Mainframe Systems and Career Opportunities Chris Barber Mainframe Platform Architect February 14, 2013

Agenda My Background What is a Mainframe? Allstate and the Mainframe Mainframe Career Opportunities Why the Mainframe?

My Background Education –2004 – BS – Applied Computer Science –2007 – MS – Computer Science –2010 – MBA Work Experience –2003 – 2004 – Undergraduate Fellow CSCI Computer Programming in Assembler Language CSCI Computer Systems Organization –2004 – 2010 – Systems Programming 2007 – TDY through the entire mainframe support organization –2010 – 2012 – Performance Tuning and Capacity Planning –2012 – Today – Mainframe Platform Architect Associations –SHARE –Computer Measurement Group –zBLC

What is a Mainframe?

What is a mainframe? Large Scale Computing Platform –Batch –Transaction Processing –Database Highly reliable –Security –Hardware Redundancy –Operating System Stability The Original Virtual Server Who uses them? –99% of top 500 banks worldwide –5 top insurers in the United States –Local to national governments worldwide 50 years

Allstate and the Mainframe 1970s –Allstate ran mainframe environments in 16 locations across the country 1980s –Allstate continues to rely on mainframe computing, consolidating to 9 Regional operating centers. 1990s –Allstate consolidates mainframe environment to 4 locations –Allstate partners with IBM development to create and install the 1 st Parallel Sysplex 2000s –Consolidated mainframe systems from 4 datacenters to 2 –Management changes caused lack of focus on mainframe platform Today –The mainframe environment and applications are critical to Allstates strategy –Revitalization effort underway to optimize Availability, Performance, and Environmental management

Mainframe Career Opportunities Production Control System Programming Performance and Capacity Planning System Administration Infrastructure EngineeringOperations

Systems Programming –Software Installation Operating System Subsystems (CICS, MQ) 3 rd Party Software –Problem Analysis IPCS –Modernization Opportunities z/OSMF Linux on z Hybrid Systems DB2 Analytics Accelerator for z/OS

Performance Tuning and Capacity Planning System Level Analysis –SMF Data –Real-time Monitoring Hardware Research –Workload Characteristics –Exploitations of Chip, Peripherals, Memory, and Coupling Technology Modernization Opportunities –Scripting of Manual Reporting –Development of Custom Charts/Graphs

Operations/System Administration –Intimate knowledge of company processing –Close relationship with application teams to address problems and fulfill requests IPLs Workload Management Front-line monitoring Alert Management

Production Control –Job Scheduling Schedule Definitions Job Execution Monitoring –Event Monitoring Abend Resolution System Error Messages Incident Escalation –24X7 shift work

Why the Mainframe?

Fewer staff to support more processing –More opportunities for advancement –More opportunities to move throughout the organization Mainframe systems skills not found off-shore –Mainframe systems outsourcing rate – 0% –Unix systems outsourcing rate – 50% –Windows systems outsourcing rate – 42% Aging & Retiring (finally) workforce –Companies lulled into complacency – lost focus on filling mainframe talent –Improved Economy accelerating departure Fewer servers to support more processing –1:500 compared to other server environments –Less lifecycle activity combined with years of experience allow technicians to understand inner workings of the system.

Why the Mainframe? Exciting new developments –New hardware Faster, more scalable machines Hybrid computing Appliances and Accelerators –Operating system redesign Enhanced usability for future mainframe professionals Enhanced insights into performance –New workloads gaining traction Linux on z –Data serving –Transaction processing Java –Cloud computing Mainframe virtualization technology made it the cloud before there was a cloud –The Bottom Line The cost of mainframe computing has been on the decline over the past 5 years, as businesses have also begun to realize other platforms are not as inexpensive as once thought.

What you can do next? IBMs Master the Mainframe Contest –Not just about prizes –Job board for only mainframe employment opportunities NIU Internship and Career Fairs Read – - ABCs of System programminghttp:// Connect –System z official Twitter –Top Facebook pages related to System z: Systemz Mainframe IBM System z on Campus IBM Mainframe Professionals Millennial Mainframer

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