New Model9 Report Reveals A Disconnect Between IT Leaders’ Stated Mainframe Modernization Goals

As mainframe modernization and hybrid cloud adoption takes on increasing importance, IT leaders continue to leave mission-critical mainframe data siloed from cloud applications, according to new data published today by Model9, a leader in cloud data management for mainframe.

Model9, named a Gartner Cool Vendor in Storage and Hybrid Infrastructure for 2021, says in the new report that IT leaders remain fixated on legacy mainframe modernization methods that involve migrating mainframe applications (61%) or DevOps modernization (73%). However, the preference for these methods contradicts their stated most important IT operating strategy factors of creating a single point of data management across hybrid environments (71%) and the ability to access data from any location (51%).

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The Cloud Data Management for Mainframe report also reveals:

• 62% of enterprise companies surveyed still host at least half of their core business applications on the mainframe
• 71% of IT leaders believe a single point of data management across hybrid environments is the most important factor guiding hybrid cloud storage strategies
• 50% of C-suite respondents said unlocking the business value of stored mainframe data was their number one IT priority for this year

“IT leaders with mainframes as their core transactional system are pursuing strategies in direct contradiction to their stated objectives,” said Model9 CEO Gil Peleg. “The Cloud Data Management for Mainframe Report shows the C-suite prioritizes unlocking the business value of mainframe data. To accomplish this, enterprise companies are investing a lot in mainframe DevOps projects and/or considering application migration projects—neither of which provide a quick, safe, and guaranteed pathway to integrating mainframe data with cloud-based AI/ML and analytics.”

The report notes that “there is so much offensive firepower in data, and yet businesses are playing defense.”

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The data it contains highlights:

• Most enterprise applications still run on the mainframe
• Companies need a better solution for unlocking the value of mainframe data in the cloud
• Focusing on the fastest way to deliver mainframe data to cloud storage where apps can leverage it should be the top strategic priority for IT leaders

Enterprise IT departments are under more pressure than ever before to turn themselves into value centers. Model9’s report lays out how IT leaders approach the mainframe portion of that challenge and pushes back against some of the commonly accepted narratives about prioritization and execution of mainframe modernization and hybrid cloud initiatives.

“Mainframe data is a strategic asset. Companies already know this,” said Peleg. “They also know that the most innovative AI and analytics initiatives are cloud-native. DevOps modernization may accelerate time to market, but it keeps mainframe data in the mainframe, disconnected from the cloud ecosystem.  On the other hand, application migration projects are extremely risky and uncertain—something executives often do not want to chance. That’s why the new, data-led approach to mainframe modernization—one that uses software to eliminate the silo around mainframe data without any risk—is clearly needed.”

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