Compact z17 and LinuxONE Systems, Real-Time Mainframe Software Visibility, and more

IBM Launches Compact z17 and LinuxONE Systems to Address Space and Cost Constraints

IBM has expanded its IBM z17 and IBM LinuxONE 5 portfolios with new single-frame and rack-mount configurations, giving enterprises more flexibility in deploying mission-critical workloads. For the first time, IBM is offering both deployment options across its entire Z and LinuxONE portfolio, enabling organizations to optimize data center space while maintaining the same enterprise-grade performance, security, and AI capabilities.

• First-time availability of both rack-mount and single-frame options across the full IBM Z and LinuxONE portfolio.
• Supports up to 82 cores and 18 TB of memory, with higher throughput and expanded capacity.
• Flexible deployment that allows co-location of IBM and third-party technologies in existing data centers.
• New IBM LinuxONE 5 Express offers a compact, cost-effective solution for smaller enterprise workloads.
• AI capabilities powered by IBM Telum II, IBM Spyre Accelerator, and Red Hat OpenShift AI.
• New automation software simplifies provisioning, configuration, and operations using Terraform and Infrastructure-as-Code.
• Enhanced security with post-quantum cryptography, confidential computing, and new cryptographic discovery tools.
• General availability begins August 12, 2026, with additional software releases on August 14 and September 18, 2026.

 The new systems are designed to address growing infrastructure challenges, including limited data center capacity and increasing demand for AI-enabled, business-critical applications. The latest configurations support up to 82 cores and 18 TB of memory, delivering greater processing capacity and throughput while enabling customers to integrate IBM and non-IBM technologies into their existing data center environments. IBM LinuxONE 5 Express also provides a more accessible, cost-efficient entry point for organizations with smaller workload requirements.

IBM also introduced new software and automation capabilities to simplify infrastructure management and modernization. These include IBM Infrastructure Management for Z and LinuxONE for Infrastructure-as-Code automation with Terraform; IBM COBOL Elevate for z/OS to modernize COBOL applications without rewrites; enhanced post-quantum cryptography as a standard security feature; and IBM Crypto Discovery & Inventory to help organizations prepare for the transition to post-quantum security standards.

The new systems continue IBM’s focus on AI at the core, leveraging the IBM Telum II processor, IBM Spyre Accelerator, and Red Hat OpenShift AI to support predictive and generative AI inferencing directly within business transactions. The new IBM z17 and LinuxONE 5 systems will be generally available beginning August 12, 2026, with related software releases following in August and September.

Source: IBM

Kyndryl Report: AI adoption accelerates as workforce readiness becomes the ROI difference maker

Kyndryl has announced the release of its second annual People Readiness Report, a global study of 1,100 senior business and technology leaders across eight countries, revealing a notable drop in workforce AI readiness and a widening gap between AI expectations and execution.

The report illustrates what leaders are doing right to ride the AI surge, and that AI success is not driven solely by different strategies, use cases or technologies – it’s driven by whether organizations redesign work and manage those changes throughout their organizations. The data also shows that trust in AI can be built through deliberate operating model and governance changes.

The findings come as companies accelerate AI adoption and invest heavily to realize value at scale. “Worldwide spending on AI is forecast to total $2.52 trillion in 2026, a 44% increase year-over-year, according to Gartner®, Inc., a business and technology insights company.”

“This is a critical moment for global enterprises as they race to adopt AI, redesign workflows and pursue innovation, yet they’re finding that their greatest assets – their people – need more attention,” said Kim Basile, CIO, Kyndryl. “The data shows that the organizations investing in people – whether it’s rethinking roles and workflows, dedicating resources for upskilling and retraining, or guiding employees through change – are experiencing positive outcomes at a much higher rate.”

According to the study:

• 57% say AI is embedded in core business processes or deployed broadly across the enterprise; last year, 35% said AI was fully integrated across their organizations.
• Only 32% have achieved at least one of their top two AI goals; just 11% have achieved both.

The study identifies a Pacesetters group, the 9% of organizations that have done three things: they redesign roles around AI, implement change management so the workforce understands its new operating model and has guardrails in place, and have built workforce readiness. These three behaviors are the operational foundations that consistently distinguish the organizations achieving the strongest results from AI. As they do these things, at each stage they are building the important governance frameworks. Pacesetters are roughly twice as likely to have fully implemented every governance dimension measured.

Pacesetters are:

• 1.5 times more likely to achieve AI-related revenue growth.
• 1.6 times more likely to report better innovation for products and services.

Business leaders consistently rank workforce readiness among the most challenging aspects of AI adoption:

• Just 23% of organizations think their workforces are fully ready for AI, a six-point drop from last year.
• And 79% agree that the speed of AI will outpace their organizations’ workforce, governance and operating models.

The risk of falling behind is increasing as more organizations adopt autonomous AI agents.

• 81% of organizations expect AI agents to make impactful decisions for their organizations within the next year, but today just 25% completely trust AI systems operating without human oversight.

