Skyward Data

Join us for an insightful podcast: Modernize Relational Databases with VirtualZ and discover how VirtualZ’s PropelZ™ solution simplifies the modernization of relational databases like IMS, Db2, IDMS, and Datacom, enabling seamless data extraction, automated transformation, and direct integration with modern platforms.

· Eliminating ETL Headaches: Learn how PropelZ’s no-code solutions reduce complexity and costs.

· Accelerating AI and Analytics: Enable real-time data access for faster insights and decision-making.

· Customer Use Cases: Explore real-world examples of organizations successfully modernizing their relational databases with VirtualZ.

Jerry Edgington, Senior Solutions and Innovation Consultant, Mainline Information Systems

Read the blog and join us to learn how VirtualZ can help you unlock the value of your relational database data, streamline workflows, and drive innovation — all without disrupting your existing systems.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how PropelZ can transform your relational database strategy.

Business agility is no longer just a competitive advantage, it's a necessity.

In an era dominated by disruption, organizations with mainframe systems seek to achieve business agility in response, but they're finding it difficult given the vast amount of data involved.

In this webinar hosted by TechChannel, VirtualZ discusses real-time, read-write data access solutions that can transform the combination of mainframe and cloud data access into a modern, competitive advantage — from any platform, anytime, anywhere.

Empowering IT Leaders with a Cost-Effective, Low-Maintenance Alternative to CDC.

IBM Z mainframes remain the foundation of enterprise IT, processing mission-critical transactions and housing vast amounts of business data. As organizations move toward hybrid cloud architectures and modern analytics platforms, accessing mainframe data in real time is essential.

For years, Change Data Capture (CDC) has been the default method for synchronizing mainframe data with cloud and distributed systems. However, CDC is an expensive, complex, and high-maintenance solution that requires constant monitoring, manual tuning, and resource-intensive processes.

VirtualZ Computing eliminates the need for traditional CDC by enabling direct, secure access to mainframe data without replication, ETL pipelines, or ongoing maintenance. Our approach reduces costs, simplifies operations, and accelerates cloud adoption—allowing enterprises to leverage real-time mainframe data without the headaches of CDC.

Join industry veterans Marc Sokol and Todd Henley for a fascinating journey through the evolution of data governance, from mainframe programming in the 1970s to today's AI-powered enterprise systems.

Marc, with over four decades in technology, shares insights from his days writing COBOL compilers to his current role at VirtualZ, while Todd, founder at Paperkite.ai, brings his expertise as a former Chief Data Governance and Privacy Officer. They explore how metadata serves as "the language of data governance" and discuss the critical challenges of implementing responsible AI in regulated industries.

This episode offers invaluable perspectives on legacy system migrations, regulatory compliance, and the future of enterprise data management.

Join Richard Philyaw, Chief Architect at VirtualZ Computing, for a brief demonstration on how to configure and use Lozen's OpenAPI connector with Microsoft Azure Logic Apps Integration Platform as a Service.

Overview

Organizations leveraging IBM Z mainframes often encounter significant challenges when it comes to accessing and integrating their data into modern applications.

This is where Lozen™ steps in, offering a powerful solution for real-time, read-write access to mainframe data across various platforms.

With its OpenAPI Connector, Lozen enables seamless integration with Azure Logic Apps, allowing organizations to automate workflows without extensive coding or complex configurations.

Lozen’s OpenAPI Connector enables organizations to access mainframe data, such as VSAM files, from any OpenAPI-compliant application. This means applications can interact with mainframe data using familiar OpenAPI objects, eliminating the need for custom coding.

Key Features of Lozen’s OpenAPI Connector

1. Seamless Integration: Effortlessly access mainframe data from Azure Logic Apps workflows without custom coding.

2. Real-Time Access: Automate workflows that require immediate interaction with mainframe datasets.

3. Declarative Configuration: Simplified setup through a user-friendly interface.

On this episode of Futurum Live! From the Show Floor, The Futurum Group's Steven Dickens talks with Jeanne Glass, Founder and CEO of VirtualZ, about modern data access approaches that will accelerate getting mainframe data to the cloud for AI, BI, and other business imperatives. We also covered how difficult it's been for the mainframe and the cloud to share equivalent real-time data access across platforms — until VirtualZ.

IBM Z mainframes remain the cornerstone of enterprise IT, processing the majority of global business transactions. Their unparalleled reliability, scalability, and security make them indispensable for critical business operations. However, as hybrid IT environments become more widespread,

Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) face growing challenges in securing mainframe data while ensuring smooth integration with modern platforms.

This podcast explores the latest trends in mainframe security, addresses

the challenges of data governance, and presents practical strategies to

protect and leverage mainframe data in an increasingly complex threat

landscape.

In this episode of Skyward Data, we delve into the critical factors prompting organizations to consider mainframe decommissioning. While IBM Z systems have long been the backbone of enterprise IT, challenges such as escalating costs, a shrinking pool of skilled professionals, and integration hurdles with modern technologies are leading businesses to reevaluate their reliance on these platforms.​

However, is decommissioning the only path forward? We explore how VirtualZ Computing offers innovative solutions that allow organizations to modernize their IT ecosystems without abandoning their mainframes. By addressing the root causes—outdated tools and processes—VirtualZ enables seamless integration with contemporary technologies, ensuring that the mainframe remains a valuable asset in today's hybrid IT environments.​

Join Vince Re, Chief Technology Officer at VirtualZ Computing, as he describes how Lozen API enables customers to have simple and secure access to mainframe data from an increasing number of application environments.

