Mainframe modernization holds the key to IBM i success

IBM mainframe technology is a data center lynchpin for many organizations. Introduced 35 years ago as OS/400, a survey of IBM i users by Forta found that seven out of 10 use IBM i, an operating system developed by IBM for IBM Power Systems, to run more than half of their applications.

While adoption of newer versions of IBM i – such as IBM i 7.4 and IBM i 7.5, released in 2019 and 2022, respectively – has increased, customers are unlikely reaping the benefits of the operating system. For IBM i users to succeed in this ever-shifting world, they need the availability of a modern and robust infrastructure that drives new services that empower remote workforces and accelerate innovation without incurring additional costs.

Success hinges on three factors: people, planning, and process.

Finding the right people in a shrinking talent market

Mainframes are here to stay, but the talent needed to work on them is shrinking. Even as companies adopt and plan for hybrid computing, mainframe adoption is growing. According to Deloitte, three-quarters of business and IT executives believe in the long-term viability of mainframes and nine out of 10 expect their mainframe footprint to grow.

Despite the staying power of mainframe technology, the same cannot be said for the IT talent to manage them. Today’s generation of IT workers is drawn to cloud, mobile, and data and advanced automation technologies that are driving digital transformation. As mainframe workers age out of the workforce, there is no one to replace them. In the Deloitte study, 90% of business leaders responded that it’s difficult to acquire the right talent to maintain mainframes.

With organizations taxed to find the right workers to manage mainframe technology, it’s imperative they find solutions that maximize user efficiency and enable employees to access systems and data from mobile and remote devices.

Planning for successful modernization

Modernization requires an actionable plan that delivers on key metrics like user productivity and customer satisfaction. However, many organizations fail to complete modernization plans for legacy systems due to poorly directed time and resources.

According to a recent Rocket Software survey, four out of five IT professionals agree that the reliability and resilience of the mainframe are still critical to business operations, making it imperative that companies find the tools necessary to ensure a successful mainframe modernization project. Tools like Rocket Process Insights enable users to see a 360-degree view of the functions their IBM i applications perform, prioritize projects that deliver the highest value, and streamlines the creation of automation robots and APIs built on data-informed workflows and processes.

Building a deeper understanding of processes

IT leaders are under pressure to enhance or integrate monolithic systems, unable to tease apart key components or discern business-critical needs from improvements that produce minimal returns. At the center of that effort, for many businesses, is IBM i—but it must also include a concerted effort to modernize applications. To be effective, though, businesses need to know where to start on their modernization journey. Without end-to-end visibility across IBM i application workflows, prioritizing work is a guessing game. It is only when businesses clearly understand how they engage the application that they can smartly build a modernization plan that enables innovation and drives real business value.

Today, modernizing on platforms like IBM i requires a deeper understanding of common workflows and challenges for it to be done correctly, efficiently, and cost-effectively. But remember, the number of people available to run mainframes for businesses is down, again putting the onus on software solutions to help deliver these benefits for business.

As investment increases and the talent pool shrinks, it’s clear that businesses will become more reliant on partners that deliver solutions that automate data center modernization. For companies to maximize the value of a powerful operating system like IBM i, it’s the only way.

Ready to learn more? Find out how Rocket Software and its solutions can help you modernize.