Today,
enterprise digitization is leveraging existing and emerging technologies
combined with automated data analytics to void that lament. We have Compuware’s
continuing stream of product integrations, new service offerings and
partnerships focused on the DevOps pipeline. The latest enhancements will help
managers to pinpoint where to focus and allocate scarce IT resources
What’s the issue? What’s needed?
Compuware solutions have been focused on resolving
day-to-day challenges that IT managers
and their staffs have been trying to eliminate for years. Tight budgets and
delivery timelines have long delayed, even stalled efforts to update obsolete
code, revise/refactor inefficient code, remove bottlenecks, etc. The result is
an ever larger “technical debt” that imposes a debilitating tax on IT
performance, efficiency and quality which frustrates managers and DevOps
staff.
Valuable staff time is consumed attempting to identify
weak code, inefficiencies and obsolete workflows. Manual efforts to identify what code/apps must be
rewritten/refactored to improve reliability, speed, etc., or to determine where to focus efforts to get
maximum payback and operational improvement, play havoc with operational
productivity and efficiency.
Compuware’s contribution
Compuware
is making it easier for data center staff to leverage sophisticated data
analytics, automated AI and machine learning to help to identify specific
procedures and apps that negatively impact developer and operation performance.
Their primary focus has been and is on
the mainframe. Their solutions strive to improve the quality, velocity and productivity
of mainframe operations. The results, in fact, contribute mightily to that end.
However, they also end up positively affecting the total data center. More on
that later.
With this release some new capabilities included are:
- Compuware zAdviser’s[1] enhanced analytics – uses Compuware ISPW data to identify the programs that are most regressed, most fallbacks, most checked out so IT teams know where to focus their efforts;
- Expanded ISPW integration[2] with Git – facilitates enterprise-wide adoption of standardized source code management practices;
- ISPW Sentry Services[3] – brings for-fee fully customizable access to expert technical resources that will assist enterprise teams increase proficiency in ISPW administration, maintenance and upgrade procedures.
Some additional details about
specific areas. Expanded ISPW Git integration means that:
- Developers with little mainframe experience can work confidently with mainframe source code;
- Changes in Git automatically synchronized back into the mainframe where ISPW’s automated build, deploy and fallback capabilities can be leveraged in a CI/CD pipeline;
- Provides consistent visibility into diverse codebases and eases the process of managing code throughout the enterprise;
- Standardizes CI/CD practices.
The newly available ISPW Sentry Services is a customized end-to-end offering that:
- Complements existing ISPW SCM Migration Services;
- Provides remote access to technical resources and proven best practices that support ISPW administration, maintenance and upgrades;
- Services designed to help customers ensure ISPW runs at peak performance at costs significantly lower than current administrative costs.
Of course, there is much more to the
release. Topaz Workbench has a new editor for editing source code (supports COBOL,
PL/I, JCL, REXX, C, Assembler) and additional
automated test enhancements that create a test case working from a Xpeditor
debug session.
The Final Word
Nineteen quarters ago, Compuware began to “mainstream the mainframe”; with quarterly enhancements. They have delivered impressive results. Even better, they also made access easier and more transparent across platforms. Skilled mainframers are better able to do their jobs with the latest in IT technologies and tools. Non-mainframe skilled staff find it easier to discover and leverage mainframe capabilities using familiar tools.
By removing
the barriers of platform unique tools and operational silos, enterprise IT, as
well .as the business and service managers can concentrate on really important
issues. That is, conceiving, designing, developing, implementing and delivering
the services and apps that provide an extraordinary experience to clients and
customers. The issue is not the platform per se. It is the optimal use of
enterprise resources and technologies to delight, draw-in and retain customers.
That is the basis of enterprise success.
Compuware’s efforts helped eliminate the barriers (technology
and solutions) that separated mainframe staff from server staff. They solve long-running problems
(process and operational) and annoyances that existed across platforms frustrating
mainframe experts and newbies alike. It is now easier for DevOps staff to
update and improve existing code, speed development and improve the quality,
reliability and efficiency of DevOps.
One last
note, IBM recently closed on the acquisition of Red Hat. Related to that was
considerable emphasis on Linux on the mainframe. We’re curious how that may
impact upcoming Compuware offerings.
We look
forward to next quarter’s announcements, the 20th consecutive one as
they mainstream the mainframe.
Maybe good to know that besides Compuware other vendors are active in the DevOps space for IBM z/OS.
ReplyDeleteThe web based solution IKANALM from IKAN Development maybe a good alternative.
More info: visit https://www.bluebridgesoftware.com/
Have a great day,
René De Vleeschauwer
Managing Director