Dear fellow mainframer,
Congratulations, you’re an IBM Champion! Earlier this week, I received an email with that fantastic subject line.
It triggered a retrospective – does what I am doing make sense?
I started the Mighty Mainframe newsletter back in May ’23 because I felt a new energy in the community and wanted to help build bridges between the mainframe and the rest of the IT community. Obviously, the answer is mainframe modernization, and it has to start from within our community. (Emma Skovgård published a great post about the ‘technical conservatism’ of our community, and she’s truly an authentic voice of Gen Z mainframers.)
Last year we organized the first Mighty Mainframe Conference and we are very busy preparing the next one. I got plenty of feedback for the newsletter and I especially enjoyed conversations with diverse people from the community.
Yes, it makes a lot of sense, and being recognized by IBM is only a very nice formal cherry on the top.
Your Sysprog Buddy is Here: Meet WA4Z
After Watsonx Code Assistant for Z made waves, its cousin, watsonx Assistant for Z (WA4Z), steps into the spotlight with a different purpose: simplifying the lives of system programmers. WA4Z is tailored for operations, acting as an intelligent partner for automating repetitive tasks, delivering precise answers, and providing actionable insights in real-time
Forget about BookManager (does anyone remember it?), tedious googling for error code explanations, or endless scrolling through shelves of PDF books. Just ask WA4Z using a standard ChatGPT-like prompt. Additionally, the new feature ‘Bring Your Own Documentation’ allows users to ingest their own documentation into WA4Z, providing more accurate and relevant insights, recommendations, and automation tailored to the unique needs of each organization.
I think this is a killer feature. Combined with flexible deployment options that fit any infrastructure, WA4Z is becoming the reliable buddy every organization can count on for operational excellence.
If you want to explore its capabilities further or dive into the changelog and upcoming enhancements, check out Tomislav Mašić’s blog.
Uncomplex the Mighty Mainframe
Last year, we introduced Mighty Mainframe as a conference-within-a-conference at QED, positioning the mainframe as a natural part of the IT landscape rather than an isolated entity. This year, we’ll have fewer mainframe-specific sessions and more mainframe discussions integrated into the main QED track. The primary focus will include the modernization of the platform in the context of UNcomplex and the upbringing of the new generation of mainframers.
The QED Conference has a rich history of bringing together thought leaders, innovators, and practitioners in the field of enterprise IT. Over the years, it has become a key platform for challenging conventions, sharing actionable insights, and fostering collaboration. This year, our theme is ‘UNcomplex,’ focusing on rethinking the complexities of modern enterprise IT and exploring new pathways toward simplicity and efficiency.
Industry Insights
Longtime mainframer Joe Gulla has crafted an insightful overview of the evolution of mainframe architecture, published on TechChannel. Dive into the fascinating journey of how mainframes have transformed over the years.
Check out the full articles here:
