Mainframe Outsourcing | Maintec Technology

Whitepaper

Mainframe Data Center Management Outsourcing

“Mainframe Data Center Management poses business challenges: Expensive IT Spends, Environment Maintenance (installation) to operate 24x7, Scarcity of Skilled Mainframe Professionals, Space and Energy Constraints, and availability challenge are a few among them. What is the solution? In this whitepaper, let us analyse the challenges in managing in-house Mainframe Data Center and how outsourcing serves as one of the best business solutions for addressing these challenges.’’

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Mainframe DCM Outsourcing

Mainframe Data Center Management - Outsourcing Several organizations across the globe heavily depend on Mainframe systems for running their mission critical and large-scale business operations.

Mainframe systems are still the most reliable & scalable platform for modern Data Center. The unmatched features of reliability, availability and serviceability make Mainframes a hub for enterprise computing. Small, medium and large business enterprises are now utilizing the high-end functionality of Mainframes for meeting the day-to-day requirements in emerging markets. The current reality is that Mainframe system has become an active participant in business services. The relevance of Big Iron in modern Data Centers is increasing as IBM introduces new Mainframe models connecting latest technologies like virtualization, SOA, cloud computing etc.

Organizations are looking for new ways and means to leverage the potential of changing technological aspects. With the introduction of these new technological changes in Data Centers, the complexities of managing an inhouse Mainframe Data Center are

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increasing day by day. In-house management of a Mainframe Data Center is becoming a matter of concern for many enterprises. Various factors contribute to the challenges in managing in-house Mainframe Data Center. Increasing cost concerns, lack of competent professionals, mounting energy and cooling costs, space constraints and availability challenges are but a few of them. As Data Center management is the ‘heart and soul’ of

In-house Mainframe Data Center Challenges   

Cost Skilled Mainframe professionals Energy and space



Availability

IT operations, let us have a closer look, to understand what contributes to these complexities and how to overcome these challenges.

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Budgetary challenges Business always demands more to do with less.

Capital expenditures are under stern scrutiny. Setting up an organization's in-house Mainframe Data Center involves huge amount of capital cost.

As Mainframes come with a hefty price tag, these systems are hard to afford for SME’s. Other costs for hardware, power, and cooling equipment also add to the cost. The day-to-day use of power and cooling equipment contributes to the recurring operational and maintenance expenditure. The hardware, software, licensing and resource cost are critical and unavoidable elements for managing a Data Center.

Scarcity of Mainframe Professionals One of the biggest challenges with Mainframe based Data Centers is the shortage of qualified and skilled Mainframe professionals. It has become extremely difficult to find and replace Mainframe professionals with deep experience in handling DB2, CICS, z/OS and other IMS environments. At a time when most of the fortune 500 companies have an in-house Mainframe setup, the Mainframe industry is expected to face a skill gap after the retirement of current Mainframe staff.

Scarcity of competent professionals is posing a serious challenge to the smooth functioning of a Mainframe Data Center. Mainframe oriented training in University curricula’s and organizations are difficult to find.

Many companies take the best and

brightest Windows and UNIX professionals and entice them into the Mainframe. This method probably be a good idea but there is a big doubt on this method of developing resources, for the fact that the whole idea is to save time and money to focus on the core business.

Energy and Space Constraints Energy and space are two major constraints for enterprises housing Mainframe Data Centers. The volume of IT infrastructure has now started to exceed the available Data Center floor space of several global enterprises leading to more power and cooling requirements. Rising power costs and availability of uninterrupted power source are major concerns for the enterprise executives. Organizations are forced to introduce green IT initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint and to drive down the budget gaps.

Availability Challenges Business growth and success largely depend on continuous availability of IT services. Mainframe systems support mission critical businesses like finance, banking, insurance etc. All these business sectors demand maximum availability of services with minimum down time. In such a scenario, planned or unplanned Data Center outages can create serious consequences to these business sectors. Also, 24/7/365 availability requirements for Data Centers have become great challenges for the organizations. An in- house

Mainframe DCM Outsourcing

managed Mainframe Data Center with minimum downtime requires skilled resources to work 24/7/365 with an efficient process in place. Quite a lot of enterprises are now having difficulty in sourcing competent resources to work

in graveyard shifts (night and weekend shifts) for their Mainframe Data Center.

This also brings in additional liability for the employer in terms of employee remuneration.

How outsourcing can address Mainframe Data Center challenges effectively?

Outsourcing is gaining more momentum, among the global business enterprises, as a viable approach to deal with the Data Center challenges.

Organisations are becoming more comfortable with the idea of offloading their Data Center functions to expert third parties. Earlier, noncore service like business processes used to be outsourced to external service providers. However, with the advent of globalization, organizations are now adopting sourcing models from diverse geographical locations for their core as well as non-core services. Mainframe Data Center service providers offer outsourcing services in various business models by way of – (a) hosting client’s

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Mainframe environment in the service provider’s location, (b) managing the client’s Mainframe environment remotely and (c) time-sharing option provided by the vendor. In short, outsourcing helps organizations largely in reducing the current Mainframe costs, obtaining higher levels of expertise, achieving more responsiveness and access to more sophisticated administration and maintenance procedures. Outsourcing of Data Center management to a reliable service provider is thus considered as one of the most viable option considering all the technical and business challenges we discussed above.

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Mainframe DCM Outsourcing

Benefits of outsourcing Mainframe Data Center Management Cost All the talk about costs brought the question of budget planning to the fore.

