Demystifying Mainframe Modernization with a Data Intelligence Cloud To Extend Value

A stark reality facing CIOs globally is that the costs of maintaining current mainframe environments are rising, while vendor support is being terminated and architecture conservatism hampers interaction with current tools and platforms.

Furthermore, access to advanced analytics functions and real-time data processing is limited. These limits incent companies to seek more cost-effective, scalable, and integrated solutions to better meet their expanding business requirements while still extending the usable value of mainframe data. This is the prime catalyst for mainframe modernization and AI transformation projects.

Mainframes are still a huge part of the data value chain

Rumors of the demise of the mainframe are greatly exaggerated. Current reports from Mordor Intelligence show that the market size for mainframes in 2025 is $5.33 billion and expected to grow at 6.02% to 2030 where the market will exceed $7 billion. With $billions invested in mainframes annually, it should be of no surprise that companies are looking at new ways to leverage the strength of their mainframe investments with the agility new cloud architectures bring with hybrid cloud environments.

This is the catalyst for mainframe modernization projects, specifically to seamlessly connect legacy systems with cloud platforms without having to deal with costly business disruptions. Successful modernization strategies start with migrating specific applications to new hybrid cloud infrastructure while retaining others on the mainframe, optimizing for performance, maintainability and ongoing total cost of ownership.

Dependencies on legacy applications directly impacts a company’s competitive position. So, it should be no big surprise to understand that modernization of these legacy systems has become a “need to have” for organizations looking to maintain their competitive standing and operational profitability. Instead of continuing down the path of proprietary solutions that require dedicated tools and resources, many are now evaluating a data intelligence cloud solution.

Demystifying mainframe modernization with a data intelligence cloud

A data intelligence cloud is a cloud computing platform that leverages to power of GenAI and Reinforcement Learning to enhance its capabilities and transform data into usable information accessible by the average person. Having the ability for an average business executive to “converse” with a machine using natural language (NLP) to get the analytics they need to gain actionable insights and make better decisions by inspecting hundreds of variables instantaneously from across all systems within the enterprise and combine that with data that is publicly available.

Realizing a successful mainframe modernization project with a data intelligence cloud project will empower business leaders to get actionable insights in real-time while maintaining security and privacy and free data analysts to innovate instead of generating reports. Some of the specific values realized include:

• Extend Value of Mainframe Data: Use GenAI to contextualize data across mainframe, on-premise and cloud infrastructure with cloud applications and previous generation analytics to turn raw data into usable information.
• Improve Integration With Modern Tools: Use GenAI to seamlessly integrate with other enterprise tools such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, allowing for more efficient dataflow and system interoperability.
• Access Real-Time Actionable Insights: Use GenAI to get the right data to the right business leader at the right time in an understandable format can mean the difference between a successful decision or one that negatively impacts the enterprise.
• Reduce High Costs For Mainframe Processing: Use GenAI to reduce proprietary dependencies imposed by mainframes as well as leverage a subscription-based model to drastically reduce operational expenses compared to the high licensing fees of existing systems.

The good news is that you won’t have to wait months or even years to realize the benefits of an intelligent cloud for your mainframe modernization initiative. Emerging developments in zero-code, open source SaaS platforms mean that legacy system modernization projects can be tackled with a data intelligence cloud that reduces dependencies on proprietary systems and the costs of dedicated tools and resources without any business operations disruptions in days.

Realizing mainframe modernization without disruption in days not years

Vendors like UBIX deliver on the promise of a zero-code, highly scalable and flexible cloud architecture that leverages the best-in-class cloud technologies to democratize data and support modern data workloads, including analytics, AI and Reinforcement Learning. A perfect fit for any AI transformation or intelligent cloud project. With an architecture that is designed to adapt to the varying demands of large and small enterprises, allowing them to scale up or down based on their specific requirements.

Learning how GenAI and emerging advancements like Reinforcement Learning can deliver on the promise of a data intelligence cloud for mainframe modernization has never been easier. Download our free eBook titled “5 Steps to AI Business Transformation Success” to help better understand the nuances of emerging AI concepts and technologies and offer a set of best practices for consideration to ensure digital transformation and business-led AI success. Or if you can spare 22 minutes for a mini–AI Readiness Workshop, you can contact one of our AI experts today.