I like Mainframes. I like and understand their architectures and behaviours (try saying that about a Windows server with a straight face – Windows invented the mindless “switch it off and on again” meme, not really an option if you are running the books of the bank). The architecture is rock-solid and well-designed, without obfuscation, which is one reason why mainframes are so resilient and robust.
Other reasons include rock-solid virtualisation – I used to work on VM/370 (operating_system), a virtualised operating system provided as an alternative to MVS, the “native” OS for IBM 370 mainframes, back in the 1980s and it was about 10 years old even then – and rock-solid parallel programming (Parallel Sysplex), with pre-emptive multitasking (which means that, basically, a rogue task can’t grab the CPU and refuse to let go and kill parallel processing). By “rock-solid” I mean designed in, not bolted on as an afterthought.
Every so often I am reminded that mainframes are still around and still processing a lot of the world’s commerce. BMC has just acquired Compuware, which complements BMC’s mainframe management capabilities with Compuware’s mainframe DevOps capabilities. I am saddened that there is one fewer mainframe vendor now, but the merger makes sense to me and there is still Broadcom (which acquired CA Technologies) to compete with. There’s money in mainframes, because there are still applications where only a mainframe will cut it.
But hold on, in 2020 the mainframe really is no more. This having been announced just about every five years since about 1990 – even I did it, ironically, in 2011). IBM has done a superb job modernising its Z mainframes, so that they are “just” another large, performant, highly resilient “super” server – which supports cloud delivery (Mainframe as a Service) really well. Companies like BMC have enabled management of the mainframe as part of the general business IT infrastructure and companies like Compuware have integrated mainframe development/maintenance into modern development practice.
And, there are people like Unisys, building things out of x86 servers (Unisys Clearpath) that have all the characteristics of a mainframe.
So, hey, The Mainframe is Dead. Long live the SuperServer!
Forget about the old “Migration off the Mainframe” messages. Somehow, they never quite delivered (I could write several long papers in why this is). The message for the 2020s is “Run the Right Workloads on the Right Platforms” and the right platform might well be the mainframe, if security, resilience and ultimate workload capacity matters. And sometimes it won’t be the right platform but abandoning the mainframe should be a fact-based choice driven by workload, not a religious decision.
Which rather implies, of course, that you do understand what workloads you are running for your business, and what their characteristics are; and that you are actually managing your SuperServer, not just taking it for granted. Even legendary SuperServer security is only achieved if you have appropriate security policies, part of a holistic security environment, and they are properly implemented. There is still work to be done.
As soon as I noticed this website I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.
hello there and thank you for your info – I have definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical points using this website, since I experienced to reload the web site lots of times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will very frequently affect your placement in google and could damage your high quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding this RSS to my e-mail and could look out for much more of your respective exciting content. Make sure you update this again soon..
Hi there, I found your site by way of Google whilst looking for a comparable subject, your site came up, it seems to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Wow! After all I got a web site from where I know how to actually get valuable data regarding my study and knowledge.
Hey there would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re utilizing?
I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different web browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most.
Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a fair price?
Thanks, I appreciate it!
My brother suggested I might like this web site.
He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine simply how much
time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
I every time spent my half an hour to read this website’s content all the time along with a mug of coffee.
Hiya very nice blog!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful ..
I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally?
I’m glad to search out so many helpful information here within the post, we want work out
extra strategies on this regard, thanks for sharing.
. . . . .
Hi there, I enjoy reading through your article post. I like to write a little comment to support
you.
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you
writing this write-up and the rest of the site is really good.
This web site certainly has all the info I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know
who to ask.
Very nice article, just what I was looking for.
Hello, Neat post. There is a problem with your web site in internet explorer, could test thisK IE still is the marketplace leader and a big component of people will omit your great writing due to this problem.
Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog with my facebook group?
There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content.
Please let me know. Thank you quest bars http://j.mp/3C2tkMR quest bars
I do consider all the concepts you have introduced to your post.
