Open Mainframe Project

COBOL Programming Course Q1 Webinar
2024-03-19 08:00 - 09:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join us for the COBOL Programming Course Q1 webinar on March 19 at 8 am PST. Zowe Explorer Squad Lead Adam Wolfe, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador and Product Owner at Broadcom Mainframe Software, joins the COBOL Programming Course team to discuss all things Zowe.
Zowe and COBOL are two of the most popular projects of the Open Mainframe project! Tune in to listen to the team discussing about the upcoming Zowe v3 release, the impact to the COBOL course, and more!
Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_q9d5mzezSguu5FGOa1EBiw

The 21st Annual Southern California Linux Expo
2024-03-14 - 2024-03-17
The 21st Annual Southern California Linux Expo (SCaLE 21x) will take place on March 14-17, 2024 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA.
SCaLE is the largest community-run open-source and free software conference in North America. It is held annually in the greater Los Angeles area. Elizabeth Joseph, Open Mainframe Project ambassador and Chair of the Software Discovery Tool and Global Head, OSPO for IBM Z at IBM, will be on-site to give a presentation titled, “Will your open source project run on a mainframe? And beyond!” Her presentation takes place on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 3:45 to 4:45 pm PT.
You probably developed your open source project for a single, “default” architecture like x86, but today there is a growing interest in other architectures, from ARM to Power, and yes, even mainframes (s390x). The talk will present some of the reasons these architectures are growing in popularity, form factors they’re available in, and why your open source project may want to consider supporting them.
From there I’ll discuss some of the free tools and programs that are available to open source software developers to port their projects to ARM, Power, and s390x, and give some practical guidance on precisely how to get started.
This event is managed by the SCALE team. Stay tuned for more details on the main event website here: https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/21x.

Diverse Perspectives of Women in IT (Webinar)
2024-03-13 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
An upcoming webinar hosted by the Making our Strong Community Stronger (MSCS) collaborative will feature a panel of five women discussing what it means to be a woman in the IT industry today. MSCS is sponsored by Broadcom Mainframe Software, IBM, the Open Mainframe Project, Rocket Software, TechChannel and BMC Software.
The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Gloria Chance, president and CEO of The Mousai Group, and panelists include:

Becca Barrile, internal communications director, Rocket Software
Dr. Rebecca Gott, chief technology officer, Power platform, IBM
Donna Hudi, chief marketing officer, Phoenix Software
Arshind Kaur, product manager, IZOT division, BMC
Ruchi Saxena, research, design strategy, Broadcom
Allyson Cook, program lead, customer engagement, Broadcom

The webinar will take place on March 13 at 9 am PST/12 p.m. EST. Register today to claim your spot.

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.

IBM Z Council (Tysons, Virginia)
2024-02-29 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Join the IBM Z community on Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm EST at Maggiano’s Little Italy: Tysons Galleria. The theme for the day is Cyber Resiliency & Modernization.
The term “modernization” means something different for everyone. The presentations for this event will focus on bridging the mainframe skills gap, a fit-for-purpose application strategy on Z, advancements in AIOps technology, and latest additions to our LinuxONE family. Conversations throughout the day will encompass all components of Z modernization and cyber resiliency. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to further the discussion. Register here.
Vicom Infinity CTP Leonard Santalucia will kick off the day with a presentation on the Open Mainframe Project. 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. Attendees will learn how the open source community has gathered around the mainframe platform and how open source projects such as Zowe, COBOL, a new working group focused on Mainframe.
This event is managed by the IBM Z community. To learn more about the event or to register for it, visit the main event page: https://ibm-zcouncil.com/events/tysons-va-feb-29/.

Zowe Quarterly Webinar
2024-01-17 08:30 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Open Mainframe Project’s Zowe community on Wednesday, January 17 at 8:30 am PT/11:30 am ET for our first quarterly webinar of the year! Whether you are a Zowe User, Contributor, Extender or simply interested in what’s happening with Zowe, we invite you to attend the webinar to learn more. Mark Ackert will give an overview of Zowe Event Management.
Register here.

COBOL Programming Course Q4 Webinar: Today's COBOLers
2023-12-20 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
COBOL is the language of business, it is a well-known fact…..but is that all it can be used for? Join us for COBOL Programming Course Q4 webinar on Wednesday, December 20 at 9:30 am PT (12:30 pm ET) to hear from an educator and students of Talladega College on the importance of COBOL in our world today, what got them started on their COBOL journey and how they have fun with it! Register here.

Speakers: Professor Philip Grabowskil and Students Reinhard Mensah and Victor Tavares

Open Mainframe Summit New York
2023-11-01
This year, Open Mainframe Summit will be co-located with Open Source in Finance Forum, hosted in New York City on November 1.
Open Source in Finance Forum is dedicated to driving collaboration and innovation in financial services through open source software and standards. 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 Summit will be featured as part of a 6-session track and a 10-minute keynote presentation on November 1.
Open Mainframe Project will also have a booth at OSFF. Stop by to chat with member from 11:30 am – 7:45 pm.
Learn more about the event here. Register here. Open Mainframe Project members and community receive a 20 % discount. Use this code “20OSFF23” when checking out of registration.

Schedule:
11 – 11:10 am: Keynote Session: Driving the Modern Enterprise; Why Aren’t You On Board? – John Mertic, Executive Director, Open Mainframe Project
Open source transforms every industry, from automotive to energy – even movies! Even as ubiquitous as open source, adoption in industries like the financial industry has been challenging, and organizations have sometimes hesitated to leverage open-source software.
But that trend is changing. Is your enterprise onboard?
In this keynote, John Mertic, Executive Director of the Open Mainframe Project, will highlight how projects like Zowe and Galasa and investments into OpenTelemetry and security are changing the narrative for open source in forward-thinking financial services organizations.
11:30 am – 7:45 pm: Sponsor Showcase
Stop by the Open Mainframe Project booth for stickers, a chance to win John Mertic’s new open source book and more.
12:00 – 12:30 pm: From Vulnerability to Resiliency: Securing Open-Source Software Development – Andrej Chmelo, Broadcom
The nature of open-source software makes it vulnerable to security threats that can lead to severe consequences, including data breaches and system failures. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the importance of securing open-source software development to enhance its resiliency. This presentation will provide an in-depth understanding of the vulnerabilities associated with open-source software and the strategies to mitigate these vulnerabilities. It will explore the importance of building security in the development process, such as code review and testing, as well as the use of software analysis tools. By the end of the presentation, attendees will have a clear understanding of the strategies and practices necessary to ensure the resiliency and security of open-source software development. They will also have a better understanding of the potential consequences of not adequately securing their open-source software projects.
12:35 – 1:05 pm: Top 5 in 5! The Use Cases that Describe how Customers Have Leveraged Zowe for their Strategic Initiatives Over the Past 5 Years – Rose Sakach, Broadcom
Since 2020, the Arcati Mainframe yearbook has predicted exponential increases in Zowe adoptions. By the end of 2023 close to 70% of mainframe organizations – i.e. more and more of you – will be doing something with Zowe. In this session, we’ll showcase the most popular Zowe use cases. Whether you are a Systems Programmer, DBA, Security Administrator, DevOps Architect or Developer you will gain an understanding of the value of Zowe as we demo and explain 5 common Zowe use cases to help prioritize and expedite your adoption journey.
2:05pm – 2:35pm Unleashing the Power of Open Source: Revolutionizing Mainframe Insights with OpenTelemetry – Jessielane Punongbayan, Dynatrace
Join me on an exciting exploration as we discover the immense potential of combining OpenTelemetry, open source solutions, and Dynatrace z/OS monitoring. In this talk, we will uncover hidden efficiencies and unlock enhanced performance by utilizing these transformative monitoring tools. Together, let’s embark on this journey to redefine the possibilities of mainframe monitoring.
2:40pm – 3:10pm Galasa Use Cases – Louisa Seers, IBM
How is Galasa used in the real-world? What kind of test cases could it handle? The test framework that can handle both complicated subsystems and web-based interfaces in the same test to demonstrate full system integration tests. This talk will show you a few use cases where Galasa can really shine and make difficult manual tasks look easy.
3:40pm – 4:45pm: Secure & Open: Not Mutually Exclusive? – Michael DuBois, John Jakacki, Rose Sakach & Emre Tunar, Broadcom; Len Santalucia, Vicom Infinity; Tim Willging, Rocket Software
Open source technologies offer businesses undeniable benefits like increased agility, cost-effectiveness and freedom of choice. With the emergence of Zowe, the mainframe ecosystem can realize those advantages and then some. So why are some organizations steadfast in their hesitation to embrace open? Perhaps because on a platform so widely recognized for its safeguards, open source is still perceived by many as a security risk. Join our panel of mainframe security experts who will discuss the advantages, concerns and reality of open source security and what it means for mainframe.
5:45 – 7:45 pm Attendee Reception
Learn more about the Open Mainframe Sessions here.

