Mainframes are crucial computer systems enterprises use to process data and run critical applications at an immense scale. Mainframe modernization has become a necessity as these machines become more crucial for organizations to respond quickly to real-time business opportunities.

“I think the big thing is that modernization for mainframes is different for every customer based on their drivers and where they want to go,” said Steve Steuart (pictured, right), worldwide principal on mainframe migration and go to market at Amazon Web Services Inc. “Mainframes are fantastic machines, but they are in dire need of modernization with their applications. And that’s really the driving force and the business needs to make a decision based on their drivers, what’s the best fit for them. And we’re here to help.”

Steuart and Joel Rosenberger (pictured, left), global mainframe monetization lead for the Accenture AWS Business Group, spoke with theCUBE industry analyst John Walls at the AWS Executive Summit at re:Invent, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed the simmering need for enterprises to modernize at the mainframe layer. (* Disclosure below.)

Great core platform, outdated surrounding processes

The mainframe idea and technology are inherently still relevant but being bogged down by accompanying processes that just aren’t up to date, according to Rosenberger. These inefficiencies create situations where enterprises have to devise workarounds resulting in critical IT applications becoming less resilient, Steuart added.

“Our number one issue is that there are CEOs saying, ‘We can’t be agile,’ but mainframes can’t be agile if you adopt DevOps for your mainframe,” he said.

While mainframe refactoring can be an arduous process, enterprises in need of it have to bite the bullet because today’s business climate requires leveraging the cloud to stay competitive. In essence, the business drivers themselves have been integral to selling the idea, Rosenberger explained.

“You can get benefits pretty much immediately by doing augmentation patterns on the mainframe, consuming it, maybe certain movements, certain workloads, bringing on down quicker,” he stated. “If you’re a large estate, it’ll take you time but you are able to drive that. Part of our assessments is bottom-up what you currently have and what are your business drivers.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the AWS Executive Summit at re:Invent:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the AWS Executive Summit at re:Invent. Neither Accenture PLC, the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE