What On Earth is a Mainframe?


Book Description

Confused about zSeries Mainframes? Need to understand the z/OS operating system - and in a hurry? Then you've just found the book you need.Avoiding technical jargon, this book gives you the basic facts in clear, light-hearted, entertaining English. You'll quickly learn what Mainframes are, what they do, what runs on them, and terms and terminology you need to speak Mainframe-ese.But it's not all technical. There's also invaluable information on the people that work on Mainframes, Mainframe management issues, new Mainframe trends, and other facts that don't seem to be written down anywhere else.Programmers, managers, recruitment consultants, and industry commentators will all find this book their new best friend when trying to understand the Mainframe world.




Introduction to the New Mainframe


Book Description

Today, mainframe computers play a central role in the daily operations of most of the world's largest corporations. While other forms of computing are used in business in various capacities, the mainframe occupies a prominent place in today's e-business environment. In banking, finance, health care, insurance, utilities, government, and a multitude of other public and private enterprises, the mainframe computer continues to provide the foundation of large-scale computing to modern business. The reasons for mainframe use are many, but generally fall into one or more of the following categories: capacity, scalability, integrity and security, availability, access to large amounts of data, system management, and autonomic capabilities. This IBM Redbooks publication is designed for readers who already possess a basic knowledge of mainframe computing, but need a clearer understanding of how these concepts relate to mainframe planning, implementation, and operation. For readers who need more introductory information about mainframe concepts, usage, and architecture, we recommend that you complete Introduction to the New Mainframe: z/OS Basics, SG24-6366, prior to starting this book. And for more detailed information about z/OS programming topics, refer to the 11-volume book series ABCs of z/OS System Programming.




Four Ways to Transform Your Mainframe for a Hybrid Cloud World


Book Description

The IBM® mainframe remains a widely used enterprise computing workhorse, hosting essential IT for the majority of the world's top banks, airlines, insurers and more. As the mainframe continues to evolve, the newest IBM Z® servers offer solutions for AI and analytics, blockchain, cloud, DevOps, security and resiliency, with the aim of making the client experience similar to that of using cloud services. Many organizations today face challenges with their core IT infrastructure: Complexity and stability An environment might have years of history and be seen as too complex to maintain or update. Problems with system stability can impact operations and be considered a high risk for the business. Workforce challenges Many data center teams are anticipating a skills shortage within the next 5 years due to a retiring and declining workforce specialized in the mainframe, not to mention the difficulty of attracting new talent. Total cost of ownership Some infrastructure solutions are seen as too expensive, and it's not always easy to balance up-front costs with the life expectancy and benefits of a given platform. Lack of speed and agility Older applications can be seen as too slow and monolithic as organizations face an increasing need for faster turnaround and release cycles. Some software vendors suggest addressing these challenges with the "big bang" approach of moving your entire environment to a public cloud. But public cloud isn't the best option for every workload, and a hybrid multicloud approach can offer the best of both worlds. IBM Z is constantly being developed to address the real challenges businesses face today, and every day we're helping clients modernize their IT environments. There are 4 strategic elements to consider when modernizing your mainframe environment: Infrastructure Applications Data access DevOps chain This paper focuses on these four modernization dimensions.




Connecting Giants


Book Description

As we dive into the digital era, businesses are racing to transform their IT infrastructure to keep pace with the growing demands of the interconnected world. Mainframe systems, a stalwart of the computing world, are not an exception to this transformation. They have and continue to play a critical role in our everyday lives - powering key sectors like finance, healthcare, transportation, and even our government. While mainframes are renowned for their unparalleled processing power, scalability, and resilience, they alone are not enough to bridge the gap between the burgeoning technological demands and the decades-old legacy systems. This is where middleware, the unsung hero of mainframe computing, comes into play. Middleware, as the name suggests, sits in the middle, serving as a connective layer between various software applications and operating systems. This invisible glue in mainframe systems is an enabler - facilitating communication, ensuring seamless integration, and enhancing security. Yet, despite its pivotal role, middleware often remains underappreciated and misunderstood. This book " Connecting Giants: Unveiling the World of Mainframe Middleware" seeks to shed light on the complex world of middleware in mainframe environments. It covers the historical context, fundamental concepts, different types, applications, and the future of mainframe middleware. The book also includes detailed discussions on middleware protocols, standards, security considerations, and the exciting potential of cloud integration. Whether you are a seasoned IT professional, a student diving into the world of mainframe computing, or a curious onlooker, this book aims to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of mainframe middleware. It is designed to be both a guide for the uninitiated and a reference for the experienced.