GSE UK (Towcester, United Kingdom)
2023-10-30 - 2023-11-02
GSE UK Conference, hosted at Whittlebury Hall in the United Kingdom on October 30 – November 2, offers attendees the opportunity to gain new knowledge, tips and guidance on different products from experienced industry professionals. Through user and vendor-led sessions, GSE UK events are designed to reduce the chance of errors and help save time and money. gain knowledge that will help your entire team increase efficiency, agility and save money including education and training costs. The event features more than 250 technical sessions across enterprise IT topics including Security, CICS, DB2 and MQ to name a few.
Open Mainframe Project will be represented at the event by several ambassadors, contributors and leaders. Check the schedule below:
Tuesday, October 31:
12 pm: New Mainframers Talk Candidly (continued) – Earl Dixon, Tech Lead for the Broadcom Vitality Program and frequent speaker for the Making our Strong Community Stronger Initiative
Other speakers include Niall Ashley, Katie Juhala and Zdravka Oysolova
12 pm: Db2 and Zowe. Everything, everywhere at once! – Joe Winchester, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, Zowe community member and Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM
A challenge facing mainframe Db2 shops is how to become more agile with modern tooling, yet leverage the existing resources and skills that power their z/OS systems. Zowe provides a way to do this through its Visual Studio Code plugins, its browser based web desktop, and its command line interface. This allows Db2 shops to leverage their existing JCL and REXX libraries, their existing stored procedures, their existing SQL scripts, and surface existing resources in new form factors for DevOps tool chains, for automation, for operations, and more. These can be used by existing and novice mainframers, providing a bridge between familiar open source tools and Db2 on z/OS. This talk will demonstrate the power of the new ecosystem with real world examples and customer success stories.
4:45 pm: Goodbye to Baby-sitting your z/OS Jobs with Zowe Integrated JCL Checking (demo) – Domenico D’Alterio, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, Zowe Community Member and Principal Product Manager at IBM
Take the worry out of programming your jobs, checking and double checking for code standard compliance, ensuring DevOps processes are delivered while meeting business SLAs for your hybrid cloud applications by allowing IBM Z JCL Expert to do the heavy lifting for you. In this session, come and discover the ease with which IBM Z JCL Expert, when integrated with Zowe, helps you automatically check your jobs as part of your CI/CD pipeline in a fraction of the time it would normally take, allowing you to focus on the more value-adding functions of your role. A live demo of the Zowe integrated features will be shown in the session.
Wednesday, November 1:
8 am: Keynote – The Mark and Steve Show – Steven Dickens, Vice President and Practice Leader at the Futurum Group and Mark Wilson, Architect, Technician and Project Manager at Vertali Limited
10:15 am: Mainframe/Zowe Tutorial – Germanas Samrickis, Software Engineer at Rocket Software
Mainframe Hands-On Lab Session for those who have zero or limited experience on mainframe. Lab excercise covers usage of VSCode, Zowe and ZOAU.
Purpose of this lab is showcase how smooth and enjoyable experience could be using modern tools. This session is not intended to be a deep dive. Instead, it serves as a guide on how to get started, with the expectation that you can pursue a deeper dive into the subject on your own.
Max Capacity: 20 attendees

Limited capacity on a first-come, first-served basis
No prior mainframe experience required
Bring your curiosity and laptop

10:15 am: Zowe plugin development using the “Realtime Dataset Metrics” as a sample – Alex Agoltsov, Senior Software Engineer at Rocket Software UK
The idea is to show what is needed to create and maintain the Zowe plugin.
I’m going to use the “Realtime Dataset Metrics” Zowe plugin from OMEGAMON for Storage as a sample, showing best practices, and processes (architecture, testing, unit-testing, development, CI/CD, communication layer and etc.)
1:45 pm: Wowee it’s Zowe, the new face of the mainframe – Joe Winchester, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, Zowe community member and Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM
All of the old with all of the new. The Open Mainframe Project’s Zowe tooling aims to bridge the gap between folks new to the mainframe familiar with distributed and open source technologies, with the rich set of existing mainframe runtimes and tooling that exists on the platform. This is done by bridging the worlds with browser front ends, Visual Studio Code and IntelliJ plugins, Chatbots, and command line interfaces. By being open source and extensible Zowe not only provides base function out of the box, but supports a depth of vendor plugins making it ideal of DevOps modernization or building custom mainframe dashboards with its SDK. This talk will cover Zowe from end to end, and showing how it is fast becoming ‘The New Face of the Mainframe’ for experienced and newbie mainframers alike.
1:45 pm: Automated testing of COBOL Sections! – Rune Christensen, Contributor to COBOL Check, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador and Lead Software Engineer at Bankdata
Want to test your COBOL sections? Want to run it on your laptop? Test driven development with fast feedback inside Visual Studio Code? Mocking of programs, CICS calls and other sections, enabling truly isolated tests? Pipelines with test gateways, denying failed tests to be deployed? Dashboards showing status of tests, and team usage? All of this is in your reach! Look no further, in just 50 minutes I will show you COBOL Check; that will change your COBOL experience!
Thursday, November 2:
10:15 am: I get my CICS on route Zowe – Joe Winchester, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, Zowe community member and Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM
This presentation will show how to use open 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, and embed scripts in a Jenkins CICD pipeline
Use Visual Studio Code Zowe extensions to work with JCL, REXX and TSO to drive z/OS, write, compile, and debug COBOL and Java CICS programs.
Use VS Code tasks to integrate with CLI scripts.
Use the Visual Studio Code Zowe CICS Explorer plugin to connect to CICS regions, to view resources and perform actions like new/copy, enable/disable, and perform development tasks without needing to use CEMT or other CICS interfaces.
Develop CICS programs with BMS maps, CICS programs with web services, and CICS Java programs, all using Visual Studio Code Zowe extensions.
Interact with Db2, MQ and other subsystems that make up a CICS program’s technology stack.

