Organizations continue to focus on compliance, security, operational analytics, and AIOps as their primary areas for mainframe investments, highlighted in the 2024 BMC Mainframe Survey, now in its 19th iteration, surveying 1,000 customers. This mirrors findings from a recent Kyndryl survey, where the push for mainframe advancements continues robustly, particularly in enhancing the processing capabilities of these systems.
The mainframe enjoys a remarkably positive standing, with 94% of those surveyed viewing it as a dependable long-term or new workload platform. Echoing this sentiment, 90% of participants indicate that their organizations persist in their mainframe investments, as noted by John McKenny, BMC Software’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of Intelligent Z Optimization and Transformation, in a related blog post.
McKenny also points out that while larger enterprises (10,001–50,000 MIPS) and very large enterprises (above 50,000 MIPS) are ramping up their investments, smaller entities (below 10,000 MIPS) are focusing on optimizing and maintaining their current mainframe environments using emerging technologies.
For the fifth consecutive year, compliance and security topped the list of mainframe priorities, with 64% of survey respondents indicating the two areas were top concerns.
“While the threat of ransomware remains a top concern, survey respondents report decreased confidence in the effectiveness of their ransomware controls, with an 8% drop in those that find their controls to be extremely effective,” McKenny stated.
This drop in confidence is even more pronounced in European respondents, with a 10% decrease, McKenny wrote.
With the forthcoming application of the European Union’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) in January 2025, and ongoing high-profile ransomware attacks, it is evident that ransomware controls, hardened security, and recovery capabilities are under increasing scrutiny, McKenny stated. According to the survey, 43% of respondents have established dedicated capabilities to defend against ransomware, and another 29% plan to implement such technologies.
DORA has established a mandatory comprehensive information and communication technology (ICT) risk management framework for EU-based organizations. Additional compliance regulations such as NIS2 and SEC cyber rules also influence mainframe development.
Although reducing mainframe costs was a significant concern, topping the technology priority list was the advancement of artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) and operational analytics, which saw an increase to 45% — a rise of 11% since 2023, as McKenney reports.
“The growing focus on AIOps demonstrates a rising interest in the application of cutting-edge technologies within the mainframe sector. Those indicating the deployment of AIOps on mainframes rose [9%] since the 2023 BMC Mainframe Survey, with 76% of participants noting the usage of generative AI [genAI] within their organizations,” McKenney stated.
“The capabilities of AI/ML and genAI are unlocking new potentials in IT management. Organizations are using these technologies across their IT frameworks to achieve real-time insights into security statuses, automated problem-solving, critical business analytics, and the training and induction of new staff,” McKenney explained.
The survey found 36% of organizations wanted to use AI to analyze code and configuration files to identify problems and vulnerabilities, while 37% said AI would help them remove repetitive tasks and improve efficiency.
BMC recently announced it would begin integrating AI-based assistants to help customers manage mainframe resources. Its BMC AMI Platform will include the BMC AMI Assistant, a chat-based, AI-powered assistant designed for developers, operators, system programmers, and IT managers to provide real-time explanations, support, and automation, the company stated.
“Whether help is needed to debug code, understand system processes, or make informed decisions and take actions, the BMC AMI Assistant will deliver expert guidance instantly, boosting productivity and minimizing downtime. Users will utilize the BMC AMI Assistant Tools to document their local knowledge and integrate it effortlessly into the BMC AMI Assistant,” McKenny explained in a BMC blog.
IBM has also been increasing interest in mainframe AI. It recently revealed its plans to equip the upcoming generation of IBM Z and LinuxONE mainframes with a new Telum processor and an innovative accelerator aimed at enhancing the performance of AI and other data-centric workloads.
The IBM Telum II processor introduces increased memory and cache capabilities compared to its predecessors, including a specialized data processing unit for IO acceleration and advanced on-chip AI acceleration features.
A study by Kyndryl emphasized substantial interest in artificial intelligence, noting that AI and generative AI are set to revolutionize the mainframe environment. These technologies are expected to enhance understanding of intricate unstructured data, boost human capabilities with improved speed, efficiency, and error reduction, and aid in the modernization of legacy applications. Generative AI, in particular, is seen as key to deciphering complex, monolithic applications, according to Kyndryl.
In addition, the BMC survey highlighted the increasing integration of cloud technologies with mainframes.
“The linkage of mainframe operations to cloud-driven workloads and the consideration of a cloud-hosted mainframe are particularly prominent, with cloud-based data storage emerging as the top priority for the largest enterprises,” the survey indicated. “The principal advantages of cloud-based storage include its scalability, reduced infrastructure demands, and enhanced data accessibility. The capability to leverage mainframe data with cloud-driven analytics tools for strategic insights was also a highly valued benefit.”
Though Java is not a novel technology, its adoption in mainframe coding has seen a rise, McKenney highlighted.
“The drive towards code that operates seamlessly across various platforms and the desire for developers to engage with mainframe coding without the need for extra training has made Java a preferred choice. Surveys have indicated a growth in both the creation of new applications and the refurbishment of existing ones using Java,” McKenney explained.
