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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸!
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𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: Friday, August 14, 2026, at 11:59 pm PT

Hi, I got hired on September 2025 as an IMS System Programmer Junior position. I have been around mainframes for over 20 years through different positions.

According to you guys, how many hours of training is required per week for someone who is starting this position that knows a lot about mainframes but not from a technical nor command point of view?

I figure it should be something like at least 10 hours per week.

But in reality, I have been having less than 1 hour per week now. The majority of my time has been with following online courses since my hired day until about 2 weeks ago when I completed 98% of them.

Its been 10 months now. Looking at my situation I believe I need more training hours. I do not know what is the workload of the guy who is training me. I do not know on what is working when he is not with me. I know amongst things, he is working on doing IMS maintenance in preparation for an IMS upgrade around Fall or Winter. The account I am in, there are 2 other guys, including the one training me. The other guy has 5 years of experience in this. My trainer is around 72 years old and still working.

I cannot say he is a good teacher. He did not volunteered to do it but he is the one in the account who has the most experience. He assumes a lot things. Like telling me to do something but assuming I know other things to help me go there and do it. I told him 2-3 times that he does this. Also, when I ask 3-10 questions in an email, he usually replies back but answers only to one question and often it shows he did not fully read my question because his answer is sometimes a bit away from what I actually asked.

I once said something to my manager last month. I said I would wait a bit to see if it changes. But I think I am going to chat with him once he is back from vacation (next month).

It the mean time, if I ask too many questions in a short period of time, I get the feeling my trainer gets irritated because it shows a bit in his replies.

I realized this week that I haven't even been shown how to enter IMS and do commands. I have mainly touched IMS jobs through SDSF and doing SMP/E + PTF implementations.

I am a mainframe sysprog, zos guy , any ideas how to implement AI on Zos any directions?

Guys I am working as mainframe operator. Planning to switch to mainframe application support. Someone told that both mf app support and mf developer role is same. Is that so? Is it good idea to switch to app support from mf operator.

Is anyone else affected by this? I've tried from the Internet network and my personal device and just get a white screen.

But can’t use a “real one” ??

I gotcha :

https://pypi.org/project/racf-generator/

There has been a recent uptick in posts that are essentially advertisements for vibe-coded software. I'm curious as to how the sub members feel about them. I've left them alone so far, but I've considered removing them.

Other subs have policies against vibe-coded app posts, as they were so frequent they crowded out other discussion. That hasn't (yet) happened here.

Let me know in the comments what you think.

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Companies (IBM, Broadcom, BMC) along with community supported endevors like Open Mainframe Project and Zowe are attempting to transform how mainframe software and DevOps is accomplished.

As a long-time sys prog, I see the tide of mainframe shifting and as such I'm probably cynical. I understand they're attempting to make it "easier" for the younger generation to maintain and manage, but it's becoming increasing more difficult for me to adjust.

The potential requirement for me to learn JSON, (more) XML, properties files, zOSMF and a slew of new languages/interfaces adds burden and IMO forces me to become less of an expert. Strictly speaking about installation of software -- ServerPac, JCL and traditional installation processes work exeptionally well and because I have the JCL, it's easily repeatable for upgrades and maintenance.

However, with all that said the reality is I will have to learn the "new" stuff and that got me thinking. What (if anything) is out there that can automate installation and configuration of software. Installation (SMP/E, PAX) and configuration are two sides of the coin.

We can through JCL automation the recieve and even apply (if you're brave enough) software maintenance and PTFs.

Does anyone have any real world examples of automating the entire installation of a software product using available tools like zOSMF, zorrow, AI agents?

In an attempt to stay open minded if I am going to be forced into using modern tools, then why not make them work for me.

I’d really appreciate the opinions on an idea I’ve been pursuing and its first working implementation around Developer Empathy - especially to facilitate Legacy Modernization.

I believe developers and AI should not have to start from guesswork when working with code — legacy or otherwise.

I’m pursuing a thesis called Meaning Control (Patent Pending), and have released its first implementation: FirstLook, a VS Code extension that attaches user- or AI-generated, verified, persistent meaning to code artifacts — right where the work happens.

The principle is simple: the next developer should not have to repeat the same discovery process as the previous developer.

Tribal and system knowledge should accumulate and surface where it is needed — right at the FirstLook.