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.
11:45 am: Automating PTF Maintenance Using an Open-First Approach – Jan Prihoda, Product Owner at Broadcom Mainframe Software
Historically, software management has leveraged SMP/E. More recently, mainframe vendors collaborated to introduce and recommend the z/OSMF-based alternative using Portable Software Instances (PSWI), Workflows, and Software Update. Both methods work well when the target LPARS are limited, reside on the same physical device or are within a sysplex. But for organizations managing hundreds of LPARs, deploying new software or applying the latest maintenance can be challenging to manage, time-consuming, frustrating, and downright painful. In this session, we will demonstrate an automated alternative – developed specifically for customers eager to solve this problem – powered by Zowe CLI, Ansible, and z/OSMF.
1:45 am: Zowe Extensions in IBM Z System Management (demo) – Domenico D’Alterio, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, Zowe Community Member and Principal Product Manager at 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.
For the complete schedule or to register, visit the event website here.

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

Closing the Knowledge Gap: How to Attract and Retain Next-Gen Mainframe Talent
2023-10-16 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
On Monday, October 16 at 9 am PT/12 pm ET, join leaders from BMC, Broadcom Mainframe Software, IBM and Open Mainframe Project to discuss how to attract and retain next-gen mainframe talent as well as current internship, mentorship and employment opportunities. Register here.
Registration is required and the webinar is open to all applicants from all backgrounds. This one hour event hopes to bring awareness to why inclusive hiring is important and highlight the many internship and hiring programs offered by leading mainframe companies.
Speakers include:

Earl Dixon Jr, Principle Client Services, Vitality Program Tech Lead at Broadcom Mainframe Software
Jen Corio, Director – Talent Acquisition at BMC
Shelly Meierarend, IBM Z Global Skills Leader at IBM
John Mertic, Executive Director at Open Mainframe Project

Earl Dixon

Jen Corio

Shelly Meierarend

John Mertic

In addition to a presentation of programs by four panelists from leading companies, the webinar will include a Q&A session to answer any attendee questions about the many mainframe job opportunities. This session will cover the following:

Broadcom Mainframe Vitality Program
BMC Next Gen Program
IBM Z Day page
Open Mainframe Project Mentorship Program

Register here.
Check out other Marking Our Strong Community Stronger videos here. Join our LinkedIn community here.

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/.

Building a Thriving Open Source Community: Best Practices for Attracting and Retaining Contributor
2023-10-11 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Open Mainframe Project for a special webinar on Wednesday, October 11 at 9 am PT/12 pm ET. Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XNpNLYNeRkuIvvwPXxkEXg
Open source communities are an important part of the software development landscape, allowing individuals from around the world to collaborate and contribute to projects. However, building and maintaining a thriving open-source community can be challenging. This presentation will explore the best practices for attracting and retaining contributors to your open-source project. We will begin by discussing the importance of creating a welcoming environment for contributors, including clear documentation and communication channels. We will also cover strategies for incentivizing participation, such as mentorship opportunities. Additionally, we will explore the role of diversity and inclusion in open-source communities, and how to create a culture that values and celebrates differences. We will provide real-world examples of successful open-source communities. By the end of this presentation, attendees will have a clear understanding of the best practices for building and maintaining a thriving open-source community. They will be equipped with practical tips and strategies that they can implement in their own projects to attract and retain contributors.

Speaker Andrej Chmelo is a software engineer at Broadcom with a passion for advancing the field of technology. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, he is an integral and active member of the Zowe community, contributing his expertise to drive the project.
Register for the webinar here. If you can’t make it live to the webinar, register for the on-demand link.

COBOL Programming Course Q3 Webinar
2023-09-29 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the COBOL Programming Course TSC on Friday, September 29 at 9 am PT/12 pm ET for their Q3 webinar. The focus of the webinar will be “My Summer with COBOL – A Mentee Story,” where 2023 Summer Mentee Ashis Kumar Naik will share his experience, lessons learned and more. His mentor Lezlie Browder, an IBM Ambassador and Chief Solutionist with decades of mainframe experience, will also share her experience and the entire team will be available to answer questions about the course, mentorship or COBOL in general. Register here today!

Zowe Q3 Webinar (Virtual)
2023-09-27 08:30 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
What’s new with Zowe Explorer?
Whether you are a Zowe User, Contributor, Extender or simply interested in what’s happening with Zowe – please join us for the next Zowe Quarterly Update Webinar on Wednesday, September 27 at 8:30 am PT/11:30 am ET. Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_11n1KcA6Rp2f6XdVhI6HsQ
Zowe Community Leads Fernando Rijo Cedeno, Software Engineer at Broadcom and Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, and Timothy Johnson, Software Engineer at Broadcom and Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, will share a comprehensive overview and demonstration of the V2 LTS features and functions in Zowe’s Explorer for Visual Studio Code.
Register for the webinar here. If you can’t make it live, register to receive a link to watch on-demand.

Open Mainframe Summit Las Vegas
2023-09-11
This year, Open Mainframe Summit will be co-located with two industry conferences – IBM TechXchange Conference 2023, hosted in Las Vegas on September 11-14; and Open Source in Finance Forum, hosted in New York City on November 1.

Open Mainframe Summit – Las Vegas
IBM TechXchange Conference offers technical breakout sessions, hands-on experiences, product demonstrations, instructor-led labs, and certifications tailored to your interests and learning style. Open Mainframe Summit will be featured as part of the TechXchange Community Day on September 11. Community Day unites diverse IBM user groups and technical communities to foster collaboration, networking and learning. Experience engaging on-site programs, connect with like-minded professionals, be inspired by IBM Champions, and contribute to tech-for-good projects. This is a celebration of unity, diversity, and innovation where user groups come together to create lasting connections and drive meaningful change.

To attend Open Mainframe Summit Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel, register for IBM TechXchange. One registration will give attendees access to all the events for Community Day.
Registration costs $1599 but Open Mainframe Summit attendees will receive an exclusive discount until August 30 at 5 PM ET. The discount of $300 USD*, will require you to pre-register. Please submit this form to reserve your discounted pass. When your pre-registration submission has been successfully processed, you will be invited to register for the event.
**Timing and titles of sessions, speakers and room assignments are subject to change as needed. Please see the schedule on-site for the latest updates.
September 11 Schedule:

7:00 AM
8:30 AM
Breakfast

8:30 AM
9:30 AM
IBM Keynote

10:00 AM
10:10 AM
Keynote: Welcome – John Mertic, Open Mainframe Project Executive Director
All keynotes will take place in Room 121

10:10 AM
10:30 AM
Keynote: Customer success stories using Zowe – Joe Winchester, Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM
This talk will cover the scenarios and use cases where customers are achieving success with The Open Mainframe Project’s Zowe tooling, showcasing examples spanning from DevOps, education, scripting, Db2 automation, custom web dashboards exploiting Zowe SDKs and more.

