Is Your Mainframe development process Holding You Back? Modern DevOps Can Change That
Are you tired of hearing about how companies developing distributed and cloud-native apps get to use all the latest technologies, while your mainframe development process feels outdated? You’re not alone. Many developers have wasted valuable time or even abandoned attempts to integrate modern DevOps practices with mainframe systems that have been in place for decades. But here’s the truth: it’s not your mainframe or development team that’s holding you back.
With the right tools, you can access the same DevOps features and benefits as everyone else.
Discover the Tools That Bring Modern DevOps to Mainframe Development
Let's discuss the tools you can use to bring mainframe DevOps and modernization to life.
Job Control Language (JCL)
JCL is a scripting language designed for and deeply integrated in IBM mainframes. It has been a reliable tool for batch processing and managing and executing jobs on mainframes for decades, it supports CICS, DB2, and many others. In the continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipeline, JCL is responsible for the actual compilation and promotion processes on the mainframe.
IBM Wazi as a Service
Wazi aaS offers access to z/OS development and testing environments in the IBM Cloud. It enables developers to quickly and securely create z/OS systems within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) that are isolated from, yet configured similarly to, their production mainframe. This service is designed specifically for the development and testing of z/OS applications.
Git
This distributed version control system allows each developer to have a full copy of the codebase, enabling safe, local development and easier recovery from mistakes. With Git, branching and merging become seamless, allowing parallel development, which is particularly useful for large mainframe projects.
IBM Dependency Based Build (DBB)
This tool is a necessity when it comes to managing mainframe builds. DBB ensures that only the necessary components are rebuilt. In large, complex environments, this capability is important as it helps maintain the stability of your applications while allowing for continuous integration. By ensuring that only the required components are rebuilt, DBB minimizes the risk of introducing errors during the build process and speeds up the overall development lifecycle.
IBM Wazi Deploy
Wazi Deploy is designed to automate the deployment of mainframe applications. It simplifies the process of moving code from development to production. It ensures that your mainframe applications are deployed consistently across environments, whether on-premises or in the cloud. Wazi is particularly powerful when integrated with other tools such as Kobee, creating a seamless workflow from development to production. By providing a standardized deployment process, Wazi reduces the potential for human error.
Kobee
Kobee will allow you to integrate your mainframe into a broader DevOps toolchain
The CI/CD tool to orchestrate all the tools used to build, test and deploy your code and to manage and automate the life cycle of your mainframe applications. Kobee will allow you to integrate your mainframe into a broader DevOps toolchain and enable you to use modern tools like Git and Jira, etc... Therefore your mainframe operations can be as agile as the rest of your IT ecosystem and mainframe resources can be managed alongside your other software projects.
So to summarize everything briefly
- JCL provides the underlying framework for managing jobs on the mainframe.
- IBM Wazi aaS provides the z/OS development and testing environments in the IBM Cloud.
- Git provides the version control repository for the mainframe source code.
- IBM DBB automates the build process, ensuring that only the necessary parts of the code are rebuilt.
- IBM Wazi Deploy automates the deployment process, making it easier to move applications from development to production.
- Kobee integrates these tools into a single DevOps pipeline, providing centralized management and automation.
The Benefits of Modernizing Your Mainframe, Speed, Efficiency, and Collaboration at Your Fingertips
Picture a mainframe environment where the software development process is as agile and efficient as in any contemporary or cloud-based setting. An environment that adopts DevOps practices, integrates modern tools, and provides the right balance of automation and flexibility. By combining the aforementioned tools (IBM Wazi aaS, IBM DBB, IBM Wazi, JCL, and Kobee), we achieve an end-to-end solution that brings all the benefits of contemporary software development to the mainframe world.
These benefits are:
- Faster time-to-market (Reducing manual interventions and automating build and deploy processes accelerates releases and frees up more time to focus on innovation and accelerate releases).
- Reduced operational costs (only IBM DBB is running on the mainframe to generate JCL, there is no need to run any legacy SCM anymore. The proper use of continuous integration results in less transactions and waste on the mainframe caused by failed builds and deploys).
- Improved team collaboration (Controlled workflows within the DevOps approach ensure that messages reach the right people at the right time. The distributed way of working with versioning and requirements tools also promotes good communication).
It's also worth noting that having better control over your development process, along with improved collaboration and clear communication, leads to significantly higher code quality and better applications.
Start with the Right Tools and transform your mainframe development process today
Don't let outdated tools hold you back. Transform your mainframe development environment into one that is agile and open to modern development tools and methodologies such as DevOps.
Don't let outdated tools hold you back
It's essential to use the right tools for the job. IBM Wazi aaS, Git, IBM DBB, IBM Wazi Deploy and Kobee combined streamline your build and deployment processes, making them faster and more reliable. Kobee as the tool orchestrator helps automate workflows and centralize control, giving your team the agility needed to manage mainframe resources with ease.
About the author
Hello, my name is René De Vleeschauwer.
Throughout my career, I have been actively engaged in developing enterprise software. For the past 18 years, I have led the development of Kobee, an open CI/CD and DevOps framework that has been highly regarded in regulated enterprises.
Do you have any questions? Just ask me!