SHARE Columbus 2022 (Columbus, Ohio + Virtual)
2022-08-21 - 2022-08-26
Join us for SHARE Columbus, August 21-26, 2022, for a week-long program of unmatched education, face-to-face networking opportunities, live technical sessions and receptions. Register for the conference here: https://www.share.org/Events/SHARE-Columbus-2022/Registration.
Several Open Mainframe Project Ambassadors will be on-site to represent various projects including COBOL, Zowe and more. Check out the schedule here:
Monday, August 22: Zowe Day
Zowe Day offers 4 information-packed educational sessions designed to be consumable regardless of experience level or role. Attend just one or as many as you like – this is a great opportunity to meet and learn from the experts! Join our vibrant community and help shape the future of Zowe.
9:45 -10:45 am

Zowe Day Part 1: Overview of Zowe, Today and Beyond – Rose Sakach (Broadcom) and Bruce Armstrong (IBM) Session 1 kicks off the day with a general Zowe overview and is recommended for all, but a must for those new to Zowe.

11 am – 12 pm

Zowe Day Part 2: How Zowe Helps DevOps – Joe Winchester (IBM) and Michael Bauer (Broadcom) If your organization is interested in enabling mainframe DevOps – don’t miss Session 2 where the focus on Zowe Command Line Interface (CLI) Use Cases will demonstrate its applicability.

1:45 – 2:45 pm

Zowe Day Part 3: Deploy and Configure Zowe – Security Updates – Joe Winchester (IBM) and Rose Sakach (Broadcom) System Administrators responsible for the install and configuration of Zowe will want to reserve a seat for Session 3 where the experts will offer step-by-step best practices with guidance on security options and additional recommendations for consideration.

3:15 – 4:15 pm

Zowe Day Part 4: How to extend Zowe – Michael Bauer (Broadcom) We will conclude the day with a focus on the development community interested in extending Zowe. Session 4 will showcase the programmable interfaces and their associated Zowe Conformance programs.

Monday, August 22:
11 – 12 am

Women of COBOL Panel Discussion – Misty Decker (Micro Focus) With the launch of the new Women of COBOL video series on Tech Channel, we’re looking to feature women for their technical knowledge and expand visibility to the amazing work these women are doing. In this panel discussion, we’ll meet some Women of COBOL and learn about their personal journey and the technical areas they are experts in.

Tuesday, August 23:
8 -9 am

Zowe Version 2 Updates – Domenico D’Alterio (IBM), Bruce Armstrong (IBM), Joe Winchester (IBM) and Michael Bauer (Broadcom) Zowe allows you to protect your investment in z/OS and build the future of the mainframe in an open, simple and familiar way. Zowe 1.0 entered in maintenance mode, Zowe 2.0 recently became the “active” Long Term Release (LTS) of Zowe from the open community. It is based on 2+ years feedback on Zowe 1.0 from enterprise customers and the z/OS mainframe community at large. In this presentation you will learn about the enhancements that are available as part of Zowe 2.0 as well as you will learn what you need to know to migrate from Zowe 1.0 to Zowe 2.0.

9:15 -10 15 am

What’s New in Zowe 2.0: Desktop, Apps and ZSS – Sean Grady (Rocket Software) Zowe v2.0 is its first big change since Zowe launched in 2018. Each section has improvements and new features, and there’s plenty to cover so join this session if you’d like to see what changes for installation and use of the Desktop, ZSS, and their Apps. Whether you’re a developer or user, we’ll have tips for you to migrate and make best use of Zowe 2.0.

10:30 – 11:30 am

Schemas for Zowe 2.0: How they evolve the way you setup and validate Zowe – Sean Grady (Rocket Software) Zowe’s latest server release improves upon Zowe to address a common request: Make zowe server configuration easy to understand and validate! In 2.0, we’ve added schemas everywhere and we’ll show you how this revolutionizes and simplifies how you setup Zowe, track changes, and clone & verify configuration.

Wednesday, August 24:
8-9 am

Getting Your Mainframe Ready for High Performance with Cloud Storage – Eddy Ciliendo & Tomer Zelberzvig (Model9) While the mainframe is a robust mission critical platform , there is new storage out there barely being utilized by the mainframe. What is cloud storage? How do you connect to it from your mainframe? What needs to be done on the mainframe and TCP/IP in order to get high performance with cloud storage?

10:30 – 11:30 am

How to Monitor and Manage Mainframe and Storage Performance Metrics Utilizing Voice and Open Source Software Tools – Len Santalucia, Justin Santer, Vincent Terrone (Vicom Infinity, a Converge Company) We hear a lot of talk about hybrid, multiplatform, and Internet of Things. In this session, Vicom Infinity, a contributor and silver member of the Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project, will talk about their quest for easier access to mainframe and storage performance metrics by simply using your voice in a completely secure manner. ZEBRA (Zowe Embedded Browser for RMF/SMF and APIs) is an open source SW project under Linux Foundation’s Open Mainframe Project’s ZOWE Project. It intends to provide re-usable and industry compliant JSON formatted RMF/SMF data records, so that many other SW providers and users can exploit them. VIVA, Vicom Infinity Voice Assistant posted at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE8IQaE3rUs , is a secure voice assistant that enables enterprise systems clients to use a voice user interface for their enterprise applications in a completely private and secure way. The integration of ZEBRA and VIVA provides the ultimate solution for fast and easy access to mainframe and storage performance metrics data.

1:15-2:15 pm

I get my CICS on Route Zowe! – Joe Winchester (IBM) and Ezriel J. Gross (Rocket Software) This presentation will show how to use ope source Zowe tooling to develop, administer, deploy and test CICS applications. We’ll show how to build automation to drive CICS automation for compilation and deployment from a stand-alone environment using the Zowe command line interface, as well as how to embed scripts in a Jenkins CICD pipeline. We’ll show how to use Visual Studio Code Zowe extensions to work with JCL, REXX and TSO to drive z/OS, as well as how to write, compile, and debug COBOL and Java CICS programs. We’ll show how to use VS Code tasks to integrate with CLI scripts. We’ll show how to use the Visual Studio Code Zowe CICS Explorer plugin to connect to CICS regions, to view resources and perform actions like newcopy, enable/disable, and perform development tasks without needing to use CEMT or other CICS interfaces. We’ll show how to develop CICS programs with BMS maps, CICS programs with web services, and CICS Java programs, all using Visual Studio Code Zowe extensions. This presentation has content for experienced CICS developers and system programmers, as well as newcomers who want to learn how to interact with CICS through a CLI and through Visual Studio Code. This presentation will also cover interacting with Db2, MQ and other subsystems that make up a CICS program’s technology stack.

4-5 pm

Navigating the Minefield: Diversity Tips for White Males – Misty Decker (Micro Focus) Does diversity make you a little nervous? Do you worry about giving someone a compliment or asking about their culture for fear of offending them? You know that tech needs to be more diverse and you want to be sensitive to your diverse colleagues’ feelings, but how do you do that? In this open and honest conversation, we’ll share tips for white males hoping to support their diverse colleagues without offending.

Thursday, August 25:

8-9 am

Mentors Wanted: The Role of White Males in Improving Diversity and Inclusion – Misty Decker and Derek Britton (Micro Focus) Does it seem as though white males are often relegated to the sidelines of diversity efforts? It’s unclear what role they can play in improving the diversity and inclusion of their organizations. When it comes to mentors, most people tend to connect with someone like them. But white males can provide very valuable advice and support for women and people of color, if delivered appropriately. In this session, Misty Decker (mentee) and Derek Britton (mentor) will share lessons learned from their mentor/mentee relationship and help you learn how to explore a similar partnership in ensuring diverse talent grows and succeeds.

9:15 – 10:15 am

A Demo of Integrating Workload Automation in Automated Processes through Zowe Extensions – Domenico D’Alterio (IBM) Zowe enables the integration of Z specific workflow and actions in hybrid cloud application and processes. IBM Z Workload Scheduler extends Zowe API Mediation Layer and the Zowe CLI with a set of Workload Automation specifics that enable integration scenarios to, for example, resolve a ticket. Come and learn how IBM Z Workload Scheduler extensions of Zowe enable a real automated scenario for ticket resolution, a demo of the scenario will be showed as part of the session.

Friday, August 26:
8-9 am

Extending the Access, Personas and Use Cases for z/OS Based REST Services: Zowe Chat – Domenico D’Alterio (IBM) and Bruce Armstrong (IBM) Zowe is always evolving and adding new capabilities to extend the access, personas and use cases for z/OS interaction. Zowe Chat provides access to z/OS based services from a chat tool, enabling team collaboration in problem solving and more through the collaborative tool already in use in your enterprise. Come and learn about this new Zowe component, so how it is extensible and how it can help in your daily job.

8-9 am

Simplified Container Management with SUSE Rancher – Mike Friesenegger (SUSE) During this session, attendees will be introduced to SUSE Rancher and how it orchestrates Kubernetes to deliver Kubernetes-as-a-Service. Learn about Rancher components with a demo that shows the deployment and use of Rancher components running on IBM Z and LinuxONE.

9:15-10:15 am

Modernize z/OS System Management with As-a-Service Approach – Hiren Shaw (IBM) Today, z/OS day-to-day administration requires specialized z/OS System programming skills. This session talks about how z/OS Management Services Catalog revolutionizes z/OS system management with easy-to-use modern interface. We will demonstrate how you can transform the way you manage your z/OS environment with the new z/OS Management Services Catalog. Completing z/OS management tasks is now simpler than ever for early tenure system programmers. This cloud-like interface helps systems programmers of all skill levels to be self-sufficient and productive using services.