Lozen™ offers several connectors to enable mainframe data access to a broad range of applications. In this blog, we explain two of these in more detail:

The Lozen OpenAPI Connector, which makes it possible to access mainframe data, such as VSAM files, from any OpenAPI application (such as Microsoft Azure Logic Apps, Boomi, TIBCO, and more)

The Lozen API, a stand-alone, streamlined version of our native interface with a callable library and encapsulated logic that makes mainframe data access as efficient as possible

Connectors are valuable extensions to Lozen, allowing Lozen customers to have simple and secure access to mainframe data from an increasing number of application environments, with high performance and data integrity.

In today’s interconnected IT environments, mainframes remain a cornerstone of enterprise computing. However, integrating mainframe logs with modern log management platforms like Splunk often feels like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Traditional solutions can fall short, leaving valuable console messages and logs siloed from broader enterprise systems.

VirtualZ now offers Integrating Mainframe Data with Splunk, a no-code solution based on PropelZ™ that simplifies the process of capturing, transforming, and integrating mainframe logs with Splunk, enabling seamless integration and real-time visibility across platforms without the complexity.

Why Mainframe Logs Matter in a Modern IT Ecosystem. Mainframe logs, particularly console messages, are more than just records of system activity—they are the pulse of the enterprise. They provide:

- Real-Time Monitoring: Helping IT teams identify performance issues or security threats as they arise.

- Compliance and Auditing: Offering a detailed trail of system activity to meet regulatory requirements.

- Proactive Management: Allowing organizations to stay ahead of potential problems with automated alerts and responses.

When these logs are integrated into a platform like Splunk, they gain even more value. Splunk’s powerful analytics and visualization tools make it easier to uncover patterns, detect anomalies, and gain actionable insights.

The Challenge: Integrating Mainframe Logs with Splunk

While Splunk excels at aggregating and analyzing data from various sources, mainframe logs don’t natively fit into this ecosystem. Issues like incompatible formats, complex workflows, and the need for manual intervention make integration daunting.

For many organizations, the result is siloed mainframe logs that are either underutilized or manually processed—an inefficient approach that undermines the potential of real-time insights.

The Solution: PropelZ for Mainframe Log Integration. PropelZ changes the game by offering a simple, no-code solution to integrate mainframe logs with Splunk. Here’s how PropelZ bridges the gap:

- Real-Time Log Capture: PropelZ captures mainframe console messages and logs as they occur, ensuring no critical event is missed.

- Data Transformation Made Easy: Mainframe logs are processed and enriched to align with Splunk’s ingestion formats. PropelZ adds useful metadata like timestamps and severity levels, making the data ready for analysis.

- Seamless Integration: PropelZ sends logs directly to Splunk via its HTTP Event Collector (HEC) or other ingestion methods. Logs can also be stored in databases or cloud environments for preprocessing before integration.

- Automation at Its Best: PropelZ enables custom workflows and alerting, automating responses to critical events in real time.

Getting Started: Using PropelZ to Connect Mainframe Logs to Splunk. Integrating mainframe logs with Splunk is simpler than you might think:

- Set Up Splunk Integration: PropelZ uses Splunk’s HEC to seamlessly send logs into Splunk.

- Capture Logs in Real Time: Install PropelZ on your mainframe to collect logs and console messages as they happen.

- Enrich and Transform: PropelZ processes and prepares the data for Splunk, aligning it with your requirements.

- Automate Processes: PropelZ can trigger scripts, workflows, or alerts based on specific log events, enabling proactive system management.

Benefits of Using PropelZ for Splunk Integration. By using PropelZ, organizations can:

- Simplify Log Integration: PropelZ automates the process, eliminating the need for custom coding or manual workflows.

- Enhance Visibility: Gain real-time access to mainframe logs in Splunk for a unified view of system performance.

- Reduce Costs: PropelZ runs on zIIP processors, optimizing resource utilization and lowering costs.

- Scale Effortlessly: PropelZ handles large log volumes, ensuring smooth operations as data grows.

- Boost Automation: Enable event-driven responses and proactive management with customizable workflows.

Real-World Applications. Here’s how organizations are using PropelZ to enhance their IT ecosystems:

- Operational Monitoring: Achieve full visibility into system performance by integrating mainframe logs with Splunk.

- Compliance and Auditing: Use Splunk to analyze and archive mainframe logs for regulatory compliance.

- Event-Driven Automation: Respond to critical events in real time with automated alerts and workflows.?

Conclusion: A Unified IT Ecosystem Starts Here

Mainframe logs hold a wealth of information, but their true potential is only realized when they’re integrated into modern log management platforms like Splunk. PropelZ makes this integration seamless, empowering organizations to break down silos and unlock real-time insights across their IT environment.

If you’re ready to simplify your log management and leverage the full power of your mainframe data, PropelZ offers a no-code solution tailored to your needs.