This is the second post of a multi-part series working off of Greg Camarillo's July 1st blog post, Actionable Steps to Fortify Your Mainframe Modernization Posture.
You can find that blog post here: https://community.ibm.com/community/user/ibmz-and-linuxone/blogs/greg-camarillo/2024/06/30/actionable-steps-to-fortify-your-mainframe-moderni?communityKey=200b84ba-972f-4f79-8148-21a723194f7f
Part 2: Holistic assessment and strategic vision: Begin by holistically evaluating the possibilities and assessing the existing mainframe estate (infrastructure, applications, and business processes) against future state business objectives and investment protection goals.
Clients across the marketplace are continuing to double-down or make new investments into IBM Z across the enterprise computing landscape. One way to maximize the profound transformations taking place and safeguarding substantial investments in mainframe technology is for clients to partner with IBM to update and evaluate their current state with a focus of streamlining a path toward their desired future state, also known to some as Mainframe Modernization.
To explore how best to modernize mainframe architecture IBM offers modernization workshops and briefings. These can be both in-person and virtual. We have clients meet with IBM SME’s for multi-day events in New York City and Dallas at IBM innovation centers or virtually if travel is not possible to explore possible paths toward Z modernization. A direct relationship with IBM brings SMEs directly to client in their preferred capacity to explore how to maximize IBM Z. Many clients have been able to plan and begin to integrate Z as a centerpiece of their enterprise architecture through this collaborative approach to Z modernization.
IBM has multiple offerings via a hands-on approach in evaluating the current state of a clients enterprise. These are traditionally known as health checks. There are three levels of health check each level requires different levels of commitment from IBM and the client.
The first and easiest way to get feedback on an enterprises’ current state is to ask for a rapid software health check. This process is quick and painless and involves running a scripted batch job to send SMF data to and IBM server. IBM typically turns around preliminary results along with an exploratory session for an area the client would like to focus within a week or two. A final artifact with performance and capacity evaluations including recommendations is the culmination of a total of 3-4 weeks of work. This evaluation is free and can be started immediately.
The second route is to ask for a performance and capacity briefing from the IBM Washington Systems Center, IBM’s premier subject matter expert team. This free process is the same as the above in collection and is quick and painless for the client. It involves running the same scripted batch job to send SMF data to and IBM server. This service is more in-depth than the rapid software health check and is completed on a “first come, first serve” basis. The wait list varies from a month to a few months. We frequently hear from clients how valuable these exercises are for their architecture and future state efforts.
The third route to evaluating an enterprise is to complete a System Health Check from the IBM Lab Services team. This is a service that will cost some capital but gives the deepest look into the enterprise and how it can improve. The System Health Check is a proven way to get an analysis of the environment resulting in a set of practical recommendations and best practices to strengthen system health. The Lab Services System Health Check culminates in an artifact that will include suggestions on many different topics or in a focused topic, completely tailored to the client need.
Connect with a IBM sales or technical sales representative for further information on these offerings.
Next month, keep a look out for an article related to an integrated modernization approach.