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Recent Articles
July 2025 CICS Highlights: AI, APIs, and the Rise of Modern Mainframe
Planet Mainframe brought together thought leaders and experts to celebrate CICS's 55th birthday. From AI-infused monitoring to API turbocharging, CICS proudly proved it was anything but obsolete. Here’s what stood out and why CICS users should be excited about what’s...
Demystifying CICS COBOL Transaction Debugging with Colin Pearce
In a recent virtual user group session I had the pleasure of hosting, we explored the intricate world of CICS COBOL transaction debugging with the help of Colin Pearce—an exceptionally experienced mainframe systems programmer whose career spans over three decades,...
Revolutionary Multi-ESM Security Tool Launches at GSE UK Conference: esmGUI by Sarnia
Adelaide, South Australia, October 25, 2024 – Sarnia Enterprise Security introduces esmGUI, an innovative security administration tool that streamlines mainframe security management across ACF2, RACF, and Top Secret environments - simultaneously. Officially...
A Global Blackout Plunges the World into Darkness. Then what?
Picture this: a global blackout plunges the world into darkness, and with it, down go financial institutions, healthcare systems, government services, and transportation. Chaos reigns. The heart of the modern economy—those powerful, "outdated" mainframes—halt. The...
Pioneering Mainframer – Erich Bloch
There’s just something about the autumnal season that makes us want to look back. This week’s Trivia Challenge is going to do just that, paying tribute to a pioneering mainframer who passed away eight years ago at the age of 91. The only child of a German-Jewish...
Thoughts from a Mainframe on Halloween
It was a dark and stormy night in the data center. 🌩️ The fans hummed softly, and the LEDs blinked like little ghosts in the darkness. I had experienced many Halloween nights as a mainframe, but this one was different. There was an eerie presence in the air — and it...
Defense against the dark arts — mainframe security
Mainframers who thought the mainframe was too difficult a platform to hack are few and far between these days. However, mainframes can be hacked, and they are being hacked.In terms of security, what spells, incantations, and practices should organizations employ to...
Advancing Mainframe Security with Ethical Mainframe Hacking
Written by: David Bruce Put on your hoodie and head for a darkened room! Oh. Wait. Sorry, that’s just the movie version. Despite the stereotype, hackers are real, and they’re dangerous! It’s now their full-time job and they are doing it well. In July, ransomware...
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Upcoming Events
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Virtual CICS User Group | The IT Stairway to Heaven. CICS Testing Pyramid: From Unit to Integration to Production-Like Environment
Zoom - Virtual MeetingEffective testing is essential for building robust systems. Dive deep into a structured approach to the testing pyramid for CICS applications. Using Test4z, we will demonstrate how unit tests form […]
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Virtual Db2 User Group | January 20, 2026
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Virtual IMS User Group | February 10, 2026
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Virtual CICS User Group | March 17, 2026
Zoom - Virtual Meeting
A Special IBM Z Day, AI-Powered Advancements, and an Upcoming TechXchange Webinar
IBM Z Day: Special Edition IBM Z Day: Special Edition is a free 1-day enterprise computing virtual conference for anyone and everyone! Hear the latest about IBM Z and join the lineup of global thought leaders who will highlight industry trends and innovation spanning...
SHARE Conference Trivia
SHARE Washington, D.C. is all wrapped up but we thought we’d devote a Trivia quiz to the SHARE conference—one of the longest-running (70 years!) and most influential gatherings for mainframe professionals. Originally founded as a user group for organizations that use...
Mainframe Innovations, Career Webinar, a New APAC Partnership, and more
Hitachi Vantara and BMC Transform Mainframe Innovation Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., has announced a strategic alliance with BMC Software that aims to drive innovation and optimization...
Zowe: History & Significance Trivia
Earlier in February, Planet Mainframe had the opportunity to sit down with Elliot Jalley, Product Manager at Broadcom’s R&D Center in Prague, to discuss Zowe’s pivotal role in mainframe modernization. Zowe is a groundbreaking initiative that enhances...
Acquisitions, Synthetic Data Sets, and the latest Mainframe Security launch
Newly Launched Izzi Software Acquires ColeSoft, Expands Footprint in Mainframe Industry Izzi Software, a newly launched player in the mainframe scene, has made its first move by acquiring ColeSoft, a Virginia-based company known for its debugging tools for IBM...
Mainframe Pioneers: John von Neumann
At the Planet Mainframe trivia challenge, we’re always up for a bit of mainframe pioneer history! Today we’re looking at the life of John von Neumann (1903–1957), a brilliant and versatile thinker whose work touched many areas of science and technology. Born in...




