Guest: Joe Bostian (LinkedIn, Twitter)
Company/Project: Ambitus Project | Open Mainframe Project (Twitter)
Show: Let’s Talk
Topics:  Open Mainframe, Mainframe, Open Source, IBM Z, z/OS, Linux

Ambitus is an open-source project bringing together developers and systems architects to enable an ecosystem that fosters a better understanding of how open source environments can work on the IBM Z platform. The project is primarily aimed at developers who have an idea for a project but it is not large enough to need its own space under the Open Mainframe Project (OMP) umbrella. Ambitus hosts sub-projects that have a code base and a number of users who work on that code base. The project aims to provide a place where developers can push their code to a repository and publish it that way.

In this episode of TFiR Let’s Talk, Swapnil Bhartiya sat down with Joe Bostian, Chair of the OMP’s Ambitus project, to discuss how Ambitus is helping developers create open source solutions that make optimal use of z/OS and Linux on Z. Bostian says, “Our goals are to enhance the adoption of these workflows and these tool sets across the spectrum of open source capabilities for IBM Z for both Linux and z/OS. Those are our primary platforms that we’re focused on. The wider we can build the code base of users or the base of users, the better off we’re going to be.”

Ambitus provides some background and history of open source development on z/OS and particular attributes of the platform that developers should be aware of. The project can also provide information on best practices such as copyright statements, licensing and other assets that need to be included with a project. Developers can also find other projects under the Open Mainframe project which they can use to develop from and build upon.

One of the resources Ambitus provides is a repository for Linux containers where they have a set of Dockerfiles that give you directions on how to build a Docker container that could be deployed on Linux on Z or z/OS. There are also usage notes on how to start the container and what the different arguments are to start it.

The project’s goal is to build up the base of users to a point where they can start graduating some of the programs to their own particular project under the Open Mainframe project. Bostian likens the Ambitus Project to a mini incubator, where sub-projects that gain momentum can potentially be graduated to a standalone project under the OMP.

About Joe Bostian: Joe Bostian is a Senior Software Engineer at IBM and the Chair of Open Mainframe Project’s Ambitus Project.

About Ambitus: Ambitus fosters a community that will help educate developers about all open source technologies on z/OS and Linux on Z.

About the Open Mainframe Project: The Open Mainframe Project is intended to serve as a focal point for deployment and use of Linux and Open Source in a mainframe computing environment. With a vision of Open Source on the Mainframe as the standard for enterprise class systems and applications, the project’s mission is to build community and adoption of Open Source on the mainframe by eliminating barriers to Open Source adoption on the mainframe, demonstrating value of the mainframe on technical and business levels, and strengthening collaboration points and resources for the community to thrive.

The summary of the show is written by Emily Nicholls.