About Zowe

Zowe is a contributor-led community with participating vendors such as, but are not limited to, Broadcom, IBM, Phoenix Software, Rocket Software, Vicom Infinity, and IBA Group. As a result of their extensive collaboration, the following Zowe extensions have been transformed in Zowe V3:

• The Zowe Explorer for IntelliJ provides the developers within the IntelliJ IDEA with the capability to work with the z/OS platform.
• Kotlin and Java SDKs are Generally Available Extensions simplifying interaction with z/OS from the Java and Kotlin applications.
• The IMS service and the current CLI extensions are archived. IBM is working on replacements.

About the Open Mainframe Project

The Open Mainframe Project is intended to serve as a focal point for deployment and use of Linux and open source in a mainframe environment. With a vision of open source on the mainframe as the standard for enterprise-class systems and applications, the project’s mission is to build community and adopt open source on the mainframe by eliminating barriers to open source adoption on the mainframe, demonstrating value of the mainframe on technical and business levels, and strengthening collaboration points and resources for the community to thrive. Learn more about the Open Mainframe Project and about Zowe’s Long Term Support (LTS) V3 Release.

At SHARE Kansas City 2024, IBA Group showcased its expertise in modernization of mainframe systems through leading technical sessions, contributing to the discussions around Zowe™, and debuting the new Zowe™ COBOL Plugin.

Mainframe Testing Sessions

Led by Alex Burak and Uladzislau Kalesnikau, IBA Group’s testing sessions focused on integrating modern tools like Galasa, test4z, Cobol Check, and IntelliJ with mainframe environments. These sessions emphasized the importance of automating testing processes within CI/CD pipelines, highlighting the critical role of early bug detection in achieving improvements in software quality.

The sessions discussed the following key testing methodologies:

Unit Testing. Focuses on testing individual components of the system, such as a single program or code paragraph, to ensure they work correctly in isolation. Common tools include Cobol Check and Test4z.

Integration Testing. Evaluates how components interact within the mainframe and with external systems. It ensures that combined applications function correctly. Uses tools like CICS Interdependency Analyzer.

Functional Testing. Verifies that the application’s features work as intended across various scenarios. Tools like HCL OneTest and Galasa are used for this stage.

The sessions emphasized the benefits of automating these testing stages, including reduced defects, faster testing, and higher SLA compliance. Challenges such as dealing with legacy systems and integrating testing into modern CI/CD pipelines were also addressed.

IBA Group will be publishing a series of articles to explore mainframe testing, the associated challenges, and potential solutions.

Zowe™ Project

As a contributor to the Zowe™ project since 2020, IBA Group featured the following key sessions:

Zowe™ v3 Preview. In collaboration with Zowe™ team members Joe Winchester, Rose Sakach, Jan Prihoda, Billie Jean Simmons, and Andrej Chmelo, IBA Group participated in the session that outlined new functions and upcoming changes in Zowe™ v3.

Zowe™ and Galasa Integration. Alongside Joe Winchester, Gerald Mitchell, and Billie Jean Simmons, IBA Group contributed to the session that demonstrated how Zowe™ and Galasa work together to enhance mainframe management and testing, providing practical insights into their integration.

New Zowe™ COBOL Plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™

A highlight at IBA Group’s booth was the live demo of the Zowe™ COBOL Plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™. Designed to enhance a developer experience, the plugin features automatic completion and syntax highlighting, and is seamlessly integrated with IDEs like VS Code and IntelliJ. The demo was well received and the visitors recognized the potential of the plugin for the streamlining of COBOL development.

IBA Group extends its sincere thanks to everyone who attended the sessions and collaborated with the company’s team at SHARE Kansas City 2024. Your insights and feedback were invaluable. Special thanks to John Mertic and Maemalynn Nokdhes Meanor from the Open Mainframe Project for their leadership and support.

IBA Group is committed to continuing the work on addressing the challenges and opportunities in mainframe technology. Looking ahead, we are excited to explore new possibilities and remain dedicated to providing solutions that meet your needs.

Thank you for your support and trust. IBA Group looks forward to continuing this journey together at SHARE in Washington, DC, in 2025.

IBA Group discussed Mainframe DevX at the SHARE Conference in Orlando held from March 3 to March 7, 2024. As both presenters and exhibitors, IBA Group had the opportunity to share expertise in open source, DevOps, and Zowe™ plugins with fellow attendees.

SHARE stands out as the premier event for mainframe technical professionals seeking to connect with peers and vendors, enhance their skills, and explore new directions. This year’s conference gathered an impressive list of participants, featuring many emerging names in the mainframe market. Highlights included discussions on AI, product updates, system administration, application development topics, and cybersecurity. Additionally, this year’s conference marked the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the mainframe, adding a special significance to the event.

