Influential Mainframers
Making the Invisible Visible: How PJ Catalano Connects Mainframes to the Next Generation
Pasquale “PJ” Catalano IBM Z & LinuxONE Test ArchitectIBM Infrastructure, EST&IPoughkeepsie, New York, USAThis piece is part of the 2026 Planet Mainframe Influential Mainframers series.IBM Z & LinuxONE Test Architect and Master Inventor, Pasquale “PJ”...
SHARE Cleveland 2025: Mainframes, Music, and Milestones
We declare SHARE Cleveland a rockin’ success! The rock ‘n roll theme permeated the city, exhibitor booths, and giveaways, culminating in a live music reception at the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Have you seen someone wearing a leather kilt play bagpipes to AC/DC? Now...
Influential Mainframer – Abdul Hafiz
This month, Planet Mainframe celebrates influential mainframers nominated by the community. Today, we recognize a veteran systems programmer whose hands-on expertise spans nearly four decades. Abdul Hafiz Principal Engineer - Mainframe, Emirates Airline Dubai, United...
Influential Mainframer – Subhasish Sarkar
Today, we recognize a product strategist, educator, and advocate whose dedication to technology and the community continues to propel the platform forward. Subhasish Sarkar Senior Product Manager/Owner, BMC Software Maharashtra, India Connect with Subhasish on: View...
Influential Mainframer – Stuart Ashby
This month, Planet Mainframe celebrates influential mainframers nominated by the community.Today, we recognize a trusted voice in mainframe modernization and sustainable IT. Stuart Ashby Practice Lead, PopUp Mainframe England, United Kingdom Connect with Stuart on:...
Influential Mainframer – Armin Kramer
This month, Planet Mainframe celebrates influential mainframers nominated by the community. Today, we recognize a passionate modernizer and self-declared “mainframe fanboy” whose enthusiasm is contagious. Armin Kramer Senior Mainframe Architect and Mainframe...
Influential Mainframer – Uday Prasad
This month, Planet Mainframe celebrates influential mainframers nominated by the community. Today, we recognize a lifelong educator, community advocate, and global mentor whose mission has been to prepare the next generation of mainframe professionals for meaningful,...
Influential Mainframer – Joe Winchester
This month, Planet Mainframe celebrates influential mainframers nominated by the community. Today, we recognize a returning honoree whose deep technical expertise and humor build and sustain mainframe community engagement. Joe Winchester Senior Technical Staff Manager...
Latest
Introducing Cyber Security Month
We trust you've appreciated our September series, centered around Db2. Over the past few weeks, we've had the pleasure of sharing over 10 fresh, original Db2 articles with our dedicated audience. Today, we are thrilled to introduce an engaging new theme for...
Make Security Your Competitive Advantage
“If you spend more on coffee than on IT security, you will be hacked.” That was according to Richard Clarke, former special advisor on cybersecurity to the US President. He added, “What’s more, you deserve to be hacked,” which does seem a little harsh. Maybe...
Securing CICS with RACF
Implementing CICS Security with RACF can be a complex and demanding process. In order to do it to a level that creates a good balance can take time and requires good knowledge and understanding of both CICS and RACF. So I will explain the various steps in securing...
Why you need to protect your business with IBM Z Cyber Vault
It seems like every week there is a new story of a major company or organization being affected by a cyber-attack. It might be a ransomware attack, stolen user data, or other disruption to services, and may be initiated either by an external attack or internal...
Best Practices for Closing the Mainframe Security Gap
You could argue – as some folks have – that mainframes are inherently more secure than commodity servers because there are fewer variables at play on mainframe systems, making them easier to secure in some ways. The fact that mainframes account for a relatively small...
Fix the roof when the sun is shining: Data Loss Prevention
It’s high time we acknowledged that mainframe data loss is far more than a security problem. It’s fundamentally a business problem. As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure. This applies to data loss and cyber attacks as much as anything else in life. If...
Db2 for z/OS: SEPARATE_SECURITY and SECADM
In the Db2 for z/OS module called DSNZPARM (ZPARM, for short), which provides the configuration settings for a Db2 subsystem, there is a parameter named SEPARATE_SECURITY. This ZPARM was introduced with Db2 10, and its purpose is to enable a Db2 for z/OS-using...
Quantum Safe Cryptography Overview
Quantum Safe Cryptography The Problem – Current Cryptography is Vulnerable to Quantum Computing Cryptography experts believe that by 2030 quantum computers will be advanced enough to cut the strength of symmetric key algorithms (such as AES, 3DES and RC4) by half, and...
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Upcoming Events
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European Mainframe Technical Exchange – Prague – April 21-23
Prague, Czech Republic Prague, Czech RepublicRegistration is open for the 2026 European Broadcom Mainframe Technical Exchange! This year’s event will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, from April 21 - 23. Register today to reserve […]
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GSE UK Virtual Conference 2026 including Mainframe Trends 2026: Insights from the Mainframe User Survey
GSE UK Virtual Conference 2026Do More at the Core. Built to Learn, Engineered to Lead. Join the global mainframe community for the GSE UK Virtual Conference 2026, taking place April […]
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Virtual CICS User Group | May 12, 2026
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Virtual Db2 User Group | May 19, 2026
Zoom - Virtual Meeting
Business-Driven Automation, AI Confidence Outpaces Readiness, and more
BMC Advances Business-Driven Automation and Mainframe Transformation with AI-Powered Innovations Precisely’s State of Data Integrity and AI Readiness Study: AI Confidence Outpaces Readiness Rocket Software to Acquire Vertica Analytics Database Platform from OpenText...
❓Python Programming Trivia
We often describe Python as a “modern” language, but its story spans decades of technological change, cultural shifts, and unexpected platforms. What began as a small side project in the Netherlands evolved into one of the most widely used programming languages in the...
Rocket Software and K2view Partnership, 2025 Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice, and more
IBM Introduces New Software to Address Growing Digital Sovereignty Imperative Rocket Software and K2view Partner to Accelerate Mainframe Modernization with Governed, AI-Ready Test Data for Testing, Analytics, and AI BMC is recognized as a 2025 Gartner® Peer Insights™...
❓Mainframe Professional Skills Trivia
Our last trivia quiz explored the legacy of mainframe pioneers, and this week we’re going to continue looking into the lineage of skills in mainframe professional practice, examining how early design and operational decisions shaped the way mainframe expertise is...
❓ Workforce and Training Trivia
Happy 2026—and welcome to a whole new year of Planet Mainframe Trivia! As our January theme focuses on Workforce and Training, this quiz looks at mainframe pioneers and the early decisions that shaped how mainframe skills are learned and passed on. Mainframe expertise...
Newest Virtel Release, SHARE Orlando Tickets, and more
VIRTEL announces release of Virtel 4.63: a major new version to better connect, secure, and simplify access to any mainframe application SHARE Orlando Early Bird Tickets Available Hitachi Vantara's Virtual Storage Platform One Wins CRN 2025 Products of the Year Award...