9:15 am-10:15 am

Feilong: The Open Source API for z/VM Automation – Mike Friesenegger (SUSE) Feilong is an Open Mainframe project. Come learn about the project as well as be introduced to the technical components. A demonstration will show the API in action driving z/VM functionality as well as how the API is used to provision and manage a cloud on z/VM.

9:15 – 10:15 am

Why we chose Zowe to help Advance our Mainframe Automation Initiatives – Rose Sakach (Broadcom) When tasked with enabling automation to address a series of infrastructure-group managed procedures, this technical team began investigating leveraging APIs and Curl scripts but ultimately decided to use Zowe CLI. Join this session to learn why and gain insights into how Zowe can help advance your mainframe automation initiatives.

Learn more about SHARE Columbus at the main event website here.

Open Mainframe Summit 2022 (Philadelphia, PA + Virtual)
2022-09-21 - 2022-09-22
Open Mainframe Project is excited to announce that Open Mainframe Summit will be an in-person event this year! Join us on September 21-22, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA. Register here: https://events.linuxfoundation.org/open-mainframe-summit/
If you missed the 2021 event, you can find a recap here. Or, you can find the all the videos available on the Open Mainframe Summit 2021 playlist on our Youtube Channel.

All Things Open 2022
2022-10-30 - 2022-11-02
All Things Open 2022, which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year, will take place on October 30-November 2 in Raleigh, NC.
Three beliefs are at the core of what we do:

Technology will continue to increase in importance and influence as we move forward
Open Source is at the core of innovation and remains a gateway to participation and opportunity
Live events and in-person communication and dialogue will continue to increase in importance and have never been more vital

These beliefs and created events and platforms that have hosted tens of thousands from all over the world, including All Things Open, the largest open-source event on the U.S. east coast.
Submit a speaking proposal (deadline April 22): https://www.allthingsopen.org/call-for-papers-2022/
Learn more on the main event website: https://www.allthingsopen.org/.

Open Source Finance Forum (New York, New York)
2022-12-08
Open Source in Finance Forum, hosted on December 8 in New York City, is the only conference dedicated to driving collaboration and innovation in financial services through open source software and standards. Learn more or register here.
The event brings together experts across financial services, technology, and open source to engage our community in stimulating and thought-provoking conversations about how to best (and safely) leverage open source software to solve industry challenges.
Open Mainframe Project will be on-site with a panel titled, “Trends in Enterprise Open Source.” Panelists include Alex Kim, Open Source Incubator Advocate at IBM; Misty Decker, Director, Worldwide Product Marketing, AMC Portfolio at Micro Focus; Len Santalucia, CTO at Vicom Infinity, a Converge Company; and Moderator John Mertic, Director of Program Management at the Linux Foundation.
Forward-thinking organizations no longer consider their IT infrastructure as the cost of doing business but as a competitive advantage. These organizations have various IT services and infrastructure, from SaaS services, cloud-native applications, edge computing, and even mainframe. This hybrid infrastructure isn’t an easy out-of-the-box solution. However, the ability to tailor it to their business needs enables them to create better customer experiences and engagement. In this panel, global IT leaders will share how they view and use open source projects including benefits, perceived barriers and strategies that can be applied to your organization. Add this session to your schedule here.
Learn more about the conference or to register for it, visit the main event website: https://events.linuxfoundation.org/open-source-finance-forum-new-york/

Zowe Day @ SHARE New Orleans
2023-08-14
SHARE New Orleans takes place on August 13-18 at the Hyatt Regency. Open Mainframe Project will be represented at the conference with several sessions. including Zowe Day.
Zowe Day will take place on Monday, August 14.
9:45 – 10:45 am: Zowe Day Part 1: Zowe Hot Topics: Installation & Administration
Bring your installation questions, suggestions and challenges to this session! Our Zowe experts will share tips & tricks for installing and administering Zowe z/OS components (API Mediation Layer, Desktop, & ZSS) and introduce you to Zen: the mainframe installation wizard for Zowe.
Speakers:

Sean Grady, Rocket Software
Jan Prihoda, Broadcom
Joe Winchester, IBM

11 am – 12 pm: Zowe Day Part 2: Zowe V2 Technical Highlights: API-ML, CLI, Web UI, Explorers, SDKs, Chat and Event Streaming
Join this session if you want to know what’s new with Zowe V2 and a peek at Zowe V3. The Zowe Community Squad leads summarize features, functions, capabilities and important changes delivered in all of the Zowe V2 LTS release components as well as new components introduced as Technical Previews and GA extensions.
Speakers:

Sean Grady, Rocket Software
Elliot Jalley, Broadcom
Mark Ackert, Broadcom
Uladzislau Kalesnikau, IBA
Adam Wolfe, Broadcom

1:45 – 2:45 pm: Zowe Day Part 3: An Overview of Zowe’s Zero Trust Architecture with Technical Tips for Configuring Zowe Security
Zowe Security Deep Dive. Looking to better understand Zowe security? Don’t miss this session. We’ll review it from two angles. First, how the Zowe Community produces Zowe as secure open source software and second, how Zowe consumers configure Zowe components for high availability (HA), access & authentication that align with their internal security policies.
Speakers:

Mark Ackert, Broadcom
Sean Grady, Rocket Software
Joe Winchester, IBM

3:15 – 4:15 pm: Zowe Day Part 4: Built-On-Zowe: Extenders Showcase Their Apps
With over 75 Zowe conformant extensions, you are bound to be using a product, solution or practical application enabled by one of them! Attend this session to see demonstrations and meet the vendors who develop them.
Speakers:

Domenico D’Alterio, IBM
Michael DuBois, Broadcom
Jeff Cherrington, Rocket Software

Learn more or register on the main SHARE website.

All Things Open (Raleigh, NC)
2023-10-15 - 2023-10-17
All Things Open will be hosted on October 15-17 in Raleigh, North Carolina. ATO is an educational conference where attendees learn about new technologies and topics, and it’s always been that way. The goal is for attendees to leave having learned something or been made aware of something new.
Open Mainframe Project will be featured in the event in this session:
Monday, October 16:
2:45 – 3:30 pm: Linux Distribution Collaboration …on a Mainframe! – Elizabeth Joseph, Global Head, Open Source Program Office for IBM zSystems & LinuxONE at IBM
Linux has run on the mainframe architecture (s390x) for over 20 years now, and there’s even Linux-only mainframe hardware! But tight collaboration between the Linux distributions is rather new. Enter the Open Mainframe Project Linux Distributions Working Group, founded in late 2021.
Bringing together various Linux distributions, both corporate-backed and community-driven, representatives from openSUSE, Debian, Fedora, SUSE, and more immediately joined the effort to share bug reports and patches that impact all the distributions. Issues are often shared and discussed on the mailing list, and more complicated topics covered during the monthly meetings. The working group has a number of success stories that will be shared.
Future potential issues are also tackled, and notes shared about upstream changes that may soon impact the package processes. In the latest effort, the team has started thinking about actual upstream projects to invite to our group to be more pro-active about changes that may cause problems on the s390x architecture.
But more importantly, this is a story about community and collaboration. Many people view the various Linux distributions as a competitive space, but like so much of the open source software community, we are all more successful when we share knowledge about our core. The success of this working group, and growing enthusiasm for it from new Linux distributions who are joining, is a great example of this.
All Things Open is not managed by the Linux Foundation or Open Mainframe Project. To register or learn more about the conference, click on the All Things Open conference: https://2023.allthingsopen.org/.

IBM Z Day 2023 (Virtual Conference managed by IBM)
2023-10-18
Join us for IBM Z Day on October 18 from 8 am – 5 pm ET to connect, learn and be inspired.

IBM Z Day is a free 1-day enterprise computing virtual conference for anyone and everyone! Hear the latest about IBM Z and LinuxONE, and join our lineup of global thought leaders who will highlight industry trends and innovation spanning Hybrid Cloud, AI, Quantum-Safe Security, and more!
REGISTER FOR IBM Z DAY NOW: ibm.biz/ibmzday-2023
Explore 5 content-rich learning tracks:

IBM Z – Build an AI-infused, cyber resilient hybrid cloud platform with unmatched, industry-first quantum-safe security that enables you to deliver ground-breaking innovation with greater productivity and a lower carbon footprint.
App Modernization – Accelerate application modernization and AIOps across IBM Z and Cloud leveraging APIs to access applications and data, implement enterprise DevOps and full application observability all as you learn how IBM is infusing AI into application modernization.
Data & AI – NEW! Dive deep into how the Data & AI on IBM Z’s portfolio offers resilient, efficient, no-compromise enterprise data serving for the world’s most demanding hybrid cloud, transactional, and analytics applications on IBM Z.
Sustainability – When sustainability, productivity and profitability coexist they support profit and planet. Hear from environmental, business and IT thought leaders on how IT can identify and reduce energy usage, and where IBM Z and LinuxONE are already making a positive impact on our planet.

IBM Z Skills Acceleration – Get free training & network with like-minded early professionals, students and lifelong learners from all around the world to advance skills & learn from subject matter experts.

