Mainframe Open Education Project
  • Welcome: Learn & Contribute to MOE
    • MOE Vision, Mission and Content Phases
    • Who Can Contribute?
    • Contributor Log In
    • Earn A Contributor Badge
    • MOE Management System
    • MOE Events
    • Project Support
    • Legal Disclaimer, Copyright and License
    • Code of Conduct
    • Project Governance
    • Why MOE
  • Introduction: What is Enterprise Computing?
  • Chapter 1: What is a Mainframe Today?
    • Role of the Mainframe Today
      • Mainframe and the Cloud
      • Enterprise Computing
      • Hybrid Cloud
    • Who Uses the Mainframe and Why
    • Mainframe versus Server
    • Mainframe Basic Architecture & Components
    • How the Mainframe Works
    • Mainframe Security Myths
    • Mainframe Evolution
    • Mainframe Modernization
    • Video: ITs Best Kept Secret
    • Get Ready: Talk Like a Mainframer
    • Looking Back: The First 50 Years of Mainframe
  • Chapter 2: Foundational Technology
    • Brief Introduction to z/OS
    • TSO/E, ISPF, and UNIX System Services (USS): Interactive facilities of z/OS
    • Data Sets and How They Work
    • Job Control Language and System Display and Search Facility
      • Understanding the JCL(Job Control Language)
        • Understanding the JOB Statement
        • Understanding the EXEC Statement
        • Understanding the DD Statement
        • Creating a Physical Sequential (PS)
        • Understanding Libraries in JCL
        • Understanding Instream Procedures, Cataloged Procedures, and Symbolic Parameters in JCL
      • Utilities
        • IEBCOMPR
        • IEBGENER
          • Copying Between Sequential Datasets and PDS Members Using IEBGENER
          • Generate PDS member while copying
          • Copying a UNIX File to a PS File
        • IEBCOPY
          • IEBCOPY selective copy using select statements
          • IEBCOPY Exclude members while copying
          • IEBCOPY renaming member while copying
      • GDG
        • GDG parameters
        • GDG base
        • GDG Generation
          • Referencing GDG Generations Using Relative Numbers
        • Alter and Delete GDG
    • Enterprise Software Development and Implementation
    • Programming languages for Mainframe
    • Modern Application Management
    • Video: System Overview
    • Video: MVS Using Dynamic Allocations
    • Article: Red Hat OpenShift 4.7 on IBM Z Is a Game Changer for Container Orchestration and Managemen
    • IBM z16
  • Chapter 3: Roles in Mainframe
    • Roles and Categories
      • Category Definitions
  • Chapter 4: Deeper Dive in Role Chosen
    • IT Operations and System Support and Services
    • IT Business/Software Product Application Development and Support
    • IT Software Engineers
    • IT Architects
  • Chapter 5: Career Path Opportunities
    • Learning Programs
    • Job Opportunities
    • Career Event Calendar
    • Open to Hire
  • Mainframe Events and Conferences 2024
  • My Mainframe Journey: From Student to Professional
  • Backlog on Topics
  • Additional Community Resources
    • Communities
    • Courses, Tutorials, Manuals
    • Education Programs
    • IBM Mainframe Timeshare Services
  • Digital Certificate Badges
    • z/OS Mainframe Practitioner
  • Reviewer List
  • Modern Mainframe
    • What is a modern mainframe environment?
    • z/OSMF
      • What is z/OSMF?
      • Why it is important in a mainframe shop
      • z/OSMF Learning Materials
    • Zowe
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Chapter 1: What is a Mainframe Today?

Learn what mainframes are and what place they take in your daily life.

PreviousIntroduction: What is Enterprise Computing?NextRole of the Mainframe Today

Last updated 1 year ago

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Imagine waking up every morning, reaching for your smartphone, checking your email, and sipping on your favourite coffee. Little do you know, a silent powerhouse called a mainframe is working behind the scenes to make it all happen seamlessly. Think of a mainframe as the superhero of computers, capable of handling massive amounts of data and transactions.

While they might not be as flashy or portable as your smartphone, these machines power many of the things we rely on every day. Imagine all of the banking transactions, airline reservations, and government records that are moving around the world in a moment. That's the power of the mainframe!

Here are some real-life examples of where you might encounter mainframes:

  • When you swipe your credit card, the mainframe verifies your information and approves the transaction in milliseconds.

  • When you book a flight, your reservation is processed and your seat is confirmed, thanks to the mainframe's lightning-fast speed.

  • When you browse a massive online store, the mainframe retrieves millions of products and displays them on your screen in seconds.

These machines are robust, rugged, and always ready for action. You might not have heard about them, but they've been with you, quietly ensuring everything ticks smoothly from dawn till dusk. Join us on a journey to uncover the hidden marvels of the mainframe, a technological wizardry that's closer to your daily routine than you could ever imagine.

Some folks might dismiss mainframes as ancient relics, assuming they're outdated technology. But before we start exploring, let's take a moment to unravel the mystery as Rosalind, an IBM fellow, shares her insights on the subject.

Watch the video "Mainframe Myths Debunked" by Rosalind Radcliffe, and answer the following questions:

  1. How does the introduction of the Telum processor challenge the perception of mainframes being "old" systems?

  2. In what ways does the script debunk the myth that mainframes are "expensive"?

  3. How does the transaction processing efficiency of mainframes contribute to their modern capabilities?

Mainframe Myths Debunked in 5 Minutes