The Importance of Mainframe Modernization
The Importance of Mainframe Modernization

What is mainframe modernization and what are its key benefits?
Mainframe Modernization is a process of reworking the organization’s mainframe computer to enhance various aspects of its performance. Mainframe application modernization occurs when an organization plans to modify the software on its mainframe and bring it up to modern standards. This is usually done to allow for compatibility between a legacy mainframe app and modern software systems in use.
Mainframes are powerful, but often misunderstood. Mainframe modernization involves an analysis of what can be migrated or rehosted and identifies any redundant code.
Mainframe migration includes number or combination of solutions, that includes migrating to the cloud or a multi-cloud system, rehosting on lower-cost platforms, or even rewriting the mainframe applications into an entirely a new mainframe environment.
Mainframe migration can include any number or combination of solutions, including migrating to the cloud or a multi-cloud system, rehosting on lower-cost platforms, or even rewriting the mainframe applications entirely into new a mainframe environment.
The risk associated with any of these options is a loss of data or functionality. In most cases, migrating or rehosting mainframe applications will allow for more speed and competitive advantage, but certain legacy applications and programming languages cannot be moved. In these instances, it is important to find a solution that maintains the ability to be upgraded and fine-tuned over time, while continuing to be held within its legacy infrastructure.
Now the public cloud exists in most of the companies, the mainframe is often overlooked. The mainframe is often viewed as an old technology since it has been around 80 years.
44 of the top 50 banks, and all the top 10 insurers around the globe, still used mainframes
%
of Fortune 500 companies are using Mainframe
%
of all credit card transactions are handled by Mainframes
4 out of the top 5 airline companies use mainframe systems.
%
Mainframes handle 68% of the world’s production IT workloads, yet they account for only 6 percent of IT costs.
%
of companies rely on mainframe for their Business Revenue
The Indispensable Role of Mainframes in Modern Computing
As per the 2024 Forrester report, it was reported that, “61% of organisations use a mainframe among global-infrastructure hardware decision-makers, and 54% indicated that their organisation would enhance its use of a mainframe over the next two years. Also, Mainframes are more reliable with uptime of 99.999% (down 5 minutes 13 seconds per year) to 99.9999% (down 31 seconds per year). Also, as per the recent survey conducted by IDC, 800 companies worldwide use mainframe systems and found that 68% of respondents indicated that “mainframes are strategic to our overall business success, and we are committed to long-term investment in this area”. The example as above, shows that the Mainframe continues to be the backbone of many organizations.
What are the Benefits of Mainframe Modernization?
Mainframe Modernization offers a wide range of benefits that drive organisational efficiency and competitiveness.
- Improved Operational Efficiency
Mainframe Modernization streamlines processes, optimizes resource allocation, and minimises time-to-market, resulting in improved productivity and cost savings.
- Reduced Maintenance Costs
Modernization eliminates the burden of managing outdated components, lowering the total cost of ownership.
- Adaptability to Market Changes
Modernized systems quickly respond to new demands, enabling organisations to seize new opportunities. Modernizing mainframe systems offers a range of advantages that drive organizational efficiency and competitiveness. Revitalizing these robust computing platforms yields benefits that extend across various operational aspects. Enhanced operational efficiency is a primary gain. Modernization streamlines processes, optimizes resource allocation, and reduces time-to-market, resulting in improved productivity and cost savings. Reduced maintenance costs are a significant advantage. Modernization eliminates the burden of managing outdated components, lowering the total cost of ownership.
- Enhanced Data Security
Mainframe modernization offers edge-to-edge security from any kind of cyber-attack. As a result, only an authorized person will access data and modify it.
Mainframe modernization tools offer heightened operational efficiency, reduced costs, increased agility, and improved integration. These benefits empower organizations to succeed in the dynamic modern business landscape.
- Improved Maintenance
New Age applications are more flexible, less complex, and operate in cloud-based systems that can be accessed from anywhere. The code is thoroughly debugged, tested, and enhanced for future applications, reducing risks and streamlining future updates.
- Attract Top talent
Mainframe modernization requires the adoption of new technologies that are more appealing to a wider range of IT professionals who are proficient in cloud computing, DevOps, and other emerging technologies. Mainframe modernization attracts younger talent pool and bring in fresh perspectives.
Choosing Right Approach for your Business
There are several ways to modernize a mainframe system, and these approached are adapted from the “7 Rs” model, that was initially introduced by Gartner and expanded by AWS.
The “7 Rs” model
The AWS provides a framework for migrating computing systems to new environments.
