HCL Z Asset Optimizer ZAO-The Foundation for Mainframe-to-Cloud Migration

At this pivotal juncture in the evolution of mainframe technology, the prevailing solution that’s gaining traction is the migration of mainframe systems to the cloud. This strategic move aims to achieve a dual objective: lowering TCO while maintaining a secure,high-performance, and highly available architecture that leverages the existing suite of mainframe software.

A staggering 70% of Chief Executive Offers around the world are actively considering alternatives to their mainframe systems. The rationale behind this is clear and compelling:

• Over time, legacy infrastructure and assets have often evolved into intricate and sprawling ecosystems, built over years in multiple geographic locations by diverse vendors over various timeframes
• Migration estimates and ROI are often grossly underestimated, leading to budget overruns and resource drain
• Home grown, propriety software cultivated and refined over the years have become the bedrock of many complex mainframe businesses
• The consolidation of IT assets is a pressing need, as fragmented systems working in silos contribute to escalating costs.

The imperative to understand the current priorities of business in undeniable. A clear understanding of the Mainframe software inventory is paramount to informed decision-making. Yet, getting information around mainframe software usage is not just important; it’s crucial for any successful migration endeavour. Without this vital data and information, businesses cannot progress towards modernization and migration — key steps on their larger transformation Journey.

This is where the HCL Z Asset Optimizer (ZAO) comes into the picture, a market-leading, dedicated solution tailored for IBM Z Systems/Mainframe customers. It can seamlessly manage their software asset inventory and usage, alongside comprehensive license information, all in one integrated solution.

To underscore the significance of ZAO, consider a real-world scenario within the BFSI sector. A customer wanted to embark on a 3-year mainframe migration initiative. Initially, discussions centered around manually baselining current costs, an approach which led to missed assets and incorrect utilization reporting. Consequently, during the actual migration process, the lack of accurate data resulted in overlooked ROI opportunities. Plus, complications arose when attempting to convert certain software during migration, further jeopardizing the already-tight timeline. Regrettably, the project’s status turned “RED,” indicating that it was stalled.

The Top 3 reasons why ZAO is must for your mainframe modernization or migration journey

1. Baselining: Mainframe software assets & usage

ZAO can recognize more than 15,000+ mainframe software products and features from IBM and other software vendors and provides comprehensive software inventory reports and usage across mainframe environments.
For a mainframe migration to the cloud, baselining of existing software is mandatory before ROI calculations can be made for hyperscalers. Without this, there will be huge challenges articulating the cost benefits and timelines of any migration.

For hybrid environments (mainframe and cloud) ZAO has a unique capability called “licensing & contract optimization” to save millions of dollars for mainframe customers without impacting their systems and business applications.

ZAO can helps customers:

• Renegotiate software contracts with software vendors based on usage
• Eliminate software products that are used infrequently or aren’t used at all
• Identify over- or under-licensed software for optimization

2. License verification avoidance (HCL-owned IP)

Unintentional mainframe software license end-user license agreement (EULA) violation is widely happening across industries, so customers need a mechanism to track this. This is easily accomplished with ZAO’s licence verification. License information is compared to the installation (inventory) and usage information to identify violations, which — if not resolved — can result to fines and reputational damage.

3. Flexible deployment options: available for both z/OS and Linux

With the latest version of ZAO (V2.2), there are deployment options on container technology on Linux on Z and z/OS.

• On z/OS: Identify and offer nearly real-time module usage data of programs running in batch or transaction mode (CICS or IMS) in each configured z/OS system in a Parallel sysplex environment.
• z/OS ZCX containers option is also available for customers who don’t have IFLs, as ZCX leverages ziips. Manage workload using workload manager, but it’s not really possible to completely "dedicate" multiple zIIP processors to zCX like it is possible with multiple IFLs to zLinux environments.
• On Linux: Take advantage of ZAO engine built for Docker Container for Linux on Z and make use of the IBM Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) engines.

Three powerful use cases demonstrate the power of what ZAO can offer:

• Use Case-1, Enterprises that have mainframe migration to the cloud in scope for their digital transformation initiatives.
• Use Case-2, Enterprises that have M&A in their future
• Use Case-3, Enterprises with a mainframe vision that lowers TCO

For all mainframe modernization and migration initiatives, ZAO should be your first stop. It has all-automatic discovery and dashboard reporting and comes with flexible pricing options tailored to your needs.

You can schedule a demo to explore more.