10:30 AM
11:00 AM
Keynote Panel: Diversity in the Mainframe Community – Louisa Seers, Product Manager at IBM; Sudharsana Srinivasan, Advocacy Manager at IBM; Len Santalucia, CTO at Vicom Infinity; and Donna Hudi, CMO at Phoenix Software International
Come walk a mile in our shoes. Join a range of female Mainframe practitioners who will share their experiences being professional women in the industry. Hear about not only the highs and lows, but the utterly comical and absurd. This panel will investigate all different perspectives from business problems to more technical discussions.

11:00 AM
11:20 AM
Keynote: Illuminating Pathways for Our Future Innovators – Elizabeth Joseph, Global Head, Open Source Program Office for IBM Z & LinuxONE at IBM
Projects in The Open Mainframe Project are eligible to participate in the LFX Mentorship Program. The Software Discovery Tool has participated for 3 years, and in that time the project has gained valuable new core contributors and provided opportunities to several students who had not previously been involved with the mainframe community. This talk will briefly summarize the program, but more importantly, will explain why providing an opportunity through a program like this is so important for future innovators in our community and serve as a call to action for more projects to participate.

11:30 AM
1:00 PM
Lunch (Grab and Go provided by conference) – Ask me Anything, Networking, Raffle in Room 121

Room 101
Room 102

1:00 PM
1:20 PM
Easy and Modern – Learn COBOL today! – Sudharsana Srinivasan, Advocacy Manager at IBM
The Open Mainframe Project COBOL Programming Course was built with one purpose – make it easy for learners around the globe to easily learn COBOL. How did we achieve this goal? and 3 yrs later what are the results? Join this Lightning Talk to learn all about COBOL, the course and how you can get started today!

Zowe CLI modernizes mainframe development – Gene Johnston, Principal Software Engineer at Broadcom
Most mainframe organizations are looking to modernize how they develop and deliver products. They want to leverage the knowledge of new-hires familiar with off-platform tools, and incorporate concepts of continuous integration into their development processes. Zowe CLI and its SDK provide the means to make significant leaps forward on these challenges with a low barrier to entry. Join this session to learn how to get started, to hear the possibilities available to you, and discuss best practices to help you achieve those goals.

1:25 PM
1:45 PM
Shift Left and Beyond with COBOL Check ! – Joe Winchester, Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM
The Open Mainframe Project COBOL Check allows shift left testing to go all the way up to unit testing of COBOL procedures, making the language development benefit from early checking of code and building of reliable regression test pipelines. This talk will show the technology, its Visual Studio Code integration, and its importance in driving DevOps modernization at mainframe COBOL shops.

Demystified: Put Your Web App on the Zowe Desktop in a Flash – UPDATED – Robert Blum, Senior Software Developer at Phoenix Software International
Are 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.

1:50 PM
2:10 PM
Wowee it’s Zowe!!!! 5 years old, what worked, what didn’t work, and what is to be learned. – Tim Willging, Fellow – Z Systems Architecture & Technology at Rocket
Zowe is five years old since its beginnings, this talk will cover the goals of the project as its beginning to help customers make the mainframe open, simple and familiar, as well as bring forward both new and old communities. We’ll look at the metrics, the key milestones, what worked and didn’t work, which components are successful and why, and talk about lessons learned to move forward.

Togetherness of Linux Distributions on the Whole Open Source Software Development Life Cycle – Sarah Julia Kriesch, Senior Consultant at Accenture & Elizabeth Joseph, Global Head, Open Source Program Office for IBM Z & LinuxONE at IBM
Are Linux distributions really collaborating in development? They sure are! Our Linux Distributions Working Group at the Open Mainframe Project is a great example of collaboration on Linux projects together by sharing common issues and bugs, along with recommendations on how to tackle specific pain points. In this session, you will receive an overview about the latest efforts to collaborate in development, testing and maintenance from over a half dozen Linux distributions that regularly participate. This is including upstream projects and the required infrastructure for development, from the implementation of openQA tests by several distributions to the LinuxONE (OSS) Community Cloud.

2:15 PM
2:35 PM
Feilong: the open source API for z/VM automation – Mike Friesenegger, Solutions Architect at 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.

Productionizing z/OS Open Tools for Sysprogs and Developers – Steven Perva, Senior Mainframe Innovation Engineer at Ensono
Open Source Tooling is gaining ground in z/OS environments. A critical component to adoption of Open Source in enterprise environments is laying a foundation for making tooling available, maintainable, and accessible. Learn my strategy for productionizing the z/OS Open Tools on our internal production systems!

2:40 PM
3:00 PM
Galasa 101 – Louisa Seers, Product Manager at IBM
Discover Galasa—an open-source test framework that ensures the integrity of your applications. With Galasa, you can confidently verify that the latest maintenance hasn’t caused issues and that recent changes haven’t affected existing functionality. Seamlessly align the delivery of your hybrid Z applications with your enterprise’s code delivery process. Join for an informative presentation on Galasa’s powerful features and cost-effective benefits.

Hybrid Orchestration with IBM Z – Dong Ma, Software Engineer at IBM
There are multiple workloads running on x86, Power or Z, and even for Z workloads there are multiple technical implementations like z/VM, KVM, PR/SM(Processor Resource/System Manager) or even zCX (z/OS container extension) or event native z/OS. Challenges comes when you have to manage all those workload all together, especially those core systems are building across different technical stacks, how to unify and simplify the management for all those different infrastructure stacks, specifically some of those workloads(like z/OS workload and zCX workload) can decrease network latency and therefore, improve IO performance while running under certain co-location rules. With this talk we will present how to manage different hypervisor resources like z/VM guest, KVM guest or zCX (z/OS container extension) guest so that all those infrastructure can be integrated with cloud management tools to provision and orchestrate along with the cloud workloads

3:05 PM
3:25 PM
Accelerate Your Mainframe Modernization using Zowe-Conformant REST APIs – Elliot Jalley, Product Manager at Broadcom
Mainframe modernization is being driven by a number of factors, not least the requirement to move fast while retaining the absolute focus on security. Embracing open-first technology is key. Opening the platform to ensure the mainframe remains vibrant into the future. This session focuses on the growing number of mainframe infrastructure REST APIs that provide standardized, programmatic access to mainframe resources. Join me to learn how Zowe-conformant APIs play a vital role in a risk-managed, in-place modernization strategy that leads to faster delivery, higher quality and increased efficiency, all without compromising on security and compliance.
Positioning legacy ISPF tools for tomorrow – Michael Fontanetta, Distinguished Technologist, Senior Director zSystems Product Innovation Engineering at Ensono
As we hand over the reins of z/OS environments to the next generation, a wealth of tools exists in ISPF that could prove useful to the tasks of tomorrow. We’ll explore how to transition ISPF panel-driven applications to consumable APIs that will fit into tomorrow’s paradigms and be ready for consumption by next-gen interfaces like z/OSMF and Zowe.

