Analyst(s): Steven Dickens
Publication Date: November 12, 2024

The Open Mainframe Project has led the charge around open-source capabilities on mainframes, particularly through Zowe, an open-source tool for hybrid-friendly interfaces and DevOps integration. With Broadcom now offering free enterprise support for Zowe, mainframe environments can connect more seamlessly with cloud-native applications, knowing that they have support from a proven vendor.

What is Covered in This Article:

Overview of the Open Mainframe Project and its role in advancing open-source on mainframes, especially for z/OS environments.
Introduction to Zowe as an open-source tool enabling modernized, cloud-friendly interfaces and DevOps practices for mainframe environments.
Broadcom’s Enterprise Support for Zowe provides free support for clients, removing potential barriers to adoption.
Vendor Collaboration and Open-Source Community contributions highlight the mainframe’s ongoing evolution as a hybrid cloud platform.
Benefits of Broadcom’s ‘Open-First’ Strategy, which emphasizes API security, flexibility, and reduced costs for clients in hybrid cloud integrations.

The News: Broadcom has announced enterprise support for Zowe, offering clients enterprise-grade support for this open-source framework, which enables hybrid and cloud integration for mainframes. Zowe, developed by the Open Mainframe Project and by IBM, Broadcom, Rocket Software, and the broader open-source community, provides tools for DevOps compatibility and API access, modernizing mainframe systems for contemporary IT environments.

Mainframe And Open-Source – Yes You Read That Right

Analyst Take: Since its inception in 2015, the Open Mainframe Project has accelerated open-source adoption on mainframes, explicitly focusing on the s/390x chip architecture. Historically, mainframes have supported Linux since 1999, allowing users to deploy Linux-based applications. However, recent advancements have introduced open-source capabilities directly on the z/OS operating system, expanding integration with popular open-source tools and frameworks. This evolution has transformed the mainframe into a more flexible, hybrid-friendly platform, enabling companies to seamlessly connect z/OS environments with cloud-native and hybrid architectures. The result is a modernized mainframe that blends reliability with the speed of open-source innovation.
Zowe, introduced in 2018 by the Open Mainframe Project, was created to modernize and bridge mainframe environments with contemporary, cloud-like interfaces. Zowe’s name can trace itself back to the project’s mission —Z, o(pen), we—Z for the mainframe, Open standing for open-source, and the ‘we’ aiming to highlight how the project relies on the mainframe community for its development.

Initially co-developed and contributed to by IBM, Broadcom, and Rocket Software, Zowe introduced a paradigm shift by delivering a suite of tools tailored for developers who may need more than mainframe experience but need to interact with these systems in modern IT environments. Its components include a web-based user interface, RESTful APIs, and a command-line interface that enables DevOps practices in mainframe management.

Over the past six years, Zowe has seen steady adoption and wider developer commitments beyond the original contributing companies across industries reliant on mainframe technology, especially in financial services, government, and telecommunications. Its extensible, open-source architecture allows customized tool integrations, reducing the learning curve for new mainframe operators and enhancing productivity by facilitating agile workflows and CI/CD pipelines. As a critical project under the Linux Foundation’s Open Mainframe Project, Zowe has fostered an active open-source community, contributing to continuous innovation and expanding its ecosystem. This project exemplifies the Open Mainframe Project’s mission of promoting open-source software to modernize and sustain mainframe technology within evolving IT landscapes.

Enterprise Support for Zowe

Broadcom has announced expanded support for Zowe, offering all Broadcom mainframe clients free access to enterprise-level backing for this open-source framework. Zowe helps modernize mainframe environments by providing a standardized API access, integration, and automation framework, facilitating mainframe and cloud interoperability in hybrid IT architectures. Broadcom’s ‘open-first’ strategy leverages Zowe to enable secure API access and efficient data exchange across platforms, empowering clients to integrate mainframe data seamlessly into modern applications while lowering costs associated with custom-built solutions.

This support aims to deliver long-term value by aligning with industry standards, accelerating development, and reducing the time and effort needed for setup and API management. In particular, the Zowe API mediation gateway enhances security and consistency, which is crucial for organizations handling sensitive workloads on z/OS. Broadcom’s investment in open-source tools such as Zowe also helps organizations adopt and maintain hybrid cloud infrastructure confidently, knowing that Broadcom’s continued innovation and support enhance scalability, flexibility, and resilience. This initiative underscores Broadcom’s commitment to helping clients evolve their mainframe portfolios with a secure, standardized approach, aligning open-source flexibility with enterprise-level reliability.

During TechXchange, I spoke with Mike Daubman, Director of Product Management, Mainframe Infrastructure Software at Broadcom. His comments about the Zowe announcement are: “Since 2018, Broadcom has focused on an ‘open-first’ strategy where we’ve invested in and leveraged Zowe across our entire Mainframe portfolio. Customers gain value from open tools to optimize their hybrid applications. Organizations can be confident in the long-term sustainability of their investment when their vendor fully supports the IP. It makes perfect sense for us to offer, at no cost, Enterprise Support for Zowe to all our mainframe customers.”

In summary, this is another example of Broadcom offering value to its clients beyond their agreed-upon financial commitment. While the VMware division of Broadcom is facing customer criticism over pricing issues, the Mainframe team led by Greg Lotko continues to focus on delivering incremental value to its clients.

What to Watch:

Increased Vendor Participation in Open Mainframe Support: In addition to IBM and Broadcom, vendors like Rocket Software are expanding their commitment to open-source frameworks such as Zowe, enabling mainframes to interact seamlessly with modern IT environments. Expect further integrations from more vendors to enhance interoperability across hybrid architectures.
Zowe’s Role in Modernizing Mainframe Operations: As Zowe continues to gain traction, look for additional tools and components that lower the learning curve for mainframe operators, encourage agile development practices, and promote broader adoption of DevOps for mainframes.
Broadcom’s ‘Open-First’ Strategy: Broadcom’s enterprise support for Zowe at no additional cost reflects a strong alignment with hybrid IT architecture goals. Broadcom’s ongoing investments indicate a strategic focus on combining mainframe reliability with cloud-native flexibility. Watch for updates on expanded API capabilities and security enhancements.
The Impact of Open-Source Communities on Mainframe Innovation: The Open Mainframe Project fosters continuous open-source contributions, so expect innovations that will further the modernization and longevity of mainframe technology in sectors such as financial services, government, and telecom, where secure, resilient infrastructure is critical.

More details about Broadcom’s enterprise support here.

Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.

Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.