Sign Up NOW: ibm.biz/ibmzday-2023

SHARE (Orlando, Florida)
2024-03-03 - 2024-03-07
SHARE, an independent volunteer-run information technology association that provides education, professional networking and industry influence, invites you to join them in Orlando on March 3-7, 2024. SHARE is an associate member of the Open Mainframe Project and Open Mainframe ambassadors will be on-site. Check out these Open Mainframe Project -related sessions and register here.
**All sessions are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST) and will take place at the Rosen Centre Hotel.
Monday, March 4:
9:15 – 10:15 am: Customer Success Stories with the Open Mainframe Project Zowe – Joe Winchester and Ross Cruickshank, IBM, and Murali P Panchalingam
This talk covers a number of success customer stories and use cases adoptiong Zowe technology, focusing on Education and training of New to Z staff, DevOps and automation scripting, Db2 modernization through Zowe Desktop extensions and VS Code development, as well as custom SDK dashboards to build situational apps for in-house productivy. Each scenario is backed up by quotes and videos from the customers together with sample code and tips and information for others in their Zowe journey, whether getting started or wanting to learn from the success of others.
1:15-2:15 pm: The “ABC’s” of Building Dashboards Using Zowe APIs – Rose Sakach and Toine Micheielse, Broadcom
Ready to build a mainframe app using APIs? Then don’t miss this session. We’ll walk through each step of creating a simple dashboard using Zowe APIs, Python, a data store, and Kibana. Walk away with a handy checklist containing all the details – no notebook required!
2:45-3:45 pm: IBM Z System Automation 4.3 – Exploit Zowe and REST APIs to Enable Next Gen Operators – Gunnar Freitag, IBM
Learn about exciting new Z Automation capabilities of the new SA z/OS 4.3 release supporting IBM Z and DevOps for enhanced operations management. Learn about – On-demand automated resources to dynamically adapt to changing business requirements – The new ability to access your automation environment via REST calls and a wide variety of added enhancements making your life easier. Come and learn about user scenarios and improvements delivered recently.
4-5 pm: Learn How Zowe Explorer Empowers Both New and Experienced Mainframers – Joe Winchester, Billie Simmons, Ross Cruickshank, IBM
The Zowe Explorer Visual Studio Code plugin is being adopted as “the new face of Z” across the specturm of mainframe experience from education courses “IBM Z Explore, COBOL training” through to experienced system programmers and assembler developers using it as their preferred IDE and mainframe “all-in-one” productivity workbench. This talk covers the different scenarios and use cases that enable everyone to explorer the mainframe with Zowe as their navigator.
Tuesday, March 5:
7:15 – 7:45 am: BOF: Mainframe Open Education Project – William Cash, Hunter JOhnson and J.J. Lovett, Broadcom
Working session to build upon research conducted by the Core Team Members regarding roles and responsibilities, the most desired education topics for NextGen mainframes, evolving education to meet and suit the needs of new mainframers. We are looking to maintain engagement to drive year-round learning and education for the entire ecosystem through various avenues.
10:30 – 11:30 am: Enterprise Deployment and Configuration of Zowe – Joe Winchester and Ross Cruickshank, IBM, and Murali P Panchalingam
As Zowe grows in maturity and adoption, more customers are deploying it at scale, in production environments, and relying on it for more critical infrastructure workloads. This talk covers the use cases and patterns to assist with Enterprise roll-out, covering everything from initial install and configuration of the first POC, through to securing with client certificates, MFA, high availability within an LPAR or cross syplex, rolling out updates, central configuration of connection details.
1-2 pm: PSP: Next-Gen Mainframe DevX with IntelliJ IDEA, Jenkins, and GitHub – Uladzislau Kalesnikau (Software Engineer, IBA Group
In this presentation, we focus on enhancing the Developer Experience (DevX) for mainframe systems by developing mainframe source code within the IntelliJ IDEA IDE environment, managed as GitHub projects. Specifically, we will delve into the build stage of the IBA Group DevOps suite, which is based on Zowe products. Our discussion will include an in-depth look at the testing options available in this setup, as well as Jenkins’ role in automating and optimizing workflows. We will also test how easily we can expand our solution by adding more parts, and how well it can function in different settings. This will involve using CICS and working with various programming languages like COBOL, HLASM, Java, and Python.
Looking ahead, we’ll examine the potential impact of the Language Server Protocol (LSP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) on enhancing mainframe development in upcoming versions. This presentation is crucial for mainframe developers looking to enhance their DevX and modernize their development practices using IntelliJ IDEA.
Wednesday, March 6:
5:30-6:30 pm: ZEN – The “Easy Button” for Zowe Installation – Jan Prihoda, Broadcom
ZEN helps you speed the deployment of Zowe through a wizard-driven configuration guide. Easily exploit rich features such as variable value validation, real-time security validation, assistance with certificate management, and configuration file validation with just a few clicks. Come and see for yourself what ZEN can do from the comfort of your desktop!
Check out the complete schedule for SHARE and register here.

Grazer Linuxtage (Graz, Austria)
2024-04-05 - 2024-04-06
Grazer Linuxtage is a conference taking place annually in Graz on Apirl 5-6. Grazer Linuxtage is organized by volunteers and offers attendees the opportunity to learn more about open source software and open source hardware.
Open Mainframe Project Ambassador Sarah-Julia Kriesch, IT consultant for Accenture, will be on-site on Saturday, April 6 at 10-10:45 am (Europe time) to present and overview of the Linux Distribution Working Group and how the different distributions collaborate.

openSUSE, Fedora and Debian have joined forces with an IBM representative as the Linux Distributions Working Group in the Open Mainframe Project with the aim of maintaining the respective mainframe (s390x) ports together and ultimately providing all Linux distributions with the corresponding patches and can integrate extensions. At first this idea was viewed with some surprise from outside, but at community level we are an “international” Linux community consisting of different Linux distributions. In the meantime, SUSE, Canonical (Ubuntu), AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux have also joined. In the same way, they started to develop the tooling for automatic tests together with openQA.
This lecture, given in German, will present the advantages of joint collaboration on Linux distributions with different communities and, using the example of the Linux Distributions Working Group, show how we can develop together so that everyone has an advantage in the end.
Check out the complete schedule here.
This event is not managed by the Linux Foundation. To learn more, visit the main event page here.

GSE UK Virtual Conference
2024-04-23 - 2024-04-25
The GSE UK Virtual Conference will be hosted online on April 23-25. There will be ten parallel streams during the three days with each session lasting for one hour. Registration will be free for GSE members but a small charge will be made for non-members to cover our expenses. Access to session videos will be free for GSE members and for two months after the conference for non-member delegates.
All sessions are in the UK timezone.
Wednesday, April 24:
1-1:30 pm: How to Build an Internal Mainframe Talent Pool – Darren Surch, CEO of Interskill and Open Mainframe Project Ambassador
Modern mainframe organizations recognize the persistent shortage of external, mainframe-skilled personnel and ensure long-term mainframe workforce efficacy by building internal mainframe talent pools. The synergy of workforce succession planning, strategic mainframe upskilling, and internal mobility provides a powerful solution to a persistent mainframe industry challenge. Join Lifetime IBM Champion, Darren Surch, as he outlines how to build a successful internal mainframe talent pool at your organization!
3-4 pm: How to Test a Mainframe without knowing the Mainframe! – Eamonn Mansour, Software Engineer, and Louisa Seers, Product Manager, at IBM
Writing a test is hard, automating it is even more challenging if you don’t know the interfaces you are working with. Galasa is an open-source project that provides your automated tests with a common API to allow you to focus on writing the tests. From 3270 to Batch jobs, Galasa can help you to test it even as a new mainframer. In this session we will explain what Galasa is and provide a getting started guide, all the way from creating a Galasa test from scratch, running it locally, and running it in a pipeline.
3-4 pm: The Next Generation of Mainframers – Moderator John Mertic, Executive Director of Open Mainframe Project, Jessielaine Punongbayan, Senior R&D Engineer at Dynatrace, Michael Bauer, Software Engineering Supervisor at Broadcom and Richelle Craw, Software Engineer at Beta Systems Software
For many of the fortune 500 companies the mainframe is and will remain a critical component of the IT infrastructure to run business processes efficiently and process billions of critical transactions safely and securely.
As experienced professionals are gradually retiring, a new generation of professionals are moving up as the “mainframe experts.”
In this session, we’ll chat with a few ambassadors and leaders from Open Mainframe Project who are this next generation.
They’ll share their experience with mainframes, how they got into the industry and advice for others and will share real-world examples of the new generation of mainframers and the diversity that is quietly building behind the scenes.
Thursday, April 25:
10:30 – 11:30 am: SSO and the Mainframe – Elliot Jalley, Product Manager, and Jakub Balhar, Staff Software Engineer, at Broadcom Mainframe Software
There is an increasing need for tools, processes and architecture that allow modern mainframes to move fast without sacrificing quality. APIs are key to securing quick and secure access to data on the platform.
Come and learn how the Zowe API mediation layer is powering modern workflows with a secure single signon experience from the network to the mainframe, across sysplexes and security domains.
10:30-11:30 am: When Units Tests just aren’t Enough, Application Integration is Key – Will Yates, STSM CICS Hybrid Cloud, and Jamies Davies, CICS TS Development Manager, at IBM
The most obvious answer to effective testing is to make sure each unit test is performed correctly.
In the landscape of enterprise systems compromised of cloud providers, z/OS, and many middleware, integration, and development programs, it becomes a complex web that can seem impossible to connect and test all together.
There is an answer, and that involves understanding applications, what areas could easily have integration tests stitched together, and how to implement testing as a service within your organisation.
This session will cover the technical details to understand more about application integration testing, how Galasa, an open-source project, could be implemented at scale and worked examples of integration testing to help make it easier to scale testing at your organisation.
12-1 pm: Automation and Containers – Two Things guaranteed to be part of your future mainframe strategy – Sujit Neb, Senior Automoation Engineer at BMC
Embark on a real-world journey with me as I share how automation, containerization, and the robot framework transformed my life and reignited my passion for work.
Discover how these technologies gave me back control and infused joy into my professional journey.
Join me in this inspiring exploration of empowerment, where technology not only revolutionizes workflows but also enhances lives.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a transformative experience.
Together, we can unlock the potential of technology together and embrace a future where work is both efficient and fulfilling.
The event is managed by GSE UK. To learn more about the schedule or to register for the event, visit the main event website: https://conferences.gse.org.uk/2024V.