Mainframe Experimentalism


Book Description

Mainframe Experimentalism challenges the conventional wisdom that the digital arts arose out of Silicon Valley’s technological revolutions in the 1970s. In fact, in the 1960s, a diverse array of artists, musicians, poets, writers, and filmmakers around the world were engaging with mainframe and mini-computers to create innovative new artworks that contradict the stereotypes of "computer art." Juxtaposing the original works alongside scholarly contributions by well-established and emerging scholars from several disciplines, Mainframe Experimentalism demonstrates that the radical and experimental aesthetics and political and cultural engagements of early digital art stand as precursors for the mobility among technological platforms, artistic forms, and social sites that has become commonplace today.




Four Ways to Transform Your Mainframe for a Hybrid Cloud World


Book Description

The IBM® mainframe remains a widely used enterprise computing workhorse, hosting essential IT for the majority of the world's top banks, airlines, insurers and more. As the mainframe continues to evolve, the newest IBM Z® servers offer solutions for AI and analytics, blockchain, cloud, DevOps, security and resiliency, with the aim of making the client experience similar to that of using cloud services. Many organizations today face challenges with their core IT infrastructure: Complexity and stability An environment might have years of history and be seen as too complex to maintain or update. Problems with system stability can impact operations and be considered a high risk for the business. Workforce challenges Many data center teams are anticipating a skills shortage within the next 5 years due to a retiring and declining workforce specialized in the mainframe, not to mention the difficulty of attracting new talent. Total cost of ownership Some infrastructure solutions are seen as too expensive, and it's not always easy to balance up-front costs with the life expectancy and benefits of a given platform. Lack of speed and agility Older applications can be seen as too slow and monolithic as organizations face an increasing need for faster turnaround and release cycles. Some software vendors suggest addressing these challenges with the "big bang" approach of moving your entire environment to a public cloud. But public cloud isn't the best option for every workload, and a hybrid multicloud approach can offer the best of both worlds. IBM Z is constantly being developed to address the real challenges businesses face today, and every day we're helping clients modernize their IT environments. There are 4 strategic elements to consider when modernizing your mainframe environment: Infrastructure Applications Data access DevOps chain This paper focuses on these four modernization dimensions




Introduction to the New Mainframe


Book Description

This IBM Redbook provides students of information systems technology with the background knowledge and skills necessary to begin using the basic facilities of a mainframe computer. It is the first in a planned series of textbooks designed to introduce students to mainframe concepts and help prepare them for a career in large systems computing. For optimal learning, students are assumed to have successfully completed an introductory course in computer system concepts, such as computer organization and architecture, operating systems, data management, or data communications. They should also have successfully completed courses in one or more programming languages, and be PC literate. This textbook can also be used as a prerequisite for courses in advanced topics or for internships and special studies. It is not intended to be a complete text covering all aspects of mainframe operation, nor is it a reference book that discusses every feature and option of the mainframe facilities. Others who will benefit from this course include experienced data processing professionals who have worked with non-mainframe platforms, or who are familiar with some aspects of the mainframe but want to become knowledgeable with other facilities and benefits of the mainframe environment. As we go through this course, we suggest that the instructor alternate between text, lecture, discussions, and hands-on exercises. Many of the exercises are cumulative, and are designed to show the student how to design and implement the topic presented. The instructor-led discussions and hands-on exercises are an integral part of the course material, and can include topics not covered in this textbook. This book is also offered with a textbook cover instead of a redbook cover in PDF and hardcopy formats. Download PDF of book with textbook cover (6.0MB) Order hardcopy of book with textbook cover Note: The contents of the book are identical in both the textbook and redbook versions except for the covers.




IBM Mainframes


Book Description

The definitive reference for 360, 370, and 370/XA architecture, as well as design concepts for the 303X, 4381, 308X, 9370, and 3090 series. Updated to include the latest pertinent information on the new 370/ESA architecture, as well as the new Summit series.




Developing Mainframe Java Applications


Book Description

As simple Web access to data housed on corporate mainframes is fast becoming a core business requirement, mainframe programmers need to learn how to develop Java applications to keep pace with growing corporate needs. Focusing on concepts familiar to mainframe programmers, this book gives step-by-step guidance on how to use Java to access file and database structures common to mainframe environments. After comparing Java and mainframe languages such as COBOL and PL/I, Marco goes on to cover Java implementations for IBM's OS/390 and advanced Java programming techniques, including Java classes and EJB. A must-read for anyone who needs to provide users with access to business data via a Web interface, this book is a logical companion to System 390 JCL (0-471-28309-6), our bestselling mainframe programming book now in its fourth edition.




Earth Sound Earth Signal


Book Description

Earth Sound Earth Signal is a study of energies in aesthetics and the arts, from the birth of modern communications in the nineteenth century to the global transmissions of the present day. Grounded in the Aeolian sphere music that Henry David Thoreau heard blowing in telegraph lines and in the Aelectrosonic sounds of natural radio that Thomas Watson heard in telephone lines, the book moves through the histories of science, media, music, and the arts to the 1960s, when the composer Alvin Lucier worked with the ""natural electromagnetic sounds"" present from ""brainwaves to outer.