3:30 PM
3:50 PM
Deploying Zowe CLI configuration throughout your organization – Gene Johnston, Principal Software Engineer at Broadcom
Most companies try new technology, like Zowe CLI, in a pilot program. Once you are convinced of the value of Zowe CLI, you are challenged with deploying that technology throughout your organization. In this session you will hear how Zowe CLI team configuration was designed to improve sharing your configuration with everyone on your team. We will identify different approaches that are available to address different deployment situations. We will describe techniques for creating the most flexible and effective configurations. We will discuss best practices. And, we will show useful techniques to diagnose problems that you may inadvertently place into your configuration.
The z/OS Open Tools Initiative – Mike Fulton, Distinguished Engineer, IBM Z Application Foundation at IBM
In this session, we will discuss open-source tooling on z/OS, with focus on the z/OS Open Tools initiative and how it can help organizations to improve their efficiency, security, and innovation. We will provide examples of tools such as Git, Bash, GNU Make, Vim, CMake, Ninja, JQ and Curl that are available under z/OS Open Tools and how they can be integrated into existing workloads. We will also cover the z/OS Open Tools porting process and how you can get involved. For more information on z/OS Open Tools, see https://zosopentools.github.io/meta/.

3:55 PM
4:15 PM
Mapping the Face of the Modern Mainframe Workforce: Roles, Skills and Resources – John Lovett, Head of Education and Customer Engagement, Mainframe Division at Broadcom & Meredith Stowell, VP, IBM Z Ecosystem at IBM
What roles are out there right now for Mainframe professionals? What skills are needed for those roles and what resources are available to develop them? If you think you know the answers you may be surprised at how much the Mainframe workforce has evolved. Mainframe modernization and the accompanying call for agile business strategies have changed the face of traditional job roles. Share your own insights by joining Mainframe Open Education project leaders JJ Lovett and Paul Newton for an interactive discussion of these topics.

Synchronzing Mainframe Data with Zowe – Diego Rodriguez Bravo, Client Services Consultant at Broadcom
Use case where a simple script embeding Zowe commands, enables PDS member synchronization between isolated environments and keep version control in a Git repository. Main applicability for source code deployment.

4:20 PM
4:40 PM
IBM Z Advocacy – As easy as 1-2-3! – Sudharsana Srinivasan – Advocacy Manager at IBM
Did you know that you have likely been advocating for the mainframe without even realizing it? When you are mentoring others, speaking at events, and creating content – that is Advocacy. It is all about sharing – a journey that helps you find your authentic voice, build your eminence, and grow your career. Have you ever wondered how to get started on your advocacy journey? Attend this session to learn how you can get started today – it’s as easy as 1-2-Z

ZEN – A New Era of Zowe Installation – Jan Prihoda, Product Owner at Broadcom
Zowe has already established its presence on mainframes. However, its installation and configuration can still be challenging. ZEN aims to facilitate the adoption of Zowe through a wizard-driven installation guide. Features such as variable value validation, real-time validation, assistance with certificate management, and configuration file schema validation are just a few of the capabilities offered by ZEN. And all of this from the comfort of your desktop! Come and see for yourself what ZEN can do for you!

4:45 PM
5:05 PM
The Art of Implementing Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform on an Air-gapped IBM zSystem – Vincent Terrone, Enterprise Architect at Vicom Infinity, & Len Santalucia, CTO at Vicom Infinity
There are clients that desire to implement Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform (OCP) on their IBM zSystems that are isolated from the internet for security reasons. However, this isolation poses a challenge since OCP normally requires a live internet connection during its installation. We will discuss how to overcome this challenge and how to continue to support such isolated air-gapped OCP environments. This is a session from which everyone will learn and benefit.
Software management automation using Zowe and Ansible – Jan Prihoda, Product Owner at Broadcom
If you manage more than two LPARs, you surely know that keeping all the software updated on all systems can be very demanding. Backup/recovery, HOLDDATA resolution, and different task levels/roles – all of these introduce complexity and the possibility of errors. And now, imagine that with the help of open-source tools like Zowe and Ansible, it is possible to not only eliminate but at least greatly simplify all these challenges. Want to know more? Come and see for yourself!

5:10 PM
5:30 PM
Top Five Open Source Mainframe Powerups! – Joe Winchester, Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM
In this talk, I’ll show my favourite free open source tools that every mainframer should be using, if they aren’t already. With short demos and instructions we’ll look at ports of Bash and VIM, the amazing Zigi 3270 emulator, and other open source tools. This will be the best 20 minute open source presentation you’ll be glad you attended to learn new things you didn’t know before and change how you work with the mainframe going forward.
Zowe – Beyond the Typical Use Cases – Jan Prihoda, Product Owner at Broadcom
Zowe is often leveraged for popular use cases, including creating CI-CD pipelines to achieve mainframe DevOps, offering mainframe Developers & Administrators extensions for their VS Code workspace, and creating modern UIs for operational tasks. It can also be leveraged for innovations. In this session, we’ll share how we’ve used Zowe’s capabilities in various ways and in general, why we view Zowe as an enabler for innovations.

6 – 8 pm: Attendee Reception

Registration costs $1599 but Open Mainframe Summit attendees will receive an exclusive discount until August 30 at 5 PM ET. The discount of $300 USD*, will require you to pre-register. Please submit this form to reserve your discounted pass. When your pre-registration submission has been successfully processed, you will be invited to register for the event. For questions about Open Mainframe Summit, email info@openmainframeproject.org.

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.

SHARE New Orleans
2023-08-13 - 2023-08-18
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.
Monday, August 14:
9:45 – 10:45 am: Creating a Thriving Multi-Generational Workforce.” Dr. Gloria Chance, CEO and Founder of The Mousai Group, will moderate a panel discussion exploring how multigenerational mainframers are bridging the age gap within their organizations including:

Acknowledge the age gap in the industry
Discuss the realities of multigenerational workplaces
Explore what it is like to be older/younger/mid-career as the demographics of your workforce shift
Examine the challenges/opportunities that exist
Discuss ways for all to thrive

