Open Mainframe Project

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.

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/.

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.

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.

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.

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

Zowe Webinar: Squads, Training Programs & Badges
2024-03-28 07:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Open Mainframe Project Community on Thursday. March 28 at 7 am PDT/10 am EDT for a free webinar about Zowe. Jakub Balhar, Principal Product Owner at Broadcom and Zowe TSC Chair, will provide an overview of Zowe and its different squads, and Darren Surch, CEO of Interskill Learning and Open Mainframe Project Ambassador, will provide details and a demo of Zowe training courses and badges. He’ll even share news about upcoming advanced training opportunities coming soon! Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_u1H9h_v9QQWtzq4IOC_CJg.
Jakub Balhar, Darren Surch
Additional Details:
The 2024 Arcati Mainframe Report, surveys mainframe organizations each year to see what technologies are being used and which ones are going out of favor. This year, 89% of respondents indicated that Zowe was either running now, or soon will be by the end of the year.
As more organizations leverage Zowe for their mainframe modernization, we invite you to join the Open Mainframe Project community on Thursday, March 28 at 7 am PDT for a webinar that will showcase how you can get involved in Zowe, an open source software framework for the mainframe that strengthens integration with modern enterprise applications, and training programs.
With the help of the Zowe community, Interskill provides a free online “Fundamentals for Zowe” course to build your Zowe skills and get you started on your Zowe journey! There’s even a brag-worthy Open Mainframe Project digital badge to show your Zowe skills to the world! If you are already somewhere along the route, the best way to learn is from Zowe docs and the discussions in Zowe channels on Slack.
Register here.

Mainframe Open Education Student User Group
2024-04-03 08:30 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Knowledge management involves consciously organizing, retaining, and sharing an organization’s knowledge and experience. The primary aim is to connect those seeking information with those who possess it, enhancing operational efficiency and expertise within the organization. This is exactly what Mainframe Open Education does.
Join the core team on Wednesday, April 3 at 8:30-9:30 am PDT for a webinar that introduces students to the Mainframe Open Education project. We’ll hear from contributors and students who have engaged with the project to learn about how to get involved, best practices, badges and more!
Speakers include:

Nanxi Meng, Instructional Designer at Broadcom and contributor to Mainframe Open Education
Eugene Ndlovu, Graduate of University of Johannesburg, Graduate

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.

Texas Linux Fest (Austin)
2024-04-12 - 2024-04-13
Texas Linux Fest is the first state-wide annual community-run conference for Linux and open source software users and enthusiasts from around the Lone Star State. Much like SCALE in Los Angeles, Ohio Linux Fest in Columbus, and Linux Fest Northwest – and an ever-growing list of successful regional shows – Texas Linux Fest is a weekend event geared towards individual users, rather than an expensive multi-workday expo that might cater primarily to sponsored attendees. Whether you use free software and Linux at home, in your place of business, in your school or non-profit, or you are simply curious, Texas Linux Fest offers something for you.
On Saturday, April 13 from 2:30 – 3:15 pm, Elizabeth Joseph, Open Mainframe Project ambassador and Chair the Software Discovery Tool and Global Head, OSPO for IBM Z at IBM, will be on-site at the event. Her talk will cover the Linux Distributions Working Group, which she serves as the co-chair, and other initiatives that the Open Mainframe Project has that supports Linux.
This event is not managed by the Linux Foundation. For more information about the event or to register for it, visit the Texas Linux Fest website.

