Mainframe the Legacy System
Mainframe remains the powerhouse of information flowing in and out of major companies around the world.
What is a Mainframe?
If you break down a Mainframe, at its core it is a computer - just one with incredible processing power and memory. Companies rely on these powerful machines because they have the ability to process billions of transactions and calculations instantaneously. These high power computers have substantial memory and processors that are perfect for commercial databases, transaction servers, and applications that need high resiliency, security, and agility.
The Mainframe came about in the 1950's, but its legacy holds strong today as it continues to be the backbone of transaction processing around the world. Mainframes are used in a multitude of industries including Banking, Airlines, Insurance, Health Care, Fortune 500 Companies, and both State and Federal Governments. These computers focus on high volume input and output with a great emphasis on throughput computing which is essential for businesses in these industries.
Mainframe Statistics:
- 92 of the top 100 banks use a Mainframe
- 23 of the top 25 airlines rely on Mainframe
- 10 of the world's top 10 insurance Agencies count on the Mainframe
- 71% of Fortune 500 Companies depend on the Mainframe
- Mainframes handle 30 billion transactions every day
- 80% of the world's business data is stored on a Mainframe
- 90% of credit card transactions are processed by a Mainframe
- More transactions happen on a mainframe everyday than Google
- Up to $3 trillion in commercial commerce flows through a Mainframe every day
Why Business Still Use Mainframe?
With all the technology available today, why would anyone choose a system that dates back over 70 years. In fact, many IT professionals have said that the Mainframe is antiquated technology and have made numerous predictions about the Mainframe's ultimate extinction. However, the Mainframe remains strong as an enterprise powerhouse, despite these predictions that stem from the 1990's. The Mainframe continues to survive because nothing can compete with its reliability, speed, capacity, security, and intelligence.
Mainframes are known for their encryption and security technologies which makes them less susceptible to security breaches. Bank account numbers, health information, and personal identifying information flow in and out of Mainframes at incredible speeds and with incredible volume, leaving any company vulnerable to security breaches. However, due to the immense processing speed of the Mainframe data breaches are less common as the data has flowed out of the processor before it can be accessed by ill-intentioned individuals.
These machines offer more than just processing power they are also incredibly reliable; in fact they are so reliable that their downtime is often not a factor. Any business disruption or down time can be costly to your business and detrimental to customer retention, the Mainframe combats this with the ability to run for decades without interruption. Multiple LPARs (Logical PARtitions) allow updates to be made on one part of the machine while data continues to flow in another. In many cases these LPARs will work simultaneously turning on or off based on data flow. Any issues in one LPAR are circumvented by using a second LPAR, eliminating business disruption.
The biggest criticism that Mainframes face is that they are considered outdated technology. However, the Mainframe is incredibly adaptable with a large number of programming languages and applications running on these machines. They have the same flexibility as using a server, but with the increased security and encryption that only a Mainframe can offer. Additionally, there are many applications that make the code easier to interpret for programmers who are not used to the look of Mainframe.
How we Support the Mainframe
CM2 Software believes in the importance of keeping your Mainframe running and your applications current. Our team works hard to maintain Mainframes for companies of all sizes and industries. Like all pieces of technology, Mainframes require maintenance to keep applications running at peak performance. We offer three methods of support for your Mainframe applications.
An application specialist will have direct access to your Mainframe to manage the application code and ensure that it is running properly. This includes maintaining code, identifying and correcting any bugs, and remediating any security risks. Using an Application Admin who is experienced in a specific application aids in auditing and security by eliminating unnecessary code from less knowledgeable sources.
Application Support
Applications do not support themselves. This is where the experts at CM2 Software step in to aid your developers in necessary upgrades and patches. We create a seamless transition from current production to upgraded features of existing product. We perform all aspects of application deployment and customizations to fit perfectly in your infrastructure.
Programming Support
CM2 Software employs developers who are well versed in the most common programming languages used on the Mainframe. We offer you support by identifying deficiencies in current code and remediating to ensure the program works as expected. If you are looking for a unique solution for your Mainframe, our team is able to write unique code that can perform a plethora of actions on the system.