IBM has published a new mainframe modernization playbook (copyright is dated 2026) which is well worth a look through.
The modernized mainframe: A playbook for maximizing business value

There are 24 pages with some interesting ideas in this, including IBM Bob for DevSecOps - and it's not just that I am eyeing up that large vertical coding screen!

What's especially  interesting to me here is IBM is talking about bringing AI to IBM Z but also bringing IBM Z data to AI and analytics which is something that I expect can drive additional business value for a lot of IBM Z shops.

Stephen #IBMChampion

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Stephen Spence
Fellow, Architecture
Travelport
Slough, United Kingdom
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Thank you for the wonderful. One of the modernisation need is how to make mainframe more understandable easily by non mianframer(like decision making director in a customer organisation or new joinee in customer organisation). For these we need visualiszations. From plain text to diagrams, from Diagrams to System Apps which gives idependent analysis of systems. The word independent is important. As no one like to go to a vendor before there own home research. We must enable that. IBM has a huge portfolio...Musltiple solutions for similar problems.  Any thought on these.  

Hi Anupam,

I tell our product people that the mainframe is a full suite server and that it supports multiple operating systems in a virtualized environment. Remember the Z platform is a whole ecosystem with compute, memory, storage with high IO capabilities, compression, crypto, AI all working together.

For drawings I happen to use Visio which has good templates, you can download templates for IBM and other hardware and you can also purchase templates e.g. for TOGAF. You can also do drawings in PowerPoint or other office tools.

The products you use depends on what is the business problem you are trying to solve? IBM does have a lot of products and some are the results of acquisitions and augment or compete with existing capabilities, some are original IBM products.

Maybe keep an eye out for IBM events as that's a good way to see products across the ecosystem, talk to people and in some cases get education and certification. I think that 2026 is the year developer AI is going to take off so if you have a mainframe maybe have a look at the Watsonx products and IBM Bob?

Stephen

#IBMChampion

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Stephen Spence Fellow
Fellow, Architecture
Travelport
SloughUnited Kingdom
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Interesting read, Stephen. The focus on AI integration with IBM Z and modern DevSecOps practices could be a big step toward bridging traditional mainframe environments with modern development workflows.