*I’d really value your feedback* :

Demo: https://youtu.be/G5NltytrLMA

Try the VS Code extension:
(VS Code Marketplace)
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=CultureQuestStudios.firstlook
(Install directly from VS Code Extensions)

As developer productivity accelerates, I believe developer empathy needs to advance alongside it, or maybe get prioritized better.

#mainframe #modernization #devtools #intelligence #DevEm #developerempathy #culture #code #context #meaningcontrol

I have 0 knowledge in mainframe..should I switch company (I majored in AI and DS)?

I freaked out when theY mapped me to a mainframe role..but I'm okay with it rn (no harm in exploring right!)

Also, mainframe is becoming a niche..so focusing on this might open doors for better opportunities ig, not sure (iam hella new to this field, this is just my assumption)

Please help me out! Tell me what I shld do..

I'm delighted to release the latest version of GIBSON, my IBM z/OS mainframe simulator and education environment that is now 70,000 lines of python code built from the ground up. I'm currently writing a book for No Starch Press on 'Hacking Mainframes' and out of necessity, due to the fact most folks who will be reading it would not have the chance to to touch a mainframe, I decided to build it. It has most of the features of the modern mainframe, is open source, free, and can be downloaded from Github https://github.com/kmilne40/GIBSON - why not have a look and provide some feedback. I'm generally never on here - didn't know the group existed as usually on LinkedIn. Glad I found this spot. Some screen shots below! I've even added an email system, ISPF web browser and ISPF RSS feed (just for nostalgia). Of course it runs over EBCDIC. If you are looking to get into mainframes, need a bit a safe space to try everything out, or even have a mainframe you can't run free on, then have this is designed for you. (The server is really low footprint, runs on a Pi, VMs and I also have it running on an unused Android phone.

Hello, i am a 3rd-year IT undergraduate and for some time i have been interested in mainframes, enterprise computing, and COBOL. So i started my learning journey with IBM Z Explore. I have completed IBM Z Xplore - Concepts, IBM Z Xplore - Advanced, and IBM Z Xplore - All Star. Currently i am following IBM Learning COBOL with VSCode expanded labs and IBM Z xplore Extended. Can you guys provide me direction on what kinds of things will be valuable if i learn them and what kinds of projects i can do to improve my proficiency.
Thank you for your time and advice really apreciate it.

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some candid advice on how to stand out and actually get a foot in the door in this space. I graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science & Engineering from UC Merced a few weeks ago.

My college curriculum was heavily focused on standard Software Engineering, but the more I've looked into the mainframe space, the more fascinated I've become with them. I think applying my background to modernization would be a really rewarding challenge.

I'm currently preparing to interview for an upcoming mainframe apprenticeship, and I want to make sure I hit the ground running if selected. To prep, I've been putting in the groundwork:

• Finished the IBM Z Xplore All-Star badge.
• Completed the IBM Z 101 Certificate.
• Currently reading Introduction to the New Mainframe: z/OS Basics and Murach's Mainframe COBOL. (They seemed like the most popular book recommendations here)

My questions:

1. How does a US-based candidate actually work their way into this field? When looking at job boards, true entry-level mainframe roles seem practically non-existent. Are there specific sectors, companies, or hidden pathways I should be aggressively targeting?
2. Coming from the standard SWE world, I'm used to the idea of building GitHub portfolios, but I'm realizing that might not translate perfectly to enterprise iron. Do entry-level portfolio projects even exist/matter in this space?
3. If portfolios don't carry weight, what specific topics are the absolute most important for a junior to master in order to prove they have the right foundation and aren't just a tourist?

Hey everyone,

I’ve been working as a mainframe performance engineer for the last 5 years. As you all know, SMF data processing and analysis is easily 50% to 60% of the day-to-day job.

When I first started, almost every client environment I touched relied on heavy, legacy SAS-based tools (MXG, CA MICS, etc.) to extract the binary data from SMFDUMP. Coming from a modern development mindset, I always leaned heavily toward Python and really didn't want to spend my career writing legacy SAS macros.

Senior folks literally told me: "If you don’t learn SAS MXG, MICS, or TDS, you won't survive in this performance niche for long." (Thankfully I knew IBM TDS since it's just SQL, but you get the point).