Open Source Summit North America (Seattle, Washington)
2024-04-16 - 2024-04-18
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.
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. One of these is events is LinuxCon, where Elizabeth Joseph, Open Mainframe Summit Ambassador and Global Head, Open Source Program Office for IBMZ at IBM, will be on-site to give a presentation about the Linux Distributions Working Group.
On Wednesday, April 17 at 2-2:40 pm, she will give a presentation titled, “How Our Mainframe-Focused Working Group Solved Our Linux Distribution Maintainer Isolation Problem.”
When you’re the only maintainer caring for a somewhat niche part of your project, it can be very isolating. This was happening with maintainers of the s390x (mainframe) port of a number of Linux distributions, and so in 2021 we founded The Open Mainframe Project Linux Distributions Working Group to try and solve this.
The working group brought together maintainers of the s390x port of openSUSE, Debian, Fedora, Rocky Linux, and more to discuss and collaborate on shared issues, future planning, and access to hardware resources for development and testing.
This talk will provide a basic introduction to the s390x architecture to provide context to why collaboration is required and why maintainers sometimes struggled. Then we’ll dive into some of the specific technical success stories the distributions have from this working group, and how that’s managed to knock down those walls that were causing us to feel so isolated, and create a friendly, collaborative team. Add this to your schedule here.
You can find the complete schedule here. Learn more about the event or to register for it, visit the main Open Source Summit North America website 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.

Webinar: How Open Source is Modernizing The Mainframe
2024-04-25 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The open source movement has rapidly become the way code is being developed for today’s smart and agile businesses. This webinar will cover how an “open mainframe” is the perfect solution for deploying open source on an enterprise computing platform. Join Vicom Infinity for a Lunch ‘n Learn webinar on Thursday, April 25 at 9 am PT, 12 pm ET. John Mertic, Executive Director of the Open Mainframe Project, will share:

how the mainframe platform is a natural technology for Linux deployments and
how the mainframe community operates within the 18+ open source projects and working groups hosted by Open Mainframe Project.

With projects such as COBOL, Zowe, Mentorship, Feilong, Zebra, and Mainframe Open Education, many of these programs complement each other and we’ll take you through how to participate and join the collaboration.
Space is limited, so we ask that you register for the webinar.
REGISTRATION:
Send email to Leonard.Santalucia@convergetp.com requesting “please register” and a webex calendar invitation will be sent to you.

This webinar is managed by Vicom Infinity.

Mainframe Open Education Student User Group
2024-05-01 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-06-05 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-07-03 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-08-07 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-09-04 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-10-02 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Knowledge management involves consciously organizing, retaining, and sharing an organization’s knowledge and experience. The primary aim is to connect those seeking information with those who possess it, enhancing operational efficiency and expertise within the organization. This is exactly what Mainframe Open Education does. it is the wikipedia of mainframe knowledge and experience.

Join the core team every first Wednesday of the month for a live discussion about Mainframe Open Education. We’ll hear from contributors and students who have engaged with the project to learn about how to get involved, best practices, badges and more!
Speakers include:

Nanxi Meng, Instructional Designer at Broadcom and contributor to Mainframe Open Education
J.J. Lovett, Head of Education and Customer Engagement at Broadcom Mainframe Software
Tiiso Senosha, contributor to Mainframe Open Education and past Open Mainframe Project Mentor

Register here.

ASAP University 2024 TWS Education+Training
2024-05-19 - 2024-05-22
ASAP U Conference 2024 takes place on May 19-22 in Miami, Florida. ASAP U Conferences bring together many Workload Automation experts from all over the world to collaborate, network, learn, inspire, and much more. With 30+ sessions, labs and certification exams to choose from and attend, you can aways expect to walk away with more knowledge and inspiration to implement into your work environment. Register here.

Open Mainframe Project Ambassador and Zowe contributor Domenico D’Alterio, Principle Product Manager at IBM, will be on-site at the conference with a Zowe session. Stay tuned here for more details about his session and the rest of the agenda.
This event is managed by ASAP, which aims to provide the Workload Automation user community with a forum to learn, explore, and achieve results for their company as well as themselves. ASAP is committed to be the user voice behind workload automation issues to help drive the development of product enhancements. This organization is a place where our members can reach out and get real life examples and solutions to every day automation needs. For more details about the event, visit the main conference website.

