Disaster Recovery on i by Maintec

In the world of computers, disasters can (and will) happen. The more that your rely on IT in your working environments, the more that a break down in your IT infrastructure management and services can cause you massive headaches. From hardware to software, databases to websites – a blip in the system can cause at best an inconvenience, and at worst a financial catastrophe.

Faults can happen at any moment, and they can end up being disastrous for companies.

This is where disaster recovery services (DR) become essential. With DR solutions and policies in place, you can get your systems back up and running in no time.

Services offered for Disaster Recovery on i by Maintec:

Constant Replication (HOT Recovery)

Maintec provides DR Sites where the data shall be constantly replicated to our DR Site with the help of the replication software.

Online Backups (WARM Recovery)

Maintec’s Online Backup solution for IBM i (AS400, iSeries, i5, System i) involves a save of your IBM i Production server to an on-premise Virtual Tape Drive at our data center.

The initial save shall be followed by a periodic daily change to a data vault in Maintec data center.

Tape Recovery (COLD Recovery)

Maintec’s Tape Recovery solution for IBM i (AS400, iSeries, i5, System i) involves saving the Customer’s data in a fireproof vault at our data center.

On a periodic basis Customers would send us the complete system save backup tape to the Maintec data center for storing and recovery purposes.

What makes Maintec unique?

Recovery point objective (RPO) and recovery time objective (RTO) are two important measurements in disaster recovery and downtime. Maintec makes sure that you meet RTO and RPO targets and get back up and running in minutes.

Intelligently recover the most critical data first as users access it.
Eliminate stress by automating the recovery of whole systems.

Upcoming trends of mobile app development

The world of technology has constantly been experiencing changes in the mobile app development trends from the past few years, and these changes are only improving our day-to-day lives via mobile and web applications. Mobile app development is a domain that consists of some of the fastest growing industries and they are in no mood to slow down.

So, here are five major upcoming mobile app development trends:

Blockchain

Blockchain is a popular platform for handling cryptocurrencies and providing a secure environment for those who deal in finance, without any kind of interference of 3rd parties. Blockchain integration in mobile app development has offered companies in the finance sector as well as the banking sector with a secured platform where they can deal with the money confidently. Even the healthcare sector has seen a positive impact because of this development.

Blockchain technology, facilitating various essential sectors, is destined to see a much brighter future for mobile app development in the coming years. The technology will help streamline data management with the increased efficiency in transaction processes.

Location tracking and motion sensing

Although location tracking is not something that came up recently, it is expected to gain more traction in the following year. Let’s take on-demand apps for instance. It is not possible to deliver products demanded by the customer to be delivered at his/her place without location tracking. Same goes with the health wearables. Motion sensing features make sure the person using a health wearable device is doing fine. Motion sensing and tracking also come in handy in cases like theft, security, geotagging, gaming, navigating, etc. Such functionalities have helped maps to be smarter and enhanced too. This states that motion sensing and location tracking incorporated in mobile apps is going to rule 2019 by being one of the most remarkable trends.

Internet of Things

The demand for wearable devices has increased dramatically over the last few years. The Internet of Things has proved to be an aid to multiple sectors like transportation, eCommerce, healthcare, and many others. There are various devices that we use on a daily basis that are directly connected to the internet. IoT is helping the technology world move toward a better tomorrow as 2019 promises to leverage the development of more wearable devices, improving the way how humans live.

Payment Gateways & Mobile Wallets

Google mobile app payments exceeded $700 million in 2017. It was a growth of about $500 million in just four years.
Making payments has shifted away from its traditional method. People have gradually moved from cash to cards to now mobile wallets. This has resulted in an increased demand for m-commerce. It has now become a successful and most preferred shopping mode. Hence, integrating mobile wallets like PayPal, Google Wallet, Amazon Pay, and payment gateways that provide secure encryption will become a staple in 2019.

Application Performance Management

The Application Performance Management market is expected to see a hefty growth from $2.72 billion in 2014 to $4.98 billion by 2019.
Google search integrated the Application Performance Management listings back in 2016, and since then, there has been no stopping for the developers. By instilling the Application Performance Management within an app’s framework, developers can use this condensed version of HTML for a much better and superior user experience. Hence, it is imperative that the Application Performance Management is going to keep hitting home runs in 2019!

As we step into another powerful year, we are definitely going to stumble upon the next big thing which might be waiting for us around the corner. Mobile app development can help change the lives of people at a large scale, and this is the greatest excitement that a developer can bear in their mind.

Source: The Next Scoop, Net Solutions, Daze Info, Mobile App Daily

How to modernize the mainframe in a fast-changing banking industry

On one hand, our clients face changing controls and rivalry from new kinds of banks entering the market. Keeping up methods we are continually pushing ahead—conveying new applications, enhancing the client experience and quickly stretching out new usefulness to on the web and versatile channels.

Then again, we should keep up our clients’ center saving money frameworks with nonstop accessibility and perfect security. These COBOL-based frameworks have been around for quite a long time are as yet basic to bank activities.

The hole between these two universes is extending as COBOL software engineers are resigning, supplanted by another age of designers. In this manner, we chose to construct an extension—one that will keep the two universes in sync, even as the banks advance.

Simplifying layers of complexity

We’ve constantly kept up a multi-level cross breed engineering to associate front-end, appropriated frameworks with backend IBM z/OS stages, utilizing IBM’s Information Management System (IMS) programming. This enables us to fabricate new Java-based applications that can get to information and exchanges from center saving money frameworks.

Notwithstanding, this engineering can get quite perplexing, with an entire layer of pay rationale expected to intercede exchanges. This unpredictability backs us off as we convey new applications and administrations to showcase.

Our test was to disentangle the design. We required present day, reusable programming segments with movability crosswise over both appropriated and z/OS situations, however we likewise needed to secure our interest in existing business rationale.

A groundbreaking approach to mainframe modernization

The arrangement was to carry Java into the IMS creation situations. We worked with IBM to make a typical run time condition inside IMS, making Java and COBOL inter operable. Truth be told, we were the primary organization on the planet doing this and we produce around 180,000,000 IMS exchanges multi day. Presently this innovation is accessible to everybody.

We presently have a more straightforward design, with more tightly reconciliation between center managing an account frameworks and new, circulated applications. This gives us greater adaptability and makes improvement less demanding, so we can assist our clients take creative administrations with marketing quicker, from the web and portable applications to ATMs and past.

Sooner or later, our front-end designers won’t know whether they are calling Java administrations or IMS exchanges in light of the fact that everything will be gotten to in one steady way. Today, in excess of 80 percent of our absolute outstanding burden is Java-empowered. A Java-empowered IMS exchange may call Java programs running in the IMS Java JVM. Along these lines IMS exchanges can utilize the tremendous number of Java standard libraries and outsider programming items. It likewise enables us to code new business rationale utilized in the IMS exchange in Java rather than Cobol and to relocate Cobol projects to Java.

It’s a progressive procedure, and we’ll at last achieve 95 percent of the all out remaining task at hand being Java-empowered.

This blend of Java and COBOL in the IMS condition is a decent method to modernize the center applications on the centralized server well ordered. We’re conquering any hindrance among old and new, helping our clients utilize their current speculations to empower what’s next in managing an account.

More details : Mainframe

Yes, “i” can!

IT personnel naturally have their fingers on the pulse of today’s innovations and one eye fixed on the future. As a result, each rising generation of systems administrators and application developers seems convinced that they know better than their forefathers and can remedy all kinds of issues with new tools and tricks. Unfortunately, this appetite for innovation can cause overzealous administrators to fix what isn’t broken and swap out systems and practices that are still delivering strong results.

Here are the salient points to be noted.

