Your Mainframe Risks are Predictable

Whether we acknowledge it or not, most of the decisions we make are based on perceived risks. Many organizations have not begun to modernize their mainframe environments and applications because they thought their risks were lower by doing nothing. Our clients, prospects, and the market at large are telling us the scales have now clearly tipped: staying on the mainframe is now higher risk than modernizing.

Aging workforce has now jumped to the top of the list for most organizations. Recent events have certainly shined a light on the current and growing skills shortage issue related to mainframe operations and COBOL development skills.  

To determine your organization’s skills risk is a matter of considering a few questions:

1. What is the minimum number of mainframe operators your environment requires?

2. How many of which mainframe application developers do you need for applications to be viable?

3. Do you have mainframe-only database people and how many are needed to operate?

4. For each of the people you have in the categories above, what is your best, reasonable estimate of their time to retirement of departure?

5. What will the availability of replacement staff in your area be relative number four above?

These questions are critical because otherwise we tend to think of risks existing in a very short period in front of us. This is especially dangerous when we know modernization projects take time to complete. By realistically, not optimistically, determining when you will have problems you can back-up to determine the runway for modernization.

No rational information technology (IT) professional enjoys when the IT hits the fan. We can project when the IT will hit the fan therefore it is incumbent upon us to avoid it; especially when most mainframe environments are mission critical. Astadia has successfully completed more than 200 mainframe modernization projects over 27 plus years. We can help you assess your options, develop a plan, and successfully break free of your mainframe. Get in touch with our experts today.

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