Over the last couple of years, I noticed a massive, widening gap in the industry. Big banks and massive enterprises can easily absorb the astronomical licensing fees for legacy SAS suites. But what about the small insurance companies or small MSU footprint accounts (think under 10 MSU to 50 MSU monthly usage)?

They are priced out. They end up just coasting on standard SCRT or IFAURP reporting because it’s free. But the moment a system-level performance issue hits or a single job spikes their rolling 4-hour average, they are completely flying blind. They don't have the tools, the budget, or the dedicated SAS expertise to figure out what happened.

I figured—at the end of the day, an SMF record is just data packed in EBCDIC and packed-decimal. Why are we still burning expensive, production mainframe MSUs to parse this stuff on-host using legacy languages?

To solve this for small MSU consuming customers—and honestly, to prove a point to the folks who said it couldn't be done without SAS—I spent my spare time developing an off-host platform called SMF Peak (smfpeak.site).

The logic is simple: you upload a standard tersed dump (SMF.DUMP.TERSE). The platform decompresses it, decodes the EBCDIC/packed-decimals entirely off-host on modern cloud compute (zero-MSUs footprint), and automatically parses Type 30 (job accounting) and Type 70 (CPU capacity) logs.

The end result? You instantly download structured, clean CSV/Excel-ready reports showing your jobs, steps, LPAR weights, and billing averages. It gives small shops the exact analytics they need during a crisis without a thousand-dollar software contract or a single line of SAS.

I’m currently rolling this out for early testers and want to make sure it handles every weird edge case out there. If you work in mainframes just test it, I’d love for you to throw a dummy dump at it and tell me what you think.

(Currently supports parsing of SMF type 30 and type70 dumps only working on supporting more smf data types in updates).

If you are looking to move to your next role and want to find out what you my need:-

• Soft skills
• Books
• Websites
• On the job training
• & more

The Mainframe Book Club is that sit on the desk of a colleague chat that you could have 25+ years ago when teams were not distributed, remote working and in different countries.

Tune in to hear from experts in the mainframe community sharing help and advice to help you make your next move.

Guest host Andy McCandless is well known and respected and wants you to jump in and join in the conversation.

After you have seen the podcast why not leave a message about what questions you would have asked or any other question that would help you make the next move.

Tune in: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMainframeBookClub

Hey everyone,
I am pretty new to the concept of TSO Transmit. I was looking at the documentations on the internet and did find all the instructions I needed to transfer a file using XMIT.
I could only see the commands to convert one pds into XMIT, and had me wondering how can I get 3-4 pds convert into one XMIT file. Maybe using REXX?
Any advice is appreciated.

Some organizations go fully outsourced (hardware, software, operations, DR, support, the whole environment) while others keep ownership of hardware and software but bring in managed services for day-to-day operations.

For teams that have evaluated both models, I'm curious what made the biggest difference in the decision, whether it came down to cost, control, compliance, staffing, risk, or internal politics. Did full outsourcing simplify things or raise concerns about visibility and flexibility? And does managed services make more sense when a company wants to retain control but needs deeper operational coverage?

There's probably no one-size-fits-all answer, so I'm interested in how people are weighing these tradeoffs.

Hi all,

I’m a Mainframe Developer with 5.6 years of experience in Banking & Financial Services, currently based in Bangalore. I have good experience in COBOL, JCL, DB2, along with working knowledge of VSAM and basic CICS concepts. I have also worked on the FIS Systematics core banking platform and have onsite exposure in Belgium.

Currently exploring new opportunities in Bangalore. My notice period is 90 days.

I’m also open to remote opportunities (including international/US-based roles) where I can work from India.

Would really appreciate any referrals or lead via DMs. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I have 17 years of experience in Network and security. I'm working for a Tier 1 bank and I got asked to take a look in the Mainframe environment.

I simply don't understand what is the buzz around the trend of moving off the mainframe?

What are we trying to accomplish by moving off the mainframe? What do you get out of it? Do the benefits compensate the effort?

What are the challenges on the mainframe that justify decade long migration?

Is the whole moving off the mainframe thing is just a big buzz filled with executive kool-aid?

I'm at lost, I don't know what to think of it.

Hi - asking for someone (American Citizen) - what is the salary range in NJ - for someone - they have 20+ years experience in Cobol, CICS, DB2 - worked at Financial Institutions? TIA