A Rock Solid Foundation

The first generation of IBM i may have been introduced before some of today’s young guns were even born, but the platform remains as vital as ever. It also enjoys a consistent reputation for high availability, security, and disaster recovery capabilities. Regardless of what a firm’s future IT ambitions look like, those traits will always be highly prized attributes.

With strong fundamentals in place, the hassle and expense of downtime can be a distant memory and companies can be more aggressive in their strategic pursuits.

A Bridge to the Future

Whether or not the younger generation of IT professionals care to admit it, business technology is sequential in nature. Even so-called disruptive developments like cloud computing have clear roots in practices and principles that came before. With that said, learning an IT department’s past and present modes of operation are a worthwhile pursuit for any new hire.

At the same time, IBM i can also facilitate smooth transitions in an era when the pace of innovation is faster than ever. The robust platform can reliably support legacy programs holding up back-end operations while leaving plenty of room for the ingenuity of home-cooked applications to thrive.

Automation Is Your Friend

Going off that last point, workload automation is becoming all the more valuable as IT environments grow more complex and distributed. When staffers are confident that bread and butter operations are reliably humming around the clock, they have more time and energy to push the envelope with strategic pursuits that can unlock new business opportunities.

IBM i is Listening

Finally, IT young guns should know that IBM i is by no means a static platform. We need to understand that we will have to honour emerging developments and new rules of the game with new features and possibilities. So any lingering fears that tying one’s fate to the OS could leave them behind the curve can and should be put to bed.

Source: helpsystems.com

The Rewards And Dangers Of Hiring From Within!

Employee development is no cakewalk- putting the right people in the right position is the hardest part of the hiring process. To settle on the best enlisting decision, picking the ‘right hopeful’ and the ‘method of procuring’ of the ability is significant. At the point when an open order hits business, the main move would be a key way to deal with search for an interior asset with comparative aptitude. Keep in mind—an inner staffing is as essential as outside contracting. Spreading out explicit desires for the new job similarly as we would improve the situation another contract is especially required.

Past Performance and Future Potential would be the estimating scale for inner procuring uncovering the general work strength of a representative. Inability to evaluate potential is a genuine business issue and would be a noteworthy business bungle in the event that it is fouled up. This will likewise be a progressing proactive and vital exertion to fabricate a more grounded ability pipeline and will be the key instrument for progression intending to guarantee long haul wellbeing, development and solidness.

At the point when the Projection of ‘Future-Potential’ is RIGHT 🙂

The prizes of inside staffing are tremendous and it is further bolstering our good fortune as we’re getting a “known” asset who has effectively demonstrated his potential with his past execution. As it were, the individual’s potential is as of now recognized (people who can have any kind of effect to association’s execution through their quick commitment). Initiative is tied in with moving individuals to do things that they thought they never could do! (concentrating on individuals abilities as opposed to their restrictions).

The representative would be comfortable with the business and the general population. Building associations with the outer/inward (collaborators) partners will never be a battle bringing about building a more grounded culture. At work, preparing/progress would likewise be less, which supports their profitability, with exceptionally negligible downtime.

Advancing individuals and giving them more noteworthy duty will expand maintenance and instigate constructive vibes — thusly, compensating the reliable representatives by meeting individual desires/energy as well. They likewise understand their space for headway and there is a reward for an occupation well done. Representatives and new joiners-specialists witness the potential for development which will manufacture the trust factor in forming their own profession in the association.

Pushing the workers to the following matrix spurs and advances their energy to show others how its done! — mirroring the #corevalues on their expert front.

At the point when the Projection of ‘Future-Potential’ isn’t right

There could be an appalling side to inner staffing as well! It can transform into a debacle if the determined potential did not execute of course. As the entire staffing process depends on past execution, considering the 10,000 foot view is basic. The results of being elevated to the ‘dimension of ineptitude’ can be cataclysmic for any little organizations (or SMEs) as every worker would have a lot more prominent conditions, where their capability to do hurt is a lot more noteworthy.

