How a Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe Can Save Your Cloud Migration Strategy
Best Practices
Cloud-native platforms will host 95% of data workloads by 2025, according to Gartner. Not surprisingly, this shift toward cloud-based environments is making migration a common practice across industries.
But migrating from a legacy IT system to hybrid and multi-cloud environments isn’t like flipping a light switch — it requires an intentional, strategic migration process.
What does your organization need to do to ensure a seamless and successful mainframe to cloud migration? A Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe can save your migration strategy by helping you avoid common pitfalls and embrace innovation.
The opportunities and obstacles of mainframe to cloud migration
Some applications are optimized for your mainframe, but heritage technology often lacks the agility you need to compete. By moving systems of engagement to the cloud, you can unlock the data that lives in your mainframe, gain efficiency, and embrace AI innovation.
But while cloud migration supports long-term growth, many migration efforts fail. Where do they go wrong?
- Increased latency: When businesses move some applications to the cloud but leave others in their mainframe, they create space — and latency — between them. Resulting layers of security risk, cost, and complexity often stall mainframe migration projects.
- Application risk: Mainframe systems of record are typically mission-critical, and a migration to modern cloud technology can put data at risk. Many businesses opt for a “big bang” approach in which all applications are migrated at the same time, resulting in failed migrations for complex applications.
- Skill gaps: Mainframe experts are aging out of the workforce, and many cloud partners lack mainframe experience. As a result, businesses don’t have the technical expertise they need for a successful migration.
- High costs: Refactoring or moving applications introduces costs and complexity.
To optimize migration, businesses need time to transform, a connected technical environment, and a trusted partner with mainframe expertise.
Remove barriers to cloud migration with a Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe
On your road to the cloud, a Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe can transform your migration from a leap to a strategic process.
By integrating your mainframe applications with your cloud environment, a connected mainframe removes latency, risk, and complexity. A mainframe expert can work with you to connect environments and mitigate the causes of migration failure using the following process:
1. Move your mainframe closer to the public cloud
By moving your mainframe outward and closer to cloud-based applications, you simplify your environment while reducing costs and complexity. Then, with a connected mainframe, you can embrace a hybrid stance or move your mainframe to the cloud. Regardless of your final state, a Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe helps you reduce transfer time and migration risk.
2. Continue optimizing applications
With the mainframe seamlessly integrated via a Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe solution, you can begin modernizing applications and take advantage of cloud agility. This strategy creates a simplified, affordable, and open path to modernization so you’re able to choose the right workload for each platform.
3. Retire your mainframe at your own pace
If you’ve decided to retire your mainframe, a Modern, Cloud-Connected mainframe sets you up for a seamless transition. Additionally, if you partner with Ensono, Ensono Flex® is built into every contract, allowing you to shift workloads across platforms with no penalty.
A Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe helps your business optimize cloud migration processes and enables innovation in the meantime. A connected mainframe unlocks data silos to help analytics run faster across platforms. With a unified and accessible data environment in your corner, you can reduce costs, access real-time analytics, and embrace AI innovation.
The Ensono difference: A proven migration approach
We’re cloud experts at Ensono, but our business was born in the mainframe. This means we have the hybrid expertise you need to fill skills gaps and develop an informed, successful path to the cloud.
Our proven approach seamlessly moves business-critical data and applications where you need them. With our Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe solution, we streamline your transition to the cloud, introducing short-term data transfer efficiencies and enabling long-term cloud agility.
Ready to save your mainframe strategy and benefit from a Modern, Cloud Connected Mainframe? Get in touch with our experts.