Readying workforces for AI-enabled workplaces

The report identifies actions that organizations are taking to get their workforces ready for an AI-enabled workplace:

• Redesigning roles for the future: 61% say their organizations have already redesigned roles, and 24% are creating new roles focused on AI management.
• Addressing skills gaps: Half of leaders (52%) say it has become more challenging to find employees with the right skills to advance their AI strategy, and a third have fully implemented training programs focused on helping employees effectively collaborate with AI tools.
• Building trust through governance: A third of organizations (33%) claim they have clear policies on which decisions AI can and can’t make, and 27% are using a registry and monitoring capabilities for all their AI systems. Organizations with stronger governance assert their workforces trust more in AI strategy and execution, and high-trust organizations are significantly more likely to report transformative outcomes from their AI investments.

Source: Kyndryl

Precisely Delivers Real-Time Mainframe Software Visibility to the ServiceNow AI Platform

Precisely, the global leader in data integrity, today announced Ironstream™ z/OS Software Discovery for ServiceNow software, now available in the ServiceNow Store. ServiceNow customers can now automatically discover mainframe software and bring it into ServiceNow Configuration Management Database (CMDB) alongside the rest of their IT estate — giving teams a complete, trusted view of their hybrid IT environment including mainframe systems.  

Ironstream™ z/OS Software Discovery software runs directly on the mainframe to deliver a complete, continuously updated inventory of z/OS software, automatically synchronizing this data with the ServiceNow CMDB. This gives organizations a reliable, audit-ready system of record for mainframe software — replacing manual processes and giving IT and operations teams the confidence to manage their entire environment from a single source of truth. 

“For many organizations, the mainframe remains isolated from the rest of the IT environment,” said Marianne Roling, SVP, Global Channel & Ecosystems at Precisely. “With Ironstream™ z/OS Software Discovery, we’re bringing trusted mainframe software data into ServiceNow so our customers can reduce risk, simplify compliance, and manage their entire IT environment with greater confidence and control.” 

Ironstream™ z/OS Software Discovery for ServiceNow software delivers:  

• Automated Mainframe Software Discovery: Automatically identifies installed z/OS software and brings it into the ServiceNow CMDB.  
• Stronger Compliance and Audit Readiness: Provides continuously updated, audit-ready data to support regulatory requirements, vendor audits, and license validation.  
• No More Manual Tracking: Replaces spreadsheets and manual tracking with automated data collection and synchronization.  
• Enterprise-Wide Software Asset Management: Brings mainframe software into your enterprise SAM program.  

“Working with Precisely helps our shared customers unlock the full value of the ServiceNow AI Platform,” said Molly Fischer, Vice President, ISV Build Partnerships at ServiceNow. “Together, we’re combining Precisely’s mainframe data integration with ServiceNow’s platform capabilities to deliver intelligent, connected experiences that drive real business value, ensuring that critical data from even the most complex enterprise environments is accurate, accessible, and ready to act on.” 

The ServiceNow Partner Program rewards partners for their broad expertise and experience to drive opportunities, reach new markets, and deliver transformative outcomes for joint customers across the enterprise. As a Build partner, Precisely develops and distributes applications, like Ironstream™ z/OS Software Discovery, on the ServiceNow AI Platform, including tailored configurations and seamless integrations to enhance platform capabilities.

Source: Precisely

BMC Joins SAP PartnerEdge Program, Strengthening Long-Standing Relationship

BMC Software has announced that it has joined the SAP® PartnerEdge® program as a Build partner, and its Control-M solution is now available in the SAP Store with SAP certification validating its interoperability. Control-M provides a unified platform for orchestrating and monitoring business-critical workflows across SAP, cloud and third-party environments, including S/4HANA, RISE with SAP and SAP BTP. By delivering centralized visibility, SLA management and end-to-end workflow automation, the solution helps organizations reduce operational complexity, improve reliability and support hybrid digital transformation initiatives.

As enterprises increasingly run workloads based on SAP solutions alongside cloud applications, data pipelines, and third-party systems, achieving full visibility and control becomes critical. Control‑M connects these environments, transforming disconnected jobs into reliable, end-to-end business processes.

Available in the SAP Store, Control‑M and Control-M SaaS make it easier for businesses using SAP solutions to discover, procure, and deploy enterprise‑grade workflow orchestration for SAP landscapes. 

BMC has a long-standing relationship with SAP beyond its participation in the SAP® PartnerEdge® program, including SAP-certified integrations, joint customer engagements, and ongoing collaboration across SAP BTP and RISE with SAP environments.

“SAP is increasingly becoming a cornerstone within a much broader ecosystem that includes agents, multi-cloud services and hybrid environments,” said Brian Jones, Global VP Strategic Partnerships, BMC. “What sets Control-M apart is its ability to provide a universal orchestration layer that helps enable SAP customers to reliably run business processes across SAP and third-party environments, allowing them to maintain continuity and reduce disruption while protecting their SAP investments.”

Source: BMC