The possibility of inward contracting is exceptionally terrifying when the worker’s emphasis is more on rapidly ascending the profession stepping stool as opposed to understanding that genuine development originates from expanding their profundity of information in their specific field of aptitude. Rapidly without their acknowledgment, the extravagant title will exceed their real information base of being a specialist which would begin rattling their own pen! (friends, colleagues and journalists would smell counterfeit and won’t delay to disappoint them) — Causing inward dispute, correspondence holes and in the long run breaking the group.

It’s troublesome for even geniuses to duplicate their past dimensions of execution. In the event that the chief’s appraisal and the person’s self-evaluation on the emotional/target measures vary , the entire forecast of the potential can go amiss! Getting into the following dimension of duty would require an alternate elevated out and out — The capacity to thoroughly consider long time skylines or vital reasoning, basic leadership, critical thinking, capacity to manage uncertainty and flexibility. Passing up a major opportunity even on a solitary casing will disintegrate the group’s general score.

Moving individuals into new assignments (counting administrative jobs/pilot bunches/cross innovations) will likewise be a test when there is an escape clause in overseeing/organizing the undertakings/operational work/group the executives bringing about losing center around their center range of abilities. Keeping up nearer control on the elements of whatever remains of the group is additionally genuinely vital, especially in case we’re elevating one partner to a supervisory job over previous associates of a similar ability, same gauge and same experience which would fabricate a space for hatred.

One of the other negative results is leaving the “learning hole” unattended — denying access to somebody (outer contracts) with an alternate world view, abilities, experience not giving space for new thoughts or course.

In Conclusion

This generally happens when the potential forecasts go for a flip! Inside staffing should be done calculatedly by evaluating the ‘most’ qualified individual for each situation, by checking their qualities, shortcomings and their energy instead of taking choices by accepting, being one-sided or taking a risk — as the last would get a hard blow!

Inside Staffing is about progression arranging (vital guide) — as the initial step, on the off chance that we contract individuals whose enthusiasm crosses with their vocation there is no much outside push required for that person. The key is distinguish the ‘mind-share + heart-share’ assets when they are on their own one of a kind way of individual dominance who might have the interior flame to learn, cross their very own benchmarks, will prop them up. Plotting such assets in the Potential-Performance grid turns into a moderately simpler activity and diminishes the expense of execution blunders!

Inward contracting is a sure thing to meet our employing burdens and it needs watchful thought through all angles, for example, ability, competency, demeanor, culture-fit, work propensities for the upward inside move. It is a triumphant blend of spotting ability inside (coordinating profession development with yearnings) and the organization’s redesign by limiting the employing cost.

Intermittent investigation of the work soundness of the worker by plotting them in the lattice (reconciliation of Performance and Potential) gives a reasonable image of the present execution status and the lucidity of the following dimension of the network. This will dodge astonishment’s and workers being stuck in a similar job/positions for long. Distinguishing where they stand and pushing up reliably will in the end yield extraordinary stars who emerge from the group!

More details: IT staffing in India

Application Management Services Surpassing the Trends

With the changing necessity of clients, the age’s next digital services are required for all. Quick digitalization is changing the manner in which organizations manage their partners and customers spread all through the esteem chain and are disturbing the traditional plans of action. The customer desires are ascending with the focused and advancing business and the expanding process automation, which are putting ceaseless weight on the associations to change their digital strategy.

Picking up Flexibility and Adopting an Integrated Approach

To make progress in the marketplace, industry should be sufficiently lithe to rapidly and adequately react towards the changing economic situations. They have to make a move from the fragmented software landscape which requires ending up increasingly adaptable attributable to their current restricted abilities for taking care of developing complex business necessities. It has now turned out to be imperative for the associations to receive an integrated application transformation and management services in tune with the digital strategy to fulfil their business goals.

Deliverables for System Integration

Drawing upon the rich experience from domain expertise, IT service providers offer elaborate software services for effective system integration across various industries and verticals. They have a custom development approach through the mobile first strategy for ensuring seamless accessibility of applications across channels and devices. They optimize your software landscape by aligning them with various business priorities.