IT Budget planning is no more a yearly exercise.

Benefits of Outsourcing Mainframe Data Center Management         

Reduction in cast Pay for what you use only Access to skilled Mainframe professionals Access to superior quality infrastructure Reduce energy and cooling costs Save space More focus on business Business continuity and disaster recovery 24*7*365 availability of services

Per a fresh study done by DmandGen, today’s CIO’s and CTO’s have learnt to determine the potential impact through other adopters and business case made for early adoption of a new strategy that demonstrate clear ROI and approve budgets despite being initially unbudgeted.

One of the primary benefits from outsourcing Data Center operations to

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an external service provider is the cost saving on Total Cost of Ownership.

Outsourcing helps SME’s to leverage the potential of Mainframe systems without spending heavily, for setting up and maintaining the hardware infrastructure. In addition to this, the client organizations can save costs largely on software, human resource, energy etc.

Pay only for what you Use Outsourcing helps client organizations to avoid bulk initial investments and additional cost for maintaining Data Center operations. They can avail the benefits of the service via ‘pay as you go’ model, avoiding additional overhead costs.

Access to professionals

skilled

Mainframe

Outsourcing helps organizations reduce the overhead of recruiting skilled Mainframe resources. A right outsourcing partner brings in qualified and trained Mainframe professionals for carrying out the client’s Data Center operations efficiently.

Access to efficient infrastructure By outsourcing Data Center management to a competent service provider, organizations get access to best of breed Mainframe infrastructure without actually owning it. In addition, up-gradation and maintenance for the Page 5

Mainframe DCM Outsourcing

infrastructure will be provider responsibility.

the

service

Energy and space savings Outsourcing brings in great energy and space savings for the client organizations. Vendors setup the infrastructure, power and cooling facilities according to the client’s Data Center requirements. In the age of green initiatives, outsourcing in-house Mainframe Data Center operations to an external service provider makes real business sense.

Focus

By Outsourcing Data Center operations to a reliable external service provider, organizations can shift their core focus to other innovative and growth oriented aspects of the business.

Outsourcing avoids overhead tensions of setting up and maintaining a Data Center in-house.

Business continuity When the world is going through various environmental disasters like hurricanes, Flash floods, Storms and Tornadoes, some of which are predicted and many unpredicted, Data Center outsourcing has become a part of business continuity and disaster recovery plans of global enterprises.

Disaster recovery plans set by reliable Data Center service providers offer business continuity, for the client’s Mainframe environment, at the time of any unpredictable disasters.

24*7*365 availability Outsourcing helps to achieve 24/7/365 ‘follow the sun’ availability of services for client organizations. Graveyard shift support for Data Center helps to attain minimum downtime for organizations with in-house Mainframe systems.

Maintec Service Highlights What Maintec offers in Mainframe Data Center Management Outsourcing?

Maintec, an offshore outsourcing service provider headquartered in Raleigh N.C, with state-of-the-art development center in Bangalore, brings reliable Data Center management services for global organizations. Maintec brings on to the table, secure Data Center facilities staffed with experienced application and system engineers and operations staff for businesses of different sizes.

Maintec’s technical expertise along Maintec Technologies Inc.

       

In-house z/OS infrastructure Skilled and experienced Mainframe professionals On-site and Offshore delivery Centers State of the art command Center Completely secure - with RACF Security Administration Offshore outsourcing ensuring reduction in TCO In house trained resources with HTD program Graveyard shift operations support

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Mainframe DCM Outsourcing

with large pool of trained Mainframe professionals effectively addresses the challenges associated with in-house Mainframe Data Center management.

With several years of experience in Mainframe business arena, Maintec offers Remote System Software Support and Remote Operations Support services for their global clientele.

Recently, we received an overwhelming response to our innovative service launch ‘Graveyard shift operations support’ for global enterprises supporting their night and weekend shift Mainframe operations. We expected an initial inhibitions by most Mainframe shops to go for piecemeal outsourcing, but on the contrary it worked for us as single shift (Night and/or Weekend) outsourcing service gives enterprises to understand the vendors’ expertise in handling business critical Mainframe operations, develop relationship and over a period work on a smooth transition of handling their

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complete Data Center operations for all shifts.

As the IT business world has become more and more competitive, organizations look forward to find alternatives other than conventional business solutions. Global economic circumstances are demanding IT to do more with less cost. In this scenario, outsourcing of Mainframe Data Center management is an intelligent move and is proven by rising demands of outsourcing Mainframe Data Center operations. However, the success of outsourcing lies in finding a service provider who understands the client’s requirements, preferences and willingness to work collaboratively to bring in efficiency and cost effectiveness. A good outsourcing solution is like a partnership offering flexibility and scalability for client’s Data Center. Outsourcing Mainframe Data Center operations not only helps organizations to lower down their TCO’s but also make them stay ahead in their respective competitive business environments.

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Mainframe DCM Outsourcing

Figure 1 Maintec Data Center Management Outsourcing Services

About Maintec: Maintec Technologies offers globally compliant IT solutions that empower businesses to become more competitive by leveraging offshore capabilities and highly skilled resources.

Based in Raleigh, N.C., Maintec Technologies operates a software development center in Bangalore, India, to provide clients comprehensive Data Center Management, Application Development, Support & Maintenance Services. Write to us: info@maintec.com Connect with Maintec:

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