New study reveals why mainframe application modernization is key to accelerating digital transformation

Fast development of rising applied sciences—mixed with the growing calls for from clients and ongoing disruptive market forces—are driving organizations to prioritize digital transformation greater than ever. Based on a latest survey performed by the IBM Institute for Business Value in cooperation with Oxford Economics, 67% % of government respondents say their organizations want to remodel rapidly to maintain up with the competitors, whereas 57% report present market disruptions are putting unprecedented strain on their IT.¹

Digital transformation locations vital calls for on current purposes and knowledge, which necessitates modernization and integration throughout an enterprise’s heterogeneous know-how panorama, together with cloud and mainframe. It’s no marvel that CEOs ranked technology modernization as one of their top priorities for his or her organizations as they appear to reinvent merchandise, companies and operations so as to enhance effectivity, agility and time to market.

Enterprises want versatile, safe, open and fit-for-purpose platforms to function and develop companies constantly throughout their hybrid cloud surroundings. The mainframe stays a essential element in attaining this since mission essential purposes proceed to leverage the power of mainframes. A hybrid best-fit method is one that features mainframes and cloud, supporting the modernization, integration and deployment of purposes. This maximizes enterprise agility and addresses shopper ache factors, together with lowering the expertise hole, accelerating time to market, improved entry to mission-critical knowledge throughout platforms and optimizing prices.

The brand new analysis from the IBM Institute for Enterprise Worth discovered that just about 7 in 10 IT executives say mainframe-based purposes are central to their enterprise and know-how methods. On high of that, 68% of respondents say mainframe programs are central to their hybrid cloud technique.¹

Nonetheless, modernization could be a complicated course of, with organizations going through a bunch of challenges. Virtually 70% of executives surveyed report that the mainframe-based purposes of their organizations must be modernized. The examine additional reveals that organizations are 12x extra more likely to leverage current mainframe property reasonably than rebuild their software estates from scratch within the subsequent two years, which might be too expensive, dangerous or time-consuming.¹ For these companies now pursuing mainframe software modernization, surveyed executives level to the dearth of required assets and abilities as the highest problem. Mainframe prices, which executives cited as a significant barrier when asked two years ago, is not perceived as such, with executives now on the lookout for extra sources of worth from mainframe comparable to resilience, optimization and regulatory compliance.

Provided that software modernization is important for organizations centered on “best-fit” transformation spanning throughout mainframe, cloud and even generative AI, IT leaders trying to reinvigorate their mainframe modernization must take a couple of essential actions now:

Undertake an iterative method

As a part of your plan to combine new and current environments, consider your trade and workload attributes. Companion with your corporation counterparts to co-create a enterprise case and a “best-fit” roadmap designed to fulfill your strategic targets. Undertake an incremental and steady method to modernization as an alternative of an enormous bang, rip and substitute.

Assess your portfolio and construct your roadmap

Study the capabilities that outline the position of the mainframe in your enterprise in the present day and the way these capabilities tie into the larger hybrid cloud know-how ecosystem. As well as, prioritize cross-skilling throughout the group and lean in your companions to make up for brand spanking new or current expertise and useful resource gaps.

Leverage a number of software modernization entry factors

Assist allow quick access to current mainframe purposes and knowledge through the use of APIs. Present a standard developer expertise by integrating open-source instruments and a streamlined course of for agility. Develop cloud native purposes on the mainframe and containerize purposes.

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^1. Based mostly on a 2021 survey refresh by the IBM Institute for Enterprise Worth (IBV) with Oxford Economics “Software modernization on the mainframe – Increasing the worth of hybrid cloud transformation,” conducting a double-blind survey of 200 IT executives in North America in April 2023.