IT Support and Maintenance

Their offerings are classified into two service subcategories. Application transformation offerings encompass software development, enterprise architecture consulting and SOA with its integration services, user experience. The related services cover IT support and maintenance as well as managing deliverable portfolios. In an intricately connected and competitive industrial world, companies face the challenge of enabling exceptional user experience in a given cost.

Overcoming Hurdles in a Complicated Scenario

In addition, the evolving business technology is turning complicated, making it difficult for the industry to be responsive and create revenue while reducing the cost of operations. Companies make their way through such complexities as they face a technical crunch. Thus, superior enterprise outcomes involve overcoming these hurdles and optimizing software performance through digital platforms for streamlining application management services through IT and enterprise objectives.

Cost-Effective Delivery Model

Such offerings help in managing industry-related applications with the help of a cost-effective delivery model. The operations ensure high performance, uninterrupted and secure service delivery. Whether it is a service desk, production support, application operations, offerings management or maintenance and enhancement, software experts provide support throughout application management requirements.

Trends in Mobile App Development

When the first smartphone was launched for the general public in 1994, nobody could have predicted how integral a part of our life it will become. Currently we have 2.1 billion mobile users and in 2019, the number is expected to cross the 5 billion mark according to a report by Statista.

Another statistic to be noted before moving ahead is that according to comScore Future Digital Report 2018, 80-90% of mobile time is spent on mobile apps rather than websites. This leads us to believe that mobiles, or rather smartphones have an ecosystem of their own, separate from computers and laptops. So, the mobile app development has become an effective way of reaching uses/ target audience.

1) Custom Mobile App for Your Brand

Even though websites are designed to be responsive and mobile friendly, apps provide a more intuitive way of browsing. This means that not just the services companies but those involved in sharing of information are also developing, or getting developed, mobile apps to provide a better user experience. Customized mobile apps have been gaining traction in the past few years. In 2019 the trend is going to be stronger.

It is not just the biggies like Amazon, Alibaba and Flipkart who want to increase mobile user experience and hence sales through their own mobile applications. Now even the smaller players including the local businesses want to have their own apps created according to their requirement. So, besides the traditional industries like healthcare, insurance, fitness,e-commerce and fintech, businesses as varied as food delivery, organic products, laundry services, plumbing, bespoke tailoring, handbags and accessories designing, etc. will want their own mobile apps suited specially to their niche customers.

As someone interested in developing mobile apps, you must be prepared to come up with customised on-demand mobile applications. In fact, this could be an easy way to generate revenue as you tap newer markets.

2) M-commerce

It is said that money makes the world go around. If you are a mobile app developer, you must take this saying to your heart and focus on apps around m-commerce. According to research, the number of m-commerce transactions will surpass the number of E-Commerce transactions in 2019. Also, online payments through mobile contactless methods is increasing at a CAGR of 30%, where the leading players are Google pay and Apple pay apps.

These facts and figures show that m-commerce is going to be a guiding force in both Android app development and iOS app development environments.

3) Mobile Payment

When you talk about M commerce, in a payment cannot be far behind. as people get more comfortable and confident in making online payment, mobile application must integrate multiple payment gateways. Any successful mobile app must have at least three or four methods of making payment like credit or debit cards, mobile wallets, gift cards, etc. with many European countries set to regulate cryptocurrencies by 2020, you could even look at including cryptocurrency payments methods as well. After all, with so many players in the mobile industry, this could make you stand out easily.

4) Wearable Apps

According to CCS Insights latest forecast, the number of wearable devices is set to triple from 84 million units in 2015 to 245 million units in 2019. In monetary terms, the wearable industry will be worth USD33 billion by the end of 2019. With so much demand of wearable gadgets, be it smart watches, fitness trackers or wearable headsets, the wearable apps industry is set to boom as well.