SHARE Kansas City 2024
2024-08-04 - 2024-08-08
SHARE is an independent volunteer-run information technology association that provides education, professional networking and industry influence. SHARE Kansas City 2024 will be held from August 4-8, 2024, offering access to the latest enterprise IT news, key focus areas, prominent industry leaders, and product highlights on emerging technologies.SHARE is an associate member of the Open Mainframe Project and Open Mainframe ambassadors will be on-site. Check out these Open Mainframe Project -related sessions and register here. All technical sessions will take place at the Loews Kansas City Hotel. All times are in Central Time.
Sunday, August 4:
5:00-6:00 PM: Putting Inclusivity, Belonging and Allyship in Action: The Power of Mutual Mentoring – Dr. Gloria Chance (The Mousai Group) and Megan Rupert (Broadcom)
Mentoring is a dual relationship with a mentor passing on knowledge, skills, and values to a mentee. The give/take connection between mentor and mentee can seem very one-sided. After all, we all know mentees benefit as the recipients. (Psychology Today).
Mutual mentoring, also referred to as peer mentoring, is a collaborative mentoring relationship, where two individuals actively learn and support each other’s professional and personal growth. In this style of mentoring, both participants take on the role of the mentor and mentee, which creates an interactive learning environment.
Join us as we demo how to execute the mutual mentoring experience where you will:
● Learn how mutual mentoring can be a form of allyship.
● Experience and expand emotional intelligence and active listening.
● Explore questions that spark important dialog.
This skill will enhance the foundation of what’s important to developing innovative teams and relationships that drive peak performance and creative thinking.
Monday, August 5:
9:15 – 10:15 am: It’s a Jungle Gym: Today’s Mainframe Workforce Roles & Careers – J.J. Lovett, David Bond, SHIVA SABERI, Sean Rooney (Broadcom)
Today’s modern mainframe career path looks more like a jungle gym with moves in any direction offering roles with tremendous growth opportunities. Why do you choose to be a mainframer? Which role do you choose first? How do you plot a path to success in the today’s mainframe community? You may be surprised at how much opportunity exists within the Mainframe workforce. Join us for a panel of mainframers including both new and tenured, to explore the possibilities.
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Top 10 Administrative Tips for Achieving & Retaining a Healthy, High-Performing Zowe – Jan Prihoda (Broadcom) and Joseph Winchester (IBM)
Join the Zowe Community SMEs for tips & tricks on administration and troubleshooting Zowe. This session will provide attendees with the necessary tools and techniques for monitoring the health, performance and usage of the Core Zowe server components. (API Mediation Layer, ZSS, ZIS, Desktop)
2:30-3:30 PM: In the Spotlight:In the Spotlight: OpenTelemetry for the Mainframe – Ruediger Schulze (IBM) and Aaron Young (Broadcom)
OpenTelemetry is crucial for modern observability. With an effective observability, businesses gain better insight into their often-complex distributed applications and can respond faster to revenue impacting issues. OpenTelemetry provides the technical ingredients to extract and transform signals from arbitrary sources for flexible distribution to any backend. The collaboration of OpenTelemetry project and the Open Mainframe Project has led to the creation a new Special Interest Group (SIG) “OpenTelemetry on Mainframe” at the begin of this year. This group aims to enable OpenTelemetry for the mainframe and simplify the telemetry export and consumption on mainframes. Join us to learn about OpenTelemetry, its enhancements for the mainframe driven by the SIG, and see how its open-source components can be used for mainframe applications.
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM: Optimizing Zowe’s API Mediation Layer for Complex Enterprise Workloads – Andrej Chmelo, Joseph Winchester (IBM) and Steve Able
Designed for experienced users, this session dives deep into advanced configuration techniques for the Zowe API Mediation Layer. Discover how to optimize your setup for high availability, security, and performance. Attendees will leave with expert knowledge on implementing typical and complex enterprise configurations.
3:45 pm – 4:45 PM: (*Secondary track): Integrating Mainframe Testing with VS Code and IntelliJ IDEA – Alex Burak and Uladzislau Kalesnikau (IBA Group)
Mainframe software testing plays a crucial role in the modern DevOps pipeline. A key principle is automating testing and doing it early in the development cycle – and doing it repeatedly. The aim is to catch and fix bugs quickly, minimize redoing work, and guarantee quality before building and delivering new code to production. During the session, we’ll show you how Galasa works with Zowe, VS Code and IntelliJ as a part of CI/CD pipeline.
7-8:30 PM: Making Our Strong Community Strong Reception
We’re crafting a speed mentoring experience that will provide a chance to quickly meet others for a human experience where both individuals gain support and perspective via dual mentoring.
Tuesday, August 6:
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM: Learn How Zowe Explorer Is Empowering Both New and Experienced Mainframers – Joseph Winchester (IBM),Billie Simmons (IBM), Murali Panchalingam (IBM UK) and Emma Skovgård
Zowe Explorer has become the “New face of Z” not just for students and folks new to the patform doing mainframe learning courses, but has become a useful tool for experienced system programmers and developers to be productive with a powerful tool interfacing with the IBM Z platform. This talk will cover the Zowe Explorer plugin for VS Code, showing how to work with data sets, Unix System Services, JES, as well as issue TSO and MVS console commands. In addition we’ll showcase the CICS extension that allows developers to build COBOL and Java applications all from within the VS Code environment. We’ll also talk about recent developments in version 3 around authentication to support more protocols like x509 client certificate auth.
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM: (*Secondary track): Continuous End-to-End Testing for Mainframe Applications – Alex Burak and Uladzislau Kalesnikau (IBA Group)
In the past, mainframe system testing was limited to legacy tools and required specialized knowledge. Today, with the adoption of of open source tools and projects (OMP & Zowe) any team can easily integrate test and build stage into their CI/CD pipeline. Come join us for a discussion and we will showcase practical scenarios, including unit testing with test4z and Cobol Check, functional testing with Galasa, and deployment management with Automan for z/OS test environments. Finally, we’ll share our plans, the development of IntelliJ plugins for test4z
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Let’s Talk Zowe! End Users Share Their Stories – Joseph Winchester (IBM),Domenico D’Alterio (IBM) and John Mertic (The Linux Foundation)
From mainframe education to DevOps & self-service automation and beyond. Join your peers and learn how organizations like yours are leveraging Zowe to address their critical business needs
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: (*Secondary track): Building & Delivering Secure Software: An Overview of Zowe’s Zero Trust Architecture – Mark Ackert,Rose Sakach (Broadcom)
In today’s environment, implementing Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is an essential step for any organization that wants to ensure the security of its digital assets. ZTA is a security strategy that focuses on verifying user identity and access rights before granting access to resources. Join this session to learn more about the strategy, where you can start with the implementation, how Zowe implements ZTA and its different components in that strategy.
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM: (*Panel): Collaboration Learning: Crowdsourcing Mainframe Education – John Mertic (The Linux Foundation), Michael Bauer (Broadcom), J.J. Lovett (Broadcom), Keelia Estrada-Moeller (Broadcom)
Open Mainframe Project has education opportunities that has helped more than 200 students, new developers and engineers looking for a refresher. Whether it is the hands-on COBOL Programming Course, Mainframe Open Education focusing on ‘open sourcing’ mainframe learning roadmaps and community knowledge transfer, or the Mentorship program, there is something for everyone. Join us to learn (pun intended!) about the educational opportunities offered through the Open Mainframe Project and how you can get involved either as a student or a teacher/mentor.
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM: DevSecOps and Shift-Left Security Strategy within Zowe – Donna Hudi (Phoenix Software International), Andrej chmelo and Dan Kelosky
Short for development, security and operations, DevSecOps automates the integration of security at every phase of the software development lifecycle, from initial design through integration, testing, deployment and software delivery. The core principles and practices of DevSecOps revolve around the idea of ‘shifting security left,’ meaning that security considerations are introduced as early as possible in the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This proactive stance ensures that security is not an afterthought but an integral part of the entire process. Join us to learn how the DevSecOps and shift-left security strategy are implemented within Zowe.
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Take Your Mainframe Career to a New Level by Contributing to Zowe! – Dan Kelosky and Frank Giordano
This session will explore advancing your technical skills by contributing to Zowe. From modern to low level languages and frameworks such as: Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, Angular, Java, Spring Boot, HLASM, and Metal C, we’ll cover the bulk of Zowe’s underlying technologies and discuss how the project onboards new Community members. We will conclude by highlighting a recent contribution: the Zowe Java Client SDK
Wednesday, August 7:
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM: Leverage Zowe Extensions to Integrate zAIOps in Hybrid Cloud Applications – Joseph Winchester (IBM) and Domenico D’Alterio (IBM)
Zowe technology delivers new ways to integrate IBM Z system management into the enterprise processes and applications, protecting the investment made on IBM Z. Zowe helps to make the IBM Z platform easier to learn and use for next-generation IT staff and developers. Come and learn how IBM System Management offerings like IBM Z System Automation, IBM Z NetView and IBM Z Workload Scheduler, expand Zowe framework with specific extensions to have an easier way to integrate Automation of system, applications, processing and more in a hybrid cloud environment. A demo of the ZOWE CLI extensions available for the products listed above will be performed during the session, to show the value add in the data center management of them. Come and learn about use cases that leverage REST API for Automation as well as CLI extensions of Zowe in an hybrid cloud environment.
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: (*Secondary track): How Zowe Modernizes the Interaction with Legendary Products – Domenico D’Alterio (IBM)
Zowe technology delivers new ways to integrate IBM Z system management into the enterprise processes and applications, protecting the investment made on IBM Z. Zowe helps to make the IBM Z platform easier to learn and use for next-generation IT staff and developers. Come and learn how IBM System Management offerings like IBM Z System Automation, IBM Z NetView and IBM Z Workload Scheduler, expand Zowe framework with specific extensions to have an easier way to integrate Automation of system, applications, processing and more in a hybrid cloud environment. A demo of the ZOWE CLI extensions available for the products listed above will be performed during the session, to show the value add in the data center management of them. Come and learn about use cases that leverage REST API for Automation as well as CLI extensions of Zowe in an hybrid cloud environment.
Thursday, August 8:
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM: Zowe and Galasa Together – Joseph Winchester (IBM) and Gerald Mitchell (IBM)
Open mainframe projects Zowe and Galasa just make sense together. Come see all the ways Zowe just vibes with its new friend
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: The Emergence of Boot Camps and Apprenticeships on the Mainframe Education Landscape – Dr. Cameron Seay, IBM Z Academic Thought Leader and Adjunct Professor at Tennessee State University and East Carolina University.
For the past 10-15 years the industry has expressed growing concern over finding new talent for the platform. Focused attempts to generate interest at major colleges to teach mainframe have yielded limited results (though the Historically Black Colleges seem to keep teaching mainframe). Industry appears to have all but given up on recruiting new mainframers from colleges, and are turning to non-curricular methods of finding and training students. Prominent among these are boot camps and apprenticeships. This session will share our experiences with both and lessons learned from these experiences. Further, we will offer recommendations for future actions on the parts of industry, academia, and students to expose the incredible opportunities this platform provides.
12:30 – 1:30 pm: CBTTape – Open Source for z/OS – Greatest Hits – Lionel Dyck
The CBTTape has been around since the last quarter of the last century of the last millennium and currently has over 1,000 separate files with each consisting of from one to dozens of unique tools. What kind of tools? Everything from exploiting PDSE member generations to RACF Administration to Catalog management to Dynamic Steplib, z/OS E-Mail (with attachments), Text to HTML/PDF/RTF conversion, Dynamic ISPF Menus, many ISPF Edit macros, and more. And it is all open-source and available for immediate download and use – of course you would never just use it without reviewing the source and doing your own due diligence in testing.
3:00-4:00 pm: Bit Bucket X ’44’ – Ed Jaffe and Donna Hudi (Phoenix Software), Lionel Dyck, Mike Shorkend, Tom Conley
Take a whirlwind tour of z/OS features and topics too small to have a session of their own, but too important and interesting to overlook. You can take these insights into the worlds of z/OS Systems Programming, Hardware, Storage Management, and all things mainframe from our expert practitioners and put them straight to use back home. The Bit Bucket has been a tradition at SHARE since 1991. Topics are always a surprise, at times even to the presenters, but never disappoint. To view past Bit Bucket presentations, visit the SHARE website at: https://www.share.org/Events/Past-Events/Proceedings.
Check out the complete schedule for SHARE and register here.