During the session, Uladzislau Kalesnikau, IBA Group’s speaker, delved into Next-Gen Mainframe DevX with tools like IntelliJ IDEA, Jenkins, and GitHub. The presentation offered insights into how to improve the Developer Experience (DevX) for mainframe systems, streamline source code development, and harness modern tools for automation and efficiency. Specifically, it detailed the Build Stage of IBA Group’s DevOps suite, which includes Open Mainframe Project’s Zowe™ plugins. The audience well- received the live demo of IBA Group’s DevOps Suite, giving positive feedback and valuable suggestions during the Q&A session.

The conversation about mainframe DevX carried on at IBA Group’s booth, drew interest from SHARE attendees, including prospective clients and vendors. Another highlight was AutoMan, a tool engineered to enable automation and interaction between all parts of the mainframe software, making fully autonomous z/OS systems possible.

We extend our gratitude to the SHARE Association for organizing this remarkable event. The collaboration of volunteers, speakers, partners, and attendees made SHARE Orlando 2024 an invaluable forum for sharing knowledge, learning, and progressing together. IBA Group eagerly anticipates future discussions on DevOps, Zowe™, and the transformative impact of mainframe technology at upcoming SHARE events.

IBA Group’s DevOps Suite Powered by Zowe™

IBA Group’s involvement in the Open Mainframe Project’s Zowe™ initiative aligns with the company’s strategy to modernize mainframes, making them more accessible to a new generation of developers and users. The Zowe™ plugins developed by IBA Group’s squad automate various stages of mainframe application development, facilitating a comprehensive DevOps pipeline from building to deploying and reporting results. These plugins laid the foundation for IBA Group’s DevOps Suite powered by Zowe™, an ecosystem of tools aimed at enhancing mainframe DevOps. It includes specific plugins tailored for the IntelliJ platform, bridging the gap between traditional mainframe systems and modern development environments, simplifying access to mainframe resources for Java and Kotlin developers, among others.

To dive deeper into IBA Group’s DevOps Suite powered by Zowe™, read our article. Stay tuned for an upcoming article focusing on the updated version of IBA Group’s DevOps Suite, particularly the Build Stage.  Feel free to reach out to us to explore how IBA Group’s DevOps Suite powered by Zowe™ can elevate your mainframe DevOps journey.

From August 13 to August 18, New Orleans hosted the vibrant SHARE 2023 conference, where IBA Group participated as a presenter and exhibitor, showcasing its expertise in mainframe.

SHARE is renowned as a leading platform for mainframe professionals to connect, learn, and explore new insights. This year’s conference encompassed engaging topics, including Machine Learning and AI, DevOps in the Enterprise, New Workloads for IBM Z, Security and Compliance, and the world of Zowe & Other Open Source technologies. In addition to industry giants like IBM, Broadcom, and Rocket, emerging players in the mainframe landscape joined the event.

IBA Group Sessions at SHARE New Orleans 2023

IBA Group has always been at the forefront of advocating for enhanced accessibility of the mainframe to the younger generation of mainframers. At previous SHARE conferences, the IBA Group team presented open source solutions designed to create a more user-friendly mainframe interface for young developers. This commitment to accessibility led to IBA Group’s involvement in the large-scale open source Zowe™project.

At SHARE New Orleans 2023, IBA Group joined the Open Mainframe Project community in celebrating the fifth anniversary of Zowe through participation in two engaging Zowe Day sessions. These sessions highlighted IBA Group’s accomplishments and plans. In the session titled Zowe Day Part 2: Zowe V2 Technical Highlights, IBA Group provided insights into upcoming versions of the Zowe™ Explorer plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™. Collaborating with Zowe Squad leads, IBA Group’s developer Valiantsin Krus shed light on key advancements in Zowe’s journey.

IBA Group also took part in the Zowe Roadmap Open Discussion: Our Plans, Your Influence! session. This session facilitated a productive discussion about Zowe’s direction, promoting the exchange of ideas with participants. Simultaneously, Zowe™ Squad members collaborated to review and adapt the current Zowe™ roadmap in real time.

Zowe™ Explorer for IntelliJ IDEA™

The IBA Group-developed Zowe™ Explorer plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™ opens up direct access to mainframes from a contemporary integrated development environment (IDE). This open source plugin empowers developers with an interface that features a unified toolbar, structured trees, and drag-and-drop functionality for streamlined interaction with mainframes. Similar to the VS Code Zowe™ Explorer, this plugin extends the capabilities of the IntelliJ IDEA™ platform, offering a modern approach to mainframe interaction. It aims to simplify interactions, minimize complexity by necessitating only a mainframe connection and specific working sets, and aligns with the intuitive user experience of the IntelliJ platform. You can download the plugin here: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/18688-zowe-explorer.