Currently, all wearable gadgets are synchronized to the smartphones. So, the two must have apps that are paired with each other. With the number of players in mobile development industry growing by the minute, wearable apps provide a new market. Although currently smart watches and fitness gadgets are the most popular ones in wearables, other devices are predicted to catch up soon.

5) AR and VR

Over the past few years Augmented reality has revolutionized app development in entertainment and gaming industry. In 2019 AR is expected to transform app development trends in various fields like health, engineering, real estate, retail, etc. For example, an Interior Designer can launch her own mobile application that asks the potential customer only to upload images or videos of property they want to upgrade. Using augmented reality, the app can then give the customer a preview of the property based on their specifications. This is win situation for both the designer and customer. the designer is saved the headache of convincing the customer about the appropriateness of their selection. At the same time the customer can see whether their choices actually translate into what they had Wanted to start with.

Like AR, virtual reality is another mobile application trend that will be hot in 2019. Traditionally, virtual reality has been used for simulation of scenarios that are difficult as well as expensive to create. for example, human body simulation for medical students, space simulation for astronauts, etc. however, VR has caught the fancy of businesses, as it can help them to recreate how a certain product would look on their customers. So, you have applications that can show how a dress or jewelleries or spectacles would look on you before you actually purchase them. Of course, as people prefer being online through their mobiles, businesses need to have their own mobile applications to provide this experience to their customers.

6) Artificial Intelligence

According to Gartner, artificial intelligence will not attract more investment as compared to 2018 but its usage across platforms will increase drastically. What is common between Siri, Cortana, Alexa and Google assistant? They are applications that make our life much easier by taking over everyday tasks like reading, writing and sending messages, switching camera and microphone on and off, searching internet for information, setting reminders, etc. through their artificial intelligence capabilities.

As businesses see the popularity of these virtual assistants, they want similar mobile applications in the form of chatbots and personal assistant. As a developer you cannot ignore this latest app trend and hence you must gear up to develop such applications in the coming year.

7) Cloud Integration

Every professional is using or has used Dropbox, Evernote, Google notes at some point of time. These applications hosted on cloud enable them to access their personal as well as professional data anytime from anywhere. When these apps were launched there were many issues around their security and privacy. One cannot claim that these issues has been resolved completely but they are much more in control. So, their use has increased manifold. These changes have had an impact on mobile industry as well.

One of the hottest trends in mobile application development in 2019 is going to be cloud integration for mobile applications. This will ensure a seamless experience for the users. It makes even more sense for organisations involved in training people as the trainees can access material from anywhere in their own time. With more and more businesses struggling to engage people, cloud integration of mobile applications will take a jump in 2019.

8) App Security

Some thoughts that cross the users’ mind while installing Apps on their smartphones include:

Does the app Keep my private data secure?
Is it possible that someone can hack into my data stored in the app?
How much data does the app need?
Is the app a resource hog, which will slow down my phone?
Can my data be misused?

Mobile app development companies need to address these concerns if they wish to succeed. As the Gartner report points, the discussion on security has moved from being compliant to doing the right thing in 2019. mobile apps that convince the users that you have taken care of their security can only succeed.

9) Internet of Things

As you probably know, a network of interconnected smart devices is known as Internet of Things (IoT). We have just now discussed how smartphones need to be connected to wearable devices. However, IoT involves lots of other smart devices that have special circuits, sensors and software built into them. These software are nothing but apps that can be developed by any mobile app developer.

Global IoT market has been growing at a CAGR of 28.5% since 2016 and will reach USD457 billion by 2020, as per GrowthEnabler IoT report. Real time supply chain, smart homes and smart healthcare are no more stuff of science fiction but reality. With increase in IoT devices and networks, the demand for feature rich apps is also bound to increase.

How the world of Media and Communication changed over time

Nowadays we mostly listen to the radio when driving a car; in our homes radio has been replaced by television and the internet. Although radio is still a relevant communication tool, its golden days have passed. Once upon a time, radio was everything, and radio changed everything. But now way of communication has changed with time.