9:45 am – 4:15 pm: Zowe Day
For a list of all Zowe Day speakers and sessions, click here.
7-8 pm: Making Our Strong Community Stronger Reception (Empire Room)
Making Our Strong Community Stronger (MSCS) was born in 2020 as mainframe leaders, community members and partners came together to accelerate diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) initiatives and create environments that foster belonging. DEI isn’t a one-time initiative; it’s a lifetime of educating and listening to everyone in the company to improve – and no matter what your role is, everyone can contribute.
Tuesday, August 15:
9:15-10:15 am: Deploying Zowe CLI Configuration Throughout Your Organization – Eugene Johnston, Broadcom
Most companies try new technology, like Zowe CLI, in a pilot program. Once you are convinced of the value of Zowe CLI, you are challenged with deploying that technology throughout your organization. In this session you will hear how Zowe CLI team configuration was designed to improve sharing your configuration with everyone on your team. We will identify different approaches that are available to address different deployment situations. We will describe techniques for creating the most flexible and effective configurations. We will discuss best practices. And, we will show useful techniques to diagnose problems that you may inadvertently place into your configuration.
10:30-11:30 am: Improve Mainframe Integration with Zowe Explorer – Brijesh Anghan, Roayl Cyber Inc.
The Zowe project has revolutionized the way we interact with mainframe systems, making it easier than ever before to develop, deploy, and manage applications on the mainframe. One of the latest developments in the Zowe project is the integration of Zowe with the Visual Studio Code (VS Code) editor, providing a seamless and modern interface for developing mainframe applications. At the heart of this integration is the Zowe Explorer extension for VS Code, which provides a set of tools and features for working with mainframe systems. With Zowe Explorer, developers can browse mainframe datasets and files, edit JCL files, submit batch jobs, and view system logs, all from within the familiar VS Code interface. This greatly simplifies the development process, allowing developers to use their preferred tools and workflows when working with mainframe systems. The Zowe Explorer extension also includes support for DevOps tools and practices, allowing developers to build, test, and deploy mainframe applications using familiar DevOps workflows. For example, Zowe Explorer includes support for Git, allowing developers to easily manage mainframe code alongside code from other platforms. Zowe Explorer also includes support for Jenkins, allowing developers to automate build and deployment processes and streamline the development cycle. In addition to its development features, Zowe Explorer also provides tools for managing and monitoring mainframe systems. With Zowe Explorer, administrators can view system metrics, manage mainframe resources, and perform system-level tasks such as IPLs and shutdowns, all from within the VS Code interface. Zowe Explorer enables developers and administrators to be more productive and efficient than ever before. Whether you are a seasoned mainframe professional or a developer just starting out in the mainframe world, the Zowe Explorer extension for VS Code is sure to be a valuable tool in your toolkit.
4-5 pm: Is the Mainframe Ready for Open Source? Joe Winchster, IBM; Joe Bostian, IBM; Steven Perva, Ensono; Donna Hudi, Phoenix Software; Vaughan Marshall, Broadcom; Jeff Cherrington, Rocket Software
The mainframe is a secure, reliable, trusted computing platform. Open Source Software is often viewed as hobbyists coming up with free ephemeral stuff that may or may not work, may or may not be secure, and is supported through on-line public forums. How can these worlds collide and co-exist, or can they ? This panel discusses all of the issues surrounding this exciting area that to some is driving the platform forward, and to others is driving it off a cliff.
Wednesday, August 16:
8-9 am: Using IBM Z System Automation API with Zowe and Kafka in a Modern DevOps Environment – Michael Alexander Carl Seeburger, IBM
Learn about exciting new Z System Automation capabilities supporting IBM Z and DevOps for enhanced operations management: – The ability to access your automation environment via the new IBM Z Systems Automation Operations (REST) API; – Zowe CLI and its plugins for System Automation and Netview to support Admins, Operators and Developer on z/OS; – Publish System Automation event messages via SA Info Broker to Kafka and visualize in Service Management Unite dashboards.
5:15-6:15 pm: 5 for f: Top 5 Use Cases for Zowe over last 5 years – Rose Sakach, Broadcom, and Michael Bauer, Broadcom
Since 2020, the Arcati Mainframe yearbook has predicted exponential increases in Zowe adoptions. By the end of 2023 close to 70% of mainframe organizations – i.e. more and more of you – will be doing something with Zowe. In this session, we’ll showcase the most popular Zowe use cases. Whether you are a Systems Programmer, DBA, Security Administrator, DevOps Architect or Developer you will gain an understanding of the value of Zowe as we demo and explain 5 common Zowe use cases to help priortize and expedite your adoption journey.
Thursday, August 17:
8-9 am: Accelerate Your Mainframe Modernization using Zowe-Conformant REST APIs – Elliot Jalley, Broadcom and Miroslav Strnad
Mainframe modernization is being driven by a number of factors, not least the requirement to move fast while retaining the absolute focus on security. Embracing open-first technology is key. Opening the platform to ensure the mainframe remains vibrant into the future. This session focuses on the growing number of mainframe infrastructure REST APIs that provide standardized, programmatic access to mainframe resources. Join me to learn how Zowe-conformant APIs play a vital role in a risk-managed, in-place moderniztion strategy that leads to faster delivery, higher quality and increased efficiency, all without compromising on security and compliance.
10:30-11:30: Leveraging Zowe to Enable SCM Actions from Service Now – Thomas McQuitty, Broadcom
Learn how Mainframe SCMs can be driven via ServiceNow for actions such as software change approvals using the ServiceNow MID Server. This walk-through will show you the behind-the-scenes configuration, the technical prerequisites and the role Zowe plays. We will also save time to discuss additional possibilities.
1:15-2:15 pm: zNextGen: COBOL and the Modern Mainframe – Sudharsana Srinivasan, IBM, and Caitlin Mooney, JP Morgan Chase, Jade Melody Walker
Open Mainframe Project: COBOL Programming Course – Importance of COBOL – How COBOL can be used to train new developers – How CI/CD and debug/testing features are being added to the course
1:15-2:15 pm: Diagnosing Transient Performance Issues by Analyzing SMF 98 and 100 Records in Zowe – Daneil Weigand, IBM, and Daniel Rosa, IBM
z/OS transactional workloads contain interactions between IBM z/OS components, middleware, Independent Software Vendor (ISV) products, client applications and shared resources. Sometimes these interactions and resources can cause transient short term performance issues. In the worst cases, these transient issues can repeat, worsen, and result in broader service degradation, critical situations, and even outages. When things go wrong, Subject Matter Experts spend significant time (e.g. days, weeks, or months depending on the issue) looking for clues needed to define the root cause. SMF 98 and 100 records can be generated on synchronized, 5-second intervals with micro-summary, exceptionalism enriched data. Subject Matter Experts can analyze this data to identify and correlate short interval anomalies with only 15 minutes of data, reducing the time required to diagnose complex critical situations, service degradation, and outages. In addition, Subject Matter Experts can proactively identify repeating transient workload resilience risks, providing an opportunity to diagnose the root cause and address it before a crit-sit or outage occurs.
2:45-3:45 pm: Customer Use Cases and Success Stories with Zowe – Joe Winchester, IBM, Murali P. Panchalingam, IBM and Rose Sakach, Broadcom
Many customers have been successful using Zowe to transition their companies to mainframe modernization in-place, blending existing pracitces with modern toolchains. Learn first hand their stories at DevOps, education, automation, optional support and other areas where Zowe has helped accelerate digital transformation.
4-5 pm: Zowe Chat: Extending the Access, Personas and Use Cases for z/OS based REST Services – Domenic D’Alterio, IBM

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.
Friday, August 18
9:15-10:15 am: I get my CICS on Route Zowe – Joe Winchester, IBM, and Murali P. Panchalingam, IBM
This talk shows how Zowe Visual Studio plugins and Zowe Command Line Interface open source extensions can be used for development, operations, and automated deployment tasks to create a modern and powerful experience that works for new, and experienced, CICS mainframers alike.