In addition to Zowe Explorer, IBA Group’s plugins for IntelliJ IDEA include:

• Zowe™ Client SDK for Kotlin™
• Zowe™ JCL plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™
• Zowe™ zDevOps plugin for Jenkins®
• MVPs (currently in active development):
• UI Jenkins® plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™
• CICS plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™
• COBOL plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™
• Test Framework plugin for IntelliJ IDEA™

IBA Group: Shaping Mainframe Innovation since 1993

With over 30 years of experience in the mainframe domain, IBA Group, a Platinum Partner of IBM, is dedicated to maximizing a client’s mainframe investment and enhancing IT flexibility. The vision is clear: to democratize DevOps practices by expertly incorporating Zowe and open source technologies into mainframe development. By embracing open source on the mainframe, IBA Group empowers teams with a diverse range of tools, resulting in amplified efficiency, enhanced agility, and accelerated delivery of high quality software solutions. To learn more about how IBA Group is shaping the future of mainframe development, you can explore the offerings here. Your feedback is valuable to us, so please feel free to get in touch.

IBA Group sends a big thanks to the SHARE Association for setting up this awesome event. Speakers, partners, and attendees all made SHARE New Orleans 2023 a place of sharing, learning, and moving ahead. With excitement, IBA Group looks forward to more talks about DevOps, Zowe™, and the transformative impact of mainframe technology at upcoming SHARE events.

Read about the past SHARE conferences:

IBA Group Presents at SHARE Virtual Experience

IBA Group’s DevOps Team Presents at SHARE Fort Worth

IBA Group Presents Mainframe Open Source Solutions at SHARE Dallas

From March 27 to March 30, IBA Group took part in the SHARE Dallas 2022 conference as one of the event partners and shared its experience in the areas of mainframe, open source on z/OS, DevOps, and Zowe with the conference attendees.

SHARE is the premier event for mainframe technical professionals who want to network with peers and vendors, deepen their skills, and hear about the new directions. The conference features a range of topics, including API Economy, Data Analytics, Machine Learning, and AI, Data Privacy, DevOps in the Enterprise, New and Innovative Workloads for IBM Z, Security and Compliance in the Enterprise, Zowe & Other Open Source, and z/OS Systems Programming.

This year, SHARE returned to its in person format. There were also virtual passes available for participants who were not able to attend offline. The list of participants included IBM, Broadcom, and Kyndryl, as well as new players in the mainframe market.

IBA Group Sessions

This year, IBA Group speakers presented the Global Repository for Mainframe Developers (GRMD), the IBA Group’s open source initiative featuring the z/OS DevOps Jenkins plugin, and a solution for the Zowe project.

GRMD is a repository of standardized mainframe artifacts, templates, and scripts that make your work with mainframes easier. Developers can now find all useful MF information in one place.

At the Wednesday session How to Bring Jenkins to the Mainframe DevOps World Using Open Source Tools, the IBA Group speakers Ilya Abnitski and Valiantsin Studzenichnik provided a live demo on how to use GRMD and presented a new solution available in the repository, the z/OS DevOps Jenkins plugin. During the Q&A session, the speakers received positive feedback from the audience and suggestions on possible improvements.

At the session entitled Zowe Kotlin SDK, a New Project to Connect Mainframe to the Modern Tech Stack, Uladzislau Kalesnikau and Ilya Abnitski shared a story on how the IntelliJ IDEA plugin, an IBA Group open source solution, became a part of the Zowe project and presented its latest development, an SDK in the Kotlin language. You can try out the plugin here.

IBA Group would like to thank the SHARE Association for hosting the SHARE Dallas event and all speakers, partners, and attendees for making this event a success. IBA Group looks forward to continuing the conversation around DevOps and Zowe at SHARE Columbus, August 21-26.

IBA Group’s Mainframe Expertise

The IBA Group’s mainframe journey dates back to 1993 when the company was founded as an IBM partner. IBA Group has special expertise in mainframe software development, both system and applied, and in legacy systems migration. More than 400 professionals are engaged in mainframe system and application development and support. Currently, IBA is a Platinum Business Partner of IBM. Learn more about IBA Group’s mainframe services and offerings.

About SHARE Association

SHARE is an independent volunteer-run information technology association that provides education, professional networking, and industry influence. To date, SHARE includes more than 1,000 companies with 13,000 individual contacts within the enterprise IT ecosystem. SHARE organizes two in-person events each year with more than 800 attendees and over 500 educational sessions per event.

Read about the past SHARE conferences:

IBA Group Presents at SHARE Virtual Experience

IBA Group’s DevOps Team Presents at SHARE Fort Worth