Happy Birthday Mainframe: 60 years old and 60 years young!
2024-05-23 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Open Mainframe community in this special webinar on Thursday, May 23 at 9 am PT/12 pm ET that aims to celebrate the mainframe birthday. We will take a look back at the fantastic innovations that have powered the IBM Z mainframe platform from its beginnings 60 years ago, which includes some of the folks who have shaped and witnessed the platform as well as those who are leading the charge into the next 60 years. Register here.
Speakers include:
– Cheryl Watson, CEO and Co-Founder at Watson & Walker
Cheryl Watson is the CEO and co-founder of Watson & Walker which offers practical mainframe performance and measurement advice. Cheryl is known around the world for her passion and enthusiasm for IBM mainframes and the software that runs on them. She is most well-known for her z/OS (formerly MVS) newsletter, Cheryl Watson’s Tuning Letter, published since 1991.
– Derek Britton, Mainframe and Modernization Advisor
With over 30 years in the enterprise and mainframe software industry, Derek is an accomplished technology leader, writer, and consultant. With software development, product and brand marketing, product management, and services experience, Derek regularly commentates across the IT press, and at events such as Gartner, Open Mainframe Summit, SHARE, and GSE. Derek holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from De Montfort University, and is the co-founder of the Open Mainframe Project COBOL Working Group.
– Donna Hudi, CMO at Phoenix Software International

Donna has more than 30 years of financial service, technology, marketing, and executive management experience spanning the asset management, software development, consulting, and non-profit industries. Prior to joining Phoenix Software as their Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Business Development, she served as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for SHARE Association. Donna has been involved with the Open Mainframe Project since she was the Executive Director for SHARE Association and has continued during her tenure at Phoenix Software. She has been a member of the OMP Marketing Committee since 2019 and currently serves as the Marketing Committee Chair.
– Ed Jaffe, CTO at Phoenix Software International
Ed began his software development career by writing applications for government and research organizations in Washington, D.C. After moving to Los Angeles in 1982, he transitioned to the banking industry and eventually joined Phoenix Software International in 1987. He became Manager of Research & Development in the mid-1990s and was named Chief Technology Officer in 2009. Ed participated as a SHARE volunteer for nearly 30 years most recently as the SHARE Core Platform Focus Area Leader and is recognized throughout the mainframe community as a subject matter expert and strong advocate for the IBM Z platform.
– Jakub Balhar, Principal Product Owner at Broadcom
Jakub is a long-term enthusiast who is interested in building more secure solutions. He currently leads Zowe as the TSC chair, API Mediation Layer Squad lead, and the Product Owner for API Mediation Layer within Broadcom. He previously worked in the Space-related business, collaborating with NASA and ESA as Gisat’s Head of Application Development.

-Jessielaine Punongbayan, Support Engineer and Tech Evangelist at Dynatrace

Jessielaine is a Support Engineer at Dynatrace, an AI-powered monitoring tool. She has held various roles such as a Product Owner, Team Leader, Open Source contributor, Mainframe Modernization Ambassador, Writer, Conference Speaker, Software Engineer, and Hackathon Winner.
Register for the webinar here.

Zowe Quarterly Webinar
2024-05-29 08:30 - 09:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Zowe community on Wednesday, May 29 at 8:30-9:30 am PT/11:30-12:30 pm ET for the next quarterly update! Register here.
With Zowe v3 on the release horizon, Team Config for Zowe CLI and Zowe Explorer for VS Code becomes more relevant than ever. The Zowe Community introduced Team Config to take the burden of learning, understanding, and implementing connectivity away from every user – which is what v1 profiles required.
Join this session for a comprehensive review of Team Config, what it looks like, how best to leverage it, and (for those of you still using v1 profiles) best practices for converting Zowe CLI v1 profiles to Team Config to ensure you and your team are ready for Zowe v3!
Speaker: Adan Wolfe, Product Owner at Broadcom and Open Mainframe Project Ambassador
Register here.