Open Source Summit Europen(Vienna, Austria)
2024-09-16 - 2024-09-18 | Austria center Vienna, Bruno-Kreisky-Platz 1, Wien, Austria, Wien, 1220, Austria
Open Source Summit, happening on September 16-18 in Vienna, is the premier event for open source developers, technologists, and community leaders to collaborate, share information, solve problems and gain knowledge, furthering open source innovation and ensuring a sustainable open source ecosystem. It is the gathering place for open source code and community contributors.
Open Source Summit is a conference umbrella, composed of a collection of events covering the most important technologies, topics, and issues affecting open source today.
Gain exclusive insights from Open Mainframe Project ambassadors and experts at the Open Source Summit as they discuss the latest advancements and opportunities within the mainframe open source ecosystem.
Why Quantum Safe Encryption Is the Next Y2K, and How to Be Prepared – Joe Winchester & Louisa Seers, IBM
Monday September 16, 2024 14:15 – 14:55 CEST
Client server computing relies on encryption algorithms to ensure that data sent across networks cannot be read, or faked, by untrusted parties. This is the rock on which financial computing works in a business to customer environment, as well as how data at rest is protected from malicious prying eyes reading our personal data. This talk will cover the basics of how Diffe-Hellman encryption works, how symmetric and asymetric keys operate, as well as how all of this will soon become unsafe because of quantum computing. As well as showing the audience the basics (no maths degree required) this talk will show how quantum safe encryption is able to address this, and how folks can get wise and get started.
Speakers: Louisa Seers (Product Manager, IBM) & Joe Winchester (Senior Technical Staff Member, IBM)
LFX Mentorship Showcase
Monday September 16, 2024 16:20 – 17:00 CEST
Speakers: Former Open Mainframe Project mentees Priyansh Mehta, Abdul Samad Siddiqui and Prince Singh will give presentations that showcase their experiences with their mentorships.
How Is Integration Testing in Hybrid Cloud Possible? – Louisa Seers, IBM
Wednesday September 18, 2024 14:00 – 14:40 CEST
This talk explores the challenges and solutions associated with conducting integration testing in hybrid cloud environments, where applications span both on-premises (z/OS) and cloud infrastructures. Focused on the innovative Galasa open-source project, the discussion delves into how Galasa addresses the complexities of hybrid cloud testing, offering a comprehensive framework for validating the interoperability of diverse components. Attendees will gain insights into practical strategies, best practices, and real-world examples, empowering them to effectively navigate the intricacies of integration testing in the evolving landscape of hybrid cloud computing.
Speaker: Louisa Seers (Product Manager, IBM)
To view the complete schedule of the Open Source Summit, Europe check here.

GSE UK In-Person Conference 2024
2024-11-04 08:00 - 2024-11-07 17:00 (Europe/London)
Mainframe@60: The Diamond Anniversary of Digital Dominance
The GSE UK Region Conference is an annual event which takes place in November for three days, generally in the Midlands or a virtual event in the first half of the year. These events are organised by the GSE Conference Committee, which is comprised of volunteers. This year it will be held from Monday, 4 November 2024, to Thursday, 7 November 2024.
Below you can find the talks from the Open Mainframe Project community ambassadors.
To register for the event, please check here.
Monday, November 4Tuesday, November 5Wednesday, November 6Thursday, November 7Time Open Mainframe Project Track 1:00 pmGetting the most out of the Latest Features in Linux and KVM on IBM Z and LinuxONEThis session will start with a brief overview of all available Linux distributions on the IBM Z and LinuxONE platforms, before existing and upcoming features that are currently under development by IBM and the open source community are covered. The presentation will address both, IBM Z-specific features, as well as platform-independent developments which are relevant to Linux on IBM Z, and will end with the latest news on KVM on the platform. Stefan Raspl, IBM Europe2:00 pmSSO is Packaged with the Modern Mainframe; Are You Ready to Leverage It?There is an increasing need for tools, processes and architecture that allow modern mainframers to move fast without sacrificing quality. APIs are key to providing quick and secure access to data on any platform. Come and learn how the Zowe API Mediation Layer is powering modern workflows with a secure single sign on experience from the network to the mainframe, across sysplexes and security domains. Elliot Jalley at Broadcom Mainframe Software, Jakub Balhar at Broadcom Mainframe Software3:00 pmThe Best of Both Worlds – Co-Locating z/OS and Linux on IBM ZWe will discuss how co-locating Linux can help z/OS users to get more value out of their existing deployments in particular, and the IBM Z platform in general. Guidance on how to get started is provided, covering (if applicable) choice of the right Linux distribution, the right environment to deploy to, and we will address common misperceptions regarding the new neighbors. We will then take a look at some technologies that can help to lift the efficiency of the overall architecture to the next level, and point out some highlights in the Linux on Z space that users might be interested in or at least should be aware of. Stefan Raspl at IBM Europe4:15 pmAdoption, Innovation, and the Galasa Open Source JourneyExplore the unique trajectory of the Galasa Project, initially an internal IBM project created by the ideas of users and customers that found a home in the Open Mainframe Project. This talk shares personal experiences and lessons learnt of adoption and the practical lessons learned while establishing and developing a new project in the open source community. Join us as we unravel the challenges and triumphs encountered on the path of openness, collaboration, and innovation with Galasa. Louisa Seers at IBM UK LTD.Time Open Mainframe Project Track 10:00 amDiving into z/OS Open Source Development: An OverviewEver wondered how the z/OS Open Tools project ported over 200 open-source tools in just two years? This session will unveil the details behind our success and show you how you can get involved!

We'll delve into the world of z/OS open-source development and explore the tools and techniques that make it possible. Here's what you'll learn:

Modern Practices: Discover how we leverage Git and Github for efficient version control and how we utilize the new IBM Open XL C/C++ compilers to enable efficient porting

Building for z/OS: See how the zopen build frameworks and libraries like zoslib simplify the process of porting open-source tools to the z/OS platform.

Open Source DevOps in Action: Learn how we use Github Actions to automate testing on code submissions, as well as other tasks. Igor Todorovski, IBM11:15 amSecure open source tooling for z/OSz/OS provides a wealth of secure tools from the open-source community to enable advanced development. In this talk we explore integrating open-source into all aspects of application development. First we look at using Python for Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, application development, and system automation. We also look at the Go programming language and the ease with which it permits rapid development of applications with the best security profile. Then we will look at z/OS Open Tools, which makes available critical open source software to the z/OS community. With z/OS Open Tools, z/OS users benefit from enhanced functionality and security, achieved through currency with community sources. Security is also enhanced on an ongoing basis through available vulnerability audits. Notably, z/OS Open Tools provides critical dev-ops tools such as Git, Vim, Bash, GNU Make, etc, supporting modern z/OS workloads, plus over 200 other popular tools and libraries. Chandni Dinani at IBM USA, Bill O'Farrell at IBM, Steven Pitman at IBM12:15 pmMaking The Mainframe Simple Again with the Zowe Explorer and Command Line InterfaceThe Zowe Explorer and Zowe CLI were created by a group of new to Z folks who wanted to have a cloud like command driven experience with z/OS without needing to work with a 3270 emulator or learn ISPF panels and TSO commands. Over time it became one of the cornerstones of The Open Mainframe Project’s Zowe technology components, and is currently used by 85% of mainframe shops to do everything from file transfers and querying job status, to being embedded in Devops automation scripts and automating workloads.

