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 modernisation 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 organisations need to rapidly transform to keep up with competition, which includes modernising mainframe-based apps and adopting a more open approach.
The report confirmed that executives view modernising 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 levels 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, multicloud 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 hybrid cloud, organisations 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, modernisation 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 modernise 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 modernisation. 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 modernisation, 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.”