Organizations focus on compliance, security, operational analytics, and AIOps as main investment areas in mainframes, highlights the 2024 BMC Mainframe Survey. This annual survey, now in its 19th iteration, surveyed 1,000 customers regarding their mainframe practices.

Echoing findings from a recent survey by Kyndryl, the interest in further developing mainframes for future needs is strong. One of the hottest discussion topics among customers is modernizing the capabilities of ‘Big Iron.’

The study shows a robust positive perception of mainframes, with 94% of participants affirming they view it as either a long-term platform or as a viable option for new workloads. John McKenny, the senior vice president and General Manager of Intelligent Z Optimization and Transformation at BMC Software, observes in his blog that while larger entities (10,001–50k MIPS) are ramping up their investment, smaller entities (under 10k MIPS) aim to maintain current investment levels while incorporating new technologies to enhance existing infrastructures.

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 official application of the European Union’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) coming in January 2025, and ransomware attacks continuing to make headlines, it is clear that ransomware controls, hardened security, and recovery capabilities are facing increased scrutiny, McKenny stated. According to the survey, 43% of respondents have built dedicated capabilities to protect against ransomware, and another 29% plan to adopt such technologies.

DORA mandates a detailed ICT risk management framework for organizations within the EU. Additional regulatory requirements like NIS2 and SEC cyber regulations also affect mainframe development.

Although cost optimization of mainframes ranked second, the most significant technology focus was on expanding artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) and operational analytics, which saw a rise to 45% — up by 11% from 2023, as reported by McKenney.

“The sharpened focus on AIOps underscores a growing interest in integrating advanced technologies with mainframe systems. The 2023 BMC Mainframe Survey indicates a 9% rise in AIOps implementation on mainframes, with 76% of participants now utilizing generative AI (genAI) within their businesses,” McKenney noted.

“AI/ML and genAI are revolutionizing IT management, offering organizations new capabilities. These technologies are being employed across IT infrastructures to provide instant insights into security stances, automate problem-solving, deliver essential business insights, and facilitate the training and integration of new staff,” McKenney elaborated.

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 its plan to incorporate AI-based assistants into services that 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. This tool offers real-time explanations, support, and automation capabilities, 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 provide expert guidance instantly, enhancing productivity and reducing downtime. Users will leverage BMC AMI Assistant Tools to capture their local knowledge and integrate it seamlessly into the BMC AMI Assistant,” McKenny expressed in a BMC blog.

IBM has also been increasing focus on mainframe AI capabilities. It recently announced enhancements to the IBM Z and LinuxONE mainframes with a new Telum processor and accelerator to improve performance of AI and other data-intensive workloads.

The new processor, the IBM Telum II, boasts improved memory and cache capacity compared to its predecessor. It also features a new Data Processing Unit (DPU) tailored for IO acceleration and enhanced on-chip capabilities for AI acceleration.

The Kyndryl study revealed significant interest in AI technologies. The report highlights that AI, including generative AI, is set to revolutionize the mainframe sphere by enabling deeper insights into complex, structured data and enhancing human efforts with improved speed, efficiency, and reduced errors, while also aiding in the modernization of legacy applications. Generative AI is particularly noted for its ability to decipher and illuminate the complex layers of monolithic applications, according to Kyndryl.

Furthermore, a survey by BMC, not unexpectedly, indicated a rising adoption of cloud technologies in conjunction with mainframe systems. Read more here.

“The integration of mainframes with cloud-driven workloads and the consideration for using cloud-based mainframes are gaining traction. Particularly, cloud-based data storage is notably prevalent, with 57% of extra-large firms leading this trend,” the BMC survey noted. “The major advantages of cloud storage include scalability, reduced infrastructure constraints, and enhanced data accessibility. Additionally, the capability to leverage mainframe data with cloud-powered analytics tools for unlocking business insights was also highlighted as a critical benefit of cloud storage.”

While not technically a new technology, the use of Java for mainframe code is increasing, as well, McKenney noted.

“As organizations feel the need for code that is accessible across platforms, and for developers who can write mainframe code without additional training, Java has emerged as an attractive option. Survey results show an increase in new applications being written, and in the rewriting of existing applications, in the language,” McKenney stated.

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