Open Source in Finance Forum (London)
2024-06-26
Join us at the Open Source Finance Forum in London on June 26 for a captivating session featuring Louisa Seers, Product Manager at IBM, and Joe Winchester, Senior Technical Staff Member at IBM. At 4:45-5:15 pm, they will present a session titled, “Uncovering the Open Mainframe Project.”
Once considered a closed ecosystem, the IBM z/OS mainframe is embracing open source. This session explores transformative projects like Zowe and Galasa that empower users in retail, banking, and insurance. These tools address critical areas: streamlining operations with automation (e.g., job scheduling), enhancing security with vulnerability scanning, and unlocking innovation through data analysis and cloud integration. Aligned with the Open Mainframe Project, this session equips you to leverage open source for a revitalized, cost-effective, and future-proof mainframe environment. Add it to your schedule here.
Register now to secure your spot or check out the full schedule here.

COBOL Programming Course Q2 Webinar
2024-06-26 07:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join the Open Mainframe Project COBOL Programming Course team on Wednesday, June 26th 2024 at 7 am PT/10 a.m ET to learn more about the new and exciting zOS, registration platform, user experience and more! You don’t want to miss learning about this exciting new update to the much love COBOL course.
Speaker: Ross Cruickshank, Z Developer Advocate at IBM
Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OtLExuXZRRqMxDxUc_jGag#/registration

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.

COBOL Programming Course Q3 Webinar
2024-09-18 07:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Open Mainframe Project’s summer mentees never disappoint! Join the COBOL Programming Course core team on Wednesday, September 18 at 7 am PT/10 am ET to learn more about all of the great work summer mentees, Rituraj Mahato and Ali Mohammed, did to bring the next generation of COBOL Programing Course to global community of learners. The team will be celebrating the end of the Summer Mentorship, the anniversary of COBOL and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the next generation of COBOL programmers and celebrate all things COBOL!
Even if you can’t attend the meeting live, register here and you’ll receive a link to the recording after the meeting.
Watch the other COBOL Programming videos on the Open Mainframe Project COBOL Programming Course Playlist.

IBM Z Day (Virtual)
2024-10-01
IBM Z Day is on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 from 8 am – 4 pm ET. 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 AI, Hybrid Cloud, Quantum-Safe Security, and more!
Last year’s conference boasted over 70 sessions from 200+ industry experts and more than 26,000 unique views from 135 countries. Connect, learn, and be inspired by what’s brewing in the labs, hear from community members as they share experiences, discover new and exciting innovation, learn how to adopt a hybrid cloud infrastructure that integrates AI and data for real-time insights, accelerate your digital transformation and modernization journey and hear what’s on the minds of thought leaders.
Don’t miss your chance – register here at no cost.

This event is being hosted and managed by IBM, an Open Mainframe Project Platinum member.

