As enterprise computing continues to evolve, the intersection of open source software and mainframe technology has shifted from an emerging trend to an industry standard. Across the global ecosystem, open source tools, frameworks, and community initiatives are reshaping how developers, systems programmers, and enterprise architects interact with IBM Z and LinuxONE.

This October, the enterprise community comes together in Atlanta, Georgia for IBM TechXchange 2026 on October 26 -29. Designed as a deep-dive, technical conference for hands-on practitioners, IBM TechXchange  explores practical developments in hybrid cloud, AI automation, and mainframe modernization.

For the Open Mainframe Project community, this event provides a place to connect, share real-world implementation insights, and see open source projects (from Zowe and the zopen community to modernization initiatives) in action..

Pre-Conference Day: Featured Sessions to Put on Your Agenda

Get ready to kick off TechXchange early! Join us on Sunday, October 26 for Pre-Conference Day—a full day dedicated to mainframe modernization, open-source innovations, and practical z/OS strategies across two parallel tracks.

Here is a quick look at a few can’t-miss sessions on the schedule:

• Modernizing Open Source on z/OS: What’s New in zopen
  Haritha D & Igor Todorovski (IBM) — Discover the latest developments in porting open-source tools to z/OS and streamlining developer workflows.
• OpenTelemetry on the Mainframe: Zero-Code Instrumentation
  Rudiger Schulze (IBM) — Learn how to implement zero-code instrumentation, semantic conventions, and observability collectors on IBM Z.
• How to Captain Your USS Environment (z/OS UNIX)
  Joe Winchester (IBM) & Steven Perva (Ensono) — Master sudo, shells, SSH, and advanced navigation in UNIX System Services.
• Two Developers Walk Into a Mainframe: A Generational Love Story
  Armin Kramer & Philipp Kremling (CROZ DACH GmbH) — An insightful look at bridging generational skill gaps and bringing modern development practices to mainframe teams.
• CBT Tape: CBT Tape – a power house of mainframe power ups
  Ray Mullens (Broadcom) and Joe Winchester (IBM) — A practical demonstration of how     the legendary CBT Tape project is modernizing on GitHub and simplifying z/OS software installation through new ISPF panels.
• Empowering AI Experiences with Zowe Foundations: The Zowe MCP Server
  Dan Kelosky (Broadcom)— A deep dive and live demo showing how the Zowe MCP    Server bridges mainframe resources with modern generative AI workflows for secure z/OS interaction.

Want to explore the complete lineup?

Whether you’re looking to deep-dive into Zowe, explore open-source tools on z/OS, or connect with key project leads across the community, we’ve got a full lineup of sessions tailored for you.

Click here to review the full listing of Open Mainframe sessions and build your custom schedule for Pre-Conference Day and beyond!

(Note: Check the official IBM TechXchange Session Catalog for full room assignments and real-time schedule updates as the event approaches as well as the full catalog of events.)

Get Involved and Connect

Open source thrives on community collaboration. Beyond the technical breakout sessions and hands-on labs, IBM TechXchange offers numerous opportunities to meet fellow mainframers, exchange best practices, and contribute to the future of enterprise open source:

1. Attend Pre-Conference Day & Networking Meetups: Connect with project maintainers, TAC members, and fellow contributors across Open Mainframe Project hosted initiatives.
2. Engage with Project Maintainers: Bring your questions, feature requests, and feedback directly to the teams building open source mainframe tooling.
3. Follow Along Online: If you cannot make it to Atlanta in person, stay connected via the Open Mainframe Project LinkedIn page for event recaps and community updates.

We look forward to seeing the Open Mainframe Project community in Atlanta this October as we continue building an open, modern, and collaborative environment for enterprise computing.

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