Open Mainframe Summit (Call for Papers - Deadline to Submit June 30)
2023-06-30
This year, Open Mainframe Summit will be co-located with two industry conferences – IBM TechXchange Conference 2023, hosted in Las Vegas on September 11-14; and Open Source in Finance Forum, hosted in New York City on November 1.
The Call for Proposals is now open and will be accepting submissions until Friday, June 30, 2023. Interested speakers for either event can submit proposals with options for 20 minute talks, 30-minute sessions, 60-minute panel discussions or a 60-minute workshop or lab. All topics that benefit the Open Mainframe ecosystem are welcome and can include (but not limited to) AI, machine learning, building the next workforce, cloud native, COBOL, Java, hybrid cloud, diversity and Inclusion, z/OS and Linux on Z, and security.
Submit a proposal: cfp.openmainframesummit.org.
Open Mainframe Summit – Las Vegas
IBM TechXchange Conference offers technical breakout sessions, hands-on experiences, product demonstrations, instructor-led labs, and certifications tailored to your interests and learning style. Open Mainframe Summit will be featured as part of the TechXchange Community Day on September 11. Community Day unites diverse IBM user groups and technical communities to foster collaboration, networking and learning. Learn more here.
Open Mainframe Summit – New York
Open Source in Finance Forum is dedicated to driving collaboration and innovation in financial services through open source software and standards. 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 Summit will be featured as part of a 6-session track and a 10-minute keynote presentation on November 1. Learn more about the event here.

VM Workshop 2023 (Columbus, Ohio)
2023-06-22 - 2023-06-24
The VM Workshop 2023 takes place on June 22-24 at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. VM Workshop 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 will be represented by several project leaders and ambassadors:
On Thursday, June 22 at 11 am – 12 pm, Len Santalucia, Chair of the Open Mainframe Project Governing Board and CTO and Business Development Manager at Vicom Infinity, and John Mertic, Executive Director at Open Mainframe Project, will give a presentation about the “State of the Open Mainframe Project.”
The Open Mainframe Project turns 8 this year, and has seen much success in establishing not only a home for open source on the mainframe, but also has been a driver towards building a diverse and inclusive culture in mainframe to help bring in the next generation. With the planned launch of a mainframe to be used by the open source community and greater collaboration with other open source projects and organizations, mainframe is now becoming more mainstream. In this talk, we will provide an update on the Open Mainframe Project and ways you can engage.
On Friday, June 23 at 11 am – 12 pm, Mike Friesenegger, Chair of Feilong and Solution Architect at SUSE, will give a presentation titled, “Feilong: The Open Source API for z/VM Automation.”
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.
To check out all the sessions, click here. To learn more about the event or to register, visit the main VM Workshop website.

COBOL Programming Course Q2 Update Webinar
2023-06-21 09:30 - 10:15 (America/Los_Angeles)
Since the launch of Open Mainframe Project’s COBOL Programming Course two years ago, we have held quarterly TSC calls to encourage our learners, COBOL fans and the community at large to join us to learn more about our work we drive and provide inputs and thoughts about the course.
Join us on Wednesday, June 21 at 9:30 am PT, for the COBOL Programming Course Q2 Webinar. The core COBOL team will be joined by Lezlie Browder, an Open Mainframe Project Summer Mentor with several years of COBOL experience. She recently went through the COBOL Programming Course and experimented with Zowe and COBOL Check. She’ll share her experience, feedback and more.
Register to join the conversation here.

Zowe Quarterly Update Webinar
2023-06-19 06:00 - 07:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Whether you are a Zowe User, Contributor, Extender or simply interested in what’s happening with Zowe , please join the Zowe Community on Monday, June 19 at 6 am PT/9 am ET for the Zowe Q2 Update Webinar featuring the Zowe 2.9 System Demo!

Details:
When: Monday June 19, 2023 at 6 am PT/9am ET (we’ve reserved 90 minutes for this meeting)
Where: https://zoom.us/j/92382491133 (no registration required)
What: Zowe 2.9 System Demo

Featuring:

Zowe API Mediation Layer: Support for OpenID Connect (OIDC), API Catalog UI Enhancements, fixes
Zowe CLI: x-LPAR COPY command, fixes
Zowe App Framework / Web UI: Massive desktop / multi-app performance improvements, fixes
Zowe Explorer (VS Code): Cancel Jobs for job nodes, Data set creation templates, Custom Credential Manager for K8s, fixes
General: New to you
General: Upcoming Events

Find more details in the Open Mainframe Project calendar: https://lists.openmainframeproject.org/g/zowe-dev/viewevent?eventid=1946648&calstart=2023-06-19

Note: YOU MUST create your own calendar entry and reserve this time

DevConf.CZ (Brno, Czech Republic)
2023-06-16 - 2023-06-18
DevConf.CZ , which takes place on June 16-18 in Brno, Czech Republic, is an annual, free, Red Hat sponsored community conference for developers, admins, DevOps engineers, testers, documentation writers and other contributors to open source technologies. At DevConf.CZ, FLOSS communities sync, share, and hack on upstream projects together.
DevConf.CZ is committed to fostering an open and welcoming environment at our conference. We set expectations for inclusive behavior through our code of conduct and media policies, and are prepared to enforce these.
On Saturday, June 17 at 2:45 – 3:20 pm, Sarah Julia Kriesch, an Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, CO-Chair of the Linux Distributions Working Group and Lead IT/OT Engineer at Accenture, will give a presentation titled, “Linux Distributions Collaboration on the Mainframe.”
Debian, openSUSE and Fedora have founded together the Linux Distributions Working Group at the Open Mainframe Project for achieving better support for the mainframe architecture s390x and collaboration for providing solutions. That has been such success, that SUSE, Red Hat, Canonical (Ubuntu), AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux have joint also. The question has popped up, whether we should be open only for all Linux Distributions or should we include also important upstream projects in our Linux Distributions Working Group. In this presentation we will represent the existing benefit for all Linux distributions, where we are and what we want to achieve for the future. Add this to your schedule here.
Register for the free conference or learn more about it on the main DevConf.CZ website.

openSUSE Conference (Nuremberg, Germany)
2023-05-26 - 2023-05-28
The openSUSE Conference 2023 will take place on May 26 – 28. The first talks will begin at 9:30 a.m. This is the annual openSUSE community event that brings people from around the world together to meet and collaborate. The organized talks, workshops, and BoF sessions provide a framework around more casual meet ups and hack sessions.
openSUSE will post the streaming link of the conference on its main conference website once it is available on the day of the event.
Sara Julia Kriesch, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, CO-Chair of the Linux Distributions Working Group and Lead IT/OT Engineer at Accenture, will give a talk at the conference on May 27 at 10:30 am about “The Mainframe, an alternative platform for openSUSE.”
Everybody of us have got a laptop. Then there are some Embedded enthusiasts with arm hardware. Did you hear already about the architecture s390x for mainframes, which includes IBM zSystems and LinuxONE? You will learn, where such hardware is used and that you can also still use it with openSUSE. Hints will be given, how to receive mainframe access for free for open source development. Finally, there is a short introduction, how you can be included for better s390x support (with feedback) within the Linux Distributions Working Group at the Open Mainframe Project.
Learn more about the conference at the openSUSE event website.

