business
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TALKING
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changes to applications and databases faster
and in coordination with DevOps processes.
However, a velocity gap exists – the number
of application releases far exceeds the
number of database releases. The velocity
gap is slowing companies down which is not
timely in this age of Digital Transformation.
Bill Miller, President, ZSolutions at
BMC Software
Indeed, changing demographics are
contributing to the mainframe’s positive
future and our survey found that 95%
of millennials are positive about the
mainframe’s long-term prospects for
supporting new and legacy applications. This
has several important implications to the
mainframe skills gap. Firstly, that businesses
can up their mainframe spend without fear
that there will be no one to manage it and
secondly, that this youthful new talent pool
will bring new ideas to the fore.
Mainframe and DevOps will
become unanimous
There is no such thing as an isolated IT
environment, especially in a large enterprise.
Much of the talk around DevOps has centred
on cloud-based applications, but the reality is
today’s modern application is often built on a
multi-tiered application architecture that spans
from mobile to servers. In this environment,
the mainframe is the most powerful, secure
and reliable backend processor and it must
enable application teams to work in a multi-
layered development process. However, large
organisations will not be able to fully capitalise
on this new deployment model without
connecting their most vital platforms.
Common issues faced with DevOps within
mainframe environments consists of the
disparity between IT and application
development teams needing to roll out
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INTELLIGENTCIO
Database administrators (DBAs) and
application programmers are challenged
with trying to coordinate and deploy new
applications. Whether they are for test or
production implementation, intelligently
automated DevOps can help companies
become more agile and free up crucial DBA
time, deeming organisations’ enterprise IT
more profitable and efficient. This is a key
example of how, in 2019, organisations will
work to fully capitalise on the agility and
speed that DevOps can bring and with the
right approach, mainframes can become
an integral part of the DevOps process.
Furthermore, our mainframe survey stated
that Java usage increased nine percentage
points over the last three years to 82%, and
48% are already using agile/DevOps practices
in their mainframe environment – suggesting
real appetite for DevOps innovation.
Mainframes will win over the
C-suite, again
Digitisation and mobility are placing
incredible pressure on both IT and
mainframes to manage a greater volume,
variety and velocity of transactions and
data. Thankfully, the mainframe’s longevity
stems partly from its ability to reinvent itself
constantly to facilitate the changing dynamics
of modern business, maintain near-constant
availability and efficiently process billions of
critical transactions – proving to be a viable
long-term platform today.
Executives today also face another concern
that is made more complex by digitisation
and mobility: managing risk and securing an
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organisation’s data and systems. In fact, our
annual survey ranked security as the second
biggest challenge and priority for enterprises
and organisations around the world, right
after cost optimisation.
Misconceptions about mainframes have led
individuals to underestimate the need to
fully understand their security posture on the
platform. However, the survey revealed that
more than half of our respondents say they
recognise security as the mainframe’s second
greatest strength after availability. This is
particularly important due to the heightening
focus on data-driven regulations, such as
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
(PCI DSS), the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the EU General
Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The good news for executives is that
AI, automation and Machine Learning
hold promise in addressing challenges
with uncertain macroeconomic changes,
stringent data compliance rules and
changing workforces – all tangible trials for
the C-suite. As the ‘big iron’ evolves and
continues to serve as the backbone of digital
environments, 2019 is the year that savvy IT
operations management (ITOM) executives
will truly embrace the power and value their
mainframes bring to the business.
The proliferation of mobile applications
and digital-first businesses have effectively
rewritten the rulebook and companies operate
in a way that is different to what we have seen
in years prior. Thankfully, the mainframe has a
place in helping companies run and reinvent
their business. It is capable of scaling to handle
ever-increasing transaction volumes efficiently
and securely, and we are excited to see where
it will go next. With the combination of fresh
talent, executive buy-in and new intelligent
automation technologies, the mainframe
remains a crucial element in the enterprise IT
landscape today – and in the future. n
THE MAINFRAME REMAINS
A CRUCIAL ELEMENT IN THE
ENTERPRISE IT LANDSCAPE TODAY –
AND IN THE FUTURE.
www.intelligentcio.com