IBM admits mainframes need to be modernized and will use AI to do the job
Promises to build ‘IBM Z Atlas’ tool that will tidy up messy big iron and enable AIOps
IBM has acknowledged that its mainframe platforms, specifically the Z series, can sometimes become overly complex, reducing their resilience. In response, the company has introduced a solution called "IBM Z Atlas", an "AI-native" tool designed to aid in modernizing these mainframe environments. Z Atlas aims to map a client's entire Z/OS stack, including infrastructure, middleware, and applications, and uses system intelligence to reduce manual tasks like patch management, regulatory response, and knowledge sharing across teams.
It also intends to help mainframe technicians and operations teams better understand how components are interconnected and interact with each other. IBM believes Z Atlas will help customers understand systems and dependencies before making decisions, assess potential impacts and risks, accelerate planning for modernization, deployment, and provisioning, and provide trusted context for AI-native experiences.
The company emphasizes that AI-assisted insights will still require human review and decision-making. IBM's strategy with Z Atlas seems to focus on making mainframes more manageable to encourage customer loyalty, as the company has seen significant revenue growth with each new generation of Z-series machines. This shift aligns with CEO Arvind Krishna's statement that the Z17 generation has outsold all others by $1 billion, effectively debunking the "death of the mainframe" narrative.
Written by urgent.news from The Register Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
