Accelerating Our Mainframe Application Modernization Journey with IBM and AWS
In today's fast-paced digital world, many organizations face the challenge of modernizing their legacy mainframe systems to keep up with evolving customer demands and technology trends. The Bank of Montreal (BMO) is one such institution that has embarked on an exciting journey to redefine the way they leverage their mainframe applications, aiming to create a seamless, agile, and efficient banking experience. This transformation involves harnessing the power of IBM's mainframe technology and integrating it with AWS cloud services, all made possible through the strategic use of z/OS Connect. In this blog, we will explore the key takeaways from a recent session by Julie Trevisan, a mainframe expert at BMO, where she shared her experiences and insights on this mainframe modernization journey.
Mainframes: The Unsung Heroes of Banking
Mainframes have long been the backbone of critical banking operations, known for their reliability, security, and stability. Yet, as technology advances, the question arises: why not move to newer platforms? Julie passionately advocates the continued use of mainframes, emphasizing their efficient, secure, and reliable nature. Modernizing the mainframe isn't about discarding it but integrating it with other technologies to stay agile and competitive.
Julie Trevisan: The Mainframe Advocate
Julie Trevisan, with over 25 years of experience at BMO, is an ardent supporter of mainframes. She began her journey with technology early, working with mainframes and green screens. Her career took her from university, where she studied electrical and computer engineering, to a role where her expertise with assembly programming set her apart. Her unique journey reflects the evolution of technology and how mainframes have played an integral role in it.
Evolution of Banking Technology
The landscape of banking technology has changed dramatically in the past few decades. Julie shares her perspective on how, when she joined the banking industry, she perceived mainframes as massive, antiquated machines with a limited capacity for change. However, technology, especially mainframes, has continuously evolved and adapted to meet the ever-changing needs of the banking world. The introduction of online banking and the shift to digital banking marked significant changes in how banks operated. Mainframes weren't obsolete; they were simply adapting to new demands.
The Digital First Strategy
BMO's digital first strategy is at the core of their transformation journey. The goal is to create channels and functions that offer customers greater flexibility, convenience, and accessibility to their accounts. The strategy involves shifting to common platforms, modularizing mainframe functionality, and automating development pipelines. This approach will not only streamline processes but also optimize deliverable timelines, making it easier to meet customer needs and stay ahead in a competitive market.
The Role of z/OS Connect
Julie highlights the pivotal role that z/OS Connect plays in this modernization journey. By creating RESTful APIs on the mainframe, z/OS Connect enables easy access to mainframe services and data, breaking down the barriers between legacy systems and modern digital channels. It not only provides flexibility but also aligns with the digital first strategy. With z/OS Connect, BMO can create secure APIs using open API standards, ensuring that developers can interact seamlessly with mainframe data and resources.
Quick Wins and Long-Term Goals
To achieve their transformation goals, BMO has identified a series of short-term and long-term objectives. Some of the quick wins include rationalizing and modernizing applications, retiring redundant ones, and taking inventory of mainframe applications. For the long term, the bank aims to lean out core functionality, creating services that can be used across the organization, as well as streamlining data flows for real-time event generation and consumption.
The DevOps Pipeline
Automation is another key element in BMO's transformation. The goal is to create a DevOps pipeline that streamlines processes and offers a consistent set of tools for developers, whether they are working on mainframes or distributed systems. This is crucial for achieving efficiency and maintaining the high quality of deliverables.
What's Next?
BMO's modernization journey is far from over. Their next steps involve migrating more APIs to z/OS Connect, convincing developers to move away from green screens and adopt modern IDEs, rationalizing and retiring older applications, and continuing to refine their roadmap. They are driven to provide an integrated environment for their teams, emphasizing consistency and automation across the enterprise.
In conclusion, BMO's mainframe modernization journey is an inspiring example of how organizations can harness the strengths of legacy technology while embracing innovation. Julie Trevisan's presentation serves as a testament to the enduring power and relevance of mainframes. By integrating these systems with modern technologies and leveraging tools like z/OS Connect, banks like BMO are poised to meet the ever-evolving demands of customers and the financial industry.
The key takeaways from this session highlight the importance of preserving the core strengths of mainframes while orchestrating a harmonious blend with newer technologies to enable agility, efficiency, and competitive advantage in the digital age. Mainframes are indeed an essential part of the financial world's future, ready to deliver superior services with every click, tap, or transaction.
