PopUp Mainframe 2.0

New release: Announcing PopUp Mainframe 2.0

PopUp Mainframe today announced general availability of PopUp Mainframe 2.0, providing virtual environments running ZD&T 14.0.0 and IBM’s latest z/OS operating system, IBM z/OS V2.5.

 

With z/OS 2.5, supporting z16 architecture, this release introduces innovations such as new high performance AI capabilities, resiliency solutions, enhanced security, and more.

 

IBM z/OS 2.5 offers cutting-edge capabilities to make businesses future-ready including the ability to:

  • Embed AI in real-time into every business transaction, a key competitive differentiator.
  • Embrace quantum-resistant cryptography and utilise cryptographic testing capabilities.
  • Stay at the forefront of security and resilience with enhancements across authentication, authorization, logging, system integrity, system and data availability, and overall data privacy.
  • Adopt enterprise application modernisation with Java/COBOL interoperability, ease of use for z/OS container extensions and Linux integration, and cloud storage integration capabilities.

 

PopUp Mainframe 2.0 provides a quick, low cost way to test business applications on z/OS 2.5, with zero risk to the physical mainframe.

 

PopUp environments run on x86 hardware and are completely isolated from the physical mainframe. They can be spawned and retired in minutes, allowing teams to create an environment, perform their testing, then destroy the environment with no long term maintenance requirements.

 

In addition to the leading IBM z/OS 2.5 features within ZD&T, PopUp 2.0 provides added extras out of the box, including:

  • Enterprise applications
  • Utilities
  • Automation tools
  • Best practice baked in
  • ZD&T optimisations

 

“This release is very exciting for PopUp and our customers, as it ensures that businesses can take advantage of testing the latest version of Z-Series without disrupting any of their existing test environments and avoid any installation work. With PopUp, customers can quickly and easily test their existing application systems on z/OS 2.5 and try out new features, with zero risk to their physical mainframe.”

– Gary Thornhill, CEO, PopUp Mainframe

 

About PopUp Mainframe

 

PopUp Mainframe is a cutting-edge mainframe virtualisation product. PopUp provides IBM ZD&T software along with PopUp IP, which has been installed, configured and setup, and is ready to use out of the box. It enables customers to create mainframe environments on-demand and deploy them anywhere, including in the cloud.

 

Mainframe businesses often cite dev and test environment bottlenecks as the number one blocker to mainframe modernisation. PopUp directly addresses this, providing fully functioning mainframes via self-service, available on-demand. PopUp brings innovation to mainframe teams, providing features not available with a physical mainframe, for example the ability to take a full baseline of a mainframe  environment, and replicate that using APIs. PopUp, in combination with Delphix, makes it possible to have a 4D mainframe: users can take a snapshot of a mainframe environment, then rewind or fast forward to a point in time. PopUp is fully compatible with automation pipelines.

 

With PopUp, mainframe businesses attract a new generation of mainframe engineers who can use cutting-edge mainframe tooling with PopUp, for example desktop IDEs. PopUp simultaneously appeals to traditional mainframe engineers who prefer green screen and now have the autonomy to spin up their own mainframe environments on-demand.

 

PopUp runs ANY mainframe subsystem or bespoke application.

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GSE UK Conference – February 2023

Text: From zero to mainframe CICD in a day. Image: stars

We are looking forward to presenting a session at the upcoming GSE UK Virtual conference 2023.

The PopUp session is

“From zero to Mainframe CI/CD in a day”

at 12pm UK time, Thursday 9th Feb.

You can build CICD pipelines for your mainframe systems from a standing start in just ONE day!

Join the session for a demo and detailed discussion on getting automation pipelines in your mainframe environment.

You will see:

  • Create turnkey mainframe environments in the cloud with pre-configured DevOps tooling running on ephemeral mainframe instances
  • Case study – verifying whether deployment of z/OS connect will really reduce mainframe transaction speeds prior to formal adoption and production rollout
  • Demo

 

 

About GSE UK

GSE UK is a leading mainframe conference offering a wide range of sessions on all mainframe topics. It provides over 200 hours of technical training from IBM, other vendors and from GSE members themselves.