This session will cover the Zowe Explorer and CLI from basics and introductory, to more complex use cases with REXX and JCL symbol substitution, subsystem interaction with CICS, MQ and Db2, as well as the different ways to authenticate from basic passwords through to client certificates and multi factor authentication one time passwords alongside SSO tokens. This sessions will have demos throughout and be a great way to ask the presenter for “Can it do this” as well as give input to future content for both key components of mainframe modernization. Joe Winchester, IBM UK LTD.2:15 pmDemystified: Put Your Web App on the Zowe Desktop in a FlashAre you a web developer with a great web app? Do you want to deploy it to the Zowe Desktop? Are you new to open source, or to Zowe? The Zowe Application Framework provides a quick solution: Plug your web app into a modified sample iframe app. It’s that simple. It’s possible to stand up your app on the desktop within an hour, then take advantage of features like persistence and app to app communications. The presenter will discuss what he learned, providing you the minimum necessary steps to insert your web app into the sample iframe app, and deploy the result. Included will be tips and tricks demystifying how to communicate with the iframe sandbox where your app lives, how to install and debug, and how to use the iframe zoweZlux API to provide enhanced Zowe interoperability. Donna Hudi at Phoenix Software International3:15 pmBuild Your Zowe Skills!Zowe Skills are mainframe skills, so do your mainframe career a favor and build them up! Join Open Mainframe Project Ambassador Darren Surch for a walk through the OMP's massive array of Zowe training resources including Zowe Docs, YouTube Channel, Zowe code, Free Trials, Blogs and a Slack Channel! There are even free, online, structured Zowe courses which earn you a bragworthy Open Mainframe Project digital badge to show the world your valuable Zowe skills! Darren Surch at Interskill Learning4:30 pmRedefining developer experience on the Mainframe with AI and CommunityMainframes, while historically known for their security and reliability, are evolving rapidly with the integration of modern tools, DevOps practices, AI technologies, and advanced security frameworks. By leveraging tools like Zowe, Galasa and COBOL Check, along with AI-powered solutions, enterprises can future-proof their mainframe environments while maintaining the security and performance they’ve come to rely on.

In this session, Donna Hudi, CMO at Phoenix Software International and Chair of the Open Mainframe Project Marketing Committee, will unveil a few new projects under the Open Mainframe Project umbrella that advance developer experience on the mainframe. Donna Hudi, Phoenix Software InternationalTime Open Mainframe Project Track 10:00 amCan AI learn COBOL? Introducing Zorse: an initiative to train AI for the mainframeLarge Language Models need to be trained on high-quality source code to be useful to programmers. This is in short supply for mainframe languages. Enter Zorse: a new Open Mainframe Project initiative that’s collecting a dataset of mainframe source code and a toolbox to train and evaluate LLMs on mainframe languages. Gabriel Gordon-Hall from bloop AI Limited11:15 amBuilding Collaborative and Vibrant Financial Services Engineering CommunitiesDive into the dynamic world of financial services and open source community building with James McLeod, NatWest Group Open Source Program Lead. Drawing from his experience building engineering communities at React London - Bring Your Own Project, London.JS, Lloyds Banking Group and FINOS, James has sculpted thriving ecosystems that drive innovation and collaboration.

Join us to unravel the secrets behind James' success in fostering vibrant communities that redefine the intersection of finance and technology. Explore the power of community-driven development and the future collaboration will play in building Open Source and InnerSource at NatWest Group. James McLeod at National Westminster Bank (NatWest)12:15 pmReflections on Open Source LeadershipThis talk discusses the challenges and successes of leading an open source project such as the Open Mainframe Project. What would we like our leadership to do? How would we like them to see the world differently? Donna Hudi at Phoenix Software International, Louisa Seers at IBM UK Ltd., Elliot Jalley at Broadcom Mainframe Software, James McLeod at National Westminster Bank (NatWest) and JJ Lovett at Broadcom Mainframe Software2:15 pmTalk 1: The Future of the Mainframe is here with Zowe LTS V3 & Talk 2: Get Fully Wired – Connect, Learn, Grow, and AdvocateThere will be two presentations happening at this time slot.

Talk 1: The Future of the Mainframe is here with Zowe LTS V3

Location: Copse room

Open Mainframe Project's Zowe recently launched its LongTerm Support V3 release. It offers vendors and customers the ability to execute on modernization initiatives with stability, security, interoperability as well as easy installation and a continuous delivery model for receiving upgraded features. The latest V3 release introduces new components that expand capabilities to client SDKs and additional IDEs, reflecting Zowe’s ongoing evolution to meet the needs of the mainframe ecosystem. Notably, this update enhances the Zowe API Mediation Layer, a key component our customers view as essential in transforming the role of the mainframe in their multi-platform environments. Learn more in this session presented by several Zowe ZAC and TSC leaders.

Speakers: Joe Winchester, IBM, Jakub Balhar, Broadcom Mainframe Software and Jan Prihoda, Broadcom Mainframe Software

Talk 2: Get Fully Wired - Connect, Learn, Grow, and Advocate

Are you a student considering a career in mainframe, an early tenure mainframer looking to grow, or a veteran that feels disconnected from the mainframe community? Then this is the session for you! Learn about the vast resources available out there! Participate in a mentorship program. Get connected with community members who have a depth of knowledge and experience you can leverage and learn from. Take advantage of all of the learning resources available. Grow your career and then give back by becoming an advocate. Join Donna and Shari as they help you navigate the plethora of resources available. There is something for everyone!

Speaker: Donna Hudi at Phoenix Software International and Shari Chiara at IBM USA3:15 pmCustomer success stories with ZoweSince Zowe was announced 6 years ago it has grown in popularity at mainframe shops where 85% report they have deployed it in their shops. This session will cover the landscape of the most common and popular deployment use cases, from education to new to Z folks, to underpinning Db2 tooling, DevOps and scripting, custom dashboards built around the SDK, as well as fronting enterprise APIs for line of business workload. Joe Winchester at IBM UK LTD and Murali Panchalingam at IBM UK LTD4:30 pmzopen community – Modernizing z/OS through Open Sourcezopen community - Modernizing z/OS through Open Source William O'Farrell, IBMTime Open Mainframe Project Track 10:00 amZowe, Azure Pipelines, and the Cloud-ZOS Nexus: A DevOps OdysseyIn this session, we embark on an exciting journey where Zowe and Azure Pipelines converge to revolutionize DevOps practices. Explore how Zowe acts enabling seamless communication between cloud-native tools and the venerable z/OS environment. Witness the power of bridging these worlds. Learn how to construct reusable Azure Pipeline templates that transcend project boundaries. Discover best practices for sharing templates across different pipelines, promoting consistency and efficiency. Dive into securing your connections. We’ll demystify the process of setting up certificates for secure communication between Azure Pipelines and z/OS. Safeguard your data with confidence.
Join us as we unravel the mysteries of mainframe-cloud harmony, empowering DevOps teams to thrive in this interconnected landscape. William Pereira at Cognizant11:15 amZowe Server Install Wizard (ZEN) – The “Easy Button” for Zowe InstallationDiscover how Zowe Server Install Wizard (ZEN) simplifies the deployment of Zowe with its intuitive, wizard-driven configuration guide. Effortlessly leverage powerful features like variable value validation, real-time security checks, certificate management support, and configuration file validation—all with just a few clicks. Join us to experience firsthand how Zowe Server Install Wizard (ZEN) can enhance your workflow right from your desktop! Jan Prihoda at Broadcom Mainframe Software12:15 pmDemonstrating Zowe containers with IBM z/OS Container PlatformLearn more about the benefits and challenges of the IBM z/OS Container Platform using Zowe as an example. Run Zowe in Kubernetes natively deployed on z/OS as shown in the demonstration at the end of the session. Zowe, Kubernetes and IBM z/OS Container Platform can improve your integration into a hybrid environment while retaining the stability and security for which z/OS is renowned. Chris Hodgins at IBM2:15 pmBuild End-to-End Automation in Just 3 Days with Ansible and Open Source Tools – No Problem!In this session, you'll discover how to leverage Ansible and open source tools to create a fully automated self-service portal to deploy application or infrastructure changes to the target Mainframe system. Germanas Samrickis at Rocket Software UK Ltd3:15 pmPreparing for the Installation and Configuration of Zowe API Mediation LayerIn this session, we will review the various Zowe API ML configuration options and help you decide which is best for your company. We will include relevant Zowe server-side configuration details and cover topics you should keep in mind when preparing your configuration so that you can configure with confidence. Jakub Balhar at Broadcom Mainframe Software

GSE UK Virtual Conference 2025
2025-02-20 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The GSE UK Virtual Conference 2025 is happening from Tuesday, April 29 to Thursday, May 1, 2025 and Open Mainframe Project will have a track at the conference. Whether you’re an industry expert, a tech enthusiast, Open Mainframe Project ambassador or a rising star with valuable insights, we invite you to share your knowledge with the vibrant mainframe community.

If you would like to speak at the event, submit a speaking proposal here. Submit your proposal by Monday, March 17.

Learn more about the event at the main conference site here.

