Talent & Training
From Poolside Code to Mainframe Maven – Influential Mainframer Felix Scott
Felix Scott, a trainee in the New to Z (NTZ) program at Vertali in the UK, doesn’t fit the usual mental picture of a mainframer. At 27, he’s a younger voice in a field dominated by veterans. But Felix isn’t afraid to admit what he doesn’t know. "Being publicly wrong...
What’s Really Happening in Mainframe Workforce and Training Right Now?
After perusing blogs, surveys, and insights - and attending SHARE- DC, it’s clear that several big trends are emerging about what’s shaping mainframe careers and training. Here's what’s standing out—and why it matters right now. 1. Hands-On Learning Is the New...
Boost your mainframe skills for free
Have you been lost in the massive IBM Z learning materials and don't know where to start? Are you struggling to find easy-to-consume IBM Z learning courses? Do you want simple but well-organized IBM Z learning plans? It's time to start your IBM Z learning journey and...
Open Source, Mainframe and Mentorship
Looking to start your open-source contribution journey? The Open Mainframe Project's Mentorship Program is announcing it's 2022 Summer Mentorship, which will start in June until August of 2022. So far, they have 11 mentorships for projects ranging from COBOL...
Top 10 Steps to Building the Right Indexes
One of the constant struggles with Db2 development, and indeed developing for any relational DBMS, is designing and creating appropriate indexes. Perhaps the most important thing you can do to assure optimal application performance when accessing data in a...
Mainframe Coaching & Mentoring: a simple, modern method.
There is a priceless mainframe computing resource that will, if not properly treated, disappear from your mainframe organization and reduce productivity, increase error and leave you more vulnerable to disaster! It's a critical resource that your organization relies...
Earn and share your mainframe badges today!
IBM open badges are making a difference by building your personal brand and advancing your career. With IBM open badges, you can easily and quickly share verified proof of your achievements both within IBM and externally. Where applicable, your IBM credentials are...
The new IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS Migration Assistant is live to guide you through COBOL migration
The IBM Enterprise COBOL for z/OS Migration Assistant (CMA) has been very popular among COBOL migration users. It is a step-by-step wizard and an interactive checklist that guide users through the information along their migration journey from COBOL 4 or earlier to...
Latest
Enhancing Data Security and Recovery with IBM Z Cyber Vault
In August, Tracy Dean, Product Manager, IMS Tools and z/VM Tools, presented an insightful session on "What does IBM z Cyber Vault mean for an IMS environment?" In her presentation, she explored the significance of IBM Z Cyber Vault in safeguarding data integrity and...
The CISO’s Dilemma: Challenges in the Cyber Regulatory Environment
The digital age has ushered in an era of unparalleled technological advancements, facilitating the rapid growth of global commerce, communication, and data sharing. While the ubiquity of digital interconnections has brought immense benefits, it also presents new...
Make the Switch Now: Why Broadcom’s MFA is a Mainframe Must-Have
Written by: Jose Arias, CISSP, ITILMainframe Security Specialist Imagine the surprise when, as an occasional gym visitor, you return to your fitness center one day, eager to resume your workouts, only to find that the familiar wristband is no longer the key to access....
Mainframe security—Early Warning needed to beat back hackers
The stages in a mainframe breach are familiar to most mainframers these days. Firstly, the bad actors need to gain access to the mainframe. That is as simple as going to the web and buying a user id and password combo for as little as $120. But even worse if the...
The Evolution of Cybersecurity. From Cascade to Quantum
Cybersecurity is a journey. The last three decades show that hackers and security teams have continually competed with each other, adapting to a changing environment. Both have learned from each other, but cybersecurity has—perhaps inevitably—always had to catch up to...
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...
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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
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IBM’s decision to discontinue support for the zPDT standalone offering threatens the mid-tier ISV market
IBM’s zPDT Decision Risks Mid-Tier ISVs and Mainframe Innovation I’ve been a passionate mainframe (System z) advocate for over 45 years and a staunch supporter of IBM and most of their decisions. However, when I received an email from IBM on 30 September 2025...
Data Integrity Award Winners, Workload Automation in Industry Report, and more
IBM Announces New Platform for Financial Institutions and Regulated Enterprises Entering the Digital Asset Economy Precisely Announces 2025 Data Integrity Award Winners Driving AI Innovation, Business Impact, and Societal Good BMC Selected as Overall Leader for...
Mainframe Artificial Intelligence Quiz
At Planet Mainframe, we’re spending the month of November focusing on AI and the mainframe. Once viewed as separate worlds, AI and IBM Z now work hand in hand to deliver real-time insights, predictive analytics, and intelligent automation across enterprise-scale...
NEWS – Granite 4.0, Free Cybersecurity Labs, and more
IBM Announces Granite 4.0 Free (Cybersecurity) Labs! Upcoming IBM Z Day Chase Card Decommissioning All Mainframe Code, with AI Assistance IBM z/OS Core Collection v1.15.0 GA ReleasedIBM Announces Granite 4.0 IBM has introduced Granite 4.0, initiating a new era for its...
TRIVIA – Penetration Testing
Mainframes have long been known for their unmatched reliability and security—but even the most trusted systems can hide surprises beneath the surface. As technology evolves, so do the tactics of those trying to exploit it. Penetration testing (pen testing), or...
NEWS – Expanded AI-Powered Data Quality, Strategic Partnerships, & more
IBM and Groq Partner to Deliver Faster Agentic AI Capabilities Precisely Expands Access to AI-Powered Data Quality with Natural Language Interfaces in the Data Integrity Suite IBM Announces Advancements to Help Enterprises Operationalize AI Mainframe Technology...