre-recorded training session will be available for your reference on February 15th.  The topic will be How to navigate the Community Forums area of our new Member Portal

As a current member of the PODS Association, we will email you an invitation to view the training video through our PODS Member Portal. If your company is a current member and you haven't logged into our new Members-Only Member Portal area, please contact jen.gordon@pods.org and she will send you instructions, or go to the "Membership" menu on www.pods.org and select "Current Member Organizations Employee Registration."
PODS Next Gen Terminology and Compatibility with Esri APR - Clarified
There has been some confusion surrounding the terminology used to describe the PODS Next Generation data model.  We have used the terms PODS Lite, PODS Core, PODS Next Generation, and PODS 7.0 as we have developed this new version of the PODS Data Model. There has also been confusion around the models' compatibility with Esri APR. To set the record straight, here is the terminology the PODS Association is using going forward, and clarification on the models' relationship with Esri APR.

PODS Next Generation  is the initiative being undertaken to substantially revise and improve the PODS Association data model under the guidance of the PODS Strategic Plan.  The two models that have been and will be released are called  PODS Lite (v. 1.0 released April 2017) and PODS 7.0 .  They do NOT require Esri APR but are compatible with Esri APR.
  • PODS 7.0  will be the first  full PODS model release under the Next Gen initiative and will include a new release of PODS Lite (PODS Lite v. 7.0)This PODS 7.0 release will:
    • Form the basis for all subsequent model development and extensions through the implementation of modules such as Inline Inspection, Regulatory Requirements, Cathodic Protection etc. 
    • To download PODS 7.0 you must be a current PODS Association member.
  • PODS Lite  is a data model containing a subset of the tables in the PODS 7.0 data model. This Lite model contains only the essential tables and fields required by pipeline operators to maintain the standard assets but will not include the expanded modules and tables.
    • Designed for allowing organizations to understand how PODS 7.0 is designed to function for the purposes of research, prototyping and testing.
    • PODS Lite is free to anyone who registers at the PODS web page. 
  • Esri APR is NOT Required for PODS Lite or for PODS 7.0
    • PODS 7.0 and PODS Lite v. 1.0 and higher will support Esri APR without any modification to either data model, but do NOT require it.
In April 2017, PODS Lite was released as version 1.0. The Next Gen team is currently focusing on releasing the next PODS Lite release (version 1.1 to be made available in Q1 2018), which will include support for RDBMS environments in addition to  the  Esri  G eodatabase format. 

Once PODS 7.0 is released, PODS Lite will assume the same version numbering  and receive concurrent releases (regardless of updates to the Lite model).  PODS 7.0 and PODS Lite will be released in Esri Geodatabase and Relational formats supporting Oracle, MS SQL Server, PostGreSQL with the PostGIS extension.

We hope this clarifies some misconceptions that are appearing around what PODS is undertaking in regard to Next Generation PODS data models. 

Sincerely,
The PODS Next Gen Working Group

*SAVE THE DATE*
PODS Free Webinar 
3/8/18 @noonCST
Topic: Preview of FORUM

Our next FREE webinar is scheduled for  March 8, 2018  and will provide a  glimpse at the panel topics for the annual PODS Forum, including  Operator experiences in implementing PODS, including PODS Lite;  PODS upgrades, benefits vs. cost (data exchange standard) etc.

To REGISTER NOW for this FREE Webinar, click HERE

* Save the Date *
2018 PODS FORUM - 
5/8/18 - Houston

  Sincerely,
 

Kathy Mayo, Executive Director
PODS Association
In This Issue

Missed the Jan. 11 Webinar about Volunteering on Next Gen Working groups?
  

--OR--


Want to JOIN the PODS Community?
 
Go to our website to learn about benefits of PODS Association Membership  and 
how to join:


Regular
Meetings

PODS Board of Directors meets every 3rd Tuesday

Officers Meeting 
meets every other Wednesday

Technical Committee on Governance (TCG)
meets every 1st Thursday
 
Technical Committee for Data Modeling (TCDM)
meets every 4th Wednesday

Communications Committee
meets every 1st Thursday

Next Gen Work Group
meets every other Wednesday

Conference Committee
TBD

Thank You, Sponsors!




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Calendar of Industry Events
Industry Events are hard to keep track of -
go HERE to the PODS Member Portal Industry Events List 
to see a list of Industry Events that we think might be of interest to you.