ASAP University 2023 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
2023-05-21 - 2023-05-24
ASAP University, which takes place on May 21-24 in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the premier, user-driven training and education program for the Workload Autoation suite of products. ASAP University is a user community dedicated to the education and training of workload automation professionals and to influencing the strategic direction and technical functionality of Workload Automation.
On Tuesday, May 23 at 9-9:45 am, Domenico D’Alterio, Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, Member of the Zowe ZAC and Principal Product Manager at IBM, will give a presentation, “Let’s Dance: Zowe.”
Learn more about the conference or register on the main ASAP University website.

Fostering Inclusive Work Environments for the LGBTQIA+ Community (Webinar)
2023-05-17 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The LGBTQIA+ community is a vital part of not just the technology ecosystem, but the world as a whole. On May 17 at 9-10 am PDT (12-1 pm EDT), in the next session of the Making Our Strong Community Stronger collaborative initiative, national DEI consultant Jess Pettitt will moderate a thoughtful conversation with panelists about the importance of community, self-expression, and relationship-building in creating safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals, along with the impact of popular cultural polarization. Register for the webinar here.
This webinar’s panelists include:

Debbie Schildkraut, Founder/President, Kestin Impact Consulting
Dan Brown, Head of Communications, LF Energy
Michelle Hébert, Enablement Manager – Data Services, Applied Systems
Larry Cook, Global Event Manager, Broadcom Mainframe Software

Check out other Marking Our Strong Community Stronger videos here. Join our LinkedIn community here.

Mainframe Modernization Summit (Virtual)
2023-05-11
Experts in both cloud and mainframe applications come together at the first Mainframe Modernization Summit on May 11. This is the only event of its kind where you can explore the full range of possibilities for modernizing your mainframe applications.

This year’s Summit explores the options for your mainframe applications. While they were born on the mainframe, what does their future look like in a cloud world? There is a range of options from staying on the mainframe to going cloud-native.
We’ll learn from industry leaders, gain valuable insights, and discover best practices that you can apply to your organization.
Open Mainframe Project will be represented in a strategic panel at the Summit. Please see below for details.
Strategic Panel: Understanding the Mainframe Modernization Movement (9:45 am – 10:15 pm PDT//11:45 am – 12:15 pm CDT)
What is mainframe modernization and why has it been getting so much attention in recent years? Industry thought leaders will explore the answers to those questions and much more in this strategic panel.
Speakers:

Register or learn more about the event at the main event website here. #MainframeMod23

Open Source Summit North America (Vancouver, Canada + Virtual)
2023-05-10 - 2023-05-12
Open Source Summit 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. Join us for the Open Source Summit North America, hosted in Vancouver, Canada, and virtually on May 10-12.
John Mertic, Executive Director for Open Mainframe Project, and Cynthia Coupe, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Specialist, co-chairs for SDDI (Software Developer Diversity and Inclusion (SDDI) project will be on-site to give an overview of the project.
On Wednesday, May 10 at 12:05-12:45 pm PDT, join the session titled “Lean in: Software Developer Diversity and Inclusion Project“
“Openness” has always been a core principle in open source. It’s designed to grant everyone with the ability to use, update and distribute source code for any purpose. Unfortunately, open doesn’t always mean everyone feels welcome. Like the broader tech industry, open source has a diversity problem. Though anyone and everyone is welcome to contribute – many under-represented groups like women, minorities, parents, non-technical contributors, members of the LGBTQ+ and more have shared stories of the challenges they’ve faced in open source communities. The Linux Foundation believes that people of vastly different backgrounds, nationalities, orientations, and identities create stronger communities that produce better outcomes and more robust technologies. Re-launched earlier this year, the Software Developer Diversity and Inclusion (SDDI) project is dedicated to improving this. The mission of SDDI is to discover, evaluate, and promote best practices from research and industry to increase diversity and inclusion in software engineering. In this session, attendees will learn more about SDDI, its goals and how to get involved. Add this to your schedule here.
On Thursday, May 11 at 11 -11:40 am PDT, join the session titled, “Hidden Differences: How to be Inclusive When you Don’t Know – Cynthia Coupe, OARS
Workplaces and managers are being asked to be all inclusive for their workers, but what does this mean? How can you be inclusive if you don’t know there is a difference? Sometimes we have employees who don’t even know they are neurodivergent, so how do we navigate this in the workplace to be inclusive of all people, whether or not their differences are hidden, known or unknown? How can we create an environment where everyone is supported if we don’t even know what who or what we are supporting?
This presentation will address these issues and provide some guidance as to how to make an inclusive workplace, what inclusive attitudes are and why this is important for everyone. Add this to your schedule here.
On Thursday, May 11 at 2:55-3:35 pm PDT, join the session titled, “Squashing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Bugs in Open Source Projects: How to Find and Resolve Common “DEI Bugs” – Georg Link, SDDI member and Direct of Sales at Bitergia

Open source software projects are hyper-collaborative environments but surveys reveal that project members lack diversity. There are many reasons why open source projects appear uninviting to people of underrepresented groups. We would consider these reasons “bugs” if the system was software. This talk uses the idea of DEI bugs to discuss how we can identify where open source projects fall short in being inviting and inclusive. The goal of this framing is to find ways to squash these bugs and bring out the potential of everyone who has an interest in our open source projects. A concrete suggestion is to walk in the shoes of others and take a fresh look at your project. The audience will learn actionable steps to take a new look at their own open source projects and start making a positive difference. This revised talk adds a discussion of common DEI bugs, where they come from, and how we can resolve them. [notes to program committee:] We revised this talk based on feedback that the talk could be improved with more examples and guidance. We walk faster through the steps of identifying DEI bugs and added a discussion of common DEI bugs, based on peer-reviewed research. Add this to your schedule here.

To register for the conference or learn more about the schedule, visit the main Open Source Summit North America website here.

COBOL Q1 Webinar (COBOL Course & COBOL Check - Integration)
2023-03-22 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Topic: COBOL Course and COBOL Check – Integration
NOTE: Date changed.
Join the COBOL Programming Course team on March 22 at 9:30-10:30 am PDT (12:30-1:30 pm EDT) as we kick off 2023 with an exciting session with our Open Mainframe sister project – COBOL Check. Rune Christensen, Lead Software Developer at Bankdata, and Dave Nicolette, Chair of COBOL Check, will share updates and together we will explore opportunities to integrate the project into the course.

It is part of the COBOL Programming Course strategic Roadmap to bring in debug and testing – this presents an exciting opportunity to give our learner community that end-to-end developer experience. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn first-hand from the creators of COBOL Check!!!
Register for the free webinar here.

Zowe Q1 Webinar
2023-03-15 08:30 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Whether you are a Zowe User, Contributor, Extender or simply interested in what’s happening with Zowe – please join us for the Zowe Q1 Update Webinar on Wednesday, March 15 Sep 28 at 8:30 am PT/11:30 am ET. Register here.
Title: The Zowe App Store
Abstract: Learn how to use and even contribute to a Zowe package registry while gaining insights on App Store plans for Zowe client and Zowe server extensions.

Speaker: Sean Grady, Senior Software Architect at Rocket Software