 

The theme of this GSE UK Conference is: Mainframes are MAD – Modern, Adaptable, Diverse

 

M is for Modern

Today’s mainframe is a thoroughly modern platform, ‘the core of trusted digital experiences’. Fast, secure and resilient, it’s the heart of so many organisations. The system of record, the mighty transactional engine, providing real-time analytics for personalized digital experiences.

A is for Adaptable

The modern mainframe is also an extremely flexible and versatile platform – from System/360 to z15 it has moved with the times and reinvented itself decade after decade. It’s a trusted hub for the latest digital transformations and so often the lynchpin of today’s cloud strategies.

D is for Diverse

From banking, insurance and financial markets to healthcare, retail, travel and utilities, the modern mainframe is put to work in a multitude of ways. From supporting the surge in online retail and transactions during the pandemic to supporting patient care and life-saving research.

 

Webinar: National Grid Transforms Billing with Delphix & PopUp Mainframe & Azure

webinar National Grid transforms Billing with Delphix & PopUp Mainframe & Azure

 

Watch this webinar with PopUp’s Gary Thornhill and Muthiah Maruthappan.

The Billing System transformation programme at National Grid was severely hampered by mainframe test environment unavailability across multiple systems.

Dev & Test mainframe environments were already close to capacity, so mainframe modernisation initiatives required acquiring expensive new hardware. One mainframe modernisation proof of concept (using z/OS Connect to improve mainframe access) could not proceed without additional environments.

National Grid’s cloud-first policy fuelled the desire to:

  • create dev and test environments in the cloud
  • offer self-service
  • remove third-party dependency
  • improve agility with on-demand access
  • and reduce cost

The new self-service capability has transformed National Grid’s ability to deliver transformative change across billing systems. Using Delphix and PopUp Mainframe running on Azure, National Grid accelerated their projects. The company is now planning the next stage of their mainframe modernisation: spinning up new mainframe environments with the latest secured data using automation pipelines in minutes.

Delphix and PopUp on Azure empowered National Grid with autonomy over their mainframe systems and the ability to increase productivity. National Grid can now immediately innovate to solve business problems using ephemeral mainframe environments spun up on demand. They also plan to redevelop some of their legacy .NET processes using modern tooling.

Watch the webinar to find out more.

 

 

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Technology Product Awards 2022

We are finalists in the Technology Product Awards 2022

 

We are proud to be listed as finalists in the Technology Product Awards 2022 in the category:
Technology Innovator of the Year

 

This award recognises high levels of innovation in the last 12 months, rewarding the organisation that has contributed to the development and deployment of innovative IT systems that improve operations or enhance services.

 

It all depends on the public vote. Voting is now open, please vote for us today! (Deadline 21st October 2022)

 

Why do we deserve this award?

PopUp Mainframe is a cutting-edge mainframe modernisation product.

PopUp enables customers to create mainframe environments on-demand and deploy them anywhere, including in the cloud.

Mainframe businesses often cite dev and test environment bottlenecks as the number one blocker to mainframe modernisation. PopUp directly addresses this, providing fully functioning mainframes with self-service, on-demand.

PopUp brings innovation to mainframe teams, providing features not available with a physical mainframe, for example the ability to take a full baseline of a mainframe  environment, and replicate that using APIs. PopUp, in combination with Delphix, makes it possible to have a 4D mainframe: users can take a snapshot of a mainframe environment, then rewind or fast forward to a point in time. PopUp is fully compatible with automation pipelines.

With PopUp, mainframe businesses will attract a new generation of mainframe engineers who can use cutting-edge mainframe tooling with PopUp, for example desktop IDEs. PopUp simultaneously appeals to traditional mainframe engineers who prefer green screen and now have the autonomy to spin up their own mainframe environments on-demand.

