IBM and HashiCorp have once again raised the bar for enterprise automation. With the release of Terraform for Z and LinuxONE 1.2, we’re introducing capabilities that transform how organizations manage their most mission-critical systems. This release introduces Fiber Connectivity (FICON) and Open Systems Adapter (OSA) management, which helps support clients to automate networking and storage configurations with speed, consistency, and confidence.
Eight months ago, we set out with a clear mission: to deliver breakthrough capabilities that empower our z/OS clients to automate and innovate at scale. Today, we’re proud to deliver on that promise.
From day one, IBM Infrastructure and Software teams partnered closely with HashiCorp to design, develop, and rigorously test this capability. This collaboration reflects our commitment to helping clients simplify complexity and accelerate transformation across their most critical environments.
With this delivery, clients can automate key processes in their compute, networking and storage management, from definition to automation. In combination with our delivery in third quarter, clients can now automate an essential set of workflows where they define and stage updates to their systems, both production and development. With LPAR management and IO Configuration through Terraform for Z, we’ve built the foundation for a new wave of development on the platform. The need to understand the complexity of IBM Z is removed through this application of infrastructure as code to these mission critical development lifecycles, so even system programmer or developers with relatively little experience can contribute to the infrastructure lifecycle management early on.
There is a real need to extend Infrastructure as Code (IaC) capabilities to the most mission-critical systems, not just because of the governance and compliance benefits, but to transform how enterprises operate. Terraform for Z allows us to reimagine how we manage resources on the IBM Z and LinuxONE platform. By adopting simplified resource management patterns for LPAR, networking and storage configuration, clients can immediately deepen the integration of DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines in their most critical workflows and processes. The benefits of this extend well beyond security, governance, and compliance.
What’s New in Version 1.2
This release introduces advanced configuration options for IBM z/OS environments, enabling teams to automate more complex infrastructure tasks. Key updates include:
· Networking and Storage Use Cases: Version 1.2 adds new capabilities for Fiber Channel (FICON) and Open Systems Adapter (OSA) support, allowing users to configure and manage networking and storage resources programmatically. These enhancements help organizations reduce manual effort and improve consistency across environments.
· IBM Z and LinuxONE IODF transformer: Converts existing IODF files into Terraform configuration files. This capability faster validation of current configurations and a seamless migration of best practices and validated configurations into automated workflows and continuous compliance.
Why It Matters
Terraform allows us to automate mission-critical workloads on IBM Z and LinuxONE in a way that integrates with other automation tools like Ansible, Vault, and Hardware Management Console (HMC). By extending Terraform for Z capabilities to include networking and storage configuration, IBM is helping clients:
· Begin and accelerate DevOps adoption in mainframe environments
· Reduce operational complexity through consistent, repeatable processes
· Improve business outcomes by enabling faster provisioning and configuration of enterprise resources.
Security and Compliance
Terraform itself brings native benefits that help to mitigate and manage security and compliance risk. Policy as code allows users to define specific guidance or best practices within configuration file and confirm and document them each time changes to the system are made. A version control system such as Git, combined with the audit-ready change tracker in Terraform allows users to maintain system state in continuous compliance with internal policy and external regulation in an automated and repeatable way. Terraform modules integrate with Ansible playbooks to define infrastructure and software configuration as automated workflows and enables other key end-to-end processes like z/OS configuration or addition of storage.
How it works?
Terraform for Z and LinuxONE maintains its own state awareness of resources being managed, while also maintaining use of Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD) IODF or IOCDS files. Users can initiate changes to these and other resources through a standard Integrated Development Environment (IDE) such as Microsoft VS Code. Terraform for Z integrates with IBM Cloud Infrastructure Center 1.2.5 to execute the state change commands that are captured in Terraform configuration files.
Key Innovations in IBM Cloud Infrastructure Center 1.2.5
- Operational Simplicity: Onboard externally created z/VM virtual machines and backend volumes for full lifecycle management—reducing complexity and improving consistency.
- Security at Scale: Cross-user authentication enforces least privilege principles, and support for FIPS-compliant environments ensures alignment with industry standards.
- Automation and Agility: Translates Terraform plans into actionable provisioning steps and manages virtual resources on IBM Z and LinuxONE, accelerating provisioning and scaling through programmatic control.
- Resilience and Serviceability: Proactive diagnostics, automated health checks, and resume capabilities minimize downtime and enhance user experience.
- Expanded Ecosystem Support: Added compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 and multi-system management from a single pane of glass simplifies operations across complex environments.
The Business Impact for IBM Cloud Infrastructure Center 1.2.5
These enhancements are more than technical upgrades—they represent a strategic advantage for our clients. By simplifying virtualization, enabling automation, and strengthening compliance, ICIC 1.2.5 helps organizations:
- Reduce operational costs through automation
- Accelerate time-to-market for new services
- Improve security posture and regulatory compliance
- Scale hybrid cloud environments with confidence
This release also includes an IODF transformer that simplifies the migration /translation of existing I/O definitions and configuration files to Terraform for Z. By transforming complex infrastructure management tasks into clear, automated workflows, we enable clients to accelerate modernization with confidence. This functionality gives system programmers a streamlined way to inspect deployed code, make necessary adjustments, and coordinate changes seamlessly through approved CI/CD pipelines. It’s about turning complexity into clarity and empowering teams to deliver with speed and precision.
Provider 1.1
The IBM Z and LinuxONE provider is used specifically for the management of resources that are unique to IBM Z and LinuxONE, such as LPAR, FICON, and OSA. We’ve defined those resources within this new Terraform provider and within the API layer of IBM Cloud Infrastructure 1.2.5, which is also included with Terraform for Z.
The Terraform Provider 1.1.0 allows users to configure and manage those resources using industry-standard DevOps tools like Git or VSCode and integrating with several components of the IBM Z and LinuxONE stack including the Hardware Management Console (HMC) and HCD.
Looking Ahead
This release is just the beginning. Our roadmap includes deeper integration with containerized workloads, expanded hardware support for z16 and z17, and future enhancements for s390x architecture. These innovations will continue to position IBM Z and LinuxONE as the backbone of a secure, automated, and scalable strategic enabler for enterprise IT. As always, IBM’s statements of direction are subject to change and should not be considered a commitment. For details, please refer to the official disclaimer in the announcement: https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/announcements/terraform-self-managed-z-linuxone-12-delivers-enhancements-support-fiber-channel-open-systems-adapter-configuration-management-statement-direction
The future of infrastructure automation is here, and it’s built on IBM Z.
To learn more and get started, visit IBM Documentation or contact your IBM representative.