Invest in Your Future with Mainframe Modernization

Mainframe platforms have long been the backbone of many businesses, providing unmatched computing power and stability for critical operations. However, these systems and the associated software can come with substantial costs and complexities that are increasingly difficult for organizations to justify and manage.

As most businesses now rely on online data storage and digital transactions, the need for mainframe modernization is clear.

The Importance of Mainframe Modernization

Whether you are modernizing on platform or working to get off, modernizing mainframe workloads not only helps reduce operational expenses but also aligns aging infrastructure with contemporary demands, such as cloud compatibility, streamlined maintenance, and improved flexibility. This shift addresses key challenges that legacy systems face, including:

• High Software and Maintenance Costs: As mainframe systems reach end-of-service life, keeping them up-to-date becomes costly and cumbersome.
• Skills Gap: With a retiring workforce, finding professionals skilled in legacy mainframe systems is becoming a growing challenge.
• Technological Limitations: Older mainframes often lack compatibility with modern technologies, limiting innovation and integration.

For businesses reliant on mainframes for mission-critical applications, these challenges introduce considerable risks.

The Path to Efficiency: Key Phases of Mainframe Modernization

While mainframe modernization can seem like a daunting endeavor, a proven strategic approach helps ensure a smooth transition. A successful modernization journey generally involves several phases, each contributing to a future-ready IT environment.

1. Assessment and Planning

The first step in modernization is a thorough assessment of the existing mainframe environment, identifying workloads that would benefit most from modernization and estimating potential cost savings. This includes data center, hardware, software, ISV, code, operational
processes, and development practices.

This phase includes a roadmap outlining goals, budget considerations, and a phased approach to modernization that minimizes disruptions to ongoing operations.

Both legacy and new concepts like observability and code mapping may be
introduced in this phase. Practical approaches to planning are critical as the majority of failed
modernization efforts do not consider the true breadth of the current state of applications and
organizations, including the state of the code. Observability is mandatory to understand your
current state and help create a practical roadmap.

2. Workload Migration and Rehosting

Hybrid cloud is the new norm for mainframe workloads. The risk associated with application and
network latency has dramatically decreased in the last decade. For businesses ready to embrace cloud environments, rehosting mainframe workloads in the cloud offers immediate benefits in flexibility and scalability. By relocating mainframe systems and workloads to the cloud, organizations reduce the burden of hardware maintenance while making applications accessible across various cloud services.

This approach can either involve a “lift and shift” rehosting approach or refactoring workloads and schedules on platform to optimize the application for cloud performance. This phase may include introducing new technology and processes like IBMLinuxONE, zLinux, and batch optimizers.

3. Replatforming and Refactoring

To make full use of the cloud’s capabilities, many businesses choose to refactor their applications, optimizing them for cloud-native environments. This phase involves converting legacy code to modern languages such as Java and C#, ensuring applications run efficiently in public or private cloud environments.

During this transition, organizations can also introduce containerization and microservices architecture, which boost flexibility and make updates and maintenance easier.

Moving to a modern language helps to close the skillset gap for new developers and new development tools create a more modern experience. Introducing microservices may also improve business resiliency, allowing for the movement of workloads between clouds.

4. AI, Automated Testing and Quality Assurance

Introducing AI and automation Automated testing in your DevOps and QA processes is crucial in any modernization project. Addressing release and QA challenges by design as opposed to
manual release management helps detect and address issues early, reducing risk and project
timelines.

Starting with validation is critical to your plan to automate your processes. Automated
AI and automation are core to modern quality assurance tools that are ensuring 
applications perform as expected in the new environment, promoting both reliability and
performance for the business.

5. Continuous Modernization, Ongoing Optimization and Support

There is no finish line for modernization and optimization efforts. Once applications are rehosted or re-platformed, continuous modernization and ongoing optimization is essential to maximizing cost savings and realizing the expected performance improvements. 

Modernization efforts typically include a mix of legacy and modern technologies to be successful
and take years to complete. To be successful, you need a dedicated support team to help manage workloads, ensuring applications remain compatible with evolving technology and security requirements. This includes developing an ecosystem of internal talent and
partners that can help manage the continuous modernization of applications, continue to
optimize on both platforms and ensure the performance and availability of services.

The FNTS Approach to Mainframe Modernization

FNTS offers a comprehensive Mainframe Modernization-as-a-Service (MMaaS) solution that provides expertise and resources tailored to each client’s needs. Our modernization practice is
multifaceted, enabling continuous modernization and optimization and providing solutions that meet our clients where they are in their journey:

✓ Eliminate ongoing software and operating expenses associated with maintaining equipment on-site

While each environment varies, the Mainframe-as-a-Service rehosting model saves organizations 15 to 20% on average, while refactoring and re-platforming to the cloud through Mainframe Modernization-as-a-Service can achieve cost savings of 70 to 80%. Savings can be compounded if application modernization timelines are expected to run for multiple years.

One of our state government clients was able to reduce mainframe costs by $1.5 million per year by having FNTS host its mainframe workloads. We consolidated their software and leveraged our economies of scale to save them in licensing costs; enhance the depth and breadth of technical resources; and implement a robust disaster recovery solution.

✓ Access to around the clock IT support and resources

We provide personalized support, roadmaps and guidance for compliance and auditing, and visibility into performance guaranteeing the value of your cloud deployments, especially when staffing and backups are needed.

✓ Future-proof workloads with the latest technology, equipment and best practices

Experience improved performance and processing times with our reliable and redundant infrastructure and configuration that leverages the latest platforms for mainframe workloads.

By partnering with FNTS, you also will have access to our consulting team that understands the latest technologies and strategies for maximizing your dollars and resources.

✓ Enable staff to focus on more customer-oriented projects

Give your teams the time and agility needed to focus on more long-term, strategic initiatives by leveraging a team with deep skill sets.

✓ Minimize both operational and financial risk

FNTS provides the expertise and resources needed to handle and secure your mission-critical workloads.

✓ Stay competitive in the marketplace

Many organizations fear they will be left behind competitively if they fail to modernize. Leverage the latest hybrid cloud platforms and software development approaches, including Agile, DevOps, business intelligence, artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation and more.

Embracing the Future with FNTS

FNTS provides the experience, tools, and support to guide organizations through every phase of their modernization journey, from initial assessment to continuous optimization and modernization. With FNTS as your partner, you gain access to a team deeply skilled in modernizing and managing mission-critical platforms and workloads while securing long-term cost savings and performance gains.

Whether you're planning a gradual modernization or a full transition to cloud environments, FNTS’s Mainframe Optimization packages, you’ll gain a seamless, expertly managed shift. Together, we’ll help your business harness the cloud’s full potential and set the stage for success.