As mainframe experts retire, companies are faced with a skills gap. Today’s IT professionals aren’t learning mainframe coding languages, such as COBOL. With a shrinking bench of mainframe experts and a lack of qualified applicants on the job market, mainframe users may consider moving away from the technology.
Instead of abandoning the mainframe, organizations can hire resources with specialized knowledge and experience. The provider can work with the .operations staff to manage upgrades, provide maintenance, and troubleshoot performance issues
Sticking With the Mainframe
Transitioning from the mainframe can be a costly and time consuming endeavor, especially when considering rewriting and rehosting critical applications. Many organizations begin this journey only to find deeply embedded business logic makes a complete migration very difficult.
Another approach to is to retain what is working and access with a hybrid modernization strategy This can include using service providers to provide resources, accessing critical information via API, or a MFaaS strategy to address legacy IT challenges.
IBM points out that client-facing, online applications have increased mainframe workloads. Companies continue to acquire mainframe technology. Financial experts at TheStreet reported that in Q2 of 2020, IBM Z revenue rose 69%.
Deepening Your Bench
When the mainframe experts on your in-house IT staff retire, it doesn’t mean losing coding, engineering, and management knowledge and experience forever. Partnering with a skilled service mainframe provider gives you access to a deep bench of certified mainframe experts. It’s likely these mainframe engineers have a long track record of working on mainframes used by all kinds of companies.
Instead of needing to recruit, train, or pay the full-time salary of a new staff member your business can access fully trained and seasoned mainframe experts. Glassdoor.
The Value of Experience
Mainframe service providers give your company access to something that can’t be gained by hiring a newly trained mainframe engineer: experience.
The team at a mainframe services provider will have seen numerous environments and applications. Working with many clients will have exposed team members at the managed mainframe provider to all kinds of problems.
Because any issues your company faces with its mainframe will probably be familiar to the mainframe services provider, the team can quickly solve the problem. There’s no need for a lengthy troubleshooting process.
Dedicated Expertise
The team at a mainframe services provider will be entirely focused on your company’s mainframe. The experts will know what types of issues to look out for so they can prevent problems from snowballing. The provider will be aware of the latest technology to ensure optimal system performance and a maintained up to date system.
Finding a Managed Mainframe Provider
Don’t waste any more time contemplating moving away from your mainframe. No need to search for mainframe experts for hire. Instead, devote your energies to finding the right mainframe services provider.
PSR provides manage services for the mainframe, such as Systems Programming, Hosting and Co-location, Disaster Recovery, and Virtual Tape. As the only IBM Business Partner dedicated exclusively to the IBM mainframe, we offer unparalleled support for IBM Z users. We have been focused on the mainframe for over 35 years. We bring these decades of experience to your company.