Community Day at TechXchange (Las Vegas)
2024-10-21
This year’s IBM’s TechXchange Conference takes place on October 21-24 at the Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas. More than 5,000 technical attendees will be on-site to engage, network and attend the more than 1,000 sessions, demos, instructor-led labs and roadmap discussions.
The Open Mainframe Project will be featured as part of the Community Day being held on Monday, October 21. Whether it is Zowe, Galasa, Mentorship, Mainframe Open Education, COBOL Programming Course, Feilong, Software Discovery Tool, or others…there will be something for everyone.
Register using Open Mainframe Project’s link and receive a 30% discount. Click here: https://ibm.co/3KbeObO
Schedule:
Time Open Mainframe Project Track Room 1 (South), Jasmine E, Level 3 Room 2 (South), Jasmine F, Level 3 8:00 amLink Open Mainframe Project’s Room 1 schedule to your IBM TechXchange agendaClick here Open Mainframe Project - Room 1 (South), Jasmine E, Level 3Link Open Mainframe Project’s Room 2 schedule to your IBM TechXchange agendaClick here Open Mainframe Project - Room 2 (South), Jasmine F, Level 311:30 amRedefining developer experience on the Mainframe with AI and CommunityAbstract:
Mainframes, 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 keynote, Meredith Stowell, Vice President of Ecosystems at IBM and member of the Open Mainframe Project Governing Board, will unveil a few new projects under the Open Mainframe Project umbrella that advance developer experience on the mainframe.
John Mertic, Open Mainframe Project12:00 pmLunch timeLunch time1:00 pmThe Future of the Mainframe is here with Zowe LTS V3Open 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. Michelle Eggers, NetSPIArchitecting and Implementing DevOpsAbstract: DevOps practices, along with technologies like Git, have revolutionized the way software development is done, especially in terms of collaboration, automation, and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD). Legacy SCM systems often lack the flexibility, scalability, and collaborative features required in modern software development environments. Migrating from legacy SCM systems to Git-based DevOps environments may involve challenges such as data migration, tool integration, and cultural shifts within the organization. However, the benefits far outweigh the challenges, as it empowers teams to innovate faster, improve productivity, and deliver software with greater reliability and quality. Vicom Infinity, A Converge Company, will present and discuss their client experiences. Len Santalucia, Vincent Terrone, and Greg Powiedziuk, Vicom Infinity, A Converge Company1:30 pmCustomer Success Stories with Zowe – Joe Winchester, IBMAbstract: A number of mainframe customers are using Zowe for scenarios from education, DevOps, automated testing, Db2 administration, through to ad-hoc scripting to create custom dashboards. This talk will cover a number of these, and include customer quotes (with recorded videos from customers) and is built around successful use cases and stories to show why 85% of mainframe shops report they are using Zowe and the scenarios that resonate and find success in the field. Joe Winchester, IBMReflections on Open Source LeadershipAbstract: This 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 - Phoenix Software; Holly Cummins - Red Hat; J.J. Lovett - Broadcom; and Sudharsana Srinivasan - IBM2:00 pmStreamline your Zowe Experience: From Installation to Implementation with new install optionsAbstract: The Zowe community has been hard at work incorporating user feedback to make installation a perfect fit for your organization.
We’re excited to introduce several new installation options, such as the Zowe Server Install Wizard, designed to simplify and streamline the installation process. It transforms what was once a daunting task into a straightforward, user-friendly experience, ensuring that even those new to open systems can get Zowe operational with ease. This installer is empowered by a renewed commitment to simplified documentation and sample jobs that can be reviewed at any step of installation with new dry-run capabilities.
This session discusses different personas and their preferred methods for Zowe installation. We will also review of performance improvements and recommended configuration features. By the end of this session, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to confidently install, configure, and utilize Zowe, empowering your organization to begin or accelerate your mainframe modernization journey. Don’t miss this opportunity to simplify your Zowe journey and stay ahead in the evolving landscape of mainframe technology. Sean Grady, Rocket SoftwareCall to Action: Join the SIG OpenTelemetry on MainframeAbstract: OpenTelemetry is a key component of the new observability stack. With effective observability, companies gain a better insight into their often-complex distributed applications and can react more quickly to revenue impacting problems. Research among mainframe customers shows that mainframe integration is a mandatory requirement for the new observability stack. OpenTelemetry provides the technical requirements for extracting and converting signals from any source and distributing them flexibly to any backend. The OpenTelemetry project and the Open Mainframe Project jointly founded the new Special Interest Group (SIG) "OpenTelemetry on Mainframe" at the beginning of the year. The goal of this group is to enable OpenTelemetry for the mainframe to standardize and simplify the export of mainframe telemetry. Join this session to learn more about OpenTelemetry, the SIG's activities and the areas where we invite you to contribute to improving the OpenTelemetry support on the mainframe. Rudiger Schulze, IBM2:30 pmIs that Available on the Mainframe? An Open Source Software JourneyAbstract: The modern rise of open source software on the mainframe has increased innovation and collaboration on the platform in a way we’ve never seen before. But as a user or developer on the platform, how do you keep track of all these new projects? And how do you see whether an interesting new open source tool you found works on mainframes? And does it work on IBM z/OS, or just Linux? In this talk I’ll explore some of the consolidation efforts to make it easier to search for open source projects like the Open Mainframe Project Software Discovery Tool and the Open Mainframe Project Interactive Landscape. From there I’ll highlight some of the vendor-driven open source repositories that are available, and where to find those. I’ll