1. Replatforming
Replatforming also known as “lift-and-optimize”, involves moving applications from a mainframe environment to a new platform, often cloud-based, without modifying the applications core architecture. This enables organisations to leverage modern infrastructure benefits such as scalability and flexibility while reducing changes to the application itself.
By replatforming applications , organisations can easily integrate with modern services and technologies. This approach also simplifies the adoption of DevOps practices, allowing more efficient development cycles and faster time-to-market for new features or modifications.
2. Refactoring
Refactoring involves modifying the legacy mainframe applications into modern, maintainable code using automated tools. This strategy helps to optimize the existing code to enhance productivity, performance, scalability, and maintainability. Also, through refactoring organisations can extend the life of their critical mainframe applications. This process also allows for the gradual introduction of new features and the modernization of systems in a controlled environment.
Refactoring is essential for complex systems where a full rewrite is impractical.
3. Rehosting
Rehosting or “lift” and “shift” helps in transferring mainframe applications to a new environment without modifying the application code or features. Organisations can reduce their operational costs by shifting away from proprietary mainframe hardware and improve disaster recovery capabilities.
Rehosting is suitable for organisations looking for cost savings and improve operational efficiencies without the complexities of modifying application code.
4. Repurchasing
Repurchasing involves replacing legacy mainframe applications with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software packages. This strategy is often used when maintaining or updating an existing application, which is more costly or complex than adopting a new and a modern solution.
5. Retiring
The “Retire” strategy involves decommissioning or removing redundant and obsolete applications from the mainframe environment. This strategy helps streamline the IT landscape, minimise the cost, and eliminate unnecessary complexity.
6. Retaining
The retain strategy refers to the strategic decision to keep mainframe applications or systems operational while modernizing other aspects of the IT infrastructure.
Successfully retaining mainframe applications requires identifying which applications are critical to retain with respect to their stability, efficiency, or unique functionality that would be difficult or expensive to replicate on newer platforms.
7. Rearchitecting
Rearchitecting helps in transforming the underlying architecture of mainframe applications to better align with modern cloud-native or microservices architecture.
This optimizes mainframe applications for current and future scalability, performance, and functionality requirements. Businesses can break down monolithic mainframe applications into more manageable, modular components.
Rearchitecting improves agility and allows for the integration of contemporary development practices including DevOps and Continuous delivery.
Best Practices of Mainframe Modernization
1. Set Clear Goals
Setting clear objectives for mainframe modernization enables businesses to align its goals, efficient resource allocation, and proactive risk management. The clear objectives also help to handle the modernization processes more effectively while providing benchmarks for performance measurement, promotes stakeholder engagement, and handles focus and direction.
2. Perform a thorough Assessment
Conducting a thorough assessment before mainframe modernization is crucial since it helps to identify the current system’s capabilities, constraints, and dependencies. This thorough assessment enables organisations to understand potential risks, estimate costs, and create effective mitigation strategies. By assessing the existing environment, organisations can make sure to process hassle-free transition, reduce disruptions, and align modernization efforts with their strategic goals, leading to a more efficient modernization process.
3. Choose the right Modernization approach
Choosing the right modernization approach is essential for the success of your mainframe modernization strategy. Each approach of mainframe modernization has its benefits and challenges, and the selection should align with your business goals, technical requirements, and risk management.
4. Leverage Automation Tools
Insoft Infotel’s products like iDBA– Online, DB/IQ, and InfoUnload can help in simplifying the processes like database optimization, automate routine tasks, enhance data integrity, reduce downtime , data migration , cost-efficiency , and improves overall system performance.
As part of Mainframe modernization, InfoUnload tool helps to speeds up the data extraction process , DB/IQ helps in enhancing performance by optimising SQL queries and database access. Similarly, iDBA -Online tool helps in automating database administration and frees up DBAs to focus on more strategic initiatives.
DB/IQ tool optimises SQL queries and database indexes and makes sure the modernized systems run efficiently despite the workload.
Overall, these Insoft Infotel tools contribute to mainframe modernization by:
- Enhanced Efficiency: Automating routine tasks and streamlining data processes.
- Improved Performance: By optimizing database performance and identifying bottlenecks the performance is improved.
- Facilitating Data Integration: Enabling seamless data movement between mainframe and modern systems.
- Enabling Modernization Initiatives: It has the flexibility to support the migration of applications and data to newer technologies.
- Reducing Costs: Lowering operational costs through automation and efficiency gains.
5. Find a reliable tech provider with vast technical expertise
Setting out on a mainframe modernization strategy journey with little to no prior experience can be challenging. On the bright side, there are skilled tech consulting vendors that can help you design a working mainframe modernization strategy and provide the required professionals for the job or even take care of the implementation completely.