SHARE Washington D.C 2025
2025-02-23 - 2025-02-27
SHARE is an independent volunteer-run information technology association that provides education, professional networking and industry influence. SHARE Washington D.C 2025 will be held from February 23-27, 2025 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, offering access to the latest enterprise IT news, key focus areas, prominent industry leaders, and product highlights on emerging technologies. SHARE is an associate member of the Open Mainframe Project and Open Mainframe ambassadors will be on-site. Check out these Open Mainframe Project -related sessions and register here.
Able Baker to Mainframer – What I Wish I’d Learnt at College About Enterprise Computing Systems – Joseph Winchester (IBM), Reg Harbeck & Steven Perva (Ensono)
Date & Time: Mon Feb 24, 2025; 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 66901
Abstract: The mainframe is a difficult system to onboard. EBCDIC codepages, Keyrings, Data Sets with Fixed Blocks and more as well as the need to become versant at 3270 dialogs for proficient system programming. To folks at college these are often barriers to entry, not because they’re difficult, but because there is a hill to climb and information disparate and often dated. This talk will provide the skills and tools to quickly summit, from the experience perspective of three mainframers with differing background, sharing what they wish they’d learnt at college and now want to share with the SHARE attendees, both new and experienced, about the tips and tricks, the cheat sheets, and the background behind why, as well as the solutions for, the idiosyncracies of the platform that make the IBMz such a fantastic enterprise computing system
To Test or Not to Test??? – Joseph Winchester (IBM) & Gerald Mitchell (IBM)
Date & Time: Mon Feb 24, 2025; 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 57615
Abstract: You want it? Open Source has got it. Check out Open Mainframe Project’s COBOL Check, a framework for COBOL to help with test driven development; or GenevaERS, the single-pass optimization engine for data extraction and transformation on z/OS is the tool. If you’re looking for more – there’s the newest project – Galasa, which allows you to test your applications at scale regardless of platform — including z/OS. Join us to learn about these testing tools and how they can bring value into your development process and ask all your testing questions.
Know It Before Installing It! A Starter Guide for Zowe API Mediation Layer Administrators – Brian Jagos (Broadcom) & Dan Kelosky (Broadcom Software)
Date & Time: Mon Feb 24, 2025; 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 70003
Abstract: This session will offer a comprehensive overview of the Open Mainframe Project Zowe API Mediation Layer configuration options and installation methods to help System Admins understand each and determine what is best suited for their company. We will showcase an installation example using the industry-standard z/OSMF, PSWI and ZWE Command to serve as reference material for when you install on your own.
Zowe CLI and IBM Z NetView Plug-ins – Derrick Washington & Domenico D’Alterio (IBM)
Date & Time: Mon Feb 24, 2025; 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 39468
Abstract: The speakers will provide information on the Zowe Command Line Interface (CLI) and the NetView plug-ins that extend the CLI interface. Topics will include basics about the CLI, installation of the CLI and NetView plug-ins, and using the NetView plug-ins. A demo will be done.
BYOD Lab: DIY! Install and Configure the Zowe API Mediation Layer – Brian Jagos (Broadcom) & Andrej Chmelo
Date & Time: Mon Feb 24, 2025; 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 70026
Abstract: If your company is interested in Open Mainframe Project Zowe and you are responsible for installing mainframe software don’t miss this opportunity. Participate in this hands-on lab where you will follow instructions to install and configure the API Mediation Layer on our Workshop Systems. We will include an overview of the latest configuration options, discuss “what-if” scenarios and reserve time to discuss potential challenges.
Making the Mainframe Great Again With Zowe Command Line Interface (CLI) – Joseph Winchester (IBM) & Eugene Johnston (Broadcom)
Date & Time: Tue Feb 25, 2025; 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 29997
Abstract: The Zowe Command Line Interface opens up IBM z/OS to non mainframers who want to do anything from ad-hoc scripting, building full DevOps automation pipelines, and everything inbetween. By providing simple easy to use intuitive commands to run commands covering everything from listing data sets, submitting jobs, running REXX, as well working with CICS, MQ and Db2, non-mainframers can become versant at how to become mainframers without needing to leave their familiar PC terminal or command window, and embed scripts in their laptop’s existing technology. This talk will cover 101 getting started with Zowe CLI through to advanced tasks such as console commands, substitution variables, and will cover many scenarios for the audience from beginner mainframe students to advanced system programming.
Why Zowe Is a Key Enabler for Mainframe Modernization: User Panel – Joseph Winchester (IBM Corporation), Steven Perva (Ensono), John Mertic (The Linux Foundation) & Rose Sakach (Broadcom)
Date & Time: Tue Feb 25, 2025; 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 61076
Abstract: This panel will bring together users, academics, students, vendors who have benefitted from the Zowe project being part of their modernization strategy. Together topics such as New to Z, empowering existing toolchains to adapt to hybrid cloud, familiar IDEs working with mainframe subsystems, will be discussed together with challenges, use cases, and solutions for rolling out Zowe with success (as well as failures).
Hidden Treasures, Advanced Features, and Administrative Tips for Zowe API Mediation Layer – Dan Kelosky (Broadcom Software) & Elliot Jalley (Broadcom)
Date & Time: Wed Feb 26, 2025; 8:45 AM – 9:45 AM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 70015
Abstract: What are the Administration expectations and the art-of-the-possible for the Open Mainframe Project Zowe API Mediation Layer? Join this session to understand the day-to-day and future potential. We will include the what, why, and how capabilities like dynamic discovery, high availability, multifactor authentication, single-sign-on, OIDC integration, personal access tokens, and multi-tenancy work and the value they may provide your organization.
Generations in Sync: Unlocking the Power of Technology Through Collaborative Communication – Philip Sutherin, Sean Rooney (Broadcom), J.J. Lovett, Steven Perva (Ensono) & Joseph Winchester (IBM Corporation)
Date & Time: Wed Feb 26, 2025; 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 70016
Abstract: In this interactive session, we will develop actionable strategies to enhance communication and knowledge transfer among mainframers of different generations. Participants will be grouped 1-on-1 by experience level for focused discussions on mainframe introductions, “a-ha” moments, lifelong learning, and problem-solving. The goal is to actively foster collaboration to overcome industry wide barriers.
Automated Symphony: Orchestrating Automation Using Cutting Edge Tools Like VS Code, Python, and Zowe – Cody Giardinello (Broadcom) & Sean Rooney (Broadcom)
Date & Time: Wed Feb 26, 2025; 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 70037
Abstract: Automation engineers lead with one mission in mind – automate everything. What tools are they using and why? VS Code has again been voted by developers as the preferred text editor, and Python continues to grow exponentially on the mainframe. Join us as we examine what sets these tools apart and how they can be effectively leveraged in automation using OPS/MVS, REST APIs, and the Open Mainframe Project Zowe ecosystem.
Dispelling the Myths Around Open Source – Leonard Santalucia (Vicom Infinity, A Converge Company)
Date & Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2025: 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 55125
Abstract: Wondering if Open Source is right for you and your organization? Don’t know what you don’t know? Is it myth or fact? Let the experts from within the Open Mainframe Project help you weed it all out. Fact or fiction, we will help you understand why Open Source IS right for you and your organization.
Open Sesame – The Secret to Open Source on the Mainframe – John Mertic (The Linux Foundation)
Date & Time: Wed Feb 26, 2025; 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 16848
Abstract: The open source movement has rapidly become the way code is being developed for today’s smart and agile businesses. This session will cover how an “open mainframe” is the perfect solution for deploying open source on an enterprise computing platform. Open Mainframe Project is home to 18 open source initiatives like Zowe and working groups for COBOL that aim to help overcome the the barriers between mainframes and other infrastructure to make DevOps easier and more efficient. This session will offer a quick glimpse of the challenges each project solves and how to get involved.
BYOD Lab: Python, REXX, and Zowe CLI a No-Bake Recipe for Automation – Thomas McQuitty & Gene Johnston (Broadcom)
Date & Time: Thu Feb 27, 2025; 8:45 AM – 9:45 AM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 70035
Abstract: Designed for traditional and new Mainframers, this hands-on lab will cover the major tenants for creating mainframe automation: Open Mainframe Project Zowe CLI basics, some Python coding techniques and the use of orchestration tools. We will include a focus on connectivity & establishing the Client configuration file, exporting a mainframe report to a desktop spreadsheet and triggering off-host automation from an on-host REXX application.
Demonstrating Zowe Containers With IBM z/OS Container Platform – Chris Hodgins
Date & Time: Thu Feb 27, 2025; 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 30520
Abstract: Learn more about the benefits and challenges of the IBM z/OS Container Platform using Zowe as an example. Run Zowe in Kubernetes natively deployed on z/OS as shown in the demonstration at the end of the session. Zowe, Kubernetes and IBM z/OS Container Platform can improve your integration into a hybrid environment while retaining the stability and security for which z/OS is renowned. (This needs to be finessed by Chris Hodgins so different to GSE presentation)
Take Your Mainframe Career to a New Level With Zowe! – Dan Kelosky (Broadcom Software) & Michael Bauer (Broadcom)
Date & Time: Thu Feb 27, 2025; 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 37687
Abstract: Advance your technical skills by contributing to Zowe. From modern to low level languages and frameworks such as: Node.js, TypeScript, JavaScript, Angular, Java, Spring Boot, HLASM, and Metal C, we’ll cover the bulk of Zowe’s underlying technologies and how the project on-boards new Community members. We will conclude by highlighting a recent contribution: the Zowe Java Client SDK.
Mainframe, Movies and Me: A Journey Through Hollywood, Computers, Aliens and Mainframe Computing – Joseph Winchester (IBM Corporation)
Date & Time: Thu Feb 27, 2025; 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM; TZ: America/New_York; ID: 69851
Abstract: In this session Joe will discuss how while mainframes are mocked by rival computing architectures as belonging in the 1960s, Hollywood understands us and promotes the mainframe as the superheroes’s IT platform of choice. From Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and countless others that have saved the world against aliens, dinosaurs or supervillans, these are the true hero in every Hollywood plot! This presentation is either going to get an award for being the funniest thing SHARE has ever presented, or else the speaker is going to get the record lowest score and the most number of social media dislikes for being extremely unfunny. Either way folks seeing it hopefully won’t forget it. With any luck they’ll remember it for the right reasons and come away reflecting on what motived them to enter mainframe computing and have a fresh to-do list of movies to catch up with and music tracks to listen to next time they’re struggling to read a syslog or debug an abend.