conclude by sharing some best practices for figuring out how to find out for yourself whether something works on the platform, from keywords to search for to simply giving it a try yourself. Elizabeth Joseph, IBMMaking a Case for COBOL – Time to Shout about it!Abstract: COBOL's quiet efficiency and fitness for purpose has kept it running great chunks of the economy, without fuss, for 65 years. But is its humble brilliance the cause of a near existential crisis? In its 65th anniversary year, and using fresh input from those who use every day, we ask - is it time to shout about COBOL all over again? Reg Harbeck, Mainframe Analytics ltd. and Tom Ross, IBM3:00 pmFrom 3270 Interfaces to IDEs and GUIsAbstract: We want and need to inspire young talent for the mainframe. This will be difficult if we first have to teach them how to use 3270 interfaces and TSO/ISPF. It will be much easier if we can use graphical interfaces that the young talents have already mastered. We try to convince our customers that getting started quickly is easier and more efficient if you use the new technologies that are available on the mainframe! Wolfram Greis, European Mainframe AcademyCrowdsourcing Mainframe EducationAbstract: 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. J.J. Lovett - Broadcom; Michael Bauer - Broadcom; Elizabeth Joseph - IBM3:30 pmzopen community – Modernizing z/OS through Open SourceAbstract: In this session, we will discuss the benefits of using open-source tooling on z/OS and how it can help organizations to improve their efficiency, security, and innovation. We will cover the latest updates, including newly released tools, git, githubcli, gitlab, jq, gpg and more! We will also discuss the new zopen package manager, which allows developers and system administrators to efficiently manage their zopen community installations. Finally, we will discuss the newly released IBM product, IBM Open Enterprise Foundation for z/OS, which provides support for 8 core tools (Git, Bash, Curl, Vim, Less, Perl, Ncurses) zopen community documentation: https://zosopentools.github.io/meta Igor Todorovski, IBM CanadaMainframes for the New GenerationAbstract: Mainframe systems serve as the backbone of critical financial processes around the world, yet there's a shortage of skilled mainframe professionals and a waning interest among the new generation of software engineers. Is there a fix to this dilemma? How can we implement mainframe modernization for the new generation? Jessielaine Punongbyan, Dynatrace4:00 pmBuild Your Zowe Skills!Abstract: Your modern mainframe career needs Zowe Skills, so BUILD THEM UP! Join Open Mainframe Project Ambassador Darren Surch for a walk through the OMP's massive array of at-your-fingertips Zowe training resources including Zowe Docs, YouTube Channel, Zowe code, Free Trials, Blogs and a Slack Channel! There are even structured online Zowe courses which earn you a bragworthy Open Mainframe Project digital badge to show the world your Zowe skills! Darren Surch, InterskillHow is Integration Testing in Hybrid Cloud Possible?Abstract: 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. Gerald Mitchell, IBM4:30 pmEmpowering Mainframe Modernization: Leveraging SRE Expertise with Zowe or AnsibleAbstract: In this session, we will delve into the essential role of Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) in modernizing Mainframe systems, highlighting key tools such as Zowe, Ansible, Python, and VSCode. Join us to discover how SRE principles and open source tools can be applied to improve Mainframe reliability, efficiency, and scalability. Jan Prihoda, BroadcomToday’s COBOL – What you should know!Abstract: In this session Sudharsana Srinivasan, the co-chair for the COBOL Programming Course and Michael Bauer (Broadcom) will discuss how this Open Mainframe Project has been shifting perception about COBOL in the community over the past 4 years by bringing in test automation, CI/CD pipeline, etc to the course. You don't want to miss this session, if you want to learn how this course is enabling our application developers, our next generation of technologists with the latest tools. You don't have to take my word for it, you can hear firsthand from our summer mentorship program mentee Rituraj Mahato! Sudharsana Srinivasan- IBM; Michael Bauer - Broadcom5:00 pmTurbocharging the Mainframe Developer Experience with Zowe and Code4zAbstract: Visual Studio Code is a top choice for today’s developers and cloud development environments (CDEs) are gaining traction but these tools have been inaccessible to developers of z/OS-based applications, until now. With Zowe and Code4z, mainframe developers are free to use these powerful tools wherever their source code resides (e.g., Git, mainframe SCM, datasets). Streamlined code navigation alone provides a compelling reason to adopt VS Code, or a compatible CDE, and with AI assistance and platform engineering rapidly emerging, teams should prepare themselves by adopting contemporary AppDev tools like these. The Code4z extension pack includes the Zowe Explorer that streamlines interaction with mainframe data sets, USS files, and jobs while Zowe CLI-enabled automations are easily accessed and run. Join this session to see the Zowe- and Code4z-enabled workflows, from discover to deploy, in action. Vaughn Marshall, Broadcomzopen community V8 Port Needs your Help!Abstract: The IBM open source organization, "zopen community", hosts a collection of Linux tools that are ported to z/OS Unix System Services. A recent addition to the collection is Google’s Chromium V8 JavaScript engine and supporting tools. Successfully porting the engine and tools required a collaborative effort between Broadcom and IBM. Ongoing efforts to upstream the work to Google are in progress. Additional work needs to be done to complete the port - not all features work to the same degree as on other platforms. This joint talk with Igor Todorovski of IBM is to publicize the effort and seek contributions from other developers. This is an opportunity to contribute to open source projects that benefit the whole zopen community and USS community. John Davis, Broadcom1:00 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.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 International10:00 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, IBM10:00 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
If you have questions, please email techxchange@openmainframeproject.org.
Open Mainframe Project is planning the content for October 21 as it pertains to the Community 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.

