Modernizing Apps On IBM zEnterprise

Micro Focus has released its Enterprise Developer for IBM zEnterprise product to optimize IBM mainframe application delivery.

The product uses either the Microsoft Visual Studio or Eclipse-based Integrated Developer Environment (IDE) with mainframe integration, and also includes tools to support development and unit testing on Linux for System z, AIX, and x86 environments.

The firm cites a recent study by the Standish Group claiming that 70 percent of CIOs saw their organizations' mainframes as having a "central and strategic" role in their overall business success. Additional research suggests many of the applications that run on mainframes are beginning to "fall behind" business requirements.

Kevin Brearley at Micro Focus suggests that by providing a standard IDE for zEnterprise, Micro Focus Enterprise Developer helps experienced mainframe programmers work up to 40 percent more productively. Brearley also contends that his firm's technology allows less experienced developers to apply the skills they bring from other languages to the mainframe.

IBM System z spokesperson Greg Lotko points out that the IBM zEnterprise System now operates with "significant enhancements" in handling data, analytics, cloud, and security — as well as its traditional focus areas of performance, security, and availability.

Enterprise Developer for zEnterprise supports on- and off-mainframe development, providing a flexible approach and swifter delivery of new business functions without consuming mainframe resources. It enables flexible customization of the IDE to support unique development processes and provides deep integration into mainframe configuration management and tooling, allowing for a more comprehensive development environment and faster developer adoption.