The Mainframe Environment

This is my initial posting on this blog, and as I type this, my tagline for the blog is, “Information, tips, and opinions for those lucky enough to work in a mainframe environment.” I’d like to expand a bit on why I chose that as my blog’s tagline, and set the stage for future posts.

I am not a mainframe bigot. I don’t believe that the mainframe is the best solution for every need. There is a place for servers (Windows and *nix), and the PC workstation has proven its worth. But there is a place for the mainframe in today’s computing environment as well. z/OS has incorporated enough Unix components that it has been branded a UNIX operating system. CICS was an application server long before the term ever came along in the server world. Virtual machines have been around for decades in the mainframe world. For large-scale applications, the mainframe can be a very cost-effective environment. And its rock-solid security cannot be matched by any other computing platform.

I spend most of my time primarily in CICS, so I’ll be spending time getting into more specifics on it in future postings. Working in a small shop, I do a fair share of work with other mainframe components – ISPF, SCLM, JCL, even COBOL, all come to mind. A hot buzz-word in our world right now is SOA, and I have worked with application developers to expose legacy apps as web services. So there is no shortage of things we can discuss as we watch the mainframe environment continue to evolve.

I am finding that it is an exciting time to be working in the mainframe environment. Since you are reading this, it is a good bet that you are a mainframer yourself. We are lucky, you and I. Let’s spend some time sharing our insight regarding what makes the mainframe environment the place to be!