TechXchange (Las Vegas)
2024-10-21 - 2024-10-24
This year’s IBM’s TechXchange Conference takes place on October 21-24 at the Mandalay Bay – Las Vegas. More than 5,000 technical attendees will be on-site to engage, network and attend the more than 1,000 sessions, demos, instructor-led labs and roadmap discussions.
In addition to our Community Day activities, which can be found here, there are a few Open Mainframe Project-related sessions. Add these sessions directly to your IBM TechXchange Agenda here.

Tuesday, October 22 at 04:30 pm – 05:15 pm PDT
AMA: What’s NEW in OpenTelemetry on IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE [3762]

OpenTelemetry is a vendor-agnostic, open-source project with the aim to enable an effective observability by making high quality telemetry data from any source available to any target. Research among customers shows that mainframe integration is a mandatory requirement for observability of core business applications. Ideal for IT architects, Site Reliability Engineers and mainframe experts, in this AMA we will discuss fundamentals of this topic and explore best practices for modernizing mainframe observability with OpenTelemetry.

Rudiger Schulze, IBM
Thursday, October 24 at 10:00 am – 11:00 am PDT

Collaboration of Linux Distributions on the Mainframe – A Benefit for you & all Linux Distributions [2543]

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. We have started also to share our automated test suites for openQA. In this presentation I will represent the existing benefit for all Linux distributions and the impact for you as customers with the value of functionality and support.

Sarah Julia Kriesch, Accenture

To learn more about the event, visit the main event website: https://www.ibm.com/community/ibm-techxchange-conference/.
To register and use Open Mainframe Project’s 30% discount, register with this link: https://ibm.co/3KbeObO
Open Mainframe Project is planning the content for October 21 as it pertains to the Community Day. The Linux Foundation and Open Mainframe Project are not managing TechXchange. The main TechXchange event is planned and managed by IBM.