Check out the complete schedule for SHARE and register here.

VM Workshop (Columbus, OH)
2025-06-12 - 2025-06-14
The VM Workshop will take place on June 12-14 at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The group is a grassroots non-profit organization made up of customers, ISVs, and business partners with an interest in the use and growth of the z/VM platform, Linux on IBM Z, and VSE (z/VSE and VSEn).
Open Mainframe Project will be on-site at the event with a few sessions:
EMMA: The Creation of a Mainframe Apprenticeship – Dr. Cameron Seay, Adjunct Professor and Co-Chair of the COBOL Programming Course
The Eli Madison Memorial Apprenticeship (EMMA) is a mainframe focused apprenticeship program. It uses the traditional apprenticeship model for technical roles. We feel this is THE solution to the “mainframe skills shortage” and have buy in from industry and the community at large. Currently involved are 3 mainframe ISVs, 185 apprentices, 6 university professors at 5 universities, and 8 full time volunteers. EMMA is ready to do business.
Dispelling the Myths Around Open Source on the Mainframe – Len Santalucia, CTO at Vicom Infinity, a Converge Company and Chair of the Open Mainframe Project Governing Board
Wondering if Open Source is right for you and your organization? Don’t know what you don’t know? Is it myth or fact? Let the experts from within the Open Mainframe Project help you weed it all out. Fact or fiction, we will help you understand why Open Source IS right for you and your organization.
Check out these sessions and more on the VM Workshop schedule here.

Community Day CFP for IBM TechXchange 2025 (Orlando, FL)
2025-06-30
The Open Mainframe Project will again be featured as part of IBM TechXchange’s Community Day, which will be held on October 6, the first day of the event. Last year, Open Mainframe had record-breaking attendance and a packed agenda highlighting open source and projects including Zowe, Galassa, Mentorship, Mainframe Open Education, COBOL Programming Course, Feilong, Software Discovery Tool, zopen Community and more.
If you are interested in speaking at Community Day, the Call for Presentations is currently open.
Submit topics by Monday, June 30: https://bit.ly/4iWwhDH.
The timeline for the CFP:

CFP opens: Thursday, May 8, 2025
Deadline to submit CFP: Monday, June 30, 2025, at 11 pm PDT
Speaker notifications: Monday, July 21, 2025
Schedule announcement: Week of August 8, 2025

Submit or register today!
Register for Community Day for free using the Open Mainframe code here. (This only registers you for Community Day on Monday, October 6. It does not give you access to the rest of the IBM TechXchange conference.)
Register with the Open Mainframe Project code and link for a 30% discount on the TechXchange conference here.
Open Mainframe Project is planning the content for October 6 as it pertains to the Community Day or Pre-Conference Day. The Linux Foundation and Open Mainframe Project are not managing TechXchange. The main TechXchange event is planned and managed by IBM. Learn more about TechXchange here.

SHARE Cleveland (Ohio)
2025-08-17 - 2025-08-21
SHARE Cleveland, happening on August 17-21 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown, provides attendees with access to the latest enterprise IT news, key focus areas, prominent industry leaders and product highlights on emerging technologies all in one space over five days.
Open Mainframe Project will be on-site at the conference again this year with several sessions including:
Monday, August 18:

9:15–10:15 am: Which Mainframe Connection Protocol: FTP, SSH, or z/OSMF – Just Another Manic Monday? – Dan Kelosky, Broadcom Corporation

Before launching your modernization project leveraging Open Mainframe Project Zowe, it’s important to have a comprehensive understanding of the available mainframe connection protocols. REST APIs? FTP? SSH? We’ll cover the available options, the pros and cons of each and how to use them with the Zowe clients – Zowe CLI, Zowe Explorer for VSC and the Zowe Client SDKs.

2:30-3:30 pm: Dispelling the Myths Around Open Source on the Mainframe – John Mertic, Linux Foundation
Wondering if Open Source on the Mainframe is right for you and your organization? Don’t know what you don’t know? Is it myth or fact? Let the experts from within the Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project help you weed it all out. Fact or fiction, we will help you understand why Open Source on the Mainframe IS right for you and your organization.
2:30-3:30 pm: Mainframe Modernization Trends (Including DevOps) – Len Santalucia and Jerry Edgington, Pellera Technologies
Many different definitions of What mainframe Modernizations encompasses” have been discussed.In this session we will discuss many of them along with examples, and include mainframe Devops!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, August 19:
3:30 – 4:30 pm: Customer Success Stories with Zowe – Joe Winchester, IBM
This talk will cover customer success stories and scenarios where users have been able to deploy and use Zowe technology in real work situations. It will be given jointly with a customer (TBD) to showcase their use of DevOps and operation automation using Zowe CLI and Zowe Explorer.
Wednesday, August 20:
7:30-8:30 am: Skill Up! Mainframe Learning for All – IBM’s Devonte Hawkins, Joe Winchester and Hunter Johnson, Broadcom
As the mainframe industry evolves, so does the need for accessible and engaging learning resources. This panel brings together experts from the Open Mainframe Project (OMP) Education Initiative, the COBOL Programming Course, and Zowe to discuss the future of mainframe education. Moderated from the perspective of an early-career professional, this session will highlight essential learning tools—including the OMP Education Gitbook, COBOL Programming with VS Code, and the Fundamentals for Zowe course—that empower all professionals. Join us for an insightful discussion on how these resources shape the next generation of mainframe talent.
10-11 am: Making the Mainframe Great Again With Zowe Command Line Interface (CLI) – Joe Winchester, IBM and Gene Johnston, Broadcom
The Zowe Command Line Interface opens up IBM z/OS to non mainframers who want to do anything from ad-hoc scripting, building full DevOps automation pipelines, and everything inbetween. By providing simple easy to use intuitive commands to run commands covering everything from listing data sets, submitting jobs, running REXX, as well working with CICS, MQ and Db2, non-mainframers can become versant at how to become mainframers without needing to leave their familiar PC terminal or command window, and embed scripts in their laptop’s existing technology. This talk will cover 101 getting started with Zowe CLI through to advanced tasks such as console commands, substitution variables, and will cover many scenarios for the audience from beginner mainframe students to advanced system programming.
2:30-3:30 pm: How to Captain Your Mainframe’s USS Enterprise Environment – Joe Winchester, IBM; Steven Perva, Ensono; and Reg Harbeck, Mainframe Analytics
This session will show how to become a Unix System Services power user, embracing tools like Z Open Automation Utilities, Z Open Community, ZTI, Access Control Lists, CBT Tape USS utilities, and more … We’ll show with practical examples and demos how and why its crucial for mainframers to understand the capabilities of the USS environment as well as how to configure, secure, and use it as the basis for python and bash scripting. It’s also the platform to enable Linux developers to embrace the z/OS operating system from within the comfort of a modern flexible UTF enabled shell allowing a wider range of open source and other packages to be ported and run on-prem to help continue to make the mainframe less of a steep learning curve for distributed IT staff.
3:45-4:45 pm: Open Source and Industry Standards – Joe Bostian, Chad McIntyre, Frank DeGilio, IBM
Interfaces become industry standard when they are formalized in a specification, or achieve a level of pervasive use. Standards organizations outline rules that governments and other organizations adopt as approved processes. These all have to be expressed in commonformats at public locations, and through widely accepted processes. This is the essence of open source. Come and see how open source affects standards, and how standards are adopted by open source communities.
Learn more about the event or register for it here.

IBM TechXchange 2025 (Orlando, FL)
2025-10-06 - 2025-10-09
IBM TechXchange, taking place October 6-9 at the Orange County Convention Center and Hilton Orlando, is the ultimate learning hub for developers, technologists, and techies looking to grow their skills. With 400+ learning courses and labs, 150+ available certifications, 1k+ technical events per year and a growing community of over 400k members, IBM TechXchange is on a mission to creating a better future with technology.
Open Mainframe Project will be on-site again at Community Day on Monday, October 6. Check out more details here. Additionally, Open Mainframe will also have several other sessions presented by ambassadors and project leads including:
Monday, October 6:
5:45 – 6:05 PM: The Linux Distributions Working Group as Part of the Open Mainframe Project – Sara Julia Kriesch (Kyndryl)
4:00 – 5:00 PM: Dispelling the Myths Around Open Source on the Mainframe – Len Santalucia and Ken LoCascio (Pellera Tchnologies), Elizabeth Joseph (IBM), Steven Perva (Ensono) and Louisa Denly (IBM)
Wednesday, October 8:
11:00 – 11:20 AM: Credit Agricole: How to use modern tools to facilitate IBM z/OS operations and data access – Francois Delombe (CA-GIP)
11:30 – 11:50 AM: Beyond DevOps: Unlocking New Possibilities with Zowe – Jan Prihoda (Broadcom)
1:30 – 1:50 PM: Achieving Greater Business Agility with VS Code and Hybrid Toolchains – Vaughn Marshall (Broadcom)
2:00 – 3:00 PM: ISPF and/or VS Code Zowe Explorer. how to become a power user in BOTH mainframe file editors – Jim Horne (Lowe’s Companies) and Joe Winchester (IBM)
2:00 – 3:30 PM: Using OpenTelemetry to integrate the mainframe into enterprise-wide observability solutions – Chris Walker, Rudiger Schulze, Ash Mahay (IBM)
Open Mainframe Project will also be in the Open Source Zone in the event expo. Stop by the booth and get your 10th anniversary swag!
Register with the Open Mainframe Project code and link for a 30% discount on the TechXchange conference here.