PopUp is unique in the market as it emulates physical mainframe hardware, and arrives fully configured and ready to use. PopUp runs ANY mainframe subsystem or bespoke application.

PopUp customers have been able to deploy a new mainframe environment with PopUp in one day, where previously this process took months.

PopUp’s innovative mainframe solution is a game changer for mainframe businesses as it provides all the capabilities needed for full mainframe modernisation!

 

 

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Webinar: Mainframe Enhancement Transformation Insights with Microsoft

Extend and enhance your mainframe with Microsoft cloud

 

PopUp Mainframe’s Gary Thornhill joins the Microsoft Cloud team to discuss how to get more from an existing mainframe.

They discuss pragmatic options to:

  • improve costs
  • refine a business process
  • creating value from data
  • evolving DevOps

Gary talks about how PopUp can support mainframe businesses on their journey to delivering changes faster, cheaper and better using on-demand environments.

Hear from Gary Thornhill and the Microsoft Mainframe & Midrange Transformation team in this webinar.

 

 

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PopUp Mainframe is now available on the Microsoft Azure MarketPlace!

PopUp on Azure

 

PopUp Mainframe, the mainframe-on-demand solution, today announced that PopUp Mainframe is available as a fully packaged cloud offering on Microsoft Azure Marketplace. With the Azure cloud service, Azure customers can now leverage PopUp Mainframe’s mainframe modernisation capabilities to spin up new mainframe environment in minutes.

“Being able to spin up a fully functioning mainframe environment in minutes is a complete game changer for business.

PopUp is designed to mirror an organisation’s physical mainframe environment and supports any and every mainframe application as-is. PopUp accelerates organisations’ ability to make change by providing the ability to spin up and tear down mainframe environments with self-service.”

– Gary Thornhilll, Founder PopUp Mainframe.

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Is outsourcing a barrier to mainframe modernisation?

Text: Is outsourcing a barrier to mainframe modernisation?

 

The evolution of mainframe modernisation is rapidly accelerating

In my opinion, the biggest challenge to mainframe modernisation is not technical. It is cultural and organisational with some ‘stuck in their ways’ siloed mainframe teams reticent, or even obstructing change.

Often these siloed teams within a single organisation are outsourced with teams being run by multiple vendors. As a result, for lots of organisations in 2022, even making any BAU change is incredibly slow and cumbersome. Moving mainframe workloads to the cloud, implementing mainframe automation, and mainframe DevOps, is not feasible or realistic, purely because of organisation structure and antiquated processes.

Unless organisations invest in mainframe modernisation both technically and culturally, mainframe change will become an increasingly heavier ball and chain that will drag some notables down in the coming years.

“In this digital age the winners will always be those that can adopt technology the fastest. The mainframe is no exception to this rule but organisations must recognise that unless they can embrace operational change first, the technology will not even get a chance to shine.”

– Gary Thornhill

 

Outsourcing blocks innovation

In my experience outsourcing is the worst culprit and the biggest barrier for mainframe organisations to innovate. A big part of the problem is procurement’s insatiable appetite for driving down cost. When outsourcing deals are squeezed too far, the vendor has to protect their margins by operating in much narrower corridors, reducing flexibility to the client.

For example only urgent fixes are applied and any new software installs are charged separately. We have been recently working with a client where the incumbent outsourcer insisted on building a whole project team to install one load module as this was out of scope of the BAU contract.

Locked out of your own system!

The client themselves often do not have access to work on their own systems because they are outsourced and they simply do not have access as part of the contract. An analogy would be if you see your favourite flower parched for water in your back garden but you are not allowed to use your own watering can to resuscitate it!

Relentless focus on cost savings

As a result deploying new technology becomes very difficult and at a disproportionate high cost. Most of the time is spent ‘costing’ the work with a laborious change control process to get the work signed off. This suits the outsourcer perfectly. When it comes to renewal, they can just drop the cost slightly as the environment is completely stable since there has been no technology change!