They are really convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are too short for
starters. May you please extend them a little from subsequent
time? Thanks for the post. scoliosis surgery https://0401mm.tumblr.com/ scoliosis surgery
Ahaa, its nice conversation about this piece of writing at this place at
this blog, I have read all that, so at this time me also commenting here.
asmr https://app.gumroad.com/asmr2021/p/best-asmr-online asmr
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with
Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get
my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very
good success. If you know of any please share.
Thank you! cheap flights http://1704milesapart.tumblr.com/ cheap flights
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a
amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you!
By the way, how could we communicate? quest bars https://www.iherb.com/search?kw=quest%20bars quest bars
Having read this I believed it was extremely informative.
I appreciate you taking the time and effort to
put this content together. I once again find myself personally spending a lot of time
both reading and posting comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
ps4 https://j.mp/3nkdKIi ps4 games
Ahaa, its nice conversation regarding this piece of writing here at this web site, I have read all that,
so now me also commenting at this place. scoliosis surgery https://coub.com/stories/962966-scoliosis-surgery scoliosis surgery
Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your blog.
You have some really good posts and I feel I would be a good asset.
If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d absolutely love to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back
to mine. Please send me an email if interested. Many thanks!
https://parttimejobshiredin30minutes.wildapricot.org/ part time jobs hired in 30 minutes
Hello everybody, here every one is sharing these kinds of familiarity, therefore it’s
fastidious to read this blog, and I used to pay a visit this
webpage everyday.
I have read so many articles concerning the blogger lovers however this paragraph is
genuinely a nice paragraph, keep it up.
Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!…
I have been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or
weblog posts in this kind of area . Exploring in Yahoo
I at last stumbled upon this site. Studying this info So i am glad
to express that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling
I came upon just what I needed. I such a lot certainly will make sure to
don?t fail to remember this website and provides it a glance regularly.
Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is great, as well as the content!
I really like your writing style, wonderful info, regards for putting up :D. “Silence is more musical than any song.” by Christina G. Rossetti.
Very interesting topic, appreciate it for putting up. “We need not think alike to love alike.” by Francis David.
Pretty! This was a really wonderful post. Thanks for supplying this info.
Wonderful website. Plenty of useful information here. I am sending it to several pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks on your effort!
Some really interesting details you have written.Helped me a lot, just what I was searching for : D.
I have been looking all over a post like that for quite a long time.
What i do not understood is in reality how you are no longer actually much more well-appreciated than you might be right now. You’re very intelligent. You realize therefore significantly in relation to this topic, made me individually consider it from a lot of varied angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be interested except it?¦s one thing to accomplish with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs great. Always maintain it up!
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
Very useful info specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such information much.
I was looking for this certain info for a long time.
Thank you and good luck.
Because the admin of this web site is working, no question very quickly it will be well-known, due to its quality contents.
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging
for? you make blogging look easy. The overall
look of your website is wonderful, let alone the content!
I have been browsing online more than 3 hours these days, yet I by no means found any attention-grabbing article like yours.
It’s lovely worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all web
owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you probably did, the net can be a lot more helpful than ever before.
Thanks for the marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed
reading it, you will be a great author. I will make certain to bookmark your blog and may come back in the future.
I want to encourage continue your great work, have
a nice holiday weekend!
Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of
the pictures aren’t loading correctly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
I’ve tried it in two different web browsers and both show
the same results.
Admiring the time and energy you put into your blog and in depth information you provide.
It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed material.
Wonderful read! I’ve saved your site and I’m
including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Hi! I’ve been reading your website for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Porter Tx!
Just wanted to mention keep up the excellent work!
Hello! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
Hello to all, it’s genuinely a fastidious for me to pay a visit this site,
it contains helpful Information.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it.
Look advanced to far added agreeable from you!
By the way, how can we communicate?
Very nice article, exactly what I wanted to find.
Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google,
and found that it is really informative. I’m going to watch out for
brussels. I will appreciate if you continue
this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!
Very nice article, just what I needed.
Interesting blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog shine.
Please let me know where you got your design. With thanks
I have been browsing online more than 3 hours today, yet I never
found any interesting article like yours. It’s pretty worth enough for me.
In my opinion, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the web
will be much more useful than ever before.
Pretty! This has been an extremely wonderful post. Thank you for providing these details.