Communication is like lever which drives the modern world, across every sphere of life, and the media, is the fulcrum, that connects, opines and influences society, through its evolution. Media no longer involves astronomical costs which led to centralized one-to-many dissemination of messages and content. Today, anyone with a computer and an internet connection has the potential of being a key media influencer and a mass media agenda-setter themselves. The past generation has seen a blizzard of mind-boggling developments in communication, ranging from the World Wide Web and broadband, to ubiquitous cell phones that are quickly becoming high-powered wireless computers in their own right.

Methods of media and communications have come a long way since the grunts of the early cave men, but every new innovation can bring its own problems. Ever since the dawn of time, and that’s a really long time ago, people have been communicating with each other. Whether by grunting “your dinner’s in the saber tooth tiger” or by drawings on the walls of caves “three easy steps to killing your first dinosaur,” man has had something to say, to anybody that is willing to listen. Nothing much has changed there then. So why does media and communications sound so modern? Why does it sound like a 20th century phenomenon? Communications and media are an area of science and technology that is under constant advance. It often seems that as soon as one new technology is born, the next big thing is already being planned.

Our grandparents didn’t really know what ‘media and communications’ was, but they spoke to each other, they read the newspaper, they listened to the radio and they watched the television. They were in a constant state of media and communications and didn’t even know that they were doing it! For many decades, media and communication have contributed substantially to our general knowledge of international conditions and processes. The media is at the heart of cultural, social, political and economic events throughout the world.

Social Media is Changing the Face of Communications

We love social media, smart phones and daily digital rituals. It is currently our key to both education and entertainment (not to mention news, our networks and our social calendars). In addition to the latest and greatest apps and gadgets, we also love vintage, antique and timeless tools of communication. It is all because the face of communication has changed dramatically over the past few years. Traditional Telcos, which have historically dominated two-way interpersonal conversations, are increasingly being challenged by new market entrants that use open platforms to meet diverse and rapidly changing user wants and needs.

The Social Lights enjoy a blend of the old and the new – digital invites and handwritten thank-you. Multimedia presentations and inperson explanations. When we are communicating by way of digital devices – we try to add humanizing elements whenever possible – voice, video, photos, quotes – elements that reflect the fact that there is a person behind that status update, that email, that newsletter…not just a monotonous robot or lifeless laptop spewing out social media posts. The widespread social networking phenomenon reflects shifts in two long-term communication trends. First, there is a shift in communication patterns – from point-to-point, two-way conversations, to many-to-many, collaborative communications. Secondly, control of the communication environment is transitioning from Telcos to open Internet platform providers, enabled by better, cheaper technology, open standards, greater penetration of broadband services and wireless communication networks.

The role of the mainframe in digital transformation

Today’s economy centers around the idea of technologies being connected, the enabler of what many are calling digital transformation. With larger enterprises still relying on mainframes to serve as the foundation of their technology stack, many question how to power leading-edge processes that enable real-time customer experiences and great efficiencies, using what are often considered to be legacy technologies. What may surprise people is that the mainframe remains a powerful tool for driving digital transformation.

It all comes down to creating the connected mainframe.

A recent IDC study found that traditional perceptions of the mainframe being an outdated technology are inaccurate; respondents showed that the mainframe has the potential to play a central role in digital transformation. In fact, the study found that the general belief among industry practitioners is that the connected mainframe can serve as the foundation of an enterprise-wide expansion.

How the connected mainframe drives digital transformation

How can the connected mainframe drive digital transformation? To begin with, the mainframe can be a provider or a consumer in the API economy. With the right tools, the mainframe can produce applications to power mobility, modern web-based processes and more. It allows for a faster time to market due to the use of already-adopted technologies and for innovative app development for today’s demanding customers. The mainframe’s ability to handle DevOps ensures the timely release of reliable applications in order to keep up with the fast-paced API economy.

