Recently Published
The Hidden Risk in Your z/OS Environment
In today’s always-on environments, changes to z/OS systems are happening constantly—often dynamically, and often under time pressure. While most organizations have formal change management processes in place, these processes are frequently reactive rather than...
Kyndryl Readiness Report, Precisely and Matillion Partnership, and more
Kyndryl Readiness Report reveals misalignment between infrastructure investment and preparedness for converging modernization demands Precisely and Matillion Partner to Accelerate Data Modernization and Agentic AI Readiness IBM Completes Acquisition of Confluent,...
2026 X-Force Threat Index, Expanded Data Integrity Suite, and more
IBM 2026 X-Force Threat Index: AI-Driven Attacks are Escalating as Basic Security Gaps Leave Enterprises Exposed Precisely Expands Data Integrity Suite with New AI Agents for Enhanced Data Quality, Data Enrichment, and Location Intelligence BMC Signs Five-Year...
The Real Opportunity for AI on the Mainframe Isn’t Code
AI for the Mainframe: Turning System Data Into Answers For the past year, nearly every conversation about artificial intelligence and the mainframe has centered on one question: What will AI do to COBOL? Will it modernize legacy applications? Generate new programs?...
Hybrid by Design: The Next-Gen Mainframe Quiz
If you’ve been in the mainframe ecosystem for any time at all, you’ll know that the mainframe has long been associated with stability and staying power. But today’s conversation increasingly centers on the evolution of the next-gen mainframe, and how it fits into...
An Undocumented CICS Fix That Boosts Throughput and Cuts CPU
IBM has an undocumented fix to the CICS WEB interface that can optimize throughput and response time while also saving CPU. This article explains how to make it work for you. In the course of my current project, I had the pleasure of working with Ole Olsen at JN Data...
Reducing Training Downtime – Why Cloud Monitoring Is Critical for Workforce Enablement
Training Downtime Is Costly. Cloud Monitoring Prevents It. Workforce training remains a significant topic in the mainframe ecosystem. The trend has shifted from workforce training as a nice-to-have support function to a necessity for operational infrastructure....
CICS. Db2. IPL. The Latest Cheryl Watson’s Tuning Letter
The Latest Tuning Letter issue is out now! Subscribers to Cheryl Watson’s Tuning Letter will find the newest issue, 2026 No.1, on our Tuning Letter website. If you are not a current subscriber yet, sign up today! This subscription-only resource is available to both...
Latest
Kev Milne Brings Mainframe Pen Testing to Life with open-source Gibson
In the second episode of The Mainframe Book Club, host Andrew (Andy) McCandless talks with Kev Milne, Cyber Threat Intelligence Manager at NatWest Bank, and one of the few professionals focused on mainframe penetration (pen) testing.A Platform Born from Missing Skills...
Simplifying Mainframe Security in 2025, featuring Ravi Patil ▶️
Simplifying Mainframe Security with Broadcom As hybrid IT environments expand, so do the risks. In this video, Broadcom’s mainframe security expert, Ravi Patil, Director of Cybersecurity and Compliance, breaks down how compliance, continuous monitoring, and smarter...
Mainframe Data on the Move: A Security-Centric Perspective, featuring Colin Knight
At the September Virtual Db2 User Group, we hosted Colin Knight, longtime mainframer and Db2 Systems Programming Tech Lead at NatWest. With over 40 years in the field—36 of them working with Db2—Colin cut through the hype to focus on what matters most: security when...
TRIVIA – Cybersecurity Month
For many of us, October is about falling leaves, shorter days, and cooler weather. It also happens to be Cybersecurity month, the time when we dial in on the never-ending (and ever-evolving) task of securing the mainframe. Mainframes have a reputation for being...
The Paradox of Mainframe Security: Most Secure Yet Still Vulnerable
The most secure system in the world is also vulnerable. Mainframes remain the backbone of critical infrastructure—but they are not immune to modern threats. Some still see mainframes as unbreakable fortresses, while others view them as legacy systems lagging in modern...
Future-Proof Your Mainframe: Highlights from Vanguard 2025 and Enhancing Security with ACF2 TM and Top Secret®
At the recent Vanguard Security & Compliance 2025 event (VSC 2025), security leaders came together to address today’s toughest mainframe security challenges, ranging from credential theft to Zero Trust adoption. As a Platinum Sponsor, Broadcom highlighted how...
The Hidden Cybersecurity Battle Inside the Mainframe 🎧
Mainframes remain the backbone of enterprise IT—but as cyber threats evolve, so must the defenses. In this podcast, Ken Chism, Head of Worldwide Cybersecurity Sales at BMC Software, shares an inside look at the changing landscape of mainframe security. Ken discusses...
Mainframe Penetration Testing: Why It Matters More Than Ever
The goal is not disruption but discovery. For decades, mainframes have been at the heart of critical industries such as finance, healthcare, government, and retail. Since IBM introduced the System/360 in 1964, these systems have earned a reputation for being reliable,...
Sign up to receive the latest mainframe information
Upcoming Events
Events
-
-
Virtual IMS User Group | April 14, 2026
Zoom - Virtual Meeting -
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 […]
Free -
-
Virtual CICS User Group | May 12, 2026
Zoom - Virtual Meeting -
Virtual Db2 User Group | May 19, 2026
Zoom - Virtual Meeting
Open Tools, Modern Workflows: A Next-Gen Mainframe Quiz
This week, our Planet Mainframe quiz continues the “Next-Gen Mainframe” theme. For decades, mainframe development operated in its own world—but as the broader industry converged on open-source tooling, Git-based collaboration, and cloud-style DevOps pipelines, the...
2026 X-Force Threat Index, Expanded Data Integrity Suite, and more
IBM 2026 X-Force Threat Index: AI-Driven Attacks are Escalating as Basic Security Gaps Leave Enterprises Exposed Precisely Expands Data Integrity Suite with New AI Agents for Enhanced Data Quality, Data Enrichment, and Location Intelligence BMC Signs Five-Year...
Hybrid by Design: The Next-Gen Mainframe Quiz
If you’ve been in the mainframe ecosystem for any time at all, you’ll know that the mainframe has long been associated with stability and staying power. But today’s conversation increasingly centers on the evolution of the next-gen mainframe, and how it fits into...
New Survey Findings, New FlashSystem Portfolio, and more
New Rocket Software Survey Finds 69% of IT Leaders Report Data Security Keeps Them Up at Night Kyndryl Named a Leader in 2025–2026 IDC MarketScape for Mainframe Modernization IBM Introduces Autonomous Storage with New FlashSystem Portfolio Powered by Agentic AI...
2026 Arcati Survey Results Trivia
Welcome to this week’s Planet Mainframe trivia quiz! On the heels of the 2026 Arcati Survey Results release, this round of trivia focuses on changes underway. Workforce demographics are shifting, new generations are entering mainframe computing fields (and through...
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...