IBM unveiled the IBM Z and Cloud Modernisation Center, a digital front door to a vast array of tools, training, resources, and ecosystem partners to help IBM Z clients accelerate the modernization of their applications, data and processes in an open hybrid cloud architecture.
In the IBM Institute for Business Value study, ‘Application Modernisation on the Mainframe’, 71% of executives say mainframe-based applications are central to their business strategy. Four out of five respondents say their organizations need to rapidly transform to keep up with the competition, which includes modernizing mainframe-based apps and adopting a more open approach.
The report confirmed that executives view modernizing mainframe-based applications – and connecting them with new applications through a hybrid cloud environment – as crucial to driving a holistic digital transformation strategy across the mainframe and cloud. They are seamlessly intertwined in delivering cutting-edge enterprise-wide agility and capability. And together they help secure operations, reduce latency, and drive legacy processes to a higher level of business agility.
According to a recent IBM Institute for Business Value survey, ‘The hybrid cloud platform advantage’, the value derived from a full hybrid, multi-cloud platform technology and operating model at scale is 2.5 times the value derived from a single-platform, single-cloud vendor approach. Further, an IBM hybrid cloud transformation that integrates IBM Z can extend up to 5x the value of a public cloud-only approach.
A Hurwitz and Associates whitepaper, sponsored by IBM, confirms this additional value is derived by: business acceleration, developer productivity, infrastructure cost efficiency, regulatory, compliance and security and deployment flexibility.
Today, many IBM Z clients are running on modern infrastructure. However, to truly leverage the benefits of the hybrid cloud, organizations must continue to modernize their applications and data. With the IBM Z and Cloud Modernization Center, clients can gain insights on maintaining their current IT estate, while focusing on the design and execution of a strategy for their core applications and data running on IBM Z to prepare for hybrid cloud.
Leveraging decades of experience resident in IBM Consulting and IBM’s key ecosystem partners, this includes a detailed assessment of the client’s IT and business objectives, modernization of existing apps and data to extend them to the cloud, including IBM Cloud and third-party hyperscalers, and developing new cloud-native apps and integrating them with existing apps and data already on IBM Z.
“The world-class reliability and security of IBM’s Z solutions have contributed significantly to the mainframe’s remarkable longevity and business value for enterprise customers,” said Charles King, PUND-IT.
“However, another crucial feature – adaptability – is just as important. For well over two decades, IBM has ensured that Z mainframes addressed vital requirements in both existing and emerging applications and use cases, including Linux, open systems and hybrid cloud. With the new IBM Z and Cloud Modernisation Center, IBM and its partners are providing customers the tools, resources and training they need to successfully modernize and transform mainframe-based applications, data and processes in hybrid cloud environments.”
“Until now, global businesses that run on IBM Z have had limited choices for a one-stop-shop for information and steps to take toward modernization. Coupled with confusing narratives by vendors in the marketplace and accounts of failed migrations, finding a resource IT leaders can turn to can be a challenge,” said Meredith Stowell, VP, IBM Z Ecosystem.
“The reality is that the future is hybrid, where IBM Z and Cloud are better together. While lift and shift migration may seem like an attractive choice for modernization, in many cases it can be a one-way street and lock-in to one public cloud which may have implications on cost, governance and security. IBM understands the IBM Z environment, cloud ecosystem, and the industries that rely on us, and we’ve brought together all the elements needed to help our clients adopt hybrid cloud in one place.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Technology Express staff and is published from a syndicated feed)