This is where procurement often fails its organisation, as it’s so obsessed with driving down cost it forgets about cost’s older and wiser cousin: value. So whilst procurement get a big pat on the back they are actually strangling their own organisation’s ability to stay competitive in the long term. The worst thing is this status quo is just accepted by the client and they suffer in silence.

Mainframe modernisation is essential

For some of the organisation’s IT teams this is a good state of affairs, as they are not pressured to deliver much change. But it is deeply frustrating to the modernisers who know that change is essential to maintain profitability and competitiveness in the long run.

For mainframe innovation to be successful, change must be straightforward and the cultural norm. Mainframe change should be a key part of the IT strategy with all departments understanding their responsibility to drive mainframe change.

 

 

About PopUp

PopUp Mainframe enables organisations to spin up mainframe environments quickly on x86 hardware. PopUp meets the need for mainframe development and test environments with absolutely no dependence on the physical mainframe. PopUp offers a solution to mainframe outsourcing and rigid contracts, and in turn, enables mainframe innovation to flourish.

 

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PopUp Mainframe is Launched!

PopUp logo with Sandhata

21st March 2022

The DevOps, Integration and digital transformation specialist, Sandhata Technologies, has launched its new product company, PopUp Mainframe.

PopUp Mainframe is a cutting-edge solution which finally removes the bottleneck of mainframe test environments by enabling clients to create mainframe environments on-demand, either on-prem or in the cloud.

Sandhata Technologies has taken the decision to separate its new product offering, PopUp Mainframe, from Sandhata’s services offering to ensure that PopUp’s software engineering team can focus fully on responding to client needs with the PopUp product roadmap. Sandhata Technologies will continue to offer its award winning consultancy services, specialising in innovative and enterprise-wide DevOps-centric service propositions.

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Mainframe Data Masking and Virtualisation

Mainframe data masking and virtualisation demo

 

PopUp Mainframe & Delphix – A powerful combination

Provision secure mainframe environments on demand on premise and in the cloud.

 

Delphix Continuous Data enables virtualisation and automation of all types of mainframe data (including DB2, VSAM and other flat files) as well as distributed data. These data sources can be fully masked deterministically within Delphix Continuous Compliance, safely securing personal information, then virtualised*. Plug this data into PopUp Mainframe, and you can use the images to create fully data compliant copies of your mainframe environments across your dev and test ecosystems.

 

*Note: Delphix Continuous Compliance masks fixed length files and DB2 data sources out-of-the-box. PopUp’s Mainframe Masking Plugin for Delphix enables the capability to mask all mainframe data sources, including VSAM, QSAM variable length files, as well as IMS databases.

 

Fully masked gold copies

Masked data can be stored as a simple gold copy, or tailored and transformed as required to create additional gold copy flavours.

 

Provision everywhere

Using gold copies, additional environments can be provisioned in minutes via PopUp Mainframe’s self-service and/or fully controlled by pipelines. These environments are disposable and if designed and used correctly, require no maintenance.

PopUp Mainframe can run on-prem and in the cloud, enabling you to have environments on demand across your entire application landscape.

 

Example use cases

  • Offload Production and Test LPAR Processing Costs
  • Reduce the Mainframe MIPS requirement and enable huge cost savings
  • Provide rapid access to Mainframe data and integrate with your distributed systems data
  • Drive DevOps adoption for your Mainframe applications
  • Unlock the value in your Mainframe data to drive AI and ML projects
  • Easily clone and baseline (bookmark) mainframe environment copies
  • Providing Mainframe Developers and Testers with their own environments to accelerate application development and release cycles
  • Enable rapid Incident resolution by providing break-fix environments at user-defined points in time

 

Watch our webinar: Delivering Secured Mainframe Environments On-Demand, to see PopUp Mainframe and Delphix in action!

 

 

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