Mainframe Modernization : What is it and How Google Cloud can make modernization journey successful ?

What is Mainframe Modernization ?

Mainframe modernization is the process of updating and adapting mainframe systems to meet the needs of modern businesses. This can involve a variety of activities, such as:

• Migrating applications to new platforms, such as the cloud.
• Refactoring code to make it more efficient and portable.
• Replacing outdated hardware and software.
• Improving security and compliance.

The goal of mainframe modernization is to improve the performance, scalability, and security of mainframe systems, while also reducing costs and making them easier to maintain.

Why organisations need to modernize their mainframes ?

• Performance: Mainframes are still very powerful computers, but they can be slow to respond to requests from newer applications. Modernizing the mainframe can help to improve performance and make it easier to keep up with the demands of modern applications.
• Cost: Mainframes can be expensive to operate, especially when they are not being used efficiently. Modernizing the mainframe can help to reduce costs by making it more efficient and easier to manage.
• Agility: Modernized mainframe systems can be more easily adapted to changing business requirements. This is important in today’s rapidly changing business environment.
• Talent: There is lack of mainframe talent in the job market. Everyone wants to learn distributed technologies such as python and java. It is very hard to get a resource who is expert in COBOL, CICS , JCL and other mainframe technologies.

Why is it very difficult to modernize a mainframe system ?

• Complexity: Mainframe modernization is a complex process. It requires a deep understanding of the mainframe environment and the skills to migrate applications and data to new platforms.
• Risk: Mainframe modernization can be a risky undertaking. There is always the risk that the modernization project will not be successful or that it will not meet the organisation’s needs.
• Cost: Mainframe modernization can be a costly undertaking. The cost of modernization will vary depending on the size and complexity of the mainframe environment.
• Resistance to change: Mainframe modernization can be met with resistance from employees who are comfortable with the current system. It is important to communicate the benefits of modernization to employees and to provide them with training on the new system.

Despite the challenges, mainframe modernization can be a valuable investment for organisations that want to improve the performance, scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness of their legacy systems. By working with a qualified modernization partner, organisations can minimise the risks and challenges of mainframe modernization and ensure that their modernization project is successful.

What are the Techniques to modernize mainframe?

There are mainly three techniques that can be used to modernize mainframe systems:

• Refactoring: Refactoring is the process of converting the mainframe code without changing its behavior. Refactoring can help to make code more efficient, portable, and maintainable.
• Rehosting: Rehosting is the process moving mainframe applications to a new platform without changing the application code. The application code must be compatible with the new platform, and the new platform must have the same capabilities as the mainframe.
• Rewriting: Rewriting is the process of completely rewriting an application. Rewriting can be a more expensive option than refactoring, but it can also be more effective in improving the performance, scalability, and security of an application.

How Google Cloud can make mainframe modernization successful?

Google Cloud offers a number of solutions for mainframe modernization. These solutions can help organisations to improve the performance, scalability, security, and cost-effectiveness of their mainframe systems.

Google Cloud offers a variety of solutions for mainframe modernization, including:

• Dual Run for Rehosting: Dual Run allows you to run your mainframe workloads simultaneously on your existing mainframe and on Google Cloud. This allows you to test and validate your workloads in the cloud before making a full migration, and to continue running your workloads on the mainframe if you need to.
• Automated code conversion using G4: G4 can automatically convert mainframe code to java to run on Google Cloud. G4 supports all mainframe languages such as COBOL, CICS and JCL etc as well as AS400 languages such as RPG, RPGLE and CLLE.
• RADIS for mainframe discovery: Rapid discovery for mainframe source code. This tool performs static analysis of mainframe source code. User just need to upload the code and this tool will create a dashboard showing key details for uploaded source code. These key details include Code LOC, Code complexity, Call tree graph and CRUD matrix.
• Mainframe Connector : The Mainframe Connector enables Google Cloud users to upload data to Cloud Storage and submit BigQuery jobs from mainframe-based batch jobs defined by job control language (JCL).

Here are some additional benefits of using Google Cloud for mainframe modernization:

• Google Cloud is a highly secure platform that can help you to protect your mainframe data.
• Google Cloud offers a global network of data centers that can help you to improve the performance of your mainframe workloads.
• Google Cloud offers a variety of pricing options that can help you to save money on your mainframe modernization project.
• Google Cloud offers a wide range of services that can be used to modernize mainframe workloads, including data migration, application modernization, and testing.

The complete details and customer’s case studies can be found on Google cloud official page: https://cloud.google.com/solutions/mainframe-modernization