Additionally, mainframes can easily adapt to today’s big data demands by monitoring numerous processes from a single source. By partitioning the mainframe, users can create environments that rival today’s cloud and virtual machine spaces, while still working within their secure environments. The result is a trusted space for enterprises to collect and analyze their structured and non-structured data, allowing them to easily keep up with today’s industry demands.

Lastly, the connected mainframe allows enterprises to efficiently implement cognitive computing. With machine learning and AI technologies flooding the market, these technologies remain useless without the proper data to mine, analyze and identify patterns within. While a common trend is to abandon the mainframe for modern technologies to drive these changes, the mainframe can backend cognitive computing processes by building applications on top of its established data repository. This leads to a more defined AI environment that pulls from the full gamut of data across numerous channels, effectively removing the need to rebuild a database.

Why consider using your mainframe for digital transformation?

First and foremost, using the mainframe to drive digital transformation is cheaper. In fact, IDC’s study found that operating costs for mainframe technologies dropped 35% once the mainframe was integrated with modern solutions. These cost reductions came from licensing fees, staff management and even power and facilities costs – as well as the benefit of not having to pay for the implementation of and training on a new system.

By keeping the mainframe in the fold, enterprises also benefit from baseline familiarity with the systems that are currently handling their operations, as opposed to uprooting everything and starting from scratch. Instead, mainframe integration solutions can be implemented to power the mainframes with modern user interfaces, allowing IT teams to easily work and innovate within the new environments without extensive training.

Finally, mainframes offer stability, as they are the backbone of many enterprises. From their increased security – compared to cloud-based systems – as well as their ability to easily handle enterprise-wide data and assets, mainframe shouldn’t be viewed as older technology. Instead, they must be viewed as the stable foundation to drive future innovation.
In short, the mainframe is here to stay

When it comes to the mainframe, we must remember that it is a critical component of the digital economy. As professionals, we must change our way of thinking of the mainframe as outdated and instead understand its ability to continue powering innovative business operations. If any mainframe-based enterprise is looking to cut costs, increase stability, and drive digital transformation, they should start by embracing what has powered them to this point and celebrate the legacy of the mainframe.

Source: appdevelopermagzine.com

5 FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A WEB APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Throughout the years, web application development has turned out to be gigantically mainstream and pretty much all website owners around the world look for remarkable web applications for the ideal execution of their website. These applications give businesses a focused edge as well as furnish them with vital tools to enhance their operating efficiency. Also, organizations can increase colossal advantages by picking up business applications through web application development. Besides, these applications are anyway intricate and thus require the skill of experienced designers to build them. Nonetheless, picking the correct web application development company isn’t simple as it sounds, considering the way that there are a plenty of development companies flooding the market today. Add to that, you have to take into account a number of factors before making the final decision.

Experience is the key– It abandons saying that, the experience is the most noteworthy criteria while picking a web application development company to steer your web application development project. Besides, leading a top to bottom online research will enable you to gather the tributes and surveys posted, long stretches of experience picked up just as evaluations gave to the company.

Business model– Without an uncertainty, an urgent factor that you have to consider while picking a web application development company is the business demonstrate that they pursue. Moreover, there are numerous organizations who just have faith in beginning and consummation a project, and don’t offer any maintenance or support. Sequentially, in the event that you are looking for help for web application, it may be smarter to pick a company that provides this administration.

Communication: In outsourcing models, communication is a vital perspective. Moreover, ensure that your designer has clear and magnificent communication channels. In addition, successful communication likewise implies obvious signs of project development from the beginning.

Sound knowledge of programming language– When it comes to picking the correct web application development company, ensure the firm has sound information on the programming language and related instruments that the software needs.

Financial plan: Another central point that you have to consider before employing the web application development company is the financial plan. Moreover, the monetary allowance is one of the essential parts that you ought to talk about with the development company. In addition, a respectable company won’t charge you high and neither one of the it will convey low quality administrations, since, for such organizations notoriety could easily compare to cash.